Dear Editor,
Five kids shot in Ohio high school and yet our radical governor here in Kansas actually wants to allow guns to be carried in some of our schools.
What’s next, everyone carrying guns on our hips like the old days.
Jim Smith,
Iola, Kan.
Santorum finds a new target: JFK
Rick Santorum found a new hate last week: John F. Kennedy. JFK made him want to vomit, Santorum told a crowd, when he made a much-quoted speech celebrating the separation of church and state in American politics.
Mr. Santorum was two years old when JFK won the presidency in 1960. Children age 2 and under do a lot of vomiting, with or without the provocation of radical politicians such as Kennedy.
When I read Santorum’s vulgar personal comment, it brought back memories. While Santorum was throwing up in his swaddling clothes, our family was living in Bowie, Tex., where I published the Bowie News, a weekly newspaper. The campaign of 1960 remains vivid in my memory.
Bowie was a Southern Baptist town. There was no Catholic Church there. There were no Republicans there, either. Bowie was as southern Democrat as it was Southern Baptist. And therein lay a challenge. The nation’s Democrats had nominated Kennedy, a Roman Catholic, to run for president.
What were the Bowie Baptist/Democrats to do? A good number of them — particularly the noisy ones — were convinced to the point of apoplexy — that a President John F. Kennedy would get his orders straight from the Vatican. And that was about the kindest thing they had to say about the man and his religion.
At that time in my political life, I was a Nelson Rockefeller Republican (now an extinct species), who would vote for Richard Nixon. I also made an effort to avoid basing my judgments on race, religion or previous condition of servitude and wrote editorials stating Catholics were people, just as Baptists were, and should be judged by what they did and what they said rather than where they went to church.
It took a full year to win back the friends — and advertising revenue — I lost with those remarks.
Now back to Mr. Santorum’s nausea. Since he was only 2 at the time, it is not surprising he doesn’t understand why JFK worked so hard to assure Southern Baptists and the rest of the American people that he would not be governed by the Pope in Rome if he were to be elected president. He believed, you see, in the separation of church and state.
Making that promise, and that distinction, was imperative to his campaign. He was, he said over and over again, an American first. He would be guided by the U.S. Constitution and the interests of the American people, not by the officials of his church, he promised, and he laid out those promises and the philosophy which were their foundation, in the eloquent speech that so sickens Mr. Santorum half a century later. It is probable that his careful reasoning and soaring rhetoric made the difference to an appreciable number of thinking Southerners when it came time for them to cast their ballots.
HOW ANYONE can witness Sunnis killing Shiites in Iraq and Afghans murdering U.S. officers over the burning of Korans and not be doubly convinced that our tradition of separating church and state is both wise and necessary escapes me.
Mr. Santorum, himself, argues for it with his words and actions. When he disagreed with Mitt Romney over a philosophical point, he immediately snapped that Romney’s religion was “phony.”
Were he president, what would he do to drive “phony religion” — i.e., thoughts with which he disagreed — from the capital? Let us pray that we do not learn the answer to this question.
It is, come to think of it, remarkable this argument must be had all over again in this year of our Lord, 2012.
It’s enough to make a guy urp.
— Emerson Lynn,jr.
Special USD 257 meeting Wednesday
The Iola school board will hold a special meeting Wednesday at 4:30 p.m. in the high school lecture hall to discuss administrator contracts. The meeting is open to the public but the contracts discussions will be held in a private executive session.
‘Sue’ Traw
Susan D. “Sue” Traw, 65, of Iola, passed from this life into the presence of the Lord on Thursday, Feb. 23, 2012, at her home.
She was born Feb. 2, 1947, in Humboldt, Neb., the daughter of Harlan Jacob and Alice M. (Strahm) Wittmer. She grew up on the family farm at Bern, where she graduated from high school in 1965. She received her bachelor’s degree from Emporia State University in 1969 in elementary education with a minor in music.
On Sept. 1, 1968, Sue married Steven P. Traw in Bern. They made their home in Emporia for a year while they finished their education. They moved to Seneca and she taught kindergarten and music at Kelly, south of Seneca for two years. Steve joined the U.S. Air Force and they moved to Lubbock, Texas, then Sacramento, Calif., where son Michael was born, and Topeka before she returned to Bern with her son to reside while Steve served overseas. Their two daughters, Judi and Rebecca, were born in Destin, Fla., when they lived there. While Steve attended seminary, the family lived in Garland, Texas, and Sue taught in Christian education. They served a church in Post, Texas, for five years and Sue taught piano to more than 50 students. In 1987, the family moved to Iola when Steve became pastor of First Christian Church.
Sue taught elementary music education at Jefferson and McKinley Elementary Schools in Iola for 15 years. She continued giving piano lessons, always serving as an accompanist at all the churches where they lived, including serving as organist at First Christian Church and Wesley United Methodist Church in Iola. She belonged to P.E.O., Iola Music Club and was an accompanist for Vespers and the Allen County Community College choir.
She is survived by her husband of the home; her three children, Michael Traw and his wife, Tara, Bucyrus, Judi Donaldson and her husband, Kelly, Topeka, and Rebecca Stephenson and her husband, Kyle, Iola; 13 grandchildren, Kathryn, Beatta, Jesse, Joseph, Benjamin and Timrek Traw, Tatum, Madeline, Clairen and Jacob Donaldson and Abigail, Eliott and Wyatt Stephenson; two brothers, Ronald Wittmer, DuBois, Neb., and Larry Wittmer and his wife, Beverly, Colony; and a special cousin raised with her family, Hal Prichard, Sabetha.
Visitation will be from 4 to 6 p.m. Sunday at Waugh-Yokum & Friskel Memorial Chapel in Iola.
Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. at First Presbyterian Church in Iola.
Graveside services will be at 2:30 p.m. Monday at Strawn Cemetery northwest of Burlington.
Memorials to Susan D. Traw Memorial Fund may be left at the funeral home. Online condolences for the family may be left at www.iolafuneral.com.
Jack Womack
Jack F. Womack, 83, Iola, died Friday, Feb. 24, 2012, at Windsor Place in Iola.
He was born Feb. 23, 1929, in Iola, the son of Francis Walter “Fritz” and Doris Alma (Park) Womack. He grew up in Iola and graduated from Iola High School in 1947. He served in the United States Navy and the Kansas Air National Guard. He worked for the Iola Police Department before moving to Kansas City, where he established and operated Time Square Barbeque in Kansas City for a number of years.
Jack was married to Maribelle Virginia Cook. They had five children and later divorced. Jack moved to Newton where he worked on the Newell ranch. He married Louise Judy Hayes and they made their home in Newton. She preceded him in death in 1996.
Jack returned to Iola where he was a member of St. John’s Catholic Church, 4th Degree Knights of Columbus and served as a Red Cross volunteer. He also enjoyed woodworking and sharing what he made with family.
He is survived by three children, Clark Anthony, Holly Annette and Jana Marie; four stepdaughters, Sylvia, Peggy, Lynda and Judy;, one brother, John W. Womack Sr. and wife, Carol, Merriam; two sisters, Betty Murray of Kansas City, Kan., and Carolyn Isaac and husband, Larry of Lamar, Mo.; and a number of nieces and nephews.
Jack was preceded in death by two sons, Mark Herbert and Kirk Francis, 1 stepson, Michael, one sister, Doris Jackman, and his companion, Penny Harclerode.
Parish rosary will be recited at 10 a.m. Thursday at St. John’s Catholic Church in Iola, followed by celebration of Mass at 10:30 a.m. Burial will follow at Iola Cemetery
Memorials may be made to Cystic Fibrosis Foundation or American Red Cross and left with Waugh-Yokum & Friskel Memorial Chapel of Iola, which is in charge of arrangements.
Online condolences for the family may be left at www.iolafuneral.com.
Freshman Fillies finish second at FSHS tourney; Mustangs lose final game
FORT SCOTT — Iola High’s freshman Fillies captured second place in the 2012 Fort Scott High Freshman Invitational tournament.
The Fillies posted a 45-28 win over Fort Scott in the final round of the round-robin event Saturday. Jo Lohman fired in 15 points for the Fillies. Emery Driskel added eight points.
Iola’s girls were 2-1 in the tournament.
Iola High’s Mustang freshmen lost to Prairie View 44-39 Saturday going 0-3 in the tournament. Isaiah Grover tossed in 13 points. Kaden Macha pulled down 17 rebounds plus scored nine points.
Letter to the editor — February 27, 2012
Dear Editor,
Whoever sent me gift cards to Walmart and Moon’s Market — THANK YOU.
And God bless you too!
Bought new shoes at Walmart, and groceries at Moon’s.
“Kindness is everything.”
Jim Brownrigg,
Iola, Kan.
This good news comes in threes, all borrowed
These items just in from health unlimited.
Yes, do have that colonoscopy. Recent studies show a dramatic drop in colon cancer in those who had the investigative procedure done and had precancerous growths removed. The info indicates the death rate from colon cancer was cut in half for them. Colon cancer is next to lung cancer in killing folks. Sure, a colonoscopy is no fun. Colon cancer is much less entertaining. One to one, there’s no comparison. So do it.
YOGA IS GOOD for you. Jane Brody says so.
Ms. Brody read a book called, “The Science of Yoga” because a friend of hers wrote it and decided to take a course. Wow! She feels much healthier, stronger with more energy, more flexible, trimmer. There can be negatives. Try too hard and you can strain, tear or break something. The advantages outweigh dangers, which, do, after all, yield to common sense.
Yoga not only is good for the bod, it also can clear the mind.
Get Mr. William J. Broad’s book and learn about this ancient art. Look around and discover that there are yoga opportunities in Iola; that the only equipment needed is a mat; that yoga can be done at home, alone or together.
Speaking of together, yoga can revitalize a person’s sex life by producing surges in sex hormones and the brain waves associated with sexual arousal. But, Ms. Brody advises, don’t act on this in class.
Most important, learn it isn’t just for Indian fakirs and jaded celebrities looking for a new ego fix. Even you can do it.
FEELING OFF YOUR FEED? Maybe your eyes need checking. Looking for reasons why some older folks have memory loss, slower reaction time, insomnia and higher rates of depression, scientists closed in on the aging of the human eye.
They discovered that the gradual yellowing of the lens and the narrowing of the pupil that go along with getting older disturb the body’s circadian rhythm. Say, what? The circadian rhythm is what scientists call the body’s internal clock, just to let you know how smart they are.
Kansans are involved.
“We believe the effect is huge and that it’s just beginning to be recognized as a problem,” said Dr. Patricia Turner, an ophthalmologist in Leawood, who, with her husband, Dr. Martin Mainster, a professor of Ophthalmology at the University of Kansas School of Medicine in Kansas City, has written extensively on the effects of the aging eye on health.
The circadian rhythms are the cyclical hormonal and physiologic processes that rally the body in the morning to tackle the day’s tasks and slow it down at night to rebuild. They depend on light to work. Age-clouded lenses reduce the light, affecting the rhythms.
So, what can be done? The experiments show the clouded lens filter out blue light which is particularly needed to keep the body clock functioning at optimum. They also discovered that patients who had had cataracts removed and a clear lens substituted once again received unfiltered blue light and recovered some of their lost faculties.
Since the old are most likely to have cataracts and to have them removed and plastic lenses inserted, those persons can be given a new lease on a healthy life with the use of clear plastic inserts which let the blue light through.
Now you know what to ask for when it comes your turn.
— Emerson Lynn, jr.
N.B. As a matter of full disclosure, the above happy news came from the health section of Friday’s New York Times. Some of the wording was a direct quote. All of the facts were snitched. E.L.
Gary Ritter
Gary Lynn Ritter, 51, of Stillwater, Okla., passed away Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2012, at his home.
He was born Jan. 8, 1951, to Bernard L. and Elenora E. (Longan) Ritter in Stillwater, and graduated from Stillwater High School. He joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1969, was stationed in Vietnam and was awarded the Good Conduct Medal, Leather Neck MCRD Platoon High Rifle, various sharp shooter medals and a Purple Heart. Gary retired from the Corps in 1971. Upon his return home, he attended and graduated from Northern Oklahoma College at Tonkawa, then attended Oklahoma State University.
He married Susan Otterbine and they later divorced.
He owned and operated a salt water disposal company, and then opened the Aquazone fish store. After selling the businesses, he moved to Kansas and began to drive trucks for Ellsworth Motor Freight, RVB Trucking and CTS Trucking. After retiring due to health reasons, Gary returned to Stillwater.
Gary is survived by his sisters, Judy (Leon) Thompson, Iola, and Diana J. Clarke, Stillwater; two nieces, Cindy Holinsworth, Humboldt, and Lesli Whitney, Augusta; two nephews, Jeff Clarke, Stillwater, and Steve Holinsworth, Joplin, Mo.; and two great-nieces, two great-nephews and numerous cousins.
A private family service will be held, although memorials may be made to the Stillwater Humane Society, 1710 S. Main St., Stillwater, OK 74074.
Condolences may be emailed to the family and an online obituary may be viewed by visiting www.strodefh.com.
Melba Heath
Melba Jan Heath, 69, of Iola died Wednesday, Feb. 22, 2012, at Allen County Hospital in Iola.
Melba was born Oct. 1, 1942, in Madill, Okla., the daughter of Otto Wall and Roberta Christine (Collins) Byrd. She graduated from high school in Pratt. In 1960, she married Clayton Eugene Dunham, and they made their home in the Kansas City area. He preceded her in death in 1985.
In 1986, Melba married Donald Gene Heath, and they made their home in the Springfield, Mo., area until recently moving to Iola. She was a Baptist.
She is survived by her husband of the home; two sons, Clayton “Bud” E. Dunham Jr. and Charles “Chuck” Dunham; a daughter, Elizabeth Christine “Chris” Heimberg and her husband, Steven, Wichita; two brothers, Vernon and Terry Byrd; a number of grandchildren and great-grandchildren; and kids who were important to them in life, calling them PaPaw and MaMaw, Dustin Baker, Nita Baker, Donny Morehead and Crystal Teerlink.
She was preceded in death by a sister, Peggy Jo Roberts.
Funeral services will be at 11 a.m. Tuesday at Waugh-Yokum & Friskel Memorial Chapel in Iola. The Rev. Michael Quinn will officiate. Burial will be in Highland Cemetery in Iola.
Online condolences for the family may be left at www.iolafuneral.com.