CATCHING UP ON CLASSMATES

Regarding the news of SANDRA PATTERSON WINEBERG'S death,

JIMMY COWLISHAW sent the following:

"I recall SANDRA, but time makes me forget some of the pleasant memories of early school days. 

Now, the good stuff....my lead bull keeps producing calves. I think that over the 13 years that I have had him, he has produced some 43 calves. (Not to say that the heifers haven't had much to do about it.) Jobs continue to come in. I suppose that I will continue to work, as my health remains good. I tell the folks that ask when am I going to quit, that Betty won't let me. She gets twice the husband at half the pay, and if my banker finds me not working, he might call my notes."

What I would like to know, Jim, is - are you still playing cowboy with the cattle, or do you have ranch hands to help you with them? Either way, working at all the things you do is keeping you young!  And also keeping your sense of humor.

ROSALYN URBANTKE HOELSCHER sent the following:

"I am so sorry to hear about SANDRA's passing. She was one of my special friends in school, in fact, I was in her wedding (the one she got a divorce from immediately). She had wonderful parents.

I was 'very sick' in May and June. My heart was the problem. I was in the hospital for 25 days, rehabilitation for 8 days, and then home health came for 5 weeks, 3 times a week. I had three nurses, so it was like open house around here. But God decided I was needed here for some reason, and I am doing just great now."

After receiving this email from ROSALYN, I called her today so we could chat. She is amazing. Her stint in the hospital was full of dramatic turns, and she even had to be "brought back" four different times. After all she went through, she now is making plans to go to the Renaissance Festival in Conroe with her family, and she was actually cleaning out a closet when I called her! She is an inspiration.

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It is somewhat dismaying when we hear of people our age leaving this world. But rather than be depressed or fearful upon hearing news of these happenings, we can always feel blessed that we are still around, and know that there truly is a reason for our still being here. Two of my favorite quotes are from a little book called "Illusions" by Richard Bach:

"What the caterpillar calls the end of the world, the Master calls a butterfly."

And then, when asking "how will I know when my mission on earth is complete?" The answer is "If you are alive, it isn't."

Love, peace, and good health to you all,
Marilyn

CONDOLENCES

From the Midland Reporter-Telegram:

Thomas Rex Bomar, born May 30, 1935, in Santa Anna, Texas. Graduated, Talpa HS. Attended Sul Ross University. Enjoyed calf roping, steer roping, horse racing, hunting and fishing. He moved to Midland in 1967. Managed Yale E. Key Well Service, Midland Yard. Established WR Rental Tools Inc., 1980, President until death. Survived by wife Patsy Berry Bomar of 52 years, sons, Randy & wife Claudia, Kennie, wife Sondra, Shayne wife Terry, Jackie, Daughter-in-law Kathy Delia Rocco, and husband Paul. Grandchildren, Angela Bomar Cagle and husband JJ, son Coltin, Jennifer Bomar Constable, husband Justin, Steven Bomar and wife Erica, Mikel Bomar wife Ricky, Christina Bomar Brown and husband Jimmy, Brenda Bomar and numerous great grandchildren. Visitation Lange Funeral Home, Ballinger TX, Thursday, October 17, 2013, 6:00-7:00 pm. Graveside services Talpa, TX. cemetery, Friday, October 18, 2013

Our prayers and condolences to PATSY BERRY BOMAR and the family of Rex Bomar at the loss of their husband and father. 

Peace and love

Marilyn

A LITTLE HISTORY

JAMES HAYS answered my question about the old building they demolished. NANCY BAKER also told me the name was not Home Furniture, but King Holt. (I think Tuckey's must have had Home Furniture.) BOB BURTON'S stepfather, A.J. Hendricks worked at King Holt when BOB and I married in 1960. Our whole household full of furniture - including appliances - cost only $350, and came from there. Of course, some of it was used, but I remember the brand new Danish modern (remember those?) sofa and end tables! 

The photo below was all I could find of a small portion of the old building (to the left of the insurance agency) before they tore it down. JAMES wrote an interesting little bit of Ballinger history concerning the early years of this location. 

JAMES: "The building in question was the King Holt furniture building.  I had been in it a couple of times in the early forties to the early fifties.  It was rumored to have a printing press of some sort in the upstairs, used mainly for storage in the seventies.  

Up until about 1930, it was the T. S. Lankford company, originally a saddlemaker/leather shop but he sold hardware, harness, and wagons.  Lankford and his two (?) sons moved to Abilene and manufactured work clothing, where his two sons did their whiskey drinking and gambling at the now defunct Abilene Club.  

Sometime after 1908, Lankford had joined a Mr. Hathaway (related to Drury Hathaway the abstractor aka the man with no sideburns after his peculiar haircuts?) at which location I do not know. Hathaway had been associated with James Asa Hays, a saddlemaker who settled in Runnels "City" in the mid-1880s living and working in a lean-to in that location until 1886 when he moved to newly founded Ballinger. He talked his younger brother H. G. Hays, my grandfather, into moving to Runnels County about 1891 or 1892.  

I have seen one money-cartridge belt marked with Lankford's name but have been looking for anything made by J. A. Hays for 25 years unsuccessfully. Any help would be appreciated.  Maybe something will walk into the Ballinger gun show Nov. 2-3. I'll be there."

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I have to share a little family history of my own. My great-great-great grandfather, Benjamin Varga, was a master saddlemaker and harness maker in his native Hungary. He was also a tax collector for the monarchy until the Hungarian Revolution of 1848-1849, which he fought in. Family legend has it that he made money belts for each of his sons after the Revolution and divided the family "wealth" in gold so that as they escaped Hungary, if they got separated, each would have enough money to survive. He came to the United States first, followed by four of his sons a few years later. They arrived at the port of  Galveston around 1857, joining their father in San Antonio, where the Varga saddlemakers made a name for themselves that lasted over four generations. All four sons served in the Confederate Army. It is rumored that Benjamin Varga was silent about his position as a tax collector in the Hungarian monarchy until the day he died. He was always expecting someone from the old country to come after him. Hmmm. Tax collectors have always been despised, huh?

This is a money belt and holster made by Ben Varga Saddlery.  Probably a lot like they all wore coming to America.

And you all thought I was just French! More than a little Hungarian gypsy in my soul. Lots of good stories on that side of the family.

Peace -- and good memories to you all,

Marilyn

BUILDING COMES DOWN IN BALLINGER

NANCY THOMPSON BAKER informed me of this "big news item" last week in Ballinger. I searched the internet until I came up with this video.

Last Tuesday a demolition crew took down this condemned building on 8th Street across from the Post Office. The building on the right housed the Willingham Insurance Agency, and a portion of the wall came down upon it. Luckily, they had evacuated the employees ahead of time. I keep trying to recall the building they are removing. I think the old Home Furniture store was there, but I don't remember it being two stories, and I think it was farther down. Anyone living in Ballinger know if something new is going in there in its place? I know when I lived there in 2009, the building was in such disrepair I couldn't believe it would last -- and someone was living in it at the time! Hope she moved out.

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PEGGY BRANHAM KRUMLINDE just missed some more excitement at their summer place in Pendaries, NM. A neighbor sent this picture to her the day after she got home, and she forwarded it to me. Notice this was a daytime sighting! Peg, in the Native American tradition, I would say you have some strong "bear medicine"!

"We came home on Saturday - this was taken by a neighbor; that is where we take our Maggie to "poop" every day. Glad we came home when we did!"  Peg

GENE ROUTH lives in what looks like a rural area of Colorado. Do you have any wildlife stories to share with us? I hope the recent rains and floods were not close to you. 

Until next time..

Peace and wishes for your safekeeping,

Marilyn

A 2010 LOSS AND A WARNING FOR EACH OF US

James Leland Ohlhausen, 72, of Abilene, passed away Friday, December 3rd, 2010 at a local care center. A service is scheduled for 2:00 pm Monday, December 6th, 2010 at Minter Lane Church of Christ with a burial to follow at Elmwood Memorial Park. Visitation with the family will be held Sunday from 3-5 pm at Piersall Benton Funeral Directors, 733 Butternut St.

Leland was born August 12, 1938 in Abilene to Lester and Dorothy Ohlhausen. Their family moved to Ballinger when Leland was just two years old. He graduated from Ballinger High School in 1957. After graduation Leland returned to Abilene to attend Abilene Christian College, where he majored in mass communications and worked as a disc jockey at the KACC radio station. After leaving college, he worked in radio for a few years before moving to the then-new field of television. Leland was a pioneer of Abilene television. In the course of his career, he worked as an engineer for all three local television stations and was the chief engineer for KTAB and KTXS. He met Gale Green in 1962 while she was a student at ACC and they were married October 27, 1963. They moved to Abilene shortly thereafter and raised their four children there.

Leland was a member of Minter Lane Church of Christ, where he served as a deacon for over 40 years. He was an active amateur radio operator for many years. He also enjoyed camping, boating, and model railroading.

Surviving Leland are his wife, Gale Green Ohlhausen of Abilene; two sons, Tony Ohlhausen of Albuquerque (and wife Robin) and Gaylan Ohlhausen of Abilene; two daughters, LaNelle Ohlhausen of Fort Worth and Kristina Cooke of Abilene; one sister, Norma Hadley of Cleburne (and husband Shultz). In addition, he is survived by his beloved grandchildren Aaron, Alissa, Micah, Isabelle, and Isaac, as well as several extended family members and many close friends.

He was preceded in death by his parents and by a son, John Lowell Ohlhausen.

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ABILENE, Texas -- We lost a member of the KTXS family Friday morning. Leland Ohlhausen died of colon cancer.

For years, Leland Ohlhausen was our go-to guy. The man who knew all the ins and outs of the electronics that make Abilene television appear in your home. He began his career in 1962.

"I took my little script and went down to San Angelo, to Channel 8 and I was gonna be an announcer because that's what I'd done in college...was the DJ type and they said, "we'll call you" so, they never called, so I figured engineering might be the place I need to be."

As a pioneer of Abilene television, Leland spent time at all three local stations. He guided us through the era of black and white...right up to the digital age. His work, of course, was behind the scenes. He wasn't a face you saw on-air every day, but without Leland's guidance, those faces and voices wouldn't have shown up at all.

In fact, even while off the clock, he always seemed to be on the job. "I was sitting there enjoying the movie and they went from a dark scene to a snow scene and I jumped up to pull the gain down, and I took just a little while to realize that, no, I'm in a movie house, not at the TV station."

In 2006, Leland took his private battle with colon cancer public. He told viewers his story of putting off medical screening that could have saved his life. The rest of his life, Leland urged others to get that colonoscopy that can detect cancer early. "If there's one person that goes and gets checked because of what I went through, then maybe it's worthwhile."

Leland Ohlhausen was 72.

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Will you be that "one person" Leland saves?

Peace and Love,

Marilyn