PAULA (SANDY) GILLILAND

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I received a very nice email from Paula Sandy Gilliland of

Brentwood, TN.

Dear Onnalee,

Thank you for manning the blogspot about people educated in Paradise. My name is Paula Kay Sandy (now Gilliland) and I grew up in Osborne, Kansas. I am first cousins with the Dennis McNeal children and related to many other people in the area and am so happy to discover the wonderful write-up about Jan Strecker being the interim superintendent of Hutchinson Schools.

The memorial tributes to Albert McNeal and Albert Strecker were also so very nice. I knew several of the Paradise students many years ago and have attended basketball games, graduations, etc. there at Paradise. I will continue to check the blogspot for news.

What an outstanding service you are offering to the friends and families of those who are Paradise Educated !

Paula Gilliland
Brentwood, Tennessee

I replied to her email and asked her permission to print it. I also told her that Sarah and Avery Post, from Osborne, were Millard's aunt and uncle and that Marie Elliott Quinzer is Millard's cousin.
She sent another email.


Onnalee,

Yes, you have my permission.

Yes, I knew the Posts, but it has been many years ago. Marie Elliott is my cousin by marriage through her first husband, Ray Elliott, and I was in the same class with Ron Quenzer, her stepson through marriage to Weldon Quenzer. We all attended the Methodist Church in Osborne together.

I got to see Marie when I visited in 2005. Marie's daughter Judy married Kirk Charbonneau, son of Dr. Eugene Charbonneau who delivered me back in 1946. My family and the Charbonneaus were quite close until we children moved to different parts of the country and then our parents passed away in the 1980's and 1990's. I still keep in touch with Karen Charbonneau Huss who lives in the Denver area.

My mother was Ethel McNeal Sandy (daughter of Albert & Mabel McNeal of the Victor community). My father was Paul Sandy (son of Elmer Gordon & Hattie Bell Snedden Sandy of Covert).

My mother Ethel and Dennis McNeal were sister and brother. As I was an only child, my parents made every effort for me to spend time with all my cousins and, consequently, we still have close feelings for one another yet today. Jan Strecker and I are particularly close as we are practically the same age and have maintained important places in each others lives to this day. I was actually visiting with her and other family in Kansas at the time of Al's death. And Jan was back here in Tennessee with me when my husband died in 2003.

Another sister of mother's and Uncle Dennis's is Carol McNeal Dixon (Aunt Babe to us kids) of Manhattan and of Paradise. She and Uncle Lyle own the historic limestone home there in Paradise that once was the post office and maybe the pony express stop ? at one time. My Aunt Ruby McNeal Drake (another sister & wife of Lowell Drake formerly of Natoma) lived in that house for several years before she died back in the 1980's. I have visited that home and spent the night there are many occasions. It is really a neat house! The only other 2 sisters were Eileen McNeal Bricker and Gwendolyn McNeal Weisner. Eileen died back in the 1980's and Gwendolyn died about 2 years ago out in Colorado.

Do you happen to be the person who operates the Post Office in Paradise now? If so, tell me how I can order some stamps. I would like to support the Paradise economy in some small way.

Thanks for your quick response. In the next year, I hope to travel to Kansas again and visit many family members and friends. I am certain my journey will take me to Paradise. I always visit there one way or another. If you ever come this way, look me up.

Sincerely,

Paula Sandy Gilliland
102 Suffolk Crescent Drive
Brentwood, TN 37027

Paula, we live in Emporia, Ks but the Posmaster was one of my former students. I will give you the email address of another former student that will be able to help you. That is very thoughtful of you to help a small post office out. Millard's Mother and my Mother were both Postmaster's and we know that stamp sales are very important to small post offices. Onnalee