August 24, 2006 News
 
If you have not looked at the alumni web site, we hope you will.  There are a lot of rodeo, picnic & parade pictures that have been posted.  We received a 1939 MHS football picture, a 1935 McCracken Grade School boys and girls basketball picture and 1939 graduation picture from Dean Birdsong, they will be posted in the near future. The McCracken News and McCracken History Notes are posted weekly and some articles by Thayne Jones are also on the site.  We pay $315 for Unlimited Server Space for the website. Todd Frazier is our webmaster and we think he does an outstanding job.  We cannot afford to pay him what he deserves so anyone who wishes to donate to keep the site ‘up and running’ may send a donation to Box 74, McCracken, KS 67556.  
 
Nicole Tacha, Norton, celebrated her 10th birthday with a sleep-over at her home. Birthday cake and ice cream were served to friends Darcy and Kami.
 
We received a letter from Dick Hill, a C & W Music Historian from Hastings, Nebraska this week.  He had written wanting to buy a box of the note cards the library sold several years ago of the McCracken Hotel.  He was in McCracken during the filming of ”Paper Moon”, remembers the dirt that was hauled to cover our paved Main Street and the Anderson Brothers service station across from the hotel.  He said he thought he bought gas there. In 1940 he lived in Rozel, his dad was an educational officer at the CCC Camp there.  He said the Blue Sky Boys played the music in the Paper Moon Hotel scene.  Jimmy Davis sang the other song in the scene, “Nobodys Darlin’ but Mine.  Jimmy was a two time governor of Louisiana, a recording artist and song writer.  Bill Bolick, one of the members of the Blue Sky Boys is still living.
 
Janea Skelton, Miss Rodeo McCracken, represented the Rodeo at the Rush County Fair.
 
 Lyle Davenport celebrated his 94th birthday with one of his favorite foods-PIZZA. It was celebrated at the Mennonite Manor where Marjorie is a resident. Dave and Carolyn Davenport were also present.
 
We had letters from Candi McCain, Santa Rosa, Calif wanting information about the Graden family; from Ron Hall, Red Bluff, Calif wanting obituaries of Seth, Sarah and Commodore Hall. It is neat to be able to help those that are doing research.
 
Paula Greenway attended a volleyball rules meeting at Haven on Saturday. She is head volleyball coach for Western Plains, Bazine/Ransom. Janel McGill, Jim Schafer’s niece, was also present.  Jerry Higgins hosted the clinic and rules meeting.
 
It was really great to visit with Sharon Anderson at the Dillon’s store Friday afternoon in Hays.   
 
A rodeo meeting was held Monday evening at the McCracken Fire building.  Those present were Roger & Brenda Legleiter, Mike, Jerilyn and Colby Stull, Coleen Kerns, Gary Barnes, Bill Greenway and Bet McCormick.  The next meeting is scheduled for the 3rd Monday in September.
 
The State Rodeo finals will be held in Garden City September 15th, 16th, and 17th.
 
Some of our young high school age kids in town couldn’t remember rain like we have had this past couple of weeks.  They really enjoyed ‘splashing’ in the puddles.  Mark Baus told Vic that Alexander had between 18-20 inches of rain this month.
 
Thanks to Jametta Basgall and Leslie Morgan of the 4 Corner Restaurant in LaCrosse for donating chairs to the McCracken Community Building.  Thanks to for the delivery.
 
Twila Higgins had arthroscopic surgery on her knee on Friday at Great Bend.
 
 Congratulations to Lieutenant Colonel Roberta Halbleib Williams on her retirement from the Kansas Air National Guard.  An article and picture of her appeared in last week's Rush County News. The article will be placed on our website, mccrackenalumni.com. 
 
Leslie Hess, Hays, had supper at the McCracken Café on Friday night with Francis and Julia Zeller.  Leslie is a daughter of a classmate of Francis.  She is an attorney in Hays.
 
Francis Rudolph Schlitter died June 20, 2006 of liver cancer.  He was one of 13 children of John and Katherine Schlitter, born January 29, 1920.  He joined the army right out of high school and was a member of the 47th Engineers who served in the Pacific.  He married Joanna Harvey on April 2, 1945.  They settled in California.  He became a Master Carpenter in Watsonville.  He was an accomplished horseman, water skier and wood carver.  Besides his wife, he is survived by a son Christopher Schlitter and daughter Karen Schlitter Birbeck and seven grandchildren.  He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
 
Icis Eisenhour is recovering and receiving therapy at the Rush County Nursing Home in LaCrosse.
 
Our sympathy to the family of Kenneth L. Mills, 58, who died August 14, 2006 in Great Bend.  He was the son of Kenneth J. and Opal J. Temple Mills.  He was born in Hays on September 4, 1947.  He graduated from McCracken High School in 1966 and served in the U. S. Army during the Vietnam War.  He married Valerie S. Steinbrook in Fairfield, Calif. on March 28, 1969. She survives along with his parents, two sons, Randy and Terry, two daughters Arlene Schmidt and Kerry Shelit; two brothers, Glen Mills and Gary Mills and a sister, Sharon Pogue, 13 grandchildren.  Burial was in the Kansas Veteran's Cemetery, WaKeeney.  His fellow workers with the Rush County Highway Department attended as a group.  He showed his quiet dignity in his fight against cancer. He was a founding member of the Agape Southern Baptist Church in Hays.
 
Margaret Temple would you call and give us your address so "Missa Ruth" can send you a gift
 
In July, Jan and Arlyn North, Dwight and Sherry Eisenhour and Paulette Grate Woellhof and her husband Dan went to Anchorage, Alaska to visit with cousins Dennis McKenzie and his wife Gail and Lex McKenzie and her husband Lenny Grijalva.  They spent a week with their family panning for gold, deep sea fishing and enjoying the puppies at Ididarod.  They feasted on a meal, which features caribou, moose, salmon and halibut.  They then went to Whittier for a cruise that took them on the inner passage to Vancouver.
 
Our sympathy to the family of Rose Showalter, 94, who died August 16, 2006 at Ransom.  She was the daughter of Henry and Madlena Foos Rein and was born August 15, 1912. She graduated from McCracken High School in 1934.  She married Elven 'Bus" Showalter on June 1, 1935. They were ranchers north of Brownell. They then retired to McCracken.   He died January 17, 1996.  She is survived by a son, Vern Showalter and daughter Karen Borger, five grandchildren, seven great-grandchildren and a step great-grandchild.  Burial was in the McCracken Cemetery.  She loved the Bell Choir at the church.  They performed for her services.  She was a 50 year member of Order of Eastern Star.  What a gracious lady, she was kind and friendly to all those she met.
 
Pancho Smith and Kathy McCormick were married Saturday, August 19, 2006 in Ness City.  They celebrated with a dance on at the American Legion in Ness City.
 
 It is hard to believe that we are getting soggy in the area.  When the pastures looked like the top of a pool table and there was no water in the ponds, it seemed desperate, but recent rains have given everyone a new lease on life.  In fact, we might be ready for some hot dry wind.  The mushrooms are growing in our yards.  The Big Timber is flowing under the new bridge under construction.  On Monday morning the creek was out of its banks.
 
Clayton Wilson and Verlene Wilson have returned from a visit to Homer, Alaska, where her brother, Jim and his wife Peggy Schoenberger live.  They were overwhelmed by the greenery and flowers.  Jim took them on a 6 wheeler to the back country to a lake.  Clayton and Jim went deep-sea fishing and caught their limit (three halibut and 2 salmon) while Peggy and Verlene went shopping in the charming little stores.  They took a boat ride to see the glaciers, whales and birds.  Verlene is ready to go back!
 
McCracken History Notes
August 1906
Fred Graden is home from Horace where he has been working in the round house.  He is just recovering from a severe attack of typhoid fever.
 
Ben Yawger, F. P. Starrett Bob Dougherty, Chris Rodeman, Doc Smith and Joe Wharton were the Hampton township delegates to the Democratic convention on Wednesday.
 
August 1936
Born to Mr. and Mrs. Harold Walker of Brownell on August 18, a girl named Mary Ellen.
West Burch Post No. 59 of the American Legion elected officers Monday.  They are Glenn E. Ryan, Henry Curtis, Dr. R. H. Cheney, Ralph Elmore, Vernon Walker, R. C. Mortimer, Wm. Ramsey, Wm. Foster and Albert F. Donecker.
 
August 1946
M. J. Ryan went to Colorado Springs to attend a reunion of the B. H. Hicks family which was held at Green Mountain Falls.
 
Miss Lillian Dugan, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Lyle E. Dugan of McCracken, and Mr. Carl G. Workman, son of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Workman of Longton, were married August 6 at St. Mary's Church in McCracken.  White gladioli were used for church decoration.
 
August 1956
Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Allen Showalter on the birth of a daughter born August 20, 1956.  She has been named Pamela Jean.
 
Mr. and Mrs. Ralph Hinman and Mr. and Mrs. Wendell Hinman left Saturday for New York City to attend the wedding of Clyde Hinman and Evelyn Kelier.  Clyde is a graduate of Kansas State College and is a staff engineer with the Brooklyn Union Gas Company.
 
August 1966
The Catholic Church was struck by lightning during the rain Tuesday night.  A rock was torn from the southwest corner of one of the towers and some bricks from the wall.
 
August 1976
Lee Oelkers and Debra Reynolds were married Saturday, July 31 at the First United Methodist Church.
 
Joy Marie Georg will teach business and Sue Knoebber home economics and girl’s sports at MHS.  Clark Wolters will be junior high teacher and coach.
 
August 1986
Jerilyn Herrman attended the 1986 National Leadership Meeting of Future Homemakers of American in Orlando, Florida.
 
Mayme McCormick was honored on her 98th birthday. Joining in the celebration were her sister-in-law Clara McCormick, her sister Sarah Casey and her daughter Rose Yost at the Rush County Long Term Care Unit.  The residents and hospital staff also attended.
 
August 1996
The penny drive continues for the roof fund for the McCracken United Methodist Church.
 
Earl Turner recently returned from Alaska where he visited his youngest brother Pinky Turner and his wife.  He has been working as a ferry boat operator, but is preparing to move to California.
 
Cliff Speck was the grand champion in stone sculpture at the Ness County Fair.  Hal Walker was grand champion in fine arts.