Dear Hearts and Gentle People:
It’s a gloomy day in the old
hometown, although the trees are in bloom and the flowers are coming out.
It’s an early spring here due to an extremely mild winter. We could
actually have another freeze before the end of the week, but now we are getting
much-needed rain. We will all welcome the return of the sun.
I may as well begin with the sad news.
As always, we have lost some of our favorite people. I received a call Sunday
night from Duane Schlueter, LHS ’49. He passed along news of the death
that day of John David Kleindienst ’56.
Duane
wrote: John David Kleindienst passed away at the age of 78 on Sunday,
April 2nd, at the Capital Region Hospital in Jefferson City.
John grew up in Lexington and often talked about the good times and good
friends he had in Lexington. Survivors include his wife, Martha, three children
and their spouses and seven grandchildren.
Visitation
will be April 6, 4-7 p.m. at Houser-Millard Funeral Home, 2613 West Main St.,
Jefferson City. Funeral services will be held at St. John’s
Lutheran Church, 4409 St. John’s Road, Jefferson City. Martha’s
address is: 1520 Timber Trail, Jefferson City, MO 65109.
Ray Miller sent a notice that his wife
had passed away on Feb. 3.
Jim
Luehrs, LHS ’61 also lost his wife. He said: Thanks for doing this.
It keeps us informed. My wife Berta passed away last June from a
short illness with a very rare cancer. Berta was a pharmacist and worked at
Rush Drug Store before we moved away. She was friends with a lot of the
Lexington people.
Sally
Brasher Lowther died in March. She was LHS Class of 1956. I know many of you
remember Dr. Brasher.
Heartfelt
sympathy to all families involved.
And
one final tragedy: a terrible house fire took the life of Eugene
Schlapper. I’m uncertain what year, but he was also an LHS graduate. The
house, at southwest corner of 20th and South, was the former home of
Mrs. Shouse who taught many years in the Lexington school system.
In
TLC #150 Jack Gueguen had spoken of the 1951 flood. Duncan Lee’s memory
produced this story:
To the
note from Jack about the '51 flood, I remember an incident during the height of
the flood. I'm sure it was the '51 and not '53. My father was working at the
water plant non-stop for several days, of course, and when things really got
bad, and the National Guard unit was called out to help sandbag the reservoirs,
in vain as Jack points out. My mother fixed a sack lunch for Ed around 7 or 8
pm, piled Barb and me into the car and drove down to the plant. The only road
open was the one just off Highland Ave. in front of the Pioneer Mother statue.
It was very rough and as we neared the curve at the bottom, we had to stop due
to all the other vehicles parked there. The water was over the road in front of
the plant. There were big lights to help the sandbaggers. Of course to a
nine-year-old boy this was hugely exciting. Mother got out and found either Dad
or someone who could deliver the food. My memory dims a little now, but I'm
pretty sure Mother had to reverse all the way back up the rocky road, in the
dark. Stick shift in the '51 Chevy, too.
I want to
thank everyone for the nice notes of appreciation. Please do send your memories
of old times in Lexington, and I’ll continue to distribute them.
Here’s something on a lighter note: upcoming local events in case you
decide to visit. And don’t forget we’re in the prime path for the
Eclipse 8/21/17.
April
Easter Egg
Hunt - April
15th, 11am, ball fields
The Lights
Festival KC - April15th,
Fahrmeier Farms
Tourism
Dinner - April 27th
at The LEX
Warrior Dash - April 29th
May
Lexington
CONNECT - May 6th,
celebrating business & opportunity
Pool Opens - May 27th
June
Community
Wide Garage Sale - June 3rd
Big BAM:
Bicycle Across Missouri - June 12th
July
Fireworks - July 3rd, ball field at Community Park
Porches
& Peaches - July 22nd, Throughout Lexington
LHA Roaring
20’s Speakeasy at The LEX - July 29th
August
MO
340 river race - Aug. 8th, http://rivermiles.com/mr340/
Eclipse
event @ the Lex - Aug. 19th-20th
Community
Fair - Aug. 20-26
Day
of the Dark • Total Eclipse Viewing - August 21
September
Old Homes
Tour - Sept. 9 & 10th
LHA Civil
War Ball - Linwood
Lawn, Aug. 16th
Apples, Arts
& Antiques Apple
Auction - Aug. 21st
Apples, Arts
& Antiques - Aug. 23rd