September 24, 2015 News

Birthdays: September 24, Mark Derr, Andrew Taylor, Cassandra Ohmes; September 25, Leila Barnett; September 26, Melissa House Bowersock; September 27, Mark McCormick, Dale Davis, Ben Anderson, Cheryl Foreman Larson; September 28, Cathy Brenner, Michael Pfannenstiel, Craig Rixon, Kathi Waggoner, Lane Palmer; September 29, Austin McGaughey, Sierra Jones; September 30, Thayne Jones, Roy Jones, Silas Morrison.

Anniversaries: September 27, Bob and Charmaine Wolfe, Cameron and Courtney Horesky.

Mark your calendars for Saturday, October 3, for Mass at St. Mary's Catholic Church at 6:30 p.m. Father Matthew Kumi will be the officiant.

Shannon McKinney needs everyone’s prayers.  Donna requested the prayers on Facebook Monday evening as Shannon is to have surgery on Tuesday in Denver to put a rod in his right leg.  They placed one in the left leg last week..  He would like to hear from you, so mail your cards to his home as he plans to be home soon.  The address is  1119 Puma Lane, Lincoln, Kansas 67544. 

McCracken Main Street Literary Society has begun their book club. The members so far are Marlene Kellogg, Anita Butler, Susan Rebel, Suzanne Randa, Shirley Higgins, Priscilla Jacobs, Callie Weber, Carolyn Thompson and Austin McGaughey. Everyone is welcome. You read the books you enjoy and share them with the others.

Ruth Crawshaw had knee surgery. She will be off work for six weeks.

Pat Russell Karns and Carolyn Thompson attended their 59th class reunion for the Class of 1956 at the Black Angus Inn in Great Bend over the weekend. It was the first reunion Pat attended since she graduated.

They are doing double duty at the elevator - milo is being cut and the trucks are lined up around the park for wheat cleaning. Fall is a busy time.

Lynn Kochenower had a get-together for the Labor Day Weekend at her farm home for her barbecue. Her best friend for 27 years, Renee Hoagland, flew in from Mesa, Arizona to join them for the weekend. They had 12 on Saturday and 34 on Sunday. The kids rode 4-Wheelers in the pasture, the adults played horseshoes and they all enjoyed fireworks.

Ken Brackney, Ness City, was in town last Thursday. He visited his aunt Betty Greenway. He has been doing genealogy so got some help on family from material at the Jail/Museum.

Gary Barnes was showing rattlers from a snake he killed this week around the Brownell RR Tracks. It had 18 rattlers. There were two and the other one got away.

Jerry Higgins officiated volleyball Thursday evening in Pratt and rode with another official. After the games were over, he was let off at his car at McDonald’s in south Hutch, placed his good shoes on the trunk of his car......they rode all the way home to 30th Avenue. Who says his car doesn’t ride smooth?

On Saturday Roy and Phyllis Conrad, Kerri Morgan and Debbie Rogers attended the wedding of Alexandria Hovey and David Thompson of Jetmore, KA. The wedding was held at Ford County Lake. Alexandria is the daughter of Carl and Crystal Hovey, great granddaughter of the late Peter & Nape Derr.

Sunday, Tammy put up my scare crow for me. She did an awesome job.....I’m early but it was the only week end she had free.

I rode with Rose Diehl and Debi Schuckman last Monday and Tuesday to Ness City, Hays and LaCrosse. I am always pleased when we ask for donations for our Fall Fest as people are all so nice and friendly, I enjoy!!

There was a huge fire north of McCracken last Tuesday afternoon when the wind was blowing a gale. Several fire trucks came to the rescue and helped our fire men. Ellis could have burned down!!!

History Notes

1960: LeeRoy Schuckman began as the 7th and 8th grade teacher replacing Elizabeth Conner who will teach the 5th and 6th grades in Brownell. Mr. and Mrs. Bob Funk moved to Wakeeney where he is employed by the Roberts Construction Co. Jean’s Cafe moved into the Fitzgerald building on the east side of Main Street. Dight House will be employed to teach 5th and 6th grades next school year. Bill Lovitt’s hand was badly injured when a jack slipped on his truck and crushed his right hand. Market report: Wheat $1.89; Milo $1.30. There are eleven MHS graduates in 1960. Lola Oller will leave for Heidelberg, Germany where she will teach the coming year. The Citizens State bank will evacuate the building and work will begin this weekend on an all new modern structure. There are 51 enrolled in the high school and 111 in the grade school.

1961: Open house will be held for customers and friends to view the new Citizens State Bank building. Population of McCracken is 408. New teachers in McCracken are Arlene Gilbert, Lorraine Norlin and Geneva Rife. Bonnie Zeller and Doneta Parsons are cooks. Beginners in McCracken Grade School are: Daryl Casey, Kerri Elmore, John Gaschler, Pamela Harp, Laura Hinman, John Irvin, Maureen Janke, Lonnie Irvin, Danny McFarren, Danny North, Rebecca Pfaff, Enid North, John Rourke, Cathie Ryan and David Wetzel. LeRoy Herdman is attending barber school in Wichita. Phyllis Gerritzen has been attending the Wilcox Academy in Dodge City. After taking State Board she will take charge of Irma’s Beauty Bar.

1962: Joan Schuckman is a stenographer at the Army College in Ft. Leavenworth. Pal Healy is employed as lineman for Farmers Telephone Co.; King Mason is employed by Golden Belt Telephone Co. as lineman. Mrs. Jack Moses and family have moved into the Charles Rodeman house. Mr. and Mrs. Fred Black have moved here from Colorado Springs and are living in the John McCormick residence. Maurice Klee has joined the faculty of Purdue University. MHS will graduate 19 seniors. MHS placed first in the State Scholarship tests. A new square dance cement slab and tennis court was the work of the McCracken Ramblers Square dance club. 50 members worked all day using 445 sacks of cement and the cost was $1,250.00 McCracken Coop bowling team was winner of the league. Members are Diz Washaliski, Bill Moran, Carl Bible, Gerald Walker, Bob and Kay Fear and Wendell Hinman. The Diamond Jubilee was celebrated in July. 1st graders are Danny Conner, Susan Dugan, Ivan Janke, Rebecca Pfaff, Cheryl Davis, Dave Derr, Joy Rixon, Roger Legleiter, Sally Moses, Johnny Elmore, Karen McMinn, Brenda Rogers and Jerald Grumbein.

1963: Jack Edwards celebrated his 81st birthday with a party at the McCracken Hotel. Jack Wilson completed a course in auctioneering in Billings, Montana. Mr. and Mrs. Dight House moved to the former Ed Albert farm which they recently purchased. Melissa House was a graduate from Sterling College. The Methodist and Evangelical United Brethren Churches have merged into one. Rev. Duane Harms is pastor. Grade school graduates: Karen Casey, Sarah Casey, Elsie Dugan, Janice Halbleib, William Harp, Douglas Higgins, Linda Irvin, James Higgins, Penny Irvin, Barbara McMinn, Larry North, Michael Peters, Danny Petz, Mary Ann Pfaff, Terry Peters, Benny Rogers, Elaine Wetzel, Paula Zeller, Debra Rogers, Dixie Walker and Valerie Zimmerman. Three hundred attended the MHS reunion at the grade auditorium. There were 157 graduated and 51 classes represented. Bill Zeller and Martin Higgins left for induction in the Navy. Joyce Eisenhour will teach music at Ransom this year. Rev. Harmal Mossis is replacing Rev. Carl Walker in the Assembly of God Church.

1964: Rush County’s first baby of the year is Leila Jo Rixon, daughter of Pete and Lola Rixon. Margaret Hair has purchased the Whitey Wierman home and Al Rues has bought the Pat Higgins home. Gerald Walker is manager of the McCracken Coop. MHS Mustangs won over the Alexander Whippets 76-62. Jr. Baus was high point for the Mustangs, Lonnie Morgan for the Whippets. Today’s market: Wheat $1.97; Milo $1.60. Thayne Jones has purchased the home of Katharyn Stephens. Bobby Peters arrived home from Korea where he has spent 13 months. Harold Herdman purchased the Susan Wagner’s home. Furlen Irvin has been transferred to the Boeing Plant in Wichiita. Wheat harvest is over and the yield in the area is around 20 bushels. Gary Sam Oller will leave for Vietnam where he will be stationed with the Navy. Bill Zeller, Ernie Gaschler, Wendell Conrad and Danny Rein escaped serious injuries when they were thrown from the mail truck one mile north of town. Sunday Bill left for Iceland where he is stationed. MGS 1st graders are Philena Baus, teacher, Jeannie Augustine, Diana McFarren, Sally Irvin, Gail Sloan, Bruce Davis, Tim Rues, Marsha Healy, Bennie Pfaff, Robin Schuckman, Chuck Higgins, Roberta Halbleib, Lynette Legleiter, Mike Conner, David Harms, Ruth Johnston, Mac Harp, Donna Greenway, Kenneth Higdon, Mark McCormick and Jimmy Casey.