RCNews 7.15

The family of the late Onie and Nora Mills of Nekoma met at Boondocks for lunch on July 4. Those in attendance included June Mills Greathouse, Diora Mills Sandstrom, Lorrayne Mills Eveleigh, Delbert Lyndal Mills, George Mills, Bernard Mills, Arlyn Mills and various family members. Addie Mills and Ruthetta Hansen joined the group for a wonderful meal and a very special visit.
Bob and Della Miller were July 4th guests of Marty and Tina for a barbecue.  Addie Mills was an afternoon visitor.
Mike Conner and Shelly Derr took part in a golf tournament at Hays on July 4th. They had their own fireworks display on July 5th and were kind enough to invite neighbor Addie Mills to join them for a barbecue and watch Brad and Carly light the fireworks. It would have been Addie and “Hammer’s” 65th wedding anniversary.
 
Bruce and Sue Davis donated a very nice, comfortable office chair for the McCracken Library.
 
The Rues family was doing their community service this week-end in McCracken.  Tim was trimming trees at the homes of Les Diehl and brother Tony; Cathy was trimming the bushes in front of the library, she & John cut down a dead tree on the side of the library; Tony had helpers Will, Alex, Catherine, John and Cathy cleaning the dirt from the gutters on Main Street; Rose cleaned the library bathroom, the door window and ran the vacuum; to Les & Rose for putting the US flags on Main Street.
Tammy Irvin cleaned the kid’s corner of the library, put up fun posters, moved the books off the floor and arranged them so the children could see them.  A big thank you to Tony Harp for retrieving the paintings of Bob Foster out of his basement into the back of his and Brian’s pickups and bringing them to the library for the display.
The library board appreciates those who volunteered to sit after library hours.
 
State Board of Education member, Sally Cauble planned to be in the McCracken parade on Saturday, she had truck trouble.  She looked forward to it and was sorry she missed the parade.
 
Shirley’s guests for the weekend were Jerry, Tanner & Jenna Higgins; Chuck & Zach Higgins; Tammy Irvin, Kyra & Cameron; Kayla Tacha, Lindsey & Nicole; Hannah Pollock; Bailey Heitschmidt; Alex Lomas & Lee Goetz. Cindy Rambo of Newton was also a guest. (Cindy was a volley ball team mate of Tammy’s at Hutch Juco).
 
Weekend guests of Les & Rose Diehl were Lynnette Kiefer, Pat Salsbury, Richard & Nancy Baker, Manhattan; Sue Schuster, Lafayette, CO. The gals had a slumber party in the tent outside in the yard, Kenny Foster serenaded the gals on Saturday evening.
 
The Alumni sponsored golf tournament held Saturday was again a success. A thank you to all who attended. Championship flight: 1st Don, Chad & Chris Irvin, Aaron Grumbein; 2nd Shelby Burke, Jason Showalter, Mitch Conner, Dale Snyder; 3rd Sean Peters, Jaden Jacobs, Gary Barnes & Justin Georg. 1st flight: 1st Allen & Michael Morgan; 2nd Tony, Butch & Sam Harp & Nate Cullen; 3rd Ty Elias, Aaron & Leslie McGaughey, Tanner?; 2nd Flight: 1st Jeff Jennings, Dennis Shell, Ed Sereko, Jerry Higgins; 2nd Scott Foos, Gene Erb, J.D. Bell, Larry Kraft; 3rd Mike & Sharolyn Legleiter, Dave & Ruth Heffel; 3rd Flight: 1st Martin & Joe Higgins, Ken Campling; 2nd Jason Pavlu, Chad Oberhelman, Ryan Martin, Curtis Albers; 3rd Rick & Stella Taylor, Mark & Stella Harrison.  Other golfers were Babe & Arlene Gilbert, Dennis Peters, Robert Rein, Ronnie Rein, Bennie McCaskey, Bob Fear, Bart Tarbell, Curtis McNair, Andrew McNair, Mark Baus, Eric Washaliski, Mike Keith, Wilma Washaliski, Corey Schwein, John Booze, Jared Lewis, Danny Beayer, Jutin Richardson, Alexis Nichepor, Jaden Richardson, Rod Souls, Chase Rogers, Kelsee Rogers, Sheryl Rogers, Brian Hirsch, George Sommers, Cindy Wierman, Shane Brethour, Casey Grimme, Amanda Showalter, Jessica Berg, Melissa Berg, Jamie Herman, Fuzz Irvin, John Showalter,  Chad Foust, Crystal Ryan, Ricky McMillan, Lance Ficken, Lonnie & Teresa Morgan, Jay & Cindy Schroter, Heath Morgan, Kevin Woods, Jay & Kristin Muller, Kyle & Debbie Wherry, Jolene Morgan, Kim Jay, Matt Peach, Mike Conner, Derek Derr, Shelly Derr, Brett Corsair, Scott Corsair, Jeff Werth, Brad Erb, Shane Corsair, Trent Witthuhn, David Kuehn, Jarod Steven, Troy Clouston, Bret Schroter, Darryl Dechant, Shawn Colby, Rich Showalter, Nick Schleyer, Trenton Kleweno, Darrin Murray, Pat Salisbury, Bruce Davis, Les Diehl, Alex Lomas, Joe Jennings, Adrian Jennings, Clinton Swan, Blake Swan, Jarod Sanders, Nate Tuzicka, Scott Keener, Ethan Jones, Joe Gabel, Brad Lynehberg, Alan Westphal, Rich Brandt, Carl Brandt, Andy Woodgate, Patty Crowell, Jacob Crowell. Longest drive: Men Jaden Jacobs women, Cindy Wierman; Lontest putt Men Scott Littler women Amber Georg: Closest to the pin men Ronnie Rein. The cutest golf cart riders were Emily & Olivia Washaliski.  Apologies to all those who names we misspelled!
Thanks to Babe Gilbert & Jerry Higgins who again did a wonderful job of registering all our golfers. If you would fill out one of the forms next year they thought maybe it would go faster, however with the “NEW” golf course holes it went very well.
We thank Wal-Mart in Hays for donating the donuts. I personally thank Terry Peters for the donut he brings me every year. Next year I want it chocolate covered!!
Thanks to Bailey Morgan who again did a grand job of having the kids games at the park. The attendance wasn’t very large so we will be RE-THINKING on next year!!
Thanks to Arlene Gilbert who rang the memorial bell in memory of our deceased alumni and to Kerri Morgan who read the names.
Thanks to Debbie Rogers, Layne & Kerri Morgan, Patti Swartz Johnson, Nita Caviness, Priscilla Jacobs, Katlyn Morgan & Halley Boyd who served the chicken dinner at the Community Building.
 
Members renewing at the Jail/Museum are Shirley G. Gabel, John and Sharon Irvin, Fred and Mary Ann Taylor, Arlyn and Jan North, Galen and Lynn Oelkers, Reba Baker, Jay and Maureen Georg, Phyllis Cheney Dooley, Adelaide Mills, Chuck Higgins, Robert and Marlene Funk, Sean Miller, Francis and Roberta Wierman, William and Barbara Baus, Dean Gilbert, Bill and Sharon Lovitt, John and Janice Stull, Louise Otero, James, Kathy and Justin Coen, Wendell and Gladys Hinman, Pat Derr, Juanita Caviness, Marge Moran.
 
Donations to the museum:  Adelaide Mills for Francis Klee; Phyllis Dooley for Joan Ryan Buster; Reba Baker for Bob Elmore; Galen and Lynn Oelkers for Erman Oelkers, John and Ethel Oelkers, Fred and Merle Hardwick; Chuck Higgins for Ralph and Ruth Tanck; Robert and Marlene Funk for Paul and Ursula “Tot” Wilson; Louise Otero for Floyd Thompson; Pat Derr for Bob Derr; Juanita Caviness for Grace Thompson; Wendell and Gladys Hinman for Mabel and Ralph Hinman; Marge Moran for Bill Moran; donations from Arlyn and Jan North and Ben and Nancy Anderson.
 
Recently additions to the museum were two sets of spurs on loan by John Waelechi (Star spurs and U. S. Army Cavalry spurs); a Citizen State Bank Bag used by George Brown, Brownell, gift of Richard and Carol Davis Brown; Stock certificates belonging to Amos Derr in Farmers Telephone and McCracken Grain, Coal, Lumber, Merchandise and Livestock (the latter signed by John Rixon, president) given by Dave Derr.
 
A friendship quilt in red, beige and white dated with blocks from 1924, 1925 and 1927 was given to the museum by Sharon McCaskey Eisler of Hutchinson.  McCracken names are Mrs. Mary Ryan, Mrs. John Wagner, Mrs. Maggie Chenoweth, Mrs. James Whitehead, Mrs. Lillie Nickle and Mrs. Florence Elmore. Other blocks were made by former resident Mrs. Cora Reynolds, Ward Parkway, Kansas City, wife of Chet Reynolds, Founder of Cowboy Hall of Fame in Oklahoma City, former resident Mrs. Hettie Hicks, Ordway, Colorado; Ransom names are Bertha, Blanche, Vivian and Florence Combest, Flora Sunley, Anna Montgomery, Mr. and Mrs. John Sunley.  There are also many names from Ness City.
 
Jerry Schutte, Tempe, Arizona, is here visiting his mother, Jean Schutte.
 
We appreciate all the work done by Cecilia Gilbert mowing and weed eating around the jail and surrounding lots.
 
Military items on display during rodeo weekend at the Jail/Museum featured, Fritz Lovitt, WW11 killed in France; Philip Gerritzen, WW 11, Germany; Tony Harp, Vietnam – Marines; William Harp, killed in Vietnam; Harry Janke WW 11, Europe, Allan Thompson, Army Korean War era; Shannon McKinney, Iraq; Debra A. Gaunt, recent retiree from Air Force; Walton Gilbert, POW Baatan died prison camp 1942; Wayne Seiling, POW Baatan, died prison camp; Audice Thompson, American Expeditionary Forces WW 1 – Signal Corps France; Archie G. Allen, Air Force pilot Vietnam;  James K. Wierman, WW 11, Europe and Korean era served in Germany.  Honored also were Gilbert Campbell who died on Savo Island in the South Pacific in 1942, Harley Janke who died in Italy in 1944; Glen E. Gordon who died in the Pacific in 1945, Eugene R. Davis, who died in Germany in 1945.  Two were lost in World War 1 – Paul L. West in the Battle of the Argonne and Fay Burch with the Canadian Forces in the trenches of France.
 
Our sympathy to the family of A. Doneta Parsons.  Funeral services was held at the McCracken Methodist Church on Thursday afternoon with music provided by Norma McNair, Paula Greenway and soloist Jerilyn Stull.  Pastor David Bolz and Pastor Allen Smith conducted the services.  Doneta was born November 7, 1928 in Jet, Oklahoma and on July 2, 1949 she married Calvin C. Parsons in Harper.  The owned and operated both the sundries store (Parsons) and the Dairy Bar while Calvin worked for the electric company assigned to McCracken.  They then were transferred to Ness City.  Survivors are Vic Parsons and his wife, Susie; Sharon Eaton and husband, Tracy, three brothers, three sisters, five grandchildren and 10 great-grandchildren.  Three of the grandchildren eulogized their grandmother.  She loved boating and golfing.
 
Father David Kraus officiated at mass at St. Mary’s Catholic Church on Saturday afternoon, July 10.  Servers were Josh Moran and Shannon Keith; Eucharistic ministers were Marge Moran and Mike Keith; lector, Carolyn Thompson; gifts were Bet and Jeanette McCormick; collections, Wilfrid Higgins and Bet McCormick; Organist, Susan Keith and singer, Michele Moran.  Twila Higgins and Marge Moran were in charge of preparing the services.  The mass was in memory of Anna Mae Bergquist.
 
Our sympathy to the Bergquist family on the death of Don’s brother who died suddenly this past week.
 
Joyce Hunter is now doing rehab at the Rush County Nursing Home.  She can be found in room 108 and would enjoy your visits.
 
Congratulations to Carrisa Johnson on the birth of a son, Galvin Lee on July 5, 2010  at Hays Medical Center.  Grandfather is Don Johnson, LaCrosse.
 
Sylvester Conrad received word that his youngest brother, Wendell Conrad, died in Gault, California.  He is survived by his wife, Viola.  He was a World War 11 veteran.
He was born in about 1921.  We will have more information later.
 
We had visitors from Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, here of Saturday.  The Hughes family stopped by the museum and library.  They asked why there were so many people in town so we told them about our rodeo. They had been to Indiana to pick up a trailer and were just touring on their way home.  How they got off the beaten track and ended up in McCracken is a mystery.  A friend of mine from Great Bend teaches at the University in Edmonton and we mentioned her name.  The lady taught with her.  Small world.
 
McCracken History Note:
 
In the next few issues we will feature Jacob and Marie Katherine Schwartzkopf.  Jacob was born in Alt Denhoff, Saratof, Russia on May 25, 1864.  He married Miss Katharine Held on February 9, 1884.  They had eleven children.  He and Katharine came to America on the ship S. S. Trave on April 11, 1887.  A daughter Maria age 2 accompanied them.(she died in 1904 at age 19)  They lived for short periods in Rush Center and Otis before settling south of McCracken.  He died July 28, 1923 and was survived by his widow, sons, Benjamin, Samuel and William and four daughters, Lydia Kindsvater, Olinda Popp, Freda Schwartzkopf, Kate Dines.  They were founders of the German Congregational Church of Alexander.  She was 60 years, 10 months and 28 days when she died on August 9, 1925.  Her parents were Mr. and Mrs. John Held of Doennhof, Russia.  She was survived by a sister, Mrs. Michel Kraus and two sisters in Russia.