Progress Notes

Two interesting Miller County families with strong roots here who settled near each other between Iberia and Ulman are the Waite and Livingston families. They intermarried at times; the most well known example being that of the marriage of Ethyl Waite and Frank Livingston (photos 01 and 02).

01 Frank and Olive Ethyl Waite Livingston

02 Frank and Olive Ethyl Waite Livingston

Frank was the son of  William Noe Livingston and his second wife, Sarah James (photo 03).

03 William Noe Livingston and second wife Sarah James

William was the son of the original Miller County Livingston, Daniel Livingston.

Ethyl was the daughter John Wesley and Ella Reed Waite, the first Waites to come here (photo 04).

04 John and Ella Reed Waite

Ethyl wrote a very interesting combined history of the Waite and Livingston families as well as the Castleman family, all of whom intermarried. I will present that narrative in the near future. However, this week I wanted to tell the story of two nephews of Ethyl who were very well known in our county. They were Gene and Norris Waite, both deceased now, who operated and owned the Central Missouri Turkey Hatchery of Eldon, Missouri (photo 05).

05 Gene and Norris Waite - October 13, 1951

Their father was Elmer Waite (photo 06), brother of Ethyl, who was one of the sons of John W. Waite pictured above.

06 Elmer Waite

Elmer was married to May James. Here is their wedding photo (photo 07):

07 Elmer and May Waite Marriage Photo - 1910

Norris was two years older than Gene having been born at Iberia in 1914. Gene was born two years later in Iberia in 1916. Norris and Gene were raised south of the river near the old town of Watkins, located a few miles down KK off Highway 17 south of the Osage River. Because Iberia didn’t have a high school during their years there, the brothers attended Tuscumbia High School. After school, Gene joined the Navy and served during WWII. Norris during those years started the Turkey hatchery and feed business in Eldon. However, he awaited eagerly the return of Gene to join the business as soon as the war was over.

One of those who remembers the Waite brothers’ turkey hatchery and feed business in Eldon is Donald Steen, whose father, Holmes Steen, was one of the brothers’ best customers due to the large turkey farm he owned. Here are some of Donald’s own memories of the Waite brothers’ business in Eldon, which I obtained from him recently in a casual conversation:

Donald’s father, Holmes Steen, was one of the first customers of the Central Missouri Turkey Hatchery (photo 08).

08 Holmes and daughter Sharon - 1943

Donald said that Norris Waite was the person who started the company having had some innovative ideas about selective breeding. He developed a breed of turkey he called the “Broad Breasted Bronze.” He began to encourage local turkey farmers to not only buy his turkey poults which he produced out of his own hatchery in Eldon, but also to buy his turkey feed. At first Norris sold a General Mills product named Larro Feed, but later built his own mill to produce the feed he sold. At this time the feed was sold in sacks and trucked to the farmers. Also, Norris had his own farms where he hired employees to manage the raising of the turkeys.

Donald said Norris began his hatchery and feed business in the mid 1940’s. However, Norris was very eager for the war to end so that Gene Waite, his brother who was a pilot in the Navy, could join the company. Eventually, the brothers began contracting with farmers to sell them the poults and provide the feed. The farmers were given a guaranteed price for the turkeys when ready for market. Early, on Gene drove the delivery trucks for the feed, which went to the farms.

In the late 1950’s Norris moved to Green Forest Arkansas to start a turkey operation there. Later, he returned to Eldon with plans to return to the turkey industry here, which he pursued for a short while before retiring.

Some of the names Donald remembers associated with the Central Missouri Turkey Hatchery were Leland Melton, who was the office manager, and the Robinett brothers (Sam, Gerald, Milo, and Basil), and Lynn Lupardus.

After Norris left to go to Arkansas Gene continued improving and enlarging the company. A very informative biography of Gene was published in an announcement of the Mercantile Bank of Eldon in 1982 after Gene had retired from the hatchery and feed business to become a director of the bank (photo 09).

09 Gene Waite - Bank Board Member - Mercantile Bank of Eldon
Click image to read entire article in PDF format

I obtained some very interesting information and photos of Norris and Gene Waite from Mike and Jeff Waite, sons of Gene, and Karen Hanover, daughter of Norris. Mike wrote the captions for the photos which follow:

This next photo is of Uncle Norris with the Jamesway incubators in 1951 (photo 10).

10 Norris Waite - October 13, 1951

The building is the one attached to the warehouse that was built in the mid 1950's. I remember chickens being hatched in these machines in the early to mid 1960's. Later the machines were removed and the space was used as additional warehouse. The buildings are on the southwest corner of Fifth and Mill streets.

The next photo is (right to left) Gene Waite, Norris Waite, and Lynn Lupardus (manager) taken in October, 1951 (photo 11).

11 R-L: Norris and Gene Waite and Lynn Lupardus - October 13, 1951

They are standing in front of what was the Central Missouri Turkey Hatchery office until the office moved across the street to the new warehouse in the mid 1950's. The frame building to the right was the feed warehouse at the time. Formerly it had been the Eldon Bottling Works. It was later torn down, and a brick building was constructed that became the hatchery building. The attached brick building on the left was, at various times - Ernie Jones Auto Sales, the Driftwood Bowl, and now I believe it is a restaurant.

The next photo is of Gene (L) and Norris Waite (R) in the old office of Central Missouri Turkey Hatchery located on the Northeast corner of Fifth & Mill (photo 12).

12 Gene and Norris Waite - October 13, 1951

This room held a counter, cash register, and displays of various poultry equipment and medications. The feed warehouse (all bagged in those days) was an attached frame building. The doorway behind Gene led to a smaller inner office.

The next photo is of the new feed mill nearing completion in the late 1950's (photo 13).

13 Feed Mil

This mill expanded Central Missouri Turkey Hatchery capacity as the poultry industry grew in Miller County and bulk feed delivery replaced bagged feed in many cases.

The next photo is of the "annual" presentation of turkeys to the governor of Missouri by the Missouri Poultry Council prior to Thanksgiving (photo 14).

14 Annual Presentation of Turkeys to Governor - 1948

This photo was made in 1948. In the photo from left to right are Stuart Voss, 5, son of Leonard Voss, executive secretary of the Missouri Poultry Council; Governor Tom Donnelly; R. M. Calbert of Springfield, MO, vice-president of the National Turkey Federation; Gene Waite, Eldon, MO, president of the Missouri Federation; Jeffrey Waite, 3; and governor-elect Forrest Smith. The presentation was in the governor's reception room in the state capitol in Jefferson City.

The article concludes: "After the gobblers were accepted by the two state officials, they were killed, dressed, and delivered to each of their homes."

No pardon to the local petting farm in those days.

Mike also sent some family photos with captions:

Here is a photo of John Wesley Waite and his wife Ellen K. (Reed) Waite (photo 15).

15 1890's - John was a School Teacher and Miller Co. Surveyor from
Nov 1892 to Jan 1896 and Nov 1904 to Jan 1908

Note the Grand Army of the Republic medal (union side) that he is wearing. Great Aunt Olive stated that he was very proud of his service to the country in the Civil War, as he attended many of the reunions held in Iberia after the war. This is an old chalk highlighted portrait that I have and I am guessing the time it was drawn. It was hanging above my grandfather Elmer and grandmother May Waite's bed in their farm house just outside Eldon. I was the lucky one to be the caretaker of it when he passed away.

Here is a Waite family Christmas picture in I believe 1951 or 52 (photo 16):

16 Christmas at Elmer and May Belle Waite's Farmhouse west of Eldon - 1951

Seated on floor L to R: Johnny Waite (son of Ernest and Barbara) Jeff Waite (son of Gene and Chris) David (son of Earnest and Barbara) seated in chair: Elmer, (holding Karen daughter of Norris and Lou (Abbott), May Belle (James) standing L to R: Lou (wife of Norris), Norris, Gene (holding son Mike), Chris (Backlund), Ernest, Barbara, Edna Irene (Waite) Lamb, Jim Lamb.

Both Ernest and Jim Lamb were Baptist ministers. (I will try to get Aunt Barbara's maiden name).

The next picture is of John Wesley, Ellen and family members (photo 17).

17 Children about 1926
Boys are Elmer and either Arthur or Charles - Girls are probably Olive, Mildred, Hester and Cora

I am guessing since he died in 1928 but to me he looks to be around 80 in this picture (taken in 1926?). Your best guess? I also tried to guess which of the girls were in the picture. Out of the 5 girls, these would more generally fit the ages getting the information from their birth years. Elmer is in it with the tie on and I believe again from the birth years that the other man is either Arthur or Charles.

Here are two pictures of Gene when he was in the Navy in WW II (photos 18 and 19).

18 Ensign Gene Waite at WWII Navy Primary Flight School - 2nd Row 5th from Right

19 Gene Waite in WWII after receiving his Navy Aviator Wings - 1st Row 2nd from Right

Early in the war, he was an instructor pilot for the Navy at Olathe, KS and later, flew sea planes (PBYs and PBMs) on submarine patrol. The PBY5A was the largest plane the Navy had at the time the war ended with a crew of 9 or 10. It even had a galley and was several stories tall. He was rated to fly in about every plane the Navy had at the time. He told me that when he was instructing over at Olathe, he could check out a plane for the weekend! He would then fly over Eldon (sometimes flying upside down) and then land at a grass strip in Iberia to visit his folks. He also said there wasn't a bridge on the Missouri River that he hadn't flown under. When the war ended, he drove straight through from San Diego to Eldon without stopping to rest. I guess he really missed Miller County.

Thanks Mike for the very interesting photos and your excellent narratives for each of them!

Here is an article published in 1993 in a newspaper (for which I don’t have the name) which announces Mike’s promotion to Lt. Colonel in the U.S. Army. It gives a very interesting summary of Mike’s service in the U.S. Army detailing some of his interesting assignments (photo 20).

20 Michael Waite
Click image for larger view

You can read more about the poultry industry in Miller County history at this previous Progress Notes.

Peggy Hake has written a biography of the first Waite to come to Miller County, John W. Waite.

I will copy it here:

JOHN W. WAITE (photo 21)

21 John W. Waite

John W. Waite was born near Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio on 5 December 1845. He was one of nine children born to Noah Jefferson Waits/Waite and Rebecca A. Parker. The Waits/Waite family was of Welsh descent and while the family lived in Ohio, their name was spelled Waits. Later the spelling became Waite and has remained so for many years.

The children of Noah Jefferson and Rebecca (Parker) Waite were: John Waite, David Waite, Lydia Jane (Waite) Bradford, Patience Waite, Thomas Waite, Lyman and William Waite (twins), Anne Waite, and Isaac Newton Waite.

During the Civil War, when only a teenager, John W. Waite enlisted in Company C of the 48th Ohio Volunteers Infantry and served at several battle scenes, including the famous battle of Shiloh.

On 15 January 1870, at the age of 25 years, John married Elizabeth Ellen Caroline Reed in Claremont County, Ohio. Always known as Ellen, she was born 24 April 1853. Ellen was a daughter of John K. Reed and his first wife, Sarah Burdsall. Her mother died when Ellen was a small child and she was reared by some of her kinfolk. She had a brother, George Hamilton Marcellus Reed, who was only a baby when their mother died. John K. Reed was married several times following the death of his first wife and fathered more children. He came to Miller County and stayed for a short while, but then moved on to southwest Missouri and lived near Ava, in Douglas County.

John W. and Ellen (Reed) Waite came to Miller County about 3 months after their marriage in 1870 and settled in Richwoods Township, north of Iberia, near the families of Burks, Aust, Fancher, bond, Denton, Shackelford, Forrester, Ponder, Short, Gardner, and Wheeler.

Their ten children were all born in Richwoods Township.

The five sons and five daughters were:

-  OSMOND MARCELLUS b. 1871 m. Mabel Jones
-  ALVERETTA/ETTA IONA b. 1873 m. Samuel Livingston
-  CORA BELLE b. 1875 m. Henry Livingston
-  CHARLES RUTHERFORD b. 1877 m. Mila York
-  ARTHUR GARFIELD b. 1880 m. Della Bond
-  ELMER SHERIDAN b. 1883 m. (1) May James (2) Alpha Apperson
-  HESTER ANNA b. 1886 m. Martin McNeal
-  MILDRED ESTELLA b. 1889 m. Wesley Livingston
-  OLIVE ETHEL b. 1892 m. Frank Livingston
-  JOHN WALTER b. 1896 m. Georgia Harper

For 12 years, John W. Waite was county surveyor of Miller County. His terms of office were from 1889-1896 and then from 1905-1908. He was also a country schoolteacher for several years, teaching in many of the area schools of Richwoods Township. He proudly served as a member of the G.A.R. (Grand Army of the Republic) and took an active part in their encampments and parades in the Iberia area.

John Waite died at the age of 83 years on 22 November 1928. He was survived by his wife, Ellen, with whom he had spent 58 years of married life on their Richwoods farm. All ten children survived their father also. His services were conducted by Rev. E. H. Pontius of the Iberia Methodist Church and he was buried at Livingston Cemetery. Ellen Reed Waite lived until July 22, 1934 and was laid to rest beside her husband at Livingston.

NOTE: The above information was acquired from an obituary of John W. Waite and the private writings of his daughter, Ethel Waite Livingston. Ethel accomplished a goal that more people should try to accomplish..... she recorded a small history of her family and also one for her husband's family before her death. I am fortunate to have a copy of her family histories........ they are priceless gems for her descendants.

For completeness I will copy below the obituaries of Norris and Gene Waite, grandsons of John W.Waite:

Obituary: Jefferson City Post Tribune, Friday, August 28, 1992

Norris Waite, 77, Eldon, died Thursday at St. John’s Medical Center, Springfield. He was born Sept. 15, 1914, at Iberia, the son of Elmer and Mae Belle James Waite. He was married Oct. 4, 1946, at Eldon to Lou Abbett, who survives of the home.

A lifetime resident of Miller County, he was a member of First Baptist Church of Eldon. He was also a member of the Missouri Turkey Federation and a past member of the Eldon Lions Club. He was co-founder and operator of the Central Missouri Turkey Hatchery in Eldon for many years. He later founded and operated Waite’s Feed and Farm Supply in Eldon. He owned and operated several farming and poultry operations in Central Missouri. He was honored on his 75th birthday as the longest tenured businessman in Eldon. He attended Tuscumbia High School.

Other survivors include two sons, Shannon Waite, Mt. Vernon, Ill., and Mark Waite, Fort Worth, Texas; two daughters, Karen Conover, Jefferson City, and Martha Waite, Springfield; two brothers, the Rev. Ernest Waite, Westminster, Colo., and Gene Waite, Eldon; one sister, Irene Lamb, Bridgeton; and three grandsons. He was preceded in death by one daughter, Sharon Waite and one son, Norris Waite, Jr.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Sunday at First Baptist Church, Eldon. The Rev. Donald E. Renken will officiate. Burial will be in Eldon City Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4-8 p.m. Saturday at Phillips Funeral Home, Eldon. Memorials are suggested to the First Baptist Church, Eldon.

Obituary: Jefferson City Post Tribune, Wednesday, July 23, 1997

Gene R. Waite, 80, Eldon, died Monday at Capital Region Medical Center-Southwest. He was born Aug. 9, 1916, in Iberia, a son of Elmer S. and Mae James Waite. He was married Aug. 19, 1944, to Phyllis Christine Backlund, who died Feb. 14, 1987. He was married Oct. 24, 1987, to Kathryn Bell Bauer, who survives at the home.

A Tuscumbia High School graduate, he earned a bachelor’s degree in agricultural science from the University of Missouri-Columbia. He served in the U.S. Naval Air Corps and the Navy during World War II. He owned and operated Central Missouri Turkey Hatchery.

He was president of the Missouri Turkey Federation and director of the National Turkey Federation. He was a member of the Eldon and Jefferson City country clubs. He was a lifetime member of the Miller County Historical Society. He was a former member of the board of directors at Mercantile Bank, Eldon. He was a past member of the Eldon Volunteer Fire Department. He was a member of First Christian Church, Eldon.

Other survivors include:; two sons, Lt. Col. Jeffrey A. Waite, Silver Springs, Md., and Lt. Col. Michael S. Waite, Arlington, Va.; one stepson, Jeffrey H. Bauer, Blue Springs; three stepdaughters, Jennifer B. Collett, Mission Hills, Kan., Jacquelyn H. Johnson, Independence, and Dr. Janet L. Bauer, Hartford, Conn.; one sister, Irene Lamb, Bridgeton; and 13 grandchildren.

Services will be at 2 p.m. Thursday at First Christian Church, Eldon. The Rev. Stephen Buchholz will officiate. Burial will be in Eldon City Cemetery. Visitation will be from 4-8 p.m. today at Phillilps Funeral Home, Eldon. Memorials are suggested to First Christian Church, Eldon.

Again this week I will present another chapter from Vance Randolph’s book, Ozark Superstitions p. 162-191 (photo 22).

22 Vance Randolph

This week Vance writes about “Courtships and Marriage” (photo 23). Refer back to the Progress Notes of August 30 to read Vince’s biography.

23 Ozark Superstitions - Courtship and Marriage
Click image to read entire chapter in PDF format

Last Saturday evening the Tuscumbia High School Alumni Association held its annual meeting. Honored that night were former THS alumni Lee Mace and Gene Patterson. Larry Flaugher and I interviewed Joyce Mace, Lee’s wife several days before the event. Here are photos Joyce graciously allowed us to take of her and Larry and me (photos 24, 25 and 26):

24 Joyce Mace with Lee's Bass Fiddle

25 Larry Flaugher and Joyce Mace

26 Joe Pryor and Joyce Mace

Joyce had beforehand selected a large number of photos having to do with Lee Mace and the Ozark Opry which were presented at the ceremony honoring him during the Alumni banquet. The following is a collage of those photos (photos 27 - 70):

Hover your mouse pointer over the images below to view the captions and click on any of the photo thumbnails to view a larger image.

Note: Once you click on an image below, a new window will open. It would be best to maximize this new window by clicking on the middle box in the upper right-hand corner of the window. When you move your cursor over the image in this new window, it will change to a magnifying glass. Once this occurs, click on the image and it will show in a larger format for easier viewing.

Joyce also let us copy the first program made for the Opry collaged here (photos 71 - 88):

Just click on any of the photo thumbnails to view a larger image.

As I mentioned last week, Dave Webb, son of Lee’s sister, Lois Mace Webb, has redesigned the Ozark Opry website.

Also, you can read more about Lee’s biography and the Ozark Opry at this previous Progress Notes.

Dan Peek, originally from Versailles who now lives in Columbia, has recently written a biography of Lee Mace and the Ozark Opry. It will be published soon. Here is a photo of the chapter titles and page numbers which give a summary of what the book covers (photo 89):

89 Chapter Titles
Click image for larger view

However, Dan also has written a short synopsis of the history of the Ozark Opry which is located on the Lee Mace website I listed above. For convenience I have placed that here as an attachment (photo 90).

90 Statement from Author Dan Peek
Click image to read entire statement in PDF format

Lee was graduated from Tuscumbia High School in 1945. Here is the class photo and the article which was in the Autogram (photos 90a and 90b).

90a THS 1945 Class Picture

90b THS Graduates 1945 - Lee Mace
Click image for larger view

My sister, Patricia Pryor (but known at home as “Trish”) was on the Ozark Opry in the mid 1960’s. At the time, Lee was needing a piano player so he came to our home and asked my parents, Harold and Susie (Bear) Pryor if they would allow her to be on his show. I remember the day very well. All of us were just so proud that Lee was from our town and had gone to our school! What ever Lee did that made him a success always made the rest of us very happy. But Lee was showing respect by going to Trish’s parents and in their home making a formal request. Mom set some ground rules in regard to time frames and her study needs (she was a sophomore in high school) but we knew that Lee would be like an older brother to her and, indeed, he was the entire time she was on the show. Because she was younger than usual for a performer he was by her side everywhere they went, whether on the road or at the Opry auditorium.

For us at home it was just so exciting to see my sister play the piano and once in a while sing or play the harmonica on stage as well as on TV!

Here are some photos of Patricia (“Trish”) when she was on the Opry show (photos 90c, 90d, 90e and 90f):

90c Ozark Opry 1962 - Trish playing Piano

90d Ozark Opry 1963 - Trish playing Harmonica

90e Ozark Opry 1963 - Trish playing Tamborine - Paulette Reeves on Fiddle

90f Ozark Opry 1965 On the Road - Trish, Paulette Reeves and Lee
Click image for larger view

Lee Mace tragically died in an airplane accident in 1985. I asked Joyce just how she was able to deal with the sudden unexpected death of Lee and yet summon up the wherewithal to continue the Opry show. She told Larry and me that she knew the decision had to be made quickly no matter how devastating was the loss of Lee to her personally and emotionally. She didn’t have much time to decide; one week of no shows and the Opry would only be “history.” To make matters worse, although Lee’s accident occurred in the afternoon, she wasn’t notified until after dark that evening of his death. The next morning she met with the Ozark Opry staff and performers to get a sense of what they wanted to do. No question about it. All wanted to continue. Amazingly, that night the show returned to the stage and continued its regular season the rest of that year and twenty more years thereafter.

Joyce had always been the business manager for the show as well as for herself and Lee’s personal finances. Also, she was present at every show through the years at the Ozark Opry auditorium. She always had been very involved with every aspect of the show; Lee had depended on her judgement and especially her financial acumen greatly. So, because of her the Ozark Opry show was able to continue after Lee’s death. He was missed greatly. No one I have ever seen on stage could keep a show moving and entertaining as well as Lee Mace. He was the master of masters regarding show business. However, Joyce and the Ozark Opry cast were quite familiar with Lee’s admonition to always keep the show moving and they did so for twenty more years after he died.

The other honoree at last Saturday’s Tuscumbia High School alumni meeting was 1980 graduate Gene Patterson, who in the 1990’s had quite a career as one of the drivers of “Monster Trucks” in the movies and other events across the nation. For several years he was one of the drivers of the famous “Big Foot Monster Truck” which was featured in several movies where he was the driver. Here are a couple of articles I scanned which tell more about Gene’s unique career several years ago (photos 91, 92 and 93).

91 Gene Patterson Magazine Article
Click image for larger view

92 Newspaper Article
Click image for larger view

93 Newspaper Article
Click image for larger view

Here is a collage of photos of some of the trucks with which Gene was associated (photos 94 - 105).

Just click on any of the photo thumbnails to view a larger image.

Entertainment at the Alumni event was provided by the Eldon Ozark Mountain Cloggers and the Bluegrass Band Ironweed from Columbia.

Here is a photo of the THS Alumni audience attending the event last Saturday (photo 106):

106 THS Alumni

Attending the event was honored guest, Joyce Williams Mace, widow of the evening’s honoree, Lee Mace. Joyce was accompanied by Bill Atterberry (“Goofer”) who was a member of the Opry cast for more than forty years (photo 107).

107 Joyce Mace and Bill Atterberry

And here is a photo of the bluegrass band, Ironweed, which provided much of the evenings’ entertainment (photo 108):

108 Ironweed

The class of 1960 celebrated its fiftieth anniversary this year. Here is the class photo sent by Max Pryor (photo 108a):

108a 1960 THS Senior Class
Click image for larger view

Also last Saturday at the museum we held our annual Car Show event under the direction of board member Jack Brumley (photo 109).

109 Car Show

Twenty cars were on display this year. For the first time at our event Kenneth Martin of Tuscumbia brought a very well done reconditioned Model A Ford which he had only recently acquired (photo 110).

110 Kenneth Martin with his Model A Ford

Enjoying the good weather in the shade of the front porch were Sherril Steen, G.R. Keeth, Alice Steen and Glynna Nickles (photo 111).

111 Sheril Steen, G.R. Keeth, Alice Steen and Glenna Nichols

John Hunsaker brought for donation to our museum an old razor sharpener made in 1921 which even automatically turns the blade over to sharpen the other side of the blade (photo 112).

112 John Hunsaker with Blade Sharpener

Gary Flaugher was delighted to tell people stories about the old log Lupardus cabin where he was raised which he donated to our museum for display several years ago (photo 113).

113 Gary Flaugher on porch of his Boyhood Home

Greg Keeth, one of our board members, brought a miniature toy tractor and weighted drag for a “pedal pull” contest for the youngsters who attended. In the photo are Greg, Ella, Hanna, and Terri Holder (photo 114).

114 Greg Keeth, Ella Holder, Hanna Holder and Terri Holder

In the next photo is another contestant, Nolan Lupardus (photo 115).

115 Nolan Lupardus

Entertainment throughout the day was provided by Joe Jeffries and his musical group featuring the Cotten family (photo 116).

116 Joe Jeffries with the Cotten Family

The quilt raffle this year was won by Sherril Steen. The quilt was donated by Dorothy Ritter of St. Louis. Dorothy, who unfortunately passed away recently, had visited the museum last year with her daughters, Pat Niemyer and Marianne Dennie. Her daughters told me that she was so delighted with the museum that she wanted to donate the quilt for our raffle as a means of offering financial support.

Other raffle winners were Doris Wiggins and Marilyn Whitaker who won savings bonds donated by Central Bank of Tuscumbia and Citizen’s Bank of Eldon. Gift Cards for car service donated by Lloyd Belt Automobile Service Company were won by Tom Nelson and Sherril Steen.

This year’s car show and chili dinner attracted more guests than any other event we held this year. We are very thankful for the support of the community and friends elsewhere which sustains the ongoing progress and improvements to our museum.

That’s all for this week.

Joe Pryor

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