July 4, 2013 News

Pray for Rain- Save McCracken water.

Birthdays: July 4, Brenda Littler; July 5, Chase Gomez; July 6, Bobbie Irvin; June 7, Sherry Petz, Tessa Legleiter; July 8, Eric Davis, Melody Higgins; June 10,Bob Funk, Shelby Bowers, Brittany Dome, Harley Clancy.

Anniversary: July 5, David and Janice Norlin.

Renewing members of the Jail/Museum are Shirley Higgins, Jean Oelkers, Edith Moses Blair, Galen L. Oelkers, Arline Rues, Les and Rose Diehl, Tammy Irvin, Juanita Caviness, Tom Rues, Arlyn and Jan North, Jay and Maureen Georg, Tim, Maddie and Lily Rues, Louise Otero, Calvin H. Wilson, Bill and Sharon Lovitt, James, Kathy and Justin Coen, William D. Cole, Shelly Oelkers, Stephanie S. Stephens.

Memorials were received by the Jail/Museum in memory of Erman Oekers from Jean Oelkers; For family and friends who have gone before from Galen Lee Oelkers; Al Rues from Arline Rues, Les and Rose Diehl and Tom Rues; Vic Higgins from Tammy Irvin; Floyd Thompson from Louise Otero; Alvina Cole, Robert Foster and Augie Schutte from William D. Cole, Erman Oelkers from Shelly Oelkers, Kathryn and Bard Stephens, Ruth and Claude Stephens from Stephanie S. Stephens; Donations from Shirley Higgins, Tim, Maddie and Lily Rues.

$10 more has been received for the Habitat for Humanity campaign. This brings the total to $170.00

The Jail/Museum is honoring “Rodeo Angels” this year. We have all the rodeo booklets and everyone who has been remembered in the booklets are listed below. You can come check out each program booklet during rodeo week. We will also have angel figurines to represent these individuals. If you have a picture of any of these individuals or an angel, drop them off at the museum.

Here are our Rodeo Angels: Ruth (Elmore) Start and James R. Start, Carrie Klee Davis House, Claude Elias, Drewie McGaughey, Kenneth and Goldie Showalter, John Rixon, Bob Derr, Harry Wilson, Ethel Sunley, Geo. Myers, David Rogers, Carolyn Durand, Charlie Jacobs, Carol Faye Rixon, Celly Stremel, Oliver Herdman, Duane Brackney, Donna Schuckman, Guy Conner, Floyd Thompson, Jack Paul Wilson, Willetta M.Herdman, Vic Higgins, Bev Irvin, Red Fear, Ruth Yawger, Laura Casey Linsey, Joshua Dean Stieben, Bob Foster, Anna Bergquist, Gary M. “Woody” Williams; Glenn Conner, John Tacha, Pete Keener, Norman Matal, Ivan Janke, Marv Pierce.

On Friday the Hampton family visited the museum and the townsite of Hampton. In 1877 Joseph and Mary Maise Cline Hampton were living on the Fort Hays-Fort Dodge Road five miles east of McCracken. Pam Thompson and Krystal Thompson Snell. daughter Allis of LaMonte, Missouri and Heather Thompson McCain, Hill AFB, Utah, brought pictures of Joseph and Mary Hampton. Heather and her two sisters are fourth great-granddaughters of Joseph and Mary. Joseph had 17 children, 13 by his first wife. Heather also gave the museum a picture of the children and grandchildren taken in 1906 when they were living in Daviess County, Missouri. Both the town of Hampton and the township of Hampton were named for Joseph Hampton.

Phyllis and Roy Conrad re-stained the storage building at the museum on Saturday. Sid Osborne and his son are working on the new shed behind the museum.

It was nice to see Valerie Mills at Walmart in Great Bend on Sunday. She hopes to bring her family to the rodeo.

For information for the Trail Ride call Lynn Kochenower at 620-786-9764 or John Ficken at 785-356-1425. On Saturday July 13 at 9:00 a.m. we will leave on the ride. Come between 8:00 and 8:45 a.m. Breakfast with sweet rolls, fresh fruit, biscuits and gravy will be served before the ride. Lunch will be served when we get back - fresh ham sandwiches with chips and salad. Directions: From McCracken go north two miles to Avenue “G” then eight miles east to CR190, then l/2 mile back north. From Liebenthal go south to McCracken/Liebenthal blacktop, then five and one half west to CR 190 then one and one half miles south. See ya'll there!!

The McCracken Public library is proud to present during rodeo weekend David Zerfas. David Zerfas -"Zerf" is a singer/songwriter and Manhattan, Kansas native. His repertoire consists of Kansas cowboy and pioneer tunes, and original songs of Kansas frontier towns and characters. Zerf is equally at home performing fireside or on a stage. Zerf will be performing on Saturday, July 13th at 3 pm in the blue room of the McCracken Community Building. This event is sponsored by the McCracken Public Library, A free will donation

A senior's only (55 years old and older) golf tournament, 9 hole two person scramble, will be held at the McCracken Golf Club, Friday, July 12. T-off time will be at 8:30 a.m., fee is $50 per team. Food WILL NOT be provided.
After the Relay for life event in LaCrosse Friday evening, Rose Jones motored to Wilson Lake where she enjoyed a family reunion.

Austin McGaughey hosted a Tastefully Simple party Sunday evening. There were lots of goodies to eat and several guests attended.

Gladys & Wendell Hinman and Carolyn Helmer were week-end guest of Ellen & Larry Hinman & Sarah they attended the wedding of Coty Hinman and David Cohn on June 22 in Kansas City daughter of Wade Hinman and Tonya Mangold. Jerod and Jennifer Wierman celebrated their birthdays the 22nd and Sarah Hinman celebrated her birthday the 23rd.m
We heard from the Metzs' from Alberta, Canada this past week, they said they are over run by caterpillars, eating all the leaves off of trees but as soon at the 'worms' depart the leaves come right back. Southern Alberta is having lots of rain which isn't normal.

McCracken History Notes.

July 1973

Wheat cutting in the McCracken area is 75% finished. Yields are from 35-40 bushels.

James A. Rixon, 89, died July 2 at the Rush County Hospital.

Leslie Walker died in Sacramento, CA. He was a brother to Paul Walker.

Nine scrapbooks prepared by Mrs. J.W. (Edith) Chenoweth were given to McCracken.

Glen H. Renberger, 78, died July 7.

Rush County harvest thought to be “One of the Best on Record”.

Shannon & Shawn McKinney, Leslie Rogers, Larry Buster placed in the Wichita Track Meet.

Melanie Albright and Wm. Wetzel were married June 3 in Colby.

Jim Dixon and Patricia McCurdy were married June 30.

Two businesses south of Otis, both related to the mobile home industry, were destroyed.

USD 395 held its first meeting last week. Frank Kershner, Wendell Brozek, Lorraine Ryan was elected. Betty Schwartzkopf, treasurer and Ruby Barrows, clerk.

Laura Hinman has received an Honors Scholarship at KSU.

A boy, Travis Aaron , was born to Mr. and Mrs. Dennis Elias July 14.

Construction of the New Rush County Livestock Sales is progressing rapidly.

Mrs. Guy (Lydia) Mills, 74, died Sunday.

Rodeo History

July 2005

The golf tournament was again a success with 120 golfers; there were 26 walkers/runners who participated in the cancer benefit; The alumni served 310 hungry persons under “The Big Top”, classes of 1955-65-75 and 80 held reunions. It was standing room only at the 19th annual McCracken Rodeo. The rodeo attracted contestants from Kansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Wyoming and New Mexico. A new event this year was wild horse racing. Nearly $5,000 was added to the prize money in the amount of $600 each event. The late Floyd Thompson was honored with a rider less horse in the opening ceremonies at the rodeo Saturday.