200th Street will be closed between Deer Road and Eagle Road until further notice.
Submitted by
Becky Robertson
Bourbon County Public Works
Monthly Archives: November 2024
Ruth Jackson Obituary
Ruth Isabel (Evans) Jackson, 93, our beautiful mother went to be with our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ, October 30, 2024, at 12:50 p.m. at St. Luke’s East Hospital, Lee’s Summit, Missouri. Our plan was getting her back to her home on hospice. Instead, the Gates of Heaven opened up and the Angels began to sing as our mother reached her destiny, her eternal home, her loving father, God, awaiting her. The heavens lit up and the angels rejoiced!
Ruth was born May 2, 1931, in a small farm home that was built by her parents. She married Roy Clifford Jackson June 12, 1949. Ruth was married to Roy for seventy beautiful years, and celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary on June 12, 2019. Roy passed in October of 2019.
Ruth and Roy were blessed with six children, fifteen grandchildren, twenty-nine great-grandchildren and three great-great-grandchildren.
Ruth is survived by her children, Pamela Sue Russell, Fort Scott, Connie Annette Jackson, also of Fort Scott, Gwendolyn Kay Norbury (Danny), Hume, Missouri, R. Mark Jackson (Lynette), Fort Scott, Brenda Leigh Denby, also of Fort Scott, and Jan Elaine Kierl, Mound City, Kansas.
We know that she was rejoined with her loving family that preceded her, our father Roy Clifford Jackson, her father and mother, Faye Irene (Bybee) Evans, Francis Raymond Evans, Sr.; a sister, Lois (Evans) Haynes Owings; and two brothers, Robert Evans and Junior Evans, and other loved ones she deeply missed.
Ruth remained on their farm north of Fort Scott. She loved living there and loved to fish with her kids and grandkids. She was a lifetime member of the Fort Scott Church of the Nazarene, and often stated that “I was in my mother’s womb when I started going to church.” Her father helped to build the Nazarene church with his family members.
Ruth was a full-time homemaker, raising six kids and taking care of her husband. She also worked at Bruce Marble and Granite Works as an engraver, The Western Insurance Company, Mercy Hospital, and managed Hillside Guest Home, and then Home Health. She eventually retired to the family farm. Ruth enjoyed raising her children and seeing her grandchildren. They all gave her great joy!
Ruth was a devoted Christian, Christ-follower, and went to church every Sunday, taking her mother and family. She loved watching and listening to Jimmy Swaggart and many other Christian ministries in her later years.
Ruth was an artist. She loved writing poetry, and she loved painting and using clay to make her arts and crafts. She was very talented and artistic. She also loved cooking meals for her family. The whole family will have wonderful memories of huge family gatherings, especially the great 4th of July picnics and barbeques. Thanksgiving and Christmas were always filled with lots of love and warmth. Ruth will always be remembered for her love for God, and her time spent with family, those were so very special to all of us.
As a child, Ruth went to school at the old Independence School House northeast of Fort Scott, where she walked to school every day in her clothes that her mother made out of “feed sacks,” in ice, sleet, and snow. Every Christmas Ruth and her sister received a doll and one pair of shoes for school to last a full year. Often shoes were plugged with material as they became worn out after a years wear. Lunch was a cold piece of fat on bread from the hog her dad raised.
Ruth helped her father and mother on the farm. She helped her father with the horses and heavy work in the hay fields during the hot summer months until harvest. She also helped raise her little brother Junior as her mother was always cooking and caring for the family. They also enjoyed trips to Redfield to see her grandparents.
Ruth was a very devoted wife, mother, and grandmother. She wanted all of her family to know our creator, God. Well done, good and faithful servant of God! We will deeply miss our God-loving mother.
Trevor Jacobs will officiate funeral services at 2:00 p.m. on Friday, November 8, 2024, at the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home.
The family will welcome friends at 1:00 p.m. prior to services.
Ruth will be laid to rest at Oak Grove Cemetery immediately following services.
There will be a luncheon at Fort Scott Church of the Nazarene at 11:00 a.m.
Contributions may be made to the Ruth Jackson Memorial and may be left in the care of the Konantz-Cheney Funeral Home, 15 W. Wall Street, P.O. Box 309, Fort Scott, KS, 66701. Friends and family may sign the online guest book and share memories at www.konantzcheney.com.
Bronson Area Residents Encouraged To Be Part of Process For Future City Park
A new plan for Bronson’s public park is in the works.
Bronson is a small town (population 300) in western Bourbon County.
With support from some organizations, a community meeting to get public input on a new park has been planned.
The surrounding community is invited to the town hall kick-off for the Rural Champion and Healthy Bourbon County Action Team Bronson Placemaking Project on Tuesday, November 12th, at 6:30 p.m. at Bronson’s community building.
The Rural Champions program is designed to create a network of grassroots individuals who possess the necessary tools to resolve critical community needs quickly and effectively, according to a press release from HBCAT. These Rural Champions will receive strategic training and compensation and be connected with resources to assist them. HBCAT (The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team) was awarded one of 14 Rural Champion’s Grants and selected Kelly Perry to lead this initiative in Bronson.
Rural Champion Kelly Perry (who lives and has a business in Bronson) will hold four town hall meetings.
The initial meeting on November 12 will be used to officially kick off the placemaking project and collect information from community members to create an assessment and to learn what there is to build on, Healthy Bourbon County Action Team CEO Jody Love said.
“We hope you will join us for the town hall kick-off for the RuralChampion and Healthybbco Bronson Placemaking Project!,” Love said. “We are working to increase access to physical activity and enhance quality of life!”
“We will discuss the current and envision the future,” Love said. “We will brainstorm, tell stories, talk about our strengths and opportunities, and determine our priorities for the space. This placemaking project empowers community members to help develop solutions and some grant funds to see their ideas become a reality.”
” Residents of Bronson report safety concerns when at the park and a need for overall upgrades and improvements.” Love said.
“Snacks and drinks will be provided, and we want to hear from everyone, including your children, teens, and young adults. Their voice is essential,” she said.
The project, in collaboration with HBCAT, the Health in All Policy Task Force, the Bourbon County Local Health Equity Action Team, and the City of Bronson, has identified creating safe and healthy places and neighborhoods for families to enjoy, instilling a sense of pride, and lifting community morale as a priority, according to the press release.
“Anyone with ties to Bronson is encouraged to attend,” Love said. “Teachers, relatives, community members, business owners, church leaders, and even family members who have relatives living in Bronson should attend. We want to hear your unique perspectives, your stories, and your memories of Bronson and more!”
About the Rural Community Champion Program and HBCAT’s Placemaking Project:
As a division in the Kansas Department of Commerce, the Office of Rural Prosperity is part of the economic development team solely focused on rural Kansas’s growth and prosperity. The Rural Champion Program was developed by the Kansas Department of Commerce’s Office of Rural Prosperity (ORP) in collaboration with the Kansas Sampler Foundation (KSF) and the Patterson Family Foundation; this program will address critical public needs in rural communities and build capacity in the future.
The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Reports Nov. 5
2024 General Election Day Voting Hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. November 5
Letter to the Editor: Vance White
Greetings Bourbon County citizens and voters,
My name is Vance White and I am running as a write in candidate for Bourbon County Attorney. The reason I am running is simple, I can do a much better job. Since 2018, after the last person from here left office, we have had a series of outsiders who have been deficient in at least one serious way, not prosecuting criminals that should be prosecuted. I personally have had a burglary and criminal damage to property case sitting in the County Attorney’s office for nearly three (3) years now. The County Attorney’s office has photographs of the perpetrators, and I believe there are confessions, but nothing has been done. I have heard from other crime victims around the county, with similar stories, who have pretty much given up. That’s not the way it’s supposed to work folks, and I promise that if you elect me things will change. Cases will be expeditiously prosecuted and crime victims will be treated with respect, including letters sent out updating them about their cases.
This would not be my first time working in the County Attorney’s office. I “cut my teeth” there many years ago as an intern and Assistant County Attorney under the late John L. Swarts III. It was under his tenure that I learned early on that crime victims have rights too, should be treated fairly and never ignored. I have been around Bourbon County since 1992 and currently reside in Fulton. I am a proud member of Community Christian Church and an honorably discharged U.S. Army veteran.
So, if you would like to see a County Attorney working in that office who has lived here almost half his life, knows many people here already and is committed to his job, please WRITE IN MY NAME in the box for County Attorney. Thank you for your consideration!
Best regards,
Vance White
120 W. Osage St.
Fulton, KS 66738
Family Movie Night at Memorial Hall on November 9
The Fort Scott Sons of American Legion, a part of the local American Legion has planned a family movie night for Saturday, November 9 at Memorial Hall that will feature the family-friendly movie, Free Birds.
Doors open at 6 p.m. and the movie starts at 6:30 p.m.
Please bring lawn chairs, blankets, and/or pillows, it will be like an outdoor movie, but inside Memorial Hall, 1 East Third.
Free Birds is a 2013 science fiction comedy Thanksgiving movie, in which Jake and Reggie travel back in time to the year 1621, just before the first Thanksgiving. The plan: Prevent all turkeys from ever becoming holiday dinners, according to rottentomatoes.com.
“When I was a kid, a fun thing to do was going to the movies with my brother,” said L.W. Beerbower, a member of the Sons of Veterans. “We wanted to do something that brings the family together and doesn’t break the budget.”
The group had a mock run with their families recently and “my kids are still talking about it,” he said.
Admission is $1 per person and each child must be accompanied by an adult.
Concessions will be available.
“Fort Scott City Manager Brad Matkin has let us use the popcorn maker from the LaRoche Stadium Complex,” he said. “Candy and pop will be available to purchase.”
The group has its own projector and inflatable movie screen, and are in the process of planning for a movie next month as well, he said.
Ice Skating Rink Fundraiser: Pumpkin Rolls, Order by November 6
Eat At Sharky’s Today to Help Fundraise for the new Ice Skating Rink
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The Bourbon County Sheriff’s Office Daily Reports Nov. 4
Right In The Middle by Carolyn Tucker
Keys to the Kingdom By Carolyn Tucker
Right in the Middle
First thing in the morning, quite often I will step out onto the front porch to scrutinize the weather. One morning I was amazed to witness dark clouds to the west, thunder in the north, pleasant skies to the south, and sunshine to the east. It was a very mixed bag of elements. And where was I? Right in the middle of it. This scenario reminded me of life because some days are happy-go-lucky and some are tempestuous with no storm warning.
On stormy days or seasons, I must remember Psalm 68:5 which I have paraphrased on an index card that sits on my computer: “God is a father to the fatherless and a protector of the widow.” Interestingly, I am both fatherless and a widow. But I’m also rich according to God‘s heavenly storehouse. One definition of rich is: plentiful; a full supply; abundant provision. Apostle Paul wrote to the Church in Philippi and reminded them, “But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19 KJV).
Christ followers are rich in our heavenly Father’s love. We’re rich in His mercies every morning. We’re rich in His forgiveness. We’re rich in His protection. We’re rich in His peace, and the list could go on. As the Almighty Everlasting Father, God supplies us with whatever we need in every aspect. When children need something, all they have to do is ask their parents for it. When (not if) we have a stormy day with desperate needs, we too are to ask our Father and then, “Be still in the presence of the Lord, and wait patiently for Him to act“ (Psalm 37:7 NLT).
On one of my darkest days a few years ago, I placed a magnet on my refrigerator that read, “Even when you don’t see it, God is working things out for your good.“ That statement based on Romans 8:28 gave me hope that the present storm would eventually end. Not every storm that hits is in the forecast, so the magnet remains in plain sight to encourage me whenever I find myself in the middle of another storm. From his own experience, King David wrote, “God’s glory is all around me! His wrap-around presence is all I need, for the Lord is my Savior, my hero, and my life-giving strength. Join me, everyone! Trust only in God every moment. Tell Him all your troubles and pour out your heart-longings to Him. Believe me when I tell you — He will help you!” (Psalm 62:7,8 TPT). As Bro. Smith, my childhood pastor, would say, “God is still on the throne.”
If we believers could really grasp the truth that there’s no risk of failure with God, we wouldn’t let worry and anxiety paralyze us when the storms of life hit us square in the face. We don’t like the painful experience, but our faith grows during the roughest times in our life. I want to be like King David and have a bold, unshakeable, triumphant faith that doesn’t tear to shreds when the stormwinds blow.
Let these scriptures settle your soul and give you peace: “I will greatly protect you. I will set you in a high place, safe and secure before My face. I will answer your cry for help every time you pray, and you will find and feel My presence even in your time of pressure and trouble” (Psalm 91:14-15 TPT).
The Key: Where is Jesus when the storms of life hit? Right in the middle with us.
Feeling Stretched as a Caregiver?
It’s a fact, caregivers have higher levels of stress than non-caregivers. If you are serving as a caregiver to a loved one, I want you to know you are fulfilling a valuable role! I also want you to know, that it is ok to take care of yourself too.
While we can’t stop stress from occurring, we can help manage it. Too much stress, especially over a long time, can harm your health. You may not get enough sleep or physical activity, or eat a balanced diet — which increases your risk of medical problems.
The following are some ideas to help you manage your caregiver stress:
- Take a break from caregiving. Take a walk or meet up with a friend. Do something not related to caregiving.
- Get support. Attend a support group, have a friend you can call just to let off steam, or look for community resources.
- Read a book, meditate, pray, garden, knit, take a long bath.
- Take care of your health. Go to the doctor, get routine exams and flu shots, get enough sleep, and eat your fruits and vegetables.
- Change “guilt” to “regret.” Guilt means you did something wrong, regret means that you are in a difficult situation and sometimes you have to make difficult decisions, but they are not wrong.
- Forgive yourself—often. You cannot be a perfect caregiver, all day, every day.
- Ask for and accept help when offered. No one can do this alone. We often don’t know what to say when someone offers help. Prepare for this and create a task list to have ready. When someone asks you if they can help, refer to your list and say “YES.” Let them choose what task on the list they would like to do!
- And finally….Laugh. Find ways to keep your sense of humor on a daily basis.
For more information contact Tara Solomon-Smith, [email protected], or call 620-244-3826.
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Kansas State University Agricultural Experiment Station and Cooperative Extension Service