Our Yesterdays

A card shower is being held in honor of the 50th wedding anniversary of Richard and Baja Hogan of Richland. Baja Cary and Richard Hogan were married June 27, 1953 at the Christian Church in Fairfield with Reverend Sam P. Williamson officiating. The couple has three children: Connie Hogan of Waverly, Debra (Dale) Walker of Thornburg, and Chris (Renee) Hogan of Springdale. They have five grandchildren and five great-grandchildren.

Joe and Janine (Gardener) Smith of Des Moines are the parents of a son, Reece William, born May 1, 2003. He weighted nine pounds, five ounces and was 21 inches long. He has a brother, Adam, to welcome him home. Local grandparents are Avon and Darlene Gardener of Hedrick.

Sixty-two descendants of Charles B and Amanda Morgan held their annual reunion at the Rubio Community Building in Rubio on Father’s Day, June 15.

A retirement party for Wilbur and Vivian Morfitt was held Saturday evening, June 7, at the Richland United Methodist Church Fellowship Hall. The Hall was filled with well over 150 people for the potluck supper at 6 p.m. followed by entertainment.

Eugene and Nancy Kessel of Ollie will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary with an open house at Mother Cabrini Catholic Church Parish Hall in Richland from 2-4 p.m. on Sunday, June 22, 2003. Eugene and Nancy were married Jan. 10, 1953 at Mother Cabrini in Richland. Their family includes Brenda and Al Schultz; Glenda and Tom Widmer; Terry and Jerry Miller; Gary and Kaye Kessel; and Jody and Rob Pontious. The couple also has eight grandchildren.

Twenty-five years ago — June, 1998

Scott and Julie Swanson of Batavia are the parents of a son, Joel Scott, born June 24, 1998 at the Henry County Medical Center in Mount Pleasant. He weighed eight pounds, three ounces. Grandparents are Dick and Jo Swanson of Ollie, Wilmer Jorgenson of Osage, and Sharel Jorgenson, also of Osage.

Mary Jo Sobaski Gruneich, former Richland resident, was honored Friday, May 8, as one of twenty-six Quad City Golden Apple recipients for her job in educating students. Mary Jo Gruneich has been a teacher in the Pleasant Valley School District for two years. Prior to this, she has taught in three other school districts. Mary Jo was surprised when her mother, Eleanor Sobaski of Richland, and all three of her sisters attended the event.

Roger Winn has received a new heart. The surgery was done June 18 at the St. Francis hospital in Peoria, Illinois. Bill and Helen Blake, Lyle and Geneva Winn of Sigourney left Wednesday night to be with Beverly during the surgery. They were present when the helicopter brought the new heart for Roger in an Igloo cooler. Report is he is doing okay and will probably be out of ICU Monday if all goes well.