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.

 

Obituary: Freada Louise Fleming

Submitted by Cheney Witt Funeral Home

Freada Louise Flemingage 84, resident of Fort Scott, Kans., died Tuesday, April 11, 2017, at Mercy Hospital ER.

She was born December 16, 1932, in Vernon County, Mo., the daughter of Cleve and Mary Bridges Brundridge.  She married Richard Fleming on May 25, 1950, in Nevada, Mo.  He preceded her in death on December 21, 2010.  She worked at home, raising the children, until 1975.  She then began working as an inspector for Key Work Clothes in Fort Scott, retiring after 25 years.  In the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, she belonged to the Busy Bee Club and EHU.  She enjoyed gardening, canning, embroidery, cross word puzzles, country music and raising cows.  She lived for her kids and grandkids, never missing an event while she was able physically.  She was a member of the Church of Jesus Christ Latter Day Saints.

Survivors include two sons, Doug Fleming and wife Kay, and Rodney Fleming and wife Kelly, all of Fort Scott; two daughters, Brenda Tourtillott and husband Kenneth, and Debbie Shaw and husband Kenny, all of Fort Scott; one brother, Joe Brundridge, Kansas City, Mo.; two sisters, Doris Quackenbush, Nevada, Mo.,  and Ruby Villans, Indianapolis, Ind.; a brother-in-law Ralph Fleming; 14 grandchildren; 20 great-grandchildren; two great-great grandchildren; one step-grandchild; eight step-great grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.  Besides her husband, she was preceded in death by three brothers, Harry Wesley Brundridge, Harry Leonard Brundridge and infant brother Cecil Brundridge; an infant great-granddaughter, Reece Tyler Koppa; a sister, Peggy Smith; a half-brother, Roy Brundridge; and two half-sisters, Hazel Cargill and Sylvia Brundridge.

President Kenneth Tourtillott will conduct funeral services at 10 a.m. Tuesday, April 18, at the Cheney Witt Chapel.  Burial will follow in the Virgil City Cemetery, Vernon County, Mo.  The family will receive friends from 6 until 8 p.m. Monday evening at the Chapel. Memorials are suggested to the National Kidney Foundation and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel, PO Box 347, 201 S. Main, Ft. Scott, KS 66701.  Words of remembrance may be submitted to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.

 

Obituary: George Hall Fair

Submitted by Cheney-Witt Funeral Home

George Hall Fair, age 93, a former resident of Pittsburg, Kans., and more recently of Tucson, Ariz., passed away Saturday, April 8, 2017, in Tucson.

He was born November 3, 1923, in Throckmarton, Texas, the son of Nathan E. Fair and Elizabeth Zona Hall Fair. George married Carol May Wenzel on June 1, 1946, in Sherman, Texas.  He served with the United States Army during World War II.  He had been employed as a principal for Iowa public schools for many years.

Survivors include a son, Nathan Fair, of McCallsburg, Iowa, and a daughter, Rosaline Fair, of Tucson, Ariz.; three grandchildren, Sheila Dalton, Alex Fair and Allison Fair and two great-grandchildren.  Also surviving is a sister, Brooksie Salman, of Midland, Texas.  He was preceded in death by his wife and a daughter, Georgia Dalton.

Graveside services with military honors will be held at 9 a.m. Monday, April 17, at the U. S. National Cemetery.  Services are under the direction of the Cheney Witt Chapel, 201 S. Main, Fort Scott, Kans.

 

Action Team and Fort Scott to Host Discussion

The area Good Neighbor Action Team and the City of Fort Scott will host a meeting Thursday, April 20, to discuss and listen to ideas about the needs of northwest Fort Scott.

Focusing on the area to the north of 6th Street and west of National Avenue to the Marmaton River, citizens are invited to attend the 5 p.m. hot dog dinner and the 6 p.m. meeting at the First Presbyterian Church, where they can express their concerns and desires for that part of the city.

Craig Campbell said the team had success at similar, past events and will continue to work with the city, the codes department and those living in that area to create a plan of action.

“The purpose of the event is to listen to the residents and property owners in the designated area,” Fort Scott Codes Manager Rhonda Dunn said. “We want to know their concerns and their desires as we formulate a plan to partner with them to enhance the overall quality of life in the area.”

Fort Scott High School Thespians Win National Theatre Grant

During the recent Unified School District 234 Board of Education meeting Monday evening, Fort Scott High School theatre students gave a presentation of recent accomplishments and community services, informing the board they recently received a grant as well.

Thespian President Hunter Parker said the students in the theatre troupe learn skills such as organization, leadership, public speaking and others, as well as giving him experience and helping him build references that led to him being awarded a college scholarship.

“I couldn’t see myself as the person I am today without theatre,” thespian troupe treasurer Hunter Adamson agreed, saying the opportunities provided have greatly helped and inspired her. “This is not just a dream, but this is my passion.”

The two theatre troupe students encouraged the school board to continue to support the troupe.

Board members praised the students for the number of awards they have received as well as the activities they have hosted or participated in throughout the community.

“We’re really impressed by the awards and community service,” board president Jordan Witt said. “It’s great to see and be reminded how talented our students are.”

See the press release below for information about the grant the students recently received.

Submitted by Angie Bin

Fort Scott High School Thespian troupe #7365 was selected by the national Educational Theatre Association (EdTA) review committee as a 2017 Send a Troupe to Festival Grant winner.

The grant provides funding for registration and travel expenses for all FSHS official Thespian members and two chaperones to the 2017 International Thespian Festival at the University of Nebraska Lincoln, June 19-24. Regular registration is $740 per student which includes rooming in university residence halls; three meals a day; and admittance to all the shows, workshops and late night activities.

FSHS qualified for the grant by completing an in-depth application and providing an administrative recommendation letter from Bob Beckham, USD 234 Superintendent. Fort Scott also qualified because the troupe has never attended International Festival before.

FSHS Thespian president Hunter Parker said, “It was the first time we applied and, out of over thirty schools in the country who applied, we were one of the two to receive it.  It’s a huge opportunity for our troupe and it’s great that I get to go my senior year.”

“The story of your troupe’s diversity, need, and involvement was inspirational, and I look forward to sharing the indescribable experiences of the 2017 International Thespian Festival with you,” said Samantha Simendinger, EdTA Assistant Manager of Support Services. “The Educational Theatre Association is very lucky to have caring theatre educators … influencing and inspiring young minds throughout the country and the world.”

According to EdTA, every summer, thousands of middle school and high school Thespians bring their love of all things theatre to the International Thespian Festival, a celebration of student achievement in the performing arts. Organized by the Educational Theatre Association and hosted at the University of Nebraska in Lincoln, Festival is a one-of-a-kind, weeklong immersion experience in singing, dancing, acting, designing, directing, creating, writing and memory-making. Festival features workshops presented by theatre professionals, individual and group performances, programs for technical theatre students and opportunities to audition for college admission and scholarships.

 

Patty LaRoche: The Darkest Hour

Submitted by Patty LaRoche

He is on track to revolutionize their country and become its king, but then he is executed, this man who gave sight to the blind, calmed the storm, taught them to pray and showed them unconditional love. A movement so full of life has come to nothing. Their dreams? Crushed.

Their hopes? Now hopeless.

Still, in their darkest hour, a few hang in there.

Their fearless devotion does not end at his death. When the majority of his disciples duck and run, a handful stay with Jesus through the crucifixion and after. Although the Gospel accounts differ, we can piece together some highlights.

Joseph of Arimathea and Nicodemus team up to remove Jesus’ body from the cross and anoint him with 75 pounds of myrrh and aloe. They wrap his body in a clean linen cloth and carry it to the nearby tomb. “The women who had come with Jesus from Galilee followed Joseph and saw the tomb and how his body was laid in it. Then they went home and prepared spices and perfumes.” Their plan is to return after the Sabbath to complete what Joseph and Nicodemus began. Luke 23:55-56

Jesus’ faithful are determined to bestow on him an extravagant love.

Take Mary Magdalene, for example, the one whom Jesus saved from demon-possession. In her darkest hour, she refuses to desert her teacher. “While it is still dark,” she and a few other women head to the garden tomb where Jesus’ lifeless body lies on a rock slab. It matters not that a stone the size of a Volkswagen covers the opening or that the tomb is heavily guarded by Roman soldiers. Extravagant love moves forward, no matter how dark the circumstances. Finding the stone rolled away, Mary tears off in a sprint, and upon finding Peter and John, says, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him.”

The disciples lace up their sandals, pull up their tunics and rush to the tomb to see for themselves. Finding it to be true, they disperse, probably to alert the other disciples.

Meanwhile, Mary stays outside the tomb, weeping. Overcome with hopelessness, she looks inside and sees two angels sitting where Jesus’ body had been. They ask why she is crying. “They have taken my Lord away,” she replies, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” She then turns to see a man standing nearby. Supposing him to be the gardener, she says, “Sir, if you have taken him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will go and remove him.”

In her darkest hour, Jesus calls her by name. Recognizing her Lord, she cries out in Hebrew, “Rabboni!”—which means “Master.” It’s not a “Whew!” moment; nor is it a “Well, surprise, surprise!” reply. Mary’s heavy heart has been restored! Jesus tells her to inform the disciples of what has happened. That will wait. She falls at his feet. It is the Lord. He is not dead. He is risen! The extravagant dark has turned to extravagant light.

Hope. Is. Restored.

It’s the same hope offered to us in our darkest hour. Jesus wants to meet us as he did Mary– in moments of our discouragement and grief, so that, like Mary, we will know our Redeemer lives. Know. Not guess, not question, not presume. Unlike Muhammad. Unlike Buddha. Unlike every other religious leader who died and stayed in the ground. With Jesus, there are no grave remains to visit. His grave is empty.

He is the Hope in which you and I can be sure.

As my friend Joyce once said, “If Jesus can die extravagantly for me, surely I can live extravagantly for him.”

Bourbon County Local News