No Answer

     You'll recall that in the most recent edition, Greg Moore, BHS-84, told us that there is still a phone booth located in downtown Boone..........although there is no phone available.......you'd have to use your cell phone from the location. The question posed was, "what is that phone booth's location?"
     The Korner had very little response. Kim Ohge simply stated, "this is a wild guess, but how about at the City Hall/Fire Station area?"
     By the way, the Kornerman is certain to say, unless told otherwise, that Greg Moore is the Korner's youngest viewer and we're very happy to have him along.  Thanks Greg.
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    At least a couple surprises this week. Received a phone call from my old partner/mentor, Tom Quinlan. T.Q., as he was known in our radio days together on KWBG, lives in assisted living in Perry and has been a Perry resident for many years after owning and operating KDLS radio there. He's 90 years young now and sounded very strong during our conversation.
     When KWBG began operations in the early 1950's, he was an original staff member. Beginning in my senior year at BHS, 1953, and during my two years at Boone Junior College, the Kornerman had an opportunity to do some work at the station. That was followed by two years of military service and when my discharge date approached in 1958, Tom contacted me with an offer of $85 a week to return to the station when I was free. That fully launched my radio career.
     Tom was a terrific mentor. I have so many memories of receiving his advice on a variety of subjects including, of course, the radio work. One such instance pops in my mind. I was doing the news one day and said so-and-so had been indicted (I said in-dick-ted.) Tom quickly instructed that I should have reported that he was in-digh-ted. Then, of course, there was the infamous time one evening when a commercial for White's Dress was the sponsor for a newscast. One of us was giving the news and the other was  reading the commercial. White's was promoting a half-off bra sale and the result, for some reason, was a lot of giggling, enough so that the "live" microphone was quickly passed from one to another..........several times during a short, five-minute segment. Neither one of us wanted to be "on the air" during that time of unwanted hilarity.
     Tom was always very fond of  big band music and I'm sure that's why I developed a similar devotion to the sounds of the 40's and 50's. One reason he called this week was that he said he had a VCR of some of the works of Les Brown's band, the Elgart brothers, Ray Anthony and others that he wanted me to have. I assured him I would travel to Perry sometime in the near future to fulfill his wish.
     I'm certainly not the only guy he tutored along the way. One of the most notable is Van Harden, the early morning "Van and Bonnie" guy on WHO radio. When he was a young guy, Van spent time with Tom at the Perry station.
     The second surprise occurred one morning at McDonald's when a female voice said, "Mo Kelley, so nice to see you." She introduced herself as Marilyn Pestotnik Monson, BHS-63. She lives in LaCrosse, WI and was here to visit her sister, Barb Pestotnik Bravard, BHS-61. The Kornerman remembers a brother, Tom Pestotnik, BHS-58, was another part of the Pestotnik family. It was nice to be recognized and Marilyn and I had a nice visit.
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     A few Bits and Pieces: (1) I read that a Jessie Sindlinger finished second in the recent Iowa Women's Amateur golf tourney. She was listed as being from Charles City so I'm sure that's a grand daughter of former Boone residents, Mike, BHS-62, and Sharon Cook Sindlinger, BHS-62, who have lived in Charles City for quite some time after leaving the city beautiful. It's been an athletic family. Mike and Sharon were good Toreadors and their son, Mark, Jessie's dad, was the starting center on an Iowa Hawkeye football team that was Big 10 champion and Rose Bowl participant in the early 1980's. Mark was also a two-time Big Ten wrestling champion.
     (2)  The NAPA auto parts store in Boone has closed and the longtime Boone VFW post #817 has downsized. Due to declining enrollment, the VFW canteen will no longer be open from Monday through Thursday. It will be open Saturday and Sunday only from 4 to 10 p.m. but the VFW still plans to have their occasional "feeds." Their first serving will occur on August 21st when grilled Iowa chops will be the main fare.
     (3) The BHS class of 1955 had their 60th reunion here recently. A picture of the attendees appeared in the Ames/Boone BNR and the Kornerman recognized several of them. They had an excellent turnout. I counted 47 in the pictures. I know the class of 1950 has a reunion coming up September 19.
     (4) Vern Modeland, BHS-50, is concerned about the Korner's "future." He wrote, "you have made a hard copy or some other way that won't fall into the technology trap, of all the Kelley blog copy since day 1, I hope. It would be a pity not to save so many great memories that make/made our town and likely have fallen through all the other commercial and special-interest traps that exist."
     The Kornerman answers, "yup, I do have hard copies of every issue since we started. I can't promise what will ever happen to them. Right now, they're scattered around the basement."
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     Boone Connected Deaths: Myrna Harrison, 99, Boone. Stratford High-35. Was a cook at two schools and helped with the RSVP Foster Grandparents program. A Boone survivor is Sharon Mallicoat, a daughter...........Sherry Day, 61, Boone. Attended DMACC here. Worked for Head Start in Boone for nine years. Boone survivors include her husband, Bill Day Sr. and a son, James Day both of Boone..............Janice Jean Swanson, 79. Worked at Archway, Bourn's, Ledges Manor, DMACC and Boone High School...........Marcia Lundberg Rosenquist, 89, Dayton. Moved from a farm into Pilot Mound and was a Pilot Mound High graduate.
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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/comment/SUPPORT (We're trying to hang on)............kelleyskorner1@gmail.com.