25 years ago

december 4, 1985

Santa’s House, headquarters for the Jolly Old Gent from the North Pole while visiting in Marion, was a popular place Sunday afternoon. Children lined up in the near zero degree bone-chilling weather in order to sit on Santa’s knee.

The unemployment rate in Marion County is one of the lowest in Kansas, standing at 3.5 percent during October. The state average is 4.6, up from 4.4 percent in September.

The family of Frank and Nellie Richmond gathered at the Marion County Lake hall Thanksgiving Day for their traditional turkey dinner. All of the couple’s children — Virginia, Eleanor, Richard, Regina, and Tootsie — were able to attend, along with their families.

Marion Elementary School and Marion High School both suffered from vandalism over the Thanksgiving holiday. Five skylights in the roof on the north side of the elementary school were kicked in. Nothing was missing. The woodworking shop of the high school also was burglarized. Here the vandals found nothing to take but about a dozen candy bars from a vending machine.

A welcome break from Sunday afternoon’s weather was found at open house events sponsored by local florists. At Buds & Blossoms, three generations, Joni Crofoot and daughter Sara and
“Grandma” Mary Ann Wiens were seen taking the time to look at a bit of holiday finery.