Stories from Monday, May 12, 2003

I was one of the pilots that (the late) Ben (Frank) trained for the Navy -- World War II. I went on to fly torpedo bombers in the Navy. He lived and loved flying and instilled that same spirit into his students. He leaves many pleasant memories. Virle B. Burd...

The children of Don and Ardis (Duckworth ) Roe are hosting a card shower in honor of the couple's 55th wedding anniversary. They were married May 16, 1948, at the Congregational Church in Danbury. Their children include Jerry and Jolene Fortin and Larry and Peggy Roe of Oberlin, Jerry and Carol Manning of Derby, Kan., and Robert and Donna Spresser of Atwood. Cards of congratulations will reach them at Rt. 1 Box 103, Oberlin, KS 67749...

Eileen Allen and Rodney Golus, both of Omaha, announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Ron and Joanne Allen of McCook and Theodore and Rosemary Golus of Loup City. Grandparents of the bride-to-be are Helen Allen of McCook and Wayne and Betty Allen, also of McCook. The bride-to-be and the prospective bridegroom are both computer engineers at TSA Inc. in Omaha. The couple is planning a June 7, 2003, ceremony at First Congregational Church in McCook...

The family of Wilfred and Helen Hansen are hosting a card shower in honor of the couple's 50th anniversary, May 10. Their children include Tresa and husband, Dann Watson, Cindy and husband, Dave Whisenhunt, Monty Hanson and wife, Angie. They have eight grandchildren. Cards of congratulations will reach them at 4217 Avenue West, Box 44, Benkeman, NE 69021...

Jeanna Orduna White and Kyle Robert Repass, both of Fremont, announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Johnice (Pierce) Orduna of Fremont, Vincent Anthony Orduna of Omaha and Ron and Rita (Faulk) Repass of McCook. The bride-to-be is a graduate of Omaha Central High School and Midland Lutheran College in Fremont. ...

A backyard reception is planned to honor the 80th birthday of Robert Cox Saturday, May 17, from 2-5 p.m., at 1111 East 4th Street in McCook. Cards of congratulations will reach him at the same address.

Tami Sue Pick and Michael Allen Pochop, both of McCook, were united in marriage April 26, 2003, at Memorial United Methodist Church in McCook with Rev. Dr. Jeff Thurman officiating. Parents of the couple are Sue Fahrenbruch of Culbertson, Earl Wilkinson of McCook, Marietta Reid of Las Vegas, Nev., and Roger Pochop of Colome, S.D...

Amy Haag and David Vrbas, both of Grand Island, announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Janet Haag of McCook, Tom Haag of Indianola and Jerry and Tami Vrbas of Palisade. Grandparents of the couple are Cy and Bev Haag of McCook, George and Edna Koscielak of Des Moines, Iowa, Elaine Peterson of Palisade and Don and Mary Lou Vrbas of Culbertson. ...

Erica Stanley and Darin Fortin, both of Oberlin, announce their engagement and upcoming wedding. Parents of the couple are Bob and Alice Stanley and Jerry and Jolene Fortin, all of Oberlin. The bride-to-be is employed at Decatur Health Systems as a registered nurse and the prospective bridegroom is employed with Oberlin Livestock Auction and is in the cattle business. The couple is planning a June 21, 2003, ceremony at Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Oberlin...

Mr. and Mrs. Thomas Fischer of Omaha announce the engagement and upcoming wedding of their daughter, Katherine, to Eric Sitzman, the son of Mr. and Mrs. Larry Sitzman of Columbus, formerly of Culbertson. The bride-to-be is a member of Chi-Omega sorority and received her bachelor's degree in English from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln. ...

The family of Gene Young is hosting an open house in honor of his 80th birthday, May 18, 2-4 p.m., at St. John's Parish Center in Cambridge.

The family and friends of Esther Wissbaum are hosting a card shower in honor of her 93rd birthday May 18. Cards of congratulations will reach her at Hillcrest Nursing Home, Room 108, 309 West 7th Street, McCook, NE 69001.

In the beautiful month of May -- surrounded by grasses of sparkling green and trees with flowering buds -- stories of success and good fortune are abundant. Just look around and listen to what's happening. Republican Valley Graduation In a story repeated in commencement ceremonies throughout Southwest Nebraska and Northwest Kansas, the graduates of Republican Valley High School did exceptionally well in the scholarship department...

With so many other things on their plate, it's understandable that Nebraska's state senators didn't get around to dealing with the gambling and casino questions in this year's legislative session. But, because the lawmakers didn't take action, it opens the door for special interest groups and citizen organizations to come up with a plan to place before the voters...

The family of Elsie Kasten is hosting a card shower in honor of her 95th birthday, May 16, 2003. Cards will reach her at 2123 14th Avenue, Central City, NE 68826.

Paulsen employees work to smooth the freshly poured concrete on the new section of B Street. Plans were to begin pouring concrete earlier this week, but recent rains delayed the progress.

Graduates of McCook Community College, class of 2003, were honored by a full house of MCC faculty and staff, family and friends Friday during the college's 75th graduation ceremony. Jill Hidy of Trenton, a member of the graduating class, presented the commencement address. Hidy was chosen from a group of students who competed for the honor. She is the first student to be given the honor of delivering the address...

LINCOLN -- McCook's Krae Dutoit, a 5-foot-10 guard, and Chase County-Imperial's Ed Kaiser, a 6-3 guard, were named to the Red Team for the 2003 Nebraska Coaches Association All-Star Boys Basketball Game. The game will be played Wednesday, July 30 at Lincoln North High School...

COLUMBUS -- McCook High School brought home five league titles from the Greater Nebraska Athletic Conference track meet Saturday on a rainy, cold day at Columbus. The Bison boys claimed four league titles, including two by Carl Fritz, who won the long jump and triple jump...

SCOTTSBLUFF -- The McCook High School boys golf team finished second in the Greater Nebraska Athletic Conference tournament Friday at the Scottsbluff Country Club. The Bison and Norfolk both finished with 304 scores, but Norfolk won the GNAC title on a playoff...

ALMA -- The Cambridge boys track team claimed the team title at the Dale Harsin Twilight track meet Friday, while the girls placed fourth. The Republican Valley girls followed in fifth place, while the RV boys finished ninth. Southern Valley girls and boys finished sixth and eighth, respectively...

BENKELMAN -- Chase County swept the girls and boys team titles at the Dundy County Twilight track meet Friday. The Lady Longhorns finished the day with 162 points, followed by Dundy County in second with 132 points. Atwood finished second with 92 points, while Maywood had 76 and Culbertson had 48...

After three consecutive Friday nights of rainouts, McCook Speedway was dry enough to get in its show Friday. The action was anything but dry, however, as there were several crunches and rollovers, despite the relatively smooth track. Don Hagan, Jr. of Culbertson also wetted the appetite of fans by bringing out his two-seat Modified, of which rides will be auctioned and sold throughout the season...

Coach Joel Hueser implored the McCook High School Class of 2003 to "just be there." Remarking during the Baccalaureate service Sunday evening at the McCook High School Gymnasium that his 13 years of teaching and coaching in the McCook school system were coming to an end, Hueser reflected that of all that he would want the students whose lives he touched to remember, to understand, to walk away with was to "be there."...

An exclusive contract with Coke and a feasibility study agreement are on the agenda for a meeting of the McCook school board at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday. The meeting is set for the Junior High Conference Room. According to information included with the District 17 board meeting minutes, an exclusive contract for Coke products at the school was originally approved in December 1998...

"Silly string"-festooned Lacey Banzhaf, Kayla Brooks and Dusty Chisolm (front) celebrate their graduation with classmates from Republican Valley High School on Saturday. Jerry Felker, guidance counselor, said the class of 28 students was offered a total of $275,000 in scholarships...

LINCOLN -- Approximately 2,100 students are scheduled to receive degrees from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in commencement exercises beginning at 9:30 a.m. May 10 at the Bob Devaney Sports Center. James W. Cronin of the University of Utah, who shared the 1980 Nobel Prize in physics with Merriman, Neb., native Val Fitch for work they did at Princeton University, will give the address...

Susan Crothers emailed this photo today from Jerusalem. It shows a portion of the musical drama she and her daughter Michelle performed in during the month of March in and around Jerusalem. Crothers reports that the drama was well received, and promises a new update via email soon...

Dr. Gavin Gressett's ministry began virtually at the moment of his conversion from atheism to Christianity in 1973. He and his wife, Rae, became involved in street ministry and in prison ministry, sometimes just walking into bars and taverns, spreading the good news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ...

Chad Lyons dribbles around Bill Beckenhauer during a "fun-raising" basketball game Friday evening between the McCook Junior High and Senior High staff. The game raised about $700 toward the locker room remodeling project. The senior high defeated the junior high, 41-39...

OMAHA -- A collection of stories about children dealing with juvenile diabetes includes comments from the granddaughter of a McCook couple. Megan Stuart of Omaha, the granddaughter of Walt and Jean Sehnert of McCook, told her story for the "2003 Children's Congress Yearbook," printed by Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation International...

NORTH PLATTE -- Ruth Y. Pedersen, 55, died Thursday (May 8, 2003) at Great Plains Regional Medical Center in North Platte. She was born Oct. 5, 1947, in North Platte, to Robert Leland and Mildred Josephine Spencer Welch. She attended school in Farnam and graduated in 1965...

PARKS -- David R. Snyder, 52, died Thursday (May 8, 2003) at North Colorado Medical Center in Greeley, Colo. He was born Feb. 25, 1951, at Detroit, Mich., to Russell E. and Lorna (Robertson) Snyder, and attended school in Detroit. During his life he worked as a printer, an auto detailer, and a truck driver...

Robert Lee Brown, 55, died Saturday (May 10, 2003) at Bryan LGH Medical Center East in Lincoln. He was born April 17, 1948, at Yuma, Colo., to Floyd E. and Nellie F. (Ellis) Brown. He grew up in Benkelman where he graduated from Benkelman High School in 1966. He attended McCook Community College in McCook. He spent his working life in construction with Missouri Valley Construction...

Milton August Wegener, 77, of McCook died Thursday (May 8, 2003) at Bryan LGH East Hospital in Lincoln. He was born Sept. 3, 1925, to August F. and Mildred Elize (Rathe) Wegener at Norton, Kan. He attended Perry School west of McCook and lived most of his life in the McCook area. He enjoyed making things out of wood and many craft items as well. He enjoyed working in his garden and teasing his grandchildren...

ARAPAHOE -- Maria Elfrieda Stover, 99, died Saturday (May 10, 2003) at Good Samaritan Hospital in Kearney. She was born Feb. 20, 1904, at Schomberg, Germany, to Paul and Marie (Sollich) Badura. After receiving her schooling, she worked for a telephone company as a secretary in Schomberg. She then had to help her family for many years during World War II, as they had to travel extensively for a number of years. She came to the United States in 1956...

KEARNEY -- Lucy P. Leonard, 94, formerly of Beaver City, died Sunday (May 11, 2003) at St. Luke's Village in Kearney. She was born Sept. 21, 1908, at Beaver City, to James and Elvira (Vining) McCarty. She grew up on a farm south of Beaver City and attended county school. Later she attended Beaver City High School...

As promised last week, this week's column will include the top acts appearing in Denver, Lincoln, Omaha, Council Bluffs, and notable fairs across Nebraska for the months of May and June. There should be something here for every musical taste. MAY - On Friday, the 16th, Phil Vassar will be at the Grizzly Rose in Denver. ...

Since the day that the white man began to explore, then settle North America, there have been disputes over land issues with the Native Americans. Problems continue today, with questions arising from the success of Indian Casinos throughout the country. We're indebted to two former citizens of McCook for information for the following story on an important event that shaped Indian Law...

A third attempt to provide bus service between McCook and the McCook Army Air Base started May 23, 1943. Two previous attempts had been unsuccessful because the operators had failed to have adequate equipment. A new bus was being brought in from Omaha for this third try. The pickup area was right north of the YMCA ... between the old Y and the Courthouse...

Arlene Kay Knott, 45, died Thursday (May 8, 2003) at Community Hospital in McCook. She was born June 16, 1957, to Sam R. and Katherine (Quiring) Janzen at Henderson. She graduated from Henderson High School in 1975. She attended Grace University in Omaha for two years and graduated from the University of Nebraska at Lincoln in 1980. She taught music at Lincoln Christian High School from 1980-1983...