By ROWENA PLETT

Staff writer

Evelyn Strecker of rural Lost Springs turned 95 on March 10. She celebrated her birthday with family members at the home of her son Doug of Hesston.

She became a country correspondent for the Lost Springs/Ramona area in 1970. She said neighbors were needing someone to report special events and keep them informed about the activities of their friends and neighbors.

She collected news on Monday every week and took it in to the newspaper office on Tuesday. She said Bill and Joan Meyer always greeted her warmly and offered their support.

“They were wonderful people,” she said. “They always made sure I got something for Christmas, like nuts or chocolate.”

Strecker was active in her community in other ways, as well. She was secretary/treasurer for Ramona Senior Center for eight years. She also planned trips for senior citizens, with the Marion County senior citizens bus.

In 1975, she was elected president of the American Legion Auxiliary of Howard-Dickerson Post 355 at Lost Springs. She remains in that position but, with dwindling membership, most correspondence and business is conducted by telephone or mail.

Strecker’s long stretch of writing country news came to an end in November 2007, when she suffered a stroke that affected the right side of her body. She recovered with time but had to learn how to write all over again, something she did one letter and one word at a time.

Strecker continues to live on the farm she and her husband, Melvin, established west of Lost Springs. She has eight cows and four calves. Her son Clark lives with her and takes care of the animals.

She recently renewed her driver’s license but has decided not to drive any more.

She said she would like to do country correspondence again but her three sons have advised against it.

“I really miss it,” she said. “I got to visit with people, and that way I found out what was happening in the community.”