RCNews November 6

Kirk Wells is a patient at the Madonna Rehab Hospital in Lincoln, Nebraska due to a narrowing of his spinal cord.  He is paralyzed from his waist down.  An account has been opened at the Nekoma State Bank, PO Box 10, LaCrosse, KS 67548.  The family needs funds to make their home handicap accessible.  Kirk is a 1974 graduate of McCracken High School.
Please contribute to this fund if possible, he needs our help.
 
A hamburger/French fry’s meal will be served Saturday, November 8 at the McCracken American Legion beginning at 6:00.  The public is invited to attend.  Cost is $5.
 
Joann Micheli returned home recently from Colorado where she visited her family, Bob, Linda and Evan Dale in Littleton and Audra Dale who is a college student at Colorado Mountain College in Glen Wood Springs.
 
Spec. Andrew Strange deployed to Kuwait last Saturday.  He will be stationed in northern Iraq for his second tour of duty.  Andrew and Cassie were in Ellis on October 3rd for Cassie’s Grandma Wauneta Vine’s funeral.  They were overnight guests of Cassie’s parents, Norbert and Teresa Karlin.
 
Tessa Jacobs placed 4th in the Goddard HS Cross Country Team this weekend.  Unfortunately the Goddard team didn’t place.  Tessa is running varsity. 
 
Addie Mills had a dental appointment in Russell last Monday.  Enroute home she visited with Marilyn Mills at Gorham.
 
Wilma Jacobs, Mary Ann Quinoness and Addie Mills enjoyed supper at Roosters on Friday evening.  Other diners included Bob House, Mel and Mildred Littler.
 
Please don’t forget Story Hour which is held at 10:30 a.m. every Saturday at McCracken Library.  Lynnette Doornbos is the ‘leader’.  I received a lovely sheet of dried leaves from Tayler Doornbos which I have on my refrigerator door.
 
A memorial has been given in memory of Loreen McCaskey to the MHS Alumni from Dolores Petz.
 
Rashell Mills and fiancé Rob McCarty moved to Rob’s home town at Britton, Michigan last week.
 
Hunters too numerous to mention were in the McCracken area over the weekend. 
 
Jack Klee, Little River, South Carolina, returned to Hays last week where he will be at home.  Addie Mills and Ellen Kershner have visited him since his return.
 
Benny and Sheryl McCaskey wish to thank everyone for their cards and donations in remembrance of his mother, Loreen McCaskey.
 
Chuck Higgins refereed the 3A State volleyball tournament in Salina; Jerry Higgins had the 4A State tournament also in Salina.  They also did the finals.  4A St. James Academy defeated Topeka Hayden for 1st; Garden Plain defeated Rock Creek in 3A.
 
Congratulations to Albert and Alouise Zordel, Ransom, on the arrival of their first great grandchild, Natalie Claire Neeley.  She is the daughter of Branden and Grace Neeley, Cheyenne, Wyoming.  Natalie was born October 31, 2008, 7 lb 8 oz and 19 inches long.  Grandparents are Chris and Rhonda Zordel, Spearville.
 
Sunday visitors of Priscella Jacobs were Wilma Pfannenstiel Schaffer, Vallejo, Calif. Abie and Glenda Pfannenstiel, Hutchinson and Mary McCormick.
 
I had a letter sweater that was my Uncle James Lovitt’s when he lettered in football from Wichita State University. I emailed the college wondering if they would like it for their museum as it was in excellent condition.  The sweater has to be 75-80 years old as Jim died in 1932. They said yes so Jaden Jacobs was kind enough to take it to the college.  I also sent a picture of Jim wearing the sweater, a newspaper article about him and 7 other football players.  I received an email this a.m. telling me they were very pleased to have it.
 
We received this from a friend on the internet.  When told the reason for daylight saving time an old Indian said... 'Only a white man would believe that you could cut a foot off the top of a blanket and sew it to the bottom of a blanket and have a longer blanket.'
 
We sure enjoy the Rush County Transportation Bus.  On Monday, October 27, we took a bus trip to Salina.  Those going were Shirley Higgins, Lorraine Ryan, Priscilla Jacobs, Sharon Irvin, Suzanne Randa, Susan Rebel, Carolyn Thompson and Linda Seymour.  On Wednesday evening we attended the Encore Series at Beach-Schmidt Performing Arts Center at Fort Hays.  Those riding that night were Velda Brack, Tillie Miller, Ruthetta Irvin, Joan Micheli, Arline Rues, Shirley Higgins, Galen Allen and Carolyn Thompson. Our driver for both trips was Tracy Woods.  The program was Capital Steps.  Others attending were Francis and Julia Zeller, Bill Zeller, John and Melanie Zeller, John and Janice Stull. 
 
A memorial has been received in memory of Red Fear from Carolyn Thompson.
 
The family of Doneta Parsons is requesting a card shower to help her celebrate her 80th birthday on Friday, November 7.  Cards can reach Doneta at 202 Park Street, Apt. 121, Spearville, KS 67876.
 
Congratulations to Chuck Higgins on his 50th birthday, November 9.
 
Congratulations to Tom and Shannon McCormick of Andale on the birth of a son, Cash, October 28, 2008.  He joins a brother and sister.
 
Bet and Jeanette McCormick and Jean Schutte attended the funeral for Agnes Appel on Wednesday at LaCrosse.  She is a sister of Alex McCormick.
 
In last week’s old time news, it mentioned Mr. and Mrs. Ed Ryan – that would be Mr. and Mrs. Ed Rein.  The old Methodist parsonage is the home Mildred Rein lived in.  Now Kevin and Valerie Anderson and family live there.
 
Obituaries in Volume 111 of the McCracken History Book for 1997:  Dorcas Cole, Elmer Roughton, Max Huddleston, Thomas Birdsong, Nealie Jones, Linda McCormick, Owen Dubbs, John A. Rixon, Percival Grumbein, Jr., Rose Yost, Dorothy Weltmer, Ruby Adkinson, Hallie Plouffle, Blanche Plotner, Doris Dawley, Bernard Larson, Adella Brenner, Marvin Foos, Cecil Brackney, Jack Cheney, Janeal Ryan, Donald Curtis, Jack Higgins, Herbert Schuckman, Ronald Richolson, Eddie Suher, Charley Serpan, Margaretha Gerritzen, Vernon Wittman, Oliver Williams, Ruth Tanck, Gene Petz, Calvin Parsons, David Rogers, Norma Jeane Heiser, Lois Lovitt, Charles Jacobs, Thomas Barnes, Caroline Durand, Margaret Forbes.
 
Allen and Joyce Thompson, Plainville, were in town on Monday.
 
McCracken History Notes
November 1908
Miss Ruth Wagner began teaching school in the Gates District south of Alexander, Monday.
 
Farmers who live north of town are complaining against the dumping of trash over the embankment of the Hicks Bridge as it frightens teams.
 
Mrs. S. C. Frye died at the home of her daughter, Mrs. James Wilson near LaCrosse and was buried in the LaCrosse Cemetery.  She was the second daughter of Daniel and Linda Kaufman.
 
November 1938
Funeral services for Franz Ryan who died at the home of his daughter, Mrs. Fern Jones were held here Wednesday. 
 
Joe McClendon, 58, pioneer farmer of this community, died Tuesday at his farm home southeast of McCracken.  He was born in Montague County, Texas, January 1, 1880.  In 1918 he married Alice Hall.  He is survived by his wife and two children, John and Ethel.
 
November 1948
Dr. Raymond L. Cortner, former pastor of the LaCrosse EUB church is now pastor of the Rockridge Evangelical United Brethren church in Oakland, California.  He recently wrote a devotional message which was circulated on October 28 to more than a million readers of The Upper Room.
 
Dr. James Makinson has opened an office in the Wetzel building in LaCrosse.  He also maintains an office in McCracken.
 
November 1958
Dr. W. J. Singleton, LaCrosse physician, died November 7, 1958, of a coronary thrombosis in his car near Hargrave.
 
Congratulations to Mr. and Mrs. Vic Higgins on the birth of a son, Charles Robert ‘Chuck’ born November 9, 1958 in LaCrosse.  He weighed 8 lbs 10 oz.
 
November 1968
The annual “Most Valuable Player” awards for McCracken cookie and pee wee baseball teams were won by Don Irvin and Daryl Casey.
 
Mr. and Mrs. Owen Dixon moved to LaCrosse last Saturday.
 
November 1978
McCracken Colt football team members are Shawn McKinney, Kevin Casey, Chad Herdman, Doug Elias, Mike Stull, Jeff Scheuerman, Jay Brack, Gary Barnes, Terry Showalter, Sean Miller, Jim Hopkins, John Moran, Richard Wittman and Mark Brackney.  Coach Bob Bearley.
 
The Colts girls’ volleyball team members are Lori Brown, Joy Mills, Janet Conner, Sandy Taylor, Brenda Barnes, Sabrina Higgins, Kim Brackney, Tonya Mangold, Kayla Higgins, Dixie Bott, Stacy Foreman, Sarena Higgins and Rhonda Conrad.  Coaches are Bob Bearley and Philena Baus.
 
November 1988
Construction began on the new 2,000 square foot McCracken Public Library.  It is located just across the street from the old library.  The new facility took a year of money raising campaigns to materialize.  The Kansas State Library Board in Topeka was willing to match funds raised by the McCracken Library in form of a federal library construction grant.  The seven member library board traveled to Topeka last November and met with the state library board.  The board solicited donations from the MHS alumni, held raffles and soup suppers.  After a year of hard work they raised over $33,000.  The Kansas State Library Board came through with a $24,000 title 11 LSCA Construction Grant.  Board members are Chairperson, Shirley Higgins, John Stull, Bob and Carrie House, Rosy Elmore, Janet Herdman and librarian Ruth Crawshaw.
 
November 1998
Roy Jensen has recently moved into the former Lucille Elias residence.
 
The museum received the school records for District 34 (Waring) for the years 1910 to 1925 from Terry Davenport Sloan.