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CORRESPONDENTS:   Tampa news

Tampa correspondent
(785) 965-2285

The Lutheran Women’s Missionary League met May 2 at the home of Alma Meyer with Kathy Davis as host. Joyce Medley led devotions, and Pastor Clark Davis gave the topic. Alma’s daughter, Marlene Brunner, came down from Nebraska for the occasion. Others present were Barbara Schlesener, Herington Zone president, Janet Bielefeld, Adeline Bernhardt, Leona Kleiber, Phyllis Mueller, Edna Backhus, Sue Yanda, Frieda Bentz, and Mary Clemmer.

After the final Wednesday evening Bible study, May 2, before the summer hiatus, the following Durham Baptist people went out for ice cream in Hillsboro: Pastor Curtis and Connie Wiens, Gus and Mildred Hamm, Gary and Joan Geringer, Wilis and Eleanor Herbel, Duane and Shirley Hamm, Richard and Kathy Dirks, Lois Nuss and Jane Vajnar.

Kaylee Hall and Makena Crosby of Herington and Tom and Dee Duggan met Darla Hall of Lee’s Summit, Mo., May 1 in Kansas City and Darla took the girls to a concert. On May 2, they were in Topeka, where Tom attended a meeting of the Silver-Haired Legislature. Before his meeting Tom took the girls on a tour of the Capital. They saw the legislative chambers, the Supreme Court chamber and the underground part of the building, as well as being allowed to sit in the governor’s chair.

Tampa State Bank celebrated Community Bank Week last week with a fishing theme. The event included dirt cake, drawings, contests, and fun. Jerry Rziha and Rodney Mueller won the drawings for the cooler and lawn chair, respectively. Jane Vajnar had the closest guess for the number of gummy worms in the jar; her guess was 46 and the correct number was 47. All the children who entered the coloring contest received bags of candy.

Apparently, it is dangerous for a writer of a local news column to venture into the realm of historical observation. After last week’s column, in which I stated Mary Clemmer’s recognition of the 70th anniversary of the Doolittle Raid over Tokyo, I found an angry message on my answering machine.

The caller identified himself as Todd Joyce, historian of the Doolittle Raiders and the son of one of the aviators who participated in the raid. He insisted that Clemmer’s cousin, Lt. Thomas P. Bills, was not connected with the raid in any way.

Assisted by Kim Frantz, we attempted to clarify the question. Clemmer reached Tom’s only surviving sibling, Richard Bills, who told her his brother had sometimes been a bombardier and sometimes a navigator on a B-29 during World War II. He was unsure whether he was in the first Doolittle Raid. Surfing the Internet, Frantz found a website established by Joyce, which purported to list all the personnel involved. If his research is accurate, then Mary may have misunderstood something she was told as a young girl or remembered it incorrectly.

There was certainly no deliberate deception on her part or mine. I appreciate Joyce’s efforts to provide me with information, although not necessarily the tone in which it was presented. Anyway two good things emerged from the controversy. It gave Clemmer a reason to make contact with her cousin Richard, with whom she had been out of touch for a while, and it provides an opportunity for recognizing the heroes of the Doolittle Raid, as well as all military veterans, including Bills, who have risked their lives in the service of our country.

Isobel Rziha colored a picture of flowers and delivered it to her neighbors, Tom and Dee Duggan, for May Day. This effort was exciting for all concerned. For people in your correspondent’s generation the though brings good memories of delivering May Day surprises in the neighborhood. My mother always let me make cone-shaped baskets out of wallpaper samples, put lilacs in them, hang them on neighbors’ doors, knock, and run. I’m sure everybody in town knew who brought them, but the “secrecy” was part of the excitement.

Jane Vajnar visited Lucille Kerbs on May 1. Virginia Gawlick of Hutchinson and Tom and Dee Duggan enjoyed dinner out in Hutchinson on April 30.

Dale and Andrea Klenda and Evan were hosts for birthday party and barbecue dinner April 29 at their home. The occasion was a celebration of Elijah Klenda’s 4th birthday. Guests were Lynn and Peggy Kleiber of Salina, Nicholas Kleiber of Concordia, Dennis and Terry Klenda and Theresa Klenda of Lincolnville and Leona Kleiber. Elijah enjoyed his basketball birthday cake, made and decorated by his father Dale.

Lucille Kerbs went to Abilene April 28 and enjoyed dinner out with Connie Thompson and Jeremy and Allison Sluder.

Irma Benda visited Frank and Anna Mae Stika on April 27.

Members of the Red Hat Society and their guests enjoyed dinner out in the Junction City April 27 and attended a show by a Patsy Kline impersonator. Those participating included Joyce Cos and Dixie Kracke of Abilene, Anita and Charles Hummel and Betty Schlesner of Hope, Rhea and Everett Kolling, Karolyn and Verl Schlesener, Barbara Askew, Rose Mary Deines, Helen Sorenson, and Paul Richards of Herington, Ramona Beisel and Dee and Tom Duggan.

Sydney Smith spent the day April 26 with her great-grandmother, Lucille Kerbs.

Adeline Bernhardt and Leona Kleiber enjoyed dinner out April 26 in Hillsboro.

Last modified May 17, 2012

 

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