L ower Crane Pond

Hi everyone! Sorry I have gotten behind with this column but I’ve been very busy ever since back before graduation, hopefully things will slow down some now. I am just too old to be on the go so much. Don’t really like going anyway. Now it’s too hot and dry to do anything. It seems we just go from one extreme to the other. Our spring time weather just got washed away or blown away in all the stormy weather. My heart really feels an ache for those in the Joplin area. How sad and tragic. Here we are in the mid nineties and still supposed to be spring. Summer is only two weeks away–what will the temperature be then?

Sorry to hear of the passing last week of Mike Barron of Jewett. I wasn’t really acquainted with Mike but know his mother, the late Jessie (Plake) Barron. Also his grandparents Harve and Esther Plake, and the biggest part of his other relatives. Most are gone now. I know Mike has a grown child or two and he was a first cousin to Kathryn Brewer of Jewett. The loved ones have my deepest sympathy.

Mae and K.R. McKinney of Oakdale, Illinois, Bob and Betty Riley and sons of DuQuion Illinois, and also Jeremy and Casey Patton and children were down at their camping grounds for the weekend.

Scott and Sandy Halek and children were weekend visitors of Pete and Pat Williams. Gary and Laura Williams and girls also had company on the weekend but I didn’t get their names.

I appreciate Sister Pat Sheppard for the pretty hat you sent me. I don’t know why but it was nice and thoughtful of you. I know I should call you but I think of it, then forget it. Hope you are doing fine.

Congratulations to Marsha Lane of this community who retired this year from teaching school for 21 years. Most of those years (maybe all of them), were spent at South Iron. I hope she enjoys her retirement. She’s already bought her some chicken and she loves gardening with her mother Jean Williams. Good luck.

Lorene Charlton of Annapolis passed away Thursday. I met her a few times but really wasn’t acquainted with her. Everyone said she was a real nice lady. She was 86 years of age. My sympathy to you all.

The Helen (Castile) Vavak family of Piedmont had a family reunion Saturday at Handy Park in Piedmont. I haven’t heard how many showed up. I know Mike and Peggy Cassiday of Lee’s Summit were coming in, also Linda’s daughter Sherry Dale Galati and family from Foley, MO were coming in. Arlene Vercheecke of Florissant spent all last week in Piedmont with Linda Palmer and attended the reunion. She has been a family friend for years. I’m sure they all had a good time.

Marsha Lane took some special teenagers on a trip last week. They were Mercedes Williams, Travis Lewis, Salle Hanski and Jerrica Renicke. They went to Atlanta, Georgia, spent a couple of nights with Marsha’s son and wife, Jordan and Diane Lane, then they went to Savannah, Georgia, saw the largest acquarium in the world, ate lunch at Paula Dean’s restaurant (the famous T.V. cook), spent one night in Tennessee with Marsha’s brother Ron and Janet Williams. They made it home safely on Friday night. Oh! I almost forgot. They also got to see and wade in the ocean. They came home happy but oh! so tired. I was so happy they made it home okay, because we had all that tornado weather going on.

I really missed not going to the pig roast at Jewett this year. They didn’t have it as I guess they don’t have any 4-H Club any more.

Happy anniversary wishes the 8th of June to Edith and Tony Swinford of Belleview. Edith worked at Cla Ru Deville at Fredericktown for many years. Also Dean and Mary Settle of Fredericktown will have an anniversary the 13th. I wish you all very happy days.

I believe I heard MaryAnn Reed say that Sister Pat Sheppard of Fredericktown stopped by her house for a while on Saturday.