Hope springs eternal in Ramona
By JESSICA GILBERT
Ramona correspondent
(785) 965-2621
Anything out of the ordinary is quickly noticed in a small town comprised of five streets and 40-some houses. So when a red van was seen parked at the empty house on the corner of 4th and D that has a "For Sale" sign in front, not only was I curious, I was hopeful!
If it had happened only once, I wouldn't have wondered, but when I saw the van several times, and when I recognized the van as belonging to Reign and Marlene Anduss of Peabody, I had to stop and check it out. As I knocked on the door, I kept my fingers crossed.
"So what are you up to?" I asked Reign upon walking in the house that was owned by Betty and Harold Ohm. My question was answered before Reign even opened his mouth — he had a paint roller in his hand, a bucket of white paint open beside him, and the dark-paneled walls had obviously had their first coat.
"I bought the place from the Ohms," chuckled Reign. He peered out the south window of the house that gives him a clear view of Main Street. "I like the view and I can see the store from here. It will be a great little place for the three days a week we're in Ramona."
And then Reign admitted that he plans to re-open the Ramona Cafe which he and wife, Marlene, have had up for sale in the past year.
"I've been down at the cafe cleaning things up," said Reign. "I plan to open again sometime in January. We'll start with three days a week and see how it goes. Now that we have a place to stay here in Ramona, it won't be quite so stressful as when we had to commute every day from our house in Peabody."
While the Andusses closed the cafe a year ago, they were never really gone from Ramona. They came to visit friends, attended all major town events, and often were seen helping at senior center gatherings.
So as Thanksgiving rolls around, many of us in Ramona are adding Reign and Marlene to our "thankful list." In a small town, having a restaurant is probably one of the most noticeable "signs of life." It's also like the "town living room" because it connects folks who live in town with those who live on farms just outside of town.
And the promise of having Marlene's famous pies available once or twice a week just made my mouth water. "Come out to the van," said Marlene on one of their recent visits. "I have something for you." She opened the trunk and produced the most perfect cherry pie. She handed the pie to Pat. "This is for all the things you did for us and we never got around to paying you — for paint for painting the store window."
We saved that pie until later in the week and I produced a mini-gourmet meal to accompany it. Come 2003, Marlene's pies will be available once more at the Ramona Cafe.
Another new family has moved to Ramona recently. Sheila and Chet Mercer and their three kids, Molly (first grade), James (kindergarten), and three-year-old Josh, have moved into the green house on C Street where Connie and Boyd Coffey once lived.
"It's wonderful to have neighbors again," said Gertie Schubert who lives next door. "We saw lights upstairs and I haven't seen lights up there in years." The Mercers moved from Hope and attend the Rosebank Church.
Another property on C Street recently changed hands — Bobby Thornhill sold the trailer house just east of his house. "It's just my cousin from Wisconsin, Terry McRae," said Bobby, when I asked who now owns the place. "He's retiring in a year or so, and he might move down here." Wow, Ramona's having a regular population explosion!
Ramona is even thankful for "part-time" citizens, like B.J. Riddle and his mom, Miriam, who live in Texas. Thanks to Miriam's brother, Leon, who bequeathed his home to nephew, B.J., the Riddles have a home away from home when they come for a visit to Ramona. B.J. and Miriam arrived Friday in town. B.J.'s wife didn't get to come along this trip because she had a Sunday commitment to play bells.
"I thought this would be a work trip anyway — maybe help Merv Deines with the milo harvest, and then we needed to winterize the house here," said B.J.
Although B.J. said he was about to go out and mow the lawn, he reported that they've mostly been having a great time visiting. "Mom is out right now with Betty Stenzel putting flowers on the graves," said B.J. over the phone.
When Miriam returned from her trek with Betty, she made a complete list of their "comings and goings." They had a fish dinner Saturday at the home of cousin George and wife, Pauline Kristek in Salina. Erich Utech bought them lunch Sunday at Butch's Diner. "Afterwards we went to Erich's for a visit. You know his sister, Judy, was a best friend," said Miriam.
B.J. and Miriam were at Butch's again Monday with Bob and Margaret Harris. "And Betty Stenzel has visited me every day!" said Miriam with her mischievous smile.
B.J. proudly showed us a new toy he recently bought. "I had to bring it to Ramona and show Merv Deines," he said as he demonstrated all the moving parts to his Series 2 Precision John Deere Combine.
"It has a wheat header and a corn header," said B.J., "and I change them according to the season." Pat and I chuckled at B.J.'s serious approach to his harvesting toy. "You know when you're in the city, and want to be in the country," he paused and pointed at his toy combine, "you do what you can do."
Pat and I understood completely, because we too had yearned for country life when we lived in California. We had Ramona memorabilia displayed all through our homes and at the office, too.
B.J. said his goal is to come and visit Ramona about every three months. "We're putting up our Christmas decorations before we go home so the house is lit up for the town festival of lights," said B.J.
Originally B.J. and Miriam were planning to return to Texas Tuesday, but they've now decided to stay until Thursday. "Well, Merv might be harvesting corn on Wednesday and if I can help, that was enough reason to stay," commented B.J.
As Thanksgiving approaches, we've got lots to be thankful for here in Ramona — for those who've been the foundation of the town for all these years, and for the families arriving or returning. In a small town like ours, every single person makes a difference one way or another.
And speaking of making a difference — Ramona had its own town street sweeper this past week, thanks to Nate Bailey! Nate, Ramona's vice-mayor, has a humongous mower with gigantic collection bins on the back of it and Nate dedicated a day or more to cruising the streets sucking up the leaves from roadways and ditches. What a gift!
L.J and Martha Ehrhardt took their first treks outside the house this past weekend. They've lived in Ramona a month now, but Saturday was the first time they've both been well enough to get out to the car for a drive. They were eager to see the "lay of the land," and get straight where they lived in comparison to everybody else.
My dad, who would have been a cattleman if he hadn't been a preacher, was especially eager to see cattle, so we drove them by the Strodas and then to Cow Camp. It was fun listening to them name the families who had owned various farms several generations ago.
My parents had unexpected visitors from Colorado Friday — Carroll and Arlene Rushold of Grand Junction stopped by on their way to Branson, Mo., to see the Christmas shows. The Rusholds were church members in Boulder, Colo., when my dad was the church pastor there, some 40 years ago.
While the Rusholds have been through Ramona before to see my sister and me they hadn't seen our parents in all these 40 years. My mom, ever the hostess, had just baked bread and she handed the Rusholds a loaf when they said farewell. "That's just what we needed," said Mrs. Rushold as she walked toward their car. "I had a loaf set out to bring and then forgot it — we'll use this today for our lunch sandwiches."
The Christmas shows in Branson also were enticing to Ramona folks. Lauren and Orvell Brunner, along with Warren and Paula Fike, were part of a group of Tampa, Ramona, and Burdick people who went on a tour to Branson the weekend of Nov. 16. Tour leaders were Linda and Dan Peterson of Burdick.
The tour included four shows: The Gatlin Brothers, Yakov Smirnoff, the comedian, a Down Home Country Show, and The Radio City Christmas Spectacular which featured the Rockettes from New York.
"Oh, it was spectacular," said Paula referring to the Radio City Christmas Spectacular. "We even got to go backstage with a small group of Burdick people and we got our picture taken with a Rockette!"
The little backstage tour was made possible by Jan Remy Creger from Burdick who is costume supervisor for the Rockettes.
"We had a really good time, Lauren and I both enjoyed it," said Orvell. "And I don't think we held anybody up — we were worried about that, you know. We're not so speedy anymore."
Orvell's favorite show was Yakov Smirnoff. "It's good to laugh," she said.
Betty Ohm had her excitement right here at home when her grandkids came to visit. Jordan, Justin, and Devin Richardson stayed with their grandparents for the weekend, while the kids' parents, Jackie and Brad, went on to Wichita to attend Tom Costello's birthday party. "The kids kept me plenty busy," said Betty with a grin.
Seeing Betty's grandkids swinging and playing in her backyard just made me grin with nostalgia. It reminded me of my summer visits to Ramona as a kid. The memories were so strong, the experiences so sweet, it eventually pulled me back to live here — like the swallows returning to Capistrano.
Fern Leach's boys, Matt and Josh, went with the Rosebank youth group called XYZ, to Wichita Saturday to see the News Boys, a contemporary Christian Rock Band. The boys' cousin, Michael Shearer, went along too.
Several couples are gathering at Butch's Diner in Tampa Nov. 24 to celebrate Dorothy Riffel's birthday. "It's a week late, but that's the soonest we could get together," said Gertie Schubert. Gathering for birthday hoopla are Hank and Gertie Schubert, Lauren and Orvell Brunner, Warren and Paula Fike, and of course Harvey and Dorothy Riffel of Salina.
Bertha Schneider's daughter-in-law, Mary Schneider of Olathe, stopped by Ramona and Bert's house on C Street over the weekend. Regrettably, Mary reported that Bertha will remain living at the Lutheran Home in Herington, and that her house in Ramona will be for sale.
For those who'd like to send a greeting card to Bertha during holidays, send it c/o Lutheran Home, 2 East Ash, Herington 67449.
This next weekend Ramona will be outfitted in its yearly Christmas lights and decorations, thanks to Ramona mayor Connie Smith, city council member Pat Wick, along with Paul Jones, Tooltime Tim, and me. While Ramona isn't buzzing with activity day in and day out, there are certain times of the year that we definitely come to life. Christmas is one of them!
Our little downtown buildings will be decorated in lights, which always gives me a buzz, especially when returning home at night. Drive over the tracks and my heart just smiles seeing all the "twinklies." My favorite quote came from a Tampa visitor last year who said, "There were so many lights in Ramona, I could have turned off my headlights and still seen my way!"
And plan to attend our Festival of Lights Dec. 21. In the past we've had a nativity with singing angel in the park. This year we're doing something a little different, thanks to the generosity of Trinity Lutheran Church members who are allowing this community event to take place in their lovely church.
"We're taking our nativity indoors this year," said Pat Wick. "This way the shepherds, wise ones, and a live baby won't be freezing in the night air." It also means that if you want to sit and enjoy the music, you have a "comfy chair" for doing so.
"The nativity scene will be animated this year and everyone from Mary and Joseph to the wise men will be children from the Ramona community," said Pat. There'll be other musicians joining me in singing, Jean Brunner and daughters, Lisa Hanschu and some of her singing friends, Terry Deines, and my mom, Martha, who still remembers "Silent Night" in German. You'll hear more about the festivities on Dec. 21 as we get closer to Christmas.
And that's the news from Ramona, a hopeful little town, where a traffic jam is two parked cars and a dog in the road.
