50 years ago
may 27, 1965
A community disaster plan, the work of a group of public- spirited citizens who met recently at St. Luke Hospital, is printed in this issue.
Paul Bentz, 49, a well-known Colfax Township farmer, was fatally burned Wednesday morning in a tragic accident at the family home northeast of Tampa. Apparently, an explosion of uncertain cause set off a fire in a small shed where he had been doing some repair work on a pickup truck, and he was instantly caught in the blaze.
Fifty-five are listed on the roll of senior students graduating at the annual commencement exercises. Named as valedictorian of Marion High School Class of 1965 is Dennis Hett. Salutatorian is Linda Bauman.
An interesting sidelight on this year’s commencement exercises Tuesday evening was the fact that Ethel Gillig, who taught this class in kindergarten, returned to Marion especially to be present for graduation. She found that 24 of the 55 graduates had been in her kindergarten class 12 years ago.
Marion Municipal Swimming Pool will officially open May 30, say Mrs. Cecil Post and Cecil Post Jr., managers. Lifeguards who will be on duty at the pool will be Jeannie Morse, Judy Pankratz, LaVonda Hett, Barbara Christensen, and Blair Post.