Stories from Monday, February 25, 2002

Matthew Campbell and Robin Schiffelbein of McCook announce the birth of their son, Talyn Michael on Wednesday (Feb. 20, 2002). He weighed 6 pounds, 14 ounces. His grandparents are Nancy and Dennis Campbell of Cambridge and Mike and Linda Schiffelbein of McCook. Great-grandparents are Bernadetta and John Sis of Indianola, Cap and Norm Schiffelbein of Garden City, Kan., and Dr. Robert and Mrs. Dortha McCosh of Dodge City, Kan...

PAWNEE CITY -- George William Wissler, 80, died Friday (Feb. 22, 2002) at the Pawnee Manor in Pawnee City. He was born May 19, 1921 to John and Wilhemenia (Korber) Wissler at the family home in Nemaha County, Kan. He was raised on a farm southwest of Dubois, Kan. and attended Prairie Grove School through 8th grade. He then helped his dad with farming, well drilling and threshing...

OBERLIN -- Mabel Elizabeth Humes, 92, died Friday (Feb. 22, 2002) at the Decatur County Good Samaritan Center in Oberlin. She was born April 13, 1909, to John H. and Katherine (Thiringer) Wolfram in rural Decatur County. She attended District 39 School...

IMPERIAL -- Eva LaDene Hudnall, 75, died Saturday (Feb. 23, 2002) at Mary Lanning Memorial Hospital in Hastings. She was born north of Wauneta to Walter S. and Laura M. (Fanning) Wheeler. She graduated from Wauneta High School in 1943. She then studied home economics at Bethany Nazarene College in Bethany, Okla...

CAMBRIDGE -- Sam Stroud, 81, died Friday (Feb. 22, 2002) at his home in Cambridge. He was born Oct. 6, 1920 in Fort Scott, Kan. to William McKinley and Edna (Mayfield) Stroud. He served in the U. S. Army during World War II. He served from Aug. 1942 to Oct. 1945, reaching the grade of technician 5th grade. He served in the North of France, Rhineland, Ardennes and Central Europe...

HOLBROOK -- Vera I. Stevens, 72, died Sunday (Feb. 24, 2002) at the Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. She was born Jan. 2, 1930 to Elmer and Nellie (Kidney) Hermle in Armour. On Sept. 18, 1948, she married Robert E. Stevens at Beatrice. The couple traveled throughout Kansas and Nebraska working in construction, and made their home in Columbus for a time. In 1986, following their retirement, they moved to Holbrook...

CAMBRIDGE -- Fred Henry Farr, 81, died Friday (Feb. 22, 2002) at the Cambridge Manor in Cambridge. He was born Oct. 20, 1020 to Fred and Frances Clara (Schieber) Farr in Frontier County where he attended country school. He worked on the family farm north of Cambridge...

INDIANOLA -- Jason K. Johnson, 26, died Saturday (Feb. 23, 2002) at his home in Indianola. He was born April 4, 1975, to Raymond Walter and Jacqueline Ann (Ferguson) Rust at Aberdeen, Wash. On July 25, 1996, he married Lisa Ann Goin in McCook. He was employed as a mechanic for Sure Tech Diagnostics in McCook. ...

Gladys L. Poindexter died Friday (Feb. 22, 2002) at the Ambassador Rehab Center in Lincoln due to complications from ALS (Lou Gehrig's Disease). She was 84 years old. Gladys was born Jan. 9, 1918, at Dennis, Kan., to Francis and Nellie (Banta) Watson. She lived all of her childhood and attended school in southeast Kansas...

ATWOOD -- Helen Kathryn "Kathy" (Styles) Holle, 59, died Sunday (Feb. 24, 2002) at the Rawlins County Health Center in Atwood. She was born Nov. 13, 1942, to Olie F. and Helen Ethel (Nelson) Styles in Atwood. On March 29, 1964, she married Delos D. Holle at the Trinity Lutheran Church in Ludell. She was a homemaker...

After McCook was opened up for settlement in 1882 most structures were wooden frame buildings. Most of the lumber was shipped into McCook by rail. Mr. A. Barnett, who became known as McCook's Builder, helped unload the first carload of lumber, which came into McCook, and lumber was the basis of the Barnett fortune...

Dear Editor, I am writing concerning the noise at the race track. I think now, at least, the Fair Board will be aware of the fact that there are more than a few people that are bothered by the noise! I am all for the races for the reasons that have been stated (good for business, many people enjoy the races, etc), however I would hope that a compromise could be reached for a quitting time. ...

Dear Editor, I am writing in response to Mr. Gary Berry's letter on smoking. First of all, I will say that I have never smoked a day in my life but have always been around second-hand smoke. Needless to say, I now suffer from what is commonly a disease a smoker will get. ...

Dear Editor, The purpose of this letter is to urge the public to attend the curriculum meetings that will be held on Monday at 7:30 p.m. and Tuesday at 8 p.m. Both meetings will be held at East Ward School. I can not stress enough how important it is for the community to attend and provide their input regarding the proposed school options. ...

Dear Editor, I would encourage all parents with children in preschool through Grade 4 to attend the Curriculum Meetings which will be held on Monday at 7:30 p.m. and Tuesday at 8 p.m. at East Ward School. Parents, it's time for all of us to take a sincere interest in the future of the McCook School System. We need to have our voices heard in front of the McCook School Administration and School Board. Hopefully they will listen and plan accordingly to the wishes of the district patrons...

Dear Editor, I am writing on behalf of The McCook Humane Society. We are concerned about companion animal overpopulation in this area, and are again promoting Spay Day USA 2002 on Tuesday. Each year in our country, a homeless cat and dog is killed every six and one half seconds. ...

Dear Editor, I had a dream ... as did my parents, when in 1950 they built the first house on the Reservation in McCook for their retirement home, although it didn't work out that way as my mother passed away a few years later. I, too, thought that someday I would buy or build a retirement home in this nice quiet little town, and yes, I knew when I bought first home in 1969 two blocks from the fairgrounds, and then again in 1994 when I purchased my present home in McCook three blocks from the fairgrounds, that there was a race track on the grounds.. ...

Emergency medical officials from throughout the state are taking notice of the successful high school training program in McCook. Kathy Dernovich, who teaches the EMT Basic class for high school students in McCook, found that out Friday when she made a presentation at the Nebraska Emergency Medical Services training meeting in North Platte...

ARAPAHOE -- V.A. "Sam" Cunningham, 87, died Friday (Feb. 22, 2002) at his home in Arapahoe. He was born March 3, 1914 to Alvin and Mary Elizabeth (Harter) Cunningham at Giltner. He attended country school near Giltner for four years until the family moved to Beaver City where he graduated with the class of 1931. He worked at the Beaver City Butter Factory and in 1934, he and a partner purchased the Cambridge Butter Factory...