RCNews Dec 4
 
McCracken Public Library board members and librarian will be hosting Open House at the Library Saturday morning, December 13th, from 9 to 11 am.  Grab your mail from the post office, and come on over to the library for a cup of coffee, cider and cookies.  There will be door prizes!
 
Tanner Elias, ten year old son of Travis and Tina Elias, played football at the 2008 Air Capital Classic 5th grade National football tournament in Wichita, Kansas.  Tanner, #26, plays running back, kickoff return and defensive linebacker for the Colby Eagles.  Sunday, November 9th, the Eagles beat the undefeated Ark City Aztecs 12 – 8.  Tanner had 106 rushing yards, a 52 yard kickoff return and 8 tackles.  There were 32 teams that participated in the tournament, some as far away as Brooklyn Park, Minnesota.  Congratulations Bubba “Speedy Feet” Elias.  (Tim, picture scanned if you can use it)
 
The Bruce & Ellen Kershner family are staying home for Thanksgiving.  This could be a first and they are looking forward to it, with all the trimmings.
 
Joy Petz , Craig Rixon and Deb spent an early Thanksgiving last week end with Peggy Smith in Jewell!  Craig and Deb will spend Thanksgiving Day at the Bill Bradstreet home in Ellis. 
 
Allan and Donna Hill and Betty Greenway were guests of Allan's parents, Dennis and Millie Hill at Great Bend. Others attending were Allan's brother, Brian from Overland Park, his sister Jenny Waddell, Great Bend and his Grandparents, Glenn and Lois Hill Great Bend,
 
Babe and Arlene Gilbert prepared the turkey and dressing and took it to Wakeeney to the home of Bob and Marlene Funk where they enjoyed Thanksgiving.
 
Rob, Helena and Austin McGaughey all ate Thanksgiving lunch at Aaron,
Lesley and Lilly McGaughey’s home in Lacrosse. They had turkey with all the fixings and four different pies./: Those attending were Rich Showalter, Ashley McGaughey, Mark Zaragosa, Joy and George Hunter, Pat and Chuck Hiedrick, John and Jason Showalter, Lesley's niece Reagan and Kate Ryan. Terry and Helen Showalter had Thanksgiving supper at Lesley and Aaron's the following day because they were unable to attend on Thanksgiving.
 
Les and Sheryl Rogers, Chase, and Kelsee hosted Thanksgiving dinner on Saturday, Nov 29th.  Those attending were Ruth Heffel of Hays, John & Sharon Irvin, McCracken, Lance & Jesse Irvin of Wichita,  Allen & Kayla Casey of Hays, and Matt Casey, McCracken.
 
Bruce and Sue Davis went to Brian and Lisa Davis, Madison and Hunter in Hutchinson on Sunday before Thanksgiving.  They then traveled to Memphis, Tennessee and spent the week on Beale Street.  Thanksgiving Day was spent with Eric and Melissa Davis in Omaha.
 
Thanksgiving weekend guests of ‘Arky’ and Diana McNair were Philip Ochs, Salina; Charlotte Ochs, McCracken, Curtis, Kelly and Jeremiah McNair, Ray Lucero and Rex Reeder, Colorado
 
Roy and Phyllis Conrad were Thanksgiving guests in Ransom at the home of Albert and Louise Zordel.  Joining them were Chris and Rhonda Zordel, Spearville.
 
Tony and Tomi Rues, Shelby, Emma, Kate & Will spent Thanksgiving with their families in Topeka.
 
Rich, Linda, Andrew and Mike Conrad, St. Louis were guests of his father, Sylvester Conrad during Thanksgiving weekend.  They enjoyed Thanksgiving dinner with Sylvester and helped celebrate his 94th birthday.
 
Memorials have been given to the McCracken Alumni in memory of Ruth Yawger from Babe and Arlene Gilbert, Arlyn and Jan North.
 
Kirby and Joy Petz hosted a wonderful Thanksgiving dinner on Saturday.  Guests were Craig and Deb, Todd and Marie Sewell.  They played games and looked at old pictures.  They had a lot of laughs and fun.
 
Arline Rues spent Thanksgiving in Topeka with her kids and their families;  Rose and Les Diehl, Tim and Stacy Rues and family, Ron and Cathy Casey and family, Leigh and Alicia Barrett.  She returned home to McCracken on Friday.
 
Thanksgiving weekend guests of Bill and Sharon Lovitt in Ransom were Teresa Lovitt, Jennifer Lovitt, Dodge City; Scott and Lora Faiman, Rae and Clay, Columbia.
 
Friday evening supper guests of Roy and Phyllis Conrad were Neil and Rhonda Allen, Chandler and Asleigh, Wichita, Sylvester Conrad, Rich, Linda, Andrew and Mike Conrad.
 
Thanksgiving dinner guests of Gladys & Wendell Hinman were Wade & Zaccary Hinman. Additional guests on Friday & Saturday were Casey & Jeannie Grimme, Connor & Claire; Greg & Sheila Hinman, Jessica Hinman, Jeff Hinman and friend ,Ben
 
Travis, Tina, Katie, & Tanner Elias & Nikki Bunch, Colby, spent Wednesday evening with Dave and Carolyn Davenport in Hutchinson. They left Thursday morning to spend Thanksgiving with Tina's family in eastern Kansas. Thursday evening they were in Kansas City to see the traditional Plaza lights being turned on. Friday evening they had dinner with David Kaster and family and Lanette in Overland Park.
 
Dave and Carolyn Davenport, Hutchinson had Thanksgiving dinner with Marjorie Davenport at the Mennonite Manor.
 
Thanksgiving dinner guests of Ty Elias, Tina and Quintin Harris were Steve and Debbie Schmidt, Tribune, Jarrod Schmidt, Hays, and Gary (Woody) Williams, Bison. Joining them later in the afternoon was Ken Harris, Kinsley, Dave, Carolyn, & Rosy Davenport, Hutchinson.
 
Lenora Stremel, Shirley Bundy, and Art Behrman were guests of Barry and LeAnn Knight and family on Thanksgiving Day.
 
Thanksgiving Dinner guests at Pat Derr's were Dave, Derek and Carly Derr, Kerri, Layne, Katlyn and Angela Morgan, Allen, Bailey, Caden and Carter Morgan, Deb Rogers, Jenni Rogers, Kevin, Valerie, Lexi, Zoe, Rylin and Kamryn Anderson, Scott Keener and Emily Rogers, Ron Johnson, Grandma Grace, and Nita Caviness.  Michael, Jerridy, Reece and Eli Morgan were supper guests. 
 
 Allen and Cheryl Werth hosted all their kids for Thanksgiving; Lisa, Dustin, Keldon and McKaylee, Matt, Kari and Audrey and of course Grandpa House, all the dogs Luke, Bailey, Maddie, Kami, Britney and Soney. There was a house full. Allen's daughter came Wednesday night for a short visit. Jessica, Raffel and Braydon are from Kansas City.
 
Guests of Priscilla Jacobs for Thanksgiving were Neal, Amy, Jaden and Tessa Jacobs, Sandra Jacobs, Sean Peters, Mitch Jacobs and Terri Lasater.
 
Thanksgiving Day guests of Kellye & Sandy Irvin, Kayla and Scott were Chad and Amber Irvin and family, Don and Dena Irvin, Dennis & Arlene Irvin, Galen & Jennis Irvin & Jennis’ mother, Chris and Jana Irvin and Krissa, Anna Irvin and Graycie and friend Brandon.
 
Thanksgiving Day guests of Martin, Mary Ann and Carrie Higgins at their home in McCracken were Francis and Julia Zeller, John and Melanie Zeller, Bill Zeller, Will and Dan, Celia Gilbert and ‘Rat’ the dog, Rachel and Lance Legleiter and Haydn, Sarah Urban and friend Kyle. 
 
Jim Reeves and Marge Elias were Thanksgiving Day guests of Dale and Julie Elias, Gage and Chase in Oakley.
 
Dena Irvin motored to Topeka where she met her sister Donna Schmidt and they ‘shopped’ in Kansas City over the weekend.  They were joined by Amy Schmidt and Megan Morse.
 
Thanksgiving Wednesday – Sunday guests of Roger and Norma McNair were
Rodney and Tracy Humbent, Taylor, Tyler and Michael; Dallas and Jamie Dewitt, Mason, Hunter and Mavrick; Jeffery Malloy, Lexie & Colton; Cory and Morgan Molloy and Jim Molloy, all of Topeka.
 
Wednesday – Sunday Thanksgiving guests of Shirley were Jerry, Jodi, Tanner, Jenna, Chuck, Zach, Lonnie, Tammy, Cameron, Kyra, John, Kayla, Lindsey and Nicole.
 
Someone needs to be taught to respect the property of others...........The windows were all shot out of Vic's old blue Ford pickup that is sitting in OUR pasture.  I'm just wondering if shooting windows and destroying property is fun.  I was taught to respect property of others, it is too bad everyone wasn't.  Shirley
 
Jeremy, Ashley and Dakota, Carter Lake, Iowa, spent from Wednesday – Saturday with his dad, Joe and Kay Slemp.  They were all Thanksgiving Day guests of James and Billie Slemp in LaCrosse.
 
Thanksgiving Day for the Crawshaw family was spent at the UMC Fellowship Hall in McCracken.  Those attending were Mamie Crawshaw, Alana, Mamie Alice, Ashlin, Darian, and Sirrena Rogers, Bill, Paula, William, Michael, & Stephanie Greenway, Ron & Ruth Crawshaw, Jeff & Billie Crawshaw and friend from church, Noel and Betty Lipton.
 
 Election day November 4, Mike Quigg "officially" retired from the railroad after thirty plus years. He thought bells and whistles would go off and the skies would open up and was really disappointed when they didn't. They traveled to Great Bend to see Mike's step-mom and on to Hutchinson to spend the week-end with Dave and Carolyn Davenport. They left from there to visit other relatives and friends. They are still planning on seeing everyone at the McCracken rodeo in July.
 
Hope you got to see the moon with the planets beside it on Monday evening.  Jupiter and Venus were on the right side of the moon.
 
Saturday, December 6, there will be a hamburger and fries 'supper' at the American Legion in McCracken from 6-8. Please bring a friend!!!!!
 
Volunteers for the McCracken library:  December 2, Jean Schutte, December 9, Norma McNair, December 16, Mary Anne Taylor, December 30, Robert Tilford.
 
Jean Schutte had Thanksgiving dinner with Wilfrid and Twila Higgins.
 
In the Country Living magazine for November it told of an Honor Flight of 36 World War 11 veterans from the Ellsworth area that went to Washington, D. C. to visit the World War 11 memorial.  Accompanying the flight was John Mehler of Ellsworth.  John’s parents, Leonard and Ruth Mehler lived here in McCracken until February 1959, when he was transferred to Plainville.  Doris and Roy Jones moved into their house (now Robert Tilford’s).   Leonard worked for Western Power.  John’s mother, Ruth is still living in Ellsworth and John’s sister, Raylene, lives in Dallas. Ruth just got back from visiting Raylene.  John is a lineman for Western Coop Electric and plans to retire in a year. He is 61.  The group left from Ellsworth aboard one of the school district’s school buses and stayed all night at the barracks at Fort Leavenworth.  They then took a flight from Kansas City to Washington D. C.  A lunch was provided at the memorial.    Francis Zeller called John on Friday morning and renewed acquaintance.

Memorias have been received by the Jail/Museum in memory of Ruth Yawger from Bruce and Ellen Kershner and Bob House.
 
 Lucille Crotinger, 92, of Kingman died November 28, 2008 at Wheatlands Healthcare Center in Kingman.  She was a former resident of LaCrosse and McCracken.  She was born to James M. and Faye Robinson Allen on March 8, 1916.  She married Alfred Crotinger on April 21, 1935 in Ness County.  He died in 1992.  She was a teacher. She was an active member of the McCracken United Methodist Church while she lived here.  Survivors include son, Gerald, daughter, Dorothy Graham; two brother James Allen and Glenn Allen, four grandchildren, numerous great-grandchildren and two great-great-granddaughters.  Services were held Wednesday at Kingman First Presbyterian with burial today, Thursday at Locust Hill cemetery, Rush Center at 1:30 p.m.  Memorials are to the First Presbyterian Church of Wheatland Healthcare Center.
Obituaries for 2001 in Volume 111 of the McCracken History Book:  Willa Start, Helen Foos, Scott Weesner, Bob Ohlemeier, Wayne Wahlmeier, Virgina Spivey Higgins, Lorine Landgon Watts,  Ruth Janke,  Maxine West, Ralph M. Thompson, Dorthy Stetler, Gerald Rose, Victor Schoenberger. Merle Hardwick, Duane Brackney,  Mike Moran, Kenneth Ruff, Marcel Miles, Richard B. Unrein, Lloyd Kueffer, Edward Swisher, Raymond Weltmer, William Baldwin, Ileene Godsey, Donald Henry Gaschler, Grace Georg, Rufina Suppes, Ludwig Schuckman, James C. Moran, William Leiker, Doris Jones, Ronald Dale Crowder, Ruby Hinman, Clarence D. Gilbert, Patrick Donavan “P. D.” North, Dolores Herrman, Paul Healy, Gail Swartz, Perry Van Osdol, Cletus “Dick” Depperschmidt, Nathan Dome, Franklin Grumbein, Norman Green, Alvina Cole, Bessie Johnson, Rose Marion  Martz Archer,
Al and Judy Hugh hosted a Thanksgiving dinner at their home.  Guests were Ben Thompson, Galen Allen, Carolyn Thompson, L. D. and Jan Lappin.
How many of you when traveling Highway 96 remember this singsong? “Ellinwood Chase Lyons (Ellen would chase lions)”.   This is another quote from a friend.
Addie Mills was guest of Tina and Marty Mills for Thanksgiving dinner.  Also there were Bob and Della Miller of Brookville..
Mike, Susan and Shannon Keith and Kenneth Keith of Wellington were Thanksgiving guests of Rich and Heidi Keith and family in Minneapolis, Minnesota.
McCracken History Notes
December 1908
A German Lutheran Church is being constructed seven miles southeast of McCracken on the Berger farm.
Mrs. Margaret Ryan, 62, died at her home in Alexander, December 7, 1908.  She was born in Kentucky in 1841 and married John B. Ryan in 1860.  To this union were born four sons and four daughters. Rev. John Lovitt of the Baptist Church preached the sermon.  Burial was in the McCracken Cemetery.
December 1938
Dorothy Davidson and Lyle L. Tyner were married at the home of Dr. Womer, professor at Washburn College.
Vivian and Harrison Washaliski underwent tonsillectomy operations at the Baker hospital last Friday.
December 1948
Mr. and Mrs. Earl Fletcher and son, Royce, have moved from Colorado Springs to Albuquerque, N. M. where they will make their home.
College students who had spent Thanksgiving and the remainder of the week visiting relatives, left the first of the week to return to their studies were Teresa and Reita Moran to Mt. St. Scholastica at Atchison, Bennie Thompson, Ronald Hinman, Gerald Walker, Richard Shiney, John Elmore, Dorothy Elmore, Phyllis Cheney and Joan Ryan, Kansas State, Manhattan; Billy Joe Moran, Norman Baldwin and Glenn and Guy Conner to Hays.
December 1958
McCracken lost a heartbreaker to Ransom Tuesday night when the Mustangs fell by one point 50-51.  The Mustangs were led by Bob Peters who scored 11.
Mr. and Mrs. Kellye Hart have moved into the Earl Turner house.
Wiley Branson was a Thanksgiving guest of Dusty and Bob Rhoades.
December 1968
The Eastern Star held installation at their meeting Monday evening.  Officers are Charlotte Fluharty, Fay Jennings, Arlene Gilbert, Carl Legleiter, Emma Mae Anderson, Caroline Davis, Jeanette Rogers, Lorraine Ryan, Joyce Rogers, Velma Legleiter, Joyce Scanlon, Icis Eisenhour, Rose Showalter, Jan North, Adelaide Mills, Lucille Reinhardt, and Raymond Mills.
Jean Schutte broke her right wrist in a fall at her home.
December 1978
The Mustangs raced to a big win over Utica by an 85-62 margin.  Kellye Irvin scored 33, Joe Conner 15, Jeff McCormick 12, Jerry Casey 11 and Craig Stull 8.
Bob and Frank Foster, who are living in Dallas were here visiting family for a few days.
December 1988
The McCracken United Methodist Church sponsored a community hayrack ride and Christmas caroling event.
Bryan Bergquist, Kelly Petz, David Moran and Treva M. Wilson were included in the 22nd annual edition of Who’s Who among American High School Students.
December 1998
Babe and Arlene Gilbert hit a bull on Saturday night around the Hargrave curve.
Jean Schutte, Twila Higgins, Gladys and Wendell Hinman, Mary Anne and Fred Taylor, Pat Derr, Jeanette and Bet McCormick decorated the City Park for Christmas.