Stories from Monday, January 26, 2004

KELSO, Wash. -- Gene Terbell, 61, of Kelso, Wash., died Friday (Jan. 23, 2004). He was born June 20, 1942, in Pierre, S.D. He lived in Kelso for 33 years. He served in the Air Force from 1960 to 1968. He was a utility lead in Reynolds Aluminum. On Aug. 16, 1996, he married Jan Ziemann in Elko, Nev...

FORT WORTH, Texas -- Hilmere John "HJ" Deines, 72, a retired Air Force lieutenant colonel, died Friday, Jan. 9, 2004, in Fort Worth, Texas. HJ was born Dec. 27, 1931, in Culbertson to John and Henrietta Deines, who preceded him in death. He retired from the Air Force after 22 years...

BENKELMAN -- Freda (Ledbetter) Sramek, 91, of Stratton, died Friday (Jan. 23, 2004) at Sarah Ann Hester Memorial Home in Benkelman. She was born July 23, 1912, to Fred and Rebecca (Richardson) Ledbetter in Dell, Ark. Upon graduating from Tribune, Kan., High School in 1926, she traveled to Tennessee to learn stenography. Later she moved to Stratton to study nursing at Stewart Hospital...

NORTON, Kan. -- Betty J. Gill, 76, died Friday (Jan. 23, 2004) at her home in Norton, Kan. She was born April 1, 1927, to Harry and Margaret (Eliker) Wilson in Overton. She was raised in Wilsonville and attended schools there. On July 21, 1946, she married Howard E. Gill in Norton. The couple made their home in Wilsonville, Goodland, Kan., Sharon Springs, Kan., and Norton...

PALISADE -- Larissa Ward and Shane Gerhartz, both of Palisade, were united in marriage July 19, 2003, at United Methodist Church in Palisade with the Rev. Michael Laing officiating. Parents of the couple are Bill and Nancy Ward of Palisade and Sandra Ferguson of Haxton, Colo. ...

The family of John and Diane (Perry) Hanson of McCook is hosting a card shower in honor of the couple's 40th anniversary, Feb. 8. The couple married in 1964 in Scandia, Kan. Children of the couple are John and wife, Meagan Hanson of Kearney, Karen Harrach and husband, Mike of Blue Springs, Mo., and Mary Martin and husband, Mitch of Thornton, Colo. They have five grandchildren. Cards of congratulations will reach the couple at 808 East First, McCook, NE 69001...

The family of Darrell and Kirstine "KC" (Rice) Eckhardt of McCook is hosting a card shower in honor of the couple's 40th anniversary, Jan. 31. The couple married in 1964. Their family includes daughter, Brenda and husband, Joe Anderjaska of Hayes Center and son, Steve and wife, Darcy Eckhardt of McCook. They have six grandchildren. Cards of congratulations will reach the couple at 803 Missouri Avenue, McCook, NE 69001...

The family of Wilma (Carmichael) Liess is hosting a card shower in honor of her 90th birthday, Jan. 28. She was born in 1914 in Red Willow City. She has six children, numerous grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Cards of congratulations will reach her at PO Box 37, Indianola, NE 69034...

The family of Eileen Moore is hosting a card shower in honor of her 90th birthday, Feb. 5. Her family includes her son, Rodney; daughter-in-laws, Jeannine and Sue; grandchildren, great-grandchildren and great-great-grandchildren. Cards of congratulations will reach her at 309 Kleven, Culbertson, NE 69024...

Brandon Handrup of Southeast Community College put an end to a wild back-and-forth game at McCook Community College's True Hall gymnasium Saturday. Handrup nailed a 3-point shot from the top of the arc as time expired to give SCC an 88-87 victory. MCC had to play catch up in the first half when they fell down by as many as 14 points to SCC. MCC cut the deficit down to 7 at halftime...

COLBY, Kan. -- The McCook High School boys basketball team lost to Wichita South 48-37 in Saturday night's championship game of the 19th annual Colby, Kan. Orange and Black Classic. The Bison (8-9) were outscored by the Titans 16-9 in the fourth quarter...

Brandon Handrup of Southeast Community College put an end to a wild back-and-forth game at McCook Community College's True Hall gymnasium Saturday. Handrup nailed a 3-point shot from the top of the arc as time expired to give SCC an 88-87 victory. MCC had to play catch up in the first half when they fell down by as many as 14 points to SCC. MCC cut the deficit down to 7 at halftime...

We've been crying the blues long enough. It's time to shake out of the doldrums. We need to quit obsessing about all the things that are wrong, and start concentrating on the good things that are taking place. With these thoughts in mind, the staff of the McCook Daily Gazette has launched preparations for the 2004 Golden Plains Progress Edition. ...

**Dear Editor, Knowing that a few more of America's finest were called to active duty a little over a week ago, I'd like to share the experience we had. Our son is in the Army. He has been stationed in Iraq since last April. He got a two- week leave during Christmas, so we drove to Colorado Springs to pick him up. He had said that he was going to try for the earlier flight that day if it wasn't already full so we were at the airport early, just in case...

Lois Viletta McGooden, 92, died Friday (Jan. 23, 2004) at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook. She was born Jan. 30, 1911, in Wauneta to Charles Robert and Flossie Elisabeth (Earnhardt) Kanost. She grew up in Wauneta and graduated from Wauneta High School in 1929. She graduated from Kearney State Teachers College in 1931. She taught school in Wauneta and at East Ward School in McCook...

JEROME, Idaho -- Alexander Schaefer, 79, died Monday (Jan. 12, 2004) at Twin Falls Care Center in Idaho. He was born Dec. 17, 1924, to Conrad and Anna Adolph Schaefer in Shields, N.D. He was raised in Culbertson and graduated in 1943. He enlisted in the Marine Corps and participated in operations against enemy forces in the Pacific Theater where he was wounded and received the Purple Heart...

HAYS, Kan. -- Michael Downing and Julie Westhusin of Hays, Kan., announce the birth of their son, Trenton Michael, Jan. 4, 2004, at Hays Medical Center in Hays. He weighed 6 pounds and 9 ounces and was 20 inches long. He has a five-year-old sister, Taylor Marie Westhusin. ...

Well, the political season is on us again. By the time it's all over 11 months from now we will have had it up to the throat with political ads, jingles, advertisements, speeches, promises, and even the candidates themselves. But being a political junkie from way back, it's always exciting in the beginning...