By Charles Christian I think most of us could set aside one minute to make a list of the most influential people in our lives. Go ahead and try it. The list would probably include relatives, teachers, close friends and maybe even co-workers. Most or all of these people likely would not be famous in
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Bill and Virginia (Hess) Stull will celebrate 76 years of marriage on July 3, 2024. Their lifelong journey began in 1948. Their children are Thomas William, Virginia Sue Frump, Deb Marie and Lori Ann Bassett, all live in Elwood, Kansas. We say that we have one of the BEST families in the entire Great U.S.A.!!!!
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Our mother, Sandie (Dowdy) Hale, is turning 80 years young on June 29, 2024. She will be spending a quiet birthday with her children, Jeff (Irene) and Tammi. Birthday wishes may be sent to: 3017 Messanie St., St. Joseph, MO 64501
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By Charles Christian My sister-in-law gave me a small painting from the monks of Conception Abbey featuring Jesus asleep on a boat filled with anxious disciples in the middle of a storm. The depiction is taken from a story in the Gospel of Mark. Jesus tells his disciples, most of whom are fishermen, to get
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Marsha (Limb) West is turning 70 on June 23, 2024. She was born in Maysville, Missouri, on June 23, 1954. Marsha married Walker Owen West on Sept. 2, 1977. Their children are Matt Arnold, of Maysville, Becky West, of St. Joseph, and Valerie (Bill) Williamson, of Gladstone, Missouri. Marsha has four grandchildren, Taylor Browning, Jayden
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James Kitrick Akard was born on June 28, 1949, in Fayette, Missouri, to Charles and Kathryn (Read) Akard. He married Elizabeth (Ashmore) Akard on June 30, 1973. Mr. Akard retired from the St. Joseph School District after 30 years of service. He held both administrative and teaching positions during his tenure. Mr. Akard began his
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By Charles Christian Like many people, I was raised to avoid certain “four-letter words.” I will certainly not list those words here, since they are so well-known. However, there are at least two four-letter words that we should not avoid, yet too often we do. The first word is “help.” It is hard for many
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By Ashley Luthans While mental health can create struggles and be a difficult topic for anyone to discuss, this is especially true for men, who have a suicide rate that is four times higher than women, statistics show. June is Men’s Mental Health Awareness Month, and the National Institute for Mental Health found that along
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Martha Canchola, 84, became the great-great-grandmother of Jaxtyn Allen Monroe on May 10, 2024, making this family a Five Generation family! Jaxtyn’s parents are Mikayla Canchola-Monroe and Steven Monroe, both of St Joseph.
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By Charles Christian Some people are intimidated by reading the Bible. They are afraid it will be filled with lists of laws and prohibitions or Shakespeare-like declarations in words too difficult to understand. The good news is that the Bible most often conveys its message through the use of stories. While there are lists, laws
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Keith and Jeanette Marriott are celebrating their 50th wedding anniversary on June 15, 2024. They were married on that date in 1974. Cards may be sent to them at 3410 Melwood Ave., St. Joseph, MO 64506.
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D. R. and Donna Tritten, of Union Star, Missouri, will observe their 70th wedding anniversary on Wednesday, June 12, 2024. They were married at the Union Star United Methodist Church on that date in 1954. Their living sons are Mike (Shannon) and Randy (Becky) Tritten, of Union Star, and one son, Steven, is deceased. They
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Ronald and Kay Cluts will celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary on June 12, 2024. They were married at the First Baptist Church of Shawnee, in Shawnee, Kansas, on June 12, 1964. Their children are Damon (Staci), Ryan (Lori), and Chad (Kelli). They have eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. Cards may be sent to them at
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Eldon and Garnet (Farquhar) Mead are celebrating their 60th anniversary on June 13, 2024. They were married on that date in 1964 in Nebraska City, Nebraska. They have three children, Letha Mead, Lanell Kondratenko (Yev), Calvin Mead (Nadine); eight grandchildren; and one great-grandchild. Eldon worked for St. Joseph Light & Power Co. Cards may be
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By Charles Christian There’s usually at least one. Sometimes they rotate. It seems that at least one person in our lives — whether they be people at work, neighbors or even family members — who consistently get under our skin. For some, it is unintentional. There are just people who don’t connect with us, at
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By NewsPress Now (StatePoint) The threat of a home fire is greater than most people think. In fact, 40% of people believe they are more likely to win the lottery or get struck by lightning than experience a home fire, yet residential fires are the most common disaster people face in the United States, according
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By NewsPress Now (StatePoint) What if there was a way to reduce waste, create economic opportunities and improve global health? Thanks to social enterprise Sneaker Impact, and its partners like Rack Room Shoes, now there is. Here’s how it works: Anyone can recycle their gently used sneakers at any Rack Room Shoes location by simply
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By Kendra Simpson Community Missions celebrated the end of Mental Health Awareness Month with a free pancake breakfast complete with coffee, oatmeal and an inspirational message. The organization wanted to help St. Joseph’s homeless residents by providing a warm meal and a conversation about their mental health. “If we can’t fix mental health, there’s a
Continue ReadingHappy Birthday to our mom, Norma Lavon Cordonnier! Norma was born on June 8, 1920. Cards may be sent to her at: Norma Lavon Cordonnier, Belle View Care Center, 1616 Weisenborn Rd. Room #109, St. Joseph, MO 64507-2527.
Continue ReadingOmer Ashler will turn 95 on June 10, 2024. He was born near Clarksdale, Missouri, on June 10, 1929. Omer graduated from Union Star, Missouri, High School, class of 1947, He married Mary Pauline Holaday on Sept. 20, 1951. They were married almost 67 years when she passed away on June 30, 2018. He served
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Carl and Barbara Landes are celebrating their 65th wedding anniversary on June 3, 2024. They were married in Jameson, Missouri, on June 3, 1959. Their children are Cindy Robinson (Newton Jr.), of Woodbridge, Virginia, Donna Corbin (Mitchell), of Mound City, Missouri, and Janet Killin (deceased). They have seven grandchildren and seven great-grandchildren. Cards may be
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By Charles Christian Fear makes us do things we normally would not. While fear is a motivator, it is ultimately the weakest of them. When people are afraid, they may make short-term changes to their behavior. However, studies tell us that fear-based changes don’t last. No wonder the Bible is filled with reminders not to
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By Kyle Schmidt Stepping out of the workplace and onto a beach — or even just into a pair of slippers — can help refresh your headspace and improve your mental health. Drew Fisher, a counselor with Fisher Counseling Services, spoke about the importance of taking breaks for self-care and vacations when possible. “Just life
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Chuck and Joan Kempf will celebrate their 65th wedding anniversary and June 6, 2024. They were married on June 6, 1959, in St. Joseph. They have two children, two grandchildren, and one great-granddaughter. Stop by and congratulate Chuck and Joan! Their reception will be at the Fairview Golf Course Banquet Room from 1 to 3
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Roger and Connie (Miller) Heard will celebrate their 50th wedding anniversary on Saturday, June 1, 2024. They were married on June 1, 1974, at Wyatt Park Christian Church, in St. Joseph, by the Rev. William B. Malotte. They have three children, Adam Lyndon Heard (deceased), Katie Heard Schweder (Clint), and Lane Heard (Janna), of Clearwater,
Continue ReadingBy Charles Christian Memorial Day, as its title suggests, is specifically about remembering. All holidays have something to do with this, but Memorial Day has “memory” in its title. The holiday started after the Civil War, in 1868. It was originally called “Decoration Day,” because the graves of the many soldiers who died were decorated
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By Kyle Schmidt When a child is abused, whether it be physical, sexual or emotional, it’s up to the community to provide resources to help them navigate the trauma. “We like to say kids are resilient,” said Melissa Birdsell, executive director at Voices of Courage Child Advocacy Center. “I like to say kids are resilient
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By NewsPress Now (StatePoint) Firearm violence has become the leading killer of children and young adults under 24, surpassing deaths from vehicle collisions since 2017. And while daily headlines emphasize news of mass shootings, most firearms-related deaths and injuries are preventable and occur in a familiar place — at home. June is National Gun Violence
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By NewsPress Now (StatePoint) Often separated from loved ones while training or deployed to remote locations around the world, from South Korea to Germany to bases across the United States, service members and their families make sacrifices every day. One way that military supporters can demonstrate to service men and women that they have their
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Shirley will be celebrating her 90th birthday on May 18, 2024. Shirley was born on that date in 1934 in St. Joseph, where she has spent her entire life. Shirley has five children and their spouses, four bonus children and their spouses, and a plethora of grandchildren, great-grandchildren and a brand new great-great-grandson. We will
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