Obituary: Virginia Maxine Page

Submitted by Cheney Witt Funeral Home

Virginia Maxine Page, age 85, a former resident of Fort Scott, Kans., passed away Wednesday, April 12, 2017, at the home of her daughter in Bozeman, Mont.

She was born April 20, 1931, in St. Clair County, Mo., the daughter of Omer Finis Witt and Virgie Ann Bland Witt.  She started to school at the age of four and graduated high school at the age of sixteen.  She then attended Kansas City College and Bible School, as well as the Conservatory of Music at the University of Missouri at Kansas City.  She married Rev. John I. Page on August 1, 1951, at Black Jack, Mo.  She was a faithful and devoted wife who assisted with her husband’s ministries in both Black Jack Church of God (Holiness) and the Parkway Church of God (Holiness) in Fort Scott.  She served as choir director and church pianist.  She was always a gracious hostess and will be remembered for her apple and pecan pies.  Another one of her passions was spreading the gospel message to the people of Haiti.  She had gone on numerous mission trips to Haiti and was currently serving as President of Haiti Missions, Inc.

Survivors include her four children, Brenda Parsons, of Peculiar, Mo., Carma Judy and husband, Mike, of Orange, Texas, Courtney Cresse and husband, Jonathan, of Bozeman, Mont., and Jonathan Page and wife, Kasee, of Lawrence, Kans.; eight grandchildren, Brett Parsons and wife, Kimberly, Carly Parsons and fiancé, Joe Cameron, Lynden Judy and wife, Katie, Cade and Colter Cresse, and Sierra, Jonas and Orrin Page; and four great-grandchildren, Ava Parsons, and Tally, Claire and Jhett Judy.  Her husband, Rev. John I. Page, preceded her in death on January 28, 1999.  She was also preceded in death by her parents, a son-in-law, Dr. Charles Parsons, two grandsons, Charles Anthony Parsons and Gabriel John Parsons and a brother, Edward Cleo Witt.

Rev. Jonathan Cresse will conduct funeral services at 1 p.m. Tuesday, April 18, at the Parkway Church of God (Holiness).  Burial will follow in the Evergreen Cemetery.  The family will receive friends from 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at the Parkway Church of God (Holiness) 1111 State St., Fort Scott, Kans.  Memorials are suggested to Haiti Mission, Inc. and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, P.O. Box 347, Ft. Scott, KS 66701.  Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.

 

Presbyterian Village Hosts Art is Ageless Exhibit

Fort Scott Presbyterian Village continues to host their annual Art is Ageless Exhibit through Monday, April 24, allowing visitors to see the creations of community members age 65 years and over.

“There’s quite a bit of art that has been entered this year,” Executive Director Ginger Nance said, adding many of the artists are self-taught.

Members of the community are encouraged to visit the exhibit and vote for their favorite work of art, which includes a variety of paintings, drawings, sculptures, sewing projects and photography, for the people’s choice award.

There are nine categories that will be judged, also divided between amateur and professional, based on if the artist has sold their work. Local competition winners will then be judged against winners of the 16 other Presbyterian Manors, with the winners being featured in a calendar.

“It’s not… about all that competition,” Nance said. “It’s about having fun and continuing to be creative and try new things.”

The Presbyterian Village is also selling tickets for the annual Good Samaritan fundraiser to be held May 17, including a chicken dinner and auction. Two trips to Santa Fe will also be raffled off, with each ticket costing $5 and three for $10. Funding raised is used to support Presbyterian Village residents who run out of finances needed to support themselves.

Patty LaRoche: Tennis and To-Do Lists, Follow Through

In our tennis match this morning, my husband and I were partners against two other men. Right after I hit the ball into the net, Dave made a suggestion.

“Patty, follow through.”

“Okay.”

Five shots later, this time into the fence: “Patty, you still aren’t following through.”

“Okay.”

“Did you know that most power comes from your follow through? Watch baseball players hit. Their bat doesn’t stop when it hits the ball.”

“Well, maybe when the tennis ball hits my racquet, that’s enough force to stop my swing. Have you ever thought of that?”

“Patty, that’s not true.”

Ignoring the fact that I’m married to Roger Federer, I answered: “Maybe in my world, it is. Maybe I’m just too delicate to hit with power… you know, too fragile.”

And since there isn’t a delicate or fragile bone in my body, we both crack up.

Still, Dave is right. I don’t follow through.

But neither does he.

(I can’t help it.) Oh, maybe in tennis he does. But there are more important things than sports. (Did I just say that?)

Dave makes lists, scads of them, believing that just writing the words is somehow fundamental to the task’s completion.

  • Buy muriatic acid to get the rust off the tile.
  • Buy Gorilla Glue to fix the rip in the couch.
  • Buy duct tape. For something…anything. You can’t have enough.
  • Think of other things needed to fix other things.

Most of us have at least one area in which we don’t follow through, don’t you agree? Get on that treadmill…now turn it on. Resist second-helpings on that molten lava cake. Apologize for poisoning the neighbor’s dog. Send that thank you letter. (Yes, letter, not email or text.) Allow only ten minutes per day on Facebook. Call Mom. (Feel free to forward this last one to my children.)

The list is endless, I know, but there’s still an area where our follow through is much more critical. Author Lisa Morrone wrote about it. “In our spiritual lives our follow through—or lack thereof—can markedly impact the power with which we live and the course of direction our lives take.” Paul said it best. Acts 20:24 ESV But I do not account my life of any value nor as precious to myself, if only I may finish my course and the ministry that I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God.

We start our walk with God and then sit down, sidetracked by circumstances or setbacks or laziness, and stop short of completing our spiritual journey. The simplicity of Colossians 2:6 is profound: Repent, seek the Lord for further direction, and keep going. Get that? Keep going. Follow through.

And yes, in case you are questioning, it’s on my list.

Bourbon County to Clean Up for Earth Day

In honor of Earth Day, Bourbon County and the City of Fort Scott encourage residents to participate in a county-wide, clean-up initiative that includes free trips to the landfill and other services.

On Friday and Saturday, April 21 and 22, there will be no fees at the county landfill, which is also currently accepting tires for free, and dumpsters will be available at the intersections of 6th Street and Margrave and 6th Street and N. National Avenue. The latter location will also have recycling trailers available.

Two dumpsters will be available at each location from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. to accept household trash as well as construction and demolition materials. Dumpsters will be donated by Skitch’s Hauling and Excavation.

Obituary: Tarecia Jean Herring

Submitted by Cheney Witt Funeral Home

Tarecia Jean Herring, age 68, resident of Fort Scott, Kans., died Wednesday, April 12, 2017, at Fort Scott Manor.

She was born on August 24, 1948, in Fort Smith, Ark., the daughter of Billie Jo Greenlee and Wilma Janelle Sesso. She married Larry Wayne Herring on March 1, 1963, in Fort Scott. He preceded her in death. Tarecia work for Peerless Products in Fort Scott. In her younger years, she enjoyed being outdoors; camping, fishing and raising livestock. She especially liked dogs and horses. She loved spending time with her family and grandchildren.

Survivors include two sons, John Herring and wife Heather, Uniontown, Kans., and Wayne Herring and wife Tamy, Fort Scott; two daughters, Tammie Robison, Fort Scott, and Gennie Shields; 12 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. Besides her husband, she was preceded in death by a brother, Royce Greenlee; and her parents.
There was cremation. Pastor Larry Stevicks will conduct memorial services at 10 a.m. Saturday, April 22, at the Cheney Witt Chapel. Burial will follow at a later date in Milum Cemetery, Lead Hill, Ark. Memorials are suggested to the Tarecia Herring Memorial Fund and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, P.O. Box 347, 201 S. Main, Ft. Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.