June 15
 
Martin Mills has taken a position as tool pusher on W.W. Drilling Rig 2 out of Wakeeney, Kansas.
 
Francis Zeller and Mary Ann Higgins flew to Detroit, Michigan last week for funeral services for Mary Zeller Graham.  Mary was a sister to Francis and an aunt of Mary Ann’s.
 
Rashell Mills and her fiancé Robert McCarty left June 1 on a short vacation to Britton, Michigan. 
 
 Cameron Horesky, 1st baseman for Hoisington High School, was chosen for the second team MCAA all league baseball team.  Cameron also made the All Area Baseball team honorable mention.
 
MCAA league first team member for softball was Hoisington’s junior second baseman Kyra Horesky. Kyra also made the All Area Softball Team honorable mention. 
 
Pat Miles, Tulsa, was here over Memorial Day weekend as a guest of her mother, Katherine Ryan.
 
Congratulations to Stacy ‘Lou’ Schkoda on her 8th grade promotion from the Discovery Baptist School in Anaheim, California.  She is the daughter of Keith and Holly Schkoda and granddaughter of George and Joy Hunter.
 
Visited with ‘Curly’ Juvenal on Sunday, he is making plans to come to the McCracken Rodeo. 
 
Robert and Eileen Mills are now living in Miami, Florida.  Robert is employed at Miami Management and Eileen plans to go to college this fall.
 
Craft vendors are wanted for the craft show at the MHS Alumni sponsored picnic held at the McCracken City Park on Saturday, July 8.  Please contact Pat a 785-394-2296 for more information.          
 
We are saddened to hear of the death of Chris Pierce, wife of our Rodeo announcer Marv Pierce.
 
Memorials have been given to the McCracken Alumni in memory of Paul Grumbein from Marlene Pfannenstiel Grumbein Bronish, Paula Myake, Betty Grumbein, Mary Mansfield and Connie Clements; to Dan Conner from Lorraine Ryan, Vic and Shirley Higgins.
 
Rich, Linda and Mike Conrad from St. Louis made a quick stop Friday afternoon to see his dad, Syl Conrad, on their way to Johnson City, Kansas.  Mike will be one of the 800 bike riders & support teams to start at the Colo. & Kansas state line on Highway 160 to ride across Kansas ending at Mulberry next Saturday, (at the Missouri State line ).  Mike started on Saturady, June 10th.  It will total 485 miles across the State.  Richard will ride when he feels like it but Linda will follow as one of the support teams.  On the route they will make stopovers at various schools, churches and will pitch a tent.  Adults & young teenagers from all over the USA are  doing the "Bike Across Kansas 2006”.  Each night they each will have a destination to make and Mike will no doubt do it
 
Birthdays:  June 15, Eric Washaliski, Todd Barber; June 16, Robert McCarty, Philena Baus, Sharon Lovitt; June 17, Clay North, Jessica Casey, Matt Casey; June 18, Patricia Casey Harmon, Chad Irvin, Mickey Hopper, Sarah Washaliski; June 19, Diz Washaliski, Cheryl Davis Werth, Matthew Groff; June 21, Harold Herdman
 
Anniversaries:  June 19, Joey and Jill Wierman Herschback, Kevin and Malena Rogers Thyfault; June 20, Mike and Mary Beth Peach.
 
Mary Zeller Graham, age 86, died May 30, 2006, at her home in Dearborn, Michigan.  She was born on the farm in Trego County, January 27, 1920 to Joseph and Agnes Silberhorn Zeller.  She attended Peach Valley grade school, Brownell High School and Fort Hays State College.  She taught school in Coolidge, Medicine Lodge and Brownell, Kansas and Hawaii.  She was married to A. Bruce Graham in June of 1943.  He preceded her in death. Survivors include a daughter, Janice Graham and a son, Mike Graham both of Michigan.  Three grandsons, J. D. Closser, Jeremy and Eric Graham of Michigan, a brother, Francis Zeller of McCracken and several nieces and nephews and a host of friends.  She was preceded in death by a brother, Joe Zeller and a sister, Agnes Zeller.
 
Addie Kershner celebrated her 6th birthday at Barrows Pool.  Guests were Kacee Klozenbucker, Emma Rues, Courtney Tammen, Emma Garcia, Gabby Taliferro, Kassi Pechanec, Brooklyn and Sierra Burk.  Lifeguards were Clayton and Clinton Kershner.  Pool Manager was Mary Barrows. Aunt Cheryl was the Rescue Squad.  Others attending were Linda Bittel, Cindy Babcock and Ellen Kershner. Garrett and Laura showed up.  They had a hot dog feed at the Baseball Diamond and a Sleepover at Kershners.
 
Jan North and Brandon North went to Elkhart on Sunday, June 11, for the 40th anniversary and renewal of wedding vows for Kyle and Linda Martin.  Ronn and Laura Martin, Sarah and Aidan of Fort Worth, Texas also attended.  Kyle and Linda are parents of Ronn.  Enroute home, Jan and Brandon stopped in Cimarron to visit with Dwight and Sherry Eisenhour.
 
Noel Lipton has given a Vulcanizer and a Horse and Buggie Drill Press (circa 1890-1895) to the Jail/Museum.
 
Mike and Jerilyn Stull, Tayler and Colby went to Corpus Christi, Texas.  They toured the Texas State Aquarium, the U.S.S. Lexington and enjoyed Padre Island.
 
Adeline Slezak, Tavistock, Ontario; Adrian and Doris Doerr, Council Grove and Ruthetta Hansen were in McCracken on Wednesday afternoon visiting the cemeteries, McCracken Public Library and the Jail/Museum.  Adeline donated the bible owned by Catherine Eidt to the Jail/Museum.  Catherine Edit was a sister of Henry Doerr of McCracken.  Family marriages, births and deaths are recorded in the bible written in German.  The parents of Catherine and Henry were Heinrich Doer and Anna Margaret Gies Doer.
 
Irene C. McGaughey, 90, died June 6, 2006 at Hutchinson.  She was born January 18, 1916, in Ness County to Henry Michael and Mary Helena Wierman McGaughey.  She graduated from McCracken High School in 1934.  She was a bookeeper for McCracken Telephone Company before moving to Hutchinson where she worked at Pegues and Carey Salt.  She was preceded in death by five brothers, Martin, Lester, Francis, Chester and Eugene McGaughey and three sisters, Pearl and Ruth McGaughey and Ethel Smith.
Burial was in Penwell-Gabel Cemetery and Mausoleum, Hutchinson.
 
Addie Mills was a Sunday afternoon visitor of Dan and Marilyn Mills at Gorham.  She also stopped by to see Joan and Jack Klee and Donna and Jayme Hansen in Hays.
 
Dolores Schugart, Bazine and Mary Lou Hall, Ness City were Wednesday morning visitors of Carolyn Thompson.  They were working on genealogy.
 
Daniel G. Conner, 50, died June 7, 2006, at his home.  He was born February 7, 1956 in Hays to Glenn and Elizabeth "Liz" Belden Conner.  He graduated from McCracken High School in 1974 and from Pratt Community College and Fort Hays State University.  He is survived by a son, D. J., Yukon, Okla; his father, Glenn and brother, Michael both of McCracken.  He was preceded in death by his mother.  Burial was in McCracken City Cemetery.  He excelled in sports and was a teacher.
 
The Yawger family gathered for a swim and cookout at their home in Hays on Saturday afternoon.  Al Hugh did the barbecuing, Judy Hugh did the cooking and Wanda Luft provided the Mandarian orange cake to celebrate the recent birthdays for Shannon Keith, Deb and Joyce Luft and Carolyn Thompson.  Others attending were Ruth Yawger, Mike and Susan Keith.
 
The Rodeo parade will be on Saturday afternoon, July 8, 2006.  You do not have to pre-register for the parade.  Just come and join in.  Let's make it a great one to honor the 20 years of rodeo.  All graduates of MHS prior to 1940 have been invited to ride.  A pick-up band will perform on a float.  All organizations and businesses are welcome -- that includes politicians.  Be sure and bring lots of candy and items to throw out as that is why the kids come to parades.  Hope there are lots of horses and motorcycles.  We have suggested to the golfers that they ride their golf carts.  Drag out all those old farm vehicles and tractors.  We could use some clowns.  Queens and Kings and formal royalty would be enjoyed.  Show your imagination!
 
The Corvette Club of Wichita plans to be in McCracken for the Rodeo/Parade on Saturday, July 8, 2006.  The vehicles will be on display near the Jail/Museum.
 
Irene Boucher, 85, Olathe, died June 6, 2006 at Olathe.  She was born to John and Anna Linenberger on November 23, 1920 northeast of McCracken.  She was a 1938 graduate of LaCrosse High School and a graduate of Kansas School of Nursing, Halstead.  She married Eli Boucher on November 25, 1942 in LaCrosse.  She is survived by her husband, three sons, Greg, Brian and Dana and daughters, Cheryl Wunder and Michele Heidrick, 11 grandchildren, six great-grandchildren. Burial was at Lenexa.
 
If you have an items related to rodeo, we would like to display them at the Jail/Museum during the rodeo/alumni week.  A saddle will be available for pictures for the youngsters.
Paperweights are being made by the Ellsworth prison for sale at the museum.  They will feature a mustang and McCracken. 
 
We have a new mystery.  While cleaning up an iron pile a gravestone was uncovered on a homestead west of McCracken.   It reads "Ezra D. Thompson, Oct 24, 1861 Sept 22, 1908.  'His words were kindness - his deed were love - his spirit humble - he, rests above'".  Ezra David Thompson also has a tombstone in the Brownell (Vansburg Cemetery).  He married Mollie (Mary Elizabeth) Brock and they had 6 children.  An infant son who died in 1892, Pearl who married Frank Wyatt, Laura who married E. W. Pierce, Flora who married Clyde Gordon, Permelia who married Melvin Brown and Mae who married Fate Moses.  He and his brothers Edward James Thompson, Alfred C. Thompson and Hiram Thompson all came to Ness County Kansas from Ohio in 1878 along with their sister Mary who married Elmer Howard.  If you know anything that can explain why his tombstone is on private land, please let us know.
 
Helen Schwartzkopf, 95, died June 10, 2006 in Hutchinson.  She was the daughter of John and Jennie Kreick Spomer and was born near Alexander on December 28, 1910.  She married William H. Schwartzkopf at her parents' rural home.  He survives.  Other survivors include daughters, Miriam, Kathy and Janet and son, Lynn, brother Ralph Spomer.  She was preceded in death by two brothers, Elmer and Wiliam Spomer.  Burial was in Larned.
 
McCracken History Notes
 
June 1906
Another star was added to the Union Saturday when President Roosevelt signed the bill admitting Oklahoma and the Indian Territory as one state.
 
Clyde and Drew Robertson have each secured positions as brakemen on the Union Pacific road and will shortly move to Ellis to reside.
 
June 1936
Harvest started Wednesday on the Oscar B. Elias farm.  He is binding some wheat.  Also some Liebenthal farmers, Isadore Herrman, Nick Legleiter and Bernard Herrman started the same day.  The elevators are paying 88 cents for the best wheat and it is averaging about 10 bushel to the acre.
 
The McCracken juniors won by a score of 7 to 3 from the Ransom juniors.  Players for McCracken:  W. Irvin ss, Elias 1b, Stephens cf-2b, Werth 2b, Ryan cf,  Higgins, c, C. Irvin 3b,  McCasey lf,  B. Irvin rf, C. Irvin p.  Ransom Yost, Moore, Petty, Sidebottom, Fairbanks, Schreiber, Blocksome, Wedwood, Kueffer.
 
June 1946
Harley Tanck received his induction paper this week and will report at LaCroose Thursday morning.
 
Phyllis Cheney is a new clerk at Norlin's store.
 
Miss Margaret Shiney, who had been attending Bryn Mawr College, arrived home Saturday evening and will be employed for the summer as bookkeeper at the Farmers Union office.
 
Sale of the Hotel Nash was made last week to Otis Hoffman of Chapman, Kan., who will take charge of the business about July 1.  Mrs. Hattie Nash is retiring after forty years in the hotel business -- thirty-three years in McCracken.
 
Opal Jean Temple and Pvt. Kenneth J. Mills were united in marriage on June 7 by Rev. L. W. Robbins.
 
June 1956
Joyce Showalter and Arlene Wilson won scholarships to the KU Band camp in Lawrence.
 
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Donald Davis, a daughter, Cheryl Kay, June 19, 1956 in LaCrosse.
 
June 1966
Grace Bullock has traded her home in the northeast edge of McCracken for the William Irvin property and plans to move there this week.  Esther Akers who had been living in the Irvin property has moved into the Richard Brown house.
 
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Richard Barber, Wichita, a son, Todd Jerard, June 15, 1966.
 
June 1976
McCracken Chapter No. 261 Order of Eastern Star initatied two candidates of the 3rd generation at their meeting.  The new members are Sally Buster and Kay Bisagno.  They are grandaughters of Mrs. Glenn Ryan who is a 50 year member.  The mothers - Mrs. Buster and Mrs. Bisagno are 25 year members.
 
Robert Fear, son of Mr. and Mrs. Bob Fear recently graduated from Burleson, Texas High School Magna Cum Laude.  He is the grandson of Mrs. Gladys Fear of McCracken. 
 
June 1986
The McCracken Cookie League team defeated Utica 10-5 on Sunday.  Team members are Grant Bannister, Bill Harp, Clayton Wilson, Bruce Barnes, Bryan Bergquist, Brandon Cox, Brett Gilbert, Chad Mantz, Kelly Petz, Sean Ummel, Brian and Scott Foos, Travis Elias, Joel Bruntz, Brian Harp and Tyrel Elias.
June 1996
 
Paul Healy attended his 55th class reunion from Bazine High School at the Derrick Inn in Ness City.
 
Joe and Jan Breh  of J & B Livestock Ropings, Bazine, will hold a team roping at the Mustang Area on June 15 and 16.  These events will get you in the mood for our 10th annual rodeo weekend.