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Thursday, 02 July 2009 |
Independence Day will be celebrated this weekend. Banks and post offices will close on Saturday, 4 July, but many organizations and offices will also close on Friday, 3 July.
The words for “America” (My country, ‘Tis of Thee) was written by Samuel Francis Smith, a Boston minister, for a service at the Park Street Church on 4 July 1831. He took the melody from a German songbook lent him by Lowell Mason, unaware that it was the tune of the British National Anthem “God Save The Queen,” (fluctuating according to the sex of the British monarch). It was made official in 1931, was a candidate of the National Anthem of the US, and most Americans still stand up for it. (The United Methodist Hymnal indicates Music: Thesaurus Musicus, 1744).
The annual Skates Family Reunion was on Saturday, 14 June, at the Shouse Ford Area of DeGray Lake. About fifty were present and included Opal (Skates) and Joe Heitman of Malvern, her daughter Tracy Holmes with children Jacob and Joseph, her son William Kizer, his daughter Sharon Dyer and Drummond, Dianne Lawrence and Mike. Also Shelby and Diane Sheets of Point Cedar, Courtney Sheets, Mary and Steve Sheets, Stevie, Harold and Mary Howell, their daughter Chasity and Payton Britt and children. (Our sympathy to Marcie and Steve Davis and Diane and Shelby Sheets in the death of the step-father of Steve and Diane, R.M. Drye 74 of Amity on 22 June. Burial was in the Jones cemetery, Amity).
Also at the reunion were Wayne and Gwen Sheets, Betty Garner Doister, Ovita Goolsby, Noel and Thressa Goolsby, Ray Henson, Doyle and Cecelia Henson, daughters Gail, Dianne, Regina, Michael and children, Janie Henson Louton and Mike, Tommy Henson with daughter Lee Meredith with Dillon and Sydney, Chris and Ginger Henson with Katie, Kristy, and Kevin. Dillon Meredith won the Florene Goolsby oil painting “Poppies on Fence.” Florene states the group appreciated all of the visitors.
Four confirmed cases of swine flu were treated at the St. Joseph’s Mercy Health System in Hot Springs recently. Symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, runny nose. Since this isn’t time for the fall influenza outbreaks, all should take precautions, wash hands often, and be alert to a possible infection.
Congratulations to Muriel Burroughs of Bismarck who is now Secretary to the Garland County Retired Teachers Association. The group met recently for a luncheon and installation of officers for 2009-10.
Andrew K. Sampson, US Army, son of John and Grenadine Sampson of Bismarck, was recently promoted to Lieutenant Colonel. He is a 1987 graduate of Bismarck High School, 1992 graduate of Henderson State University, completed the Army’s General Command Staff College at Ft. Leavenworth Kansas in 2005, and served 22 months in Iraq and the Middle East. His wife Rolande and daughters Hallie and Libby are with him in Aberdeen where he is assigned as Deputy Commander, 528th Special Forces Support Brigade, Ft. Bragg, North Carolina.
Thanks to Nell and James Bardwell and her brother Glen Wheeler (all are originally from Amity and recently attended a three-class school reunion) of Arkadelphia for lunch at the new Italian restaurant there as well as a tour of the Bardwell’s new home. Nell is recovering from a broken hip, but prepared a delicious dessert from Glen’s blueberry crop of last year. The route to the Bardwell home crosses a road which leads to the DeGray community, about eight miles northwest of Arkadelphia. The Clark County Cemetery Book 1983 lists quite a few burials in the DeGray Cemetery, beginning 1850.
The Washington County Sale Barn in Fayetteville closed last week. Of the 45 sale barns in Arkansas in the late 1970’s, fewer than 30 remain to serve cattlemen. I visited with Evelyn Allen in Bismarck, and Evon Teague and I went to the barn where Terry Allen has the last dairy operation in Hot Spring County. There were so many things to learn, and all should appreciate the dedication and hard work of Terry and others who farm in almost any category. It always seems too hot or too cold, there is never enough time to sleep, and profits aren’t always great. Governor Mike Beebe proclaimed June as Dairy Month for Arkansas and stressed the importance of milk and its products. Arkansas only produces about 15 percent of the total dairy products consumed in the state. There are about 140 dairy farmers in Arkansas. Terry’s operation began with his parents, Evelyn and the late Thurman Allen about 1954. I have more information which will be included next week.
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Last Updated ( Monday, 27 July 2009 )
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