Stories from Monday, June 15, 2015

25th anniversary The family of Stacy and Donita Priebe is requesting a card shower in honor of the couple's 25th wedding anniversary. They were married June 16, 1990, at First Lutheran Church in Kearney, Nebraska. Their family includes children, Nathan and wife, Haley, Alaini and Nolan. Cards of congratulations will reach them at 301 N. Cherokee, McCook, NE 69001...

William D. 'Bill' Keller June 20, 1950 - May 24, 2015 BENKELMAN, Neb. -- William D. "Bill" Keller, age 64, of Benkelman Nebraska, died May 24, 2015, in Collingsworth County, Texas in a car crash. Bill was born in Stratton, Nebraska, June 20, 1950, to parents, Carl E. ...

Raymond Henry Straub Dec. 23, 1925 - June 5, 2015 OAKLEY, Kan. -- Raymond Henry Straub, 89, died June 5, 2015, in Oakley. He was born Dec. 23, 1925, to William and Annie (Hofer) Straub. He was an U.S. Army veteran who served in World War II. He married Bernice Deaver on July 31, 1946, in Colby, Kansas...

Joseph Harold Stewart Nov. 13, 1960 - June 8, 2015 WESTMINSTER, Colo. -- Joseph Harold Stewart, 54, lost a long hard fought battle to cancer on Monday evening, June 8, 2015. He died peacefully at his home in Westminster, Colorado. Joe was born on Nov. ...

Richard B. 'Dick' Hayes Oct. 21, 1931 - June 12, 2015 CAMBRIDGE, Neb, -- Richard B. "Dick" Hayes, Jr., age 83, of Cambridge, died Friday, June 12, 2015, at the Cambridge Memorial Hospital in Cambridge. He was born in Orafino, Nebraska, on Oct. 21, 1931, to Richard B. Sr. and Mary Mae (Brown) Hayes. Dick attended the Earl School and Orafino country schools. He graduated from Cambridge High School in 1950. Growing up, he was active in a quartet that sang on KRVN radio...

Congratulations to everyone involved in this year's Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival. It was gratifying to see the Gazette's founder, Harry Strunk recognized as the leader -- and character -- that he was. And, it is gratifying to see music continuing to be integrated into the festival, recognizing music as the effective storytelling medium it is...

(Note: In a recent column we talked about some of the early money men in McCook and the success that they had in the banks they started. One of the most interesting of these men was Frank Spearman, a fellow who had a great deal of success, but not necessarily in the bank he started.)...

Becca Sehnert and her father, Matt Sehnert, perform an original song at Sehnert's Bakery & Bieroc Café as part of the Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival on Saturday.

Guy Rundback, Kristen Sprenkle in the bovine outfit and Angelina Keenan show their support for area ag producers in the Frenchman Valley Coop entry at the Palisade Pioneer Days parade Saturday. The parade was just the start of the festivities that celebrated community pride and included a cake walk, other games on Main Street, sand volleyball, a community barbecue and street dance. More pictures of the parade are at www.mccookgazette.com...

During the once-every-five-years "Herndon Ox Roast" and parade Saturday morning, Lisa Walters of Atwood, Kansas -- aka "Dorothy" of the "Wizard of Oz" -- rides not a tornado, but a 12-year-old Percheron draft horse gelding named "Bucyrus" who dwarfs "Little Ricky," the miniature horse pulling Billy Jo and Todd Hueftle of rural McCook, Nebraska. ...

The husband and wife folk-rock duo of Mike and Ruthy (Mike Mercenda and Ruthy Ungar) take a breather after one of their songs they performed Saturday night at the "How the West was Fun" show at the Fox Theatre, part of the Buffalo Commons Storytelling festival in McCook over the weekend. Singing everything from Etta James and Pete Seeger covers to their own tunes, Mike and Ruthy were joined by master storyteller and Grammy-award winner, Bill Harley...

Donna Rogenkamp of Indianola, Nebraska, flanked by her 12-year-old daughter, Elaine, plays "The National Anthem" to open the tour Friday morning of the former World War II prisoner-of-war camp, a highlight of the 19th annual Buffalo Commons Storytelling and Music Festival. ...

McCOOK, Neb. -- A local woman accused of stealing more than $1.2 million from her employer withdrew a previous not guilty plea and pleaded guilty to felony theft recently in Red Willow County District Court. The offender, 54-year-old Trina L. Hoyt of Culbertson, Nebraska, will subsequently face sentencing on a Class 3 felony offense for theft by unlawful taking. The sentencing hearing is scheduled for 10 a.m. on Aug. 3, 2015, in Red Willow County District Court...

Roger Evan Woodraska Sept. 22, 1957 - June 12, 2015 TRENTON, Neb. -- Roger Evan Woodraska passed away Friday, June 12, 2015, at his home in Trenton. He was 57 years old. Roger was born on Sept. 22, 1957, at McMinnville, Oregon, to parents, Glenn Leonard and Darlene Rae (Moon) Woodraska. He graduated from high school...