Trisha Diane Willard, a resident of Ft. Scott, Kansas, passed away at age 42, on Wednesday, January 11, 2023. She was born on December 11, 1980 in Ft. Scott, the daughter of Richard Eugene Willard Jr. and Susan Diane Wurtz Willard. Trisha grew up in Ft. Scott and she was an honor student at Fort Scott High School and Fort Scott Community College, where she made a lot of lifetime friendships.
She met and later married Paul Studyvin in the spring of 2000 on the cusp of the century. They were later blessed with three children. Trisha was a loving and devoted mother and went above and beyond to give her children a loving, happy childhood. She enjoyed playing tennis, bowling and softball, as well as cooking, writing and photography. She was also a music enthusiast and fan of the band Pearl Jam and the shows Frazier and Seinfeld. She was a passionate, sentimental, kind hearted, strong willed woman who was always ready for a new adventure.
Survivors include her children, Chloe Studyvin, Carlee Studyvin, and Greg Studyvin; her parents, Rich Willard and Susan Wurtz-Willard; her brothers, Trenton Willard, Dusty Willard and Ziad Nabhan; and her sister Makya Coulter. She is also survived by her former husband, Paul Studyvin and numerous aunts, uncles and cousins.
She was preceded in death by a sister, Tara Willard and her grandparents, Norman and Carol Minden, Richard Willard Sr., Gene and Dorothy Dull and Willie and Lois Wurtz.
Following cremation, a celebration of life service will be held at the 1:00 PM, Saturday, January 28, 2023, at the Faith Church.
Private burial will take place at the Maple Grove Cemetery.
Memorials are suggested to the Trisha Willard Memorial Fund 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.
Two local government positions that effect Bourbon County are open, with the resignation of Ashley Shelton and Richard Hilderbrand.
Ashley Shelton resigned as Bourbon County Clerk on Jan. 12, after two years working with the county government.
“She sent her resignation letter to the governor on January 12 and notified me that she is resigning and her last day of employment is Feb. 3,” Mark McCoy, Bourbon County Republican Party Chairman, said.
When contacted, Shelton said “The Bourbon County Courthouse is not a good environment. I don’t feel I am able to do the job to the best of my ability.”
Within her clerk office she feels “We have a good group.”
In addition to her resignation, another county clerk office person has resigned and another is transferring to different department.
“There is a lot of transition going on in the courthouse,” Shelton said.
The Republican Party will hold a convention on Jan. 26 at 6 p.m. at the Empress Event Center, 7 N. Main in Fort Scott to select a replacement for Shelton.
“We have 21 days to set a convention to select someone to be approved and their name sent to the governor for appointment,” McCoy said.
The county currently has 34 committee members and during the convention they will interview the candidates, then have a question and answer session with them.
The candidates will have about 10 minutes to say why they should be selected, he said.
Following this, the party will meet privately to discuss the candidates and a decision will be made by secret ballot and sent to the governor, McCoy said.
State Senator Richard Hilderbrand converses with the audience following a legislative coffee in Bourbon County.
U.S. Senator Richard Hilderbrand
In addition to Shelton, local Republicans will go through the established process of selecting a new Dist. 13 Kansas Senator.
Richard Hilderbrand resigned on Jan. 4, just before the Kansas legislature was set to start. He has served since 2017.
He represented Bourbon, Cherokee and Crawford Counties.
The local committee members from each county will meet on Jan. 22 at 3 p.m. at the Columbus High School auditorium.
Crawford County is in charge until a chairman is selected from those attending the convention, McCoy said.
Once again, candidates will be given a certain number of minutes to tell the group why they should be selected, followed by a question and answer time, then private discussion by the group and a vote taken.
That name will be sent to the governor and wait for appointment.
“Three people have placed their name for this position, Tim Shallenberger, Keri Jensen and Dan Muter,” McCoy said. “Ken Collins was interested, but decided to remove his name.”
McCoy said Hilderbrand resigned to focus on his insurance business and his family.
Chamber Coffee to be hosted by The Courtland Hotel and Spa
The Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce invites members and guests to a Chamber Coffee event this Thursday, January 19th at 8 a.m. hosted by The Courtland Hotel and Spa, 121 E. 1st St.
Built in 1906, this 15-room historic hotel is in the beautiful downtown district adjacent to the Fort Scott National Historic Site. The original charm and ambiance of the hotel was preserved during restoration, while the same time providing ‘modern’ amenities and services for both business and leisure travelers. With an award-winning spa, this is the place to be for relaxation and enjoyment.
Frank and Cheryl Adamson have owned and operated the hotel and spa since October 2004 and are looking forward to hosting this event. Coffee, juice, and light refreshments will be served in addition to door prize drawings.
Any member business or organization wanting to host Chamber Coffee in 2023 is encouraged to contact the Chamber to save a date by calling 620-223-3566 or emailing [email protected].
Honoring the Life and Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Each January, we remember the life of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and the example he left of fighting for the most vulnerable, promoting peace with our fellow man and striving to create a more perfect union.
As Dr. King stated in one of his last public speeches, which was held at Kansas State University: “Somewhere, we must come to see that human progress never rolls in on the wheels of inevitability. It comes through the tireless effort and the persistent work of dedicated individuals who are willing to be co-workers with God.”
Make plans soon to visit the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes in historic, downtown Fort Scott, Kansas.
– Learn about internationally recognized projects that share stories of unsung heroes from history!
– Enjoy FREE tours customized to your group!
– Bring classes, book clubs, civic organizations, travel clubs, school groups, etc.!
Perfect for all ages!
*An Unsung Hero is an individual, who is largely unrecognized by society, for taking extraordinary actions to improve the lives of others, and that made a profound and positive impact on history.
To schedule your group tour please call 620.223.1312 or email [email protected]
And they’re off! The Kansas Legislature 2023 session began 1/9/23 with new House members and new Senators taking an oath to uphold the U.S. Constitution and the Kansas Constitution. It is a good reminder for us all.
Committee Work Kansas operates on a two-year bill cycle. Bills that did not become law last year died and so we start over in odd years. There have been several bill introductions which include those I requested, such as removing state income tax on Social Security and increasing standard deductions based on inflation (much like the federal income tax code). This session appears to be lining up to help the people of Kansas.
Property Tax Relief During the 2022 session, there were several changes to tax law. One change is a first step in a property tax freeze for low income seniors and disabled veterans. There are restrictions on property taxes in the KS Constitution and so the program is a rebate program administered by the KS Department of Revenue (KDOR). Applications can be found at https://www.ksrevenue.gov/pdf/k-40svr.pdf. In order to qualify for the ‘freeze’ a household annual income must be $50,000 or below, a homeowner must be 65 years or older, and the value of the home cannot be above $350,000. A disabled veteran must be at least 50% disabled. Property taxes are still paid to the county and then a homeowner may apply to KDOR for a refund on their increase, resulting in a freeze. Applications must be submitted by April 18, 2023. The legislature will take another look at the program this year in an attempt to allow more seniors to qualify.
Another property tax cut was a slight decrease for all homeowners on the K-12 20 mil obligation. That reduction increases every year based on inflation. There is no application required for this reduction.
In an attempt to help small storefront businesses shutdown or negatively impacted by the Governor’s shutdown during COVID, the legislature established a program to provide some property tax relief. Details of the program can be found at https://www.ksrevenue.gov/taxnotices/notice22-04.pdf. Applications can be found by going to the KDOR website www.ksrevenue.gov and scrolling down to the application link
The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team is located at 104 N. National Avenue. Submitted photo.
Local female business owners will be speaking on the challenges of ownership of a business or hope to help those that want to start one.
The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team (HBCAT) is sponsoring the Dare to Dream Seminar: The Unique Challenges of a Small Business on February 8 at 5:30 p.m. at 104 N National in Fort Scott.
“This… seminar is for ALL women of ALL ages who have a business or is interested in starting a business, Rachel Carpenter, director of the The Center for Economic Growth at the HBCAT office.
“Our goal is to bring these woman entrepreneurs together to help create a support system of women supporting women. We bring in local woman leaders to share their expertise on how they have become successful.
The keynote speaker will be Erin Vann, of Highway Three.
Erin Vann is the keynote speaker at the Dare to Dream Seminar on Feb. 8. Submitted photo.
“She will speak on the challenges that her business had to overcome to get to the success story it is today,” Carpenter said. “We also have panel speakers Kelly Perry of Perry’s Pork Rinds Country Store and Angela Simon of Bids and Dibs. They will share about managing a business banking account and how to get through the low seasons of business.”
Kelly and Thaddeus Perry, owners of Perry’s Pork Rinds Country Store. Submitted photo.Angela Simon, owner of Bids and Dibs. Submitted photo.
A part of the agenda is devoted to discussion.
“We will have HBCAT and Pittsburg State University Small Business Development Center staff available to answer questions about starting a business and about the grant opportunities available through HBCAT,” Carpenter said. “We will also have staff from City State Bank that will answer questions about cash flow. Our keynote speakers and panelist will be available to answer any questions at that time as well.
Free Meal, Child Care and a Raffle
Perry’s Pork Rinds Country Store will be catering a lasagna meal for the evening, and there is childcare available upon request.
The support for the seminar is grant funds from the U.S. Department of Agriculture Rural Business Development and the Blue Cross Blue Shield Pathways to Healthy Kansas, she said.
Rachel Carpenter can be reached at The Healthy Bourbon County Action Team, phone: 620-215-2562
Mary Barbara McKay is the featured local author on Jan. 28. Submitted photo.
All during January there will be a special sale of Buy 2 Books Get 1 Free on Action/Detective/Mystery and Christian Fiction at Hedgehog INK! Bookstore located at 16 S. Main.
The store showcases book signings featuring local authors.
On January 28, Mary Barbara McKay will introduce her book, Writings from Vietnam, at 1:30 p.m. at the store.
“We are excited to have her launch her book and book signing at Hedgehog.INK!,” store owner Jan Hedges said.
McKay has lived in neighboring Linn County since 1996, when she and husband, Rod, bought 40 acres of Kansas farm ground and built a country home. They moved from Sacramento, California, where she had been a high school English and art teacher and then nurse and he, a commuter airline pilot.
First Book
McKay’s first book, The Good Horses: How Horses Taught Me God’s Plan for My Lifetells the story of their move to the country and the important role horses played in making the transition from city woman to country woman pleasant, she said.
“Horses made my new life interesting, enjoyable, educational,” she said. “Country life brought me closer to God through the horses and our care of them and the peaceful natural world around us.”
“My first book was published in 2019 and is also available at Hedgehog Ink Bookstore,” she said. “It has my own photographs and paintings, and some favorite poems and Scripture quotations. I love painting, drawing and photography and also love writing from my own experience.”
Second Book
“The second book, Writings from Vietnam, was completed in November 2022,” she said. It is a compilation of my husband’s letters to me from his time in Vietnam, plus a short journal he kept for three months, and nine pages he wrote of what happened on ‘a terrible day,’ but never sent to anyone.”
Rod, survived serving in the Vietnam War, and died of a heart attack in 2018.
She had kept all his letters from his tour of Vietnam and wrote the book as a tribute to him, she said. “He very rarely talked about Vietnam, and then only a sentence or two.”
“Rod has an almost intellectual view of the war, though he is living through very dismal times (in the book)” she said. “I insert paragraphs from his time in Army Basic Training and Advanced Infantry Training within the war letters to show the differences and parallels between the Army at war and the stateside Army. My husband was a radio telephone operator, which means he carried the radio for his commanding officer.”
“He was in Vietnam for 11 months,” McKay said. “In April 1970 the U.S. was pulling back forces and he was discharged a month early. His letters show life in the field–sleeping in the mud, constantly watching for enemy, losing men he just met.”
“His last five months were spent as company clerk at a fire support base,” she said. “He wrote the letters home to families who’d lost a husband or a spouse. He has deep insights and always kept his faith. God always came first in his life.”
“This is a short book, it is only 114 pages, and it includes a few photographs and an addendum which is a journal he kept for three months from May 3 to August 12, 1969, his first three months in Vietnam,” she said.
Her husband of nearly 47 years was a thoughtful, principled man and has a message for everyone who reads the book, she said. “This book is a tribute to him with a message I believe will resonate with readers.”
The cover of Mary Barbara McKay’s book, Writings from Vietnam. Submitted.
“Merl Humphrey Photography (a local Fort Scott business) used two photographs to make the composite picture for the cover,” she said. “The color picture I took of Rod at the Vietnam War Memorial in 1994; the black and white picture of men in Vietnam placed within the wall was among Rod’s things.”
February’s Offers At Hedgehog INK!
Additionally coming up at Hedgehog INK! in February is Buy 2 Get 1 Free on Romance books.
Feb. 4 – Children’s Story Time, story and activity
Feb. 10-11 Love Local Chocolate Crawl – All Chocolates 25% off
Feb. 25? – Author Talk / Book Talk – Leon Perry
Huge congratulations to the Fort Scott High School Debate team on an outstanding performance at the 4A 2-speaker State Debate Tournament this weekend in Wichita!
The team of Kinsley Davis and Joy Self finished in 2nd place!
The team of Cadence Tuck and Regen Wells brought home the 3rd place trophy!
Anna Hall and Silvia Moreno also won 2 rounds.
Congratulations to the entire team and their first-year coach, Tyler Slinkard!
