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Newcomers, legacy leaders honored for Heritage Days
McCOOK, Neb. — The 2018 Heritage Days Parade Marshals do not have deep roots in the area. Nonetheless, their impact in the community is immeasurable.
Bruce and Cathy McDowell happened upon McCook when they were passing through on their way from Denver to Illinois. A spring snowstorm stalled them in the area for a few days. They decided to take a look around and they liked what they saw. They were most impressed by the affordability of housing and the friendliness of the people.
In 2004, after several return trips to McCook, the couple decided to retire from their Denver jobs with Qwest Communications and relocate to McCook. But the McDowell’s definition of retirement certainly does not include “ceasing to work” or “withdrawing from active working life,” Quite the opposite for the couple, as they have become involved in the community in several capacities.
Cathy is the Prairie Plains Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA) director in McCook. As a team, they organize the annual CASA Frisbee Golf Tournament. Bruce currently serves on the McCook City Council and was the treasurer of McCook Mainstreet and the Norris Institute. He also helps maintain the Harpst Garden at Hillcrest Nursing Home.
Both are involved in Buffalo Commons Storytelling Festival and McCook Rotary. They are the inspiration behind The Thinkery of Southwest Nebraska and serve on the advisory council and are co-chairs of the project.
In accepting the honor Wednesday at the MNB Bank mixer, a surprised Bruce told those in attendance, “We have not regretted for a moment our move here, and hopefully we will be here for a very long time.”
Grand Marshal Jerry Gohl does have deep roots in the area; his family has farmed in southwest Nebraska for more than 120 years. He graduated from Hayes County High School, where he participated in football and track and was the Homecoming King in 1966. He attended McCook Junior College and Kearney State College, studying business and marketing.
After college, he joined the Hilton Hotel Corporation in both Omaha and San Francisco. In 1979, he purchased property in Hayes County and moved his family back to the area to pursue farming and ranching with his father and three brothers.
His marketing and agriculture experience led to the next chapter of his career. While enduring a long, cold calving season, an idea was forming for a remote-controlled spotlight. In 1994, his company was formed and a fledgling business, GoLight, was started in the basement of his farmhouse.
GoLight is now an international company employing more than 30 people and has established itself as the industry leader in remote-controlled lighting.
He has been involved in the McCook Economic Development Corporation. His family includes his wife Diane, children Neil and wife Sarah; Nick and wife Julie; Brenda and husband Ryan; and Kim and husband Randy; as well as nine grandchildren.
“Ladies and Gentlemen, this is the most unexpected surprise I have ever had. It’s an honor to be a part of this community. A part of such a growing effort to keep the community together and to work with such wonderful people throughout the area. Not only in McCook, but the surrounding area, Hayes Center... Culbertson, which we are both very proud to be members. It’s just a fantastic honor. Thank you so much,” Gohl said.
The 2018 Honor Family is responsible for documenting much of the history of the area through their newspaper publications. The tenacity of their patriarch, Harry Strunk, led to the development of a flood-control program for the entire basin and is one of the reasons we enjoy the many lakes of Southwest Nebraska.
First known as the Red Willow County Gazette, Harry Strunk and business partner Burris Stewart started the newspaper in 1911 as a weekly publication. Stewart committed suicide on the day the second issue was printed, leaving a 19-year-old Harry with the responsibility for the business. He persevered and the newspaper evolved into a semi-weekly and then a tri-weekly publication, before becoming a daily in 1924.
A perpetual innovator, Strunk’s newspaper became the first in the world to be regularly delivered by airplane. Called "The Newsboy," the Curtiss Robin C1 two-seater monoplane dropped newspapers in area towns, flying a nonstop three-hour route covering 389 miles. At each town, a bundle of papers was dropped from a height of 500 feet onto a pre-arranged field, where it was picked up by local carriers. The plane was later damaged in a windstorm and taken out of service.
Harry served as publisher of the Gazette until his death in 1960, when his son, Allen took over.
After serving in the Korean War and graduating from the Medill School of Journalism at Northwestern University in Evanston, Ill., Allen Strunk returned to McCook and succeeded his father as publisher. Under Allen's direction, the Gazette converted to the offset method of printing and became one of the most circulated dailies in the nation in counties with less than 15,000 population.
The family sold the newspaper in 1986.
The Strunks included a motto that was (and still is) published on the front page of each newspaper, “Service is the rent we pay for the space we occupy in this world”, and it is a motto that they continue to live by. The family continues to support Santa Claus Lane and the Educator of the Year Award; they provide scholarships, support youth sports and children. They have also been very active supporters of nonprofit organizations in the community.
Allen Strunk invited the public to a dedication of a monument which will be unveiled at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday north of Norris Park. He also told the audience, “It’s a great community, I miss it.”
Heritage Days Queen, Molly Tate, is the daughter of Jay Tate and Rebecca Manley. She is involved in National Honor Society, Thespians, Math Club, Art Club, Interact Club, cross country and swim team at McCook High School. She has been awarded an All-State Team, Academic Team, and an athletic letter in cross country and swim team. She is a four-time MHS swim record breaker and state swim team qualifier. She is on the merit roll with a 4.0 GPA, tied for first in class ranking. She has earned the Bison Class Leadership Award and is involved in WORD youth group. She volunteers with the Salvation Army bell ringing, Feed the Flock, McCook Toybox, highway cleanup, tree planting for Arbor Day, Read Across America, student mentor, Purple Pinkie Day, blood drives, and Breakfast with Santa.
King James Mockry is the son of Jamie and Theresa Mockry. He is a football, basketball, track and American Legion Baseball player, photo editor for the McCook High School yearbook, and fundraising chair for MHS Interact Club. He participates in Southwest Nebraska Leadership Institute and MEDC Leadership. He is active in Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Junior Class prom committee, student mentor and American Legion Boys State. He is involved with the McCook Christian Church Youth group, communion server, and small group Bible study. He volunteers for the Chamber of Commerce, highway cleanup, tree-planting for Arbor Day, breakfast with Santa, blood drive, and student mentor.