LEAVING PARADISE

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As we were leaving Paradise after having such a wonderful time, we just had to stop for a few more pictures. More memories that were talked about at the reunion the night before.

Grade School Rock Wall
Millard thought he could find his initials that were carved on the top of the wall. He couldn't seem to find his, but took 11 pictures of "marks". Does 1 of these 4 pictures have your initials on them?



































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Post Insurance Inc - A neat building in Paradise

The Post Insurance Agency was originated in 1942 by Henry Post.
John and Garnett Angel purchased the Post Insurance Agency in 1968
This building was built in 1977 by John and Garnett Angel.
Mona Hoisington has been working there since 1984.
Garnett semi retired in 1994 and actually retired in 1995. (Garnett still does tax preparation on her own.)
Dan and Mona have owned the agency since 1994.
Not knowing what Dan did after he graduated from school, I asked him. His answer . . .
"I worked for my folks in the wholesale, then for a local farmer, oilfield, Prestige Builders, Paradise Grain, then started my fence building business in 1977 and did that until 1994 when we bought the agency. Wonder what I will do next??" He added, "Do you need any insurance?" That is logical from an insurance agent.

I have been wanting a picture of this business. It is such an asset to Paradise.
However, this does not do justice to the building. I am waiting for another picture.


Dan also told me about his new puppy.
"Her name is Penny and she is a Miniature Schnauzer"

Because of Penny, Dan is probably the only insurance agent in the USA who has conducted business in his underwear!
A cute story - you will have to hear it from him.

Or . . . I can tell you sometime. I could really make it good.




Bridge Across the Paradise Creek

Jon Anderson was telling us at the reunion that he wanted to show Dorothy the Natural Stone - Limestone - Bridge across the Paradise Creek. What a disappointment. They drove to it and it was a metal bridge. Eric Haberer then told us that they just built the metal bridge above the stone bridge. Another couple of pictures we had to take as we were leaving town. Isn't it neat from below? And to think, no one can see it. You can ask Millard about taking the picture. Ha!














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Mr. Green's House

Remember Mr. Green?
Millard took two pictures, but we didn't take the time to get any closer.


















Bridge South of Paradise on the Luray Road

So-o-o neat! But, you can't see it when you are driving across.










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The End!

Would you believe? We were so tired, but we wanted to go through Lucas, as they have put some of Millard's woodcarvings in the Grassroots Art Center. We had never seen this Art Museum, and although we were fascinated, we just walked in the door to see how they displayed his woodcarvings, talked for just a few minutes and left. We will have to tour another time - when we don't have a Reunion the night before and Church and Dinner and Visiting and Visiting and Visiting some more, before we go on a tour. Age has a lot to do with it!
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Several asked us at the reunion about Alice Pfortmiller. I know that she would love to see all of you too. Her husband, Jim, is not too well right now and I'm sure that the gas prices prevented many from going to the reunion.
I will be posting some pictures of Alice that we have taken in the past few years.
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It would be nice to have recent pictures of others that were not at the reunion also. The picture that we have had on the Paradise Blog of the Hoopes family has added a lot - for recent pictures.
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Please send us some of YOU!
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Keep watching for more pictures. There WILL be more pictures of the Classes of 58 and 59.
Also, if any classes have a class will, a class prophecy or a class history, please send them to me.

WERE YOU THERE?

A morning mischief to remember

Click on the picture for viewing

After 57 or 58 years, Millard confesses . . . .

"Does anyone remember a morning around 1950, or so, when a bunch of us got the idea to roll one of Johnny Morrill’s old junked cars that was parked just East of the playground at the Grade School down Main Street? I can remember that about a dozen of us rolled the old car down the street just North of the High School and then on to Main Street. Once we got to Main Street, we all jumped aboard and began to coast down the hill. I can remember the great amount of noise that the rims of the wheels made on the gravel street and the unexpected speed that it developed as we rolled down. It did alarm us somewhat! I was sitting or hanging on somewhere behind the front seat and the vibration of the car caused large pieces of stuffing to become dislodged from the front seat and fly past me as we careened down the street. This all took place before school started around 8:00 a.m.

The old car finally came to a stop near Brown’s Store and we beat it back up the hill to school as fast as we could. I remember when school started it was made obvious by the teacher that who ever was involved in this little escapade was in big trouble. Of course, no one knew anything about it, except, I was questioned very closely because I had stuffing stuck to my shirt. I lied, “someone threw it at me as I walked in the front door”, but added that I didn’t know who."

This is how the old car looks at the present - photo taken at the 2008 reunion.

ELAINE BROWN JACKSON

This past week, because of my osteoporosis, due to my liver transplant, I have had to take pain pills and stay in bed off of a swollen and painful foot - all day, several days. Plus being in so much pain, I was beginning to feel very sorry for myself.

I just received this email from Elaine. Bless Her Heart! Now, I feel so bad for being such a "baby". I can't imagine the pain, the disappointments, the doubts, the stress, the inconveniences and the numerous other feelings that she has been experiencing. What a couple of months she has had - 10 weeks, in fact. She asked me to explain what has happened. I feel that this is worthy of a posting in itself. I know that she would enjoy hearing from you in the Comments.


"Sorry I have not responded to you sooner about the reunion but it has been a difficult 10 weeks. I had shoulder surgery at the beginning of May and was to start PT on June 9. A tornado went thru Indep. the middle of May and took part of the roof off the Church. I walked around construction for 3 weeks during the services and of June 8, I caught my toe on a loose board and flew across the organ area and crashed and burned. Messed up the shoulder, concussion. broken nose and most of all completely shattered my 4th finger on the right hand. There were no solid bones in the finger so could not do surgery. They made a special splint which had my finger in traction 24/7. Needless to say, PT had become my life. Yesterday, they made the finger move and let me say, it was not a good day. All along, we have been afraid I would never play the organ or piano again but with constant PT and working it here, it looks like MAYBE I will be able to get back to my job someday.

I just cannot make a trip out home right now. I will miss seeing everyone- know it is going to be a really big time. Please explain to everyone what has happened here. Enjoy the week-end and let me know all about it!
Thanks a bunch!
Elaine Jackson
ekjmusic@aol.com "

BEN HOWE

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IN LOVING MEMORY OF BEN HOWE

Class of 1954 12/31/1935 - 7/23/2008

Thurman, IA

BEN WAS A FAMILY MAN

HE LED BY EXAMPLE AND HE ALWAYS PUT HIS FAMILY FIRST

Ben's Memorial Service was Wed, July 30, 2:008 at 4:00 pm

at the United Methodist Church - Sidney, IA

Memorials for Ben

Paradise Methodist Church

Thurman Fire & Rescue

Masonic Lodge Scholarship Fund

Ben's Celebration of Life was at Ben and Carolyn's Home North of Thurman.

Ben will certainly be missed by his "Paradise Alumni Family".

He was an attribute to the Class of 1954.

From an Iowa Newspaper Road . . .

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Construction that forced a group of teenagers to use an unfamiliar detour may have played a part in a fatal two-vehicle accident near Sidney Wednesday, according to two of the teenagers' mother.

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The group of five teenagers, including Casey Cruickshank (14), Kara Cruickshank (17), Maggie Johnson (15), Katie Johnson (17) and Holly Blazek(16) was driving back from a training program for student athletes in Shenandoah. Casey is a football player, set to enter his freshman season, and the other teens, all girls, are volleyball players.

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According to the accident report provided by the Iowa State Patrol, Blazek was driving a 2006 Saab about two miles north of Sidney on Fremont County Road J26 when it entered the intersection with U.S. 275, where it collided with Ben Howe's 2005 Honda motorcycle.

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Howe, 72, was pronounced dead at the scene. According to the police report he was not wearing a helmet at the time of the accident. Forty-seven of 50 states have some type of motorcycle helmet legislation. Only Iowa, Illinois and Colorado have no motorcycle helmet law.

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The students were traveling on J26 because Highway 2 east of Sidney is closed due to bridge deck work, beginning last week on an overflow bridge, 1.9 miles east of town. Jeff Owen, field services coordinator with the Iowa Department of Transportation (IDOT), said they were unable to set up the detour to go on J46 like they would have prefered because they couldn't get approval from Fremont County officials. Instead the detour was set up to US Highway 34. However, the group of teenagers didn't use either detour, instead because of the road construction, they took a less familiar route back to Sidney. "On the way home they took the detour through Anderson, Iowa, and it is a road they do not know very well," Lynda Cruickshank said. The intersection is at the top of a hill and not readily visible from the east, she said.Three of the students in the car were flown to Creighton University Medical Center, said Lynda Cruickshank, mother of Casey and Kara. Cruickshank said her 14-year-old son, Casey, Maggie Johnson and the car's driver, Holly Blazek, were flown to Creighton. Casey is the son of Sidney Community Schools Superintendent Gregg Cruickshank. Lynda Cruickshank would not comment on the conditions or identities of the other teens, however CMC spokes person Lisa Stites said Maggie Johnson was among them, and she was in stable condition Wednesday. Kara Cruickshank had stitches and a mild concussion, she and Katie Johnson were treated for minor injuries and released from Grape Community Hospital. Maggie and Katie Johnson are the daughters of Brian and Kelly Johnson of Percival. Casey, who suffered a fracture at the base of his skull, was in critical condition Wednesday evening, his mother said, but the injury was not life-threatening. In an email Lynda said that Casey is sedated until after brain surgery, but she trust he will make a full recovery.

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Cruickshank said Howe was a well-known and well-liked farmer.

He had been farming in the Thurman area since the early 1970s, said Howe's oldest son, Ben Howe II, 31. Before moving to Iowa he had been a teacher for several years, including two years at the U.S. Army post in Hanau, Germany. He loved to ride horses and motorcycles, and he loved old cars. He owned a1913 Ford Model T and a 1957 Chevrolet. He also loved to baby-sit his grandchildren, a6-week-old grandson and a 2-year-old granddaughter.

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"He was a family man," Ben Howe II said. "He led by example, and he always put family first."

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VERLIN CRONK

You may watch a Memorial Tribute of Verlin

by clicking on this

http://www.yourtribute.com/viewtribute.asp?mv=cronkverlin.html&fh=jdsmith5

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Verlin and the Guys at the Paradise Reunion

July - 19 - 2008

Verlin told Cheryl (his wife) that the opportunity that he had visiting

with his Classmates (the Guys) at the Reunion,

was a very memorable time for him.

"It may be the last reunion, the last time we'll see our high school friends,

the last time we'll dance to the music of Buddy Holly."

We certainly saw how true this is, but we will always have memories

and we will Cherish our Memories of Verlin.

Verlin, Dorene and Reva
at the Reunion, Sat. night

Verlin and Millard
at the Church Dinner, Sun

Gene, Connie, Verlin and Warren
at the Church Dinner, Sun.

DERBY - Cronk, Verlin, 67, retired Raytheon Engineer and current school bus aide for USD 260, died Thursday, July 31, 2008 while doing what he loved best, camping with his grandchildren.

He is preceded in death by his parents, Ray C. andEdith A. (Van Pelt) Cronk; and a sister.

Survivors include: wife, Cheryl Cronk, Derby; children, Darwin (Ginger) Cronk, Wichita, Karen (Bradley) Gustin, Spring Hill, KS; grandchildren, Kaitlyn and Troy; sister, Betty Mobray, Wichita.

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From Cheryl

"We were camping at Melvern Lake Outlet Park with Kaityln and Troy. We had gotten there on Wed. and Verlin passed away shortly after lunch on Thurs.

There were so many people at his service. Some of his coworkers from Raytheon came. ALL of his afternoon pool buddies from the Sr. Center were there, and several of the bus drivers that he worked with. I keep kicking myself for not participating in the Sr. Center Activities more, with him, but I can't change that, now. I do plan to go to some of the music jams that he enjoyed so much. One of his pool buddies plays in the music jams one or two nights a month, and this guy also plays on stage at Branson, so he's no slouch. lol.

I received a note from Marilyn Hoopes after the service and she sent me the above Memorial record.

She and Larry went to the service. Marilyn said it was a beautiful service, but very sad. She also said that Verlin certainly has a wonderful and beautiful family.

Classes of 1958 and 1959

GREG WHITE

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View the Memorial Tribute for Greg

by clicking on

http://www.yourtribute.com/viewtribute.asp?mv=whitegreg.html&fh=jdsmith5

Gregory Byron White

White, Gregory Byron, age 48, formerly of Syracuse, KS, former Feed Lot Manager and agri-business owner, died Monday, August 11, 2008.

Greg is preceded in death by a nephew, Aaron White.

Survivors include his wife, Jan White, Leoti, KS; children, Shaley and Stormy White, both of Leoti; parents, Dr. Vernon and Merilyn White, Wichita; brothers, Kenny White (Wendi), Wichita and Vernon Keith White (Donna), Topeka, KS; nephews, Colby and Chase White; nieces, Korissa White, Evynn and Makenna Jones.

Memorials :
Association for Frontotempural Dementia
1616 Walnut St., Ste 1100, Philadelphia, PA 19103
and/or
Syracuse Saddle Club
P.O. Box 4, Syracuse, KS 67878


From Greg's Family

Hi All -
For those of you that don't know, Greg passed away in his sleep on Sunday night.

Here are the details on the services so far, (there are actually two services, Wichita & Syracuse):

Service in Wichita Thursday, Aug. 14, 2008
7:00pm St. Paul's United Methodist Church
1356 N. Broadway, Wichita Ks.

Reception to follow in the Basement of the Church
- No casket because of cremation
- No pre-viewing at mortuary or at church

Syracuse, KS
Saturday, Aug. 16, 2008
1pm (mountain), 2pm (central)
First United Methodist Church

Scattering of Ashes in arena in Syracuse
After service

Internment:
Sunday, Aug. 17, 2008 Paradise, KS

Give me a call on my cell: 785-640-3076 if you want anything or just want to chat.

PS: PLEASE get this out to any and all that you feel should have it.

love ya all

keith white


From Janette (Angel) Ross

I didn't realize that some didn't know about Greg's illness. A form of frontal temporal dementia
called "Picks". This brain disease acts almost like alzheimer's, but there are differences. The onset for Greg was maybe 4 years ago when Vernon & Merilyn took him to a specialist & got the diagnosis. The Drs gave Greg only 6 months to 2 yearrs, but he surpassed those years.
For the past year, he was living in a care center in Wichita.

He has a son, Stormy, who was a freshman @ Mid-American Nazarene College last year on a football scholarship; he looks just like Greg did growing up. Also, a beautiful daughter, Shaylee who is going to be a freshman in HS in Leoti this year. His wife, Jan, divorced him about 4 years ago. but has maintained close contact with the family and made sure the kids visited their dad as often as possible. Jan is an RN @ one of the hospital's out west, but I don't think there's one in Leota. I can't remember exactly where she works. She was there for Doc & Merilyn's 50th and in all the family photos last October, even tho Greg could not attend.

Also, some have emailed about an address for Vernon & Merilyn:
801 Brown Thrush
Wichita, KS 67212

My cousin, Mary Angel Diacon, sent the website that tells about Picks.

http://www.bhoffcomp.com/coping/picks.html


From Dan Hoisington after the service at the Paradise Cemetery

The White service on Sun. was very nice. There were about 40 to 50 people there. Eric Haberer did the service and did a great job. I think he is a natural. This, being the third service for the White's was very well worth having a final Service at the Cemetery.

DENNIS SHORTER

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GRADE SCHOOL CLASS MATE OF THE CLASS OF 1971

Dennis Shorter

LUCAS - Dennis Shorter, 55, Lucas, died Friday, Aug. 8, 2008.
He was born March 3, 1953, in Ulysses.

He was a fire equipment salesman.

Survivors include his brother, Kenneth, Osborne; and his mother, Elizabeth, Lucas.

Graveside services were at 11 a.m. Friday, Aug. 15, 2008, in Lucas Cemetery, Lucas.

Memorials -
Dennis Shorter Scholarship Fund
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DO YOU KNOW THIS?

An acquaintance from Indianapolis, Indiana . . . He is retired, is an Author and enjoys Writing, Golf, History and Geneology said . . . . .

"A long time ago I did a study and determined that from Russell, Kansas, to Denver the elevation increases (on average) one inch every three feet."

WHERE FEW HAVE GONE

Paradise has such an unique and
picturesque Water Tower













Fantastic pictures of Paradise
from the top of the Water Tower

You can click on each photo to see it larger



A few photo's before
going to the top












Someone needs many THANK YOU'S
for keeping the sign so pretty.
Thank You! Thank You!


The green trees make such a
wonderful background.






A little bit of history











Ah! To the top!

I love the electrical wiring on top.
Not too great to look at . . . .
but now you know what it looks like
up there.




And . . . . What an amazing sight below!
View - East and a little South






Oh! My Goodness! Fantastic Views . . . .
Isn't Paradise BEAUTIFUL?



This is truly a wonderful
year for photo's
View - Directly South



View - Southeast









Green! Green! Green!
Lush Green, in fact.


View - Southwest








Waldo is over the hill . . . .
then Luray. . . . and Lucas
View - East



View - North












View - West







The neat thing about Kansas is . . . .
You can see forever. . . . and ever



View - Southwest






O.K. This proves it!
Millard has been telling me that as kids they loved to go to the
top of the hill by the water tower and sled down it to main street.
I have always said it doesn't look steep enough. He said it was.

Is this actually a hill?
Does anyone else tell this same story?
View - Directly South


Paradise might be small, but Wow!
It is beautiful.

Beautiful!

Beautiful!



Beautiful!








A little bit of graffiti in the 50's









All that I can say is . . . . . Wow! What a View


Gorgeous Pictures









Thank You for the wonderful Views




Many Thanks to a very brave photographer. Thank You! Thank You! Thank You!
You certainly went "Where Few Have Gone".

PARADISE

Paradise, KS, in Russell County,
is located on Hwy 18 in northwestern
Kansas.
Paradise was originally named Iva Mar, but when settlers came along and stopped on top of the hill they renamed the town Paradise because that is where they
thought they were, with its beauty and the creek that ran through the area.

Paradise Water Tower Paradise-Russell County-Paradise, KS

The Paradise Water Tower was constructed in 1938 as part of a larger water work improvement project sponsored by the Works Progress Administration.

The project employed some thirty-five men, who quarried the stone from the Welling Ranch south of Paradise and built the structure in about four months. Common laborers were paid 25 cents per hour, and carpenters and masons received 50 cents an hour. This cylindrical structure is made of rusticated limestone blocks, and is 17 feet in diameter, 35 feet tall, and has a capacity of 58,000 gallons. It features a double-door entrance with an Art Deco-inspired limestone surround.

PARADISE WATER TOWER - LANDMARK

Ula White
The Hays Daily News
April 6, 1980



The caption under Ula's picture in
the Hays Daily News . . . . . . .

"As a longtime resident of Paradise,Ula White hopes to soon record her memories of the town, in writing."

Because of a wonderful thing called "TECHNOLOGY" you can click on the article and it is readable. I thought this was such a nice article and I wanted it to be readable, so I was going to retype the whole story. Just happened to click on it - just like I had said somewhere in this blog, to click on any picture to enlarge it - and wonder of wonders, it worked on this too.

KANSAS HISTORICAL SOCIETY KENNEDY HOTEL

S.T. Brown Home

Taken from this Blog
Thursday, May 29, 2008

Photo by Dan Hoisington

Kennedy Hotel - Paradise, Russell County, Kansas


(This was taken from Devin's Blog
without permission.
It came from the Salina Journal)

The Kennedy Hotel viewed from the Northeast (back side of the property).





One of the earliest buildings erected in Paradise, Kansas, the Kennedy Hotel (1888, 1936) is significant for its association with the early development of Paradise. The construction of the limestone hotel in 1888 was documented in area newspapers including The Waldo Enterprise and The Russell Record. Catherine Kennedy, who also served as postmaster, opened her hotel in September of 1888. Although she soon sold the property, the building operated as a hotel until 1913 when it became the private residence of the Samuel Brown family.

During the Great Depression, Brown lost his downtown grocery business to a fire. He added on to the property and reopened his business. Since the construction of the original two-story limestone hotel building in 1888, the property changed and evolved to reflect the needs and uses of its first four owners. The changes and additions, all made within the historic period of significance, help convey the history of a property that served as a hotel, grocery store, and private residence.


Lyle and Carol Dixon,
current owners and residents
of the Kennedy Hotel,
stand in front of the property.

BUILDINGS BRING BACK MEMORIES

By the Railroad Tracks

ELEVATOR AND WELL HOUSE
This well house was used for the steam engines and the Jitney.

The Jitney made its last run on Saturday May 31, 1958. The Jitney ran to Natoma and Plainville. In fact, it ran from Salina to Hill City, going back and forth.

Later the farmers used it so they could hall water to livestock.



Did you notice this in the article "Water Tower - Landmark" with Ula White's picture . . . .
"The water tower was a part of the Work Projects Administration of President Franklin D. Roosevelt. The lower part of the water tower and the limestone water house, built south of town to enclose the water well, were completed within nine months."

More MEMORIES? Pat has some memories in the "Comments".

PARADISE HOTEL - BEFORE

SAUM HOME BECOMES
HOTEL IN PARADISE

Devin sent me some earlier pictures of the Pardise Hotel.
It was labeled "Saum Home" which I'm not sure about that, but possibly Devin or someone can explain that.

This picture is the original home.






Later they added the
second story

PARADISE HOTEL - AFTER

The finished Paradise Hotel
after the veranda was added.


From Devin . . . . .

"Photo of the Paradise Hotel, which my great-great grandparents (I think!) ran, which can also be seen in the background of the Houser picture.
They were the Hendershotts and Dwinelles."

Pat added . . . "My mother was a Dwinelle and her mother was a Hendershott. Her Name was Maude Louise Dwinelle."

PARADISE IS FEATURED ON YOUTUBE

Have you seen this?

http://youtube.com/watch?v=O56kS5HBXO4

Devin Strecker grew up in Paradise, but moved to Hays when he was 14.
He has been living in Los Angeles for the past 8 years.
His band (which included his brother Brandon) filmed a video in Paradise last year and the Dean Brown house is prominently featured in it, as are many other buildings in Paradise - including Brown's Store, the Park, the High School and the Church of the Nazarene.

This is a TERRIFIC video and proves that talent returns home.
It is wonderful to see the many scenes of Paradise.

Good Job Devin.

Congratulations for an excellent production.

http://youtube.com/watch?v=O56kS5HBXO4

Devin is also a very interesting writer. He has a blog too . . . .

http://raughtic.blogspot.com/

He is a very talented young man.
Thank You Devin for putting the Paradise Educated Blog on your Blog.

PARADISE FAME

Are we famous yet?

Devin's aunt Sharon sent this to him about an

author from the UK who once came to Paradise.