Pictures and Stories From Neodesha, Kansas Residents
Past and Present

I have also gotten the candid photos of the 2003 Class of 63 Reunion onto the internet. Names are now provided below the pictures, so you may have to scroll down to read them. Connie Reece Selgath submitted seven of these: 63 40th 2003

Dean Cook and Marilyn Smith Graham, both NHS 63 classmates, have sent me two lists about what it was like growing up "back then". Authors unknown. Here is the link: BACK THEN

Here is a picture of the harbor tug YTB-815, otherwise known as the USS Neodesha:

I have added a good 100 pictures to the photo album section: ALBUMS

Mrs. Francis McDaniel was a kindergarten teacher at South School for many years. She hired me one summer to paint some of the interior of her house, a large two story home that sat at 5th and Mill Street. It was a bit spooky because she had a son at one time that was mentally handicapped. As he aged he became more and more a major problem for her and her husband. One day the husband shot the son and himself in this house and both died. Mrs. McDaniel was a kind and caring teacher and will always be remembered as my idea of what a real 'teacher' should be. 

Mrs. McDaniel would take her students out and have them photographed wearing their Halloween costumes or on other special occasions. One series of the pictures was supposedly taken in 1954, which would make them NHS 1966 by my calculations. There is also a picture of 3 girls with their high school graduation gowns on and another picture of a group dressed in sunflower costumes for some event. I would appreciate identification of any of the children. These old snapshots were sold on eBay, but here are my copies:

NHS Graduate Judy Norris sent of picture of the meeting of the Fall & Verdigris Rivers:

My brother, Jerry Elkins, recently attended his 1959 NHS Reunion held in Neodesha for the 45th Reunion. Here is a link to his candid photos, or you may reach them through the Reunion page: 1959 REUNION

In addition to the task of getting annuals scanned and entered, I finally got Bobby Sheldon's (NHS 67) letter that he sent ages ago with pictures set up. Click on Sheldon: SHELDON

Also those sent by Tonya Cox:

Marilyn Smith Graham and Sharen Smith Livingston have provided a report of the 2004 Alumni Association meeting.
Click on REPORT:  REPORT

I was unable to attend this year, but here is a picture or two from last year:
 

Ada Belle (Hunter) Davis met with her classmates in June of 2003 for her NHS Class of 1953 50th Reunion. Shortly thereafter she sent me pictures of the picnic held at the rural home of Bob & Shirley Huser. After only one year I have been able to finally get these ready for the web. Ada Belle has been a tremendous asset in putting this web site together and it would be far less than it is if it were not for her contributions and input, both with material and monetarily. The class of 1953 also made a contribution to help keep this web site available for all. Click the picture below to view her candid photos:

Also a thank you to Dennis and Peggy (Talley) Winfrey for their recent contribution to this website.

Dorothy (Adell) Parsons has sent me a picture of the Class of 1944 60 Year Reunion held this June in Neodesha. To see a big picture of it click this picture:

 

David Lechliter NHS 68 and his brother Gary Lechliter NHS 69 wrote to report the death of their mother, Mrs. Laura Lechliter. She passed away April 30, 2004. They resided in Neodesha from 1964-1969. She was well known in the area at that time.

I just added complete school annuals for 1948 and 1952. Also I have some senior pictures from the 1959 annual, all under YEARBOOKS.
 
The Principal of South School for many years, Paul Beckner, has moved from Neodesha to a retirement home in Hutchinson with his wife. They will be near their daughter Karen Beckner Gausman, and within driving distance of their other daughter Janet Beckner Roth of Lawrence. Here is their new address:

Tonya (Peck) Cox (daughter of Loren & Romona Peck, sister of Troy, Randy and Terry Peck), NHS 83, has sent some newspaper clippings that her mother saved:
 

Sally Akins Stockton of Grove, Oklahoma, graduated from Neodesha High School in 1958. She has sent us some pictures from North Lawn. Her grandfather was 'Mac' McKellar who helped build the North Lawn School, staying on as janitor nearly 35 years. His son, and Sally's uncle, was Park McKellar that worked at Central School and the High School. Just click on her picture to go to that page.

In addition to the task of getting annuals scanned and entered, I finally got Bobby Sheldon's letter that he sent ages ago with pictures set up. Click on Sheldon: SHELDON

In July of 1953 Kermit Schuman printed a small brochure about living in Neodesha. You can find it here: SCHUMAN

Randy Peck of Neodesha has informed me that one of our most famous natives, Grimes Poznikov (nee Grimes Poznik NHS 1964) is living on the streets of San Francisco. He is no longer the Human Jukebox on the Wharf, and his condition is very poor at this point. I have made Randy's letter into a web page for the curious and maybe we can find a way to get him some shelter. He is more or less crazy, but usually in a fairly nice way. Usually. Here is the link to the information sent by Randy. I have much higher resolution graphics if anyone desires them: GRIMES POZNIKOV

Lavonne Hicks Douty and Welcome Hicks Wayne, daughters of John and Wilma Hicks, have sent me pictures and information about their parents. After many months, I have gotten them processed and a short article written. You can read about them and see paintings by Mr. Hicks as well as view pictures from their past here:
JOHN & WILMA HICKS

I have put together some information I have had since last summer from a fine gentleman that grew up in war-torn Frankfort, Germany. But hey, we were supposed to hate those guys. We sent bombers. We filled prisoner-of-war camps with them. So what is it with this rosy little bit of fluff about a wartime German? He was even a Hitler Youth! Here is what he, my friend Helmut, has to say: Helmut Lessing.

I have a new page added to Neodesha history. My mother is to blame. She kept all sorts of old newspaper clippings and pictures. She still does. She saved a section of the Neodesha newspaper from a set of articles written by the sister of Francesca Winter, Kate Winter Pingrey. I scanned copies in at the museum too. I have converted the first of these to MS Word. You can read it here HISTORY 1. I still have 4 boxes of articles and pictures to sort through. Here is the second article HISTORY 2.

We have a new addition to our website, as Bonita (Bunnie) Killion Reece has written a nice piece about growing up in Neodesha in 1920's, 30's, & 40's. Here is a link to her article: REECE

If you had been a Nazarene Church minister in Neodesha in the late 1950's and 60's, and you reached retirement age, would you:
1: Retire from preaching from the same pulpit week after week after week.
2. Move and live near your grandchildren.
3. Form a large group of talented people and travel throughout the world, building, furnishing, and providing for mission schools to educate children in those impoverished countries.

Well, as you can probably guess, Reverend Malcolm Eudaley did all three. He is extremely busy near Kansas City securing funds and administering them for a great many small countryside schools. Donations are about $10,000 per school, but this varies from school to school. To read about his work, here is his web site and contact information:

Malcolm Eudaley (Pictured here in Kiev at the Lenin statue)
Mission Training & Grants Inc.
1250 E Sheridan Bridge Lane
Olathe, KS 66062
913-768-1136
913-207-4126 Cellular
www.missiontraininggrants.org
e-mail: mtginc@earthlink.net

Click the picture to see the bigger image.
Click the blue lettering above to see his web site.

Joe Newland Family
Named K-State Family of the Year

Uncle Frank Greer Finally Gets His Medal

Ada Belle Hunter Davis from the NHS Class of 1953 has sent pictures.
Click the word Davis:
DAVIS

Girls from the class of 1966 got together recently. Vickie Carver Cook sent a picture.
Click CARVER to see the enlarged view:
CARVER

May 12, 2003
JESSE JAMES BURIED IN NEODESHA?

John Roper, son of 50's band director Bueford Roper, sent us some pictures.
Click the word ROPER below to see them.
ROPER

Suzanne Sheldon Reckling and Dorothy Adell Parson's sent us some pictures
from the NHS Class of 1947. Click the link below:
CLASS OF 1947
 

• Ed (Glenn Edwin) Worley, NHS 46, November 11, 2004

• Alice Stillwell Frost, NHS 65, November, 2004

• Alyce "Irene" (Mrs. Louis) Hefley, NHS 35, June 14, 2004

• Nellis DeLay Harvuot, NHS 35, daughter of NHS Superintendent for 23 years Glen DeLay and sister of renowned musician Dorothy DeLay. She is survived by sister Louise Delay Carlson, son Clifford and daughter Susan.

• Mrs. Laura Lechliter, April 30, 2004, mother of David (NHS 68) and Gary (NHS 69).

• Victor J. Vickers , NHS 46, died April 1, 2004. Submitted by Ellen Vickers.

• John Alley, NHS 62, of cancer in Desoto, Kansas, April 17, 2004. Survived by wife Mary Dover Alley, NHS 63, and their children.

• Nancy Laws Sharrar, NHS 70, March 26, 2004, in Portland, TX at 51 years.
  Survived by husband Arthur Sharrer, mother Rosetta Laws, daughter Brianna Sharrar, and sisters Roberta Laws Holcom and Joan Laws Thompson.

• J Leon Fawcett, NHS 38, March 11, 2004.

• Gayle Killion Allen, NHS 50. Wife of Max Allen, NHS 38, for 52 years. Sister of Bonita Killion (Reece-Merrill) NHS 42 and Glenna Killion (Craig), NHS 45 February 17, 2004. Mother of four Neodesha High School graduates: David Allen - NHS 70; Jeanne (Allen) Fiscus - NHS 72; Nancy (Allen) Estes - NHS 73; and Charlene (Allen) Hughes - NHS 77.

• Ruth Fellers, NHS 40, mother of Greg Fellers of New Strawn, January 10, 2004

• Nettie Penn Morgan, NHS 33, mother of Darrell Morgan, January 8, 2004.

• Martha Sweeney, Mother of Carol Brockover, Steve & Gary Morrison. January 1, 2004

• Mattie Jane Northrup, mother of Ellen (Mrs. Mickey) Pond, Debra, Linda and Wanda. January 1, 2004.

• Marjorie (Marge) Bohannon, mother of Beverly & Deborah. December 22, 2003.

• Everett Jones, NHS 41, father of Brian and Brent Jones. December 19, 2003.

• Johnnie Pond Kennett, mother of Mickey Pond and P. Jared Pond. December 18, 2003.

• Maurice Bailey December 15, 2003, husband of Marion Graham; father of Linda Bailey Klingenberg, deceased 1971, Naida Bailey Stone of Springs TX, Jeffrey Bailey of Denver, and S Graham Bailey of Lawrence, Ks. Brothers Albian and Orlan Pete Bailey and sister Letha Julian preceded him in death.
  
  • Jack Clanton, Class of 1959, brother of Sandy Kingston and Bill Clanton

• Arthur Pratt, NHS 63, father of daughters Linda Dannels and Tami Pratt, son Larry Pratt, companion to Mary Waggoner, September 19, 2003, of cancer.

• Dorothy (Mrs. Lewis) Griffith, NHS 30, mother of Phil & Judy. November 10, 2003

• William 'Billy' Smith, NHS 70, age of 53.

• Barbara Wilson Davis, Class of 1953.

• Margaret Ann Christy Puckett, Class of 1939.

• Rev. Milfred "Fred" Kellerby, HS Custodian for almost 30 years, died June 29, 2003.

• Calvin Dill, Neodesha School System and father of Susan & Cathy (May 6, 2003)

• Florence Hindman, FNBank Teller many years & mother of Bob & Gary (May 8, 2003)

• John Jacobs, 82, father of Delbert Norris, Doris, Jennie, Mary, Joan & Joanie (April 29, 2003)

• Sid Hamilton, NHS 44, April 3, 2003, in Slovang, CA. Wife Flo was Dr. Moorhead's 1950's nurse

• J. W. Meanor, Class of 1943

• Dale Hicks, Class of 1953

• Alan Pence, NHS 70, brother of Sue Pence Doss.

• Janet Sue (Lewman) Shelnutt, Class of 1960