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I recently spent an evening with a happy group at Tyler Grange. I met Christine Transue, a lovely young mother who knows many people and has friends among those who came to the frolic. I said frolic, an old-fashioned term. You'll get used to it. Some times the Tyler Grange has an audience of 100 people. This particular evening I saw about 50 people visiting with others, including me. I felt right at home. Christine Transue and her husband Jason have two sons. Caleb is 13 and...
The refusers say, “No,” to those who ask for their help. They kick cans along the road, leave papers and trash wherever they’ve walked. A battered can becomes their gift to a neighbor’s yard. This morning, while walking the street, Mack, saw a girl standing beside a car. He called out, “Hey, Justine, You joining the guys in the park this afternoon? “ Justine called back, “Hi, Mack, today I promised my brother I’d drive up the trail and take pictures of the river.” “Pictures of the river?” Mack asked. “What for?” “My broth...
Every year the Tyler Grange folks prepare an excellent dinner for friends, neighbors, relatives and hopeful people hungrily standing nearby. This year, on Oct. 24 at 6 p.m., the exciting time begins with the dinner, followed by a baked goods auction happily waiting for you to bid on a homemade treat. Does it make you hungry thinking about it? The Tyler Grange provides the dinner basics: A perfectly cooked turkey, mashed potatoes, gravy and green beans. We, as the guests, can decide on whatever we would like to bring: salads,...
My sister, Lorraine, and her boyfriend, Aaron, were arguing about my sister’s cat. They had been in the living room for about an hour while I was in another room ironing clothes and pretending I hadn’t heard their arguments. Lorraine’s voice was soft and pleading, “Aaron, please don’t kick Sir Catskill like that. He’s—” Aaron’s return remark showed his contempt, “What do you care? He’s just a thing always in the way.” Lorraine continued, “He’s my cat, not just a thing. I love him.” Aaron laughed, “He’s just a thing,...
It was Aug. 27, 2015, the day Gertrude Moe and I met. She had spent two days walking, not because she had to walk, but because she likes to walk. Gertrude is 93 years old. She uses electric trimmers (by hand) on the fast growing bushes near her house. Gertrude told me, "I use the trimmer twice a year. I get up at 8:30 and work until 10 a.m. I spend a lot of time working in the yard." She has a garden tractor and uses it often. Gertrude drives easily to Cheney and likes to...
She is dynamic, energetic, animated and very youthful. The United Methodist Church here in Cheney has a new pastor, and like a whirlwind blowing into town, pastor Alissa Bertsch Johnson arrived at the Cheney church one year ago and "hit the ground running," as she described it. She was able to make such a speedy and smooth transition into her new role as pastor because "there was such a strong core of lay leadership here, and they were all very supportive." She inherited a...
Porter Conner, a single man, had found the dog he wanted. It was a fine looking, happy Labrador who liked to receive Porter’s kind words and gentle scratches behind the ears. Porter named him Conner, a name he could easily remember. One day, men from the police department appeared. “We’re here, Porter, to ask you some questions. We want true answers.” Porter tried to smile but noticed the officers were not smiling. “What’s the problem, sir?” The officers stood, unwavering, “Several boys at the school who have been finishing...
Yes, Cheney has its own, genuine, real-life "Rosie the Riveter." Her name is Elaine Bower Lopes. Just as depicted in books, movies and magazine articles, she operated a riveter and other tools, working alongside the military personnel. To her, it was her way to contribute to the war effort during World War II. She was born in Montesano, Wash., but her family moved to Cheney when she was a child to be near her father's side of the family, the Bowers, who had a home on First...
Here's Lyle and Alice Polack. We sat down to talk one day and I found this couple have many things to tell. Lyle said, "I come from Michigan." He calls himself a transplant. He spent more than 22 years in the Air Force including time at Okinawa. On his way home he came to Fairchild and finally landed in our area. As he described it, "I came and have been here ever since." Lyle is not one to sit and let the world go by. Out of the Air Force, Lyle drove school buses, and worked...
Editor’s note: Luella Dow continues her story from last week of challenges faced in her youth. Even at my age I understood they didn’t like me. I’d go home again. I managed to gather the armful of school supplies I had brought to school and started down the road. I hadn’t gone 10 steps before I heard a blaring horn and a man’s voice, “Get off the road. You’re too little to be out here by yourself. I ain’t gonna be responsible for you.” I ran to the other side of the road. The man raced his car past me and left me in sheets...
This is the true story of some events that happened when I was very young. I grew up on my father’s dairy farm that was exactly one mile from the country school. My mother decided one mile was the perfect distance for me to walk to school, even though I was not yet old enough to be in first grade. She decided as well that one mile would use up a lot of my energy, which would be helpful for teachers and other children. I guess she meant they wouldn’t get too tired if I moved slower. My sister, several years older than I, had...
I was at the park with two of my friends one afternoon, when the voice of a mother echoed through the trees surrounding us. “Greg, you nuisance, get over here. I’m not keeping the food just for you.” A young boy, about 8 years old, who had been playing with a ball nearby, put it away and looked up at me. I was distracted by my departing friends who were waving goodbye and smiling at the boy. I watched them as they drove away. I turned around and the boy now stood close to me. He held onto the sleeve of my jacket. I said, “Oh,...
By LUELLA DOW Contributor “Luella, get that cat out of the house. I told you three times!” That was Mrs. Borgrim, my mother’s friend making my ears ring. She was keeping our home organized while my parents were at a meeting in another town. I sighed. There were two more days until Mrs. Borgrim could leave. She told all the neighbors she was “managing” the place. I guessed my name was on the list she had to manage. When she thought I couldn’t hear she told everybody, “That Mrs. Dow’s 6-year-old daughter is a real challenge....
I was walking about 20 minutes from my home on an early summer day. I could see the pond and the new goslings learning to swim behind their mothers. A car was edging close behind me. I didn’t look back. The neighbors on this country road always slowed their speed and waved as they drove by. I had a feeling that this car was not friendly. I moved toward the pond and grabbed hold of a small limb from a young tree. Why was I shaking? Why was my heart pounding? The car stopped beside me. The man leaned out his window. I yelled a...
On a quiet, residential street in the little town of Medical Lake is an art gallery. It was the scene of a real live art exhibit this past Saturday afternoon. The gallery belongs to Dennis Smith, a local ceramic artist who kindly offered his studio to Madilyn Lewan, the friendly and outgoing organizer of the exhibit. Lewan, along with two senior classmates at Medical Lake High School, chose to make their senior final project a showcase of their work. Lewan made it happen,...
Where do you find all the happy, friendly people you see in Cheney? Try Chryssee Pettit. Chryssee tells me she grew up in Reardan and Pomeroy. She said, "I always wanted to help people in the medical field. I wanted to help the patients to feel better and get the right care. In my junior and senior years of high school, I was in Running Start. After that, I went to both community colleges in Spokane and graduated. I did manicures and pedicures as a fallback on a medical...
Eloise, the new baby in the Holt family, was born in Spokane on June 16, 1929. As Eloise grew, school boundaries changed,too. Eloise spent grades 4-8 at Four Lakes, changed to Cheney Junior High (now Cheney Middle School) and finally Cheney High School. During those busy days Eloise worked on the school “Blackhawk” newsletter and the “Pine Cone” yearbook. She was active on the drill team as well. On June 19, 1947, the family said, “Eloise has found her one, true love.” Eloise and Jim Goodwin were married. They established a h...
Some people invite their pet cats into their homes. On a really cold night they give that cat a cozy spot at the foot of the bed. I belong to that tribe of do-gooders. People who don’t like cats never let themselves think of such a thing. We cat lovers usually get a lecture from the “non-thinkers” to remind us. My lecture would come that evening when frost was everywhere. I have two playful kittens that expect to be in the house any time they please. Then there is Omar, five years older, all black, bigger, stronger and treat...
Kirsten Bleeker is the daughter of Doug and Carolyn Bleeker who live in Chattaroy. She is my granddaughter. In August of last year, a plane took Kirsten to Iceland where she would see a country that she called beautiful, different and unique. As an exchange student, Kirsten left the halls of Whitworth University to spend one fall semester at the University of Iceland. Kirsten and the other young people would occupy a dorm for one semester. There were plenty of opportunities...
When I first met Bonita Brady, who calls herself Bonnie, I caught a glimpse of a few of my own traits. Then I realized nobody ever catches up with Bonnie. Brady told me she was born in Chicago. Her father was an electrician. I soon understood that being born in a certain place didn’t mean she would stay there very long. “I’ve been on both coasts,” she said. As Brady grew up she decided to try college and found a hard set of rules. If you’re going to college you will take algebra. Brady said, “No.” College said, “Yes.” Well,...
Carrie Low said, "When I met Floyd I was 17. Floyd was a senior in high school. He was the only one in his family to graduate from high school. He was determined to get acquainted with me. He found my address. A month after we met he said to me, 'Pick a ring you'd like to have.' It was the first of March. We were married in December." As time went by Floyd and Carrie's family grew. Carrie loved to name each one as they joined the family. "First came Phillip, then Carol,...
I have gathered these quotes which make me smile. I have not intended to insult or besmirch those who innocently caused the smile. Listen carefully. An important person who often roams the hallways of Cheney’s prestigious farming establishments recently said, “including the red pepper, (a recent breed of fly), Cheney has the best crime rate in saving the “yellow jacket” from Cheney’s population. Don’t all-important people roam the hallways of Cheney’s prestigious farming establishments? A busy ROTC instructor who decides w...
My friend Cally, sat in the chair and spread her arms, “I’ve had this idea for many months, Luella but I’ve never been able to get anybody interested in buying my lovely greeting cards. They’re just there, day after day and nothing happens.” “Just do it,” I said. Cally frowned at me, “What do you mean, ‘just do it?’” I repeated, “Just do it, Cally.” Cally sent me another frown, “I know you Luella, and you expect everything to be peachy keen.” I wanted to stir her up. My voice turned a little crisp. “I’ve never told you b...
Nobody cares when Joey drops the bat and the ball rolls across his toes onto third base. Nobody cares when half the kids are sharing sandwiches and not one of them ever says, “C’mon Joey, come eat with us.” Nobody cares when the popular kids make all the decisions for next week. Why do they stand in front of me so I can’t see what they’re doing, Joey thinks to himself? Why do they never talk to me? I know. I have always known. It’s because I can’t hit a baseball, can’t throw a softball, can’t even land a snowball on the i...
When Bob Williams was just 9 years old his parents brought him from California to Kennewick. After a time, they came to Cheney. He said, "I started my business in body work in Cheney and I never quit..." Bob proved he truly liked cars. He attended an international Grande Finale in Las Vegas. His car was one of 50 chosen from 2,200 that competed throughout the year. His 1969 black Corvette won Class Championship, Custom Full Sport and was best sports car in the Grande Finale...
