-- East Coast Edition –
-- Printed in Loving Memory of Wanda J.
Jackson 1934 - 2011 –
Read old/current issues and send news
or comments online at:
http://www.234enterprises.com/RooseveltNews/newscenter.htm
Editors:
E-mail: mmay@234enterprises.com
Carolyn Niebruegge May Michael L. May
Vol. 1, Is. 45 May
25, 2012
From the
Editor
We’re certainly glad to be back home after a “semi-whirlwind” trip to
First of all I had 3 occasions
to visit with Jerry Hayslip “on the porch” at Hannah House B&B in
Carolyn and I had the
pleasure of visiting the
Lastly, we were so pleased
to be able to attend the Cold Springs Reunion last Saturday in
mlm
PS I talked with Pat’s sister-in-law, Cotton
Mathis on Tuesday afternoon and she said that he had been moved from
Content
Contributors for the Week
Austilene
(Turner) Borum, Class of 1961
All
those who sent messages to the Email “Bag”
Thank
you all!
Remembering…
Wheat Harvest
As we visited in southwest
My Dad and his brother
bought the first John Deere self-propelled combine sold in the southwest
district of Oklahoma in 1947. I seem to
recall that Dad talked of paying about $4500 for that combine. Dad and a friend from
As I rode the combine with
Kenneth last week, I thought back on the years.
What a change since my early remembrances. Those first combines had 12 foot headers and
no cabs thus no air conditioning. I
remember riding on the combine—usually in the grain bin. The dust and chaff from the wheat blew in your
eyes. We always had bottles of eye wash
to help the hands wash chaff from their eyes.
As time passed, the combines got bigger—larger headers and eventually
cabs and air conditioners. I remember
Dad running behind the combine catching the straw as it came out of the back
straw spreader so he could be sure he was thrashing all of the grain. He would scratch in the ground to be sure he
wasn’t throwing grain out. He had to be sure
he was harvesting every grain possible whether he was cutting his own or for a
farmer somewhere between
Now that combine I was
riding in last week had a 36 foot header and computerized controls. The cab was so quiet we could easily visit as
we rode in the cool, clean comfort of the air conditioning. Now, Kenneth was watching just as close as
Dad ever did to be sure he was harvesting every grain possible but certainly
with much different equipment. Of
course, the $4500 Dad paid for that first self-propel combine wouldn’t buy the
tires for one today.
As we drove down the road,
we saw the tractor trailers now used to haul grain to the elevators. What a difference! I can remember in the mid 60’s when Dad got a
new truck with a “large” bed and a drag axle how excited we were. That is now a very small truck. In fact, the grain carts that most use in the
field to dump the combines “on the go” are bigger than that truck was. I really don’t know how the custom harvesters
of today manage to move all of the big equipment from one location to the
next. It certainly must take more than
one trip to get everything from one location to the next.
Once the wheat was
harvested, Dad and my uncle couldn’t get tractors and plows in the field fast
enough to start turning the stubble. I
don’t know how many times those fields were plowed before time for wheat sewing
in the fall but several. Today, many of
the farmers are using the “no till” method.
What a change—and for the better it appears. As I understand it, no till land holds
moisture much better. Of course, you
must spray for weeds. The production
certainly is good so it must work.
I will never forget my days
on the farm and particularly the custom wheat harvest. I am glad I was able to be in the field for a
short time last week and certainly glad to see the wonderful crop that the
farmers in southwest
cnm
Thoughts from
the Squirrel Lair
A Dog’s Purpose? (from a 6-year old)
Being a veterinarian, I had
been called to examine a ten-year-old Irish Wolfhound
named Belker. The dog’s owners, Ron, and
his wife Lisa, and their little boy Shane, were all very attached to Belker,
and they were hoping for a miracle.
I examined Belker and found
he was dying of cancer. I told the
family we couldn’t do anything for Belker, and offered to perform the
euthanasia procedure for the old dog in their home.
As we made arrangements, Ron
and Lisa told me they thought it would be good for six-year-old Shane to
observe the procedure. They felt as
though Shane might learn something from the experience.
The next day, I felt the
familiar catch in my throat as Belker’s family surrounded him. Shane seemed so calm, petting the old dog for
the last time, that I wondered if he understood what was going on. Within a few minutes, Belker slipped
peacefully away.
The little boy seemed to
accept Belker’s transition without any difficulty or confusion. We sat together for a while after Belker’s
death, wondering aloud about the sad fact that animal lives are shorter than
human lives. Shane, who had been
listening quietly, piped up, “I know why.”
Startled, we all turned to
him. What came out of his mouth next
stunned me. I’d never heard a more
comforting explanation. It has changed
the way I try and live.
He said, “People are born so
that they can learn how to live a good life—like loving everybody all the time
and being nice, right?” The six-year-old
continued, “Well, dogs already know how to do that, so they don’t have to stay
as long.”
Live simply.
Love generously.
Care deeply.
Speak kindly.
Remember, if a dog was the
teacher you would learn things like:
When loved ones come home,
always greet them.
Never pass up the
opportunity to go for a joyride.
Allow the experience of
fresh air and the wind in your face to be pure ecstasy.
Take naps.
Stretch before rising.
Run, romp, and play daily.
Thrive on attention and let
people touch you.
Avoid biting when a simple
growl will do.
On warm days, stop to lie on
your back on the grass.
On hot days, drink lots of
water and lie under a shady tree.
When you’re happy, dance
around and wag your entire body.
Delight in the simple joy of
a long walk.
Be loyal.
Never pretend to be
something you’re not.
If what you want lies
buried, dig until you find it.
When someone is having a bad
day, be silent, sit close by, and nuzzle them gently.
There comes a time in life,
when you walk away from all the drama and people who create it. You surround yourself with people who make
you laugh, forget the bad, and focus on the good. So, love the people who treat you right. Think good thoughts for the ones who
don’t. Life is too short to be anything
but happy. Falling down is part of
LIFE…Getting back up is LIVING.
Alumni Website
We have renewed the account that Wanda
Jackson had set up at the photo sharing website, picturetrail.com for the
Roosevelt Alumni: http://www.picturetrail.com/rooseveltalumni. She had posted many pictures from past
reunions, class panels, and old schools buildings along with write ups about
them. We thought you might find these
interesting if you haven’t visited this site in the past.
Interesting
Tidbits
Memorial Day
Next Monday we will observe Memorial Day. As the day approached I decided to search for
information on the origin of the holiday.
I found several interesting websites with information on the history of
Memorial Day. I have provided links to
those sites for any who would like to read more about this important holiday. cnm
Three years after the Civil
War Maj. Gen. John A. Logan declared that the graves of the war dead should be
decorated with flowers on May 30 and named Decoration Day. It is believed that this day was chosen
because flowers would be in bloom across the country. Celebrations were held throughout the
country. After World War I the day was
expanded to honor those who have died in all American wars. In 1971 Congress declared it a national
holiday and placed it on the last Monday in May.
We should all take time to
remember those who have fought and given their lives for the freedom of our
great country. Without the service of
these men and women,
http://www.usmemorialday.org/backgrnd.html
http://www1.va.gov/opa/speceven/memday/history.asp
http://www.history.com/topics/memorial-day-history
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Memorial_Day
News
Hobart’s Celebration of Freedom
The General Tommy Franks
Leadership Institute & Museum will host the 4th annual
Celebration of Freedom in Hobart, Memorial Day weekend, May 25-28 to honor
those who have served and who are currently serving. There are many activities planned for
everyone’s enjoyment. Both the
http://www.celebrationoffreedom.com/cof-schedule/
If you have no other plans,
we are sure you will enjoy spending part of your Memorial Day weekend in
********
Joye Ann
Johnson Celebrates Birthday
Happy Birthday, Mom!!
Joye Ann Johnson
is wonderful mom, grandmother and great grandmother! Not to mention
sister, aunt, cousin and friend. She has touched many lives in her role
as nurse, Sunday School teacher, English as a Second
language teacher, artist, writer and encourager. Her love for the
Lord is immense. Every morning she prays for many, many people and their
needs. My favorite story about her prayers are when she prayed for Coleen
who wanted a baby so much but was having a difficult time getting pregnant. Mom prayed and soon Colleen gave birth to a
baby boy...OU kicker Jimmy Stevens! Mom also prayed for a former
co-worker and her desire to have kids...after the couple was blessed with
several children, her co-worker laughed with mom and asked her to please quit
praying about this need. Mom has prayed for me and I've seen
many answered prayers over the years. Thank you, Mom!! I
couldn't have made it without my mom. She was such a blessing to me when I
was raising my two sons as a single mother. Currently, she is
a tremendous blessing to her neighbors and friends where she
lives. She encourages daily with her words and her pretty smile. She
is a true blessing!!! Happy Birthday, Mom!!!!! Leann Overstake
Editor’s note:
Leann, this editor too has seen the benefits of your Mother’s
prayers. Following is an excerpt from an
email that she sent to us last November:
“I was working in the drugstore
and Mike, you and your Mother were in and she told me you were going to an eye
doctor in
********
Cold
Springs
Cold Springs may no longer exist but
those who lived there can certainly relive their memories of the good times
spent there. About 30 of those who at
one time or another spent some of their time in Cold Springs gathered at the
Roosevelt Senior Citizens Center on Saturday, May 19, to visit and reminisce
about old times. A very tasty lunch was
served by the staff of the Senior Citizens Center. The group agreed to meet again on May 18,
2013. Those in attendance included: Eugene Hayslip, Dobber Cook, Buck Cook, Sam
McNeil, Doug McNeil, Mike and Carolyn May, Cordell Barnes, Lois Pryor, Phyllis
and Randall Stockton, Bill Forbes, Wilma Phillips, Larry Phillips, Vernon Lee
Phillips, Wanda Adkins, Midge Cooper, Emily Martin, Wesley Benight, Jimmy and
Euma Greear, Pat and Dee Moore, Wynema Ryder, A. J. Ryder, and Barbara and
Beulah Baker.
Birthdays and
Anniversaries
We
have compiled all of the birthday and anniversary information we could from
Wanda’s files. We are sure we are
missing some. Please send us the birthdays
and anniversaries for your family and friends so that we can have as complete
as list as possible. We are going to
start with what we have from Wanda’s files so if we miss you, please send us
the information so we have it for the news next year. In addition, should any of the birthdays we
list be wrong, also please let us know.
Happy Birthday
To:
May 25 – Frank Lucas
May 26 – Jennifer Charries Everett – 5/26/1971
May 26 – Rena Gibbons
May 26 – Darrell Block, Class of 1984
May 26 – Fawn Jackson
May 27 – James Harris
May 27 – Joye Ann Johnson
May 28 – Mitch Mahoney, Class of 1985
May 28 – Ron Overton
May 29 – Rachel Gibbons Ambruso
May 30 – J. M. Beck
May 30 – Adam Alonzo
Happy Anniversary To:
May 28 – Sharon &
Mike Montgomery
May 28 – Bill & Mary
(Griffee) Rickey, Class of 1962, Celebrating their 50th
anniversary this year
May 29 – Eddie &
Rena Gibbons
May 29 – Mike and Carolyn
May
Humor
Driver’s License
A friend of a friend of mine
was sitting on a lawn sunning and reading when he was startled by a fairly late
model car crashing through a hedge and coming to rest on his lawn.
He helped the elderly driver
out and sat him on a lawn chair. “My
goodness,” he exclaimed, “you are quite old to be driving!”
“Maybe,” he replied, “But I
am 96 so I don’t need a license anymore.
The last time I went to my doctor he examined me and asked if I had a
driving license. I told him yes and
handed it to him. He took scissors out
of a drawer, cut the license into pieces and threw them in the wastebasket. ‘You won’t be needing
this anymore,’ he said.”
“So I thanked him and left.”
From the Email
“Bag”
May
17, 2012
Mike and Carolyn,
Another wonderful newsletter today! I'm convicted that I don't write each
week to thank you. However, if there's not time to respond immediately,
it's easy to procrastinate, which usually ends up not responding at all.
Please forgive me! We are just too accustomed to clicking the
"like" icon. Every week I'm constantly
wanting to click "like" after reading each portion.
Carolyn, so sorry your wonderful articles on Mother's Day and reminiscing about
your mother, etc. didn't get the response that it deserved. Believe me,
everyone enjoyed them and appreciate your time
researching and writing them. (I still haven't responded to your article
on wash day and hanging out clothes. Always intended to, just didn't have
the time. It, obviously, hit a special note in many because of those that
did write their own remembrances.)
Although we are very happy living in beautiful southeast Oklahoma, I'm always a
little tempted to be jealous of those who are still in Kiowa County and see
each other regularly. Because of our circumstances, it's like we're a
world away. Don and I said yesterday it sure would be fun to go watch the
wheat harvest. That said, wheat harvest is a lot
different than when we farmed there. But, it still brings nostalgic
feelings just thinking about it. I took 2 meals a day to be eaten in the
field -- lunch meal like a big Sunday dinner; the other, sandwiches made with
homemade bread and either home cooked pot roast sandwiches or home cooked
stewed chicken salad sandwiches. We had the big meal at lunch because I
hauled wheat the rest of the day. That time of the year was very busy and
taxing on the body; but, an exciting time that we always enjoyed.
Enjoy your time in
Thanks again for all your hard work!
Marilyn Lester, Class of 1964
********
May 17, 2012
Mike, I can remember when the
German POWs dug the cistern on our farm. I think I was 5 years old at the
time and much impressed by the guards carrying rifles that were guarding them.
Bobbe
Tate Howard, Class of 1955
********
May
17, 2012
We were probably some of those Germans west of
Vicki (
********
May 18, 2012
Many thanks for writing such
a nice article about Hanna House and me.
Like always enjoy seeing you and Carolyn. It doesn't matter if we visit for hours or
just a few minutes, I welcome the visit.
So God bless you both and have a safe trip back home Sunday.
Jerry
Hayslip, Class of 1964
********
May
18, 2012
I enjoy reading the
Newsletter and have thought before about thanking you both. My brother,
Don Ellis, lives west of Roosevelt but when I attended Con. 8 we lived near the
Don would be too young to
remember that Dad had German POW’s pull cotton. Our fall school year
began in August so they could dismiss a few weeks in the fall for cotton
harvest. The one thing I remember most was the prisoners had Hershey bars
and chewing gum and both were rare for us to find in the stores at that
time. I guess they had a type of PX at the camp.
You mentioned going to the
I hope you will have time to
visit the General Franks museum before returning home.
Thanks again for all the
news,
Gaynelle Ellis Carley Gray
********
May
21, 2012
Mike & Carolyn,
Thank you so much for a great newsletter. I enjoy
reading them.
In regard to the German POW issue - I have a story
from the first time we lived in
Cathy (Carley) Franks
Political
Fodder
Only In
Only in
Only in America could we have had the
two people most responsible for our tax code, Timothy Geithner, the head of the
Treasury Department and Charles Rangel who once ran the Ways and Means
Committee, BOTH turn out to be tax cheats who are in favor of higher taxes.
Only in
Only in
Only in
Only in
Only in
Only in
Only in
Obituaries
Useful
Links:
Becker
Funeral Home of Snyder, OK
http://www.beckerfuneral.com/?page=snyder
Ray
and Martha’s Funeral Home of Hobart,
http://www.234enterprises.com/Roosevelt%20Cemetery%20Layout.htm
http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/listing/user/rooseveltcemetery
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&CRid=99397&CScn=roosevelt&CScntry=4&CSst=38
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&CRid=99399&CScn=Hobart+Rose&CScntry=4&CSst=38
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&CRid=2246374&CScn=Resurrection&CScntry=4&CSst=38
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&CRid=99042&CScn=Mountain+Park&CScntry=4&CSst=38
http://www.findagrave.com/cgi-bin/fg.cgi?page=cr&CRid=98391&CScn=fairlawn&CScntry=4&CSst=38
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