Dear
Hearts & Gentle People:
Belated
Happy Groundhog Day and early Happy Valentine’s Day to you dear hearts
and gentle people.
Every
once in a while something comes along to prompt an “immediate” issue
of TLC. There was considerable interest when this event was first mentioned, so
I’m happy to send along the following information about “Return of
the Champions.”
The Reunion of all of Lexington's undefeated
and/or State Champion football teams (1946, 1954, 1960, 1976, 1979, 1980, 1984,
1988, and 1995) will be held Labor Day weekend (September 2 -4). Planned
activities are as follows:
Friday September 2, 2016
All teams will be honored at the Lexington
Football Game. Reception at the spotted Pig following the game.
Saturday September 3, 2016
September 3, 2016
Attend Church of your choice (recommended: Second
Baptist Rev. Everett Hannon Captain of the 8-1 1975 Minuteman
team).
What a great time that promises to be. Allan
Lee LHS ’59 is spearheading the weekend.
A good way to keep track of events in the old
hometown is: http://www.lexingtoncommunitycalendar.com/
March 8 LIVE! in Lexington Concert Series is
presenting “Hits and Grins,” three musicians and songwriters from
Nashville. The name says it all. 660-259-2215 for tickets and further
information.
March 12 is the annual St. Patrick’s
Parade and associated revelry. Parade is at 2 PM.
March 26 is another major event: The
newly reopened Municipal Auditorium (dubbed The LEX) is partnering with LIVE!
in Lexington to present an evening of entertainment. It will be a big community
party with music and dancing. “LIVE! at The LEX” will feature two
hit bands – the Nace Brothers and (opening for
them) Cedar Creek. This event has not been announced to the general public yet,
but tickets will be available soon at only $10 admission. Further information
email me at skworth@cebridge.net or
call 660-259-2215.
And now to the mail:
I am amazed that we have not yet uncovered the
mystery of what happened to the brass pole at the old firehouse. Several memories
did surface, however.
From
Duncan Lee: There were, indeed, two fire trucks in the old station for a
long time. Don't know when the old one was discarded or replaced. The
"second" truck was ancient. I don't know any details but I know it
was loaded with fire hose. I remember one day, probably in the early '60's,
there was a fire on the far east end of town. It may have been a grass fire
threatening some homes, don't remember, but to reach the fire from the nearest
fire plug, all the hose from the first truck was extended. Bill sent someone
back to town for the old truck, which by some miracle started, but
unfortunately it broke down before reaching the fire. I remember seeing it
stopped on, I think, Franklin Ave. A classmate of mine (LHS '60), John
Tye, worked at the Fire Dept. for most or all
his working life and would be a great source of info. I think he started out
there while still in high school just hanging around and helping out. He became
a loyal and valuable asset to the city. I last saw John at our 50th
Reunion.
Sorry to
hear of the passing of Wayne Tabb. He was one of the all time
characters of our generation. The stories about him would fill a big book. Mickey
Dishman probably has more than anyone.
Jack Gueguen wrote: I think the note about the old
fire house has promise of some mileage. I barely remember Mr. Palmer, but
I do remember Clarence Amos as fire chief, as well as his wife and daughter
(Jane) who used to worship at our church. He may have had a couple of
teammates at the station.
Right across
the street on Franklin was the bus terminal. One or two summers, I used
to take the early bus (Greyhound) to downtown K.C., attend Mass at old St.
Patrick’s on the corner of 9th and Cherry (now a historical
monument still in use), and walk down to the summer job my dad had gotten for
me at the Corps of Engineers (Davidson Bldg.). Then at the end of the
work day, the bus to Lex. Picked me up at the corner
of 10th and Grand for the return trip. What a faithful man the
driver, Leroy Bowers, was! He always made sure I never missed the bus
that summer. Poppa, by the way, was chief clerk at the Engineers’
yards right by the river in Napoleon; he went back and forth to Lex. for years. One summer I got an inspection ride
with him on the barge fleet, the Sergeant Floyd, down the river from Napoleon
to Waverly. What a memorable ride that was! He was inspecting the
condition of levees.
Besides the
bus to KC, there was also a westbound to Marshall and Columbia. Lex. was still a regular stop. It only continued a
few more years. Sharon (Jack’s
sister) and I also got rides with Gilda Fiora
back and forth to summer jobs other years. She would pick us up and drop
us off at the corner of 16th and Main, and what a faithful commuter
she was for many years every work day. I think she worked downtown KC at
the state employment office. Those summer jobs were meant to help us with
college tuition, which was quite low in those years (the ‘50s).
Many
thoughts still linger about the engineering trainee job with the
Engineers. One summer a couple of young fellows from south Asia visited,
and I was asked to show them the dam under construction at Tuttle Creek in
Kansas. They took notes of it. That reservoir was meant to curb
disastrous floods on the Kansas (Kaw) River, like the one that had wiped out
the meat packing plants in KC Kansas.
By the way,
after the 2 years of pre-engineering courses at Wentworth, I only lasted one
week as an engineering student at Notre Dame. It was the statics course
that wiped me out! But then I found the liberal arts and the rest is
history, as they say.
I
received several lovely personal notes from Conrad Pitz
’56, George B. Gordon, Norma Barney, Jane
Ann Whitney ’56 Hunt, Gordon White ’59, Davoren (Mrs. Bill) Tempel ‘56, and Del
Scharnhorst ‘55. Modesty prevents quoting them but I do want
those people to know how much I appreciate the “attaboys.”
George
B. also sent along an obituary for Kenneth W. Kopp. He died two
years ago, but I’m sure many remember Kenny. He was a Lexington
native and taught for 30 years at Wellington-Napoleon and at Fort Osage High
School. He also served in the National Guard for 8 years.
Recent
Lexington deaths I have been asked to include: John Hilker,
Dale Schaller, “Doc” Stigall,
Bonnie Best, and Joan Maxwell.
There
is a Tribute Page on the Walker-Nadler-Fuller Funeral Home site, and that
includes most obituaries for further information: www.nadlerfullerfh.com.
As
I conclude this issue, it has reached a balmy 19 degrees, up from 16 this
morning. However, by Thursday we may reach 70. And that, my friends, is
Missouri. Spring will be welcome as always. Write to us!
Your
devoted scribe,
Susan