JUST NOT THE SAME

       I'm so sorry.......but I don't like it.

       Maybe I'm in a whiney stage but, in most cases, I declare I simply don't like most substitutes.

       There, I've said it and I'm glad.

        BUT WAIT.......just like you and you and you, I, myself, have been a substitute. Whether it was on my eighth grade basketball team, becoming chairman of the Boone County United Way board or replacing two of the best speakers this state has ever known, I, was a substitute, a replacement.

         Oh goodie, I've been looking for a way to use that word, oxymoron, sometime and this must be it. 

        There were various other sports teams along the way that forced me to "wait my turn." Then, one year when the REAL United Way head man's illness forced a change, being number two, I was the "next in line."  Most notable of all, I guess, were two different times when it was my obligation to fill in for two of Iowa's most renowned speakers......my old boss Bernie Saggau and the revered Jim Duncan, best known for his brilliance as the Drake Relays announcer. I know, filling in for greatness, isn't always easy but is oftentimes required.

         BREAKING NEWS......has anyone noticed Iowa's Caitlyn Clark has been in the news lately?? Oh my gosh. What has happened to important stuff like high gas prices or the attacks on ICE and that war thing involving Iran? All have been overshadowed by an Iowa girl's inherited throat problem.

         Back to my original thought. Here's the gist of my complaint. It really bothers me to have five days (usually) of good television news, sports and weather reporting, followed by a weekend or holiday of ...........substitutes. Its just not the same and I realize we all need a break on occasion. While we're at it, how about the times when the "normal" TV schedule is turned upside down by some replacement brouhaha.

         But, there's more. Blue Bunny has discontinued one of my favorite ice cream flavors, butter brickle and I can't find a good enough substitute. Then there's Boyd's malts, the Eighth Street coneys and the Lincoln Restaurant's fried chicken. They can never be adequately replaced. Good luck finding an equal substitute. Surely some number "2s" are lurking and hoping,.

         The other day, at a local establishment, I was waited on by a young man wearing a very colorful shirt with four-inch high "DORS" staring at me. Yup.....a poor replacement for the much more classy Toreadors. I tried, but it was hard to ignore. I love my town and my school and all its teams but I still don't care for this particular "substitute."

          Finally there's this.........a feeling of great sadness for Jeri Ann Ritter, WHO-TV, and Janice Dean, Fox News. Both are television meteorologists and both have been diagnosed with similar life-altering illnesses, Jeri Ann with ALS and Janice with MS. The illnesses have forced early retirements for both, who have served their constituents for 20 years plus. Numerous replacements are  there to choose from and some will be very good I'm sure, but that special "something" will be missing.

         C'mon now, admit it. Surely I'm not the only one. We've all seen "both sides".....there's that oxymoron thing again..... and have our varied opinions about these "things."

         Come to think of it......maybe this one-time substitute, the old Kornerman, can thank my lucky stars for the many opportunities I've been given in my lifetime to reach for better and higher opportunities. I'm extremely thankful.

K-----K

        Worldwide Korner headquarters are still located at 928 South Jackson, Boone, Iowa 50036-4932. Phone number is 515-432-1530. Leave a message. To email your stories/memories/comments/death notices......https://kelleyskorner1@blogspot.com. 

 

          

 

          

 

 

          

         

BOONE/AREA CONNECTED DEATHS

        Pamela Frances Hike O' Tool Leytham, 82, Boone. Formerly of Woodbine. Born in Carroll. Married Melvin O'Tool and they divorced. Married Kenny Leytham  in 1991. Patricia worked for State Farm for 18 years, both in Woodbine and Boone. In Woodbine, she was a librarian for the children's library for eight years. Patricia enjoyed quilting, making all occasion cards and scrapbooking. She was a member of the Good Agers Club at Trinity Lutheran Church, belonged to the Red Hat Society and sang with the Sweet Adelines. Three children survive, Shawn (Raylene) O'Tool and Joey O'Tool of Boone and Michelle (Jerry) Hanson of Dayton. Other survivors include a daughter-in-law, Devon O'Tool, of Boone and a sister, Marilyn (Larry) Jordan of Ogden. Services in Boone and Glidden.     

         Mary Keenan Pohlner, 65, Boone. A cancer victim. Born in Boone the daughter of Joseph and Nellie (Clark) Keenan. Grew up on the family farm near Ogden. OHS-79. Married Robert Pohlner in Boone in 1979. The couple lived in Ogden for 20 years before moving in 2001 to a newly built home outside of town. Mary spent over 20 years working for Principal Financial Group in Ames. In 2012, she joined Mary Greeley Medical Center and continued work there until her passing. She enjoyed decorating her home, crafting, sewing and shopping for the perfect purse. She always prepared more food than anyone could eat and nothing brought her greater joy than being "Nana," watching all of her grandchildren's activities. Her husband, Robert, of Boone survives. A daughter and two brothers also survive. Services in Boone. 

       Marvin Steele, 87, Payson, AZ. Born in Boone.

       James Addems Norman, 80, Windsor Heights D.M. Family requested donations to Camp Hantesa, Boone. 

BOONE/AREA CONNECTED DEATHS

       Teresa "Teri"  Lorraine Atkinson Alitz, 76, Chariton. Born an Army Brat in Oklahoma. Her parents were Glenn and Sharon Atkinson. BHS-67. Joined the U.S. Marine Corps. Married Tim Alitz. The couple moved to various states and built a cabin at Lake Rathbun in Iowa in 1989. She had a passion for decorating and usually worked Service jobs. The couple lost a son, Ted, in 2007 and Teri has had to deal with roller coaster cancer for the last five years. Survivors include her husband, Tim, and a daughter, Christina Jensen. Services in Chariton and Melrose.

       Sean Michael Thompson, 58, Johnson. Formerly of Ogden. A lung cancer victim. Born in Iowa City. Survivors include his wife, Heidi, of Johnston, two sons, his parents, Elvin and Patti Thompson of Jefferson, six siblings and his mother-in-law. Services in Jefferson. 

       Arland C. "Van" "Screwdriver" Van Schuyver, 85, LaBelle, FL. Formerly of Boone and Ogden. Born in Oklahoma. Army vet. Married Beverly Madden in 1963. The couple enjoyed camping at Don Williams, fishing and boating. Arland served as a police officer and for some time was the Police Chief at Dallas Center. He worked at AgServe in Ogden until retirement. Van loved woodworking, tinkering, watching old Westerns and the Chicago Cubs. Beverly died in 2025. Survivors include three children, Marty Van Schuyver, Lonnie (Doll) Van Schuvyer and Lenneica (John) Stewart. Services in Boone and Mackey.

BOONE/AREA CONNECTED DEATHS

       Neill Robert Stark, 50, Pilot Mound. Born in New Jersey. He passed away unexpectedly. His parents are Joyce (Hochberg) Farley, who survives, and his father, Robert Stark, who is deseased. Neill grew up in North Carolina but was a high school graduate of Sullivan County HS in 1993 in Pennsylvania. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1996 and had a distinquished 17 year career at a Naval sub base in Georgia. Following medical retirement in 2013, Neill continued his committment to civilian service. He met Shannon Zinnel in 2021 and they were married in Washington D.C. in 2024. Neill loved playing cards and board games and was a season ticket holder of the NFL Philadelphia Eagles. Survivors include his wife, Shannon, of Pilot Mound, his mother, a stepdaughter and two sisters. Services in Boone and Pennsylvania with his final resting place eventually being a Burial at Sea.       

        Mary Pohlner, 65, Boone. Services in Boone.      

        Thomas James York, 79, Ogden. Died in Ogden. Born in Boone. Army and Army Reserve vet. Had a long career as a conductor for the Union Pacific Railroad until retirement. Married Vicki Morgan in 1971. An excellent cook, Thomas loving fishing, road trips, playing cards and music. He also loved cheering on his sons at the Boone Speedway. Survivors include his wife, Vicki, his children, Angie (Dan) Dill, Jason (Wendy) York and Ryan (Holly) York, his brother Donald York and sister Susan (Richard) Rounds.  Services in Boone.      

         Larry E. Sampson, 77, Roland/State Center Specialty Care. Service in Boone. Burial in Bass Point Cemetery.

        Tristan Kyle Nelson, 37, Ames. Survivors include a sister, Sunni Nelson (Travis Friedel) of Madrid. 

         Joseph "Joe" Kerin Schneider, 82, Bedford, TX. Survivors include his wife, Catherine Sturies Schneider, a son and two daughters. Services in Hurst, TX. Private family graveside service at Glenwood Cemetery in Ogden. 

ETC......AND MORE

       Let's begin with a little Boone business history.

       In my most recent internet searchings, I discovered something that piqued my interest. It was a picture of a bottle cap. On top it said, "Its a Lindy's beverage grape AND the outline of an airplane was also evident. The ring around the cap said, "Boone, Iowa."

        I found out later that airplane sighting on a bottle cap was actually a tribute to famous aviator Charles Lindbergh who, on May 20-21, 1927, made the first solo nonstop transatlantic flight from New York to Paris in a plane named the Spirit of St. Louis  The flight covered 3,600 miles in some 33 hours.

        That flight made Lindbergh a very well known and one of the most famous worldwide figures of that day. 

        From the time the Kelley family moved to Boone in the late 1940's until today, the Linderblood family has been well known. The family tree included Boysell, BHS-1910; Frank, BHS-38; John, BHS-49; Susan, BHS-68; Sally, BHS-71; another Boysell, BHS-73, Mike, BHS-74, Tom, BHS-75 and various others.

       We'll concentrate on Frank who passed away at 68 in 1988. It was Frank who operated the Coca Cola bottling company with his father from 1945 to 1972, the time period that Lindy's soft drinks became a Boone institution.

       I clearly remember watching those drinks being manufactured in the building on the south side of Sixth Street, between Story and Boone streets, across the alley, west from the Police Station. Right across the street from the proposed Boone Veterans Center.

       Watching the conveyer belts moving the bottles to their proper place was interesting......but then, the drink itself.....a sweet grape and orange flavored I remember and their might have been even more flavors that I've forgotten.

        It hasn't been too long ago that I've seen some of those long, slender, empty Lindy's bottles. There are, no doubt, some around and I see on ebay, they're priced at $95 or more. I've been checking our basement,  attic and all the neighbors garage sales but......no luck.

        I wasn't as familiar with it but Wikipedia tells about the Stoll Bottling Works building which still stands at 824 Allen Street, just north of the Fire Department. 

        Wikipedia indicates that building was constructed in 1913-14 and "housed a plant for producing and bottling carbonated soft drinks, a significant industry in Boone."

        It states that Frank Linderblood bought that company and moved Stoll to Des Moines where he owned Capital City Bottling Works. By the mid-20th century the national brands had plants in Boone and the Boone Stoll Building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1989. 

       I clearly remember how much I loved that Lindy's grape........so sweet. 

K-----K

       Recent times there have been discussions about the size of basketballs used in the WNBA.

       Yes, the basketball used in the WNBA IS smaller than the one used in the NBA. The women's league ball is 28.5 inches in circumference compared to the 29.5 inch ball used by the men.

       Some rules making body decided that, because on average, women have smaller hands than men, a smaller ball was required. It was also stated that the women's game often emphasizes quicker ball movement and perimeter shooting. Thus, a slightly smaller ball can facilitate this fast-paced, finesse-oriented style of play. AND, it was determined that a heavier or larger ball could cause strain or fatigue for some female players. It was finally decided that the lighter weight and smaller size of the WNBA ball can help optimize player comfort and performance.

K-----K

       Worldwide Korner headquarters are located at 928 South Jackson, Boone, Iowa 50036-4932. Phone number is 515-432-1530. Leave a message. To email a story/memories/comments/death notices......https:/kelleyskorner1@blogspot.

 

BOONE/AREA CONNECTED DEATHS

       Richard Lee Stearns, 82, Boone. Born in Estherville. EHS-62. Attended Estherville Junior College. Married Gloria Walker in Estherville in 1963. Started part time work with Fareway at age 15, worked his way up to Assistant Manager and moved on to Marshalltown, Cherokee and Manchester. In 1981, was moved to the Boone Corporate Office and retired in 2010 as Senior V.P. of Merchandising. Known for his hard work ethic, he loved his work, especially with the vendors he met. He could fix anything and after retiring from Fareway, he worked at Vision Bank as a Courier and their "fix-it man." Rich and Gloria enjoyed many winters in the Palm Springs, California area and summers at Okoboji. Survivors include his wife, Gloria, son Jeff (Connie) Stearns, a daughters Julia Stearns and Jill (Shane) Peterson. Services in Boone.

       Mary Lou Carpenter Rasmusson, 89, Nevada/Story County Senior Care. Born in Boone. BHS-54. Married Harlan Deloss Rasmusson in Nevada in 1954. Mary Lou worked at Boone Dairy before a long career at Donnelly Marketing in Nevada. She retired in 1999. She had a creative heart and gifted hands, and enjoyed sewing and quilting. She loved puzzles, color-by-number projects and all kinds of crafts. Mary Lou is survived by a niece and two nephews. Services in Nevada. Burial at Oakwood cemetery near Moingona.   

       Larry Dean Pender, 82, Granger. Victim of Parkinson's. Survivors include a sister, Mary (Duane) of Madrid. Services in Adel. 

BOONE/AREA CONNECTED DEATHS

       
       Madison Marie Neely, 7, Boone. Born in Boone. Attended Ledges Elementary. Madison was diagnosed with Diffuse High Grade Glioma brain cancer at six. She enjoyed family time, driving through the Ledges State Park, doing puzzles, playing games on an I-Pad, watching Bluey and the movie, descendants. She loved mac-n-cheese, French fries with ranch dressing and American cheese slices. Her favorite color was rainbow. Survivors include her father, Justin Neely and sister Olivia Neely of Boone, grandparents Tim and Berniece Licata of Boone, grandfather Kevin Neely of Boone and aunt, Sarah (Chris) Turbes of Pilot Mound. Services in Boone.       

       Richard Lee Stearns, 82, Boone. Services in Boone.       

       Debbie Jean Dennis Doran, 70, Boone. Passed away unexpectedly. Born in Fort Dodge. BHS-74. Married Rich Gustafson and they divorced. Married Gregg Elsberry. In 2012, married Daniel Montgomery Doran. She worked at the Boone Movie Theatre, Fareway, provided in-home daycare, Gates, Members 1st Community Credit Union and Vison Bank. Retired in 2020. Debbie loved unconditionally and found joy in the simple things, gardening, crafting, a good book and she and Dan met new friends as they traveled the world. Her patience and kindness were unmatched and above all, she cherished her family. Survivors include her husband, Daniel, her mother, Loretta Bass, both of Boone, several siblings, including Wes (Jennifer) Bass and Rick Dennis of Boone, and daughters, including Tonya (Kelly) Lyons and Courtney Rose (Kelly Tapper) of Boone and Lexus (Damian) Davidson of Ogden. Services in Boone. 

       JoAnn Grasso Hicks, 85, Boone/Westhaven. Born in Stanhope. BHS-60. Boone Junior College. JoAnn was married to Richard Hicks for 20 years. She helped run the family business, the Daniel Boone Sports Shop. She was a 4-Her in her younger years and was crafty and artistic. She loved attending events at the Beckwith Center. Four children survive as do her brother, Gary Grasso of Boone, a niece and a nephew. Services in Boone.