25 years ago

december 14, 1983

Christmas shopping in Marion is going great this week, according to a sampling of several retail merchants. Store managers cited an improved economy and good promotion as two of the keys to the increase in shopping activity.

Charles and Helen Maggard have announced plans to establish a new mini-mall of small stores in the former HRK location at the corner of Cedar and Main in Marion.

Dean Armstrong, president of the Florence State Bank, has purchased the J&K Agency of Marion from Jim and Kent Richmond of Marion

Lewis Rothman, formerly of Marion, made national headlines last week when he conducted a “white tie” auction of pre-Castro cigars from Cuba at his business in New York City. The highest price recorded by a box of 25 cigars was $2,100. Rothman is the son-in-law of Mrs. Tom Hett of Marion.

Jim and Lesley Zickefoose, Diana and Karen of Young, New South Wales, Australia, arrived in Kansas City Nov. 29 and will be visiting friends and relatives until February. They are making their headquarters in Marion with Jim’s sister, Elora Robinson.

Ern Hett has been making a “host of angels” for the Christmas decorations for a church in Wichita. He has fashioned eight of them in different sizes, all from copper.

Mrs. Bruce Patton of Hillsboro has received an engraved invitation from the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C., to attend the opening of the exhibition of “The Trees of Christmas” to be held there today, Wednesday. Patton designed one of the 350 ornaments, which decorate a huge tree at the institution.