Stories from Monday, December 27, 2004

As the rest of the world gets ready to roll into 2005, a barn in Southwest Nebraska seems to be recalling more years than most of us can

Oct. 2, 1920-Dec. 21, 2004 Mildred A. "Millie" Stratman, 84, died Tuesday (Dec. 21, 2004) at Hillcrest Nursing Home. She was born Oct. 2, 1920, to Louis John and Susan Anna (O'Dea) Colling in McCook. She graduated from Red Willow High School in 1938. She lived in this area all her life...

Nov. 18, 1913-Dec. 23, 2004 OBERLIN -- Veda May (England) Pingetzer, 91, died Thursday (Dec. 23, 2004) in Oberlin. She was born Nov. 18, 1913, in Red Willow County to Matt and Eva (McCreary) England. She was raised in Red Willow County and attended rural school there...

Sept. 25, 1908-Dec. 24, 2004 Sarah Jane Beneda, 96, died Friday (Dec. 24, 2004) at Hillcrest Nursing Home in McCook. She was born Sept. 25, 1908, to Robert and Bessie (Goodenberger) Kennedy in Decatur County, Kan. She grew up in Cedar Bluffs, Kan., and graduated from Decatur County High School in Oberlin in 1930. She began teaching in rural schools in Decatur County...

The family of John and Phyllis (Hicks) Goodenberger of McCook is hosting a card shower in honor of the couple's 50th anniversary Dec. 28. The couple married in 1954, in Denver, Colo. Their children are Gene and wife, Deb Goodenberger of McCook, Debra Goodenberger of Grand Island, Gere and wife, Karen Goodenberger of Claremore, Okla., and Linda and husband, Larry Bos of Malcolm. They have nine grandchildren...

Even though McCook has always acknowledged that she was a railroad town, and the citizens have been grateful for the things that the railroad has done, that does not mean that McCook has been immune from trouble be-tween the railroad and the unions...

The family of Elsie Petsch is hosting a card shower in honor of her 80th birthday Dec. 31. Cards will reach her at RR 1 Box 108, Palisade, NE 69040.

Due to a dramatic turnaround in the state's economy, Nebraska rebounded from the post 9-11 slowdown to come in nearly $200 million above projected tax receipts in 2004. That should mean that the state will cut back on taxes in 2005, right? You might expect that, but it's not going to happen, according to state senators surveyed by the Associated Press and the Omaha World-Herald...

**Dear Editor, Chris Spheer is is somebody I have admired as a friend and musician since 1991 when I move to Sedona. ("Geordie Hormel, the 'Son of Spam' Walt Sehnert, Nov. 22, 2004" -- Walt Sehnert, From Days Gone By, http://www.mccookgazette.com/story/1081125.html)...