Ramona
By JESSICA GILBERT
Ramona correspondent
(785) 965-2621
There's always something happening in Ramona, even though when you drive into town and see empty, quiet streets you wonder, "how can it be?" There are even times that the news gets "backed up" like airplanes waiting on the tarmac for take-off, because there isn't room for my lengthy stories or there's an abundance of county news.
I was reviewing the stories from September and realized that many of them haven't been reported, and although it's already October, good news — no matter when it happens — is still fun to read.
I'll start with the most recent and exciting news: The Haunted House Committee found a house! Several Ramona City Council members — Jeannie Goza, Angel Harold, Art Stroda, Jayme Brunner — along with other Ramona residents, have built a haunted house the past several years on the weekend before Halloween. Last year they used an abandoned house at the Turley homestead east of Ramona. But when the house got torn down recently, the committee went on a search for another structure and prospects didn't look promising.
The intrepid haunted house builders kept searching and the Turleys once more came to the rescue — they offered their barn for the yearly haunted experience. Already Art, Jeannie, Jayme, and others have been out making rooms in the two-floor barn for the haunted event. "We're building the rooms," said Jeannie, "and Angel is creating the scenes and getting the people to play the parts."
The Ramona Haunted Barn will be offering tours Oct. 26-27. Folks will meet at a designated spot where they can eat supper, then driven to the haunted barn via a hayrack ride.
(Stay tuned for more information next week).
The Ramona Café has been closed for the past two weekends because Reign Anduss is recovering from a heart procedure that required a stint. Although the doctor said Reign could go right back to work, I believe his "at home physician" — wife Marlene — is issuing different orders.
"His ankles are still swelling," said Marlene, "so he can't be standing all day in the kitchen." This means the restaurant won't be opening just yet.
Reign and Marlene recently moved from Ramona to Marion, which has caused folks to ask if the café is going to remain open. I asked Reign that question the other day and he said they intend to keep the restaurant open, and hope by the end of the year to have someone who will take it over.
We who live here must remain optimistic and hope another "adventurer" like Reign and Marlene, will come and carry on the tradition of good food in Ramona. It is, after all, this "serendipity" that brought the Andusses to Ramona in the first place. I always will remember the first time I saw Reign and his white flowing beard on the streets of Ramona!
We have been most blessed to have had the Andusses living in Ramona for the last several years — they came here from Peabody in 2002. Reign's always looking for new adventures and his penchant is fixing up old buildings. Thankfully he did that to several structures in town, and he also served on the city council. Reign's fix-it-up-curiosity took him to Marion earlier this year, where he found a little house that needed his expertise. It's a very sweet two-bedroom home and it eventually lured them to live in Marion.
I stopped to see them a couple of weeks ago — when I took Tony Meyer to the dentist — and got a quick tour. They'd just come home from Wichita where Reign had been in the hospital for three days, getting the stint put in.
Reign gave me a quick run-down of his heart procedure and Marlene took me on a tour of the house. What a lovely feeling to move into a freshly painted home with new carpet throughout.
"It's the first time in my life that I have new furniture," said Marlene as she pointed out the bedroom suite, the La-Z-Boy armchairs and the dining room table.
Friends Al and Darlene Sondergard of Ramona and Walt and Iona Dietrich of Tampa have gone to Marion to see the Andusses, and initiate the front porch.
"The cars were just zooming by," said Al.
"Too much traffic for me," added Darlene. "I like the quiet of Ramona."
While we lose a citizen or two, we also gain them. Chet and Shelia Mercer added a new baby boy to their family, evening out the ratio to three girls and three boys. The new little boy is named Brent, and arrived Sept. 7, weighing 6 pounds 10 ounces. I met Shelia on the way to the post office the other morning and she had baby Brent nestled in her arms. Trailing behind, and playing with kittens that were following, were the Mercers' twins — Abby and Annie — can they really be that big already?
Lance and Jennifer Shepard are moving from Ramona to Ellis, where Lance got a management position with Hays Feeders. This means another property is for sale in town — this one has lovely pasture land attached where the Shepards raised their goats.
Improvements always are taking place in Ramona and the latest is renovation of the house on the corner of 3rd and B. It's one of the oldest homes in town and was the home of Neil Elgin until his death. Recently Neil's daughters sold the house to Kathy Werth and Don Matkins, who have embarked on renovation projects inside and out.
"When we get the major inside projects — like plumbing and electrical, carpeting and remodeling — we hope to paint the exterior by spring," said Kathy, Ramona's postmaster. Already improvements have taken place as the trees and yard are cleaned up. Currently roofers are putting on a new roof.
"We're always thrilled when improvements take place in town," said Mayor Pat Wick.
Kathy and Don plan to rent the house once the improvements and repairs have all been made. "It will be spring before everything's completed," said Kathy.
September was very lively in Ramona because Miriam Bura Riddle was here in town for more than a month! She arrived Aug. 7 and didn't return to Texas until Sept. 10.
"Miriam just turns everything into a party," said Darlene Sondergard, remembering the fun events she shared with her friend.
Miriam celebrated her birthday Aug. 28 with quite a few old pals. Iona Dietrich didn't think Miriam would be around on her actual birth date — Sept. 5 — so she planned a party of ice cream and cake on Miriam's back porch, a week early.
Miriam, an unabashed "flirt," kept the gathering lively.
"I just kissed Don Beisel," boasted Miriam, "and right in front of his wife! I'm giving him a kiss because he's going to help me redo this patio."
"Is that all it takes to get a patio?" teased Leona Deines.
"Maybe I'll also kiss Merv," joked Miriam, "I might need his help too."
"I can run pretty fast in the opposite direction," retorted Merv.
"You wanna test it?" teased Miriam.
"Do you all think she can catch me?" Merv asked the other guests.
And the lone reply came from Warren Fike, who replied dryly, "I know she used to be real fast!" joking about Miriam's high school days.
Attending Miriam's birthday bash were Marlene Anduss, Frances Buxman, Betty Stenzel, Steve and Myrna Eskeldson, Merv and Leona Deines, Al and Darlene Sondergard, Warren and Paula Fike, Nate Bailey, Judy Gratz, Pat Wick, and myself, all from Ramona. From Tampa came Walt and Iona Dietrich, Melissa and Chris Stuchlik with sons Quentin, Charles, and Timothy, Ramona and Don Beisel, and Mel Epling.
When we went to say good-bye to Miriam, she hugged me and whispered: "I got a call this morning that my brother Max died. Don't be sad — he lived a really good life. This party was wonderful and we just have to carry on," she said with her usual bravery and gusto.
Max Bura's memorial service was held in the cemetery near Tampa on Miriam's actual birthday — Sept. 5. It was a most unusual ceremony. "Normally we don't have a funeral and also sing 'Happy Birthday'," said the priest officiating, but I think it's appropriate. So we in the small crowd, sang our best wishes to dear Miriam.
"Don't forget to say how old I am," admonished Miriam, when I told her I was going to report on her birthday party. "I'm 80!" And when she stood to have her picture taken with friends, she laughed and said, "I hope I had my belly in! I bet I didn't!"
Miriam Riddle is one of my favorite people to write about — she's the only person I know who doesn't require me to edit. "I am what I am!" she says laughing.
In my last column you read about the Sondergards' 65th wedding anniversary. What came later was even more celebrating.
Because the Sondergard family couldn't all be present until Sept. 15, this meant that the actual day of their anniversary — Sept. 6 — was free. Pat and I wanted to honor Al and Darlene because they're our friends and also because they are Ramona's most distinguished married couple, having lived here all their lives. (Al was even born here!)
Eighteen of the Sondergard long-time friends came to Pat's house for a gourmet meal. I picked out the recipes and spent the day cooking. I even got inspired to make a towering cake that had a bride and groom on top and Al and Darlene posed for another cutting cake picture, 65 years after the initial ceremony.
Attending from Herington were Chic (Arthur) and Gladys Albrecht, Wilma "Pill" Meskimen, and Don and Joyce Kemble. From Ramona were Steve and Myrna Eskeldson, Miriam Riddle, Fred and Marguerite Utech, Warren and Paula Fike, Pat and Jess, and Walt and Iona Dietrich of Tampa.
On Sept. 15 the Sondergards had dinner with 27 family members at Mr. K's in Abilene. "All our kids and grandkids were there, except for one granddaughter's husband, who is serving in Iraq," said Darlene.
Also celebrating at Mr. K's that same night was Frances Buxman. She was there for a class reunion.
"We had 47 graduates in the class of '47," said Frances, "and we had 43 classmates and spouses who attended."
One of the "ice breakers" at the dinner was a question of who had the most grandkids. "I didn't win a prize," said Frances. "The winner was someone with 13 grandkids. I have 17. It just took me too long to add 'em all up!"
The Ramona Senior Center hosted a county-wide meeting of the Senior Citizens of Marion County Inc. Providing the food for the luncheon were Ramona officers Darlene Sondergard (president), Iona Dietrich (vice president), Myrna Eskeldson (secretary/treasurery), along with Marguerite Utech, and myself. Myrna and Marguerite were the hostesses.
Friday night the Sondergards, and their friends the Albrechts and Kembels, went to the Emma Chase Café in Cottonwood Falls, for an evening of dinner and music. When they went to pay the bill, the owner asked where the Sondergards were from.
"Oh a little town you wouldn't know," replied Darlene, "Ramona, Kansas."
The owner's eyes lit up. "Oh yes, I know that town. My grandparents — Annie and Harvey Maust — lived in Ramona and I visited them often."
Darlene soon discovered that the woman talking to them — Edrie — was the daughter of Edna Maust, a high school chum of Darlene's. "Edna and I graduated from Ramona High School together," said Darlene.
And that's the news from Ramona, where connection is never far way, and a traffic jam is two parked cars and a dog in the road.
