About Town
January 9, 2004
A large crowd of family and friends gathered together Sunday the 28th to help Ruth Koch celebrate her birthday. Her birthday is on the 31st so she may be celebrating more this week. It was gratifying to see her children, uncles, aunts, cousins, and friends who came to honor this dear lady while enjoying a desert bar.
Charles Wright has enjoyed visits from many of his seven children and grandchildren who have taken long drives to visit him. His youngest son, Bob and daughter, Lindsey, from Denver have been here. Lindsey who was not well for many months last year looks very pretty and quite healthy now.
Our very sincere sympathy goes from our hearts to Arla Durrett’s six daughters and their families. Her daughters and some grandchildren were able to be with her in a Denver Hospital during her last days. Arla is dearly remembered as a teacher for many years in the Eads Elementary School. Her services were on Tuesday morning with burial at the Arlington cemetery.
Virgil and Wanda Lessenden hosted Christmas Eve dinner at their ranch home. They were pleased to have their former neighbor, Shanna (Wyckoff), and husband Leroy Rittgers and little sons, Austin and Jordon visit them on their way to Arlington to be with her parents, Denny and Michelle and then the next day they were going to spend with the Rittgers families.
Several parties have been hosted for residents this month at Weisbrod. Last week, cakes, ice cream and punch were served in honor of Della Mae, Ruth, Delford, and John.
I went to the Haswell United Methodist Church to the Christmas Eve Services. Pastor DeEtta Geottel conducts such a lovely services. We were impressed by the children, April and Brandi Turcott, Dally Lessenden, Marisa Dixon, and Blake Stoker, who sang "The First Noel" so joyfully. The service ended by candlelight with the singing of "Silent Night". Dally and Blake handed out candy canes with the poem on the legend of the candy cane related to Jesus’ life.
Lois McCracken of Eads, Weltha Plummer, and Elden and Glendoris Reinert of Lamar, and Karen Grim were Christmas Eve Supper and over night guests of Kenneth and Wanda Giske in Garden City, Kansas. Then on Christmas Day they all went to dinner at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Eric McSwan in Garden City. Mrs. McSwan is the oldest granddaughter of the Reinerts.
One of the most special things for little girls to do is to get to stay with their grandmother that is what Shealyn McCracken did on Sunday night with her Grandma Lois.
There are a number of homes in Haswell decorated with outdoor lights. Mickey and Sarah Piel and Delton and Marlyn Eikenberg have really lovely light displays. As I drove east on Highway 96, the Constellation Orion, was right over the highway amid scattered stars. What a magnificent sight! We have been blest with so many warm and pretty days and nights in December.
Harvey and Kathy Shade were delighted to have their daughter, Audry Torres, husband Adrian, and baby Sage of Greeley, home for the holidays.
Cardon and Joyce Berry of Eads and daughter, Cindy, and Mike McLoud and family of Eads were in Greeley with Joyce’s, two sisters and families to celebrate Christmas with all their spouses, children and grandchildren. Saturday they went to Cheyenne, Wyoming, to visit Jim Berry and family. They had a great time that climaxed with a brunch at the hotel before returning to Eads on Sunday afternoon.
Michael Zimmerman flew to Georgia to visit with his sister, Rachel’s, family and to see his new nephew, Dawson, and the baby’s sister, Morgan Ella.
Andrew and Kathy McCracken and A.J., Tyler, and Shealyn were in Fowler on Christmas Day with her parents, Mr. and Mrs. James Talley.
Vi Koch hosted a sumptuous Christmas Evening supper for a number of family and friends at her pretty home on Maine Street. Other nieces, nephews, and family stopped in during the holiday week.
Jack and Honeybelle Dixon hosted a Christmas Day dinner at their home on Thursday. Her brothers, sister’s, and families came as well as their children, Emmet Thrasher and friends.
Mr. and Mrs. Robert Walker of Eads hosted Christmas for their three children, Melinda and (Jason) Waldlick, Jennifer and friend from Lamar, and Brandon, and Uncle Kenneth McCracken.
Hazel Spady was glad that Dwight and Bonnie Lessenden along with Travis and Tearle and Sarah Price could take her to Christmas Day dinner in Lamar at the home of her son, Roger (Vernie) and family. Her other sons and daughter and family members were there for dinner.
Maxine Mays and Max Mays of Eads spent Christmas Eve and Christmas day with Max’s daughter, Shirley, (Ronald) White with their families north of Kit Carson.
Kevin McNamara flew home to Colorado Springs from Hawaii to surprise his family at Christmas. His friend, Jeramy Brown, went up to bring him to Eads to visit his relatives and friends about town in Eads. Kevin will be stationed in Iraq with the Army after January 7.
June Blooding and her daughters, Mickie, Arêta, Shaleta, and Sylvia and spouses along with 25 adults and three children met at the home of June’s granddaughter, Marlyn (Mike) Forberg in Denver Saturday. They had a joyful time having a reunion with aunts, uncles, and cousins.
Arlene Rehm was delighted to have all her children, Larry, (Bev), and Gary (Christine) and Cheryl and grandchildren home for Christmas time. Grandchildren, Staci and Scott were here from Denver, and Joanie and friend from Oklahoma, Colleen from Oklahoma City, Cassie and friend from Cortez, Annette from Wyoming, and Brad of Eads met at Arlene’s home.
Karen and Mike Bryant, Shane and Michael came up from Lamar to spend early Christmas Eve with Karen’s parents, John and Verna Ebright, After snacks and exchanging gifts, they went to Lamar to the Bryant home as has been their tradition since the boys were born to stay overnight and enjoy more gifting, food, and fun.
I had my first ride in Doris’ new ramp van to go home for our Christmas Sunday evening. My daughter, Virgyln, and granddaughter, Kristi (Phil) Hirsch and children arrived on time from Kansas. After supper we opened gifts, and then the children sang some more songs for me. Monday was special for me because all the Hirsches came up to visit me and we had a little birthday party for Ida and Ella who are six years old now.
Katie Boost took her good friend, Chelsea Glover, to Denver so she could take a plane back to her Navy station in the Orient. Katie attended the gathering of Blooding relatives on Saturday.
Annie Watts, a senior at Cheraw, who is the Lady in Waiting in the Arkansas Valley Rodeo Queen’s court, visited the Nursing Home Monday. She looked so pretty in a green satin western dress trimmed with white fringe, a white cowgirl hat, and white boots. Annie is the granddaughter of Shirley Watts and Charles Wright of Eads.