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www.MoyerEquipment.com
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Oklahoma Edge
Aug/Sept 2008 | VOL. 2, NO. 5
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Jeff and SuZan Cole
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Kenny Sivard
Scott Pace
David Mowdy
Kris Jones
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©2008, All rights reserved. Oklahoma Edge (ISSN 1937-7541) is a monthly magazine produced and distributed by Oklahoma Edge Magazine, Inc., a privately held company based in Idabel, Oklahoma (not affiliated with
any other publishing company) and is produced and printed in Oklahoma. Material appearing in Oklahoma Edge
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On the
Cover:
Inside This Issue:
s
Departments:
Features
Kimberly Norris Guerrero
Garvin - A window of opportunity
All you need is LOVE
16
10
14
a horse whisperer tells all
SuZan Cole 580.212.0006
Michael Johnson
Matt Mungle
Tawsha Davenport
Joshua McNiel
Laurice Bryant
Contents
This photo of Kimberly Norris Guerrero was graciously shared with us by Rachel Waller of Aqua
Dulce, CA. Rachel is a professional photographer
specializing in all things equine. That’s her horse,
“Runner”, Kim is riding. Visit her website at
www.IndianStunts.com.
Oklahoma Spirit
Jesus and the Rifleman
column by Michael Johnson
6
Pets Page
Yorkies
5
Hobbies & Outdoors
Dutch Oven Cooking at Camp
8
Rants & Raves
Scott Pace
9
Memorials
26
Sponsor Spotlight
Greener Body Harmony
Center
22
Movies and Books
29
Publisher’s Note:
Due to a large number of requests, we
have chosen to extend the photography
contest through the end of the year. We
will add the many late entries and will
continue to accept entries uploaded to
pics.oklahomaedge.com contest albums
as late as 11:59 p.m. December 31,
2008. Do not email photos. Our email
handler cannot take the volume.
Remember: To begin uploading photos
to our gallery (pics.oklahomaedge.com)
you must register, then you’ll be approved in a few days.
In the event that an age group gets less
than six entrants, that age group will be
added to another group.
Aug/Sept 2008 - Oklahoma Edge Magazine - 3
Community
S.A.N.E. training to be offered
Sexual Assault – It’ll never happen to me, famous last words.
Words that no one wants to contemplate for long. The mere
thought strikes fear in most of us. But, it does occur and at an
increasing rate. Recently, in one eight day period in McCurtain
County, sexual assaults were suspected with young five children.
At the same time, how many went unreported? How many might
have occurred with women?
Nationwide, to cope with this situation, an elite cadre of forensic
nurses has been trained. These nurses have undergone specialized
training to learn the role and responsibility of the forensic nursesexual assault examiner. This training teaches rape trauma/crisis
intervention, the development and utilization of medical/forensic
protocol in the investigation of suspected sexual assaults, forensic evidence collection, the use of the colposcope, a specialized
microscope, used in evidence collection, and the identification of
blunt force trauma.
Additionally, these nurses are educated in diversity/ethics awareness, the judicial system and courtroom testimony, the role of law
enforcement and of rape crisis advocates and how to interface
with these professionals. Special attention is paid in preparing these nurses regarding victim rights and the after care of the
sexual assault survivor.
THIS AD WORKS 30 DAYS
AND GETS ATTENTION.
JUST IMAGINE WHAT IT COULD
BE DOING FOR YOUR BUSINESS
RIGHT NOW.
4 - Oklahoma Edge Magazine - Aug/Sept 2008
Now, this training is being offered locally. Kathy Bell, RN,
SANE-A, SANE-P, the Forensic Nursing Administrator, at Tulsa
Police Department will be conducting this training for local
Registered Nurses, Physicians’ Assistants, and Physicians. This
40 hour course will be offered from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., September
25 & 26, October 6, and October 24 in the conference room at the
OSU Research Station, 2 ¼ miles east of the “Y” in Idabel. This
training is free and is approved for 40.0 contact hours through the
American Association of Critical Care Nurses.
For further information or to register for this training please
contact Marva A. Heinemann at Legacy Family Health, 580-2865050 or 580-286-2273 or email her at [email protected].
Yorkies
by Joshua McNiel
The addition of a Yorkie to your household is a great decision, however with it
comes with an added baggage of responsibility. Most people have the opinion that
dogs make them feel better, laugh a lot,
and in general, brighten up a home. Plus,
they are can make great watchdogs, leaving you feeling much safer in your house.
The Yorkshire Terrier, or Yorkie for
short, is one of those dog breeds that can
cheer up a dull day.
Pets Page
It was during the middle of the 19th
century that the Yorkie, which was a breed
of a small, spirited, toy dog originated
and developed in the city of Yorkshire in
England.
The Yorkie stands at an average of 9
inches (22.8cm) at the shoulder and can
weigh anything from 4 to 7 lb. It has a
coat that is straight, long and glossy. It
is also textured finely and can be either
tan or dark blue in color. Though the
Yorkie is a result of mixed breeding, it is
a matter of speculation as to what dogs
were used as the host or parents. This
is because almost no records have been
maintained in the areas around Yorkshire
or Yorkshire itself, where it is supposed
to have originated from. In fact, Yorkshire
contained many terrier and toy breeds that
would have possibly been used for the
purpose of cross breeding. However, the
widely accepted fact is that the Yorkie is
a representation of the bred down issue of
crosses among the Manchester terrier and
Skye terrier.
The most important thing to remember
before bringing a Yorkie into your home
is to be familiar with all the dimensions
involved in the acquisition and ownership of the dog, from finding the right
trainer to train your Yorkie, to their potty
training, and much more. The first criteria
would be the budget. Some Yorkies can
be upwards of one thousand dollars. However, look in the papers and ask around,
and chances are you will find great deals
on many loving Yorkies.
Yorkies, especially before being specifically house trained, need plenty of attention and time. Responsibility of a Yorkie at
home includes waking up in the wee hours
of the morning, or even midnight at times,
just to ensure that your dog gets outside
on time. Walks are important for any dog
and a Yorkie is no exception. Walking and
playing with the dog ensures its daily dose
of exercise, and will help them maintain a
healthy lifestyle.
As soon as the pet has its first shots,
licensing tags will be issued by the
veterinarian. However, in the meantime,
cute and lightweight tags can be ordered
through the internet, or found at your local
pet store. Name tags should include the
puppy’s name, the owner’s address, and
phone number. It is a small price to pay
Scooter (above) was submitted for our
2008 photo contest by Samantha Duncan,
14, of Broken Bow, Oklahoma. Zoe (left)
is a cheerful Yorkie who lives in Idabel.
for knowing that your Yorkie will have
your information on them.
These terriers live a long life. They are
known to live for up to fifteen or more
years. They are a very healthy breed,
and have few serious health conditions.
A veterinarian will always brief a Yorkie
owner on the ways to ensure its good
health. They adapt quite easily to new
environments and need a lot of attention and love from their human owners.
They enjoy interaction with people and
are constantly trying to do so on a regular
basis. Therefore, Yorkies are definitely
worth every ounce of love and effort that
we give them, as they will respond with a
great deal of faithfulness and companionship. Yorkshire Terriers are truly unique
animals. Although they are quite small in
size, their personalities are big.
Joshua McNiel is a life-long owner of
Yorkshire Terriers. He is the owner and
operator of an internet store that is all
about Yorkies. You can visit his website at
YorkieDogClothes.net. Originally published on
SearchWarp.com for Joshua McNiel Tuesday, August
12, 2008
Photo by Jeff Cole
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Throwing My Loop...
by
Michael
Johnson
Two who had a powerful impact on me.
Jesus and The Rifleman, I mean. And so
many more. Seems recently I’ve aged more
than in all my previous years, and when we
do that – get older - we start thinking and
like old people are prone to do…we start
reflecting. Find my self thinking a lot these
days, and reflecting…about yesterday. I’ve
always resisted writing about that.
To me, when people write about that
subject, there’s always an air of complaining that runs throughout the piece. I made a
promise to myself long ago to never do that.
I wanted my work to offer hope – to point
out the good in the world. Some preachers
tell us how awful and disgustingly bad we
are. Hey, I already know that! But others,
like Max Lucado, tell us why God loves us
anyway, and why there’s still hope. I wanted to write like that. People who write about
“yesterday” and how great it was always
made my butt hurt. Here’s why…because if
you write about how wonderful everything
once was, and how lousy it all is now – then
you don’t have to do anything today! You
can just spend all your time whining about
how bad young people are, how business
people are not honest anymore, and how
everything has just “gone to hell-in-a-hand
basket.”
Some would-be cowboys are the worst
in the world at this. A prime example is the
semi-star who gets up in front of people and
bemoans the fact that “bobbed-wire has ruined the west.” We hear a thirty-minute diatribe about “how concrete is destroying the
land, how the open range is gone, and the
bison roam no more.” I could stand all that I
suppose, but what really irks me is after crying in their beer about how “technology has
ruined the prairie” – when the show’s over,
they pull out in their air-conditioned truck
and fifth-wheel – both nicer than the house
I grew up in – and drive off into the sunset,
all the while talking on their cell phone and
watching satellite TV. Most of them don’t
even own a horse.
I always resisted writing in that style because my strong feeling was this is the time
Jesus and the Rifleman
the Lord gave us to live. Maybe it was all
fun and games in 1886, (‘course it wasn’t)
but that is not the time the Divine chose to
place us in the universe. To constantly complain about the current day seemed…well,
ungrateful to me. Seems petulant to me to
go around saying, “Why aren’t things like
they once were? Oh, why can’t it be like it
was?” Yet, I’m slipping. I’m falling into
the very trap I promised to avoid. There was
something wonderful about yesterday.
When I was little, my grandmother
watched wrestling – and I mean she really
watched it! On Saturday afternoons - at
five o’clock – everything stopped. Supper
was already prepared waiting in the kitchen,
and if it wasn’t quite ready, the preparations
might well be interrupted. Everything was
put on hold because at five p. m. Saturday,
Rasslin’ came on! And just above her bed,
in that little lime-green bedroom, Jesus
watched over us all. (The same large actual
photograph of our
Lord and Savior your
grandmother had in
her bedroom – every
woman in the South
had the same one.)
Just across on the
other wall, hung one
other picture - the
ever-present rendition
of the Lord’s Supper.
Looking back now,
it seems such a soft
and wonderful time.
Indeed, it now seems
all the images and
incidents of those
days worked together
for good.
The Rifleman
– set in the small
New Mexico town
of North Fork - aired
from 1958 ‘til 1963.
During that time, Lucas McCain, or “Lucas
Boy” – as Sheriff Micah Torrance called
him, killed 2.3 people in every episode, but
still had time at the end – right after the last
commercial break - to give Mark a moral
lesson about why it had to be done.
Paladin was a hired gun, but never shot
anybody. Instead, he resolved whatever the
difficulty might be with words instead of
gunplay.
Even though Matt happened up on the
supposed killer and caught him red-handed,
the Marshal still saw to it that the “kid”
received a fair trial.
Both Roy and Gene had a “Cowboy
Code.” One item on the list I’ll always remember… “Cowboys are kind to old people
and help them across the street.”
The president actually warned us about
“the military-industrial complex.”
Television shows had a moral message.
In some ways, the time seems a little
silly and too innocent, but still, I miss it all
so. The Rifleman, Chuck Connors, was
rough as they come – and deadly with that
rifle. (He could shoot it twelve times in five
seconds!) But even with all those bullets
blazing, during the course of that show, he
provided a perfect role model for the father
we should all strive to be. Sometimes, often
in fact, he told his son, Mark, that he loved
him. He wasn’t the least bit ashamed to say
right out loud on television that he thanked
the Lord for his son, Mark, and for his farm.
He actually hugged Mark from time to time,
and after surviving the rattlesnake bite – or
a gunfight with a human rattlesnake – the
Rifleman wasn’t
even ashamed to
kiss his son on the
forehead. One hundred and sixty-eight
episodes spanning
sixty months – all
of which fell right
in the middle of my
wonder years. Only
now do I see how
much that production and cast of
people shaped and
influenced my life.
Chuck Connors
died in 1992. Son,
Mark – played by
Johnny Crawford
- said, “He was the
same in real life
as he was on the
screen. He was my
hero.” These days,
Johnny tours conducting his own big-time,
old-fashioned, swing and dance orchestra
band in Southern California. And I don’t believe that about Chuck’s passing. He can’t
be dead. He’s on the Western Channel every
day at six p. m. – and Mark is right there
with him. And Mark hasn’t aged a day.
He’s still 12 years old.
The Rifleman taught us a better way to
live, and so did Ozzie Nelson, and so did
Robert Young – ‘cause in those days, the
message was “Father Knows Best.” The
way fathers are depicted in movies and
television these days, the message seems to
be that fathers are just fools. How sad that
is, and how wrong.
Gary Cooper taught us how to live as
well. In High Noon, he stays to protect the
lily-livered townspeople who won’t stand up
with him, even though certain death awaits
them – and their wives and children - at the
hands of the gun-slingin’ evil-doers. He
stays against impossible odds, even though
Grace Kelly asks him to flee to safety
with her. I’m not a bad person – I mean I
wouldn’t want the yellow-bellied townsfolk
to be killed, but if Grace Kelly asked me to
go somewhere with her, I’m going. But not
Coop. Coop stayed…simply because it was
the right thing to do. And old Tex Ritter was
in the background the whole movie singing, “Do not forsake me, oh my darlin’.”
Naturally, Grace does not. She stays as well.
And the message was clear. “Stand up for
the downtrodden. Defend the helpless and
the weak.”
Roy, Gene, and The Lone Ranger did the
same – constantly reminding us to become
better and be more. My friend, Neal Hughs,
said as a child he was simply afraid to do
anything too evil because, “I knew if I did
anything really bad, my mother would call
Roy Rogers!”
So I have surrendered. Time to admit
it. I miss the old days. When I was young,
working cattle was magical. The branding
fire smelled of wood smoke, the barbeque
pit smelled of sirloin and pecan wood.
Horse sweat was in the air, and ice crystals
formed in the no-pop-top beer resting in
No. 3 washtubs. Now days, it’s chemical
branding, four wheelers instead of horses,
cold pizza, and luke-warm pop. Not quite
the same.
But this is our time. This is the time the
Lord has given us to live, and if we wish
the world to be better, then we have to be. I
complained for years. Just sat on the couch
whining about how good it all once was.
Then everything changed. Something asked
me a question. Something whispered to me,
“What are you doing to make it better?” It
was that picture. The one that hangs in our
farmhouse now. The one I retrieved from
my grandmother’s home – that actual photograph of Jesus. At least, some things never
change. After all these years…
He’s still with me.
Ed. Note – Michael Johnson’s Healing Shine – A Spiritual Assignment was
named “Best Audio Book” of the 2007
Hollywood Book Festival, and “First
Runner-Up” at the 2007 New York Book
Festival. Read more of the author’s sevenyear spiritual journey with the great – but
severely troubled - roping horse called
Shine at michaeljohnsonbooks.com.
Outdoors
Krunchin’ Leaves with Kris
by
Kris Jones
Hello all of you folks! It is nice to
talk to you once again, as it has been quite
some time since we have talked. I have
spoken to some of you before in other
publications. Now, I know what those
of you that don’t know me are saying
to yourself…..”we aren’t talking, it is
only Kris that is talking”. But, let me be
the first to point out; that is my kind of
conversation, me talking and someone
else listening! I am not ashamed to admit,
I do enjoy talking, and I guess that is why
I enjoy writing.
At this particular time, I am sitting
in a doctor’s office in Oklahoma City . I
know you are thinking that this might be
an odd place for an outdoor column to
be written. But, since the stories bounce
around in my head before you get them,
I guess you have to get them when they
come out, no matter where the storyteller
may be. As I look at all these busy folks, I
am thinking to myself about how they are
bustling about, up to all kinds of “important” things. It occurs to me that most of
these people probably aren’t even aware
of the fact that dove season is right around
the corner, and bow season is close on its
heels.
We, down in our part of the state, take
our country style of living for granted.
In all reality, we have it made. We know
our neighbors, all the teachers at our local
school, the people that work in the grocery
store, we live “small town”. Of course, we
have to take the good with the bad. Our
city streets have holes and humps in them
that will put a crick in your neck. Our
highways are beat to smithereens from the
log truck traffic, plagued with speed traps,
and small town politics rule the media
(present company excluded, of course).
But, all in all, it is a great place to live.
Yesterday, I was working on food plots,
cleaning seed ticks out of the area, and
generally just enjoying life. Today, I am
in the hustle and bustle of the “big city”. I
can’t wait to get back home.
I seem to have gotten wound up in
the age old argument of, country living
is better than city living. That wasn’t my
intention. Anyway, keep in mind that,
even though the temperatures are high
enough to bake cookies on your dash,
hunting time is right around the corner.
Bow season will sneak right up on you
and it will be the day before opening day
and you won’t even have any arrows fixed
up. It’s time to get ready.
In the past I have shared a few outdoor cooking recipes.. It was requested
that I do that here. So, I will start off with
an easy one. All of my recipes are designed toward outdoor cooking in Dutch
ovens.
Dump Cake
Use one large can of fruit filling of
you choice. Most popular around our
camp has been peaches. One box of white
cake mix. Sugar, cinnamon, butter.
Grease the inside of a 12” Dutch, or
line completely with foil.
Dump in the fruit and cover with the
cake mix. Shake sugar over the top of
the cake mix. Shake cinnamon over the
top also. Use a whole stick of butter cut
into chunks all over the top. Put the lid
on the Dutch and set it over a small hand
full of coals. Put a complete ring of coals
around the top of the lid with a small pile
in the middle of the top. Remember that a
Dutch oven cooks from the top down. Let
it cook until you smell it, and then give it
about ten or fifteen more minutes. Enjoy.
You can adjust the amount of fruit to suit
yourself. If you like a doughy cobbler, add
two boxes instead of one cake mix.
I am including my email address.
Please feel free to send recipe requests
to it. Also, if you have a story to share or
a particular hunting, fishing or outdoor
cooking question, or story you want addressed, don’t hesitate to ask. I am sure I
will have something to say about it. Here
it is……
[email protected]
Next time I will share an adventure
with you. I guess maybe I just needed to
warm up to you folks again. It is hard to
let ya’ll into my head just right off the bat
you know. Until next time, remember to;
keep the wind in your face, the sun at your
back, and the Lord in your heart.
Now I Remember…
The Baptist Hymnal
by
Scott Pace
What ever happened to singing out of
the hymnal? Last week I was watching
the TV and caught the church service of
a big mega church from somewhere up
north. Over 2000 church goers singing
from a JumboTron. For those of you who
don’t know exactly what a JumboTron is,
it’s a large super-size television screen.
Now don’t get me wrong, JumboTron’s
work well at Super bowl games or Garth
Brooks concerts. But I feel church singing should be left to the hymn book…
where God put it!
Now I’ve never been able to read
music. I can’t tell you an F sharp from a
G minor. But growing up a preacher’s kid
and attending church all the time, what
I have learned to do, when it comes to
singing, is to follow the dots. If the dots
(notes) go up… sing higher, when the
dots go down… sing lower. The jumbothrons of today’s’ churches only show the
words…no dots.
Speaking of being a preacher’s kid, I
was constantly asked growing up if I was
going to “follow in my father’s footsteps”
and go in the ministry. At one time I considered becoming a song leader (we call
them Ministers of Music now) I figured
you only had to work a couple days a
week and you didn’t have to come up with
any original material (it all comes from
the song book). The fact that I couldn’t
sing a lick never entered my mind. I did
entertain the idea of becoming a television
evangelist at one time (much to father’s
Rants & Raves: Get it off your chest
chagrin). It looked to me that was where
all the money was. I had even mastered
the art of crying on demand and could
pronounce Jesus as a four syllable word.
However in my college days I started
losing my hair. Everyone knows all good
television evangelists have beautiful full
heads of wavy hair. Television evangelism
was out!
Turning from page to page, the hymn
book gave us something to do with our
hands too. Men would hold the hymn
book for their wives and daughters. When
I was a kid, setting up in the church
balcony, sometimes I would get lucky
and get to hold the song book for sweet
young lady seating beside me. I’m not
sure it was good manners or hormones,
I just know I liked standing real close so
we both could read along. Man, do I miss
that hymn book singing.
I guess I shouldn’t be surprised, change
is all around us. I read the other day the
Church of Christ folks are considering
allowing musical instruments in their
services. The Methodists allowed women
preachers some time back. Why even in
my own Baptist Church we sing mostly
today’s praise and worship songs. I like
the old stuff myself, Amazing Grace,
Standing on the Promises, How Great
Thou Art. My mother use to rock us kids
to sleep to “Love Lifted Me”. No JumboTrons, no live bands, just mom singing…
the sweetest music on earth.
The Bible says that there will be
continuous singing in heaven…with my
luck they’ll set me right in front of the
JumboTron!
Scott Pace, author of “Now I remember…” celebrates hometown values and
small town life from his rural Oklahoma
roots.
Want to become
OKLAHOMA EDGE’s next
contributor? Visit us online
at oklahomaedge.com to
view our Writers’ and Photographers’ guidelines.
Oklahoma History with Kenny Sivard
Story by Kenny Sivard
Photos courtesy of McCurtain County
Historical Society
Few towns in Southeast Oklahoma
have had such a dramatic rise and fall as
that of Garvin, Oklahoma. Many pass
this quiet little town located on US Hwy.
70 while on their way to work, home, or
somewhere bigger, never knowing what it
used to be. Once one of the most progressive locations in Oklahoma, it is now just
a dot on even the McCurtain County Map.
To many it is where first steps were taken,
family graves are located, Grandma lived,
and to some it is still home. Join me and
take a trip back in time to Garvin, Oklahoma.
Garvin got its start in the 1890s when
James Wood Kirk opened a trading post
and hotel about 1.5 miles southeast of the
present town site. In 1894, Kirk opened a
post office in his trading post. He named
the post office Garvin, after his father-inlaw, Choctaw Chief Isaac L. Garvin, who
was the first Choctaw Principal Chief to
die while in office.
Acting on a suggestion from Kirk,
when the Frisco Railroad started building
its East to West line through what is now
McCurtain County in 1902, it platted the
town in its present location. The town-site
was surveyed on July 25, 1902 with the
town consisting of 126 acres with a 5 acre
cemetery at the town’s eastern end. The
main street was named after Kirk himself
and another street was named after Kirk’s
close friend, Robert Williams, who would
later become governor of Oklahoma
from 1915-1919. The town’s first official
resident was T.J. Barnes who had moved
to Goodwater in early 1902 but, seeing
the potential Garvin possessed, decided
to move to the new town. He would later
become the first county judge and move to
Idabel where he built an impressive home
that still stands today. By 1904, Williams
Avenue was lined with wooden businesses. Some of the early merchants included
Yates Hardware and Furniture, Blue Front
Store, Enterprise Hotel, and Benedict’s
Café.
During the summer of 1904, the students of Garvin had outgrown the small
area school that was run by the Choctaw
Nation and had begun to hold some of
their classes in a brush arbor. Fundraising,
along with a fee of $1.00 per student per
year, made building a new 22’X40’ school
possible that August. Mrs. Mary Ferrell
was hired on as the new teacher during
that August as well.
1905 proved to be an important year
for the new town. A livery stable was built
and operated by C.L. Stone and the first
drug store was opened by Dr. Ben Denison. More importantly, the first bank was
founded by Dr. Denison, Mr. Barnes, D.C.
Goff, Claude Gamble, and H.T. Wright.
The bank was first located in a rock store
building built by James Kirk. It would
later be moved to its own frame building
on the intersection of Williams and Kirk.
B. F. Grandry was the postmaster at the
time and also the editor of Garvin’s newspaper, the Garvin Graphic, established
May 14, 1903. A woman named Anna
Nelson was the clerk for the post office at
the time also.
A successful development for the town
in 1905 was the “Big” Mill. The “Big”
Mill, as it was called, was built by the
Choctaw Lumber and Veneer Companies.
This single mill employed 400 people.
Other mills in Garvin included the Stigler
Mill, located on Little River, which used
logs floated down the river; the W.A. Carter Hardwood Mill; the Kilgore Store Mill;
and the Cooley Brother’s Mill. These
other mills employed a total of around 200
additional persons.
Garvin’s virgin timberland resources
served the town well in its prime time. In
only a few years, the town had risen from
a crudely constructed village with mud
streets and school classes in a brush arbor,
to partial concrete sidewalks, numerous
fine homes, a telephone system, and the
first water works system in this part of
the state. When the state of Sequoyah was
suggested, the county seat candidates were
Idabel, Harrington (Haworth), Lukfata,
and Garvin. In a county wide vote Garvin
only received two votes. Idabel received
46, Lukfata 73, and Harrington (Haworth)
only 1. The state of Sequoyah never came
to be. Instead, Oklahoma Territory and
Indian Territory combined to become the
state of Oklahoma and Idabel was selected
as the county seat of McCurtain County.
After statehood, Federal Judge Spaulding
moved his office to Idabel where he later
built the “Magnolia Mansion” which still
stands on Adams Street. Due to several
publishings in an Idabel newspaper in the
1970s, a widely believed untruth surfaced. This false hearsay was that Garvin
was once the county seat of McCurtain
County. This, however, is simply not true.
In 1910, the Presbyterian Church
decided to build a 100’X140’ church
building for Garvin members to worship
in. The architects from the Campbell and
Owen’s Architectural Firm submitted the
winning building plan. Deacon Claude
Campbell, who was also president of the
Garvin bank, donated the land upon which
the church would be constructed. On January 26, 1910, the church’s deacons met
and accepted M.C. Morris’ bid of $12,000
to construct the church. The stone was
purchased from G.W. Wallace of Hugo.
Morris also ordered a brick kiln to the site
for making the basement of the church.
Snow storms and heavy rains kept
the builder and his crew at bay from mid
January to early April. After that, the work
began to progress nicely. The corner stone
was laid at 2 pm July 4, 1910 during the
Garvin Independence Day celebration.
It was a truly grand ceremony with a
performance from the Garvin Brass Band.
Reverend W.T. Willis served as master of
ceremonies. The band played as people
dropped objects into a metal box in the
corner stone. The items included a Bible,
history of the church, a Presbyterian newspaper, copies of the Garvin Graphic, a
Scottish rite emblem, a royal arch pledge,
a Masonic card, by-laws of the Odd Fellows Club, a Woodman of the World test
coin, a Knights of Pythias’ emblem, a
Praetorian receipt, a picture of baby Ruth
Willis, a bank statement from the bank
of Garvin, pictures of G.A. Spaulding, a
penny, a nickel, and a British three-pence
coin. As the box was sealed in the stone,
the crowd sang “The Old Rugged Cross”.
The deacons ordered the new Mulberry
pews and Walnut pulpit on October 1,
1910. The church was occupied on the
first Sunday of December even though not
all of the furnishings had arrived, “including the wood-burning heater”.
In a 1911 issue of the Garvin Graphic,
it lists many brick buildings in the young
town including Dr. Denison’s office, a
two-story bank building, and a two-story
school building. The paper reported there
were 175 pupils enrolled with five teachers; quite a number for that time. The
principal was Mr. C.W. Brown and his
wife was the teacher over primary classes.
The Graphic also described a brand new
cotton gin named The Manger System.
The people of Garvin were excited about
their new church as well. April 13th-16th,
1911, the church hosted the annual McAlester Presbytery Convention. That week
the Garvin Graphic editor boasted, “You
won’t find a finer church from Ft. Smith,
Arkansas to Dallas, Texas.
By 1912, Garvin had reached its prime.
It was a thriving town! The town had a
population of 1,200 people. At this time,
crop yields were also high. Garvin recorded great amounts of corn, cotton, and
potatoes. These high yields were reported
from the 1910s all the way to the early
1930s.
Amid all this prosperity, Garvin
did have its share of tragedy. Garvin’s
founder, James Kirk, passed away. A large
funeral was held and he was buried at
Waterhole Cemetery close to the Garvin
family plot. That same year, a very wellknown man in the community, Jessie
Cochran, was struck by lightning in the
forehead while looking out his window
during a storm, killing him instantly. He
left behind a wife and two children. Two
years later, in 1918, a home fire claimed
the lives of three young children. On a
lesser note, in 1920, a large storm came
through destroying the Presbyterian
Church’s stained-glass windows.
The biggest upset to the success of
Garvin came in the 1920s when Garvin’s
timber resources had dwindled to non-existence. Mills began to close. As the mills
closed, so did Garvin’s potential to be a
large town. By 1923, the bank liquidated
and merged with Idabel National Bank.
By 1932, Garvin had decreased its school
staff to three teachers for its seventy
pupils. In 1933, the Presbyterians sold
the rock church to the Baptists and for 47
years it housed the First Baptist Church
of Garvin. By this time, Garvin’s population had suffered greatly, diminishing to
a mere 300 or less. This was largely due
to people moving in search of jobs. There
were no sawmills left in Garvin.
The Valliant Tribune reported that as of
March 1932, there were only six businesses left in the once thriving town. Things
began to be so hard for the town, due to
poor finance availability, that even the
train station was in danger of closing. This
was a big fall from the forty-one businesses it supported only 26 years earlier.
By the 1980’s, Garvin had become only
a community West of Idabel whose only
artery for success or even sustainment had
become US Hwy. 70 that runs through
the middle of it, separating Kirk Addition
from the rest of the town. By then, the
train station was closed and only three
businesses were in existence as the school
had closed many years earlier.
In August of 1990, the last downtown
Garvin business structure fell to the
ground due to the effects of a great fire.
The two story brick building was originally built to house the Garvin bank. After
the bank’s closure, the building housed
G.L. Kirk’s department store before he
moved to Idabel in the old Barnes building where Sharpe’s Department Store
is now located. It was later the location
of the Garvin Town Hall as well. The
structure was scheduled to be torn down
at the time of its burning and burned
apparently due to a fire that a contractor
started to burn trash from the building.
Then Garvin mayor, David Jordan, said,
“The blaze merely expedited the process.”
The next day, a local paper headlined,
“Fire Finishes “Old Garvin””, but were
they ever wrong! Only a few blocks away
still stood the church now known as the
“Old Rock Church”. The massive limestone structure would stand for another
fifteen years, deteriorating with time and
vandalism. Eventually, all of the wood
infrastructure would rot away leaving only
the rock walls. By 2003, the church was in
great danger. The back wall had collapsed
and it was deemed a safety hazard. Efforts
were made to save the last memorial to
what Garvin once was. The Garvin mayor,
Byron Foster, headed these efforts along
with the former mayor, Herb Matlock. The
church had been placed on the National
Registry of Historic Places, but, because
it was deemed unsafe, it could still be
torn down. When it came down to it,
even the Oklahoma Historical Society
wouldn’t make a stand for the building.
It authorized its destruction in late 2003.
Being covered by The Daily Oklahoman,
efforts for the reprieve of the old church
had made news statewide. The church was
torn down by 2005 with little coverage in
the local news, but with great sorrow to all
of us who held it, or even the town it came
to symbolize, close to our hearts.
Today, little remains of Garvin’s business district. The Rural Water District # 7
office is located on the original bank site.
The town is served by three churches, one
of which, the Church of Christ, is located
in Old Garvin near Kirk’s original establishment. The town still has a post office,
convenience store (which serves some of
the best hamburgers you can buy), and a
fine, modernly facilitated meat processing
plant on the south side of the town. The
area still holds many ranch and farming
interests, one of the most notable being
the Coffey family’s rodeo stock operation. There are many houses still in the
quiet little town with a very nice park and
Nutrition/Community Center acting as the
center piece of the town.
Many families have come and gone
from Garvin. These include the Kirks,
Homers, Campbells, Cochrans, and
Boggs, but many have remained there to
raise their families just as their parents did
including the Fosters, Coffeys, and Matlocks. Many people call Garvin a “bedroom community”, but to those of us who
call it home, the spirit of Garvin’s ‘Good
Old Days’ are still alive and well, just as
they were 100 years ago.
Kenny Sivard,
21, is a lifelong
resident of McCurtain County. In
2004, he became
the youngest
person to serve as
a board member
of the McCurtain
County Historical
Society and continues to serve today.
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Tasty range cubes in Del Chandler’s
pocket and a soft lead rope in hand; he
approaches the colt. Danger’s ears and
body language signal caution; Del’s
posture is relaxed and non-threatening
at all times. Danger’s new owners, Ken
McAfee and family, Southeast Oklahoma, knew from past experience that
if the colt could be rehabilitated, Del
Chandler was their answer. Left and
facing page photos include Del and Danger. The photo on the facing page also
includes the Ken McAfee family.
The east Texas, dark haired, eight year
old, sprig of a boy, in his faded bib overalls started out on another squirrel hunt.
The game would be added to the garden
vegetables raised on the farm for the supper meal of the eight Chandler youngsters
and parents, Laurisi (Muse) and Percy L.
in the 1920’s. Shouldering his .22 rifle, the
boy wandered, looking to catch a horse to
ride. He had ability, a gift, as yet unidentified, this was the beginning of a famous
horse trainer.
“Everybody calls me ‘Dale’, but it’s ‘D
E L’. That’s short for a long, old name that
I don’t like. Nobody in Dickens, Texas,
where I call home knows it either, but I’ll
just tell you, it’s ‘Dellis’
Dellis Gerald Chandler, spry and slim
in the summer of his ninety-second year,
joined us at the family table of my brother,
and Del’s long time friend, another
cowboy, Ken McAfee and his wife Vada
Mae, in Madill, Oklahoma. A multicolor,
July sunset displayed on the western sky
while, with very little coaxing, Del took
to his favorite pastime of retelling his true
adventures, mixing in some tall, western
tales.
“My goal in life is to make people
laugh,” Del said, “You can laugh with
me or at me.” However, he’s factual and
humble answering our numerous questions about his life of training horses.
Del’s face is clear and smooth as a
younger man’s. He admits, in his soft,
western drawl, he’s bit hard of hearing
and has moments when details don’t come
quickly. His trail partner, a tall, fun loving
cowboy, Charles Powell, of Barnsdall,
Oklahoma, readily comes to Del’s aid,
filling in the gaps. Del describes his
legendary horse training feats causing him
to be dubbed the “Horse Whisperer”, in
reflection of the Robert Redford film.
“It was poor times when I was a
little kid, I had a .22 rifle I took squirrel
huntin’ and duck huntin’ in the winter.
People didn’t care back then if you went
across their place. It’s different now, it’s
all leased out and people will shoot ya if
you’re on their place.” Del’s gray-blue
eyes widened with expression.
“I used to ketch one of the neighbor’s
horses, whether he was wild or rode.
They’d usually come up to me real
natural. I knowed there was some kinda’
chemistry, or somethin’ with the horses
that not everybody had, I was lucky thataway. I’d just git on one and ride.”
“Whether he was wild or not, he
wouldn’t buck me off. I carried a piece of
binder twine string, used on hay bales, in
my pocket. I’d go round the horse’s lip on
the bottom jaw, and tie a knot, right there
in the bridle path where there ain’t no
teeth, and ride him off.”
“I never was on a buckin’ horse that
I remember. I couldn’t ride one if they
did buck; I’m not a good rider. I fell off a
few that run out from under me, jumped a
fence, or a wooden bridge, but they come
back to me as if to say, ‘Why’d ya git off
for?’”
Del described his childhood farm life;
“We’d all git up and work from sunup to
sundown hoeing cotton and doing other
farm work. Me and my brothers used to
plan all day where to go places at night to
ride horses.”
People began to notice and talk about
that kid, Del, who had a ‘way’ with
horses. He’s been accused of hypnotizing
or putting a spell on an animal because
he has the ability to get them to do in a
very short time what no one else can. The
extraordinary pique of Del’s handling of
a horse is that once he’s worked it, it’s
trained for sure, increasing its value and
usefulness.
Del’s awesome stories of the wild and
rambunctious horses he’s trained, and
adventures over many trails can fill up a
volume. As any horse lover, my family
and I anticipated witnessing Del’s ‘magic’
with horses for ourselves, and to ‘give it
a go’ at figuring out his ‘training secrets’;
we drew closer to listen to the cowboy,
Del Chandler.
“I don’t chew tobbacker and I don’t
smoke cegars, but I buy a cegar and put a
piece in my jaw. I was born in Henderson
County, Texas, in an old farmhouse. Right
after the depression, if you made a dollar a
day, that was real good.” Del said.
“Well, I trained a zebra one time. That
was down at Robert Lee, Texas, not many
years ago. I’d broke a hundred of his
horses and “Skinney” Adams, wanted to
see if I could just break this zebra of his to
lead. You don’t grab a mule or a horse by
the ear, but I got her in a pen and caught
her by the ear, she just loved it.”
“I never did ride her. Right then my
wife’s boy rode in a rodeo and a bull
stepped in his face, just demolished it, so
we left and I never did ride that zebra.”
“The first time that somebody paid me
to break horses, I was workin’ on a farm,
carryin’ big, old rocks outa a field so the
man could plow. I quit and went home. I
told my wife, ‘I think I’ll break horses’.
She didn’t like that, but I told her, ‘just
watch me.’”
“I went to this big ranch where they
had horses to break, the Glass Ranch,
Sterling, Texas. Mr. Glass was gone, so I
asked the cowboys which was the worst
horse there. They had one no one could
catch.
So I went in the pen with some range
cubes. I caught him in a little bit, fed him
and petted him real good and talked to
him, cause I wanted him to remember
me.”
“I went back the next morning; I told
the man I’d heard he had trouble with
that horse. He said, ‘I’d rather shoot him
if I can’t use him’. I didn’t tell him I’d
been there the day before and rubbed that
horse’s tonsils.”
“That’s one of a horse’s sweet spots,
I call it his ‘tonsils’, just under his jaw. I
started talkin’, real loud to Mr. Glass, and
sure enough, that horse recognized my
voice and walked right up to me. I started
rubbin’ him, and said, ‘I’d sure like a job’.
Mr. Glass said, “Well you got it, I never
saw anything like that in my life!”
That’s how it all began, but there are
too many stories to tell here about the rank
and man-killer Cayuses folks brought to
Del Chandler during his horse-breaking
career across Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas. “They’d all come round to watch me
get stomped,” Del chuckled. “Then they’d
wander off, disappointed.”
“I gave up the ridin’ just in my latter
years, in my ‘80’s, I just fix’em where
anybody else can ride. Now, don’t stare
a horse in the eye, that’s a challenge to a
horse, look at his chest. If there’s any fear
in your body, he can see it.”
“I talk to them, I might say just
anything, or hum, the reason I do that
is to keep my mind focused, you gotta
have total concentration. If you lose your
concentration, it’s almost like he reads
your mind, but he reads your actions, your
body language.”
“I give ‘em a good, firm rub on their
sweet spots, too slight a rub or stayin’ too
long on one spot irritates a horse. A horse
has got two eyes and two brains. You can
make the most gentle horse on one side,
then go back and he’s wild on the other
side. You gotta go on both sides of the
horse.”
“I trained ranch horses and race horses.
I taught quite a few people to train horses;
you’d be surprised how many can’t do
it. I’ve got two boys left; my oldest was
killed in Viet Nam, my oldest daughter
just passed away. None of my kids got the
trainin’ gift except my youngest daughter.”
Partner, Charles Powell talked about
meeting Del. “I met Del when we worked
on the Roos Ranch in the spring of 1983,
at Roff, Oklahoma.”
“We’d weaned that year’s foal crop,
between ninety and a hundred of them.
I knew a man from Texas was coming
to break them to lead. Here comes Del
and Ruby, in a yella, Dodge van; a little
milk cage crate was tied on back, inside
the crate was their little Australian dog,
throwin’ up. Del was about sixty and
stood about 5’11”, this was not what I
expected of a west Texas horse breaker.”
“I’d heard tales of what this cowboy
could do, of which I believed none of
them. His way of breakin’ the babies,
well, you watch him, but you still don’t
know how he’s doin’ it.”
“I watched him walk down a horse
that was real hard to catch. Del put him
in a pen and trailed him step for step for
nearly four hours, until that horse stopped
and faced him. After that, the program
was the same and he was another trained
horse.”
“He never yells at or hits a horse. I’m
the one he does that to,” Charles joked.
“There was this three year old stallion,
Leo San and San Pepe bred, that had been
teased and tormented by bad hands to the
point they had to push his feed into the
stall with a pitchfork. If anyone tried to
go in his stall, he’d bite, kick and fight.
One day this horse grabbed Charlie Roos’
son-in-law, Lucky Engles, by the shoulder with his teeth and lifted him off the
ground. That very same day, they asked
Del to fix this horse.”
“Del simply walked in the pen and did
what Del does, and he was not the same
horse. He was in submission, leading and
following. The very next day, the horse
was moved to the part of the ranch where
I was. Del had him walking up to him and
kissin’ him on the cheek.”
Ken McAfee added another true story.
“I worked on the Jim Morgan Ranch, I met
Del and Ruby through Charles. I didn’t
believe the stories I’d hear about Del either. I was trying to break a big, four year
old sorrel gelding to ride. I could get the
saddle up on him but he’d buck it off.”
“Del came over to break him; he spent
about thirty minutes handling and talking
with the horse first. Then he wet down a
saddle blanket and put that on him about
thirty minutes, and then he put the saddle
on him and cinched it up.”
“In another thirty minutes, Del tossed
the halter rope across the horse’s neck,
stepped up on him and rode him in circles.
The day before that horse was climbin’
the round pen and fallin’ over backwards,”
Ken concluded. “The Lord has given Del
the ability, it’s not magic.”
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An interview with Kimberly Norris Guerrero
by Jeff Cole
I can’t help but call her Kim, and I’m
sure most people who are familiar with her
feel the same way. I spoke on the phone
recently with a friend of hers in preparation
for this story and she did the same thing.
Even in high school, Kim was a star. A
cheerleader, a singer, a dancer, a very intelligent conversationalist, she was named
Miss Idabel High School in her sophomore
year. During her senior year, she won the
Miss National Teenager crown. Her star
quality was shining through no matter
where she went.
Kimberly’s talents have taken her to
national recognition. She pursued and
obtained a degree from the University of
California, Los Angeles (UCLA), followed
by an award-winning career in films and
television. Appearing in projects including
HIDALGO, THE SOPRANOS, DREAMKEEPER, CHARMED, ESCANABA IN
DA MOONLIGHT, NATURALLY NATIVE to name a few. Although Kimberly
spent two years on the daytime soap AS
THE WORLD TURNS, the role that seems
to bring her the most recognition was
playing Winona, one of Jerry’s girlfriends
on the popular SEINFELD episode, “The
Cigar Store Indian”. Kimberly’s comedic
talent was utilized once again for her two
latest film projects FROZEN STUPID,
co-starring Academy Award-winner Ernest
Borgnine and PATRIOTVILLE, featuring
an all-star ensemble cast including Justin Long (DODGEBALL, ACCEPTED)
and Missi Pyle (CHARLIE AND THE
CHOCOLATE FACTORY, BRINGING
DOWN THA HOUSE). She is currently
in Steppenwolf Theatre’s Pulitzer Prize
and Tony-winning epic play AUGUST:
OSAGE COUNTY on Broadway.
When asked about the whirlwind that
her craft can become, she shared a great
deal about her upbringing in rural Oklahoma and the excitement of joining the cast
of August.
“I don’t think I’ve quite settled in. It’s
such an important play and it’s so good
to be a part of it, and for it to be about
Oklahoma, it’s pretty amazing,” she stated.
“The play is written by Tracy Letts, who
is from Durant; and both of his parents
lived and taught there at Southeastern, so
we have a really good connection. It’s
definitely representative of southeastern
Oklahoma. Even though it takes place in
Pawhuska.”
Mom and Dad lived back there until
2003, when we sold our beloved house
on Avenue J. (There’s an awesome family
living there now). I’m looking forward to
coming back for a visit one day.
So mainly I spent a lot of time in Los
Angeles and then came back to New York
for a couple of years to do As The World
here on Broadway, then it was nominated
for a Tony, and won the Tony, then won the
Pulitzer prize. Now we’re in an “open run”
at The Music Box Theatre.
We’re scheduled to go to London in
November, so they’ll re-cast my role for
the ten weeks we’ll be in London at the
National Theatre. Then if it’s still going
[in New York], I can come back here and
finish out the run here in New York. So it’s
kinda been an amazing process.
Obviously your mom and dad were a
tremendous influence growing up. Any
others you’d care to mention?
I loved growing up in Idabel. It’s
such a family there, a community. All of
my teachers and coaches were great influences. I won’t name them all for fear of
leaving someone out. The people of that
town shaped who I became and who I still
Steppenwolf actors from L to R: Amy Morton, Robert Foxworth, Kimberly Guerrero,
Molly Regan, Estelle Parsons in the Broadway play August: Osage County currently
playing at the Music Box Theater. Photo by Joan Marcus.
Turns in the ‘90’s. Most of my time has
been spent in California. I Did a lot of TV
and film projects. Then the Steppenwolf
audition came up for this play – you know
after my mom, Kay, had passed away; she
was my first director and a founding member of the McCurtain Community Players.
So I grew up around her, watching her
bring these wonderful theatrical events
to life (and to McCurtain County), and I
thought, Wow! This could be a really neat
full circle to audition for [one of the most]
prestigious ensemble[s] in America.
I was a little overwhelmed at the prospect because I hadn’t been on stage that
much in the last ten years. I had done a
play in Nashville, Steel Magnolias, where I
played Shelby, but other than that, not a lot
of stage work. But what they told me was
that the part was an Indian girl from Oklahoma, who was helping this woman who
was dying of cancer. I thought Wow! I can
do that.” because I had gone back when
Mom and Dad were living in Stillwater at
the time. My dad still lives up there and
spends his time between Idabel and Stillwater. I had gone back to help my mom as
she was fighting lung cancer, so I was back
there for most of six months in early 2006.
She passed away July 14th of 2006.
So this call to audition came just a
little bit after that [when] I started hearing about it. So I talked to my dad about
it and he thought I should audition. So I
[auditioned] in March of 2007, and was
cast right away. I moved to Chicago last
summer having no idea that it would be
the incredible hit that it was, or that it
would go to New York and Broadway. We
were expecting a three or four month run
A variety of photos are included here
courtesy of Kimberly’s portfolio
(www.kimberlynorrisguerrero.com).
In the photo below Kim treats us
with the smile we remember.
am today. Every day there’s something
that comes up that makes me laugh or
makes me think of home in one way or
another. McCurtain county is still a huge
part of my life, and I still visit there every
couple of years.
An actor’s work comes in all forms.
When asked to name a favorite project, “It
would have to be Seinfeld,” she answered.
“It was sheer fun! And the reason I like
film and television is because I don’t
have a very long attention span (as many
of my friends and teachers know). I like
to stay active, and move on to the next
thing very quickly – and that’s what film
and television is. We work for a week [to
prepare to film before a live audience].
It’s almost like a little play. But you have
a week to work on it, [perform] in front
of a live audience, do each scene two or
three times, they take the best takes and
edit them together. It was so much fun to
work with Jason Alexander, Jerry Seinfeld, Michael Richards and Julia Louise
Dreyfus. They’re comedic masters, and to
be able to make them laugh and work with
them was the most fun I’ve had.”
“August has been the most challenging. The play is almost three and a half
hours long, and I’m on stage almost the
entire time. We do it eight times a week.
So tonight I’ll go to the theatre at six and
I’m home by midnight, and then I’ll get
up tomorrow and do it twice. It’s very
challenging to give what every person in
every seat deserves – 100% of your heart
and soul. It’s a pretty brutal play, but it’s
hilarious at the same time.”
A play going on to Broadway doesn’t
happen very often. Kimberly explained
the significance of this move.
“It’s the first time that a straight play’s
entire cast has been taken to Broadway.
Hair was the last time an entire cast was
taken to Broadway, but Hair was a musical and that’s been over thirty years ago.
[August] is a thirteen member cast, which
is a huge cast and moving all of those
people is very expensive to do. [Broadway is] still looking for the next big
musical because that’s what really makes
money. So that [the expense of moving
the entire cast, plus the fact that there has
never been a non-musical deemed worthy
of moving] gives you an idea of how
dynamic this play is.
“Tracy, who is just a year older than
I am, (I think he graduated in Durant in
1984, but it may have been Tulsa) loved
movies and TV and especially community theatre around Durant, later became
a Steppenwolf ensemble member in
Chicago where he ended up settling. The
way that he writes plays is much like
movies or television, so the play moves
very quickly, and it’s really dynamic, and
very character-driven. Steppenwolf is
known around the world. They’re kind of
like the Royal Shakespeare Company here
in America and they’re known around the
world for their naturalistic style of acting.
For those who haven’t seen one of their
plays, well, you’ve seen John Malcovicz, Gary Seneice, Lori Metcalf, Martha
Plimpton, Amy Morton, and Joan Allen.
They have this amazing acting style that
I’d been watching since, well... It was the
early 90’s when Dangerous Liaisons came
out, then Pleasantville, then Forest Gump.
All of these “smoothies” (the actors), and
I was like ‘What is the deal with these actors? They’re going beyond acting.’ And
it turned out they were all from Steppenwolf, and that’s when I first learned about
Steppenwolf. One thing about the actors
of Steppenwolf: They tend to go where
most actors don’t go. It’s very real and
believable. Among actors, that is what
Steppenwolf is known for, where you’re
not really acting, but you’re being very
present in that role and in that character.”
Returning to the play, Kimberly
described it, “Psychologically, It’s a very
brutal play. There’s no violence in it
per se, it’s all verbal, but a very brutal
play. It’s to the core. I think it’s about
America in general, where we are now.
I’ve certainly grown up learning of my
grandparents’ and that generation’s severe
poverty. I think you want your children to
have a certain life and certain things that
you didn’t have. It’s summed up perfectly
in the words of Violet, the matriarch of the
play when she says ‘We lived too hard,
and we rose too high.’ I think I saw that
growing up. It’s a tremendous amount
of possessions and wealth and luxury in
a very short period of time, and you look
back at Oklahoma in the 1930s versus
now, and that’s a very short period of time
to rise to such affluence.
“I think that’s what the play is about in
general; as America, where we are now;
and what do we do with this and how do
we deal with our American family to bring
some kind of harmony and peace to it?”
So what’s next for Kimberly Guerrero?
Upon returning from London in 2009,
she’ll rejoin the Steppenwolf production
in New York. From that point, nothing is
written in stone.
“We’ll just see where things go from
there,” she says. “The most important
thing Idabel brought to me was my faith in
God. I put my life in His hands, and I’ve
been blessed to have been married to a
God-fearing man for twelve years. Every
day we say ‘Okay, God, where next?’ so
only He knows.”
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contributor? Visit us online
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Free writing workshop set for Broken Bow
by Tawsha Davenport
Want to tone up on your writing skills?
Do you have a perfect idea for a murder
mystery? Or maybe you are just a closet
poet. Whether you are a resident of McCurtain County or just visiting the area
for the weekend, the members of the Red
River W.R.I.T.E.R.S. group would like
you to check out their first writing workshop from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sept. 13 at the
Broken Bow Public Library.
“We are hosting the workshop and it is
free to the public. Anyone who is interested in writing it welcome to attend,” said
one of the founding members Kathleen
Stofregen.
“This workshop has been six months
in the planning.”
Three native published Oklahoma writers will be the special guests at the workshop, John Wooley, Melissa Harcrow,
Erica Roath and Marion Moore Hill.
“John Wooley, will be speaking about
two ways to plot and how to use both.
Some of his published books are Ghost
Band and
From the
Blue Devils
to Red Dirt:
The Colors
of Oklahoma
Music,” said
Stofregen.
From the
Blue Devils
to Red Dirt is
one of only
three books
commissioned by the
Oklahoma
Centennial Committee and the Oklahoma Arts
Council for the state’s 2007 celebration.
Wooley is the author, co-author, or editor
of 17 books. His horror-fantasy tale,
Dark Within, was a finalist for the 2001
Oklahoma Book Award for Best Novel,
and his first, Old Fears which was cowritten with newspaper writer Ron Wolfe,
was optioned by both Wes Craven and
Paramount Pictures and is currently under
an option contract with former Paramount
vice-president Brian Witten.
His credits include numerous movie
credits and work in the independent comic
book field. And his thousands of news
articles which he wrote for the Tulsa
World from 1983 to 2006. Wooley is also
the producer and host of Swing on This,
Tulsa’s only western swing radio program.
In 2003 he became the first writer to be
inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of
Fame.
Melissa
Harcrow has
published her
first children’s book,
“Where’s
Your Manners, William?” with
second book
in this character building series
- “When Fannie Fly Told A
Lie” - ready for publication in late 2008.
Illustrator of her books is Erica Roath.
Melissa and her family reside in Broken Bow, Oklahoma. She is a graduate of
Southeastern Oklahoma State University
and Indiana State University. Melissa has
been a kindergarten and first grade teacher
since 1994 and currently works as a library media specialist at Lukfata School.
Erica Roath is a graduate of East Central University, Ada, Oklahoma. She holds
a bachelor of arts degree and recently
completed her masters degree to become
Library media specialist for Writght City
Schools. Erica and her family reside in
Wright City, Oklahoma.
“Marion Moore Hill will be speaking
about researching and writing mysteries,
the mystery genre,” said Stofregen.
Hill has an A.A. degree from El Dorado (Kansas) Junior College (now Butler
County Community College), the B.S.
from Oklahoma Baptist University and
the M.A. from Stanford University. She
has worked as newspaper reporter, college
English and journalism teacher, legal secretary, and ad copywriter. She has taught
at Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Durant.
Her novels and short stories have won
prizes from Byline Magazine, Oklahoma
Writers’ Federation, Inc., Greater Dallas
Writers’ Association, Panhandle Professional Writers and Johnson County Creative Writers. Her first short story Mum’s
and Pansy’s Greenhouse was published in
the premier edition of Whispering Willow
Mystery Magazine as its Dagger Award
winner in 1997. Another short story, Salty
Ma’s Diner, appears in the 2004 Red Dirt
Anthology, published by Red Dirt Book
Festival.
Hill has completed the first sequel to
Bookmarked for Murder, which is entitled
Death Books a Return, and is working on
the first sequel to Deadly Will.
“We are very excited to have these
authors as our special guests,” said Sto-
fregen.
During the workshop Wooley, Harcrow
and Roath will be the morning speakers.
“We will break for lunch; there will be
some finger foods for those who attend.
After lunch Marion will give her presentation,” said Stofregen.
After each author speaks there will be a
question and answer session.
When the workshop concludes those
attending will have an opportunity to purchase the authors’ latest novels and book
signings.
The Red River W.R.I.T.E.R.S Group
was founded in 2005 by Stofregen and
Diane Bacorn.
The members meet from 1 p.m. to 3
p.m. the first and third Sunday of each
month at the Broken Bow Public Library.
Since that time the group has grown to
19 members.
“The members are all different ages.
Everyone is welcome to attend, anyone
that has an interest in writing,” said Stofregen.
The meeting is a place to have your
work critiqued, and to gain helpful, useful
information
about the
writing field.
“We all
try to help
our fellow
writers in a
positive way.
If a writer
comes to our
meeting and
they would
like something they are
working on
critiqued, we
give them a real constructive and positive critique. If a writer just wants to read
their work they are welcome to. And you
don’t have to read your work either; you
are just welcome to attend. We also all
exchange any information that we may
have received about writing contests or
publishing, just anything that might be
helpful to writers. For example if one of
our members has recently attended a writing workshop then they will tell us what
they have learned,” said Stofregen.
Several of the group’s writers have
been published, including Jimm Jacobs,
Violet Camp, Gaylia Roberts, Kathy
Phelps and Joy Smith.
“The group is very helpful especially
being able to gain immediate feedback on
something they are working on. Like me
for instance I will make excuses, or ask
myself where do I want to start, and the
group members just really encourage me
to write, to give me that extra push that I
need,” said Stofregen.
The meetings aren’t just about writing
each week.
Each Halloween the
group members host a
Halloween
writing and
costume
contest.
“The
member
with the best
costume
inspired by
a character
in something
they have written or are currently writing is chosen as the winner. We also have
Christmas parties and during the year
other celebrations as well,” said Stofregen.
Even though the writing group meets
for two hours, those attending don’t necessarily have to stay for the duration.
“We have had members just pop in for
ten minutes, read what they are working
on, gain some feedback and go about their
business. We just have a lot of fun, come
and join us and we hope all of you writers
out there attend and enjoy the workshop,”
said Stofregen.
The writing group is part of the adult
program of the Broken Bow Public Library.
For more information about the workshop or the writing group contact Stofregen at the library at 584-2815.
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Sponsor Spotlight
Greener Body Harmony Center offers dual stress alternatives
about these days. He has not returned
to McCurtain County alone. Valerie Jo
Skiles and Dr. Greener were married in
March of this year.
One Practice - Many Facets
Valerie describes their first meeting in
May of 2007, “It was like peanut butter
and chocolate colliding (in reference to
the vintage Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup
commercial): a combination of knowledge, understanding and wisdom for the
health, healing and well-being of our
patients suddenly conjoined.”
Effects of stress
The concept of change has been a major
theme throughout this election year. Evidence of change in motion is all around.
Higher fuel prices have caused many to
seek more creative means of transportation. Due to rising food prices, some have
chosen to plant backyard gardens. Health
care costs have never been, frankly, cost
effective, thanks to the insurance companies.
In addition to change, another common thread throughout these situations
is stress. And according to Dr. Gordon
Greener, that’s one more thing to be concerned about.
“It’s often been said that stress can kill
you. I believe it,” says Dr. Greener. “People don’t die from whatever illness that is
listed on their death certificate. What ultimately has caused one’s demise is stress
and how that stress has manifested itself
in the form of other illnesses.”
Return to Southeast Oklahoma
Dr. Greener, a 25 year veteran chiropractor has recently returned to Southeast
Oklahoma. Dr. Greener practiced in Valliant and Idabel for several years before
moving his practice to Ft. Worth, Texas in
1995. Many of his patients have remained
faithful throughout the years. “I’ve traveled back and forth to Paris for the past
13 years (to treat patients), so to some, it’s
almost like I never left.” he laughs.
The doctor, or “Doc Greener”, as his patients fondly call him, has much to smile
“The lifelong harvest of mental, physical
and financial investment was integrated
into one dynamic concept, which is now
known as Greener Body Harmony Center,” explains Valerie. “ Opened in May,
Greener Body Harmony Center’s philosophy is defined as “one practice - many
facets.”
Old-fashioned chiropractic
Dr. Greener describes his practice as “oldfashioned chiropractic”. “It’s a getting
back to basics approach. I no longer take
x-rays, as I had in my Valliant and Idabel
offices.” Dr. Greener explains, “They are
an added expense to the patient. However,
my main reason for discontinuing x-rays
was because, after decades of practice, I
had begun to trust myself and what I was
“feeling” (with my hands) more than what
the x-rays were showing. A two-dimensional x-ray can’t always reveal what a
“hands-on” approach can.”
Another approach to Greener’s “old-fashioned chiropractic” philosophy is that he
no longer accepts insurance assignment.
“Many years ago, I realized that I was
stuck in the middle between the insurance
companies and my patients. I was spending more time doing paperwork than treating patients. I had to become the kind of
doctor that I could believe in. So, I made
some changes.” he explains. For patients
with insurance which may reimburse for
chiropractic services, he will provide a
receipt which is fully insurance encoded.
Treatment cost has been kept to a minimum with an initial visit cost of $50.00
and each return visit is $35.00.
Dr. Greener uses a patient-centered ap-
proach in his treatment which focuses on
the patient rather than the illness. He also
emphasizes a holistic approach which
emphasizes nutrition and fitness as well
as emotional and spiritual well-being.
“I encourage my patients to fully invest
themselves in the effort to become well.”
says Dr. Greener. “It’s a matter of balancing stresses to the mind, body and energy
systems.”
Body harmony sessions
In addition to chiropractic treatments,
Greener Body Harmony Center offers
a new and innovative solution to stress.
The initial concept was developed five
years ago by Valerie. “However,” she
explains, “it wasn’t until we implemented
Dr. Greener’s Sound Table (his invention)
that the final piece of the puzzle fell into
place.”
How does the Body Harmony Sound Table work? Says Valerie, “Relaxing sound
waves from the music within the table are
able to pass through the individual’s body
while I provide nurturing touch and physical body-work. The purpose of the Body
Harmony Session is to relax the muscles,
improve circulation and stimulate a reflexive signal back to the body core which
may allow the physical body as a whole,
to release the embedded stresses, negative emotions, toxins and other potential
sources of imbalance.”
Valerie continues, “It’s much more than
a massage or a spa treatment. The Body
Harmony Session utilizes natural healing
techniques to stimulate the body’s production of endorphins. Music has always
exerted powerful physical, spiritual and
psychological effects on humans, but
scientists have only recently connected
relaxing music with the prolific production of endorphins.”
Sponsor Spotlight
Don’t let your mind bully your body into believing it must carry the burden of its worries. ~ Astrid Alauda
What happens during the 90 minute session? Valerie explains, “While lying on the Body Harmony
Sound Table, unrefined Dead Sea Mud Mask
(straight from Israel) is gently brushed onto one’s
face. The face is then shrouded in hot towels while
the mud does its nurturing work on and through the
skin.”
“Next, 100% unrefined African shea butter is used
for body manipulation. It is heated and then drizzled slowly over legs, feet, arms, hands and back....
like warm honey. The sensation is incredible!”
“Pure Dead Sea salts are then shaken from a special container onto one’s buttered body and then
scrubbed to exfoliate dead skin away. Hot towels
are then applied which, in turn, melt the salt and
the butter together. A high content of rich minerals
contained within the salts and butter are released
and absorbed into the body. The body literally
drinks in what it needs. This leaves the body with
a nutritious meal, the skin feeling refreshed and
velvety soft and one’s entire body feels the euphoric sensation of being calmed and nurtured due
to a massive endorphin release.”
What do others say about Valerie’s Body Harmony
Sessions? Mary Buchanan of Broken Bow had this
to say, “I’ve never experienced anything quite like
it. It was what I might imagine a “rebirthing” process might be like, as I felt safe, nurtured, cleansed
and cherished as a fellow human being.”
Another client said, “I usually feel guilty when I
take time out for myself. However, this is not an
indulgence; rather, something extremely vital to
my physical and mental health. It’s humbling and
yet, exhilarating at the same time. With the many
sensations, my body is awakened. And there in the
absence of stress and concern for so many of life’s
challenges, within the stillness, I feel I can hear the
voice of God.”
Others have claimed to be healed through Body
Harmony Sessions. One such person was a client of Valerie’s that was suffering from terminal
cancer. Valerie explains “She had received a gift
certificate and throughout her session, she maintained a negative attitude, justifiably so, given her
circumstances. Much to my surprise, she decided
to make another appointment. I had my doubts as
to whether she would benefit from further sessions
or not. I decided to be frank and ask her a question.
I simply asked her if she wanted to live or if she
wanted to die?”
“If you want to die, then I can help you get ready
for Heaven” offered Valerie. “But if you want to
live then I would like to participate in your decision and make my contribution.”
“That’s a stupid question,” the lady replied. “Of
course, I want to live.”
“And so the woman booked another Body Harmony Session. Three more appointments later, she
informed me that she was in complete remission.”
“I take no credit for her miraculous recovery,” says
Valerie. “It was that God healed her when she allowed Him to do so.”
“I am His servant, and at times, I am His hands but the healing is all
His doing.” says Valerie.
“The same goes for chiropractors - we don’t heal our patients. It’s
the inner wisdom that comes from God which enables them to make
the necessary changes in their lifestyle.” says Dr. Greener.
Once again, it all comes down to change.
Greener Body Harmony Center is located 4/10 mile north of Sherry
Lane on Hwy 259 in Broken Bow. Office hours are Monday-Friday
10:00 am to 6:00pm.
Dr. Greener may be contacted at 580-584-6338 or at
[email protected] . Valerie can be reached at 580-584-6338 or
at [email protected] . Their website is GreenerBodyHarmonyCenter.com .
Want to see your business featured in
OKLAHOMA EDGE’s next Sponsor Spotlight?
Call Jeff Cole at 580-212-7224
Heritage and History
A Salute to Tom School
by
David Mowdy
On a beautiful
Saturday in early
May last spring,
more than 200 patrons, former patrons,
families and friends celebrated 83 years of
Tom Elementary School. It was a festive
occasion brought on by a sad reality: their
school was closing.
Judging from outward appearances,
everyone enjoyed the eating, visiting, live
entertainment and, probably some more
eating. But, human nature being what it
is, I know there were many heavy hearts.
Tom area residents love their children
just as do those in the ritziest school districts one might name. Many live on the
basic necessities, but they were privileged
to send their children to a school in their
own community, and they supported that
school through thick and thin.
On a personal note, I always regarded
Tom Elementary as a bright spot on the
horizen. Many area residents, school
personnel and students have become my
friends over the years.
On a more personal note, the school
has been a really important part of my
family’s life over the past six years. My
wife Shirley retired in September of 2001
after teaching 19 years at Haworth. The
next fall she became the special education
director at Tom.
Superintendent Ferrell Lisenby explained that the school could not afford
a full time person for the job, so Shirley
agreed to a half-day per week arrangement that was designed to keep the school
out of trouble with the government. It
worked.
Then, daughter Jackie needed a job in
2004. She was hired as a teacher’s aide,
and in 2005 she became the 7th and 8th
grade teacher, a job she held two terms.
As it became more and more evident that
the school would soon close, Jackie opted
for job security in 2007 and took a high
school English position at Idabel High
School, her alma mater.
Thus, Tom Elementary was the site of
the end of one Mowdy’s career in education and the site where another Mowdy’s
career was launched. (All but two years
of my 66 have been spent living with a
school teacher, but that is another story.)
Any piece about Tom School would be
incomplete without mention of Solon Patton and his family. Mr. Patton -- though
I was never his student, that is the only
way I could ever address this gentleman
-- began teaching at Tom in the mid-1960s
as co-principal with Marshall Storey. He
later became principal and held that post
until he retired in 1987.
“Mr. Patton was the most respected
person I have ever met,” Bob Severn said.
Severn taught at Tom from 1976 to 1985.
“He was small in stature but one of the
most knowledgable and wisest persons I
have ever known,” Severn said. “Failure
was unknown to him.”
Mrs. Jewel (Cotton) Patton was equally
well respected, and their children Myron
and Kathy set some pretty high standards
for others to follow.
It was inevitible, I suppose, that some
day Tom Elementary School would be
closed. As this writer dabbled in McCurtain County news over the last 40 years,
rumors of the impending arrival of that
dreaded day reached my ears from time
to time. I always insisted that the little
school would not close, knowing in the
The original Tom School building
(above) stood until 1996. Principal
Solon Patton (left) at his desk. Present in the faculty photo below (c.
1970s) are Cecil Austin, Bill Long,
Milton Glass (principal after Patton),
Jewell Patton, Elma Severn, Mildred
Nelson, Bonnie Malone, unknown
lady (possibly Ms. Meyers), George
Rhea, Principal Solon Patton. - Photos courtesy of Patsy Stevens, McCurtain County Genealogical Society.
deep reaches of my mind that the possibility was real.
And, sadly, it happened. Enrollment in
the K-8 school had declined drastically in
recent years. With only about 30 students
last term, the school faced closure one
way or another. Citizens of the school
district voted early this year to annex to
Haworth Public Schools, and that move
became official this summer.
So ended the 83-year history of the
most southeasterly school in Oklahoma.
Tom School was founded in 1925 as
several small schools in the area were
consolidated. Patsy Stevens, resident
historian and a member of the final Tom
board of education, wrote in her “History
of Tom School,” that those small schools
were New Salem, Pine Creek, Hall and,
possibly, Treadway, with Clear Lake and
Pecan Grove consolidating later.
Stevens reported that the first graduating class was in 1932. She noted that the
school burned in the spring of 1939. It
was rebuilt by the WPA. All of this was
before electricity reached Tom in the
1940s and before indoor plumbing.
The high school consolidated with
Haworth in 1962 but retained its K-8
status. As a small rural school, eight was
considered a large graduating class, especially when the high school existed.
The second school burned on February
13, 1996. But, as an indication of how
hardy and determined the community was
and is, portable buildings were brought in
and the school missed only one day.
Wonderfully modern metal structures
(with indoor plumbing, of course) soon
replaced the wood and were dedicated in
1997. Now, the buildings and property
are up for sale. I sure hope they are put to
use to benefit the entire Tom area.
Those buildings include a nice gymnasium for Tiger basketball, which brings up
another important subject.
Basketball has long been a staple of
the community, and we must note that the
girls team won the first state championship of the ORES (Organization of Rural
Elementary Schools) in 2004, and the
boys quickly followed with their own state
title in 2006. Mr. Patton would be proud.
And, we may as well conclude this
story on those positive notes. News
reporters usually signify the end of a piece
by putting the number 30 at the bottom.
On behalf of Tom School and all to whom
it meant so much since 1925, here is their
30
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posted in our gallery at Pics.OklahomaEdge.com. Here you can share your photos
and maybe even see your photos in Oklahoma Edge magazine. Send a copy to a
friend in an E-card or even buy prints delivered to your door (25 cents for a 4x6).
All photos on this page by Jeff Cole.
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ObituaryTree.com — Obituaries published daily and archived in complete form for everyone, 100% FREE
David A. Altom
June 28, 2008
Tami Denise
Leonard-Bullock
June 28, 2008
Joe E. Todd *
July 2, 2008
Bonnie Garrett
July 2, 2008
Betty Roberson
July 3, 2008
Helen Boucher
July 3, 2008
Hilda Wade Gilpin
July 3, 2008
Ruth Kanick
July 4, 2008
Weezer Cribb
July 4, 2008
Jack Vaughn
July 4, 2008
Ruth Cox
July 6, 2008
Robert Bob C.
Piearcy
July 6, 2008
Rita Gail Tucker
July 6, 2008
Joe Galberth *
July 9, 2008
Zenefort Golston *
July 9, 2008
Ima Lou Sullivan
Webb *
July 10, 2008
Alma Lee Baker
July 12, 2008
Rustin Cline
July 12, 2008
Joe Caldwell
July 12, 2008
Ray Perkins *
July 13, 2008
Conley Edge
July 15, 2008
George Beall
July 16, 2008
Carolyn (Buckman) Kallman
July 17, 2008
Edith Overbey
July 19, 2008
Lindsey Layne
Daniel
July 19, 2008
James Morgan *
July 21, 2008
Mamie Beason
July 21, 2008
Becky Abney
Smith
July 22, 2008
Linda Wilson *
July 22, 2008
Robert David Gallagher
July 25, 2008
Planning for a funeral (Information for Oklahoma Edge provided by the Oklahoma Funeral Board. Find much more at ObituaryTree.com)
What can be done prior to
death occurring?
Record your wishes and advise family
members. Any person has the right to direct
the manner in which his or her body shall be
disposed of after death by executing a sworn
affidavit stating the assignment of the right and
the name of the person or persons to whom the
right has been assigned 21 O.S. §1151.
Who is responsible to make
the funeral arrangements?
A spouse, next of kin or legal representative
generally can make arrangements for disposition of the deceased. 21 O.S. §1158 provides
succession laws regarding the next of kin.
Generally the next of kin are in the following
order: a. spouse b. adult children c. parents and
d. brothers/sisters. Exceptions may apply in
certain situations, you may wish to consult an
attorney in these cases.
What are the available
methods of disposition?
Human remains can be buried, entombed,
cremated, or donated for scientific study.
What is embalming and its
purpose?
Embalming is the use of chemicals, internally and externally, to disinfect and temporarily preserve the body for open casket viewing
and/or for the removal of the body to distant
destinations.
Does the law require that
a dead human body be embalmed?
No. It does require un-embalmed dead
bodies shall be buried or otherwise disposed
of within 24 hours after death unless refrigeration facilities are available O.A.C. 235:10-11-1
(14). Although not a state law, many funeral
homes will require a body be embalmed if
you select a service that includes viewing of
the remains. Likewise most airlines and other
common carriers will require that a body be
embalmed prior to shipping and the laws of the
destination state will apply.
How are remai ns donated
for scientific study?
Immediate disposition is the interment, entombment, or cremation of the remains without
ceremonies. Immediate disposition usually
includes transfer of the remains to the funeral
home, filing of the necessary documents and
transportation to the cemetery or the crematory,
and merchandise as selected.
Can a body be cremated immediately following death?
No. In addition to cremation authorization
signed by the next of kin, Oklahoma requires
a special permit from the State Medical Examiner before a body can be cremated.
What is done with cremated
remains?
Cremated remains may be disposed of in a
number of ways: buried in a cemetery, placed
in a niche in a columbarium, kept by the family
in their home, or scattered on private land with
the consent of the property owner.
Donation of human bodies to medical institutions can be made to the State Anatomical
Board at P.O. Box 26901, OKC, OK 731903040 phone (405) 271-2424.
Can a family bury its own
dead without using a licensed
funeral director?
What is meant by immediate disposition?
Yes. See 59 O.S. §396.19 for additional
information. The family would be responsible
to see that a death certificate is completed and
filed at the health department.
Can a family bury on their
own property?
The Funeral Board does not have jurisdiction over cemeteries. Generally, local
ordinances, zoning laws, or deed restrictions
prohibit burials outside a cemetery within city
limits. If you anticipate burial on private property, contact your attorney for guidance. The
requirements to establish a cemetery are found
in 8 O.S. §181.
How do people select a
funeral home?
Visit the funeral home, tour their facilities,
understand the ways in which your needs will
be served. Selecting a funeral home before the
need occurs will relieve you of the emotional
pressure present when a death has occurred.
Prices for service, facilities and merchandise may vary significantly from one funeral
home to another. Inquire about the terms of
payment. Most funeral homes require payment
in full before the funeral service, some may accept insurance assignments or take credit cards.
ObituaryTree.com — Obituaries published daily and archived in complete form for everyone, 100% FREE
Lloyd Ray Payne
July 27, 2008
Odessa (Hunter)
Nero
July 30, 2008
Thomas Breedlove
July 30, 2008
James Johnston
August 1, 2008
Tommy Albert
Green
August 1, 2008
Christi Stuart
August 3, 2008
Jean Williams
August 6, 2008
Dauthine (Hardaway) Axton
August 6, 2008
Jacklyn Horn
August 7, 2008
Thomas Downum
August 9, 2008
Ely McDonald
August 9, 2008
Daniel Bohall
August 9, 2008
Walter James *
August 10, 2008
Ethel Wallace *
August 11, 2008
Francille Lindley
August 12, 2008
Joyce Thurman
Blankenship
August 13, 2008
Hazel Harmon
August 13, 2008
Birdie E. Bullard
August 17, 2008
Ruth Billingsley *
August 17, 2008
Josie Boykin Ice
August 19, 2008
Irma Fuhrmann
August 19, 2008
Delight Eidson
August 20, 2008
LeFlore Dean
Davis
August 20, 2008
Billy W. Smith
August 20, 2008
Lindsey Battiest *
August 24, 2008
Christy Lee
Adams
August 24, 2008
Kathy Lee Brown
August 25, 2008
Mildred Ridge
August 27, 2008
Jess Ray Pierce Jr.,
August 29, 2008
(*) = No Photo Available Note: Though most of these obituaries were submitted to obituarytree.com by the sponsor businesses you see here representing Choctaw, McCurtain, and Pushmataha counties, some were entered
by volunteer members of area genealogy clubs. Though it is our goal to provide a complete online record of all obituaries, some funeral directors and genealogy clubs have not yet learned about ObituaryTree.com. We ask
that you please help us spread the word by introducing them to ObituaryTree.com.
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Commentary
A trip to the movies brings about a longing for home
by
Laurice
Bryant
Recently I
had the pleasure of being
in McCurtain
County for
a vacation.
I have been living in the Salt Lake City
(SLC) area for the past two years. While
Utah is beautiful country, with stunning
views of the Wasatch Mountains from all
angles of the city, there is nothing like
McCurtain County. The mature trees and
green grass as far as the eye can see are
some things I had forgotten about. The
friendly wave “hello” on the highway is
non-existant on the fast paced freeway of
SLC. The slower paced lifestyle in Idabel
is relaxing compared to the buzzing, “doeverything-in-a-hurry” here in SLC. The
lines at Wal-Mart are shorter; there was no
wait at the ATM machine. I received my
soda at the Sonic in less than five minutes
(compared to the 20 minute or longer wait
at my local Sonic). I could go anywhere
I wanted in town without having to plan
the shortest quickest route. And it only
took ten minutes or less to reach my
destination, as compared to the 30 to 40
minute drive in heavy traffic just to get to
Wal-Mart.
One of the pleasures of “home” is reading the Oklahoma Edge. I pick up similar
magazines here in SLC, but they aren’t as
entertaining to me as the Oklahoma Edge.
I know some of the contributing authors
and I have frequented the businesses
advertising their services in the Oklahoma
Edge. In the May edition I had to chuckle
at the article about The Phoenix Theater in
Antlers. The single screen and the picture
of the regular sized candy bars is not a
regular feature here in SLC. I realized
living in the city has taken away all of my
small town life advantages, even something as simple as going to a movie.
Going to the movie in SLC is unlike
anything I had ever experienced. First you
must decide which movie you want to see,
there are 20 screens and usually 10 to 12
movies showing. The first show times of
the day are 8:45 to 9:00 am and the last
showing usually starts around midnight.
You even have five choices how you want
to obtain your ticket. Tickets are available
over the phone, internet, a ticket kiosk
in the lobby, the usual ticket counter,
or a unique drive up ticket purchasing
system. Yes, you can obtain your ticket
from a drive up machine!! All the seats
are reserved; I choose the seats I want to
sit in. Did I mention the tickets are $8.00
after 6:00 pm and $5.50 for the matinee
showing.
After I purchase my ticket I can then
choose from a variety of foods to be
enjoyed while watching my movie. The
theater lobby is much like a food court
in a shopping mall. The choices range
from hand dipped ice cream, Pizza Hut,
Chinese, soup in a bread bowl, chicken
fingers and fries, Taco Bell, burgers and
dogs to the usual movie cuisine, tubs of
nearly burnt, overly salted, “buttered”
popcorn and giant-sized over-priced candy. Two years ago for $9.95 I purchased
a 32 ounce reusable mug that I can have
refilled with the soda of my choice for a
mere one dollar bill. Or I can purchase a
32 ounce drink for $4.25.
Some things are the same regardless
of where you watch a movie, such as the
sticky floor and the obnoxious cell phone
users. Watching a movie in a digital, THX
certified theater is the best way to experience a movie. The colors are vibrant and
the sound will vibrate in your chest. I get
to sit in stadium seating in a reclining
theater chair that I choose from 390 seats.
I can enjoy my Taco Salad, my near burnt
popcorn and my dollar’s worth of soda
in style. When I leave the theater I have
spent around $55.00 for a family of 3 to
take in a 2 hour movie. There is nothing
small town about that. But believe me, I
would rather see a movie at the Phoenix
over a big city theater any day.
*****************************
I have always said if the weird and
strange can happen, it will happen to me
or around me.
Several months ago my family went for
an afternoon matinee at our local theater.
We attended the showing of Enchanted
with friends of ours. There were 4 adults
and 5 kids in our party. We took up almost
a whole row in the theater.
Of course I managed to get stuck in the
middle of the row, knowing I would have
to have a bathroom break.
Let me set up the scene in the theater, it
is a packed house, 390 seats and probably
375 are taken. The population is mostly
parents with their kids. There is a scene
in the movie where animated, cartoon
Giselle falls into the streets of New York
as human Giselle. About 10 minutes
after that scene I have to take a bathroom
break.
Kimarie, one of the kids in our party
set her food tray on the floor in front of
her instead of pushing it under her seat.
So I am scooting thru the aisle trying to
hurry but not step on toes and still watch
the movie at the same time. All of a sudden I step in Kimarie’s food tray, it slips
forward and I start to fall. There is nothing
for me to grab to maintain my balance. I
wobbled around and then BAM, I am in
the lap of the man in front of me. I had
managed to fall and kind of toppled right
into his lap with my feet sticking straight
up in the air. Without skipping a beat, he
looked at me and said “Hello princess”!! I
just got out of his lap, made my bathroom
trip and returned to the theater with the
people sitting immediately around me
laughing and clapping. I still think it was
a clever answer to some clutzy woman
tripping right into his lap in the middle of
a movie. You will be happy to know there
was no popcorn harmed during my fall.
Buying? Selling? The world is looking. Subscribers place free unlimited ads with no word limits at
OklahomaEdge.com/classifieds
Movie Reviews by Matt Mungle
Never before has stupidity
been so funny!
Tropic Thunder is crude, campy, over
the top absurdity. But never before have I
laughed so hard at absolute stupidity. This
film will offend pretty much everyone at
some point, but you will be so busy cracking up that just won’t care. I am not sure
who to blame for the foulness and who
to applaud for making it so dang humorous. First time writer Justin Theroux joins
writer/director/actor Ben Stiller to pen
something that only full time actors could
dream up. Maybe that is the beauty of
the comedy; having actors make fun of
themselves.
The story is nothing ingenious. It is a
movie within a movie as five pampered
actors are taken into the deepest part of
the Vietnam jungle to shoot a war film.
When they get tangled up with drug
smugglers they think it is all part of the
plot and do not realize they are in great
danger. Once they figure out their predicament they must step outside their celebrity
and pull together. The genius of the film
is the acting by each individual star. Ben
Stiller, Jack Black, Robert Downey JR.,
Jay Baruchel, and Brandon T. Jackson
each deliver perfect comedic performances. I liken it to seasoned musicians
who come together to create amazing
music. Granted the humor will not be
to everyone’s taste but these pros make
their characters sing. You can scoff at the
content but you can’t deny the brilliance
of the delivery.
Though Ben Stiller is the star of the
film, Robert Downey Jr. steals every
moment as an Australian Academy
Award winning actor who goes through
a cosmetic procedure in order to play a
black man in the movie they are filming.
Downey is phenomenal and I am sure the
real Oscars are never given out to actors
in a film of this nature, but I would love to
see it happen. At times I would have to fo-
cus intently just to convince myself it was
RDJ. The transformation is that spot on.
Jack Black too is surprising in the way he
changes his character within the movie.
They are all in theory playing characters
who are playing characters. This had
to be hard but they each make it seem
effortless and the comedy never suffers.
Plus, there is a must see performance in
this film by a certain, surprise actor that
will have you in tears.
Another thing that elevated this above
the normal mindless comedy is the effort
Stiller and crew made in their approach
to the writing and directing. There would
be scenes that were totally predictable.
You knew exactly what would happen
and could second guess the funny element before it occurred. And what you
expected happened. But they never failed
to add something that you didn’t expect
that took the scene to new heights of
humor. They did not settle for the norm
or sell out. They knew what we expected
and so they threw us a curve ball for
good measure. Giving a totally predictable
scene added surprise.
Tropic Thunder is rated R for pervasive
language including sexual references,
violent content and drug material. This
baby is at most times rude and raunchy.
They take the language and conversations
of normal Vietnam movies and escalate it.
Five guys in the jungle talk a certain way.
So if you are not comfortable with the F
word and the discussion of sexual preference and persuasions in the content of
comedy then you are going to be uncomfortable throughout. Granted I hate gratuitous elements of any type, but I felt like
they were making fun of the rudeness and
not taking it serious. For some reason this
made it more acceptable. But, regardless,
be aware it is there and in full force. You
have been warned. I was in the screening
with 60 year old women who were laughing at things that I thought would put them
in shock. But I feel like they caught the
rhythm of the film and just went with it.
Which you totally have to do. If you can’t,
this is not the film for you. I give Tropic
Thunder 4 out of 5 panda’s. It made me
laugh harder than any film in a long time.
Faris is one funny bunny!
orphan who has known no other life than
that of a playboy bunny. She has lived at
the mansion most of her life and when
she is booted out on her 27th birthday she
finds herself homeless with no job skills to
speak of. She takes a job as house mother
at the ZETA sorority; a small pledge group
of brainy, unpopular girls. It is there they
all learn a little something about themselves and each other. When the ZETA
House is threatened to be closed down due
to lack of new pledges, it is up to Shelley
to help them find a way to keep their sorority alive and stay a step ahead of their
snobbish sorority rivals.
Faris is hilarious and no one plays the
dumb, naïve blonde better. She is willing
to add screwball elements to her roles that
most actresses could never pull off. She
is part Will Ferrell, part Chevy Chase all
with the charm of Reese Witherspoon. She
takes the comedy moments to extreme and
what should be considered stupid humor
she makes work somehow. Emma Stone,
Kat Dennings, and American Idol alum
Katharine McPhee round out the nerdy
ensemble and create some pretty funny
characters. Colin Hanks plays one of the
few male roles as Shelley’s love interest,
Oliver. Hanks is following right in line
with his father and is perfect as the average guy next door romantic.
The relationship between Oliver and
Shelley is an interesting one in that it parallels nicely to the main lesson of the film.
While Shelley is trying to teach the other
girls to come out of their shells in order to
become popular she is finding that not all
guys, Oliver especially, are attracted to the
flirty, ditzy, bunny types. So they all have
to learn that it is what lies inside that matters and letting others see you for who you
really are is what counts. It is that balance
that makes for true personal attractiveness. Though the film does not demean
the blonde bombshell, it does show how
superficial that image really is. We are all
geeks on some level and once we learn
to accept that for who we are, we learn to
love ourselves and each other a lot more.
The House Bunny is rated PG-13 for
sex-related humor, partial nudity and brief
strong language. It is tame compared to
most teenage college films. Granted there
(mungleshow.com)
are several scenes and references to the
playboy mansion and that life style. The
nudity is a brief female backside and in no
way sexual in nature. I was impressed that
the guy/girl encounters are completely
innocent which was very refreshing for
this genre. As a fan of Faris and taking
into account the message this film offers
I have to give The House Bunny a very
positive 3.75 out of 5 cotton tails. Granted
the humor is not for everyone and might
seem sophomoric, but you can’t deny the
message is a much needed one in today’s
society. So hop on out and see it!
Reviews copyright 2008 Mungleshow
Productions. Used by Permission.
Matt is a member of the North Texas
Film Critics Association (NTFCA) and
hosts a daily online talk show along with
a weekend radio feature, The Mungles on
Movies, with his wife Cindy. For additional reviews, interview clips and great
DVD giveaways, visit the website www.
mungleshow.com
At first glance The House Bunny may
seem like another mindless, teen, college
romp for hormone raged adolescents to
drool over. And it is. But to be honest, it
offers much more below the surface. Written by the same two women who brought
us Legally Blonde, The House Bunny is
a comedy that shows that it is certainly
what’s inside that matters and everyone
has something good to offer. Add the zany
comedic talent of Anna Faris to the mix
and what you have is a laugh out loud
movie that pokes fun with out judging or
demeaning. Call it a female revenge of the
nerds if you like. I mean who doesn’t like
it when the geeks win!
Shelley Darlingson (Anna Faris) is an
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