Elk & Deer Spring Grazing In SW Colorado

Well! Spring must be here! Herds of elk and deer are grazing once again in our pastures.

Herds of Elk and Deer have been coming down to the valley pastures and eating the newly growing green grass that has been popping its shoots up through the moist earth after the heavy duty melting we have been having around here the last couple of weeks.

These digital shots were taken around 7:00 p.m. a couple of nights ago, in our lower pasture in Southwest Colorado Valley. I counted approximately 16 to 17 Elk grazing in this one pasture. There have been a mixture of elk and deer in both our pastures during the early dusk hours ... all this week.
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About The NW Okie

This is for those of you who have just recently joined us here or want to know more about the NW Okie, editor & publisher of The OkieLegacy. Who is that lady collecting Okie Legacies? AND... Why? You can read a short "bio" about me over at my ParisTimes Genealogy site.

It was 60 years ago, 11:35a.m., Alva General Hospital, a third (3rd) daughter was born to Vada Eileen (Paris) McGill (31 years) and Gene M. McGill (33 years). Linda Kay was a Winter baby weighing in at 6lbs-10oz. Her parents arrived just in the neck of time on that February, 1948 morning, at the Alva General hospital with 1-1/2 hrs to spare before Li'l Linda's arrival. My sister Dorthy gave me my name.

My Father... Gene McGill, was a flying farmer, bearded custom harvestor in the 1940's and a Democratic State Chairman in the 1960's.

Gene McGill was born December, 1914 and died June, 1986 on Father's Day. He was the oldest son of William Jacob McGill and Constance Estella (Warwick) McGill. Gene had a younger brother, Robert "Bob" McGill, that was born August, 1916 and died February 1954. My father got his pharmacist degree from OU in 1937.

My Mother... This photo taken of my mother, Vada Eileen Paris, was her high school graduation photo taken when she was 18 years of age.

Vada Paris was born November 11, 1916 and died July, 1992. She was the fourth child and oldest daughter of Ernest Claude Paris and Mary Barbara Hurt from around Chester (Tailholt), Oklahoma, Major County. Vada had six brothers and two sisters. I think only Uncle Sammy is alive, living in Sand Point, Idaho today. Vada was a homemaker who went back to school in the early fifties to get her teaching degree in Home Economics from Northwestern State Teachers College.

My Sisters & Me... This is a 1955 photo of two of my sisters and Me, in the backyard of 703 7th Street, Alva, OK. The photo shows Linda, Dorthy, and Amber perched on a picnic table in the backyard, of 703 7th Street, Alva, Oklahoma. The oldest sister (Connie Jean) is NOT pictured -- and not quite sure why?

Sweet Li'l Linda Kay was raised one of two middle daughters of the four McGill Sisters in the Gene & Vada Paris McGill family.

My life began sixty years ago, as one of the Baby Boomers and raised as a Democrat, in a Small, Rural Community located in Woods County in the NW Corner of Oklahoma.

My Schooling began at Horace Mann Elementary in Kindergarten and progressed thru Washington Elementary, Alva Jr. High, Alva High. I hated the little snobby, elite, cliques that formed during the Jr. High and High School years. I chose not to belong to any of them. I finished my college education at Northwestern State College in 1971 with a BA Degree in Art & Sociology.

A 1969 Mid-Summer, July Wedding united David M. Wagner & Linda Kay McGill after a year courtship during our time at Northwestern State College (NSC). In the Early-Fall of 1970 our oldest Son, Michael, started our family while we were living, working, and finishing College at NSC in Alva, Oklahoma. (It was back in the mid 1960's during the days of the Viet Nam War, Peace, Love, and Hippies.. [Although, I never was a Hippie.]

In the Early-Summer (June) of 1973 David, Linda and son (Michael) were blessed with their second son, Robert. David was working for Kerr-MaGee Research & Engineering in OKC -- we were living in Edmond, OK, USA. In (or about 1975) David got a job with Exxon Engineering, Baytown, TX and the four of us became Texas-Okies for five or six years before we moved back to Alva, OK about 1980.

I love to listen to music of the "'40's" and "Rock-n-Roll Oldies" of the 50's, 60's, 70's! I also like a little of the "Classical, Jazz, Blues, Soul and Country!" One of my favorite Radio stations back in my earlier childhood was KOMA. You could find this transistor sister walking around Alva with her transistor radio tuned to KOMA radio station.
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Odds, Ends & Happy Easter

Does anyone (especially, Northwest Oklahomans) remember the Alva, Oklahoma bull fights that were held in the late 1940's and 1950's, at the rodeo arena located where the Panhandle Eastern's office building now sets on the west edge of Alva?

"Kenner" (Ken Greer, Sheriff of Woods County at the time) shut the bull-fight down, because bull-fighting was illegal in Oklahoma.

As to SW Colorado's gas prices, they have been hanging around $3.35.9 for the last week or so. What is it doing in your neck of the woods?

We have been doing a lot of packing lately. We have three months to pack, move and find another place here in SW Colorado. Our landlord is retiring and selling this place.

With the recession that Bush's cabinet has brought us into, it is scary to think about borrowing money and taking on a mortgage at this time in our life.

So... Will we move back to Northwest Oklahoma or find another place to rent for ourselves, horses and dogs here in SW Colorado? Wait and see!

Happy Spring & Easter!
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Easter In Oklahoma

We are in the process of taking down Kenneth Updike's stories and ramblings of "Growing Up In Oklahoma" because Kenneth asked us, "To remove all of my previous writings to you about my Ramblins. Personal stories that I told you and your readers. My Son has had all of my writings, and notes copyrighted so that we can put them in a book or booklet. His idea. I really have no objections to this, but he insists we can be viewed by more people. I leave it up to him. Thanks for your help in the past, and I still read your Okie Legacy nearly every week."

If you find some of Kenneth's Ramblings that I have missed, Please email me the link with Vol. and Iss. numbers so that this NW Okie can remove them. Thanks for your help!
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John Marshall Grad of '50

"I graduated in 1950 (last class to graduate as a BHS student, and first class to graduate from the (then) new John Marshall. As a senior, I helped move much of the equipment and books, etc. to the 'new' school where we graduated in the gym later that year. My mom (R. Marian Lewis / Kendrick) graduated from BHS in 1930 and her uncle (J.L.Lewis) graduated from BHS in 1917.

In the mid-1940s my family purchased the house that the Lewis family (W. Orville, J. L., Herbert, and their dad Wm. Michael) had built at 1129 W. Britton Avenue and we lived there while my brothers Ray, Allan, and I were growing up. We added a business building to the front of the house and operated Kendrick Grocery there until the early '50s when the supermarkets began putting the small "family owned" stores out of business.

That location is now part of the Baptist Church parking lot. Our neighbors next door were the Howard Johnston family. The Johnston daughters, June and Mary Jo had graduated from BHS, and the younger boys, Steve and Stan graduated from JMHS.

Howard Johnston had merged his Britton Telephone Exchange (he'd created it in early days) with South-Western Bell, and had gone to work for them as a line-chief. His older telephones were scattered around our neighborhood and used by the youngsters as our personal communications network with the switchboard installed in Steve and Stan's bedroom.When Bell Telephone invented the transistor and used it to miniaturize a hearing aid, Howard Johnston was one of the first to receive one for testing (he was hard of hearing). At that time, the receiver was about the size of a transistor radio with a wire leading to the small speaker that was worn like a headphone over the ear.

Mom's sister (Margaret Lewis / Basey) also graduated from BHS and was later a librarian-teacher in the Britton area. One of my classmates (George Chapman) was high-school principal in later years." - Roy Kendrick - Email: roykendrick@oklahomahistory.net
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Great Durango Cam

"Hey, I like that cam of downtown Durango! I was wondering why those cones. I thought boy, they sure have streets different up there. And then your cam is great too. I guess you like your vivotech? -- Butch

[Editor's Note: The The Eye On Durango Cam is aimed at the 800 block on Main Street, where three businesses burned during this winter snow. That is why the traffic is blocked with the little cone markers on the other side of the street.]
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When Irish Eyes Are Smiling

Here's a little Irish midi with the words so you Irish descendants can sing along:
When Irish Eyes Are Smiling
There's a tear in your eye,
And I'm wondering why,
For it never should be there at all.
With such pow'r in your smile,
Sure a stone you'd beguile,
So there's never a teardrop should fall.
When your sweet lilting laughter's
Like some fairy song,
And your eyes twinkle bright as can be;
You should laugh all the while
And all other times smile,
And now, smile a smile for me.

When Irish eyes are smiling,
Sure, 'tis like the morn in Spring.
In the lilt of Irish laughter
You can hear the angels sing.
When Irish hearts are happy,
All the world seems bright and gay.
And when Irish eyes are smiling,
Sure, they steal your heart away.

For your smile is a part
Of the love in your heart,
And it makes even sunshine more bright.
Like the linnet's sweet song,
Crooning all the day long,
Comes your laughter and light.
For the springtime of life
Is the sweetest of all
There is ne'er a real care or regret;
And while springtime is ours
Throughout all of youth's hours,
Let us smile each chance we get.

When Irish eyes are smiling,
Sure, 'tis like the morn in Spring.
In the lilt of Irish laughter
You can hear the angels sing.
When Irish hearts are happy,
All the world seems bright and gay.
And when Irish eyes are smiling,
Sure, they steal your heart away.

Here's a LINK to some Irish MIDI files that I think you will feel like getting up and doing the Irish jig - Irish Midi Music.
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Alva High Class of '83

"Class of '83, but left in '81. Been in the AF for the past 19+ years and am now in Louisiana. Would love to hear from any of you out there that remember me." -- Ginger A Thornburgh (Reid) - Email: ocu_mom_of_4@yahoo.com
Goldbug Guestbook and Goldbug Reunion 2000 View/Write Comments (count 0)   |   Receive updates (0 subscribers)  |   Unsubscribe

Alva Review Courier Back Issues

"The Alva Review Courier no longer keeps their back issues on file. All of their old paper files are now in the possession of the Oklahoma Historical Society with the purpose being to store them electronically. I don't know if there will ever be a web site for them or not. The last time I tried to find something on file locally, I tried at the paper office a few years ago and that's how I found out that they no longer had them. So I went to the Alva City Library where they had quite a number of the old back issue books on file, only to be told they had given them to NWOSU. When I tried at NWOSU, they said they had been sent to the Oklahoma Historical Society. So I came full circle back to zero." -- Jim
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Bull Fights of Alva, OK

"A little known fact about Alva that I think folks would find interesting. You may have published this information yourself or included a contributor's recollection in an earlier e-zine, if so disregard, but if not you might ask your readers if they remember the Alva bull-fights.

My grandparents, Lee and Gracie Wagner, lived on Ridgeway Road (only a RR at the time) about a quarter of a mile north of highway 64. The rodeo arena was located where Panhandle Eastern's office building now sets. The years--late 40`s early 50`s. Grandmother Wagner was a huge rodeo fan, being raised on her parents ranch/farm five miles west of Avard, the second oldest of a family with 10 boys. The Greer family broke and trained a lot of horses, so Gracie came by a love for the sport early.

While staying with my grandparents one afternoon Gracie mentioned that there was going to be a bull-fight that afternoon. Not knowing what a bull-fight was I climbed a tall cedar and could barely see what I believed to be the event. I remember dust mostly and seeing someone close to the bull kicking up the dust, but not much more. Later Granny, as I called her, said that Kenner shut the bull-fight down, Kenner (Ken Greer) was one of her brothers and sheriff of Woods County at the time, because bull-fighting was illegal in Oklahoma.

I would like to know if there are others that might recall more specific information, such as how many occured, how often, who sponsored the event??" -- Marvin W.
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Pinkerton Springs, Animas Valley & Animas City, CO

"I would love to know the background that you have. Just anything. I would be so pleased to receive. I have been searching for 30 years. So maybe I have a connection for you as well." -- Annetta Pinkerton Grossman - Email: grnannetta@yahoo.com - OkieLegacy Comment
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Bataan Death March Memorial - WWII

"The numbers of World War II veterans is dwindling rapidly, and their heroics deserve to be remembered. One group is being remembered next weekend, March 30, 2008. They are known as The Battling Bastards of Bataan. No Mama, No Papa, No Uncle Sam."

This event is a remembrance of the April 10, 1942, Bataan Death March. For anyone who is unfamiliar with this, the Bataan story, a google search will produce quite a bit of information. There have been movies chronicling the events of Bataan, the most recent was a movie released in 2005, The Great Raid, which told the story of a raid to free some of the prisoners from one of the labor camps. bataanmarch.com and history.sandiego.edu.

While I am not certain just how many survivors of the Death March are still living, I have been privileged to know two of the only three surviving members who are still living in Dona Ana County. The one who has become the closest acquaintance is Weldon Hamilton, originally from the Salina, Kansas area. He is one of the most remarkable men I have ever known, and I feel fortunate to have had him pass thru my life.

One of my other acquaintances who has been very instrumental in the annual memorial event, is the son of a prisoner who was killed on one of the hell ships which transported prisoners to slave labor camps in Japan.

While this may not really be in the vein of your weekly ezine, a mention would be appreciated." -- Marvin Henry - Email: nmfigment@yahoo.com
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Oklahoma, Colorado, Utah & Other Webcams

Here are some directory and webcam sites of Oklahoma, Colorado, Utah & Others. If you have any webcam sites you would like to share, please send me a link to share with everyone out there."

Colorado/Utah Webcams/Cams
Eye On Cortez, CO
Oklahoma Live Web Cam Directory
Colorado Live Web Cam Directory
Pagosa Springs, CO Cam
New Mexico Cam directory
NY Times Square Cam
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Okielegacy Guestbook

3/19/2008 - Castle on the Hill... "Among items purchased at an Estate Sale, there was a Castle on the Hill 1897-1935 Plate. If this is of value to someone, please let me know, and I will be glad to sell and ship it to you. (I am from Omaha, Nebraska, originally, and own a home furnishings, antiques and collectibles store in the Phoenix, AZ area). Thank you." -- Suzanne Davis - Email: suzannet3@cox.net

3/18/2008 Foraker, OK Cemetery... "I have read all the guest book and enjoyed it. I am still looking for some one who knows of A burial plat of the Foraker, OK. cemetery. please, please, please." -- Ben Fowler

3/17/2008 - Pryor POW Camp... "I live on the same property, My Apartment Owner owns 108 acres of the same property. It has bunkers, towers, and foundations still on the property. Would Like to know more about this camp." -- Terry Tate - Email: terrygtate@yahoo.com

3/12/2008 - Kids Home (Carmen, OK Orphanage)... "My two brothers and sisters were in the home from in 1953 to around 1955 when it close we then moved into town and lived with Goldie Stebens." -- RICK MENEFEE - Email: rrrr_outdoorrick@yahoo.com
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WWII - Palawan Massacre

" The Palawan Massacre -- Fearing prisoners of war would be recaptured by the advancing allies, the Japanese herded the remaining 150 men at Palawan Camp (Philippines) into three covered trenches on 14 December 1944. The trenches were then set afire, and as prisoners tried to escape the flames they were shot down. Some escaped by going over a cliff that ran along one side of the trenches, but were later hunted down and killed. Only 11 escaped the slaughter, including Pvt. Alberto Pacheco of the 200th. It is believed that among the dead were four other members of the 200th: Pvt. Jos. E. T. Mascarenas; Pvt. Trinidad F. Otero; Sgt. Henry F. Scally; Sgt. Charles A. Schubert.; Pvt. Alberto Pacheco..." -- Batan Death March - Palawan Massacre - Remember Our Fallen
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WWII - Bataan Death March

The Death March of Bataan) took place in the Philippines in 1942 and was later accounted as a Japanese war crime. The 60-mile (97 km) march occurred after the three-month Battle of Bataan, part of the Battle of the Philippines (1941-42), during World War II. The march, involving the forcible transfer of 90,000 to 100,000 American and Filipino prisoners of war[1] captured by the Japanese in the Philippines from the Bataan peninsula to prison camps, was characterized by wide-ranging physical abuse, murder, savagery, and resulted in very high fatalities inflicted upon the prisoners and civilians along the route by the armed forces of the Empire of Japan. Beheadings, cut throats and being casually shot were the more common and merciful actions - compared to bayonet stabbings, rapes, guttings (disembowelments), numerous rifle butt beatings and a deliberate refusal to allow the prisoners food or water while keeping them continually marching for nearly a week (for the slowest survivors) in tropical heat. Falling down, unable to continue moving was tantamount to a death sentence, as was any degree of protest or expression of displeasure......" -- Bataan Death March (WWII) - Other Links: Back to Bataan - a Survivor's Story
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