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St. Elmo News

ANNOUNCEMENTS
Thursday, June 5
• St. Elmo Business Association, noon, Mary Ann’s Restaurant.
• The Wheatland Unit of Home and Community Education, 1:30 p.m., Phillips Building.
Saturday, June 7
• All children in the area through the age of 14 are invited to participate in the Altamont Lions Club Fishing Rodeo. It will be held from 8 a.m.-noon at Mathias Lake, which is two miles east of Altamont on U.S. Route 40. No fishing permits are needed. A free lunch will be provided. Adults must accompany children 9 years of age and under. Prizes will be awarded to all and five bicycles will be given away
• St. Elmo Community Clothes Closet, 9 a.m.-noon, First United Methodist Church Parsonage.
• Fayette County Relay for Life will be held from noon-midnight at Vandalia Rogier Park. In case of rain it will be held in the Fayette County YMCA.
Monday, June 9
• An American Red Cross St. Elmo Community blood drive will be held from 1-6 p.m. in St. Mary’s Catholic Church Parish Hall.
• The St. Elmo Lions Club, 6 p.m., Mary Ann’s Restaurant.
Tuesday, June 10
• The Avena Township Park Board, 6 p.m., St. Elmo Community Park Centennial Building.
• American Legion Post #420. 7 p.m., American Legion Home.
• The Fayette County Board, 7 p.m., Fayette County Courthouse, Vandalia.
Thursday, June 12
• Lunch Bunch, noon, Mary Ann’s Restaurant.
• The St. Elmo Library District Board, 7 p.m., St. Elmo Public Library.
• The Effingham Chapter #110 Order of the Eastern Star, 7:30 p.m., Effingham Masonic Temple.
Future Announcement
Saturday, June 21, is the Wheatland Township Cleanup Day. A dumpster will be available at the Township Building in St. James. No tires ir chemicals will be accepted.
Organizations, such as church groups and non-profit organizations, are needed to assist the elderly and handicapped who have disposable things to put in the dumpster. Those willing to help can call 829-3805.
Obituary of Former Resident
Jerome “Jerry” C. Salmons, age 83, of Milton, Fla., died at home on May 15, 2014. A memorial service was held at 10:30 a.m. on May 31 at the First United Methodist Church in Milton, with the Lewis Funeral Home in Milton in charge of arrangements.
Memorials may be made to: First United Methodist Church, 6830 Berryhill St., Milton, Fla. 32570.
Jerry was born to Clifford and Velma Salmons, June 12, 1931, in Shelbyville, IL. He married a classmate, Donna Joy Pruett of St. Elmo, and raised a family in St. Elmo before being transferred to Milton, Fla., where he retired from Exxon Mobil as a field superintendent.
Survivors include daughters, Jody Brian and husband Andy of Pittsfield, Mass., Janice Golden and husband Keith of Pensacola, Fla., and Jill Youngblood and husband Felton of Milton, Fla.; sister, Rita Haslett and husband Kenny of Tyler, TX; five grandchildren , one great-grandchild; several nieces and nephew.
In addition to his parents, he was preceded in death by his wife, in 2000.
Names Added to the Veterans’ Memorial
Each year, additional names are added to the Veterans’ Memorial and for the May 26 Memorial Day service this year, the following were added:
• World War I – John Brady
• World War II – John D. Brady, James N. Brady and Stanley G. Brady, all sons of WWI veteran John Brady.
• Korean War – Daniel W. Brady and Harold K. Brady, two more sons of WWI veteran John Brady, and also J. C. Barnett.
• Vietnam War – Robert L Cox Sr.
Bob Heckert recognized all veterans, and made the announcement of the 2014 honorees.
Royal Neighbors
Royal Neighbors of America #5784 met the afternoon of May 28 in the Phillips Building, with the following present: President Della Stewart, Ina Abendroth, Irene Reed, Marjorie Sarver, Shirley Smith and Leona Wright.
May business was charted and RNA voted to support the Fayette County 4-H trophy/awards program for the summer shows.
Teddy bears were ordered for the Teddy bear program.
RNA members are asked to support with baked goods (for the dinner and pie sale) at the Roy “Junior” Evans benefit that will be held on Saturday, June 14, at the Altamont VFW Hall.
The June meeting will be held at 4:30 p.m. at the Altamont McDonald’s on Wednesday, June 25, to celebrate the birthdays of all members.
Rhodes-Side Gleanings Thoughts
Because the news is short this week, I thought I would share some of the “thoughts” that keep going through my mind.
Not remembering names is not always related to Alzheimer’s. I think our brains are like the computers we use – overstuffed computers are slow in recalling information. Don’t our brains get overstuffed the older we get and that is why it takes us longer to recall names, etc.?
Why do some people not want others to know their age? If one looks younger, he or she should be proud of it, and if one looks older, set the record straight!
Very few people go through life without some illnesses. Most people suffer various types of illnesses, but some live long lives.
The older people have experienced many changes throughout their lives, and many people don’t like some of the newer changes or don’t want to accept them. Is that why the older, even healthy people, don’t live forever, to make room for “change”?
I am one of the older generation. I like some of the changes, but not all of them. I use my computer for the word processor and email. I go on the Internet very little, and I am not on Facebook.
My cell phone is just for emergency; it is kept off, so I only have to charge the battery once a month. I don’t know why so many have to use their cell phone in public – in restaurants, in stores, walking down the sidewalks, etc.
I wonder how soon it is going to be before the young people cannot look each other in the eye and talk – iPads are removing personal connections.
Alumni Banquet
The oldest alumni honored at the St. Elmo Alumni Banquet held the evening of May 24 in the high school gym was Jennie Alice Logue Harner who graduated in 1934 – 80 years ago – and she is age 97.
Next oldest graduate was Gilbert Wright of St. Elmo, who graduated 76 years ago, in 1938. Audrey Smith Nobbe of Woodlawn graduated 73 years ago, in 1941. A book she has written, “Nightfall,” was available. The other classes of graduates will be listed later in this article.
Also recognized was 90-year old Richard Lowe of St. Elmo, who taught agriculture in St. Elmo High School for 20 years.
Alumni tickets were purchased by 131 alumni and about 40 guests.
Master of ceremonies Kent Denton of the class of 1962 gave the welcome at 6 p.m. and had all give the pledge of allegiance. The invocation was given by Merle Lash of the class of 1956. The dinner was by Deb’s Catering of Altamont.
The alumni committee of Lorene Abendroth, class of 1959; Laura Ann Feezel, class of 1954; Karen Hyde, class of 1960; Delva Krost, class of 1953; Susie Pollock, class of 1952; and Marjorie Sarver, class of 1957; did all the work.
Feezel, who has been the one to send alumni letters, said she would do the job one more year, but wants someone else to take the job and work with her next year to learn what to do by themselves for 2016.
After the meal, in addition to the classes of 1934, 1938 and 1941, were the following classes and each stood when his or her name was called (all towns in Illinois do not list the state):
1944-70 years: Mary Bail Smith and Rosemary Mills Owen, both of St. Elmo.
1947: Anna Jean Bates Rhodes, Robert Owen, Florina Finley Vogel, all of St. Elmo.
1948: Frank Krost, Bobby K. Cox, Carrie Dial Dodson, all of St. Elmo, J.C. Barnett of Bossier City, La., Carl Carroll and Luella Boles Carroll, both of Findlay; Betty Johnston Niesman of Decatur.
1950: R. W. Smith, Helen Tucker Smith, Della Bartimus Stewart, Phyllis Justice Albright, all of St. Elmo; Wanda Rogers LaBounty of Lawrenceville; Mary Belle Owen McLean of St. Louis, Mo.
1951: Dorothy Stolte King of Morrisonville.
1952: Raymond Coker, Velta Sue Wilson Coker, both of Albermarle, N.C.; Brady Ward of St. Paul, Minn.; Paul G. Little of Metropolis; John Fulton of Washington; Arlin Grobengeiser of St. Elmo; Susie Irey Pollock of Farina; Wayne Lovett of Brownstown; and Monda Harpster Reeder of Arthur.
1953: Delva Jennings Krost of St. Elmo; Sherrill Blankenship of Bellingham, Wash.; Evelyn Rogers Taylor of Decatur; Carla Slifer Fulton of Washington; Jim Dial of Effingham.
1954- 60 years – this class had the most present, 17: William Bauer of Tuscola; Walter Roll of Moline; Ken Gillespie of Winterville, N.C.; Keith Haslett and Cora Dial Miley, both of Beecher City; Richard Freeman of Salem; Galen Underwood of Warrensburg; Don Campbell of Davenport, Fla.; Charlotte Coblentz Killough of Grove, Okla.; Jim McClure of St. Louis, Mo.; Rita Niemeyer Dial of Effingham; Mary Cummins Swarm of Decatur; Lois Ragel Lash of Springfield; James Stolte of Vandalia; Laura Ann Rush Feezel of Brownstown; Joe Wayne Jones of Riverview, Fla.; Don Fairchild of Evergreen, Colo.
1955: Pat Ragsdale Storm of Mt. Zion; Mary Mathis Harrison and Sue Gire Stites, all of St. Elmo; JoAnn Evans Feldcamp of Altamont; Roberta Branham Miller of Crestwood, Mo.; Nancy Sims Wetzel of Livermore, Ky.; Wayne Duree of Bradford, Pa.
1956: Wm (Bill) Haslett of Hopkinsville, Ky.; Margaret Tucker Haslett of Beecher City; Janice Underwood Thode of Broadlands; Karen Slifer Wolfe of Bowling Green, KY; Ralph Wetzel of Livermore, Ky.; Merle E. Lash of Springfield; Sandra Sperry Lovett of Brownstown; Darlene Fletcher Davis of Little Rock, Ark.; Kay Stolte Duree of Bradford, Pa.; Shirley Cameron Schaub; Charles Bosomworth and Everett Ritchie, both of St. Elmo.
1957: Marjorie Sarver of St. Elmo; Peggy Dunnaway Blankenship of Bellingham, Wash.; Margalee Reed Park of Springfield; Carrie Jenkins Miller of Effingham; Gene Ireland of Beecher City; Janice E. Fulks Geiger of Anderson, Ind.
1958: James Keith Purcell of Longview, Texas; Betty Lash Underwood of Warrensburg; Ronnie Ragsdale of St. Elmo; Darlene Simmons Wasmuth of Altamont.
1959: Janet Rogers Shelton, Mick Rogers, both of Beecher City; Patsy Stewart Graumenz of Mt. Zion; James (Jim) Dunaway of Greenwood, Tenn.; Patti Dunaway Jerowski of Everson, Wash.; Jerry Murphy, Barbara Sue Ragsdale Murphy, both of Oscala, Fla.; Jo Nell Reeder Hill, Sue Hill Borcherding, Lorene Gorenz Abendroth, all of St. Elmo; Kenneth Fisher of Effingham; Steve Muma of Mission, Texas; Shirley Roll Dickey of Eldridge, Iowa; Madonna Simmons Robbins of Vandalia; Robert Scholes of Portsmouth, Va.
1960: Bill Finney of Sycamore; Judy Cox Gillaspie, Billy Durbin, Lois Dial Durbin and Ronald Weaber, all of St. Elmo; Barbara Reed Patrick of Dawson; Karen Durbin Hyde of Edgewood; Irene Brewbaker Dart of Effingham.
 

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