Looking Back in the Early Files by Lora Stull

Many citizens of Ringgold County have called at the office of County Auditor Clarence Palmer last week to inspect the plans submitted by the architects., Keffer and ones, adopted by the board of supervisors at the meeting July 6 for the county’s new court house.

The formal opening of the new club house recently completed at the golf course of the Mount Ayr Golf and Country Club south of the city will take place this afternoon and evening.

In some mysterious way Guy Saville’s barn caught fire and burned to the ground one day last week No livestock was in the barn. Mr. Saville was out in the field plowing corn, saw the fire and hurried in just in time to turn out a bunch of calves. The loss was partly covered by insurance.

This is a great year for hollyhocks, the flowers being of unusual size and beauty. This old-time favorite is a native of China and its botanical name is “Althaea Rosea.” It grows wild in Armenia snd other Asiatic countries, as the sunflower does in Kansas.

Births: July 12, a son to Mr. and Mrs. Cecil Lutz..July 13, a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Martin Love..July 11, a son to Mr. and Mrs. Glen Sheldon..July 5, a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. John Garrity and Tuesday a son to Mr. and Mrs. Jas. Stanley.

Obituaries in this edition were: Mary Ann Athey Bishop, Lorella Gertrude Abarr Gallaugher, and LeRoy Oscar Barnes.

Dean Jackson of Kellerton, is the new member of the county committee of the Farmers Home Administration for Ringgold County, according to Earl Maddocks, assistant county supervisor. He was appointed for a three year term to replace James Moon of Kellerton.

An act of kindness was extended to Weldon Speelman, of Shannon City when neighbors met Monday at his home and put up his hay. Mr. Speelman was injured recently when he fell from a load of hay.

The men who assisted with the haying were: Keith Werner. Arthur Hayden, Bob Stradley, Donald Giles, Walter Hull, Earl Priest, Bryan Pitkin, Paul Weeda, Kenneth Weeda, George Weis, Howard Green, Frank Cone, Fred Werner, Jerry Priest, Wayne Priest, Harry Wilson, Allan Aikin, Verle Duffield, Kerney Speelman, Harry Tuttle, Floyd Priest, Merle A. Wilson, Jonas Merritt, Virgil Elliott, Freeman Cone, Neal Weeda, Earl Robertson and Lyle Hull.

Duane Allen Dredge is visiting with his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Merle Reynolds, during the absence of his mother Mrs. Roena Dredge, who is in Omaha, NE assisting with the care of her sister, Mrs. Richard Campbell, who is ill.

Births: July 20, a daughter to Mr. and Mrs. Dean Newkirk..July 17, a daughter, Linda, to Mr. and Mrs. Bill Blunck.

Obituaries in this edition were: Lillie Priscilla Hewitt Madison, Reva Galee Bender Morey, Allen Lewis Ketch, Martha M.  Baird Beaman and Mary E. James.

Fifteen paintings of the late Orr Fisher have been received by the Ringgold County Cultural association and are now on display in the east show window at Irving’s Clothing Store.

A Ringgold County man took top honors at the Western National tractor pull at Bethany, MO, Saturday night, July 17.

Steve Graham of Diagonal won first place in the

5,000 super stock class and received $400 first prize and a trophy for the victory.

Navy Machinist’s Mate Fireman Robert J. Bryan, 20, son of William R. Bryan of Mount Ayr, recently participated in the evacuation of civilians from Beirut, Lebanon, as a crew member of the guided missle cruiser USS Harry E. Yarnell.

His ship provided direect support during the evacuation of more than 270 civilian refugees from the beleaguered Lebanese capital. The civilians (men, women, and children from 25 nations, including the United States, Canada and Britian) were ferried to the dock landing ship USS Spiegel Grove by landing craft and transported to Athens.

As part of a task force under the direction of Vice Admiral Fredrick C. Turner, commamder of the US Sixth Fleet, Bryan’s cruiser took station in the eastern Mediterranean prepared to render assistance for the evacuation if necessary.

His ship, homeported at Norfok, VA, is currently deployed as a unit of the US Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean.

Marriage: June 19, Janie Niday and Terry Gorsch.. May 15 Terri Holly and Kelly Main.. April 3, Susan Lesan and Clyde Smith.

A number of major moves in the retail business sector for Mount Ayr have been made this summer.

One automobile dealer was bought out by another, and Pamida will be the only pharmacy serving Mount Ayr residents once consolidations are finished.

A Mount Ayr youth, Tiffiany Wimer, 9 year of age, has been named a regional winner in the Kohl’s Department Store Kids Who Care Scholarship program.

Nancy Poppe, who recently was a fifth grade teacher, has resigned her position after 13 years of service to the district.

She and her husband, Gene, are moving from the community so he can take a new banking position in West Plains, MO.

Births: July 9, a son, Nathan, to Mr. and Mrs. Brian Jones..July 20,  a son, Jacobie, to Mark and Brenda Erickson.

Obituaries in this edition were: Hazel Hollinger Toman George and Erma Lou Kruse Morris.

In less than one week, Mount Ayr could have up to an additional 15,000 people and bicycles lined up on the square for RAGBRAI, the Register’s Great Bike Ride Across Iowa, which runs each summer from the Missouri River on the west to the Mississppi River on the east.

4-H Beef Project Winners as follows: breed champions; Angus, Cassidy Becker; Charolais, Cal Daughton; Chianina, Brady Bickel; Gelbvieh, Jessica McCreary; Hereford, MaKayla Jones; Maine Anjou, Jolen Ebersole; Maintainer, Adler Shay; Red Angus, Linsie Barnes; Simmental, Megan Warin; Foundation Simmental, Brynn Nickle and Shorthorn, Trevor Henry.

Members of the Ringgold County Conservation Board participated recently in ground breaking at the Dragoon Trace Nature Center east of Mount Ayr. Those that participated were: Randy Bishop, Susie Catanzareti, Doug Frost, Dale Walkup, Jim Norris and RCCB executive director, Kate Zimmerman.

Obituaries in this edition were: Twila Lavon Fletchall Hightshoe, David Landis Gipson, Karla Faris Moberly.