Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Bits and Pieces

     To all Korner viewers, please have a happy and safe New Years Eve, New Years Day and 2015.
     To keep this funfest going, we need all of you.
K-----K
     Thanks to Lou and Roger Oxenford for the New Years greeting.
K-----K
     It took John Kueck, up  there in Minnesota, to inform us of the fact that a Boone event has hit You Tube. Some 1200 viewers so far.
     At 502 South State Street, there's been a very nice Christmas display featuring radio music that the lights "dance too."Viewers can sit in their car, enjoy the music and watch the lights relate to the beat of the music."
     Cool!
K-----K
     Who remembers John Buntsma? A Boone native and, I assume, BHS grad, John is a former Orange City newspaper editor hoping to become a politician.
     State Representative Dwayne Alons passed away recently and an election has been set for January 6 to replace him in the Iowa House. The candidates seeking the position are Democrat Buntsma and Republican John Kooiker, a farmer and retired postal service employee from rural Boyden.
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     More info from Boone native Jerry Manriquez who tells us that Gus LeMaster, BHS-52, has provided some more ammunition for his terrific website.
     Gus has sent Jerry a 1932 Scroll which includes Boone Junior College info for that year.
     Although his site continues to grow, Jerry is still seeking additional scrolls to add to it........1910, 1911, 1912, 1913, 1914, 1915, 1916, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1931, all of the 1970's except the year 1970, and all the 1980's and 1990's.
     http://boonesacheart.manriquez.net
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     Before that time slips away from us a timely and interesting tidbit provided by Larry Kelley.
     The question is, "What song was originally written for the Thanksgiving holiday but, for some reason, became viable at Christmas time?" It was "Jingle Bells" which has become one of the most popular Christmas songs ever written.
     In 1850, James Lord Pierpont was hanging out in a tavern in Medford, MA, when he was inspired by Medford's famous sleigh races to write a tune called, "One Horse Open Sleigh" for a children's Thanksgiving play. Everyone loved it so much that it became incorporated into Christmas.
     P.S. Mr Pierpont was the uncle of John Pierpont Morgan, better known as J.P.Morgan. "Jingle Bells"  was also the first song broadcast from space, in a Christmas-themed prank by Gemini 6 astronauts Tom Stafford and Wally Schirra.
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     Boone Area Deaths: Tracy Knoblauch, 48, Urbandale. Boone area survivor is a brother, David Marvin of Boone..........Jim Nordholm, 89, Pilot Mound. Boxholm High-43. Farmed near Boxholm and then near Pilot............Bill Erickson, 79, Pilot Mound. Pilot High-57. Worked at the Boone County Hospital from 1967-87...........Leila Hokel, 93, Boone. Worked in Boone at J.C. Penny's and the Fareway store. One daughter, Ardonna, and two sons, Gary and Tom,  survive but no Boone area survivors.
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     Worldwide Korner headquarters are located at 710 Aldrich, Boone, Iowa 50036-4703. Phone number is 515-432-1530. To email your stories/memories/comments/support.......
kelleyskorner1@gmail.com.
    
    


    

Saturday, December 27, 2014

Not This Time

     Sorry, the well has gone dry.
     No stories/no memories/no comments/no support.

     Maybe by Wednesday.............or Saturday.

Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Merry, Merry Christmas to All

    This week, Tom Kieffer, an Ogden buddy, wrote, "Thanks for being a long time friend. Have a great holiday season."
     Then there was Vern Modeland of the Korner language police who caught me with a no-no........."their"  rather than "there". Thanks Vern. I suppose I could say that we hadn't heard from you for such a long time the Kornerman purposely did that to see if you were still kickin' down THERE in the Ozarks. Glad to know you're O.K., even though you claim to be "weary and old."
     Another Ann Onymous appeared this week. The envelope featured the color red and huge letters addressed to Mo and Jo. The card inside was also a predominant red and, "keep up the good job you do, keeping us informed. Warm wishes and thoughts of good cheer for a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year." Many thanks to whomever you are.
K-----K
     The Kornerman, in the last issue, talked about all the information available on our Boonetown via  Google. Among that info we noticed a listing of some notable Booneites and one of the names we noticed was that of Francis Dale "Hap" Moran.
     It's somewhat ironic that, very recently, a younger friend of mine was perusing the internet and, somehow, came across the history of Moran and was "blown away" by that information.
     He questioned this oldtimer, "did you know about this guy" to which I replied that I  did. A good Toreador athlete himself and an interesting observer of Boone Iowa athletics, he was shocked that he was completely unaware. He wrote, "I wonder if he has any direct descendants in town. There should be a statue of him with a plaque in front of Goeppinger Field. I wonder why he was never mentioned when I was in high school. At that time, the history of Boone football wasn't mentioned much prior to Coach Fisher's teams in the 1930's."
     The Kornerman says that Hap Moran was certainly one of the greatest all-around athletes this community has ever observed so let me inform you of some of his feats:
     He was an all-stater and Captain of the state championship Toreador basketball team of 1920, a team that was invited to play in Chicago, representing Iowa, in a tournament that featured state title teams from other states. His play there earned him All-American high school honors.
     As if his basketball exploits weren't enough, it was football where he really made his mark. He was recruited, via a basketball scholarship, to Carnegie Tech. In football there, he played on a team that played a couple times against the fabled Knute Rockne Notre Dame Four Horsemen team.
     After one year at Carnegie, Moran returned to Iowa to finish his collegiate career at Grinnell College where he excelled in both football and basketball. As a football passer there, his favorite receiver was Morgan Taylor, who won the first Gold Medal for the United States in the 1924 Olympics in Paris as a 400-meter hurdler.
     In 1926-27, Moran joined the Frankford Yellow Jackets. His team won the NFL championship and he was the second highest scorer on the team.
     Due to his kicking skills, Moran was recruited in 1927 by the NFL Chicago Cardinals. He finished second in the league in field goals and was ninth in points after touchdowns.
     After one year in Chicago, he played for the Pottsville Maroons one year and then finished his NFL career with five years, 1928-33, with the New York Giants.
     With the Giants, he set an NFL record for the longest run from scrimmage, 91 yards, against the Green Bay Packers in 1930 and a record 114 receiving yards against the Philadelphia Eagles in 1933. 
     That 91 yard run record, which was also a N.Y. Giants club record, stood for 75 years before it was broken by Tiki Barber of the Giants in 2005.
     After his playing career ended, he did some coaching but eventually became a buyer for Western Electric, living in Sunnyside Queens, New York.
     He was a 6-1, 190-pound athlete who was born in 1901 and passed away in 1994.
     AND, he was a Boone, Iowa Toreador.
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     Boone Area Deaths: Jim Duff, 74, Boone. Assistant Manager at Yegge Lumber, worked for the Iowa High School Athletic Association and the Boone and Scenic Valley Railroad. Boone area survivor is his wife, Jeanette of Boone............Gerald Browning, 81, Boone. Farmed, then owned and operated Browning Janitorial Service. Boone area survivors include his wife, Arlene, and son, Rick, both of Boone...........James Weedman, 73, Boone. Had a long career with the Chicago, Northwestern Railway. Boone survivor is his wife, Janice.........Elsie Schuett, 79, Boone............Joanne Baldus, 88, Story City. Born in Boone. Boone area survivor is her brother, Tom Matt of Boone..........Roy "Bill" Crouch, 82, Boxholm. Pilot Mound High-50. Operated service stations in Boxholm and Pilot Mound and convenience stores in the area. Spent over 44 years in the gas station business. Boone Area survivors include his wife, Doris, of Boxholm, son, Robin, of Pilot Mound and brother, Deskin "Deck" Crouch of Pilot Mound..........Adeline Eslick, 92, Dayton. She and her husband farmed in the Dayton area for 37 years before moving to town. Boone area survivors include sons Roger and Richard of Dayton and daughter, Martha Heineman of Ogden............Larry Hansen, 69, Dayton. Moved to Dayton in 1968 as a band and music instructor, although he performed many other teaching duties through the years. An excellent musician himself, he played trumpet with the Fort Dodge Symphony and the Ames Municipal Band as well as with many smaller groups. Boone area survivors include his wife, Linda, of Dayton and two daughters.
K-----K
     Worldwide Korner headquarters are located at 710 Aldrich, Boone, Iowa 50036-4703. Phone number is 515-432-1530. To email your stories/memories/comments/support........
kelleyskorner1@gmail.com.

     
     
     

Saturday, December 20, 2014

Merry, Merry Christmas and Have a Great New Year

     The Kornerman knows how busy our viewers are this time of year so we are extraordinarily thankful  to those of you who have taken the time to stay in contact.
     Holiday greetings were received this week from John Kelly in Locust Grove, VA, John Kueck in Minneapolis, Roger Dutton in DeKalb, IL., Tom Quinlan in Perry, IA, and the Stark's,  Paul and Gretchen, from right here in good old Boone, IA.
     John Kelly wrote, "I always check the Korner to look for familiar names and places, and to learn more about Boone history. Be assured that your time and effort on the Korner are appreciated."
     John Kueck sent some beautiful family pictures and a resume of his family's most recent year. He wrote, "I wanted to wish you a Merry Christmas. I know that you spread a lot of joy to us Booneites throughout the year with your blog."
     Roger Dutton called with a greeting and it was great to hear from good old Tom Quinlan, my old KWBG radio mate back in the good old days.
     Tom was a real mentor of mine when I started in the radio game in the early 1950's. Anything I've managed to accomplish.........much of the credit goes to him and Rollie Peterson. Those guys took me under their wing and provided many good teaching moments.
     P.S. Tom turned 90 in October and if any of you out there still remember him, a birthday note still wouldn't be too late. His address is 533 12th Street, Perry 50220-1942.
     Ah yes! The old T.Q. Show.
K-----K
     Hey, we talked about Boone's upcoming 150th birthday in the last edition and wondered about the official date of the community's birth. The Kornerman took time this week to Google Boone, Iowa and was somewhat surprised to find the amount of facts available. If you viewers are, at all, interested in Boone's history, take a look. The Kornerman was blown away by the volume of info available. Lots of nitty gritty.
     The fact is that, according to Google, the town was incorporated in 1849 but platted as a town in 1965. What started out as Montana became Boone in 1871 and in 1887, Boonesboro, the west side of town, was annexed to Boone in 1887. There was lots of activity from 1849-60, including the establishment of 10 townships. However, I guess that date the town was platted is the official birthday year.
     Now.........in the midst of all the available information.......and there is a ton, I still haven't located the date of our town's establishment.......the day and month. 
    It was interesting to note that in 1880 there were 3330 residents here and in 1920, there were 12,451. That was 94 years ago and in 2013 there were 12,629........a difference of just 178 people in 94 years.
   In some spare moments, I guarantee the Kornerman will be back at that site to peruse all of the very interesting info available about Boone. There are so many different segments.........one  I noted was what man's and what woman's names were the most prominent in Boone. The various breakdowns of information are fascinating. Take a look.
K-----K
     Jerry Manriquez is still at that amazing project of his. At http://boonesacheart.manriquez.net/ you can find out about anything you want to about BHS, Boone Sacred Heart and Boone Junior College classes of the past.
     He informs us that his latest additions to the web site are old Bumble "B's"........those from 1922-24, 1926 and from 1952-56. Those are all courtesy of Kae Nelson Schmickley, with the assistance of Ron Schmickley and Judy Brown Patterson.
     Those same folks also sent a 1954 60th class reunion directory and memorium.
     In his never ending quest for more information, Jerry is still looking for old scrolls.....1910, 1911, 1912, 1913, 1914, 1915, 1916, 1919, 1920, 1921, 1931, 1932, all the 70's except for that first year and all the 1980's and 1990's.
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     Boone Area Deaths: Donald Kemmerer, 86, Boone. BHS-47. Farmed the family farm and raised sheep. Boone area survivors include his wife, Rosemary, daughters Jean Nelson, Leanne Duitsman and Deanna Stumbo all of Boone............Bob Reynolds, 77. He owned and operated an 18 Wheeler Training  School and later worked with Winifred Law Opportunity Center and Link Associates. Was a  past Exalted Ruler of the Boone Elks Lodge.
     Larry Hansen, 69, of Dayton, well known to area music enthusiasts, has passed away. Services are pending with Carson-Stapp of Dayton.
K-----K
     Worldwide Korner headquarters are located at 710 Aldrich, Boone, Iowa 50036-4703. Phone number is 515-432-1530. To email your stories/memories/comments/support......
kelleyskorner1@gmail.com

    
    

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Boonetown Becomes 150 Years Old in 2015

     Ex-Booneite Jeff Pigott and the Kornerman have exchanged emails recently and Jeff  mentioned that he planned to visit Boone next summer as the community will be celebrating it's 150th birthday.
     The Kornerman says, "thanks Jeff for answering some of my questions and adding something I was completely unaware of until you mentioned it. Yes, where is the chatter about......the planning for the communities 150th birthday? I recall working at the BNR and providing quite a bit of copy for our 100th anniversary edition and that was, I believe, in 1965. I'm sure we will be talking about this more as the time nears in 2015. This begs the question, what is the actual date of the communities birthday?"
K-----K
     Jamie Kelley and his band have an "in" with KCWI-TV, channel 23 in Des Moines. They appeared on the Great Day show there to promote the recent concert that they gave in Boone in November. Now, they have again been to that studio to record three of Jamie's original Christmas songs for airing on the station on Christmas Day. Appearances are scheduled for 6:50 a.m. and again at 8:50 a.m. on that day.
     By the way, band members include Kent Weaver on piano, Hank Muzney on drums, Royce Johns on guitar and Larry Kelley on bass.
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     In the last edition, we had mentioned the death of Maurice "Morry" Reid, a former Boone resident who passed away recently in Glen Ellyn,IL. He was 101 years of age, is an uncle of current Boone resident Jackye Ray and after Ilinois services, he was to be buried at Linwood here beside his late wife. Morry was a licensed Professional Engineer and had a long career with the railroad, much of that time in Boone.
     We had also mentioned that the Kornerman remembered him as quite a celebrated fast pitch softball player and this week, Tom Peterson provided some addition information in that regard. Tom wrote, "Morry played fast pitch with his brother, Clyde "Tuffy" Reid, on Boone teams. Clyde was inducted into the Iowa Fast Pitch Hall of Fame posthumously in 2007 while Morry was inducted in 1972. When we inducted Clyde, Morry told how, in the 1950's, the Boone team lost in the ASA National final game in extra innings in a game played in Chicago. I recall Morry saying most of the players took  the train to Chicago. One of the Reid brothers played shortstop and the other was a rover. They played 10 guys on defense in those days. Both Reid brothers were very quick and they positioned themselves all over the place on defense to be in position to make a play on the batter who was pitched a certain way in order to get the batter to hit in an area where they were positioned. No doubt in my mind that the competitiveness level the Reid brothers and the rest of the Boone team played with led to the reason why my Hall of Fame brothers participated in this great game of Fast Pitch Softball."
     Tom Peterson, a Boone native and BHS grad, was, of course, an outstanding Fast Pitch player himself and is a Hall of Fame member.
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     Boone Area Deaths: Ardis Vale, 92, Boone.She and her husband, Lewis, lived in Boone and, over the years, owned and operated the Boone Valley Hatchery, the Holiday Lounge and the Boone Hotel. Boone area survivors include her daughter-in-law, Joleen Ferry Vale, and grandson Jason Vale both of Boone...............Betty Lorraine Smith, 84, Tama. Was a waitress and cashier, owned and operated the Toledo Recreation Center in the 1990's and for over 25 years, was a waitress and assistant manager of the Gaslight Club in Tama. Boone area survivor is a son, Michael Smith of Boone.
K-----K
     Worldwide Korner headquarters are located at 710 Aldrich, Boone, Iowa 50036-4703. Phone number is 515-432-1530. To email your stories/memories/comments/support.........
kelleyskorner1@gmail.com

    
    

Saturday, December 13, 2014

Those Were the Days!

     A lusty "Carry Out" call. That was the message many Boone area young people remember hearing when they were Fareway Grocery employees under the leadership of a very energetic Floyd "Curly" Adams, the store manager.
     Willie was one of those employees and he does remember, "two young men were at the egg candling station with a radio playing and may not have heard the call, which took precedence over all other functions except possibly mouth to mouth resuscitation. Floyd could, in no way, suffer such dereliction of duty, grabbed the radio and threw it down the ramp. Floyd must have felt he overdid it. He picked up the unit, put the loose pieces back into place and plugged the device back in. Holy mackerel, the lights went out all over the store but the checkout still functioned, no electricity required. The total was arrived at by the use of adding machines, hand cranked no less. The process was, absolutely, faster than the latest computerized services, no discounts, no coupons, just a fair transaction. The checkers were amazing. Fast and accurate. Baggers filled strong paper bags to maximum capacity. This is where the carryout commenced. It was expected. No ifs or ands. You got help getting three bags full wedged into your arms and followed the customer out the door and maybe two blocks to the car and then you waited while the customer fumbled for their car keys. Well, it was something to do on Saturday and we got paid. I think we started at 7 a.m. and probably got out around 9:45 p.m., picked up our envelope which contained $10 cash minus 63-cents income tax. I took this job knowing what it was but there was a certain status involved. I knew about the job as a result of being a cart boy before I was old enough to pay income tax. There was a feeling of camaraderie among the workers, a a majority were athletes. I was advised that a secret cave existed in one of the basement warehouses, toilet paper boxes had been stacked to create a concealed space where an employee could possibly regain sufficient strength to continue until closing time, a banana or some cookies added to the rehabilitation effort. I visited the cave, but did not stay or return..........I needed the job."
     Editor's note: A fun remembrance........edited just a bit. Thanks for the great memory Willie.
K-----K
     The Kornerman says, "hey, those 9-volt batteries just laying around can be very dangerous thanks to information, including a video, sent to us by old buddy Laverne Anderson."
     The video shows a house being completely destroyed because of old nine-volts being stored, presumably for recycling, in a paper sack. An example was given. Some steel wool came in contact with both the negative and positive ends of a nine-volt and the result was sparks and a resultant fire.
     The gist is this........be careful where and how you store those things. Thanks Laverne.
K-----K
     The Kornerman and Jo had the pleasure of attending a retirement party for Rick Wulkow last Saturday along with over 200 other folks. We had an opportunity to reacquaint with lots of Iowa High School Athletic Association friends from the past and present. Former boss Bernie Saggau was there from his winter Arizona home and it seemed like quite a Boone contingent with current IHSAA staff members and quite a few of Rick's Trinity Lutheran church family on hand.
     We had a great time. Rick concludes 10 years of being the IHSAA Executive Director in late January and Al Beste replaces him. The positive beat will go on.
     P.S. Isn't it great to have such a wonderful "opening" to our community, especially during the holiday season, via the lighted show surrounding the IHSAA headquarters. It's a simply beautiful sight and it seems there are more and more lights every year. Thanks Rick and the IHSAA for this terrific entrance to our community.
K-----K
     There was an interesting note with a Boone connection in the D.M. Register the other day. As part of the Spirit of Christmas, the Register is bestowing a rose each day to a deserving individual. The rose this particular day was given to Marjorie Beaton of Waterloo, who at age 94, continues to pursue her passion for sewing to benefit children in impoverished countries. Marjorie recycles old T-shirts into diapers and has been sewing about eight hours a day since February of 2011.
    Marjorie's daughter is Boone's Linda Hora who wrote, "they began by sending the diapers to Haiti. Hard to believe but she has now lovingly sewn 11,000 diapers for children in need."
     What a terrific project.
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     Boone Area Deaths: Betty Lou Koch, 84, Boone. Boone area survivors are a son Roger and sisters Mildred Smith, Helen Johnson and Jane Zanker all of Boone............Jerry Smith, 69, Boone. BHS-63. Was a truck driver. Boone area survivors include his son Jason and daughter, Kathy Musfeldt..............
Eugene "Gene" Harris, 87, West Des Moines. Boone area survivor is a son, Van Harris of Boone........
Vivian Maynard, 95, Boone. Boone area survivors include a son Glen, daughters Roberta Grabau and Shirley Riley and a sister Eleanor Conrad all of Boone...........Evelyn "Evie" Benshoof Surface, 83, Reinbeck, formerly of Des Moines and Boone. Born in Boone. BHS-49. A pastor's wife for 31 years. Worked on behalf of the orphans of Korea and Viet Nam for Holt International Children's Services. No Boone area survivors.
     Maurice "Morry" Reid, 101, Glen Ellyn, IL. passed away Wednesday. Morry hasn't had any Boone connection for many years but will be buried beside his wife in Linwood. He had a long career as a licensed Professional Engineer with the railroad, much of the time spent in Boone. Morry is an uncle of Jackye Ray of Boone and has visited here a couple times a year.
     This goes back a number of years but the Kornerman remembers Morry as a great fast pitch softball player on some terrific Boone teams. In 1972, he was inducted into the Iowa Fast Pitch Softball Hall of Fame.
     Jerry Smith was a pretty good pitcher on one of the Kornerman's Babe Ruth baseball teams.
K-----K
     Worldwide Korner Headquarters are located at 710 Aldrich, Boone, Iowa 50036-4703. Phone number is 515-432-1530. To email your stories/memories/comments/support........
kelleyskorner1@gmail.com.




Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Viewer Obtains Info From Our Area Deaths Column

     The Kornerman is happy to report our Boone Area Deaths column has again successfully provided some information that a viewer had no knowledge of via any other source.
     Boone native Ken Aldag, BHS-54, wrote from Fresno, CA, "regarding obits, your Korner seems to be our primary source of information in this regard. I found out via the Korner about Jim Obrecht's death. Judirae (Hendricks) Obrecht, is Jim's wife and her grandfather, Walt Jipp, was my mom's second husband. We sort of lost contact after mom passed, but I'll give her (Judirae) a call today. Thanks for all you do."
     Ken had written about a memory of the Lippert Building and it's elevator. He had been catching up on the Korner and had noted some talk of that building in an earlier edition. Ken wrote, "My dad, Herman Aldag, had his bookkeeping/tax service/real estate office on the second floor, the corner office facing Eighth and Story streets. I remember the elevator operator (not sure whether it was Joe or Otis) always made bottles of rhubarb wine for the tenants at Christmas time. I recall the other second floor occupants were Doc Grove, the optometrist; Paul Brogden, who had a real estate office; and Ernie Bush, CPA (they may not have all been there at the same time). I recall we had a first row, balcony seat, so to speak, back, I think in 1952 during President Eisenhower's campaign. He came to Boone and had a motorcade parade down Story Street. We were able to get a good view of him from Dad's office windows."
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     The Kornerman received a very nice holiday greeting from Ann Onymous this week and we thank whoever it was that remembered us during this season. Thank you.
K-----K
     The Kornerman was elated to hear from John Burke this week. For a short time in the late 70's, John was the Toreador football coach, replacing Merle Harris who bowed out after the 1976 season.  John left Boone for a  high school football coaching job in Colorado. He wrote, "I found your blog when looking up some info on former Augustana football coach Bob Reade, who was a good friend of former Toreador coach Merle Harris. I knew Bob when I was coaching and he helped me immensely. I remember our days in Boone as very good ones for myself and my wife and our daughters. However, the move to Colorado was the best move we ever made as we enjoyed a great deal of success there. We have now been in Arizona for 18 years and Shelly and I are both retired. For many years, I ran the NIKE Coach of the Year Football Clinics in Las Vegas and Denver but no longer. I am also the Executive Director of the Colorado High School Coaches Association even though we live in Arizona. As you know, in this day and age, a person can live in the U.S. and work in China!"
     John added, "We are still close to Eldon and Ann Hutcheson of Boone. They were here in Arizona last year and we met them for lunch. We are also still connected with Ken and Jane Pospisil. Ken was in Boone when Don Ringenburg was coach but left Boone and ended up in Mount Vernon where he runs a decorating business. We also continue to exchange Christmas cards with Helen Grider."
K-----K
     Speaking of football and BHS coaches, the community lost former BHS teacher/coach Ralph Carroll this week and the tributes continue to pour in. He passed away Saturday at 92 years of age. Tom Peterson wrote, "He was a significant influence to many of us. May he rest in peace." Mike Loehrer wrote, "Ralph impacted my life immensely. I owed him from the day I transferred to BHS from Sacred Heart. He came off as hard-nosed and gruff but he was a sensitive, caring, wonderful man. I miss him already. He was an honest to goodness mentor to me. I can't express how sadly I feel about his passing."
     Ralph Carroll grew up in Sumner, Sumner grad-41. After military service, he graduated from Upper Iowa University and Drake University. He coached a short time in Oregon and then a short time at Leon, IA before coming to Boone in 1953 and teaching and coaching here until 1985. He guided his 1958 Toreador girls basketball team to the state tourney. Boone area survivors include his wife, Joyce, of Boone, daughter Jan Fuegen of West Des Moines and step son Mike Lasko of Luther.
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     Boone Area Deaths: Lowell Wirtz, 94, Boone. BHS-38. Boone area survivors include his wife, Evelyn of Boone, sons Robert of Stratford and Gary of Stanhope.
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     Worldwide Korner headquarters are located at 710 Aldrich, Boone, Iowa 50036-4703. Phone number is 515-432-1530. To email your stories/memories/comments/support........
kelleyskorner1@gmail.com.

Saturday, December 6, 2014

From Virginia and North Carolina, Friends Check In

     Rick Houser, a good Korner friend, sent holiday greetings from Virginia. He sent two wonderful inserts, one from the DAV, a beautiful poem titled, "Thank You My Friend," and a second nice Chrismas poem written by a Lance Corporal. Rick apologized for not sending much info to the Korner recently but added, "I read every week and can't wait for the various topics. You are always with me and I'm always happy to be from Boone. Your Korner is wonderful."
     Thanks so much for the inspiration Rick. The old Kornerman realizes this is an especially busy time of year with the various holidays. Everyone is super busy. At the Korner, we'll just take one day at a time and provide what, if anything, we can on Wednesday's and Saturday's as usual.
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     We reported classmate Jim Schmickley's death in the last issue and that prompted a reply from one of Jim's brothers, Verne, who is a PhD in Raleigh, North Carolina. Verne wrote, "thank you for mentioning Jim's death. I know Jim really enjoyed the Korner and your contribution to all of us Boone natives."
     Verne also included a bit of additional information that was of interest. He wrote, "there are only two cities in the USA named Boone. My wife's sister and her husband have a cabin which we use, just outside of Boone, NC. Although it's almost 1,000 miles southeast of "your" Boone, due to the extra 2,000 ft. of elevation, the temperatures and flora are very similar. It's really beautiful there, with small farms surrounded by mountains. Of course we love it and go there as much as possible. Over the years, Daniel Boone lived in the Western NC mountains, hunting and exploring NC and Kentucky, before moving to St. Charles County, MO. Nathan, one of Daniel's sons, surveyed land between St. Paul, MN and the Indian territory of OK. In Iowa, the Boone trail passed through Madrid, Boone and Fort Dodge."
     The Kornerman says, "I'm sure we've all seen the signs in that regard."
     Thanks Verne.
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     A couple sports items. Within a three or four day period, our two major university men's basketball teams defeated highly ranked opponents........Iowa over 12th ranked North Carolina in Carolina and Iowa State over 18th ranked Arkansas at Hilton Coliseum in Ames. The Kornerman doubts if such an occurence has ever happened before. Right?
     Then, earlier this week, the Des Moines Area Community College men's basketball team was accorded the high honor of being the top-rated, that's number one, among men's CC team in the entire nation. Alas, the next day, they suffered their first loss, a one-pointer to Southwestern CC of right here in good old Iowa.
K-----K
     Boone Area Deaths: Michael Herman, 73, Gower, MO, formerly of Boone. BHS grad. Managed an employment agency in West Virginia and was a shoe salesman in the area. In Nevada, he managed a Ford dealership but later returned to Boone to care for his elderly parents. While here, he attended an auctioneer school and for the last 20 years, has been an auctioneer. Brother Jack lives in Washington and sister Carolyn Spillers has resided with Mike for the last year............Jim Schmickley, 79, Cedar Rapids, formerly of Boone. BHS-53. Served in the U.S. Army for four years in Germany. Retired in 1995 from Rockwell where he worked as a Reliability Engineer for over 30 years in the defense industry. His wife, the former Kae Nelson of Boone survives. Boone area survivor is his brother Ron Schmickley.
K-----K
     Worldwide Korner headquarters are located at 710 Aldrich, Boone, Iowa 50036-4703. Phone number is 515-432-1530. To email stories/memories/comments/support.........
kelleyskorner1@gmail.com.
    

Wednesday, December 3, 2014

Happy Holiday Season

     Good news with great joy. That's what we like during this holiday season so we'll tell you that the Korner has already received season greetings from John Hinz, Larry Kelley and Kathleen Wheelock. Great to hear from them and we hope to hear from many more of you in the coming days.
     The Korner hopes you're Thanksgiving holiday was all it could possibly be and we  are sure the upcoming days will also provide lots of happy and positive experiences with family and friends.
K-----K
     We had  mentioned in the Korner recently the 90th birthday of Luther/United Community's Gordon Severson. We got a note from Gordon this week. He wrote, "I received over 125 cards and numerous phone calls, in addition to some "stops" and other well wishes from former students and athletes, not only from Iowa, but also from nine who reside in other states."
     He added, "other than slowing down, I don't really know what a 90-year old is supposed to feel like. I don't use a walker or cane and still drive my car, except at night. My health is still good both my wife and myself. Just a quiet individual who thoroughly enjoyed his lifetime journey. A school teacher, coach, and driver ed instructor for 27 years."
     And hey Gordon, it ain't over yet. The Korner hopes our mention of your celebration might have added a name or two to your contact list........folks who may not have known about the milestone from any other source.
K-----K
     The Kornerman got a great dose of nostalgia from an unexpected source this week.
     We received a note from LouAnne Bodammer who wrote from Maryland. She wrote, "I grew up on north Crawford street in Boone and my family shopped at the Superette Grocery on 17th street. I remember your folks, who, I  believe, lived around the corner in a house on Crawford that used to house the Shadles, a small grocery store that preceded the Superette. I also remember that you had red hair and freckles and announced ball games at the local radio station. You were five or six years older than I was. My family moved to Chicago in the summer of 1958 and I graduated from the largest coed high school in Chicago in 1959. What a culture shock! I currently live in Maryland and live near D.C.. I STILL MISS BOONE."
     Wow! In review, LouAnne is certainly on target with everything except, maybe, the freckles.My family moved to Boone......what a smart move.......in the late 40's and did live at 1710 Crawford, which was north of and  right next to Shadle's grocery. Dad and mom bought the store and the house for a grand total of $13,000. A few years later, they opened the brand new Superette grocery on 17th street.
     A little known fact: That Shadle grocery store was eventually moved across town to a site right across the street from the Salvation Army building on Benton street. It is still there and is now the home of a beauty shop. That building is the old Shadle's grocery.
K-----K
     Here's a holiday note to consider courtesy of Korner viewer Dean Hoffman. Dean wrote, "Holiday shopping this year? I know, I needed this reminder, since Sears isn't always my first choice. It's amazing when you think of how long the war has lasted and Sears hasn't withdrawn from their committment to our military. Could we each buy at least one thing from Sears this year?"
     Here's what this is all about. By law, Sears is required to hold their jobs open for their employees serving in the military, but nothing else is required. Oftentimes, employees in such situations take a big pay cut and lose benefits as a result of being on active duty. NOT AT SEARS. Sears is and has voluntarily paid the difference in salaries and has maintained all benefits, including medical insurance and bonus programs, for all employees who are or have served.
K-----K
     The Korner and Kornerman are sorry to report the death of 1953 classmate Jim Schmickley who died of an apparent heart attack Monday. Among the survivors are his wife, Kae, the former Kae Nelson. Both Jim and Kae are Boone natives and BHS grads.
     The Korner mentioned Bonnie Howe's death the last time but we didn't mention survivors. She is survived by her husband, Bob, and three sons, Dale and Donald Howe of Boone and Dennis Howe of Madrid.
     Many, many years ago, Bonnie and I were co-workers at KWBG when the studio was located near the towers south of town.
K-----K
     Worldwide Korner headquarters are located at 710 Aldrich, Boone, Iowa 50036-4703. Phone number is 515-432-1530. To email your stories/memories/comment/support.......
kelleyskorner1@gmail.com.
     




Saturday, November 29, 2014

Boone Area Deaths

     Boone Area Deaths: Bonnie Howe, 81, Boone...........Charlotte Laughlin, 96, Boone. Perry High-35. Telephone operator, bookkeeper, sales clerk and first female mail clerk and carrier in Ames. Boone area survivor is son-in-law Larry "Rabbitt" Wilkening of Boone...........Philip Lynn Brown, 65, Boone.........Eleanor Stocker, 82, Boone. DMACC grad. Earned Nurses Aide degree. Worked in Des Moines as a property manager for many years. Boone area survivor is a daughter, Linda Patterson of Boone......Tom McLaughlin, 69, Boone. Fonda OLGC grad. Worked as a meat cutter. Boone area survivors include his wife, Patty of Boone and brother-in-law Mike Sorenson of Ogden...........Lois  Ohlson, 86, Ogden. OHS-46. Lois and her husband, Dean, operated Ohlson Drug in Ogden for many years............Dwight "AJ" Hagge..............Norma Okerblad, 85, Boxholm and Story City. Whiting IA grad. Taught in Grand Junction. Then, was a homemaker and "park officer's wife" as her husband worked at several parks including Don Williams Park.........Anne Lundahl, 88, Madrid. Maxwell High. Teacher, homemaker and farm wife in rural Madrid. Boone area survivor is her husband, Willard Lundahl of Madrid.

Wednesday, November 26, 2014

Have a Great Thanksgiving

     Folks are busy and have no time for the old Kornerman. We'll  see if anythng develops for a Saturday edition.
     Be safe and enjoy the holiday.

Saturday, November 22, 2014

SORRY

     I wish we had better news...........
     John Hinz wrote, "Unfortunately, my sister Liz (Elizabeth Hinz Reiss) died this afternoon (Thursday). She had not been feeling well for the past month. She just turned 74 on November 8. She lived in Bloomfield, NJ for many years where she was still active as a cellist. She is survived by her husband Joel and sons Brian and David, their wives, and four grandchildren. She was a big Mo Kelley fan and loved participating in providing information to you. Best wishes. John."
     Liz was a great Korner contributor and we will miss hearing from her. Our condolences to John and the entire family.
     Boone Area Deaths: Deanna Scott, 71. Boone. BHS-62. Worked at Archway and then for 28 years at Hawkeye Laundry. Boone area survivor is her sister LaVonne Lilly of Ogden..............Walter Riker, 96, Boone. Jordan High-37. A railroad engineer he was also the owner of Iowa Earth Boring Company and was involved from the beginning of the Scenic Valley Railroad.  Boone area survivors include his son, Mike, and a sister-in-law Lois Riker both of Boone...............Bob Hudson, 89, Stratford. He and his wife operated a small grocery in Stratford, he taught at Stratford High briefly and worked over 20 years for Job Service programs in Fort Dodge and Webster City.
     That's it!!
K-----K
     Worldwide Korner headquarters are located at 710 Aldrich, Boone, Iowa 50036-4703. Phone number is 515-432-1530. To email your stories/memories/comments/SUPPORT........
kelleyskorner1@gmail.com.
    

Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Some Updates

     Barb  Buechler Fosdick is a resident of San Diego and former Toreador football standout, Chad Rinehart, plays offensive guard for the San Diego Chargers of the National Football League.
     Barb was kind enough to send me some pages of the San Diego newspaper that contained a huge story and picture of Chad. The headline was, "Rinehart Just Looking for Some Consistency."
     Rinehart, 6-5, 321-pounds, who was an All-American at the University of Northern Iowa, came to the Chargers a year ago to begin a two-year contract worth $5.1 million.
     A year ago, he was credited with allowing just one sack, five quarterback hits and 11 "hurries" in 694 snaps. This year, while playing every single down in nine games, he's allowed three sacks, three hits and 17 "hurries" in 594 snaps. He's not happy that those figures are more negative than a year ago, especially since he's healthier this year. He missed six games a year ago with a bad toe. His coach explained that the guards and center are a "team" and this year, Chad has been forced to play with three different centers because of injuries. That isn't the best possible situation. Nevertheless, Chad continues to have a very nice NFL career.
K-----K
     Here we go again. This item has been the subject of many previous Korners. Davi Mondt Lowman wrote, "there is a facebook page called, "I grew up in Boone, Iowa," and it usually has some good information posted. People keep asking how the Toreador nickname came about. I was told that Ames and Boone played football many years ago and Boone won. Some coach over there said something about "those Boone boys came out there like bulls." Then, someone said they should be called Toreadors and that stuck. Can you enlighten me as to the validity of this story?"
     The way the Kornerman understood it from some old newspaper clippings, it was a Boone vs Marshalltown game in the late 20's and the Marshalltown newspaper made a remark similar to what you (Davi) have mentioned and the Toreadors were born.
K-----K
     Patty Harris wrote, "Hey, Mo! Thanks again for keeping all current and former Boonites updated on Boone."
     Patty is in Des Moines and seeking a teaching job in the Des Moines school system. She was writing to thank the Kornerman for putting Mike Loehrer in touch with her regarding some very positive information Mike had gathered about her dad, former BHS football coach Merle Harris. The Kornerman  had mentioned that story in the last edition.
K-----K
     The big show of the year, presented by our own Jamie Aaron Kelley last Saturday night to benefit the Boone Y, was a huge success according to several attendees the Kornerman has visited with.
     Jo and I had tickets but it was a blustery night and there had been ice followed by snow and this guy, the Kornerman, is beyond taking any extra chances of falling this winter. Been there, done that a year ago. As a result, we, although very disappointed, bypassed the concert.
     Our sources tell us Jamie put on a full two-hour show himself before a crowd that filled about 3/4 of the Boone High School auditorium.
    Jamie's dad, Larry, gave us a rundown. He wrote, "the young Boone boy, Hawk McIntyre, went on first and it was his first such appearance and he was nervous. Then, the King sisters from Branson did a medley of 50's songs before singing some Patsy Cline numbers. After intermission, it was all Jamie. As the show was ending, Jamie left by going through the audience, one row at a time, and then back on stage and gone. The audience seemed to love it. We know of about 40 other people or more who had tickets but could not get here from in town or other parts of Iowa. Nine people from Des Moines and 11 from the Ames/Huxley area were among that group."
K-----K
     Boone Area Deaths: Roger Volker, 80, Ames. Long time ISU teacher. Boone area survivor is his son, Dr. Paul Volker...........Jack Gordon, 77, Nevada, formerly of Boone. BHS-56. Worked at Boone Construction, Wade's Skelley and Redeker's before a long career at the DOT. Was the father of three children with his first wife, Sharon Peterson. Married Betty Jean Tungesvik in 1974 and she survives. The other local survivors are daughter Tammy of Ames, son Ricky of Boone, brother Dean of Dayton and his in-laws, Carroll and Judy Tungesvik of Boone..........Jane Karnik, 71, Ogden, formerly of Boone. Spent most of her life at the Woodward Resource Center. Moved to a group home in Boone in 2005 and Ogden Manor in 2013...........Garold Becker, 82, Spencer, formerly of Boone.........Daniel Jacobsen, 49, Boone. Worked at Heinrich Envelope and Sonoco in Boone and Burke corporation in Nevada. Boone survivors include his wife, Patricia Keahna, daughters Frances Keahna, Nicole, Jessica and Alexis Jacobsen all of Boone and his sister Kathy Vickers of Boone...........Mildred Davis, 90, Fort Dodge, formerly of Boone. Beaver H.S. grad. Moved from Beaver to Boone and Mildred worked at Ward's, on  the farm with her husband and for Boone State Bank. Two sons survive, Richard and Roger.
K-----K
     Worldwide Korner headquarters are located at 710 Aldrich, Boone, Iowa 50036-4703. Phone number is 515-432-1530. To email your stories/memories/comments/SUPPORT.......
kelleyskorner1@gmail.com.


    

Saturday, November 15, 2014

It Took Time to Complete A Sad Story

     Locals may already know about this but "outsiders," the Kornerman is sure, may be unaware. And, the story goes back almost 10 years.........a time when some of you may have still been in this area and, thus, may have a recollection of the individual involved.
     In October of 2005, the body of a man was pulled from the Des Moines River in Des Moines near a homeless camp. There was $10 in the man's pocket but no identification was present. In the nine years since, officials have still not been able to pin an identity on the individual.........until now.
     In a story on cold cases on a local television station in 2010, an autopsy picture of the man was shown and a lady notified police she thought it might be a picture of her ex-husband. However, police, initially, thought that the body was that of a hispanic male. The lady, not to be denied, contacted police again four years later, even more certain that the individual was her ex-husband.
     It has now been confirmed that the individual was, indeed, Robert Brian McMahon and his remains have been presented to his family.
     If that name sounds familiar it's because McMahon, at one time, had a restaurant in the Livery in Boone. He had increased his culinary skills by attending a school in France prior to coming to Boone. Brian  was part of a family that once operated the Chef's Inn, located on old Highway 30 west of Ames. It is reported that alcoholism robbed him of his business, family and his life. Survivors include his ex-wife, two grown children and two sisters.
K-----K
     A Korner viewer sent an interesting tidbit about football fans. Taken from facebook, it shows the percentage of football fans in each state who like certain football teams.
     According to this report, Alabama fans top the list at 34-percent, followed by Nebraska at 28, Oklahoma 27, Arkansas and Iowa at 26-percent.
K-----K
     The internet provides tons of material that could provide columns and columns of Korner "fill." Normally, I bypass that type of material unless it had a local "tie." However, on occasion, something will "strike" the Kornerman sufficiently that I decide to use it. This was interesting to me.
     A very successful businessman disclosed three things he thought were his best tips for success. They are (1) read something nobody else is reading. (2) think something nobody else is thinking and (3) do something nobody else is doing.
     He stated, "the best sermons are lived, not preached."
K-----K
     You  still have time. The Kornerman is sure that some of you viewers had contact with Gordon Severson,  perhaps as a student/athlete of his at Luther or United Community High. He has also served his Luther community in many positive ways.
     Gordon has his 90th birthday Monday. What a good guy. Please consider sending him a greeting at 8 Boone Street, Luther, IA 50152.
K-----K
     With the help of the Korner, Mike Loehrer has made contact with a pair of individuals, Gary Long and Patty Harris, he was interested in visiting with.
     In sorting through some memorabilia, Mike came across a program from the very first Shrine Bowl football game (1973) ever played in Iowa and he noted that former Toreador Gary Long played in that game. The Kornerman provided Gary's address etc., Mike contacted him and they had a nice visit as Mike volunteered to send Gary a copy of that program.
     Mike had also wanted to share some information with Patty Harris about her late dad, Merle, the former Boone High School football coach.
     Loehrer was coaching at Rock Island, Alleman High School when they played a game at Geneseo High School in Illinois. He noticed that some of the pre-game drills looked familiar........like the ones Coach Harris used at BHS. He then discovered that the Geneseo coach was Bob Reade who had been an assistant coach to Merle Harris when both were at Maquoketa High School.
     After a super spectacular career as the head coach at Geneseo, Reade became the longtime and very successful coach at Augustana College in Illinois. His teams there won four consecutive national championships and was runnerup on another occasion.
    After Coach Reade retired, he was honored via a huge reception in Rock Island and used that occasion to speak mostly about Merle Harris and that he "owed him (Harris) everything for any success I have achieved." He talked of Coach Harris character and how much his family mean't to him........not speaking a word of his own success.  Coach Reade indicated he knew nothing about football until he became an assistant to Harris.
     Loehrer didn't think Patty or any of the other Harris siblings knew about this story so he wanted to relate it to them, personally, and by including some newspaper clippings of Coach Reade's reception.
     How many times can the Kornerman say it..........we love it when we can "match" viewers together for positive purposes.
K-----K
     Boone Area Deaths: Norma Jean Nelson Wright, 87, rural Jefferson. Farmed with her husband for 50 years. Boone survivors include her daughter, Marcia Buckner, and a sister, Phyliss Pevestorf both of  Boone.
K-----K
     Worldwide Korner headquarters are located at 710 Aldrich, Boone, Iowa 50036-4703. Phone number is 515-432-1530. To email your stories/memories/comments........
kelleyskorner1@gmail.com
     
    


    

Wednesday, November 12, 2014

The Most Material about Boone and Booneites, Here, There and Everywhere

     The Kornerman really appreciates a recent note from Gary Knox. He informed us that in Hot Rod magazine there was a feature story about a Boone native and BHS graduate. The Korner, of course, is always very interested in receiving information about Booneites or former Booneites who have been cited for various reasons. Through the "heads up" of viewers like Gary, the Korner obtains interesting info that would probably not appear anywhere else locally. We love being exclusive.
     Gary wrote, "this individual is associated with Hot Rod magazine and was featured in the latest issue. He says he is from Boone and his grandpa ran a Skelly gas station. He commuted to ISU and majored in journalism. He loved hot rods as a kid."
     That individual is Jeff Smith, who apparently graduated from Iowa State in 1979. So, he was, perhaps, a BHS grad about 1975. The grandpa mentioned might have been Graham Lane who operated a service station near the intersection of 11th and Story streets. If so, Jeff's parents may have been Graham's daughter, Jo Ellen, and Jerry Smith. We know that Jeff has relatives that remain in the Boone area. None of this "personal" information is in the article. The Kornerman is just attempting to piece things together from info lodged in the back of my head. If I'm wrong with my assumptions, I apologize.
     The article states that Jeff started his career with Petersen Publishing in 1979 as Feature Editor for Car Craft. He then became Editor in 1984 and in 1987, took a job as Editor of Hot Rod for over six years. Jeff then took a break from editorship before Chevy High Performance came calling. He was Editor there from 1998 to 2003 but then returned to Car Craft as the first Editor to hold that title twice, but only for about a year when he moved to his current Senior Technical Editor position. Jeff now spends most of his time focusing on his passion of testing products, building engines, and performing many of the more involved technical stories for Car Craft. He and his wife, Valerye, have two grown children who live here in Iowa. His stable of cars include an evolving number of Chevelles, including his track day and autocross blue '65 Chevelle and his flamed '65 El Camino.
     Jeff has contributed over 625 stories on his work through the years.
     For additional info..........
http://www.hotrod.com/contributors/jeff-smith/#  federated=1
K-----K
     And then, in the most recent edition, we had mentioned that Boone native and BHS 1961 grad, Jerry Leroy Converse, was to be honored on Veterans Day by having his name added to the ISU Memorial Union Gold Star Hall which honors fallen Iowa Staters, many of whom died in military service in a war zone.
     Jerry, an ISU grad, was killed in 1967 aboard the USS Liberty off the shore of Egypt during the Six-Day war.
     Some of you may have noticed that a huge, complete story about Jerry, including a big picture of him graced the front page of the Veterans Day (Tuesday) edition of the Des Moines Register. The story was titled, "A Proper Tribute," and went into great detail about one of the most controversial attacks in American history.
     Jerry, a tall, 6-6 student with a reputation as a good singer, was an electrical engineering major at ISU.
K-----K
     In a recent edition, we mentioned that  former BHS student, Sharon Patten Cazett, had been seeking a copy of the 1954 Scroll. Jerry Manriquez read about that in the Korner and he reminds all Korner viewers, including Sharon,  that his website contains numerous old yearbooks for BHS, Sacred Heart and Boone Junior College that can be viewed. He also reminds Mike Loehrer that upon receipt of the material, he would be happy to scan and include his, Mike's,  scrapbook on his web site. Mike had earlier indicated he had some information he would like to present for public viewing but didn't known an avenue for that.
Here's Jerry's website....
http://boonesacheart.manriquez.net.
K-----K
     A reminder that tommorrow, Thursday, Jamie Kelley will be appearing on the Great Day program on KCWI-TV in Des Moines at about 8:20 a.m.. He'll be singing some songs and promoting his show to be held this Saturday evening at the BHS auditorium to benefit the Boone Y.
     Any "outsiders," those who can't pull in that Des Moines/Ankeny based TV station, may be able to access his Thursday appearance at....
http://www.kcwi23.com/great-day-show/
     P.S. tickets are still available at Eckstein's or the Boone Y for the Saturday night show. Jo and I will be there. Join us.
K-----K
     We had a quick mention of this in an earlier edition. More details now.
     A Boone teacher, Peggy Watkins, is one of 10 winners of Iowa's 2014 Women of Innovation Awards. The awards were presented by the Technology Association of Iowa last night (Tuesday) in a ceremony at Prairie Meadows Conference Center.
     Peggy received an Academic Innovation and Leadership in Secondary Education award. She's a BHS teacher and has led the development of the virtual reality program at Boone High and Middle School. She has also led a collaboration between entrepreneurs and students on 3-D modeling and animation projects.
     Congratulations Peggy.
     Haven't seen this or, actually, any of today's material in the local newspaper. Keep watching us.
K-----K
     Boone Area deaths: James McGuire, 97, Des Moines. Worked many years at the D.M. Register. Boone area survivor is his daughter, Mary McGuire of Boone..........Blake Hanel, 59, Boone. BHS-73. Was a railroad employee. Boone area survivors include his wife, Kim, and brother-in-law, Brett Vinchattle, his parents, Darrell and Jane Hanel and sister, Diane Olofson all of Boone, his mother and father-in-law, Dixie and Bob Vinchattle and his sister-in-law, Coleen Collen all of Dayton.......Arlene Campbell Brenneman, 86, Iowa City, formerly of Boone. Born here. A longtime employee of the University of Iowa. No Boone area survivors.
K-----K
     Worldwide Korner headquarters are located at 710 Aldrich, Boone, Iowa 50036-4703. Phone number is 515-432-1530. To email your stories/memories/comments/SUPPORT.......
kelleykorner1@gmail.com.



    

   
    
    

Wednesday, November 5, 2014

Hodgepodge

     Whew! It's finally over. The Kornerman doesn't have to continue sending all my money to my favorite candidates to support their ads. Just kidding of course. Anyway, maybe we can now get back to a semblance of a "regular" life without all this excessive bellowing and badgering.
     Everyone has been busy following the election without much time for the poor old Kornerman (boo hoo). We'll just kind of clean house today.......catching up with a few items we haven't had room for previously.
     Thanks to Nancy Bluhm, Larry Kelley and Mike Loehrer for keeping our head above water this time.
K-----K
     Actually, the material received from Nancy Jo is brand new this time and Larry has added some additional news about Jamie's upcoming concert.
     We hadn't heard from the former Nancy Jo Smith, who resides in Pennsylvania, for a time but she tells us even though she hasn't written for awhile, she still does read the Korner faithfully and continues to pass it on to others. She indicated she has been battling some health issues but is feeling better now.
     Nancy enclosed an interesting piece of info. It lists the Boone Senior High and Boone Junior College faculty from way back, probably the 50's. The Kornerman certainly sees some familar names.........Absher, Brunner, Bukoff, Crozier, Devaney, Ealy, Handy, Henry, Fitzgerald, Ick, Linderblood, Markwalder, McCartan, Lovell, Pagel, Peer, Roloff, Slosson, Tillson, Ulferts, Woodard, Thorngren. Well, you get the idea. Very interesting.......some real memory makers.
K-----K
     Here's the latest on the Jamie concert. Thursday, November 13, Jamie and his band will appear on Des Moines TV channel 23, KCWI-TV, at about 8:20 a.m. on the Great Day program.
     Also, Jamie's lead guitar player, Michael Goodman, will be performing a solo acoustic show on Friday night, November 14, in Boone at the Southside Club at about 7 p.m.. Michael does a Johnny Cash impression among other things and there will be karaoke.
     Michael's appearance is just the night before Jamie's big show at the Boone High Auditorium on Saturday night, November 15. Some tickets are still available. A few VIP tickets and other general admission tickets. They can be obtained at Eckstein's and the Boone YMCA.
     This concert is a fundraiser for the YMCA. Jo and I have our tickets.
K-----K
     Noticed that a Boone woman, Samantha Reinsch, placed eighth among all Iowa entrants in the recent New York City Marathon. Her time was 3:43.37......that's three hours folks. Anyway congratulations to Samantha.
K-----K
     Mike Loehrer wrote, "I was a nine year old on the 1955 Giants Little League team and played a special position, anyplace I couldn't get hurt. The K.C. Giants, according to your stats, won the first four L.L. titles, 1955-58. I wish I could locate the L.L. scrapbook I have somewhere. And, I have many things like that I could donate somewhere. When Steve Roeder and Dick Musser turned 60, I mailed the 1963 State Basketball Tournament program to them, had saved them all these years. I, of course, still have one for myself. That's only the beginning of my memorabilia."
K-----K
     Boone Area Deaths: Darlene Wullenwaber, 86, Jefferson, formerly of Boone. BHS-46. Lived in Jefferson 64 years. Boone area survivors include brothers, Melvin, Vern and Marvin all of Boone.......
Stanley Paulson, 66, Des Moines. Services and burial in Ogden............Judy Lynne Stagner, 70, Goodson, MO., formerly of Boone. Worked for the government for 25 years. Had lived in recent years on a  small farm. Her parents were Russell and Beverly LaMoile Muench and her sister, who survives, is LaMoile Muench Jones, BHS-58............Dennis Burkhart, 70, Ogden. OHS-62. Farmed and also worked at Quinn's in Boone. Boone area survivors include a son, Bradley of Ogden and a sister, Nyla Good of Boone...........Jon Kemmerer, 69, Ely, formerly of Boone. BHS-grad. Worked at newspapers, the Cedar Rapids Gazette and BNR...........Helen Olson, 93, Clear Lake, formerly of Boone. She and her husband, Soren, operated a bakery in Boone for a number of years. In retirement, lived in Arkansas and Clear Lake. Boone area survivors include her daughters Audrey Knight of Boone and Susan Knippel of Ames.
K-----K
     Worldwide Korner headquarters are located at 710 Aldrich, Boone, Iowa 50036-4703. Phone number is 515-432-1530. To email your stories/memories/comments.........
kelleyskorner1@gmail.com.
    
K-----K

Saturday, November 1, 2014

Short and Scary

     Our neighbors across the way, Nikki and Tim Mullins, did it again.......an annual and wonderful contribution to our community and it's youngsters. Their Halloween display was as big and scary as ever. The Kornerman has had no report yet on this year's attendance but I understand they had some 700 visits a year ago.
     The Kelley's had their share too........a new record. We had over 100 visits and, of course, we are "easy pickin's" since we are just a couple hundred yards from the BIG display. The traffic around this area grows immensely on Halloween night.
     It's certainly not a drawn out affair. I'm sure their are some measures that can be taken, somewhat, in advance but most of the display is put up throughout THE day. Then, just as quickly, it disappears.
     The Korner congratulates and thanks the Mullins for another great display.
K-----K
     Ross Hanson, Nikki's brother, comes down from Wisconsin to help with the Halloween project and the Kornerman was pleased that Ross took time to knock on our door for a great visit.
     In retirement, he lives where he has lived for several years, in Fond du Lac, although he also has a business with his "significant other" in the Philippines and spends part of his year there requiring several trips back and forth. No, he has no fear of the lengthy flying and yes, many of the far east countries he visits, or at least flies through, are "much like the USA although a few steps behind."
     Ross and Nikki's dad, Mel, who is very well known in our community, especially for his early work with getting the Scenic Valley Railroad underway, is pretty much a full-time resident of Chandler, AZ now.
K-----K
     John Kueck offered, "I heard on the radio that it was today that the first domestic microwave ovens went on sale to the public. American consumers were now able, if they wished, to blow $1,295 (a lot in those days) on the Tappan RL-1, complete with glass shelf and recipe card drawer. Tappan evidently wasn't expecting much of a rush in the shops, they only bothered manufacturing 34 of them. That reminded me that not too long after that, I saw a microwave oven demonstration at Duffy's Appliance store. Rick Barry's mother, Rusty, worked there and Rick and I stopped in to see his mom. They had a new microwave oven they were demonstrating. I remember being amazed that they cooked bacon in 90 seconds."
K-----K
     Sharon Patten Cazett stopped at Larry Kelley's house thinking Larry was the Kornerman. What!! The gist of the visit was that Sharon is interested in obtaining a 1954 Boone High School scroll. She was in seventh grade that year but would like to own a scroll from her time in school.
     Larry wondered if I had any ideas. The library may have a rather complete compilation of scrolls but probably wouldn't release any. The Kornerman hasn't had time to check out the basement (since my accident, I'm not allowed down those stairs) but I may have one, I'm not sure. I was going to Boone Junior College that year, my first after graduating from BHS in 1953.
K-----K
     Boone Area Deaths: Richard Nichols, 77, rural Boone. Grew up in Colorado. Was a farm hand in Marshall County and worked at Kiowa Foundry in Marshalltown starting in 1956. In 1964, purchased land in Boone County. Farmed and also worked at Quinn's, for Hallett Construction and did deliveries for Boyd's Dairy. At it's peak, his Steep N' Deep ranch was home to up to 200 head of Angus cattle as well as several horses. Boone area survivor is a daughter, Jacki Moore of rural Boone.
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     Worldwide Korner headquarters are located at 710 Aldrich, Boone, Iowa 50036-4703. Phone number is 515-432-1530. To email your stories/memories/comments...........
kelleyskorner1@gmail.com.
    

Wednesday, October 29, 2014

The Kornerman Loves to Help

     The Kornerman is always happy to bring old friends or acquaintances together or information about them after an absence and that has happened three times in recent days.
     Received a call from Don Mueller up in West Union. Don was interested in the whereabouts of a former Boone neighbor, Patty Donovan, and we were able to provide a Tulsa, OK. address. Then, Darrell and Jane Hanel mentioned they had lost track of Kenny Sundall and we provided Kenny's , Cedar Rapids address. Finally, Larry Kelley was wondering, "whatever happened to Wes Nielson, who worked at KWBG when you (the Kornerman) and I did? Also, who was our station manager at that time?"
     The Hanel's also reported that the Boone Golf and Country Club had a pro golfer on site in the 1950's. His name was Andy Moscery. He did the usual pro things, giving lessons and running tournaments and eventually married Mary Jane Ackerman of Boone.  The Hanel's said Moscery was here for certain about 1957 and maybe a few years before and after. Andy and Mary Jane eventually moved to Florida.
     Billie Ackerman was a classmate of mine, BHS-53, and a good athlete who later became a teacher and coach. He and his wife attended one of our monthly class meetings several months ago. They reside in the Des Moines metro area. Both of his parents were outstanding Boone golfers.
     Larry wrote, "I remember Wes living in a little house kind of set back in the yard over on the southwest side of town and his little sports car."
     The Kornerman replied that I remember when Wes left Boone and, eventually, was the operator of Colorado Feed and Grain restaurant in Des Moines. He is now deceased. Regarding the station managers, I think it was either Dick Johnson, Vic Sayer or Ken Kilmer in those days.
     Larry replied, "I worked for Ken Kilmer and liked him a lot. Kilmer asked me to buy into the station once but personal things happened that kept me from doing so. Wish I had though. I worked with Mike Pace, Lowell Heffelfinger (he went by the last name Ellis), Mark Campbell, Dennis Borwick but I can't remember the program director or manager back when the Garvey's owned the station and the BNR. You know, the "Good Ole Days."
     Adding to the "Good Ole Days," good old KWBG buddy Tom Quinlan, who was an early mentor of mine, along with Rollie Peterson, is still in Perry and just celebrated another birthday a week or so ago. He's in his ninety's and not only guided me but was also instrumental in the success of Van Harden and Steve Locker of WHO radio (Van and Bonnie) and many others who benefitted from his teaching.
     That also reminds me that another great friend who was very important in the early life of wife Jo, Rose Hall, has an 89th birthday on Friday. Rose was one of Jo's teacher/coaches at Dayton High way back and, of course, she eventually spent many years guiding Boone students too. Her address is 232 South Boone if you wish to forward thanks and/or congratulations.
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     Tom Peterson, who spent a hour or so with the Kornerman last week, sent an interesting newspaper clipping the other day.  It told that the Boone Little League program was organized in 1955 with a four-team league playing games at the McHose Park diamond. Cecil Malcom, Rev. Robert Stabenow, Dale Ray and Ray Chance were the team managers and the Cubs and Giants tied for the league championship with 11-7 records.
     In 1956, the Giants  won the title with a 15-3 mark and the all-star players were Tom Helzer, Rick Barry, Steve Hilts, Ed Blaess, Denny Askvig, Tom McGriff, Joe Geyman, Arlyn Lindahl, Joe Reedholm, Roger McCoy, Roger Dutton, Max Highland, Steve Miller and Raeford Bell.
     In 1957, the Giants were winners at 16-4 and the all-star roster included Terry Sparks, Rick Metcalf, Brett Downey, Rick Barry, Mike Loehrer, John Bush, Marv Dutton, Roger Dutton, Jim Caldwell, Denny Adreon, Denny Ellenwood, LeRoy Clabaugh, Ron Mills, Ron Keller and Steve Duffy.
    In 1965, the Braves were the winner and the all-star players were Rick Fontanini, Rick Atherton, Tom Price, Barry Cory, Jay Nelson, Spike Davis, Mark Johnson, Brian Walker, Kim Rinehart, Terry Harris, Larry Harris, Denny Richards, Jim Whitmer, Jim McVicker and Merrill Tam.
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     Boone Area Deaths: Jackie Siders, 85, Boone. BHS-47. Was a day care provider and worked in the dietary department of the Eastern Star Home. Boone area survivors include son Dan, daughters Shellie and Jill Siders and sister-in-law Eileen Siders.........John Crandell, 56, Manning, IA. Formerly of Boone. BHS-77. Worked many years at Quinn's in Boone. Boone area survivors include a brother Allan and sister April Franksain of Boone.........Ruth Anderson Ott, 86, Boxholm. Born in Boone and attended Boone schools. She and her husband, Leo, farmed. Then, she worked at Rueben Lundberg Implement in Dayton and Kelly Insurance in Fort Dodge. Boone area survivors include daughter Veva Teeters of Ogden..........Jay Mallas, 86, Boone.
     There has been no Boone media report of this but, apparently, former Boone resident, Bobby Reedholm recently passed away in California.
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     Worldwide Korner headquarters are located at 710 Aldrich, Boone, Iowa 50036-4703. Phone number is 515-432-1530 and to email your stories/memories/comments/SUPPORT........
kelleyskorner1@gmail.com.
    


Saturday, October 25, 2014

They'll Be Back

     Word just received from Ross Hanson who lives in Fond du Lac, WI.
     Again this year, that fabulous Halloween extravaganza will be alive (after a fashion) and well in the Kelley neighborhood.......around Aldrich and South Greene.
     Ross wrote, "I talked with my sister, Nikki Mullins, and Nikki and Tim, her husband, are getting ready for another fun night next Friday, Oct. 31, with their annual Halloween display which will feature several new, scary additions. I plan on coming down Tuesday to help Tim with setting up. I'm praying he doesn't break his arm again like last year."
     The Kornerman says the Mullins really go all out for the kids of the community with this terrific display.......and it's lots of work. They do it in a quick and orderly fashion. Will get it up for Friday and by Saturday morning, it will be "put away" for another year.
     The display is quite an attraction and then many of the youngsters who come to see it, drift a couple hundred yards eastward and knock on our door. We've got the candy ready.
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     Danna Kelly was a great Toreador athlete in several sports with a heavy emphasis on the running events.........and she's still at it. After her outstanding high school and collegiate career as a standout runner, she still has that competitive urge.
     Des Moines hosted it's annual marathon events last week and in the half marathon, Danna Kelly Herrick placed third overall while winning the 25-29 year old championship.
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     Had great fun a week ago this morn. Was invited out to the BHS/Sacred Heart class of 1959 reunion at the Scout Cabin in McHose Park.
     First, let me say that I hadn't been at that cabin for quite some time and it was certainly a great fit, a very nice facility for such a gathering.
     It was wonderful to see my host Steve Shaler, along with others such as Chuck McGriff, Larry Ford, Jim Moore, Tim Croxen and various other out-of-towners who I don't see very often. Of course, the ladies of  the class were well represented too. And,  about the time I was departing, one of their ex-teachers/coaches, Chuck Lovin, was appearing.
     Speaking of former Toreador student/athletes, Tom Peterson was in touch this week and wanted to know if the Kornerman would be available this very morning for a visit. Tom is a computer guru for the University of Northern Iowa and I'm  looking forward to our get together to review old times, true or not.
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     Larry Kelley sent some Jimmy Archer Field memories. He wrote, "I went by the site of the old Jimmy Archer Field and the slab where the press box stood was still there and I went out and stood where I used to pitch. Jack Mustapha and I used to "duel" in our neighborhood, pitching against each other. I should have continued with baseball as I recall going 19 wins and only one loss when I was 12 years old. We all loved baseball and those neighborhood games created such great memories. Gone all too soon like the song says, "Where's that Time Machine When we Need One?" I also would go back to the old KWBG days. I remember my first day on the air sitting in for Wes Nielson and doing Tops in Pops. Remember that program? I made the dumbest statement for my first open mic attempt. Dial Your Neighbor with Mr. Mo Kelley. Great program and you handled it so professionally."
     P.S. Larry informs that with Jamie's hometown show coming in just a few weeks (Nov. 15), he's been invited to appear on the "Great Day" television program on KCWI-TV Nov. 13 at 8 a.m. and will be on KWBG with Makala Brinkley of the Boone YMCA on Nov. 5 from 8:50 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. talking about the coming concert.
     You may have noticed in the BNR that one of Jamie's original songs, "Perfect Day to Say Goodbye" starts off a short film making it's debut in Hollywood the first part of November. The film was produced and written by Wes Worthing of Boone.
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     Boone Area Deaths:  Roger King, 64, Boone. OHS-68. Worked at Ogden Building Materials, was a National Guardsman and was a Supervisor/Animal Caretaker at ISU for many years. Boone area survivors include his wife, Deborah, of rural Boone, sons Roger and Mathew and daughter Melinda, mother, JoAnn, mother-in-law Sharon Wisecup and sister-in-law Jody Wisecup all of Boone..............
Emma Easton, 75, Sioux City who was born in Boone.
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     Worldwide Korner headquarters are located at 710 Aldrich, Boone, Iowa 50036-4703. Phone number is 515-432-1530. To email your stories/memories/comments/support.......
kelleyskorner1@gmail.com.


Wednesday, October 22, 2014

BEWARE!

     Yes, beware, all of you who have already departed or are soon planning to leave our beautiful community to various places of despair. The old Kornerman is about to pull your chain a bit.
     We noticed just this morn a note in the D.M. Register titled, "Retirement rankings: Hawaii 1st, IOWA SECOND."
     MoneyRates com. tracks certificate of deposit and savings rates and other financial information. The rating is based on five factors: economics, including taxes and cost of living, crime rates, weather, senior life expectancy and the size and growth of a state's senior population and Iowa rated "well above average in four out of five," scoring highest in the crime category, for it's low property and violent crime rates.
     To be fair, I suppose we need to mention that Kiplinger's says Iowa is not tax friendly for retirees because the state "taxes a considerable amount of retirement income and doesn't offer a low sales-tax rate or other tax trade-offs to make up for it." The Register story also says, "high property tax rates have  hurt the state in such rankings but the state has won points for it's low cost of living and for not taxing Social Security benefits."
     AND, is there a prettier place on the planet than Boone, Iowa at this time of year?  I hope you've checked out the Ledges, Linwood Park and etc.
     O.K., call me an unabashed, shameless, unapologetic cheerleader for Iowa and particularly Boone, Iowa. Always have been, always will be.
     P.S. You're not given credit for retiring here if you are galivanting around other parts of the country for several months each year. We tough people are here, "all the time."
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     In a most recent edition, we were lamenting the fact that some of the material Gretchen has gathered and the Kornerman has gathered in our respective lives may eventually reach it's zenith with nobody willing to retain or continue.
     Larry Kelley wondered about such info being contained in a book. He wrote, "I think it would be a very important part of the history of life in Boone. Being a very nostalgic person that I am, the past means a great deal to me."
     We're just three weeks away from Jamie Kelley's big Boone show at the high school auditorium and Larry informs us that a young Boone boy is getting the opportunity of a lifetime. He wrote, "14-year old Hawk McIntyre will get a chance to do a couple of songs at the show."
     The show will be held November 15 and, in addition to Jamie and Hawk, the show will include the Keith Sisters, Holly and Hilary from Branson, and Jamie's band, the Heart and Soul Band. A few VIP reserved seats are available but most tickets are general admission and general seating. Buy before November 14 and save $5 off the regular door fee of $25. Tickets are available at Eckstein's or the Boone YMCA.
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     Dorothy Clifton's note last time provided a good memory. She talked about the K.C. dances and athletes not being allowed to attend because those dances were on Thursday night, the night before the Friday night games. That was the coaches rule.
     Of course, smoking and drinking were, obviously, banned and, in those days, drugs were hardly mentioned. To an extreme, I read recently of some high school coaches, back in those days, even putting their stamp on what was proper to eat and what shouldn't be consumed. Candy and pop might be off limits.
     Things are and always have been different for college athletes as compared to high school competitors and I'll never forget being a member of a winless Boone Junior College basketball team in the mid-50's. Our coach was Elmer Hokanson......a great guy who enjoyed a good laugh as much as the next guy. One day, in his locker room spiel, he concluded with something like this...."Fellows, I know you are adults now and I'm not going to judge your seasonal behavior but the maintenance people are complaining. Please quit leaving your cigarette butts on the locker room floor."
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     Boone Area Deaths: Erma Lester, 97, Ogden...........Roger King, 64, rural Boone...........Ruth Ott, 86, Boxholm..........Robert (Bob) Thompson, 63, Ames. Raised in Grand Junction area. East Greene High grad. Worked for the Governor's Traffic/Safety Bureau over 20 years. Married Susan Aitken of Boone in 1978. Lived in Ames and Story County.
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     Worldwide Korner headquarters are located at 710 Aldrich, Boone, Iowa 50036-4703. Phone number is 515-432-1530. To email your stories/memories/comments/support......
kelleyskorner1@gmail.com.
     
    

Saturday, October 18, 2014

Such Fun

     Great to hear from Dorothy Clifton this week with some comments about the old K.C. dances AND the fact that the Toreador basketball players were banned from attending because the dances were on a Thursday night, the night before a game. That brings to mind some other "rules" which athletes were expected to adhere to in those days. Hey, maybe some of these pro and college athletes we read about every day in the news these days should have similar "codes of conduct."
     Dorothy wrote, "years ago, and I do mean years ago, I remember we had K.C. dances on Thursday night and the cost to enter was 10 cents. A priest would be there to watch over us and the football and basketball players were never allowed to attend because their games were on Friday night. I remember, as I went with Pinky Clifton at the time and coach Bucky O'Conner never allowed his team to join in the fun. We always looked forward to these dances and, in those days, we weren't in a lot of trouble like you hear about today. The music was from records and I imagine there were some students who brought their favorite records for us to dance too. I can't remember the exact location, but it was upstairs in the middle of the block on Story Street between Eighth and Ninth on the East side, not too far from where the movie theatre is. Sorry to be so vague about the location or the priest's name but I do remember looking forward to the dances. I really look forward to your news every week too, as others have written and thanked you. You do a great job Mo. Thanks for the memories. I hope others can fill in the gaps on the K.C. dances."
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     Classmate Margaret Kooser also checked in this week. She wrote, "with all the Redeker news, I didn't realize they were planning a move. Since relatives Bill Curell and his son, Jim, had been a part of the store for some time, it came as a surprise. Don't get much news about Boone happenings other than your blog, so I too, like my sister-in-law Lou Oxenford, am sorry when your feedback is not enough to do your blog. After sort of retiring last July, I moved to Western Colorado with my niece Deb and her husband Rick. We have been checking Grand Junction, CO where my nephew lives. Then Deb saw a notice in the paper that they were looking for a certain qualified person at the Caterpillar location in Grand Junction. Rick went in and they were very receptive towards him and it only took about a week to say "welcome." Now, we will be moving from Silt, CO. to Grand Junction before the end of the month. I will once again be a bookkeeper for another venture Rick has in the works. Just keep the numbers rolling! As the summer rec programs were mentioned, that is how my sis, Marilee, and Bill Curell got together. I think they were at the old Franklin school, but would not bet on the location. I was playing a pickup game of softball one day and got hit square in the nose. Turned the playground red that day. Bill's mother was also one of the long standing telephone operators in Boone. Guess family ties keep me grounded to a lot of Boone activities. Hope the class of '53 will be meeting again next year, but I could possibly drop in sooner. Also, hope this is the last move I make. I've done too much of it the last 30 years."
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     The Kornerman had mentioned having some historical material on BHS sports activities and not knowing what to do with it so it simply wouldn't pass away after I pass away. It's been a lot of work over a long period of time such as  tracking down every Toreador football game from the very start in the late 1800's. Every opponent, every score and where the game was played. Same thing with swimming and other sports activities.
     I won't be around forever and I'd like to pass this type of material on to someone who would, at least, protect it if not add to it.
     John Kueck is such a great contributor and he wrote this week with some ideas such as the library, historical society, the Boone News, someplace for a public viewing or, of course, the school itself. In that latter regard, he wrote, "maybe it could be a project for students to create an archive in the school, maybe the cheer leaders or some similar group could take it on at the first of the school year as a project."
     To be honest, the material just covers the beginning, way back,  to about 1971 when I left newspaper work to join the IHSAA. So, recent years are missing. By the way, quite some time ago, I did leave a complete copy of everything I had to the school's athletic department. I have no idea if it is still available there or ??. If so, if it is still available there, I guess I should stop worrying about it..........
     Thanks to John for the ideas and also the interesting maps he sent......maps that show where major league baseball and NFL fan support exists for each league team.
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     I don't believe I know Peggy Watkins but congratulations anyway. I noted in the D.M. Register that she is from Boone and a finalist for a Women of Innovation Award. Her category is Academic Innovation and Leadership,  Secondary.
     A total of 45 female entrepreneurs, academics and others have been nominated in the Technology Association of Iowa's seventh annual Women of Innovation awards. Winners will be announced November 11.
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     Boone Area Deaths: Laura Samuelson, 103, Stanhope. Born on the family farm near Boxholm. BHS-29. Became a registered nurse. Was married in Boone. The family farmed in the Stanhope area.
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     Worldwide Korner headquarters are located at 710 Aldrich, Boone, Iowa 50036-4703. Phone number is 515-432-1530. To email your stories/memories/comments/support.......
kelleyskorner1@gmail.com.


Saturday, October 11, 2014

A Plethora of Topics

     Talk about bypassing all the fluff and getting right to the point, Mark Tompkins wrote, "I have nothing to report, but wanted you to know that I'm always disappointed when I click on the Korner and find there is no update."
      Then there was Lou Oxenford who wrote, "Mo. What has happened? I can't find you on the internet. You haven't quit have you? We all hope that isn't the reason I can't find you!!!. This is Wednesday and I'm lost without your great articles. Please tell us you're O.K. and will be back again soon."
     The Kornerman replied to Lou that I'm "still kickin" maybe not so high some days but...... I think with a little advice, we got Lou back on track.
     In both cases, let me say that nobody is more disappointed when we have to bypass publication days because of a lack of material than the old Kornerman. I don't like that either......not one bit BUT again, it all depends on you......you viewers out there in Kornerland. We simply don't exist without your help..........you know, stories/memories/comments/support........as we always say.
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     Mark added, "Meanwhile, you mentioned telephone operators back in the day. That could be a springboard to party lines. Certainly some Korner readers must have some interesting and mirthful tales of party lines."
     Sorry Mark, we did throw out that bait......but nobody grabbed the hook.
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     The Kornerman had an opportunity to "hook up" with Bob Lamb, BHS-42, this week and had an interesting conversation about some good old days of the late 30's, early 40's.
     Bob tried different sports in high school but was most successful in swimming. He was a sophomore in the 1939-40 school year and graduated at the end of the 41-42 school year. Now living in the Dayton, OH area, Bob said, "actually our swim coaches were a pair of junior college students, Bob Cramer (not the Bob of Fareway etc. of course) and Ed Updegraff, followed by Jan Harken Welin. I tried football in my sophomore season when Wayne Hill was the varsity coach and his assistant was Bucky O'Conner. I wasn't very good, had a helmet with no strap and a second or third team uniform. I tackled John Handley once, my helmet flew and his knee hit my ear which resulted in a broken ear drum. It's kind of ironic that I saw Bucky O'Conner twice while in the service. I saw him when he was teaching physical education at Jefferson Barracks and then on a ship, on the way home from Japan, I heard his name mentioned and we got together. One of the first things he asked was, "how is your ear drum.""
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     The Kornerman must mention how great it's been recently to "vibe and jive" with a pair of good friends, Mike Loehrer and Roger Dutton. Mike had called from his home base, Dublin, OH, a few weeks back and wanted to visit with the old Kornerman when coming to Boone and Roger just called the other day wondering how the "old guy" was getting along.
     P.S. Many of you know Roger has a serious health problem that needs correcting but he still hasn't had that surgery which will be a tedious and dangerous one. He said, "I'm ready but the doctors are just waiting for the "right moment." He sounded good and, in fact, had just returned from a vacation overseas.
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     This goes back several editions. Gretchen (Otis of course) wrote, "you wrote about Skateland and Winona (Starner) Mylenbusch Decker. When Charles Decker passed away, Nony moved to Ames to be closer to a son. I talked to her this year when I was researching "Skaters Paradise," a roller rink located outside of the east gate of the Ledges back in the late 1930's. The rink was built by the Rice brothers from western Iowa and Nebraska. It burned down on Christmas eve of 1942. I haven't found any printed information on this rink or on the fire. It did not have an organ but just used recorded music. Darlene Lincoln, BHS-40, provided some information and some pictures. Her father, Orrie Clark of Boone, was the rink manager and she was the "skate girl.""
     P.S.: Gretchen, who has some health issues, is doubly worried. She wrote, "I've enjoyed keeping track of the BHS/Sacred Heart classes over the years and assisting surrounding schools but I have no idea what will become of all the information I've gathered. So far, no one has shown any interest in housing it or continuing this project. Any ideas???"
     The Kornerman says, "she's put a ton of time and work into this project and it would be a shame to see it deteriorate or completely die. It contains a lot of history, validity etc. etc. but needs a younger person to grab it and continue what Gretchen has put her heart and soul into for so many years."
     P.S. 2: Reminds me of the Kornerman's similar situation. I'm, of course, not getting any younger either and I have considerable information about BHS athletics that I have gathered over a 65-year period and am wondering how to keep that from simply "passing away."
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     The time is drawing near. The BHS/Sacred Heart classes of 1959 will be meeting next weekend in Boone for their 55th gathering. There will be a breakfast at the Scout Cabin Shelter House in McHose Park Saturday morning and a get-together at the home of the Munson's, Emily and Alan, in Ames that evening. As far as the Kornerman knows, this is probably the last class reunion of the year.
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     Boone Area Deaths: Carl Steig, 81, Fort Dodge, formerly of Boone. Carl was an industrial arts teacher at BHS and while in Boone, built his own home here. No Boone area survivors........................
Marvin (Bud) Walters, 87, Ackley/Boone. Boone area survivors include his wife, Jean, and daughter, Vicky Van Dyke...........James Obrecht, 78, Ames. Was a pharmacist in Ames and Huxley. Boone area survivor is his wife, Judirae Hendricks Harris Obrecht, a Boone native..........Iola Doty, 81, Ames, formerly of Stratford, Was a homemaker and worked as a CNA at hospitals. Boone area survivors include daughters Janice Albracht of Woodward and Joyce Bricker of Stratford...........Susan Marie Morris, 58, Minnesota, formerly of Boone. BHS-73. Was a vocal music teacher and worked in libraries. No Boone area survivors..........Jerry Mackey, 83, Illinois, formerly of Boone. Was a lawyer/banker........Wilma May Miller, 79, Luther High grad. Born in Sugar Valley, west of Luther. Worked several years at Woodward Hospital. Then worked at ISU. Boone area survivors include a step-son, Bob Miller of Woodward, a brother, Dan Danielson of Madrid,  sisters Maxine Anderson and Mildred (Judy) Peterson of Madrid.
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     Worldwide Korner headquarters are located at 710 Aldrich, Boone, Iowa 50036-4703. Phone number is 515-432-1530. To email your stories/memories/comments/support.......
kelleyskorner1@gmail.com.