What's Our Purpose?

     The Kornerman has often pondered, "with the Korner, what are we attempting to do? What is our real purpose?"
     With the local media situation being what it is.......there are limited opportunities for updates on Boone connected deaths and we, at least twice a week, try to fill in some of those holes, to especially keep those out-of-state viewers informed. That would seem to be a plus.
     But then, this week, we realized what our main purpose really must be.
     It began with a phone call from someone I was not familiar with and evolved into what I think is a great explanation as to what we are "attempting to do."
     Here's the story: Larry Thompson, BHS-71, was calling from Colo, IA. He said, "I grew up in Boone but left town for good in 1978-79. I do read your blog and saw the list of former Boone News Republican employees you had worked with. My dad, George Thompson, worked at the BNR in the 50's and 60's and, perhaps, you two didn't work there at the same time. George Gibson was the shop foreman and I remember Kenny Burke serving as the town Santa Claus for many years. My dad, 93 years old, and I looked over that list together and its safe to say, he experienced lots of memories of those long ago "good old days". We thank you.""
     The Kornerman says, "maybe I'm overstating a bit, I don't know. But, a simple list of familiar names provided some memories, maybe a smile or two for, or maybe even a tear from a 93-year old for a moment or more during what may be some long days. Thinking about it, it came to me that just maybe that's why we do this crazy thing twice a week. An effort to, somehow, make a difference for someone."
     P.S. Son Larry wasn't bashful. He said he's mostly sold cars during his career........with Vogler-Nieman in the early 70's, then Willey-Clemons when they came to town and finally, 38 years with Ron Willey, mostly in Nevada. He added, "I wasn't into sports or anything in school really and I never got into any serious trouble but I imagine the Boone police didn't mind the fact that I had left town."
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     The mention of George Thompson and the BNR got me to thinking of another name to add to the BNR list. I remember a Rusty.......was it Johnson or Thompson.......had light, rust-colored hair? Then too, I thought of another name to add to the KWBG list......Bob Sharp, an always Boone boy, was an announcer there for a time.
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     There's a comedian, Aaron Wilburn, from down south, who claims, "you can say or do anything you want to whether its true or not, nasty or not, and get away with it simply by concluding, "bless his heart, bless her heart or bless their heart." He claims, at least down south, that reprieves almost anything.
     Well, the Kornerman is hoping I will be accorded that "reprieve" for a pair of recent errors pointed out by Larry Adams, BHS-65, and John Hinz, BHS-64, and added to by John Kueck, BHS-61.
     Larry correctly said that the late David Crandell was in the BHS class of 1965, not 1962, and John Hinz didn't think Jerry Converse was a 1964 BHS grad. Correct, he was a 1961 grad.
     Bless my heart.
     Then, we do have a bit of a controversy regarding another item. In our story about the late Jerry Converse, his 6-7 height, was mentioned. Hinz and Kueck both question that.
     Hinz wrote, "in the later class of 64', we had two 6-6 guys, Steve Mathis and Jim Fecht. John Hendricks and Pat Ahlstrom were 6-3 or 6-4. Out secret "inside" weapon in basketball was Mike Bennett who was shorter, but could dunk from anywhere on the floor and once shattered a backboard in a game. The tallest Boone basketball player after our class was 6-7 Brian Larson, BHS-66, who later starred at Grandview College." Kueck added, "Jerry was tall but no taller than my friend Doug Gustafson, BHS-61, who I think was 6-5. I think I know because I was in Jerry's car pool to Iowa State for several years."
     The Kornerman answers, "I would assume the Iowa State University News Service is a viable news organization and I simply reported what they said in their news release as follows: "after graduating from BHS in the spring of 1961, Converse, attended Iowa State. By that time, he had grown quite tall, nearly 6-7, and although he had  never played sports, the ISU basketball team wanted him to join. The coach even made personal visits to the Converse household to try and recruit  him but he resisted."
     Now, let me add this, the release does say, "ISU has been able to memorialize Jerry with the help of and materials from his brother, Alan Converse, of Gilbert, AZ.
     ???
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     Regarding the latest Korner quiz, Mike Loehrer, BHS-64, reported, "one of the hair care companies that started up in Boone was Trev. It was owned by a guy with the name Vert and his building was on Eighth Street across from the old YMCA."
     Tom Canfield, BHS-53, added, "Fitch Shampoo. I can still sing the jingle. Rose's Hair Restorer, conditioner or something like that."
     The question was, "there were two well-known hair care product companies in the 1950's that started up in Boone. What were their names and location?"
     The Kornerman will probably provide the complete answer in the Saturday edition.
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     Congratulations to current Toreador athlete, Mason Hulse. He was recently named the class 3-A First Team All-State Quarterback. He's the first BHS quarterback to receive such an honor since Mike Harris was selected in 1966.
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     The Kornerman is sorry to report the recent death of Michael Byriel, 65, of Grinnell, who passed away December 3. Services were held in Grinnell December 9.
     Michael, BHS-70, opened Michael's Italian Kitchen restaurant in 1988 and, along with his family, had operated  it for 30 years. A U.S. Navy vet, survivors include his wife, Charmaine Fraulini Byriel, BHS-70, of Grinnell as well as a daughter, Cara Kenkel, of Grinnell. Other survivors include his father, Glenn Byriel, and brothers, Brian, BHS-73, and Perry, BHS-81, all of Boone as well as a brother, Rick, BHS-76, of Urbandale. His mother, Donna Byriel, preceded him in death.
     BOONE CONNECTED DEATHS: Ival Sellers Sinn, 93, Boone. BHS-42. She worked for the FBI  in Washington, D.C. during World War II. There are no Boone area survivors.
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     Worldwide Korner headquarters are located at 928 South Jackson Street, Boone, Iowa 50036-4932. Phone number is still 515-432-1530 and we still don't answer unless we recognize the name/number. Leave a message and we'll get back to you. To email your stories/memories/comments/SUPPORT.........kelleyskorner1@gmail.com.