Stories from Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Wanda Jean Drake, age 62, resident of Mulberry, Kan., died unexpectedly Monday, Nov. 24, 2014 at her home. Following cremation, private family burial will take place in the Mulberry Cemetery. Services are under the direction of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, Fort Scott, Kansas. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com...

With the observance of the Thanksgiving Day holiday on Thursday, the Tribune asked local residents, "What is your most memorable Thanksgiving?" The following are some responses we received: Allen Schellack of Fort Scott "I was about 14 years old and it was Thanksgiving at my grandparents' house. All the family was together. There were at least 25 of us all together at one time. There were people I didn't get to see a lot, all in one place at one time."...

The number of cooking fires typically goes up around the holidays and while the Fort Scott Fire Department deals with its share of these types of fires each year, most are not serious. FSFD Chief Paul Ballou said firefighters handle mostly unattended cooking fires throughout the year and not just during the holidays...

Elks members Bill Brittain, left, and Dale Snyder man a smoker full of turkeys Tuesday afternoon at the Elks Lodge. Brittain said about 50 turkeys were being cooked for the annual Thanksgiving feast organized by Marjorie Schwalm and her family that will take place from 11 a.m. ...

INDEPENDENCE -- Independence swept Fort Scott Middle School's eighth-grade basketball teams Monday afternoon. Independence's "A" team defeated the Tigers, 29-22, handing that team just its second loss of the season. Madie Farmer and Ciara Stumfoll led Fort Scott with 6 points each. Farmer also had 9 rebounds...

Used with permission of the Garden City Telegram ---- GARDEN CITY -- Garden City Community College announced the hiring of former Fort Scott Community College head coach Jeff Sims on Thursday. During a noon press conference inside the Hall of Fame room at the Perryman Athletic Complex, Sims was introduced as the 21st head coach in program history, replacing Matt Miller, whose two-year stint at the helm ended on Nov. 9 when he was fired after a 4-6 season...

Carol Maurine Marker, 83, died Wednesday, Nov. 26, 2014, at Windsor Place in Iola. Carol was born Dec. 21, 1930, in Centerville, Kan., the daughter of Harry and Minnie (Kline) Knight. She grew up at Centerville and graduated from Parker High School in 1948. She continued her education two years at Ursuline College in Paola and received her teaching certificate. She taught at Round Mound and Keokuk Rural Schools near Centerville...