Darla Dean Bruner, age 85, resident of Ft. Scott, KS, died Sunday, December 27, 2020, at the KU Medical Center, Kansas City, KS.
She was born November 29, 1935, in Seiling, OK, the daughter of Lewis and Gladys Bartell Mandersheid. She graduated from Humboldt, KS high school. She then attended Chanute Junior College and Pittsburg State College. She then taught grade school near Fredonia, KS. Darla married Elvis Willard Bruner on June 4, 1960, in Fredonia, KS. They moved to Ft. Scott in 1962.
He preceded her in death on July 20, 2018.
In 1973, she began working at Western Insurance and later American States Insurance until 1992. Later, she was employed by Med-Plans 2000 for several years.
Her greatest enjoyment was being with family and Christian friends, quilting, flower gardening, attending garage sales with Willard, and serving the Lord. Darla attended the Church of Christ, at 1900 Margrave.
She was the best of us and always put other first. We will miss her sweet smile and kind heart.
Survivors include two daughters, Donna Graham and husband William, Joplin, MO, and Sharon Bruner, Roeland Park, KS; a son, Ernest Bruner and wife Stephanie, Overland Park, KS; 6 grandchildren, Lindsay Johnson, Cassandra Bailey, Jennifer Bruner, Khaled Graham, Donovan Graham, and Shanece Grimm; 11 great-grandchildren with one on the way; and numerous nieces and nephews.
Besides her husband, she was preceded in death by 3 sisters; one brother; and her parents.
Private family services will be held. Burial will follow in the Memory Gardens Cemetery.
Memorials are suggested to the Darla Bruner 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.
The City Commission will meet for a special meeting at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, December 29th, 2020 at City Hall in the City Commission meeting room at 123 South Main Street, Fort Scott, Kansas. The City Commission will consider to accept two Quit Claim Deeds from Flint Hills Holdings to the City of Fort Scott for the Union Lofts Project and pass a resolution of acceptance and recording for these deeds.
This meeting will be broadcast on the City’s You tube channel. This meeting is open to the public.
The Hole in the Wall Liquor Store, at Wall and Scott Street September 2018. The new apartments are above the retail store.
Roy and Jody Hoener have opened a new business in the historic Fort Scott downtown area.
“The name of the new apartments are called ‘H Bar Suites,'”, Jody Hoener said. “This was Roy’s cattle brand when he had cattle.”
Submitted photos of the H Bar Suites vacation rental’s interior construction.
The apartments are located in historic downtown Fort Scott, directly above Hole in the Wall Liquor, another business the couple own, and across from the Fort Scott National Historic Site, she said.
The physical address is 8 North Scott Street.
They are fully furnished apartments.
The Hoeners have used Ruddick’s Furniture, and local contractors: Casper Enterprises, Stoughton Plumbing, KTK Electric, and Perry Cannon to name a few. The cabinets were made by Kirby’s Cabinets.
“There are two apartments. The two-bedroom apartment is currently available, click on the link,” she said.
The furnished 2 bedroom apartment is finished. Submitted photos.
The couple hopes to have the one bedroom available at the end of this week, Hoener said.
“There were a few issues with furniture and appliances being back-ordered that has delayed the opening,” she said.
Construction on the Hole in the Wall Liquor Store at Wall and State streets began in 2018.
History of the Hoener businesses at the site
“Our project started in 2016 when we started looking for a place to move Hole in the Wall Liquor. (https://holeinthewallliquor.com/) ,” she said. “One stipulation we had to move as we wanted to remain downtown. As business owners with a vested interest in our community, we wanted to make a larger impact beyond a retail store. Downtown revitalization’s direct impact is well documented and has shown to spur local economies.”
“When we took on this old and condemned building downtown, it literally had poles coming from the middle of the street, up to the side of the building, holding up the wall, for almost a decade,” Hoener said. “This was quite the eyesore to one of the main entrances of our downtown.”
“Heather Smith, the city’s then Economic Development Director, showed us several downtown buildings,” she said. “It was a hard sale. All of the buildings were in such disrepair that it would be impossible for us to come up with the capital to make the needed improvements. The cost of replacing the roof was much more than the value of the whole building. In short, we discovered what many already knew: it would be impossible to obtain a loan on a worthless building. We learned first-hand why these buildings are sitting empty but also a few tricks, tips, and solutions to the problem.”
” Smith, through the City of Fort Scott, was able to offer us the State of Kansas Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) for historic districts,” Hoener said. “This is a state-wide grant program, highly competitive, to help cities provide financial incentives to bring these condemned buildings back to life. After much thought and planning, working through the risks and unknowns of old buildings, and working with Smith and Dave Martin, we decided to take a leap of faith. ”
“Working with Smith (even after she took on a new job in Wisconsin!) and Susan Galemore at the Southeast Kansas Regional Planning Commission we wrote and submitted a winning CDBG grant,” she said. “The grant, paired with creative financing from Gregg Motley at Landmark National Bank, and lots of sweat equity, brought new life into the building, encouraging foot traffic downtown, and being a part of the momentum to spur economic growth.”
They had a plan and worked it.
“Our business plan was developed and written in phases,” she said. “The first phase was to move Hole in the Wall Liquor to the new location and open the retail liquor store.”
” The second phase was to then take advantage of the opportunity in the space upstairs and develop housing. We are now, four years later, almost to the end of that final phase,” Hoener said.
“Our initial plans were to use the space as market-rate apartments,” she said. “We have since decided to try marketing the space on VRBO as short term or vacation rental space. We have decided we can always offer them as apartments later if that does not work out.”
Evergy recently awarded $1,500 to the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes in support of the “Unsung Heroes of the Environment (Role Models for America’s Youth)” museum display. Ronda Hassig serves as project director. Norm Conard, Executive Director of the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes, said “Jacob Valentine II was an unsung hero that worked his whole life as an advocate for the environment and the species that live in it. Exhibiting Jacob Valentine II in our museum serves as a powerful role model for everyone who sees it. We are excited to share his story!”
About Evergy
Evergy wants to be a good neighbor, civic leader, and community partner in the communities they serve. They want communities to understand that the commitment they have to powering the lives of their customers goes beyond simply providing safe, clean, reliable energy. Evergy supports programs designed to invest in the education of tomorrow’s workforce to the skills and knowledge required are available to enable Evergy to thrive in the future.
About the Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes
The Lowell Milken Center for Unsung Heroes works to transform classrooms and communities through student-driven projects that discover Unsung Heroes from history and teach the power of one to create positive change. Everyone, especially our young people deserve role models who demonstrate courage, compassion and respect. Jacob Valentine II was just such a hero!
The City of Fort Scott Administrative offices will be closed on Friday, January 1st, 2021 in observance of the New Year’s Day Holiday. The regular offices will reopen on Monday, January 4th, 2021.
The City’s tree and brush dump site located on North Hill will also be closed on Thursday, December 31st, 2020, and Saturday, January 2nd, 2021 for the New Year’s holiday. It will be open again on Tuesday, January 5th, 2021 from 4:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.
I appreciate and enjoy the annual Christmas light-and-music show on Margrave. The beautiful lights remind me of the star that shone above the stable where the Light of the World was born. Mary and Joseph saw, with their own eyes, the message from the angels come alive. The Messiah had come at last, but what a strange way for a King to be born! It makes sense that the first visitors at the manger were shepherds. For they were instructed by an angel to leave their flocks of sheep and go to Bethlehem to see the newborn Lamb of God. “For there is born to you this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord” (Luke 2:11 NKJV).
Our heavenly Father loved the world so deeply that He sent His one and only Son as a baby to die for the sins of the whole world. The good news of great joy was for all people. The everlasting Light of Jesus is still shining in the dark streets of 2020. Jesus came as the Living Word to redeem and set everyone free from the harsh grip of sin. Jesus said, “I have come as a light into the world, that whoever believes in Me should not abide in darkness” (John 12:46 NKJV). The blessed Redeemer wants the world to believe in Him and receive eternal life in Him.
God dearly loves people and He didn’t want anyone living in the dark with no hope. He designed a divine and perfect plan of redemption. “The people who walk in darkness will see a great light. For those who live in a land of deep darkness, a light will shine” (Isaiah 9:2 NLT). The Light that would shine would be God’s anointed King. God’s answer to an arrogant and lost world was a little baby. This Wonderful Mediator lit up the world with peace and goodwill to all men. And as the mighty Lion of Judah, He turned the world upside-down and set it on fire.
Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. If you follow Me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life” (John 8:12 NLT). From my childhood, I remember singing the hymn, “The Light of the World is Jesus.” Philip P. Bliss penned these sobering lyrics: “The whole world was lost in the darkness of sin. The Light of the world is Jesus. Once I was blind, but now I can see. The Light of the world is Jesus.”
As we celebrate the Prince of Peace, the Christian carols we sing are biblical doctrine in poetic verse set to music. Our Christmas hymns present the truths of the virgin birth, Christ’s deity, salvation, and the transforming power of the Holy Spirit in believers.
The Lamb of God was the only perfect sacrifice for our sins. John the Baptist confirmed who Jesus was: “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!’” (John 1:29 NLT). In the last book of the Bible, The bright Morning Star is still shining His powerful Light. “The city [heaven] had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light” (Revelation 21:23 NKJV).
The Key: Jesus is the Light of the world, and He always will be.
Submitted by Pastor Kevin Moyers, Rinehart Christian Church
Mask wearing in 2020 has been quite a topic of discussion. President-elect Joe Biden says “Wear a mask.” Dr. Anthony Fauci says, “Wear a mask.” Did you know that the Bible addresses the subject of mask-wearing?
You might be interested in knowing that Jesus condemned the Pharisees for wearing a mask.
Now before anyone gets all “up in the air” about what I just said, maybe you should keep on reading this article. Please don’t go away and tell folks the preacher at Rinehart is saying something that I’m really not saying at all.
Fifteen times in the book of Matthew Jesus addresses the subject of “mask-wearing.” He addressed it once in Mark’s gospel, and four times in Luke’s gospel. Add all that up and you have 20 scripture references that address mask-wearing, and everyone of them is cautioning us against wearing a mask.
Did you know the word “hypocrite” in the NT means “stage-actor?” Let me quote to you from Vine’s Expository Dictionary of Greek Words as it defines the word “hypocrite”: “Pretender; it was a custom for Greek and Roman actors to speak in large masks with mechanical devices for augmenting the force of the voice.” Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance defines “hypocrite” this way: “an actor; stage-player; pretender; a dissembler.”
Jesus took this word from the Greek and Roman theater and used it in such a way that people understood perfectly what He was getting at. A hypocrite was someone pretending to be what they were not. They were “stage-acting” in a spiritual sense. In the case of the Pharisees, they were portraying themselves as spiritual-minded men, when really they were not spiritual at all. They were just putting on a show. They sounded spiritual on the outside, and maybe they “dressed like they were spiritual,” but in reality, they were not spiritual at all. They were wearing a mask.
Jesus had strong words of condemnation for those who were hypocritical “mask-wearers.” Check out some of these scriptures: Matthew 6:;2,5,16; 7:5; 22:18; 23:15,23,25,27,29; 24:51; Mark 7:6; Luke 12:56; 13:15. It appears that those who act like they’re a Christian, but really they are not, are in for a terrible awakening.
Jesus wants us to be sincere in our faith, and real. He wants us to be true. Don’t be that person who is a “Sunday Christian,” but has nothing to do with Him through the week. Don’t be that person who sings praises on Sunday morning and curses your neighbor on Tuesday evening. “My brethren, these things ought not to be this way” (James 3:10).
May we all take off the masks and be what He wants us to be.
Now the other masks that you see people wearing in 2020 to protect them from the coronavirus, feel free to wear them if you want.
A wealthy man and his son loved to collect rare works of art, including paintings from Picasso to Raphael. They would often sit together and admire their collection. When the Vietnam-conflict broke out, the son went to war. He courageously died in battle while rescuing another soldier. The father was notified and grieved deeply for his only son.
About a month later, just before Christmas, there was a knock at the door. A young man stood at the door with a large package in his hands. He said, “Sir, you don’t know me, but I am the soldier for whom your son gave his life. He saved many lives that day and was carrying me to safety when a bullet struck him in the heart. He died instantly. He often talked about you and your love for art.” The young man held out this package. “I know this isn’t much. I’m not really a great artist, but I think your son would have wanted you to have this.”
The father opened the package. It was a portrait of his son, painted by the young man. He stared in awe at the way the soldier had captured the personality of his son in the painting. The father’s eyes welled up with tears. He thanked the young man and offered to pay him for the picture. “Oh, no sir, I could never repay what your son did for me. It’s a gift.”
The father hung the portrait over his mantle. Every time visitors came to his home, he took them to see the portrait of his son before showing them any of the other collected works.
The man died a few months later. There was to be a great auction of his paintings. Many influential people gathered, excited to purchase one of the paintings. On the platform sat the painting of the son. The auctioneer pounded his gavel. “We will start the bidding with this picture of the son. Who will bid for this picture?” There was silence…
Then a voice in the back of the room shouted, “We want to see the famous paintings. Skip this one” But the auctioneer persisted. “Will somebody bid for this painting? Who will start the bidding? $100, $200.”
Another voice cried angrily. “We didn’t come to see this painting. We came to see the Van Gogh’s, the Rembrandts. Get on with the Real bids!”
But still the auctioneer continued. “The son! The son! Who’ll take the son?” Finally, a voice came from the very back of the room. It was the longtime gardener of the man and his son. “I’ll give $10 for the painting.” Being a poor man, it was all he could afford.
“We have $10, who will bid $20?”
“Give it to him for $10. Let’s see the masters.” The crowd was becoming angry. They didn’t want the son’s picture. They wanted the more worthy investments for their collections.
The auctioneer pounded the gavel. “Going once, twice, SOLD for $10!”
A man sitting on the second row shouted, “Now let’s get on with the collection!”
The auctioneer laid down his gavel. “I’m sorry, the auction is over.”
“What about the paintings?”
“I am sorry. When I was called to conduct this auction, I was told of a secret stipulation in the will… Only the painting of the son would be auctioned. Whoever bought that painting would inherit the entire estate, including the paintings.”
God gave His son over 2,000 years ago to die on the Cross. Much like the auctioneer, His message today is “The Son, the Son, who’ll take the Son?”
Because, you see, whoever takes the Son gets everything!
FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM SHALL NOT PERISH BUT HAVE ETERNAL LIFE. John 3:16
Kyla Probasco RN, CHC/SEK Fort Scott administers a dose of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine to Kristen McCoy RN. The clinic began vaccinating its staff against the virus on Wednesday, after receiving its first allocation of Moderna vaccine.
On Wednesday, Dec. 23, CHC/SEK Fort Scott received its first allocation of Moderna COVID-19 vaccine and vaccinated 20 of its staff against the virus. Next week, per the state vaccination plan, CHC/SEK will begin vaccinating additional healthcare workers in our communities. At the same time, Walgreens and CVS Pharmacies have begun vaccinating residents in nursing homes and senior living facilities.
The Moderna supply is being distributed to local health departments and federally qualified health centers across the state who will vaccinate healthcare workers. The initial vaccine distribution is geared towards healthcare providers and long-term care residents, in line with the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendations. Distribution among these groups is expected to continue through January.
Kansas received its first shipment of Pfizer vaccines for hospital workers on December 14-15. This week, Pfizer doses were given to participating long-term care facility residents and staff through CVS and Walgreens pharmacies, who are tasked with delivering COVID-19 vaccine to these populations. The coordination of vaccination activities will occur directly between CVS/Walgreens and those facilities participating in the program.
KDHE is disseminating weekly updates on vaccine developments on their website.
CHC/SEK has planned for, trained, and is looking forward to the day we can begin offering vaccines to the public in the coming year. As soon as we know when public vaccine is on the way, we will keep you informed through your CHC/SEK Patient Portal, the clinic’s social media platforms, and your local news outlets.
