Tiny graduates celebrate at Ramona park
By JESSICA GILBERT
Ramona correspondent
(785) 965-2621
Oh, do I have news for you — and lots of it! Since there hasn't been room in the Marion County Record for my column the past two weeks (due to shortage of advertising to provide more pages), you have some catching up to do. The excitement all began on May 16 with a art exhibit, then weddings and graduations and the enthusiasm didn't let up until the Memorial Day celebrations were over. Got your calendar handy so you can track what happened when?
The flourish of activity all began May 16 with the Artful Eye Exhibit at the former bank building. The art show has become a yearly tradition in May, and for a couple of hours the bank is crammed with parents and kids clamoring to see their art work framed and matted.
The show featured the work of 3rd and 4th grade students Pat teaches at Centre Elementary. We designed the show to give the kids a "feel" for what an art gallery is like, and especially an exhibit opening where artists are featured and there's music and refreshments.
Tanner Brunner came dressed as a cowboy so he could be one of the "tour guides" during the exhibit. He stood by the watercolor paintings of "The Rodeo" and told folks about the original artist, Australian Peter McIntyre, who was so fascinated with the west he came to the U.S. and traveled 20,000 miles to explore and capture it in paintings. Tanner especially relished creating his version of "The Rodeo" since he's an avid rodeo fan.
On May 10, Tanner and his parents Tracy and Yvonne Brunner were in Whitewater at the awards ceremony for the Winter Junior Rodeo Series where Tanner won first place in every event!
He came home with four gigantic belt buckles for winning first place in break-away calf roping, goat tying, pole bending, and barrel racing. He also won All-Around Cowboy and was presented with a beautiful saddle.
Tanner was one of 12 young people who competed in the 7 to 9 age category at the competition. "It was very competitive," said his mom, Yvonne. "Some kids had really good horses," and she smiled. "Tanner's horse is 20 years old — a hand-me-down from his sister, Cat, who rode him when she was Tanner's age."
Not only is Tanner an exceptional rodeo competitor, he also plays soccer, golf, and tennis. Add "artist" to the list, and you have a well-rounded guy!
On the afternoon of May 17, the Ramona Park was the scene of Joey Brunner's wedding to Traci Chizek of Pilsen. Joey is the son of Jim Brunner of Ramona and Phyllis Brunner, who was a long-time Ramona resident but now lives in Madison, Wis.
Jim Brunner was sitting on his front porch that afternoon. "So are you wearing your tuxedo for the wedding?" I teased. "They take me the way I am," said Jim with a mischievous smile.
The father of the groom was at the wedding site well before five o'clock. He was driven there in his "buggy" by his brother-in-law Mike Mowat and sister Karen of Marion. And when the appointed five o'clock hour drew near, Jim reminded everybody that it was time to "get the show on the road," by honking his buggy horn. It's a distinctive sound — one that can't be mistaken. But what really signaled everybody to sit down was the arrival of the bride.
Just before the service began there was a familiar "putt-putt" sound overhead. We all looked heavenward. "There's even a fly-over," said Collin Bailey, as we all peered toward the clouds. Indeed, there was a single-engine plane that circled several times to pay tribute to the wedding couple.
Around three o'clock the next afternoon, traffic congestion set in as family and friends streamed into Ramona for graduation parties. It looked like one big block party!
Jessica Smith and her family were at the parish hall. When I asked what she plans to do next, Jessica said she was heading for Lawrence for a visit, then will go see her dad in Nashville. Jessica, daughter of Judy Bickford of Ramona, plans to take a year off of going to school, then proceed to college.
Our bed and breakfast, Cousin's Corner, was bustling with Alisa Fernandes' graduation party. "There were probably 150 folks who came through," said Alisa's mom, Marsha Bina, "and I still have food left over!"
Mark and Kathy Heiser stood by their daughter Stephanie and greeted folks as they came through the senior center door. "Who came the most distance for this event?" I asked Stephanie. "Oh, my uncle Jeff," and she points in his direction. I already guessed which one was Uncle Jeff. Yep, he was the one with the gigantic Stetson on — it was so big it could cast a shadow! Jeff came from Mount Hope for the party.
Stephanie says she's going to Denver in September to Johnsons and Wales University where she'll get her associate degree in culinary arts and a bachelor degree in hotel and restaurant management. "I'm very excited," said Stephanie.
Chelse Brunner, Mark Brunner's daughter, had her reception at the Cow Camp office complex just north of Ramona. "Around 50 folks attended," said Chelse's grandma, Orvell Brunner. "She had two beautiful cakes, and sandwiches and all the things that go with it." Chelse has plans to become a dental assistant. And she's already started a summer job as a lifeguard at the Enterprise city pool.
Lowell and Marge Hanschu had a flurry of folks around their house over the May 17 weekend. First, their son Daniel of Joplin, Mo., arrived with materials for the deck he and his brother Andy are going to build on the north side of the Hanschu home. Andy, from South Carolina, is joining his brother for the "work bee," which happens the first week of June.
"My two daughters, Martha and Suzie, will be here, too," added Marge. "We'll have lots of company."
Marge's sister Marilyn Hochard from St. Joseph, Mo., also was visiting. "She's my baby sister," explained Marge. "I'm the oldest and she's the youngest so we call ourselves the 'Alpha and Omega' of the family."
Wedding bells again rang for another Ramona couple May 19. Stefanie Staatz married Ben Mainville in Manhattan at a five o'clock ceremony attended by close family members. Stefanie is the daughter of David and Jane Staatz of Ramona and granddaughter of Maurice and Margaret Stroda also of Ramona. The bride's father showed me digital photographs he took at the wedding. Stef looked simply radiant in her white sheath gown, her blond hair coifed in curls atop her head, and pearls gracing her slender neck. When I asked Stef about memorable moments, she smiled. "I wasn't going to have a bridal bouquet, but Ben's sister surprised me and gave me one before the ceremony."
Following the wedding, the couple was honored at a reception at the home of Ben's parents. The Staatz and Stroda families will be having a reception for the couple here in Ramona sometime this month.
Memorial weekend is THE holiday in Ramona, as far as I'm concerned, because so many people come from out of town to visit.
With high school reunions in Herington and elsewhere, family reunions, and folks coming to decorate graves, there were lots of strange cars on the streets of Ramona, many chance encounters and conversations loaded with memories.
On Sunday evening before Memorial Day, Pat and I were driving to Salina for some weekend entertainment. As we passed the cemetery, my eyes were riveted by a scene that resembled a massive panoramic painting.
The red, white, and blue of American flags along the entrance to the cemetery flapped to attention in the evening breeze. Against the backdrop of verdant fields, wheat rippling in the wind, with the brilliant Kansas sun dipping toward the horizon and bathing all in golden light, families were clustered around gravestones, young and older working together in this ritual of remembering. Some were removing flowers from car trunks, others were arranging, and it seemed as I watched this ritual unfold that everyone knew their part.
Many houses around town and in the country had cars filling the driveway. Warren and Paula Fike had a house full as Gary and Carol Fike and family came from Ohio for a long weekend.
"Everybody really came to see Gary's new baby, Grace," laughed Paula. "That's who most of them came to see." And indeed most of Gary's siblings came to visit: Dennis and Lou Ann Fike with Derick and Nolan from Westmoreland, Mike and Glenda Jirak from Glade, with their daughter Iris Pauly, Steve and Sandra Deines, from Lawrence, Stewart and Sara Eells and girls from Topeka, and Linda and Dan Peterson from Burdick.
Miriam Bura Riddle arrived in Ramona from Texas to spark things up. Miriam, her son Billy Jack and his wife Phyllis are "regulars" on the Memorial Day weekend. "We'll be back again, the last part of June, to help with harvest," promised BJ.
Our bed and breakfast, Cousin's Corner, was overflowing with Anderson family members who were having their family reunion in Hope over the weekend.
The Lutheran parish hall was the site of the Emil Schubert family reunion. They came down to the bank building Sunday afternoon and had fun looking at the grade school pictures in the schoolroom museum display. Peals of laughter erupted from the back room as Dorothy Schubert Riffel's daughters Kristine and Mary told stories while filling in the missing names to some of the photos from early 1950s.
Early Memorial Day morning, I went to the cemetery to put peonies and iris at Dad's grave — the first time we've put flowers there since his death in March. I paid tribute to aunts, uncles, and grandparents — giving thanks for how each of them impacted and changed my life.
Across the cemetery three devoted men, Al Sondergard, Warren Fike, and Steve Eskeldson, were putting up chairs for the memorial service. Pat and I had just been talking about them, recognizing their faithfulness to having everything "right" and "ready" and wondering who will take their place some day — who could? Who would care as much, pay as much attention to detail, who would know the history as they do — these men whose families helped found Ramona.
Folks were heading for the cemetery already at 9:30 in the morning. Some, who wanted to sit in their cars and hear the service, wanted to have a prime spot; others wanted to have time to visit with old friends who came for the special occasion.
When Tracy Brunner welcomed everyone to the service, he commented how meaningful it was that folks chose to return to Ramona at this time of year, many traveling quite a distance to be here.
He asked all those who came from 50 miles away to raise their hands — there were considerable hands waiving in the air. Then he raised the ante to 500 miles, and still there were hands. Finally when he asked "Who has come from 1,000 miles or more?" the hands diminished to just a couple. Only one hand remained in the end and it belonged to Jerry Bernhardt, who came with his wife Bev from Seattle, Wash., traveling 1,500 miles to be here. Jerry was born in Ramona.
My mother, Pat, and I were honored to sing two musical tributes for the memorial service — "My Country Tis of Thee" and "America the Beautiful." "You sounded like one voice," someone commented. And indeed, this is the joy of singing with Mom — all from one heritage of music, blending to one song and purpose.
The Rev. Clark Davis, pastor of Trinity Lutheran Church in Ramona and St. John's Lutheran Church in Tampa, delivered a stirring and touching address to the gathered crowd. And one thing in particular caused me to grab my pen and write it down so I could share it with all of you.
"Death destroys many things, many lives," said Davis, "but death cannot destroy memories." Now that's a statement to live by — be sure you make memories each day that are worth recalling and savoring.
Many memories were told over the abundant luncheon at the Ramona Park following the memorial service. Tables groaned with fried chicken, salads, and desserts as over 150 folks joined together for lunch. When I thanked Donita Ryff, president of the Ramona Improvement Committee, for creating this lovely event, she shrugged and smiled, pretending it was no big deal. But it is — it's one of the most widely attended events in Ramona each year.
Following lunch, we opened the Dirt Gambler's Museum, the hometown museum Pat and I created with inspiration from our aunt Gertie Schubert and dedicated to preserving the memories of those who founded Ramona.
We remodeled the back room of the former bank building (you may recall that the Tampa State Bank gave us the building about a year ago). We raised the ceilings, patched some cracks, painted the walls a "school room red" and installed the permanent schoolroom exhibit. There on the walls are the graduating photographs from Ramona High School and other pictures Gertie Schubert had collected over her years of teaching.
"I remember when the teacher stayed at our house," said Paula Fike as she examined the photograph of the St. John Lutheran parochial school from Tampa. Some of her brothers and sisters were in the picture. "In those days you roomed the teacher," continued Paula. "He would stay a month at each house."
John Heiser of Herington remembered what it was like to be mischievous in Gertrude Schubert's classroom. "One day she told me to go in the cloak closet and stay there until she told me to come out," said John with a grin. "Well, Gertie forgot about me and pretty soon the principal came looking for me because I was supposed to be singing in the glee club choir." There was John, still sitting in the cloak closet.
And the toy display — ahh, that sparked lots of stories. "I've got to bring you our old blue pedal car we had when we were kids," said Lori Stika Moldenhauer. "I've still got it! That car made many a mile on Ramona's sidewalks," said Lori.
"She would go so fast," said Lori's mom Anna Mae Stika, "that when she made the turn at our patio I was sure she would crash. I'd just hold my head!" "And I still drive fast," laughed Lori.
Stan Wiles loaned us part of his marble collection for the Memorial Day toy display. We dubbed him "Ramona's King of Marbles." Stan couldn't be here over Memorial weekend because he was in Altoona for two family reunions, the Wiles and Dannels family reunions.
Golf is a favorite sport for the Wiles side of Stan's family. This year they had a cow pasture pool contest. "You use golf clubs but it's like playing pool," explained Stan. "They had three holes out in the pasture at the farm, but one was under water, so we played two holes and kept going until we got nine holes played," chuckled Stan.
The remarkable part of the Dannel family reunion was the deep-fried catfish. "Uncle Jerry and Uncle Dick catch it and prepare it for the whole family," said Stan. "My uncle is the Harold Ensley of Altoona." (Who's Harold Ensley? You may ask. I did.) He had a weekly Saturday night fishing show. Stan and Deb can even sing the show's theme song — "Gone Fishin', Instead of Wishin').
The Utech brothers are in the medical news this week. Erich had gallbladder surgery last Thursday and was home to tell about it by Friday. If Fred Utech looks different these days it's because he isn't wearing glasses. Back in April he had the first surgery on one of his eyes for cataract removal and implant and on May 14, his other eye. "Since I was 14 I've been wearing glasses," said Fred, "so when I get up in the morning, I still sometimes reach for them. Everything looks so bright!" Just wait until you see the fireworks this year, Fred — they'll be exceptional.
Jeannie Weber, Norma Bird, Connie Smith, Pat Wick, and myself are working together to create a memorable 4th of July in Ramona.
"We've got to have music," said Jeannie. So the Stuchlik Polka Band will be here.
"We've got to have great parade prizes," said I. Each year there's a $50 grand prize for the best float. Start dreaming.
Weber Trucking of Ramona is sponsoring a tractor contest. Contact Jeannie Weber at 620-382-4514. Trophies will be awarded for People's Choice, Best Restored, Best Unrestored, Worst Shape overall.
The Ramona Café will be open, and Uncle Haney's BBQ will be here too! Weber Trucking is planning karaoke and other contests for the afternoon and the Dirt Gambler's Museum will be open for viewing, too.
The fireworks — as always, are sponsored by Tampa State Bank, and are the finale to Ramona's Fourth event.
"It's a regular Norman Rockwell moment," is what my sister Pat always says about Ramona's 4th of July.
At last month's Ramona senior citizen meeting, the group voted to make some positive changes, appointing several individuals to oversee maintenance and the kitchen facility. The maintenance committee is Reign Anduss, Bob Brady, Don Bird, and Al Sondergard. Kitchen committee is Darlene Sondergard, Marlene Anduss. and Rita Brady. This Sunday is Game Night — join the fun!
And that's the news from Ramona (Have I told all the news? Heaven's no!) where a traffic jam is two parked cars and a dog in the road.
