Obituary

Obituary of James “David” Tucker

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Rev. James David Tucker

Rev. James “David” Tucker, age 91, a resident of Fort Scott, Kansas, passed away on Saturday, September 11, 2021, at his home. He was born in Gravette, Arkansas, on December 20, 1929, to Charles Kenyan and Nora Belle Haddock Tucker, the youngest of 14 children. David gave his life to Christ as a teenager, and from that moment forward, his life was fully devoted to Christian service.

At the age of 16, he cleaned out a vacant church in Maysville, Arkansas, and began to hold revival services. During one of his sermons, the woodstove flue caught fire. He instructed everyone to move outdoors, where he continued his sermon as the church burned to the ground. He later rebuilt the church, and pastored there while raising his family.

In addition to his years as a traveling evangelist, he also held pastorates at the Church of God (Holiness) at 6th and Wilson Streets in Fort Scott; El Monte, California; Nevada, Missouri; Clarksburg Valley Chapel in Fort Scott; and Miami, Oklahoma.

He then returned to pastor at Clarksburg Valley Chapel, until his retirement at 89 years of age.

He never lost his passion to see others come to Christ.

David was known for his extensive knowledge and memorization of the Bible, and for his powerful prayers. David spent countless nights praying for his family, and because of his unwavering faith, his family has witnessed many miracles of healing and protection.

David also was a skilled carpenter, and built many houses throughout the years.

David married Betty Jean Bergen on June 27, 1951, in Neosho, Missouri. They were a shining example of commitment and teamwork as they served together at their pastorates over the years. Together, they raised six children. They remained sweethearts until the end, and could usually be found holding hands. They had just celebrated their 70th Anniversary in June.

David has an immediate family of over 60 members, who continue to gather in their homes for holidays. In addition to his wife, Betty Jean, survivors include 3 sons: Roger (Genie) Tucker of Independence, Missouri; Mark (Brenda) Tucker, and Joe (Belinda) Tucker, both of Fort Scott; daughters Carma Tucker of Fort Scott, and Kerri (Kirk) Bland of El Dorado Springs, Missouri; and a daughter-in-law, Carolyn Tucker of Fort Scott. Also surviving are 17 grandchildren and their spouses: Jonathan (Carlie) Tucker, Jessica (Chad) Rahe, Johanna (Chet) Parry, Jennifer (Matt) Snider, Whitney (Kyle) Rogers, Bethany (Brad) Blubaugh, Mariam (Levi) Self, Aaron (Cynthia) Tucker, Landon (Nancy) Simons, Jayce (Kristyn) Simons, Dakota Simons, Tucker Grigsby, Kasi Bland (fiance John Simrell), Alyson Bland, Joely (Scott) Womeldorff, Monica (Jared) Snyder, and Miles (Emmah) Dikeman; and 29 great-grandchildren, with one on the way.

He was preceded in death by his parents, 8 brothers, 5 sisters, and his son James “Jimmy” Tucker, who passed away in February of 2021.

Rev. Dennis Bergen, assisted by Rev. Kyle Rogers, will conduct funeral services at 10:00 AM, Wednesday, September 15, 2021, at Parkway Church of God (Holiness) in Fort Scott, Kansas.

A graveside service will be held at 3:30 PM, on Wednesday at the Banner Nazarene Church Cemetery in Splitlog, Missouri.

In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions are suggested to Fort Scott Christian Heights, and may be left in care of the Cheney Witt Chapel at 201 S Main Street or PO Box 347, Fort Scott, KS 66701. Words of remembrance may be shared to the online guestbook at cheneywitt.com.

Bourbon County, K-State Extension

September—Suicide Prevention Month

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Barbara Stockebrand. K-State Extension Agent. Submitted photo.

September is National Suicide Prevention month. Suicide isn’t something we associate much with September, nor is it a topic we actively discuss. However, suicide is a troubling public health issue that leaves a lasting impact on families and communities. Between 1999 and 2019, the suicide death rate increased 33%.

One of our most vulnerable populations to suicide is our older adults. Suicide is a direct reflection of mental illness – another topic that is continually swept under the rug, especially for older adults. Living in a rural community seems to be an additional contributor to its occurrence.

Some of my previous articles have focused on stress levels, isolation, having a purpose in life and how they are important factors to our mental health. When either of these are seemingly out of control, our mental health declines – often in the form of depression. Research has shown a strong link between suicide and depression.

While depression can exist at different intervals over the lifespan, older adults may experience multiple factors at the same time contributing to depression, such as: chronic medical illness, chronic pain, loss of physical functioning, prior depressive episodes, reliving bad experiences, recent loss, and dementia to name a few.

Other risk factors include social isolation and family history with one of the most prevalent factors being loneliness. Living a distance from family while trying to cope with the death of a lifelong spouse, close family or friends, can be a struggle. Research has shown that bereavement experienced by older adults can often trigger major depression.

Suicide rates among older adults are underreported. This generation tends to use passive self-harm behaviors that may result in death, such as refusing food, medications or liquids which are rarely recorded as suicide attempts. These paths are much less obvious than a medication overdose, for example.

A person who is at risk of suicide is rarely clear of their intentions. Such an individual is experiencing a pain that is difficult to talk about. Signs of suicidal thoughts or tendencies can include increased feelings of anxiety and hopelessness, withdrawal from people or activities they ordinarily enjoy, negative thoughts or a preoccupation with death, strong feelings of guilt or low self-esteem. These and other signs may be recognized by staying in tune through casual conversation, paying attention to the content of letters and notes or noting changes in actions or behaviors.

Rushing to create or change wills or other legal documents can sometimes be an indication of a wish for life to end. We should all take the legal steps necessary to make sure our wishes are met at end-of-life. Unfortunately, we humans often procrastinate in getting our end-of-life documents in order. When discussions dwell on these legal documents, take time to encourage conversations that can more clearly define the reasoning behind those actions.

As we age, we are bound to experience periods of feeling bad or go through loss and grief. So often there is a belief that it’s a normal part of aging. We need to recognize we can recover from those periods and that sometimes those feelings need to be targeted by professionals. None of us should feel like we are swimming in the middle of the ocean with no life preserver.

Day-to-day activities we can do to improve our mental health include regular exercise, good nutrition, taking medications as prescribed, contact with other people, staying hydrated, and regular visits with primary care providers.

We should all assess our own mental health on a regular basis. Do not hesitate to visit with your care provider if there is something you can’t seem to get around on your own. He/she may help in determining if it is a physical or medication related effect you are feeling. If those pieces to the puzzle are ruled out, it’s okay to seek out a mental health professional.

If you or someone you know may be experiencing suicidal tendencies, contact Southeast Kansas Mental Health with offices in Humboldt, Iola, Chanute, Fort Scott, Pleasanton and Yates Center. Resources to assist with difficult conversations are available at www.suicideispreventable.org. The National Suicide Prevention Hotline is 1-800-273-8255.

K-State Research and Extension is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Opinion

Letter to the Editor: Josh Jones

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If you have seen the petition to abolish a sales tax and renew it for streets then this is some information to help you decide.
Have we ignored streets for the last 20 years ABSOLUTELY, YES. But we have to be smart about it. We can’t put all our money into the streets and ignore other areas or we will be in the same situation 20 years from now but just in a different department.
We have cut over $350k from high-level salary employees and contract employees in the last 8 months.
We lowered the mill levy and gave out raises this year.
We also increased our street department budget from $500k to $2million in the last 2 years.
We are doing exactly what needs to be done but it’s not a one-year fix.
We have to stick with the plan and continue to fix our town the right way.
I can also tell you this tax from 1983 was not meant for streets forever and I know this because this is a General Sales tax and not a specific use sales tax.
Specific use sales tax have a clause where they can only last up to 10 years and general use sales tax never sunsets unless by petition.
This sales tax is listed as a general sales tax with the state of Kansas since 1983 and that’s how we know it was not meant for streets forever.
We don’t need more money for streets we need a plan put in place by the 5 of us city commissioners.
In 2020 we had $556,000 in streets/special highway funds in
2021 we had $1,038,000 in streets/special highway funds and added the street sales tax fund which had $200k in it.
Next year we have allocated $1,248,000 for the streets/special highway fund and $738k do the street sales tax fund.
We have money for streets now we just need to get a plan to utilize this money and STICK WITH IT.
If streets don’t start getting fixed next year then it’s on us as commissioners and no one else.
Josh Jones, Mayor of Fort Scott
Entertainment, Fort Scott

Friday Night Free Concert: Matt Harper

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Ralph Carlson introduces the Friday Night Concert musicians May 2019.

This week’s Friday Night Concert will be presented by Matt Harper of Nevada, Missouri. Harper sings and plays guitar and harmonica, and performs a variety of music including country, folk, jazz, inspirational, blues, and original tunes.

“Performing since the early 1990s, Harper is a musician of excellence and is a jack of all styles,” concert-series organizer Ralph Carlson said. “Harper has a wife and four kids and is a busy guy, so we really appreciate his willingness to return to the park pavilion and entertain our crowd of music lovers. Come out and join your friends for an enjoyable evening.”

The concert begins at 7 p.m. at the Heritage Park Pavilion at First and Main streets. The shows, sponsored by the Fort Scott Area Chamber of Commerce, are free and open to the public. Dave Oas of Parsons serves as sound technician each week. Due to limited seating, attendees are encouraged to bring lawn chairs.

In the event of inclement weather, the concert will be moved to the Common Ground Coffee Co., 12 E. Wall Street.

Opinion

Athletic Bones: Out of Stock by Carolyn Hayward Tucker

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Carolyn Tucker. Submitted photo.

Keys to the Kingdom

 

I don’t have an athletic bone in my body, however, I didn’t mind PE in school as long as it was exercises, crab soccer, relay races, or running to the Stockton Lake’s first boat dock and back. But when we played volleyball, softball, or basketball, I was completely lost. I don’t remember the coach ever explaining how to play any of these games. It seemed to me that all the other girls knew what to do, how to do it, and enjoyed it. I didn’t have a clue how to do any of these sports. When I played the outfield (and I happened to get the ball) I wouldn’t know where to throw it! I couldn’t seem to pay attention to these games because I simply wasn’t interested. It was comforting to know that I would eventually graduate and that would be the end of my athletic exasperations.

Not everyone is cut out to be a physical athlete, but all believers are to be spiritual athletes. In order to stand up under fire, spiritual muscles are a requirement. We must participate in lifelong training of our spirit. Paul is writing about spiritual growth and says, “Solid food is for those who are mature, who through training have the skill to recognize the difference between right and wrong” (Hebrews 5:14 NLT). The only way to properly distinguish between good and evil is to read the user’s manual, which is God’s Word. “For the free gift of eternal salvation is now being offered to everyone; and along with this gift comes the realization that God wants us to turn from godless living and sinful pleasures and to live good, God-fearing lives day after day” (Titus 2:12 TLB).

Lazy people practice being lazy. Disciplined people practice discipline. You have to practice whatever you’re interested in to be any good at it. “Exercise yourself spiritually and practice being a better Christian, because that will help you not only now in this life, but in the next life too” (1 Timothy 4:8 TLB).

It seems to me that, if Christ followers really loved God, we would want to dedicate time in His Word. It’s comparable to spending time in the gym and working out to build muscles and strength. The Bible tells us how to be spiritual giants…if we’re interested. I recently read the book of Galatians. My vocabulary isn’t very sophisticated, but at the top of these pages I wrote: Wow, powerful, great news, live by love and faith, believe and reap blessings. “Jesus replied, ’But even more blessed are all who hear the Word of God and put it into practice’” (Luke 11:28 NLT).

Paul writes to the Christians in Colosse and tells them to continue to work on their spiritual muscles: “I rejoice that you are living as you should and that your faith in Christ is strong. And now, just as you accepted Christ Jesus as your Lord, you must continue to follow Him. Let your roots grow down into Him, and let your lives be built on Him. Then your faith will grow strong in the truth you were taught, and you will overflow with thankfulness“ (Colossians 2:5-7 NLT). When believers are disciplined and deeply committed to Christ Jesus as Lord, the devil is dialing 911.

God the Father has given His children triumphant grace to live a life of practicing His Word. He has given us powerful promises so we can be strong in faith, goodness, understanding, self-control, patient endurance, godliness, mercy, and love.

The Key: Flex your spiritual muscles and practice your strong faith outside the gym.

Fort Scott, Government

Corrected Time For Special FS Commission Meeting Sept. 13

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There will be a Special Meeting of the Fort Scott City Commission held at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, September 13th, 2021. This meeting will be held to consider the following:

Consideration of change order on ladder fire truck

Consideration of payment for ladder fire truck

Consideration of donation of current ladder truck

Consideration of change order for Eagle Block Building

This meeting will be held at 123 S. Main Street in the City Commission meeting room. This meeting will be broadcast on the City’s You tube channel. This meeting is open to the public.

Entertainment, Food, Fort Scott, Sports

Register for Sept. 18-19 Multiple Sports Events at Gunn Park by This Sunday

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Runners in the October 2015 Tri-Yak-A-thon.

Next weekend, two annual sports events will be combined: the Marmaton Massacre with the  Tri-Yak-A-Thon and additionally a separate golf disc tournament.

Local businessman and bike enthusiast, Frank Halsey is the organizer of the bike race called the Marmaton Massacre and the kayak-run-bike contest called the Tri-Yak-A-Thon.

The Marmaton Massacre is still seeking participants, according to the Gunn Park Trails Facebook page.

The deadline to register is this Sunday,  September 12, at midnight.

Frank Halsey, the event organizer, hugs his grandson following a first-place win in the kids’ race in July 2018.

“The Gunn Park Trail Volunteers (the sponsors of the events)are super excited! It’s going to be a very busy weekend in beautiful Gunn Park,” Halsey said.

“We’ve combined our annual Marmaton Massacre Festival and The annual Tri-Yak-A-Thon into a really fun-packed weekend, September 18th & 19th,”  Halsey said.  “In addition, Danny Craig is hosting a disc golf tournament on Saturday, the 18th.

“We kick off the activities with the Tri-Yak-A-Thon, at 9 a.m. Saturday,” Halsey said. “This is our 8th year for this charitable fundraiser of running a 5k on the trails, kayaking a 5k on the Marmaton River, and finishing with a 10k ride on the trails.”

Participants may go solo, or as a relay team.

“Solo is for those hard-core athletes, while the relay team is not easy, it’s definitely easier,” he said. “I don’t run any longer, so my daughter, Libby, and I will be a team. Proceeds of the Tri-Yak-A-Thon are donated to proceeds go to Fort Scott Paws and Claws Animal Shelter.”

“At 1 p.m. the Massacre officially starts with the marathon race,” Halsey said. “This is a 3-hour race, where participants complete as many laps as possible on our trails.”

To participate in the events see the Gunn Park Trails Facebook page, registrations must be sent by Sunday, Sept. 12.

The whole community is invited to watch.

“While most of the events are not really spectator-friendly, we’d love to have the locals show up for the Saturday evening festivities,” he said. “These start about 5:30 p.m. with the always fun Kid’s Bike Race. We create an open course, through the park, so not on the trails, for kids 10 years old and under. This is a hoot watching these kids, and everybody cheering.”

At 6:30 p.m. a father and son, Ed and Exander Schilling, St. Joe, MO will give a demonstration on bike skills.

Halsey describes the two as “extremely talented.”  “Ed can do things on a bike that most can’t do on their feet, and Exander likes to get big air,” he said.

“Around 7:30 pm we have live music with DJ Brown & The Bourbon County Revival performing until about 9 or 9:30 p.m.,” he said.  “They are a local band, that plays a little bit of everything.”

“The Beech Street Eats food truck will be onsite for refreshments,” Halsey said.

“This is a great family atmosphere, and we hope the people of Fort Scott, and the surrounding area, will bring their lawn chairs, kid’s bikes, enjoy the evening in beautiful Gunn Park,” he said.

“We could not do this without our volunteers and our generous sponsors, including:

  • Eric’s Bike & Board of Overland Park
  • The Lockton Companies
  • UMB Bank
  • Sharky’s Pub & Grill
  • Cheney Witt Funeral Home
  • Sonic and Typhoon Bay Car Wash
  • Landmark Bank
  • City State Bank
  • Keys
  • Mid-Continental
  • Brock Electric
  • Labconco
  • Ward Kraft
  • CK Pro Photography
  • New Wave Broadband”

 

Opinion

Letter to The Editor: Josh Jones

1 Comment
If you have seen the petition to abolish a sales tax and renew it for streets then this is some information to help you decide.
Have we ignored streets for the last 20 years ABSOLUTELY, YES. But we have to be smart about it. We can’t put all our money into the streets and ignore other areas or we will be in the same situation 20 years from now but just in a different department.
We have cut over $350k from high-level salary employees and contract employees in the last 8 months.
We lowered the mill levy and gave out raises this year.
We also increased our street department budget from $500k to $2million in the last 2 years.
We are doing exactly what needs to be done but it’s not a one-year fix.
We have to stick with the plan and continue to fix our town the right way.
I can also tell you this tax from 1983 was not meant for streets forever and I know this because this is a General Sales tax and not a specific use sales tax.
Specific use sales tax have a clause where they can only last up to 10 years and general use sales tax never sunsets unless by petition.
This sales tax is listed as a general sales tax with the state of Kansas since 1983 and that’s how we know it was not meant for streets forever.
We don’t need more money for streets we need a plan put in place by the 5 of us city commissioners.
In 2020 we had $556,000 in streets/special highway funds in
2021 we had $1,038,000 in streets/special highway funds and added the street sales tax fund which had $200k in it.
Next year we have allocated $1,248,000 for the streets/special highway fund and $738k do the street sales tax fund.
We have money for streets now we just need to get a plan to utilize this money and STICK WITH IT.
If streets don’t start getting fixed next year then it’s on us as commissioners and no one else.
Josh Jones, Mayor of Fort Scott
Opinion

Kansas vs. USA by Gregg Motley

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Gregg Motley. President of the Regional Economic Development, Inc. Submitted photo.

 

My writings have been primarily focused on Bourbon County and how we stack up to the counties in our area; however, it is wise to take a step back periodically and see how we fit into a larger context. Census trends over the last ten years for the United States of America and Kansas can be a window into our past and a foreshadowing of our future.

Census data indicates that our national population growth rate has been declining over the past few decades, caused by lower birth rates and the aging of the historically large Baby Boom generation. In fact, without immigration, the USA would have been near zero growth over the last 10 years. This would explain why the growth rate of Kansas lagged behind the national average by 4.2 percentage points at 2.1%; we tend to welcome fewer immigrants every year than east and west coast states. That is illustrated by the fact that the Kansas white population is 10 percentage points higher than the national number of 76.3%; we lag significantly behind in every ethnic group. The diversity numbers are the lowest in Southeast Kansas counties, where every county in the region lost population between census dates.

Surprisingly, Kansas tends to be younger on average than the USA as a whole, especially in the under 18 demographic. Kansans are still having children, while other parts of the country are relying upon migration or immigration for growth. The percentage of Kansans over 65 is slightly below the national average, despite Bourbon County being 3.7 percentage points above the average. Bourbon County has more retired people and additional people too young to earn a wage. Tough factors to overcome.

An important indicator is housing, and the numbers are a little foreboding for locals. The average home value in the state is $151,900 versus $217,500 nationally; in Bourbon County, the number is $82,700. Unfortunately, the average Kansan pays a slightly higher monthly cost for their undervalued home compared to the other 49 states and US territories; a symptom of the high real estate tax phenomenon we all endure.

Lastly, the health care/poverty statistics could be our biggest challenge as Kansans and residents of Bourbon County. The national poverty rate has been declining and stands at 10.5%; that number is 11.4% for Kansas and 15.6% for Bourbon County. To make matters worse, Kansas is 1.4 percentage points over the national average of citizens without health care insurance at 10.9%, and we have a much higher percentage of disabled residents under the age of 65, especially in Bourbon County. This means more stress on our local safety net and health care services.

Who is leading the growth in the USA? Energy sector states such as North Dakota, low tax/regulation states such as Texas and Florida and states conducive to immigration like New York. Because our energy sector is not large, higher taxes, and minimal immigration, expect rural Kansas to struggle to maintain population in the foreseeable future.

Bourbon County Local News