Community News
Our Past
These items were taken from the Sun’s editions 20, 30 and 40 years ago. June 8, 1971 The roofs of two downtown buildings in Parsons collapsed, and the wall of one of them, housing the Parsons News, also gave way. City officials investigated the cause of the collapse, but had not established it by early afternoon. The collapse was reported to police at 7:50 a.m. No one was in the buildings at the time. There were no injuries. The building occu...
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Our Past
These items were taken from the Sun’s editions 20, 30 and 40 years ago. June 7, 1971 The award of a $25,000 contract to a Los Angeles firm for a recreation and tourism study of Southeast Kansas was announced by the Ozarks Regional Commission. Development Research Associates was awarded the contract. The study was expected to require seven to eight months. The Southeast Kansas Outdoor Recreation Association requested the study as a means of sp...
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O'Haras celebrate 50th anniversary
Mr. and Mrs. Mike O'Hara Mr. and Mrs. Mike O'Hara of Parsons will observe their 50th wedding anniversary with a family dinner. Mike O'Hara and Pat Finnerty were married June 10, 1961, at St. Mary's Catholic Church in Parsons by the Rev. Herbert Hertel. Mr. O'Hara worked for the Katy Railroad then the Union Pacific Railroad before retiring after 20 years of service. Mrs. O'Hara was the lunchroom cashier at Parsons Middle School for 22 years....
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Rileys honor 50th wedding anniversary
Mr. and Mrs. Marvin Riley Marvin and Louise Riley of Edna will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary with a reception from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, June 12, at Edna United Methodist Church. The Rileys were married June 10, 1961, at Miami, Okla. The couple have five children, Melvin and his wife, Sharon, of rural Galesburg, Darrell and his wife, Andrea, of South Coffeyville, Okla., Craig and his wife, Connie, of rural Edna, Brenda and her husba...
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Our Past
These items were taken from the Sun's editions 20, 30 and 40 years ago. June 4-5, 1971 Diverse heritages, their social development and their artistic endeavors would be examined at Parsons High School in the fall because of a $141,500 federal grant the school received. A new course in clultural understanding, first of its kind in Kansas, would be offered to incoming sophomores, Henry Norris, school superintendent, said. Six teachers working a...
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O'Haras honor 50th anniversary
Mr. and Mrs. Mike O’Hara of Parsons will observe their 50th wedding anniversary with a family dinner. Mike O’Hara and Pat Finnerty were married June 10, 1961, at St. Mary’s Catholic Church in Parsons by the Rev. Herbert Hertel. Mr. O’Hara worked for the Katy Railroad then the Union Pacific Railroad before retiring after 20 years of service. Mrs. O’Hara was the lunchroom cashier at Parsons Middle School for 22 years. The couple have five childr...
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Rileys celebrate their 50th
Marvin and Louise Riley of Edna will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary with a reception from 2 to 5 p.m. Sunday, June 12, at Edna United Methodist Church. The Rileys were married June 10, 1961, at Miami, Okla. The couple have five children, Melvin and his wife, Sharon, of rural Galesburg, Darrell and his wife, Andrea, of South Coffeyville, Okla., Craig and his wife, Connie, of rural Edna, Brenda and her husband, Mike Carnes, of rural Co...
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Our Past
These items were taken from the Sun’s editions 20, 30 and 40 years ago. June 3, 1971 A new business — R&F Farm Supply — 13 miles north of Parsons would have a formal grand opening. Mr. and Mrs. Frank Harris of Erie were owners and operators of the business. The location was three miles south of Erie on U.S. 59/K-57 and five miles west of St. Paul. Harris would be manager of the store and Mrs. Harris would be office manager. Harris had dispose...
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Our Past
These items were taken from the Sun's editions 20, 30 and 40 years ago. June 2, 1971 The I.M.I. Inc. plant in Parsons was experimenting with a four-day work week, believed to be the first of its kind in Parsons. Since May 1, employees had been working Monday through Thursday, except in holiday weeks when they worked Tuesday through Friday in producing business forms. Bill Lawrence, general manager of the plant, said the schedule had worked we...
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Our Past
These items were taken from the Sun's editions 20, 30 and 40 years ago. June 1, 1971 A long-familiar building in Parsons, the old Katy Railroad freight station at 20th and Crawford was about to disappear. Clearance of the frame structure, rated as a fire hazard, was nearly complete, J.J. Scaletty, executive assistant for Parsons Urban Renewal Agency, said. The agency's demolition contractor, Bob Madget Inc., St. Joseph's, Mo., was clearing th...
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Abell, VanLeeuwen engagement
Dennis and Patti Abell of Jonesboro, Ark., announce the engagement of their daughter, Emily Abell of Olathe, to Jeremy VanLeeuwen of Olathe. He is the son of Keith and Elaine VanLeeuwen of St. Paul. The bride-elect is a 1999 graduate of Jonesboro High School in Jonesboro, Ark. She received a bachelor’s degree in psychology in 2003 from the University of Arkansas-Fayetteville. She received a master’s degree in 2005 and a doctorate in 2007, both...
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Redmans to observe 65th anniversary
Mr. and Mrs. Dale Redman of Parsons observed their 65th wedding anniversary with a family dinner. Dale Redman and Mary Ann Lassen were married May 25, 1946, at the Presbyterian Church parsonage in Oswego. The Redmans are both retired. The couple have three daughters, Edith Boss of Pittsburg, Calif., Connie and Larry Smith and Kathy and Jerry Hardman, all of Parsons. They also have five grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
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Kearns, Smith engagement
Eddie and Cindy Kearns of Parsons announce the engagement of their daughter, Molly Kearns, to Jeff Smith. He is the son of Rob Smith and Wendy Boatright. The bride-elect is a 2006 graduate of Parsons High School. She received her bachelor’s degree in education from Southwestern College in 2010. She will teach math at Royster Middle School in Chanute beginning next school year. The future groom is a 2006 graduate of Wellington High School. He r...
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Red foxes common in most towns
By Tom Glick District Wildlife Biologist (Region 5) Kansas Department of Wildlife & Parks Red foxes (Vulpes velox) are found throughout Kansas. One may be surprised to know nearly all live close to human habitation, including most towns and even the largest of our cities. Parks, golf courses and cemeteries are a preferred habitat, but any area, even residential or commercial properties, with a diversity of grass lawn, shrubs and some “wilder”...
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Our Past
These items were taken from the Sun’s editions 20, 30 and 40 years ago. May 14-15, 1971 Lincoln Elementary School teachers and 315 students began a move from the longtime Lincoln building to a new one. The new school was one of three authorized in a $1.5 million bond issue approved by Parsons voters. It occupied a site just north of the old school, with the front entrance facing 18th and Dirr. Two days short of a year after construction beg...
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Cunningham, Powell wedding
Brooke Cunningham and Tyler Powell were married Dec. 4, 2010, in the Mirza Temple in Pittsburg. Paul Wolf, pastor at Wesley United Methodist Church in Parsons, officiated the ceremony. Parents of the bride are Jeff and Susan Cunningham of Altamont. Parents of the groom are Josie and Kip Fentress of Grove, Okla., and Rick Powell of Tumwater, Wash. Meagan Cunningham of Pittsburg was maid of honor. Bridesmaids were Kristina McCabe of Des Moines...
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Couple to celebrate 65th anniversary
Hubert and Priscilla Jones of rural Altamont will celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary on Tuesday. Hubert Jones and Priscilla Hockett were married on May 17, 1946, by the Rev. Bays at the Baptist parsonage in Parsons. The couple are retired. Mrs. Jones worked at Labette Bank. They have lived at Altamont since their marriage. They have three children, David Jones and his wife, Elaine, of Parsons, Dean Jones and his wife, Sandy, of Altamo...
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Avey, Lomas engagement
Ronald and Kathryn Avey of Wichita announce the engagement of their daughter, Rachel Elizabeth Avey, to Eric Wayne Lomas. He is the son of Lyle and Connie Lomas of Dennis. The bride-elect earned a bachelor of arts degree from Wichita State University and her juris doctor degree from the Washburn University School of Law. She is an attorney with Hite, Fanning and Honeyman in Wichita. The future groom earned a bachelor of science degree from K...
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Bonars to celebrate 50th anniversary
Gene and Lois Bonar of rural Cherryvale will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on May 28 with a 5 p.m. barbecue and reception at the home of their daughter and son-in-law, 2017 N. 21st, Parsons. The Bonars were married on June 3, 1961, in the Methodist Church in Paradise. Mrs. Bonar grew up around Paradise in Russell County. Mr. Bonar was born and raised in Ohio. The couple’s three children, Warren, Greg and Gina, will host the event....
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Minor, Woods engagement
John and Pam Minor of Columbus announce the engagement of their daughter, Heather Nicole Minor of Columbus, to Matthew Brian Woods of Hudson, N.C. He is the son of David and Kim Woods of Hudson, N.C. The bride-elect is a 2003 graduate of Oswego High School. She graduated from Labette Community College in 2005 with a degree in office technology. She will pursue a physical therapist assistant certificate from LCC in the fall. She works at The H...
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