Independence Day plans, family memories and golf course grousing

While strolling, I wondered whatever happened to Maxine Clark.

Happy birthday to Kevin Teegarden, Mary Eifert, Deanna Bridwell, Darren Lee, Bud Haislip, Wanda Lovel, Jeannie Walker, David Dalton, Storm Estes, Wayne Ford, Andy Terhune, Mary Ann Keller, Lisa Davis, Julie Seyer, Miranda Estes, Elaine Schlegel, Mandy Harris, Andrew Cannon, Lonnie Gibbons, Pam Harrell, Dana Miller, Brandon Curtis, Delores Garland, Wanda Tankersley, James Bailey, Lee Cook, Betty Guzman, Bob Schwepker and Everette Snider.

Happy anniversary to Francis and Doris White, Mike and Ann Hinkebein, David and Donna Lape and BJ and Stella Jackson. Also, belated anniversary wishes to Bill and Clara Gramlisch, who celebrated 63 years of marriage June 19.

We will enjoy a full moon this week, and July's moon is known as Ripe Corn Moon, Rose Moon and Moon of the Middle Summer.

A lot of plans are underway for the upcoming Fourth of July celebration. The Friends of Harmon Field and our volunteer Fire Department will be putting on a grand fireworks display around 9 p.m. at Harmon Field on the fourth. We remind residents that fireworks season is June 28 through July 4. Hours are 9 a.m. to 10 p.m. and on the Fourth, 9 a.m. to midnight.

Wondering about Wetzel

We recently wondered about James Wetzel and thanks to Sue (Gremar) Ivie, we have an update and more. James and his wife Linda live in Columbus, Georgia. He retired from barbering, and they are enjoying their grandchildren. He attended the first and second grades here before his family left Chaffee. He had three brothers, Raymond, Paul and John David, and one sister, Pearl Ann. John David and Pearl have since passed.

Their dad, the Rev. Raymond C. Wetzel, came to pastor the Chaffee First Assembly of God Church in 1948. A new building was under construction, and the first services were held by Bro. Wetzel in December 1948. That same building is still standing although there has been some remodeling and additions over the years. Sue's oldest sister, Dortha, and her husband John McClain, were the first couple to be married by Bro. Wetzel in the new church building on Jan. 1, 1949.

Bro. Wetzel resigned in 1952 and was asked by the Assembly of God General Council to organize the Bethel Assembly of God Church in Cape Girardeau. After two years, he pastored in Elgin, Illinois, and then went to Jefferson City as pastor of the First Assembly of God Church. He built their church building at 900 Jefferson, which later became the Salvation Army. Bro. Wetzel served as pastor until 1955, went to Columbus, Georgia and became pastor of the Riverview Assembly of God Church. He remained there until his death in 1989, at which time his son, Paul, was asked to be pastor. Paul served 20 years before moving to Pensacola, Florida to pastor another church. Paul is now retired and his son Mike is pastor.

Sue's family

Sue says her family moved from Chaffee to Kankakee, Illinois, in 1953 but stayed in touch with the Wetzels for a while. Sue's parents let her move back to Chaffee in 1956 to live with her oldest sister so she could graduate from Chaffee High School. She was a year behind due to illness and graduated in 1957. After graduation, Sue moved back to Kankakee to be with her parents.

Buck, Norman & Weiskopf

There was lots of exciting golf with the televised U.S. Open last weekend. The Puget Sound setting was pretty with Mount McKinley in the background, and the frequent passing of BNSF trains was especially enjoyable. The former sand and gravel pit now golf course, however, was rugged, and there were many comments about the course and the dried out, brown greens.

The network change to Fox was refreshing as were analysts Joe Buck, former pro golfers, now golf course designers, Greg Norman and Tom Weiskopf. The articulate Buck covers all sports well and few missed Nick Faldo, Jim Nantz or curmudgeon Johnny Miller.

It was a stunning second major win by 21-year-old Dallas native Jordan Spieth.

Special words

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

Our thoughts and prayers are with those who are missing loved ones, our homebound, those in hospitals and nursing homes. Email your news and comments to darbuck2@airmail.net or leave a message at 573-887-6430 or 214-207-7839.

And then ...

Then there was the U.S. Open where the only green was the lone Douglas fir and Tom Weiskopf's tie and pocket square.