Cherokeean/Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 150, No. 9, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 22, 1999 Page: 2 of 14
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Page 2—CHEROKEE AN/HER ALP of Rusk, Texas—Thursday, April 22,1999
Emmett H. Whitehead
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publisher
Cherokeean Herald
Marie Whitehead
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editor
April 22,1999
Texas' oldest continuously
published weekly newspaper.
Established as the Cherokee
Sentinel Feb. 27,1850
GRASS ROOTS
by Stan Lynde
Jim Hogg State Historical
Park, Rusk
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Caddoan Mounds State
Historical Site, Alto
Texas State Railroad State
Historical Park, Rusk
Scene in Passing
Marie Whitehead
editor @ mediactr.com
As thoughts of Easter linger,
here's a smile borrowed from the
VFW magazine, author un-
known: There's one advan-
tage to being senile. You
can hide your own Easter
eggs." Sound familiar? Forgot-
ten anything lately?
To help us stay on track (with
time, of course), this issue is
dated April 22. Sounds of
graduation can be heard. It's
now a matter of weeks. School
will end and a new schedule
begins. That will come right ——
after the really big, high school
graduation and senior celebration! Locally, the
Rusk High Senior Finale is moving rapidly
toward its fund goal to pay expenses for the
traditional after-graduation-party. We appreciate
the note from Lynn Littlejohn and Julie
Vining, two of the "graduating moms," for
their thanks to this publication recently. They
referenced our coverage of the recent golf tourna-
ment at New Birmingham Golf Course.
Profits were earmarked for the senior Finale fund.
In turn, we offer congratulations to RISD for
having so many interested parents and friends of
students!
On a personal note, it was a pleasure for us last
week to note the admission of our Grandgirl,
Sandy, to the Osborne-Boles Chapter of the
National Honor Society at Jacksonville. She is
a sophomore this year and her brother, our
Grandboy, Chris, is a senior. Kind of neat having
a brother and sister duo as members of the organi-
zation, if only for a few weeks. Chris will leave for
higher ed, The University of Texas, in August
where he has been accepted in the School of
Electrical Engineering with emphasis on computer
science. His mom is already teary-eyed. We
females dislike change more than the males,
perhaps?
We've had a spate of rumors lately. One of them
is the truth! It is, in fact, the name of the Neil
Simon play to be presented over the weekend by
the Cherokee Civic Theatre. It is a production
of great talent and effort. Camille Jones,
director of the cast and support personnel hope
you will get a ticket to laughter for one of the
presentations!
And the "Box Car, Barbecue and The
Bridge" promotion is rolling right along, to the
delight of all those involved. Our Chamber office
is logging many reservations for the June event.
One of our former Ruskites, Norma (Mrs.
Glenn) Brown e-mailed us with the news that
she obtained info from the internet. Our Louise
Morriss at the Chamber followed through and
hopefully these fiuntsville visitors will be among
our guests.
Everyone's gratitude is offered the great City of
Rusk staff for maintaining our beautiful Foot-
bridge Park, to be a feature in the above men-
tioned project. Friday afternoon, for instance, the
park was filled with at least a couple hundred
youngsters, obviously a school function. It is a site
filled with history, yet offers new uses today. It is
good that we can find new ways to celebrate our
historical past!
Right on time, Mike, Valerie, Michael and
the yet-to-be born Baby Murray arrived! Mike is
on tour on behalf of the school where they serve in
Germany. But his family will remain in Rusk for
a longer visit with family and friends.
And while the Murrays were coming to Rusk, our
friend Peggy Todd Lee pens a note from her
tour destination in Germany. She writes, "Enjoy-
ing Germany even if I don't know a word of
the language. Beautiful old buildings and
castles. Leaving for France and Italy
tomorrow. In 10 more days heading back to
Texas." Now, if you read between the lines, is
Peggy ready to come home, or is she counting the
days she has left for travel? Possibly both. It would
be easy to be a little bit envious of Peggy, if it were
not for the fact that this part of the world is so
breath-takingly beautiful. It is such a joy, privi-
lege, honor to be an East Texan. Also to know
Peggy! And we're very happy she will always have
the memories of this visit to Europe!
In the heard from department, we have
Voncille McVicker! She wanted us to know that
she is now in Rehab at ETMC Jacksonville,
Room 253, 586-3000. She needs to hear from
friends as she continues her climb back to good
health after a stroke. She's in great spirits and
looks forward to better days!
Others recuperating from bugs include Inez
Summers, ailing with the crud, also Ruth Ross
struggling with pneumonia.
A seldom seen friend, Buzzy Braswell, son of
the late Ruth and Bill Braswell, was in town
last week. He is retired from MHMR in Austin;
his wife has two more years of work before retire-
ment. He received a warm invitation to "come
home" when he is ready to put down a permanent
root of retirement! To those who remember his
parents, Buzzy is a young reminder of the best in
good folks!
And we lost some of our best in good folks
recently with the deaths of Jay
Pickett, Mamie Lee Carter
and James Gray among others.
Everyone's sympathy is extended
to these special families.
Words of prayer have been a
high priority around town as
several folks experienced prob-
lems. Mary Ray returned to
Trinity Mother Frances
Tyler Thursday. She is expected
to be home by your reading of
this, which is great, good news!
Her like-a-sister friend, Opal
Fitts, went to her immediately
and then on to the hospital.
Opal's spouse, Jack, went to Lions Club, as
usual. They could not have known at noon Thurs-
day that by midnight it would be Jack who needed
immediate medical help! By ambulance, by
airflight, he was rushed to Tyler's ETMC. Opal
followed with Mrs. Thelma Clute and later her
son, Rev. Clute, the Fitts' pastor, came. Jack had
a ruptured esophagus, therefore foods, liquids,
strayed from the normal path to the stomach, some
getting into his lungs. By 9 a.m. Friday, surgery
had begun and after five hours, he was hopefully
on his way to a good recovery. By the arrival of
daughter Kathy and conclusion of surgery, Opal
was just a little beyond the definition of "tired."
But it feels like a story that will have a very happy
ending!
A former Ruskite, known to many of us, is
Charles Decker. He and wife, Maurine, are the
parents of David, Alan and Sally Kay. We
called him Deck when we first met. All of his
friends did. He is still Deck, and not feeling as well
as he used to. After a heart attack in February, a
pacemaker was installed. His heart is not giving
the mechanical device all the support it needs.
What his heart needs is a miracle. He is in the
ETMC Hospice Home across from UT Tyler's
campus. If you believe in prayer, if you believe in
miracles, pray for Deck. It may not happen...but it
surely won't hurt. He graduated from Huntsville
High School before I got there. You can see we do
have a kind-of classmate bonding. The Better Half
and I had arrived in Rusk the last week of May in
1950. Only the Good Lord knows what those
first weeks, months were like. We walked out the
front door of the office, so tired, July 4, at noon.
Their car stopped in the street. They introduced
themselves and invited us to come enjoy a July 4
cook-out with them. Other guests were to become
friends that late afternoon. Dr. W. E. (Doc) and
Eleanor Gabbert and Frank and Katie
Gillespie. Their hospitality gave our hearts a
kind of hope for our future that nothing else could
have provided. Such kindness remembered is still
warming to the heart...even when it is in severe,
sympathetic pain for our dear friend.
Another dear friend, Flora Mae Jones, faces a
new round of tests this week. Perhaps, by your
reading of these words, some decisions will have
been made regarding a diagnosis. Pain is bad
enough. But when you don't have a clue as to the
cause, it is aggravated more! She is the wonderful
Please see SCENE, page 3
V0UNG BLIFORD AIN'T
A BAD DRIVER, BILLV..
HE JUST TENDS TO
EXCEED HIS ABILITY
SOMETIMES.
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© 1999 Stan Lynde
Distributed by Cottonwood Publishing
www.oldmontana.com
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High Points From El Camino Real
I knew there was going to be
trouble when Easter came so
early in April. We always have a
cold snap just before Easter and
this year we moved Easter up
ahead of the chilly weather. We
got a pretty heavy frost on
Saturday, but I think everyone's
gardens weathered it pretty
good. Virgil said the leaves on
some of his peas got bit and
curled up, but they'll survive. A
good bit is going on up and down
El Camino Real this week and
it's my job to see that you know
about it.
Easter weekend, before the cold snap, Larry
and Cynthia Hicks took their boys down to her
brother Charles Granstaffs place in Brady.
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Chris Davis
e-mail: elcaminoreal@inu.net
Former SESCO manager Frank Dlamont landed
a blue catfish which set a new record for Lake
Jacksonville. The monster weighed 72.25 pounds
and measured four feet long. Frank caught the
fish on a trotline last weekend, and he said It took
15 minutes to bring it on board the boat. Texas
Parks and Wildlife officials took one of Its fins,
and plan to have the fish aged.
Alan Hicks (left) shows off the big turkey he
bagged while hunting with his uncle, Charleds
Granstaff in Brady.
Charles owns the Carpe Diem Ranch in Brady.
Since Larry had been practicing turkey calling for
several weeks in advance, they decided to try a
little spring turkey hunting. Nine year old, Adam
Hicks turned out to be the luckiest one of the
bunch. He bagged his first turkey on the trip and
it was a big gobbler that weighed 20 + pounds with
a 9" beard. Adam is having his prize stuffed by a
taxidermist. I prefer to have turkey stuffed in my
stomach but I guess that's what they sell Butter-
balls for. Congratulations Adam, you'd make a
dandy pilgrim.
I can't believe it is already time for the Central
High Homecoming again. The 36 th annual
homecoming is scheduled for Sunday, May 2 at the
old Central High School beginning at ten in the
morning and going on until everybody gets tired
and leaves. All students, teachers and people who
lived or are living in the community are invited to
attend. When you come bring a covered dish and
plan to have a great time visiting with old friends.
I've often wondered why they always say bring a
covered dish. Does that mean you can't bring a
dish without a cover? Or maybe it means bring
some covers off the bed and a dish, so you can sit
on your covers and eat your dish. I guess it's just
so the flies don't get to eat before everybody else
does. The fine ladies of the Central High FCE
Club(what used to be the Home Demonstration
Club) have made another beautiful hand-quilted
king-size quilt to be given away on the day of the
homecoming. The quilt should be on display at the
Lion's Club Flea Market that is scheduled for May
1. Tickets for the quilt drawing can be purchased
at Diane's Beauty Shop, a few other places in
town, or from any FCE Club member.
I've already mentioned the Lion's Club Flea
Market, so don't forget it on May 1 at the Lions
Club Building next to the Barber Shop in down-
town Alto. Every year they get more and more
stuff, so come and find yourself a bargain
Amnesty has been granted to
some folks that have committed
a crime that even Virgil is not
guilty of. April is a fine free
month at the Stella Hill
Memorial Library . Please
bring back your over due library
books so that someone else can
enjoy them. In some places they
send out the sheriff to bring in
people who abuse their library
privileges. I can just see some of
our good citizens sitting in a cell
next to OI' Bubba explaining how
they're in there because they
didn't bring the Old Yeller book back to the library
on time. Thank goodness the only things that
Virgil reads are bank statements and check stubs
or that library would be1n a mess. Julie
Holcomb is heading up the summer reading
program at the library this year and she wants to
encourage all boys and girls between the ages of 3
tolO to come. The program "Open a Book and On
with the Show" begins on June 1 st and runs
through July 20 on Tuesdays at 10:00 in the
morning at the Stella Hill Library.
Julie and Ed Holcomb had to get some
birthdays in the family out of the way before they
could get started in this library stuff. Their son
Zachary had a birthday on March 27 and their
daughter Amanda had one on April 2. Julie's
Dad, John Bjornson celebrated his day on April
12 and her nephew Parker Bjornson followed
up on April 15. Whew, that's enough birthdays for
anybody. Happy Birthday folks!
Tiffany Bradshaw turned 19 years old on
April 12. She is majoring in journalism at
Angelina College. I hope she doesn't try to get my
job keeping up with things in Alto. The loss of her
grandfather Hoot Stewart last week dampened the
spirits of this birthday, but I'd like to wish her
many more happy ones in the future.
I talked to Judy Landrum on Sunday and she
said that her son, Noel Bradford is in Aviona,
Italy flying one of those big planes that refuel the
bombers in the air. Italy is a long way from
Lynches Chapel and families do worry. Please
keep him and all our service men and women in
your prayers until they return home again.
Ms. Marie McQueen on reading about how
stingy Virgil has been with his pea seeds this year,
came by the Hall of Justice and brought me a
double handful of red ripper pea seeds. I've never
planted this variety, but I'm going to give them a
try. She said there was enough for Virgil but I
haven't decided on sharing or not. He was snoop-
ing around in my garden last week and I caught
him walking right down one of my rows that was
already planted. He's a regular saboteur that's
what he is. Its nice to have a nice lady like Ms.
McQueen come by, it takes the edge off a neighbor
like Virgil.
My son Grant and his friend Hayden Scott
rattled paper and squirmed all through church on
Sunday. After several warnings the wiggling pair
found themselves in trouble with their parents.
Once home Hayden was forced to sit on the edge of
his bed and be still as if he were in church. After
being treated in such a manner there was but one
thing the mistreated seven year old could do. He
packed his red suit case, put on his cap and
preceded to run away to Grant's house. His
mother asked him about school and food but he
said that we would take him and feed him. He
started down the long driveway, stopping on
several occasions to readjust the bulky suitcase.
When he reached the end of the driveway, he
couldn't go any father, because his mother had
warned him about what would happen if he got in
the road. It seems injustice is everywhere. When
we are babies our parents want us to sleep in
church when we are old men we again sleep like
babies in church. It is the in between years that
can be so difficult, especially on six and seven year
old boys.
Alto is having a little growth spurt and I'll try
and tell you more about it next week. Remember if
I don't know it I can't tell it, sq if your family or
organization is being left out of the goings on El
Camino Real, get me some news. You may be
sorry if you do, but you could be sorrier if you
don't. I'll see ya next week! And remember,
Encouragement. Keep dishing it out at
home even if you already gave at the
office.
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Whitehead, Marie. Cherokeean/Herald (Rusk, Tex.), Vol. 150, No. 9, Ed. 1 Thursday, April 22, 1999, newspaper, April 22, 1999; Rusk, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth152421/m1/2/: accessed April 30, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting Singletary Memorial Library.