Stories from Saturday, January 31, 2009

With the holidays behind us and the cold winter days ahead, it seems like a good time to look back and remember highlights of time spent with family: Thirty-four people to feed is a large task. The two youngest children, ages 4 and5, apparently enjoyed feeding the dogs, and, at the last count, went through three cans of Ol' Roy Beef Jerky Strips at $4.95 a can. It was no wonder the dogs were excited when they saw them coming to the pen...

Hi neighbors. A week ago Thursday my son and I had traveled to Fort Scott to pick up a meal at Wendy's restaurant. On the way home an oncoming car flipped its headlights at us in warning, but we didn't have time to figure out what the warning was about...

Ruth Laura (DeShazo) Sims, 96, of El Dorado Springs, passed away on Jan. 28, 2009, at Community Springs Healthcare. She was born March 3, 1912, in St. Clair County to Frank E. and Bessie E. DeShazo. Ruth grew up in St. Clair County the eldest of nine children. She was united in marriage to Johnnie Ray Sims, on Oct. 1, 1932. To this union one daughter, Esther Ann, was born...

Hazel M. West, 93, or Rich Hill, passed away on Jan. 30, 2009, at the Nevada Regional Medical Center. Funeral services will be held Monday, Feb. 2, at 11 a.m., at the First Christian Church, with burial in the Green Lawn Cemetery, in Rich Hill. The family will receive friends Sunday, from 3 to 4:30 p.m., at the Heuser Funeral Home. The family suggests memorial contributions to First Christian Church, or Rich Hill Memorial Library in care of Heuser Funeral Home...

Henrietta Louise Walters, 90, beloved mother, passed away peacefully, Thursday, Jan. 29, 2009, at her home in Bronson, Kan. She was born Feb. 15, 1918, in Great Falls, Mont., the daughter of Myron Truesdell and Mary Lorinda Pembereton Truesdell. Mrs. Walters enjoyed sewing and cooking...

Doris Lee "Dori" Robinson, 79, passed away Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2009, in Denton, Texas, surrounded by her family. She was born Doris Lee Mock, Sept. 12, 1929, in Kansas City, Mo., daughter of George Edward and Corrine Frances Hale Mock. She was a graduate of Shawnee Mission North High School in 1947, and St. ...

Iva Irene Bley, 91, resident of Fort Scott, died Friday, Jan. 30, 2009, at Mercy Health Center. She was born April 15, 1917, in Sheridan, Iowa, the daughter of Leonard Augusta Pottorff and Dollie Marker Pottorff. She married Charley Bley on April 5, 1956, in Fort Scott. ...

A former Nevada resident Mike Pickett has an unusual occupation. Pickett is an expert on explosives and has written a primer on explosives for firefighters and other emergency responders. He also offers training for emergency responders so they may correctly respond to finding commercial explosives. military ordnance, homemade bombs and bomb search procedures, and weapons of mass destruction...

The Nevada Rotary Club, Nevada, Mo., will present an International Wine Fest to be held at the Nevada Country Club on Saturday, March 7, 2009, at 6:30 p.m. The event will be presented by an expert vintner, Andrea Ebert, of the Schloss Saarstein Vineyards, overlooking the Saar River in Germany. Proceeds will be donated to the International Youth Exchange to fund a visiting or outbound youth for the Nevada Rotary Club...

Fort Scott, Kan. -- For many people, the new year may bring resolutions to lose weight or exercise more, and an upcoming statewide program can help those people do just that. Walk Kansas is a statewide eight-week fitness challenge sponsored by the Kansas State Research and Extension Office that is scheduled to take place March 8 -- May 2. ...

Although the United States Postal Service is in the throes of financial distress, reducing deliveries to only five days a week would be a last-resort action, according to officials from the USPS and the National Association of Letter Carriers. In his address before the U.S. ...

It was the middle of October in 1965. Carolyn Dennis of Walker, Mo., gathered her courage and made plans to go to Alaska to marry her sweetheart, Jack Wallace. She had never traveled alone and her parents tried to talk her out of it. Carolyn and Jack had been engaged for two years and he was facing three more years in the Air Force before he could come home. Enough was enough...

John Michael Foreman and Lorina May Lukenbill announce their engagement. John is a graduate of Nevada High School, 2005. He is employed by Inet Visions. Lorina is also a graduate of Nevada High School, 2006, and is currently attending Missouri Southern State University where she is pursuing a degree in business education. She is employed by Jim Novak's accounting office. The couple will reside in Nevada, Mo...

The Loretto in Westport, with its magnificent stained glass and historical chapel, served as the venue for the wedding ceremony of Carrie Jo Anderson and Brandon King. The double ring service was held on Oct. 3, 2008. A mix of fall-colored dahlias, calla lilies and hypercium berries adorned the wedding party, including the bride's wedding bouquet. ...

Tommy Tucker and Reality (Miller) Tucker were married at 2 p.m., Jan. 27, 2009, at Judge Mason's house, in Fort Scott. The bride wore a pink floral gown with pearls and crystals. Judy Mick, friend of family, and Jeanette Marrs, mother of bride, made all the decor for the wedding, including the cake and flowers...

Larry and Mary Allen, Fort Scott, Kan., will celebrate their 40th wedding anniversary, Feb. 2, 2009. Larry L. Allen, Milo, Mo., and the former Mary Barker were married on Feb. 2, 1969, at the First Church of God, in Fort Scott, with the Rev. Gordon Jenkins officiating...

To honor their 40th wedding anniversary, the children of Don and Linda Swope will host a reception on Feb. 8, 2009, at 3 p.m., at the First Christian Church, in Rich Hill, Mo. The family notes that "your attendance is the only gift needed."

Lewis and Melisa Cox, of Nevada, Mo., will observe their 26th wedding anniversary on Jan. 30, 2009. Lewis Cox and the former Melisa Skinner were married Jan. 30, 1983, in Nevada. The couple have three children and four grandchildren.

Posted at 12:30 a.m. Saturday morning.