A positive influence, now 93, on silly teens

__By Darla Buckhannon__

While strolling, I wondered whatever happened to Richard Kiehne.

Happy birthday to Gilbert Eichhorn, Nancy Pruett, Chris Cannon, Gail Shy, Jamie Dumey, Nick Lambrou, Joan Seabaugh, Tori Burton, Carolyn Mills, Harvey Wolfe, Katherine Reischman, Genni Ourth, Clara Gramlisch, Wayne McAlister, Gayliene Glency, Blake Senciboy, David Halter, David Schaefer, Lowell Spane, Jerry Beck, Alex Bader, Billy Phillips, Jane Cook, Gordon Atchison, Carolyn Hinkle, Joe Kinder, Sr., Casey Graviett, Mark Siebert, Maria Lynn, Crystal Owens, Monroe Richardson and Dr. BT Moudy.

Happy anniversary to Andrew and Lisa Stagoski, Randall and Sandra Hibdon, Harvey and Avis-Jean Wolfe, Bill and Mary Ann Hagan, Blaine and Morgan Swinford, Jim and Rhonda Emerson, Marcus and Virginia Seyer, Andy and Jodi Palisch, Hank and Eva Golightly and Danny and Gail Walter.

Winter service

Chaffee General Baptist Church "In His Service" group is offering a free winter weatherization for automobiles Saturday, starting at 8 a.m., at Phillips Service Station. Refreshments will be served will you wait. Take advantage of this opportunity to have your car serviced for the winter weather at no charge.

Those of you who have been missing Larry's Quickmart will be happy to know that it will re-open soon under the new ownership of Chris Knutson.

Eileen Varble had a happy 93rd birthday last week. When I called to extend my best wishes she told me she talked a day earlier with a childhood friend dating back to when they were 6 years old, Celeste (Cantrell) Watson, on her 93rd birthday. Eileen still has that delightful laugh of hers, and many of us remember our grandmothers, mothers and aunts dropping by her in-house salon on Parker to have their hair done. Eileen was active in the First Baptist Church and was a very positive influence and teacher to many of us who were at the time a bunch of silly, energetic teenagers. We loved her and appreciate how very patient and dedicated she and Katie Bond were.

There was a big turnout for the CHS Alumni Banquet last Saturday evening, and a good time was had by all! A grand total of 258 enjoyed a night of camaraderie and great food; even the attending non-CHS mates seemed to be enjoying themselves. The drawings for items donated by local businesses caught the attention of everyone. Mike and Diana Bond won the two Frisco Railroad stock certificates, one of which may be donated to the Historical Museum. With Chaffee's history as a railroad town, several Frisco family members thought it would have been nice had there been two drawings instead of one. Several people also commented that visiting with each other would have been more pleasant with a lowered microphone volume.

The class that rocks

The Class of 1964 had a huge turnout for their 50th reunion, which started at the Chaffee High School Friday night and wrapped up at Saturday's banquet. The class donated two granite benches engraved with the Class of 1964 on each and they will be placed on opposite sides of the main entrance of the high school. They also made a $1,500 donation toward the alumni scholarship program. Check out their picture and list of attendees in another section of today's paper. David Schaefer said that all in all a great two nights for the Class of 1964 -- the class that rocks!

Anyone driving through Chaffee has noticed the unsightly appearance of many areas of our little town and, with all the recent rain, it is one muddy mess! All in the in name of progress, which started with the sidewalk project and now, the water and sewer projects. New water meters are being hooked up and once the job is complete, landscaping around the meters will be leveled and re-seeded. The sewer project is underway, after which all should be back to normal and hopefully the street cleaners will return and our streets and sidewalks will be looking pristine once again.

The hummingbirds are still here so be sure to keep fresh nectar out as they load up for their trip south. A little female hummer clung to my feeder as it swayed back and forth not missing a sip during the rain and wind last week.

Oktoberfest and festivals abound, surrounded with eye-catching Halloween decorations ranging from the elegant to the spooky. If you are not especially creative or do not have the time, check out the arrangements at our local florists for Halloween and also for special occasions and upcoming holidays. The Chaffee Flower Shop with the big pink flamingo atop its sign will be holding an open house November 6 through 8, just in time for getting your Thanksgiving decorations. Hours are Thursday and Friday from 5 to 8 p.m. and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. There will be drawings, give- aways and refreshments. Bring a friend!

Mingo drive

The auto tour, open at Mingo National Wildlife Refuge through November, is a nice 17-mile drive especially now with the brilliant fall colors popping up everywhere. We saw an eight-point buck, two does, herons, honking geese overhead and five stunning wood duck drakes. The new visitor center will hold an open house Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., when they celebrate National Wildlife Refuge Week and the 50th Anniversary of the Wilderness Act.

The Mingo Swamp winning photographs are on display at the Conservation Nature Center in Cape through October. Also on display are artwork and photographs by our own Aaron Horrell. You can see more of his work at the Painted Wren Gallery at Bilderbach's Plaza in downtown Cape. For the kiddos, Aaron recently painted murals at the Discovery Playhouse on Broadway, depicting farm animals and wildlife representative of southeast Missouri.

Special words

Remember to tell those special people in your life that you love them--those three words mean so very much.

Our thoughts and prayers continue to be with those who have lost loved ones, our homebound, those in nursing homes and hospitals, those undergoing cancer treatments and those recovering from surgery. We thank our many brave men and women who have served and continue to serve our country so valiantly. We pray for the safe and timely return of those on active duty.

Contact

Please email your news and comments to me at darbuck2@airmail.net. You may also leave a detailed message at 573/887-6430 or 214/207-7839.

And them ...

Then there was the teacher who always wore a tie on test day.