bmonthly May 2025

May 2025

MAY 2025 | bmonthly

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1415 SE Washington Blvd., Bartlesville, OK 74006 918-333-0380

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Ignite Adams PARC Announces Partnership with Specialty Providers At Ignite Adams PARC, our team partners with renowned local providers to provide worldclass therapy treatments and technology to get our patients active and back to their lives as soon as possible. Specialty services and programs include treatment and recovery plans in Orthopedic Rehabilitation, Stroke Recovery, Cardiac Care, Pulmonary Rehab, Wound Care & Infection Management, Renal Disease and Palliative Care.

We are pleased to introduce the exceptionally trained and highly skilled team of medical professionals who provide a continuum of care for our guests as they transition from the acute hospital setting to Ignite Adams PARC for their post-acute rehabilitation. Our newest partnership with these providers will allow for Ignite Adams PARC to continue to be at the forefront of healthcare as this esteemed team provides daily and weekly support to our clinical and therapy team to guide our guests’ recovery and treatment plans.

Dr. Robyn Lovitt-Fry, MD Medical Director

Samantha Nunn, APRN-CNP NP to Medical Director

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Travis Buchanan, PA-C Pain Management Specialist

Tyler Woods, APRN-CNP, CWS Wound Specialist

Rebecca Rhone, APRN-CNP, CWS Wound Specialist

Thomas Loafman, APRN-CNP Cardiology Specialist

MAY 2025 | bmonthly

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WHAT’S INSIDE

what’s inside...

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Upfront

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Profile: John Donoghue

...And His Time as a Tuskagee Airman 47 Looking Back: Sue Smith Northern Washington County History Hero

12 Feature: The Day the World Changed 22 Feature Sponsor Story: Ramona’s Gene Crabtree

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Unsung Heroes: Charles Leroy Sanders

Helping Hands: CPR Heroes

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Kids Calendar

Good Samaritan Helps Save Man at Lowes

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Chick-fil-A Events Calendar

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A Good Word: Gracefest on the Green

Launching Bold New Career Pathways

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Now You Know: 12 Summers of Shangri-La

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Funny You Should Ask: Is it Time to Surrender?

The History of Rabbit Ears Lodge

59

A Fresh Perspective: Mosquito Dancers &

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Out & About: Photos From Around Town

Fire Halls

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Woolaroc Centennial: A 100 Years of Woolaroc

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B the Light Update: A Generation on Fire

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Business Spotlight: A Rebirth

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Arts & Entertainment: Sizzlin’ Summer Series

The Return of Legendary Keepsake Candles

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Let Freedom Ring: Washington National

41

Monument

Calling to the Good: Jody Nix...

Education: Tri County Tech

See Him at the Pawhuska Wesern Swing Festival

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bmonthly | MAY 2025

FEBRUARY 2025 MAY 2025

upfront

Welcome to May friends! Each May we celebrate and remember Memorial Day. This is a very special month for us.

Since we started 8 years ago, we have always dedicated this issue to all the men and women who stand guard each day for this country for us to be free. Most importantly it’s to remember the men and women who gave all for this country.

Some gave some and some gave all.

Since the Revolutionary War and all the wars America has been involved in, we have lost over 2,852,0000 soldiers. Men and women…sons, daughters, brothers, sisters, aunts, and uncles. Almost three million gave all to this country. During WW2 we lost 291,000 soliders…young men some under the age of 18 year old. These young men believed in freedom and sacrificed all because they wanted to defend this great country. Young men stormed the beaches of Normandy and watched the waters turn red. They fought and won that battle to finally win the war against Germany. Our own devastating war…the Civil War…had brothers killing each other and families torn apart because of slavery. Shame on us is what I say! Over 655,000 lives were lost from the Civil War alone.

Debbie Neece, our History Queen, wrote an incredible story about a young man from Bartlesville who fought in the Vietnam War. She describes what he saw and shares the pictures he took during his incredible time of bravery and service. I believe it’s one of the best feature stories we have published. I love this cover. When Matt and I were looking for that one picture that would tell the story, we found this one - The Vietnam Memorial Wall. We lost over 58,000 lives for a war we should have never been in. We had 5 different presidents involved in this war. That is what is hard to believe…WHY? What did we achieve?…a wall with names on it in Washington DC. I do love the “b” on the cover as the American flag. This is the first time we have made our “b” like this not just a solid color.

In this month’s issue I write about Gracefest 2025, which is our 5th Gracefest.

As you will read in the Good word, I write how one day Christy

UPFRONT

and I were in our former office at the Price Tower just working. I was juggling baseballs like I always did looking out at our beautiful downtown. I often did this to get ideas, inspirations about stories, and create how the cover would look.

While Christy and I were in the office, I just heard a voice that said do a concert in my honor…for what I have done for you. You might call me crazy, but just as I’m writing this, it was real! That is how Gracefest came about. This is a Christian concert on the green space for FREE and always on Mother’s Day weekend. We had never done anything as big as this and never put together a concert. We called Val at the Community Center, and she gave us the name of a promoter named Jim in Nashville. We called the next day and ended up with Christian star Rhett Walker as our first artist. There were over a thousand people who came out. For the first two years our goal was to bring people to Jesus and raise money for The Journey Home which we totally support and still do today.

The first 2 years we raised $10,000 each year for The Journey Home. By the third Gracefest we had started B the Light Mission. Now all proceeds go to the mission, which is about 4 to 6 weeks from being open 24/7 for our homeless friends.

This year we have Ryan Stevenson who has over 7 top 10 hits in Christian radio.

His biggest hit is “In the Eye of the Storm”!

It will be May 10th at Unity Square starting at 5:30pm with some incredible talent.

Ryan will take the stage around 6:30pm for a night to remember.

After four years we know of over 40 people who have given their lives to Jesus. It doesn’t matter to us if we raise $3 or $3,000 of our goal of $10,000 for the mission. It is about the people who have changed their lives just as Jesus has changed ours through our testimony that I write about in the magazine and videos we have shared. We do this so we may be able to give hope to all those who are hopeless, lost, lonely, and feel unloved. Please join us Saturday, May 10th for a night of family, fun, food and fellowship!

God bless, Keith

Volume XVI Issue V

Bartlesville Monthly Magazine is published by

ENGEL PUBLISHING

New office located in the B the Light Mission 219 North Virginia Avenue, Bartlesville, Oklahoma 74003

www.bartlesvillemonthly.com facebook.com/bartlesvillemonthly

Publisher Brian Engel brian@bartlesvillemonthly.com Graphics Engel Publishing matt@engelpublishing.com Director of Sales & Marketing Keith McPhail keith@bartlesvillemonthly.com Community Liaison Christy McPhail christy@bartlesvillemonthly.com Project Manager Andrea Whitchurch andrea@bartlesvillemonthly.com Administration Shelley Greene Stewart Delivery and Distribution Dewayne Engel Calendar/Social Media calendar@bartlesvillemonthly.com Contributing Writers

Debbie Neece, Kay Little, Kelly Hurd, Jay Hastings, Brent Taylor, Keith McPhail, Jay Webster, Abigail SIngrey, Lori Just, Miriam Walker, Joe Todd

Contributing Photographers

Bartlesville Area History Museum Brooke Waller, Keith McPhail Amanda Stratford - Bartlesville Photo Studio Michael Wray Chance Franks- Southern Exposure Photography

Kids Calendar Jessica Smith

All Rights Reserved.

No part of this publication may be reproduced, copied or otherwise, without prior permission of Bartlesville Monthly, Inc. Publisher & Editor of Bartlesville Monthly Magazine reserves the right to reject any content or advertisement in this publication.

ABOUT THE COVER

Memorial Day is a special day to remember those who gave all for their country.

Creative concept by Keith and Christy McPhail Design by Engel Publishing

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John Donoghue From Boston to Bartlesville: A Life of Duty, Family & Serving

by Lori Just From combat zones across the globe to quiet mornings on the pathfinder, retired Army Colonel John Donoghue has lived a life marked by service, sacrifice and deep-rooted love—for his country, his family and the woman who ultimately brought him to Bartlesville. With 30 years in the United States Army and 11 combat deployments under his belt, Donoghue’s journey is one of extraordinary leadership and resilience. But ask him, and he’ll tell you the most remarkable part of his story isn’t his military record— it’s the life he’s built with his wife, Kathleen.

“My wife, Kathleen Kane, and I moved to Bartlesville in 2021,” he said with a smile. “It was kind of a deal we made after I got out of the military. We had moved around a lot, and we joked that the first 13 moves were on me—so she got to pick the last one. Bartlesville it was.”

The Donoghues are no strangers to change. They’ve lived in California, Virginia, Texas, North Carolina, Georgia, and even overseas in Argentina, Spain and Panama to list a few. But Kathleen’s roots run deep in Bartlesville.

“She was born and raised here,” he said. “Though she left for college and hadn’t lived here in 40 years, it’s still home to her. And now it’s home for both of us.”

So, how does an Army Colonel that’s been all over the world end up meeting a girl from Bartlesville?

“We met on a blind date,” he recalled. “I was doing a temporary Army course at Fort Leavenworth, and Colonel Craig Flowers set us up. Kathleen had gone to KU, and she was best friends with Craig’s wife, Beth, growing up. It was just one of those lucky connections.

We hit it off and stayed in touch, even though I was sent to Panama soon after.”

The couple managed a longdistance relationship for two years.

“She came down to visit once, and I’d come home when I could,” 8

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he shared. “We didn’t write a ton of letters—I’m not much of a handwriting guy—but we made it work.”

After he returned to the States, the young couple picked things up again, and got married in 1995 at First Presbyterian Church of Bartlesville and are looking forward to celebrating their 30th anniversary in June. The couple has three sons, John, Joseph and William.

“Our oldest, John, just got engaged, which we’re excited about,” he beamed. “Joe and Will are Army lieutenants now—one’s stationed in Germany, and the other one is in Washington state.”

The Donoghue kids grew up with a different rhythm than most.

“Kathleen and I both grew up in the same house until we left for college,” he explained. “But our boys moved every two or three years. It was tough sometimes, but it also gave them a one-of-akind experience. They’ve seen the world, they’ve made friends from all over and they all speak Spanish fluently. That’s something they carry with them.”

Donoghue didn’t grow up dreaming of enlisting in the military.

He joined all because of a test he passed.

“A buddy of mine in high school mentioned a test being offered on a Saturday—you know, the old No. 2 pencil kind,” he laughed.

“He said if you scored well, ROTC would pay for any school you got into. He didn’t show up for the test, but I did. That’s how it all started, and it changed my life.”

He attended Boston College on an ROTC scholarship, studying Spanish and biology. He said he never really used the biology part, but Spanish came in handy throughout his career. He also earned his master’s degree in international relations from Catholic University and a master’s degree in National Security Strategy from

REVO FINANCIAL PROFILE the United States National War College in Washington, D.C. Colonel Donoghue’s dad was drafted into WWII right after high school in 1945. He served in the occupation forces in Germany and Italy. He also had a couple of uncles who served during the war. It influenced his path— there’s a sense of duty that runs deep. Initially, he thought he’d serve his four years and move on, but he loved the work and the people, and he stayed.

Colonel Donoghue proudly served his country with honor, courage and bravery in the U.S. Army as a Special Forces Green Beret officer which included 11 combat deployments—four to Afghanistan, three to Iraq, two to Pakistan and two to Panama during Operation Just Cause, which resulted in the removal of dictator Manuel Noriega. He was also deployed for combined training to 24 different countries, training alongside 41 different military forces.

Reflecting on his decades in the Army, Colonel Donoghue said, “The people are what I remember most. The camaraderie, the dedication. You’re part of something bigger than yourself. That’s what sticks with you.”

He never pressured his sons into military service. He said they saw it as a good opportunity and chose it on their own. The Army pays for school with ROTC scholarships if you qualify, and “that’s a pretty good deal.” It’s something he’s very proud of—not just their service, but the way they’ve approached it “with heart and integrity.”

Colonel Donoghue retired in 2014 while in San Antonio where he spent some time managing rental properties they’d picked up along the way and got involved in volunteering at Meals on Wheels.

When the Donoghues moved back to town, they coincidentally moved back with two other families from Kathleen’s childhood Colonel Flowers and his wife Beth (Garrison), and Peter and Gerre (Tipton) Emmott.

“We hadn’t coordinated at all, but we all landed here around the same time,” he added. “Now we’ve got a little reunion group. It’s been great reconnecting.”

Now settled in Bartlesville, Colonel Donoghue continues to serve—not in uniform, but through acts of mentorship, ministry and community service.

And despite a busy retirement with time on the pathfinder and volunteering, he’s taken up a new challenge. He decided to learn how to golf.

“Let me just say—do not start golf at 60,” he laughed. “But I’m out there, trying. A lot of my friends play, so I figured, why not?”

Colonel Donoghue has been recognized for his leadership and courage while serving in the Army—his military awards include the Combat Infantryman Badge with a star for close combat with armed enemies, the Expert Infantryman Badge, the Legion of Merit Award, the Bronze Star, nine Meritorious Service Medals, two foreign individual military decorations and seven foreign military parachutist badges.

In 2023, Donoghue was named Oklahoma’s Veteran of the Month.

“That was a nice moment,” he said.

They held a ceremony at the capitol. Representative John Kane nominated him, but he emphasized the best part was they didn’t just recognize him, but they recognized his wife, Kathleen, too.

“People thank veterans all the time—and that’s great—but I think we don’t talk enough about the families,” he said. “When I deployed, Kathleen was home, basically a single parent. She was outnumbered—one on three. And it didn’t matter if I was gone for combat or training. I was gone. She carried the load handling everything with strength and grace. So do millions of other military spouses. They serve too. They just don’t wear the uniform. That recognition meant a lot to both of us.”

The Donoghues oldest son just got engaged, and they are already looking forward to their son’s wedding and planning more travel.

“We’ve been visiting our son in Germany twice a year,” he said.

“He jokes that he sees us more now than when he lived in the States. That’s probably true.”

When asked what he’s most proud of, Donoghue paused. “I think it’s just the life we built,” he said. “Serving our country, raising a family through it all, staying connected to something bigger than myself.”

“I’m part of the prison ministry at St. John’s and serve as a Eucharistic Minister,” he added. “I also sit on the board of AbilityWorks, which supports people with developmental disabilities, and Young Scholars of Bartlesville, which helps promising students from tough financial situations graduate from college.”

He also volunteers with Patriots and Heroes Outdoors, a Texasbased nonprofit that supports severely combat-wounded veterans with outdoor activities, like hunting.

“I’ve been a mentor there for over 10 years,” he said. ““We take them hunting at a big ranch down there—guys who’ve lost limbs, been burned, seen things most of us can’t imagine. It’s healing. It’s powerful.”

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SUTTERFIELD FINANCIAL FEATURE

The Day the World Changed

by Debbie Neece

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SUTTERFIELD FINANCIAL FEATURE

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SUTTERFIELD FINANCIAL FEATURE

Where were you the day…the day the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor in 1941…the day John F. Kennedy was assassinated in 1963…the day Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was assassinated in 1968…or the day the World Trade Center fell to terrorism in 2001? Most likely, you can pinpoint that day, hour and minute with grave detail.

Do you remember the day John F. Kennedy stood before a crowd of thousands and delivered his inaugural speech as our nation’s 35th President, “My fellow Americans, ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country.”

He was inspiring a new generation of Americans to view public service as heroic. And, when he spoke of a “new frontier,” his words rang out with ambition and optimism that the 1960s would be an era of change. His words were, “We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other thing…not because they are easy, but because they are hard.”

America was on the verge of coming unhinged. We were war weary after World War II ended in 1945 and we plunged directly into the Korean Conflict (1950-1953). Our wounds were still bandaged and longing to heal, while the Vietnam War was sizzling across the pond. We were two presidents into preventing the Vietnam War, praying for peace through President John F. Kennedy and unaware of what future would unfold the day President Kennedy took his last breath. Little did Americans know, “the other thing” was to acknowledge and address the great issue between the free world and the communist world… forwarding America’s involvement in the Vietnam War. During the 1950s, the United States began providing military and economic aid to South Vietnam in an effort to stop the spread of communism and prevent nuclear war. That shadowed 14

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support was not enough. In 1964, Congress authorized President Lyndon B. Johnson to “take all measures” to defend U.S. forces in Vietnam. This significant escalation marked the beginning of the all-out U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War, which claimed a reported 58,220 American military casualties and erupted a strong anti-war movement on U.S. soil spurred by extensive media coverage and the Civil Rights Movement. From 19651968, America’s hate-filled streets were consumed with protests and riots in opposition of the war.

The unsuccessful Operation Rolling Thunder was a sustained bombing campaign authorized by President Johnson against North Vietnam from March 1965–Halloween Day 1968. The goal was to destroy North Vietnam’s supply routes, utilities and infrastructure, while limiting civilian casualties. According to the U.S. Navy, during the three and a half-year, five-phase aerial barrage, our servicemen dropped 864,000 tons of bombs on North Vietnam; far more than the entire three-year Korean War. When the smoke cleared, America had sustained a catastrophic loss of approximately 922 aircraft throughout the Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps engagement amounting to nearly $900 million in aircraft damages and 1,054 service personnel killed, wounded or captured. The CIA estimates North Vietnam experienced approximately $500 million in damages, 3,243+ aircraft destroyed and tens of thousands of soldiers and civilian casualties. However, the operation was considered a strategic failure and at home, the lions roared even louder.

On April 4, 1967, civil rights leader and Nobel Peace Prize recipient, Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. eloquently delivered his “Beyond Vietnam: A Time to Break Silence” speech at Riverside Church in New York City. King was urged to refrain from

SUTTERFIELD FINANCIAL FEATURE

speaking about the politically charged Vietnam War; however, his commitment and calling left him no option. He “could not separate issues of economic injustice, racism and militarism.”

Exactly one year later, April 4, 1968, a bullet ended King’s mission for unity. With his every breath of life, Dr. King sought non-violent avenues of forwarding the American Dream for all races. He was a “drum major for justice, peace and righteousness” and stood “right on the war question.” He became a significant casualty of the Vietnam War. But there were many more…

Stephen Lively’s Story In 1968, Stephen Gary Lively was among the first graduating class of Bartlesville’s new Sooner High School. Each month, Bettye Jane Johnston’s journalism class produced the Spartan Shield school newspaper and Stephen served as the staff photographer. With a final farewell from Principal Russell Lipe, the doors opened wide beginning the futures of the graduating seniors. Little did Lively know his senior experience would train him for bigger and better opportunities.

Uncle Sam came knocking and Lively enlisted in the United States Marine Corps September 13, 1970 as a Combat Photography Specialist. Then came July 11, 1972…a nightmarish day of hell he would never forget.

March 1972 brought the Easter Offensive, North Vietnam’s massive surprise invasion of South Vietnam, resulting in the capture of Quang Tri City.

In retaliation, the U.S. Air Force, Marines, Army Aviation and South Vietnamese forces executed a counter offense called “Lam Son 72” to recapture Quang Tri City. On the morning of July 11, 1972, thirty-four U.S. Marine helicopters transported 840 South Vietnam Marines to landing zones north of Quang Tri City.

Just before noon, Army helicopters flooded the area with smoke grenades to escort the Marine helicopters to the landing zones.

Six Cobra gunships flew abreast with an impressive “dump” of rockets, grenades and mini-gun fire while North Vietnamese soldiers retaliated with intense rapid-fire from all directions. The Marine helicopters flew in low, off loaded the South Vietnamese Marines and exited quickly. Reportedly, the landing zones were “hot as hell.” One report stated, “There were so many helicopters in the air, it looked like a school of sharks swarming” under a hail of exploding heat-seeking rockets.

The U.S. Navy had attack carriers stationed off the coast as support vessels, one of which was the USS Tripoli…home of the 1st Battalion, 9th Marines and Lance Corporal Stephen G. Lively, the combat photographer set to photograph the Vietnamese Marine Operation Lam Son 72 in real-time.

Transporting fifty South Vietnamese Marines to the landing zone, the CH-53D Sikorsky Sea Stallion (heavy-lift military transport helicopter), call sign Lady Ace 7-2, was piloted by First Lieutenant Bruce Keyes; co-pilot, Captain Henry C. Bollman; crew chief, Staff Sergeant Clyde Keith MAY 2025 | bmonthly

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SUTTERFIELD FINANCIAL FEATURE

Stephen Lively protecting Clyde Nelson in crater.

Nelson; door gunners, Staff Sergeant Jerry Wayne Hendrix and Corporal Kenneth Lloyd Crody; and combat photographer, Lance Corporal Stephen G. Lively.

Enemy fire was intense! U.S. Army Chief Warrant Officer Chuck O’Connell, flying a Cobra gunship, witnessed a heatseeking missile appear from the river’s edge and stated, “When I glanced to the right, I saw a smoke trail coming up the river, ninety degrees to my flight path and holding steady at my altitude of about 100 feet. As it approached, I could clearly see the missile and thought, ‘This is going to pass right between us.’ Then, to my surprise and horror, it did a 90-degree turn right in front of me and into one of the CH-53s.” That CH-53 was the Lady Ace, which took a direct missile hit and burst into flames. Pilots Keyes and Bollman were able to control the crash landing while the heat and inferno within the helicopter ignited the onboard ammunition and fuel causing multiple explosions. Lively witnessed the terror of passengers melting like they were wax as all but seven of the 50 South Vietnamese Marine passengers perished in the burning helicopter.

Those seven found safety with friendly Vietnamese units in the area.

Sharing in the mission, Crewchief, Corporal Lester E. “Sonny” Cox went down in a CH-46 helicopter and received second and third degree burns on his left leg, both arms 16

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and face. He ran to assist in the Lady Ace recovery and found Clyde Nelson exiting the craft in flames. Cox extinguished the flames and carried Nelson from the helicopter wreckage. Keyes, Bollman, Cox, Nelson and Lively made their way to a nearby bomb crater where they hunkered down in prayerful safety. As the battle continued around them, the Lady Ace burned to a small pile of twisted wreckage.

The constant barrage of exploding rockets and gunfire was deafening. The level of stress and anxiety was sustained by the rush of pure adrenaline pulsating through their veins with hypervigilant peripheral vision catching every gun flash and ground movement. Evil carnage all around them, not a word spoken as darkness flooded the crater that harbored their lives from the North Vietnamese and sure death…holding silent their fearful pounding heartbeats as the enemy, just steps away, searched the wreckages for survivors, souvenirs or military spoils to further their fight.

After dusk, a Vietnamese Marine search and rescue patrol successfully reached the bomb crater. After treating their wounds, the Marines transported the Americans to friendly lines. Under the wings of God’s guardian angels, the nighttime rescuers fought their way in and out with the North Vietnamese army on all sides of the pickup zone. The recovery helicopter loaded the survivors and lightened their load by dropping boxes of grenades and all but 200 rounds of ammunition to safely fly out as the helicopter took on a hail of gun fire. The rescue of the Lady Ace crew was nothing short of a miracle. The five men were trapped in the crater for seven hours before the rescue helicopter arrived and another five hours passed before the survivors aboard a rescue transport and headed to safety.

Afterward, a U.S. Army medivac helicopter evacuated Clyde Nelson to an American hospital with a special burn unit where

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he died of his injuries on August 9, 1972. He was awarded a Purple Heart, Combat Action Ribbon, National Defense Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal, Vietnam Service Medal, Marine Corps Presidential Unit Citation and Vietnam Gallantry Cross. The pilot Bruce Keyes, co-pilot Henry Bollman, crewman Lester Cox and photographer Stephen Lively were returned to their carrier ships.

At that time, Kenneth Crody and Jerry Hendrix were listed as Killed in Action/Body Not Recovered.

Twenty-eight of the thirty-four helicopters were damaged, most limping back to safety aboard a carrier ship, looking like Swiss cheese with too many holes to count. Wounded air crews and South Vietnamese Marines also arrived all day. The USS Tripoli and USS Okinawa remained off shore, supporting the evacuation of casualties.

Lively had third-degree burns on his face and hands, a broken right shoulder and shrapnel in his posterior.

At his bedside, he reported, “The aircraft was massively overloaded and we were taken down by a shower of surface-to-air missiles. One of our door gunners was killed when a broken turbine blade hit him in the chest. Most of the South Vietnamese passengers perished when the engine and missiles exploded, not due to the post-crash fire. Prior to the crash, the cockpit filled with smoke. While everyone was

trying to egress, the aircraft commander accidentally inflated his Mae West life preserver and became wedged in the overhead exit. After the crash, the exit was ground side, preventing exits.

I held on to the copilot’s seat, swung up and booted the Major in the rear with both feet, forcing him out onto the ground. There was a crater about 75 meters from the aircraft and we moved the survivors there. I managed to keep my camera and side arm but no one had a rifle.” Although challenged due to losing his glasses in the crash, Stephen Lively was able to capture several photographs of the wreckage and fellow survivors.

And then…cricket silence for two weeks. Although personal communication with home was sporadic, families were shocked to hear of the helicopter crash, extensive loss of life and operational disaster was withheld from families and media for two weeks. Questions swirled while no one took ownership.

The next morning, the recovery team was greeted by Army Major General Howard Cooksey and Brigadier General Edward Miller who awarded them Silver Stars, Distinguished Flying Crosses and Air Medals.

Stephen Lively receives Silver Star at hospital.

Henry Bollman received a Silver Star for his “exceptional airmanship, superb leadership, devotion to duty and courage in the face of a disastrous MAY 2025 | bmonthly

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aircraft emergency with disregard for his own painful injuries.”

Lester Cox received a Bronze Star, Purple Heart and Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry; however, he struggled a lifetime with flashbacks and nightmares.

Lance Corporal Stephen G. Lively was meritoriously promoted to sergeant and earned the Purple Heart, Bronze Star and Silver Star. He was a decorated Marine, who served in the Vietnam War as a Sergeant with honors, earning the National Defense Service Medal, Pistol Sharpshooter Badge, Rifle Expert Badge, Marine Corps Good Conduct Medal, Vietnam War/Vietnam Cease-fire Campaign, Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal, Combat Action Ribbon, Vietnam Civil Actions Unit Citation. The presentation read…

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Lance Corporal Stephen Gary Lively, United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving with the Ninth Marine Amphibious Brigade, Fleet Marine Force, on 11 July 1972. As a photographer assigned to the Public Affairs Office, Lance Corporal Lively was covering a helicopter lift of Republic of Vietnam Marines into a landing zone north of Quang Tri City, Military Region One, when the helicopter was hit by an enemy surface-to-air missile.

The disabled aircraft crashed in the landing zone and burst into flames. With complete disregard for his personal safety, Lance Corporal Lively assisted the copilot to make an emergency exit.

Following the copilot out of the burning aircraft, he then assisted in extinguishing flames engulfing a fellow crewmember. Although painfully burned himself and injured by multiple shrapnel wounds, Lance Corporal Lively assisted in removing the seriously wounded crewmember to a nearby bomb crater and administered limited first aid. His coolness under fire undoubtedly saved the life of one Marine and possibly others from certain death. Lance Corporal Lively’s initiative and courageous actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

Lively’s dear friend, Donnie Casteel said, “Steve Lively was a great dad and sturdy Marine. He fulfilled his oath and duties to the highest standard with daily courage. He was a combat 18

bmonthly | MAY 2025

photographer who exemplified the Marine Corps motto ‘never leave a man behind’ and earned a Silver Star, Purple Heart and Bronze Star for his dedication. Steve’s family, his friends and I will never forget him. It is important to remember all veterans, especially those who gave the ultimate sacrifice for our freedoms.”

Stephen Lively spent three days at a DaNang Army hospital, then transferred to Okinawa, and then to McAlester, OK where he was discharged September 13, 1974, completing four years of service.

Kenneth Crody was a buzz-cut, fresh-faced 18-year-old with

SUTTERFIELD FINANCIAL FEATURE

blue eyes from Indiana. He loved hunting rabbits and working on his prized Studebaker Silver Hawk. He enlisted in the Marines August 1970 with the approval and signature of his parents, assuring his parents “No Marine is going to Vietnam.” But he was assigned to the USS Tripoli just shy of his 19th birthday.

His parents heard about the helicopter crash, never suspecting it involved their son. That afternoon, two full-dressed Marines stepped upon their porch to offer condolences. For weeks, the letters Kenneth had written arrived in their mailbox and finally stopped. The family held a memorial service with no body, no dog-tags, nothing, but a wing and a prayer.

Jerry Hendrix had a wife and two sons in Wichita. Jerry was a scrapper and a prankster at home. He loved fast cars and was a daredevil of sorts. In 1964, he enlisted in the Marines and rose up the ranks to staff sergeant – matching his father’s Air Force rank. His mother constantly worried but he assured her he was “invincible.” If calls or letters missed regular intervals, his mom tracked down his officers to find out why…often being connected via walkie-talkie while Jerry was on a mission. He was serving his second Vietnam tour when the unforgettable, heart-stopping visit from men dressed in military blues arrived. Jerry was “presumed dead” and listed as body-not-recovered. The family donned POW-MIA bracelets, never giving up hope. Jerry’s dad wore his bracelet to his grave.

In April 1990, a joint search team visited the Quang Tri Province to excavate in search of MIA human remains or personal effects.

In 1999, investigators located a farmer who knew of the crash site and other residents showed the investigators dog-tags that read CRODYH K.L., a misspelling of Crody’s name. For five months, the team cut through rice grass and dredged the field in kneedeep muddy clay, sifting for bone fragments and clues.

Each year, July 11 brought painful tears. Then one day, an ounce of hope was restored when the military asked for DNA samples from the families. And, another visit from Military officers in dress blues with the news: “An exact match was not possible because the human remains were so badly burned that the skeletons had been fused together by the intense heat. The remains contained two left femurs of Caucasian males and the only such males who did not survive the crash were Crody and Hendrix.” However, it was not until August 2000 that the remains of Crody and Hendrix were repatriated and finally forensically identified in 2004.

As they fought together, they were buried together at Arlington National Cemetery; sharing a flag-draped coffin, placed in one grave, under one stone, with full military honors…a 21-gun salute and twin bugles echoing “Taps” throughout the valley. The names of both Crody and Hendrix were placed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, DC and the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific. Corporal Kenneth MAY 2025 | bmonthly

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SUTTERFIELD FINANCIAL FEATURE

Crody and Staff Sargeant Jerry Hendrix received the Purple Heart and Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry posthumously.

The experiences of war are a fight for life and limb. Once you are knee deep in the muddy bogs of Vietnam, the hardest part is how to get out and return home in one piece. For some veterans, healing can come in speaking the details; while for others, silence is a “forget-me-not” never to be discussed, which often manifests itself into all-consuming and often nonsurvivable posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). According to the National Vietnam Veterans Readjustment Study, the estimated lifetime prevalence of PTSD was 30.9% among men and 26.9% among women who served in Vietnam.

For Marine Corps pilot Robert E. Stoffey, freedom came in the details written in his 2008 book: Fighting to Leave: The Final Years of America’s War in Vietnam, 1972-1973. “A firsthand account of how the Vietnam War finally ended and what it took to get our POWs home.” The title is quite fitting because from the first footstep on Vietnam turf until the final tap-out, the battle of survival came with a hefty price that not all survived with life or sanity. Stoffey was in the war room of the USS Oklahoma, enabling him to receive activity reports in gruesome and grave detail.

Six U.S. Presidents held the reigns over America’s second longest war to this date; second only to the War in Afghanistan. Harry S. Truman’s (1945-1953) presidential goal was the containment of authoritarianism and preventing the chain reaction, or domino effect, allowing other countries to also fall prey. The 1947 Truman Doctrine was a foreign policy that promised U.S. support for countries resisting 20

bmonthly | MAY 2025

communism, which eventually lead to the creation military alliance of NATO. His actions left the next administration with challenges. Dwight D. Eisenhower (1953-1961) provided initial military, economic and technical support and sent American soldiers as “U.S. military advisors.” As the years progressed, Eisenhower grew the presence of advisors to 900 Americans.

John F. Kennedy (1961-1963) increased military advisors but adamantly rejected sending American troops. Lyndon B. Johnson (1963-1969) escalated the war and deployed ground troops to Vietnam with the use of the “draft.” And, Richard Nixon (1969-1974) inherited the war that had been fueled by President Johnson. Nixon’s plan was to gradually withdraw American troops while equipping and training the South Vietnamese army in combat operations. However, the U.S. was forced into a massive air defense to get North Vietnam’s full attention, resulting in the January 27, 1973, Paris Peace Accords which allowed America to withdraw with peace and honor. Unfortunately, only America honored the cease-fire. The last U.S. combat troops left Vietnam on March 29, 1973. President Gerald Ford (1974-1977) served as the “cleanup team,” arranging pardons, amnesty and retrieval of wartime POWs. In the end, the Vietnam War cost U.S. military lives, the assassinations of both President John F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and the support, faith and integrity of America and its presidential leadership.

Thank you, Erin Lively and Donnie Casteel for your help in conveying this day in history.

Semper Fi…Oorah!

SUTTERFIELD FINANCIAL FEATURE

MAY 2025 | bmonthly

21

FEATURE SPONSOR STORY

Ramona’s Gene Crabtree

by Debbie Neece

Beginning in 1915, the Crabtree family planted Oklahoma roots and have bloomed five Ramona generations deep. Early blacksmith Miles Crabtree and Rose Ella Crabtree settled in Ramona to raise their children. Their son, Tom Allen Crabtree married Vera native, Mary Seabolt and the couple raised their four children (Ernest, Rosella, Eugene “Gene” and Floyd) in their two-story white clapboard Ramona home.

In 1928, the Citizens State Bank of Ramona closed. Two years later, the bank assets were sold at auction. The shell of the building stood until sold for real estate taxes. At that time, Tom Crabtree purchased the demolition rights, using the brick to cover his clapboard home.

Washington County is deeply blessed with History Heroes, men and women who have been life-time residents and who have lived the history they share with us. Such a person was Gene Crabtree. Most people have lived a chapter; however, Gene lived a book filled with memories.

He attended Ramona schools, graduating in 1958. He joined the Army Reserves and became a sharpshooter who traveled the country performing at shooting exhibitions.

He was a wise, multi-talented man with gifts in carpentry and music.

Beyond writing more than 25 songs and producing two albums, Gene was a selftaught musician, owned the Kingsway Book Store, True Gospel Book and Music Store in the Quarters and later at Washington Park Mall. He also owned New Beginnings in Tulsa. He was a lifelong builder and master brick mason, operating Crabtree Masonry and Construction for many years, and built hundreds of beautiful homes around northeast Oklahoma.

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bmonthly | MAY 2025

In 1993, Gene Crabtree and Jo Gray McClung were wed.

After his parents passed away, Gene and Jo purchased the 100+ year old Crabtree family house from siblings in 2001 and made it their home. Gene was such a handyman that he worked his masonry magic on the floors within the Crabtree home, laying a gorgeous brick floor from notable area brick companies. If Jo had a vision, Gene whipped his carpentry skills into action and delivered beyond her dreams; including inserting the beautiful concrete rosettes that once graced the façade of the Citizens Bank into the front of their home and built a backyard gazebo. His garage was a well-organized tool chest with anything needed for electrical, plumbing, or home repairs.

Gene earned the title as one of the area’s greatest History Heroes. When stumped for an answer, Gene could always be counted on to provide the wisdom we needed, no matter the subject. He was also a man of God and a devout Christian who read his Bible daily.

Gene once gifted his son-inlaw an old table saw. From that saw, returned the perfect gift for a faithful prayer warrior…a handmade wooden cross. In times of trouble, Gene would take our turmoil to “The Cross” and kneel in prayer before an undeniable treasure…a simple handmade wooden cross with a direct connection to God himself.

On August 20, 2024, Gene Crabtree laid his carpentry tools aside; he read his final Bible verse; and he knelt before The Cross one last time before his final breath. Gene Crabtree was definitely the stuff of legends.

Armstrong Heights

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$380,000

Sale Pending

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2 Bedrooms

2808 Roanoke Ridge R • Bartlesville • Colonial Estates XV 4/3/3 •3,202 Sq. Ft. • $399,900

1906 Polaris Drive • Bartlesville • Hillcrest Heights IV 2/3.5/2 • 3,200 Sq. Ft.• $380,000

NEW LISTING!

3 Full & 1 Half Bath

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2 Car Garage

Nestled on a spacious double lot in Hillcrest Heights, 1906 SE Polaris is a one-of-a-kind design by local architect Thomas McCrory. Drawing inspiration from iconic architects like Bruce Goff and Frank Lloyd Wright, the home boasts striking vaulted wood-beamed ceilings, e�pansive �loor-to-ceiling windows, slate �looring, a grand

oversi�ed �ireplace, and built-in storage that all evoke mid-century modern charm. With over 3,200 sq. ft. of living

heart of the home large, open•living roomEstates is ideal for gatherings.

It also features two Acres 2310 Dorchester Driveis•itsBartlesville Colonial 1321 Rockdale R • Bartlesville • Woodland Parkspace, III the 920hosting S Maple Street • Nowata • .73 3/2.5/2 • 2,196 Sq. Ft. • $285,000 4/3/2 •2,580 Sq. Ft. • $309,000 4/2 • 1,387 Sqw. Ft. • $175,000 bedrooms with private en-suites, a formal living room, and

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301 S. Morton Ave. • Bartlesville • Mixed Use Commercial Warehouse • 4,000 Sq. Ft. • $310,000

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AMOS RADLINGER REALTOR®

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23

MAY CALENDAR

SPONSORED BY 2

Stray Kat Kustom Kar Show

23

All Day; Downtown Dewey

3

60th Annual Delaware Pow Wow

6PM; Fred Fall – Leaf Memorial Campgrounds

Stray Kat Kustom Kar Show

BPS Graduation

Larger than Life: Video Game & movie presented by BPO

60th Annual Delaware Pow Wow

7PM; Custer Stadium

All Day; Downtown Dewey

24

11AM; Fred Fall – Leaf Memorial Campgrounds

7:30PM; Bartlesville Public Library

4

Stray Kat Kustom Kar Show

10

Fishing Derby Hosted

by Kiwanis of Bartlesville

25

60th Annual Delaware Pow Wow

10AM; Fred Fall – Leaf Memorial Campgrounds

All Day; Downtown Dewey

Every Tues in May Price Tower Exterior and The Center Tour 2PM; Price Tower

Every Sat in May Farmers Market

8AM; Downtown Bartlesville

30

9AM; Jo Allyn Lowe Park

16

Sizzlin Summer Series Concert & Movie Nights

All Month

Woolaroc Animal Barn

7PM; Unity Square

10AM; Woolaroc

22 Sunfest

3PM; Sooner Park

31 Last day of School

Sunfest

10AM; Sooner Park

Every Fri & Sat in May Phillip Petroleum Museum Open

10AM; Phillips Museum

24

bmonthly | MAY 2025

MAY 2025 | bmonthly

25

MAY EVENTS CALENDAR

Know of an upcoming event you would like to see on our calendar? Visit us at bartlesvillemonthly.com for a free listing!

Every Monday

Every Tuesday-Thursday

5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

FREE Beginning Spanish Class

FREE Citizenship Classes

Bartlesville Public Johnstone Avenue

Library,

600

S.

6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

FREE Intermediate Spanish Class Bartlesville Public Johnstone Avenue

Library

600

S.

Bartlesville Public Johnstone Avenue

Library,

600

Every Thursday 10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

FREE Citizenship Classes

2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Price Tower Exterior and The Center Tour

Crossing 2nd Trivia in the Garage

6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Kiddie Park Open for Summer

Kiddie Park, 205 N. Cherokee Avenue, Bartlesville .

Kiddie Park, 205 N. Cherokee Avenue, Bartlesville 8:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Library,

600

S.

8:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.

Crossing 2nd Karaoke Dance Party Crossing Second, 215 E 2nd Street

Crossing Second, 215 E 2nd Street, Bartlesville

Price Tower Exterior and The Center Tour

Contact Visit Bartlesville, 300 SE Adams Blvd.

8:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.

Sat, May 3

2350

SE

Bartlesville Public Library, 600 Johnstone Avenue, Meeting Room A

S.

Tues, May 6

6:00 p.m. – 7 p.m.

Johnstone Irregulars Book Club Bartlesville Public Library, Johnstone Ave., Bartlesville

11:00 a.m. – 7 p.m.

Time Travelers Indoor Market Washington Park Mall, Washington Blvd, Suite 320

Washington Park Mall, Washington Blvd, Suite 320

In the Kitchen with Susan

Crossing Second, 215 E 2nd Street, Bartlesville

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

12:00 p.m. – 6 p.m.

Time Travelers Indoor Market

12:00 p.m. – 1 p.m.

Every Sunday Crossing 2nd Karaoke Dance Party

Every Saturday

Bartlesville Community Center, 300 SE Adams Blvd.

Sun, May 4

Contact Dewey Hotel Museum, 801 N Delaware St., Dewey

Every Tuesday

Every Tuesday-Saturday

7:30 p.m. – Open

Larger Than Life: Video Games & Movies

History and Haunts at the Dewey Hotel

Bartlesville Public Johnstone Avenue

Contact Visit Bartlesville, 300 SE Adams Blvd.

S.

10:00 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Kiddie Park Special Hours

2350

600

SE

EXPERT Heat & Air The Experts you can trust

Call today to talk to an Expert

918-886-0705

Still Open For You Monday - Thursday 8:00am - 5:00pm Friday 8:00am - Noon 26

bmonthly | MAY 2025

William Davito, DO

Mark Erhardt, DO

Daniel Holdman, MD Elizabeth Sherrock, MD M. Ryan Vaclaw, MD

Exceptional Care For Your Whole Family

Meet Bartlesville’s New Superpower

918-331-2300 www.primarycareassociatesbartlesville.com

S

7:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Make It So: Speculative Fiction Book Club

Bartlesville Public Library, 600 Johnstone Avenue, Meeting Room B

S.

Sat, May 10 All Day

Visit Dewey Second Saturday

Dewey Downtown Boutique and Antique Merchants 8:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

Benefit Fundraiser for Colhi Sooner Alumni Club

Elks Lodge, 1060 Swan Drive, Bartlesville 8:30 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Fishing Derby Hosted by Kiwanis of Bartlesville

Jo Allyn Lowe Park, Price Rd & Locust Rd, Bartlesville

Tues, May 13

Sat, May 17

2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.

7:00 a.m. – Open

9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Bartlesville Public Library Adult Craft Class

Woolaroc Spring Trail Ride

Disney’s Frozen KIDS Camp #1, ages 8-16

Bartlesville Public Library, 600 Johnstone Avenue, Meeting Room C

S.

Bartlesville Public Library, 600 Johnstone Avenue, Meeting Room C

Monthly Lego Club at the Library Bartlesville Public Library, 600 Johnstone Avenue, Meeting Room A S.

Fast, Fresh & Fabulous with Chef Hilary 600

7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Tues, May 20 S

4:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Bartlesville Public Library, 600 Johnstone Avenue, Meeting Room C

10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Veterans Social Hour hosted by Together with Veterans

Bartlesville & Beyond Boutique Marketplace

Crossing 2nd, 215 E 2nd St, Bartlesville

Fri-Sun, May 23-24-25

6:00 p.m. – 7:30 p.m.

Check for Times

Tuxedo Lions Club Community Center, 2900 Tuxedo Blvd.

6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

The Big, The Bad and The Barbecue

Hughes Ranch, West of Bartlesville on Hwy 123

Frank Phillips Home Music on the Lawn

Frank Phillips Home, 1107 Cherokee Avenue

Fri, May 16 9:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.

Sizzlin’ Summer Series Concerts & Movie Nights

Unity Square, 300 SE Adams Blvd, Bartlesville

101

S

Fri, May 30 – Sun, June 1 Check for Times Sooner Park, Madison Blvd South of Tuxedo Blvd., Bartlesville

Fri, May 30 – Sun, June 8 Check for Times

OkMusic’s “Especially for Kids Festival”

6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Bartlesville Public Library 10 Things to Consider

Children’s Musical Theatre, Wyandotte Ave, Bartlesville

Bartlesville Sunfest

Nineteen0Eight, 311 ½ S. Dewey Avenue, Bartlesville

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Library,

S.

Nineteen0Eight’s Open Mic Night

Thurs, May 15

Bartlesville Public Johnstone Avenue

Woolaroc, 1925 Woolaroc Ranch Road, Bartlesville 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Bartlesville Public Library Adult Craft Class

Tues, May 27 – Sat, June 7

S.

OKM Music, Inc., 415 S. Dewey Avenue, Bartlesville

Know of an upcoming event you would

60th Annual Delaware Pow Wow at Fred Fall-Leaf Memorial Campgrounds

like to see on our

401050 W. 600 Road, Road 600 (3 miles E. of Highway 75 on Road 600) near Copan

Tues, May 27

calendar? Visit us at bartlesvillemonthly.com for a free listing!

2:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

Bartlesville Public Library Creative Crafting Club Bartlesville Public Library, 600 Johnstone Avenue, Meeting Room C

S.

MAY 2025 | bmonthly

27

FEATURING RYAN STEVENSON GETTING THE CONCERT STARTED WITH

CANDACE EDDLEMAN

GRACEFEST on the GREEN 2025

FREE CONCERT

MAY 10 • 5:30PM MUSIC, WORSHIP, FOOD TRUCKS & MUCH MORE LOOK FOR DETAILS ON THE BMONTHLY WEBSITE & FACEBOOK PAGE 28

bmonthly | MAY 2025

PROCEEDS BENEFIT

A GOOD WORD

Gracefest on the Green

2025 is Fifth Year for Popular Christian Concert

by Keith McPhail

Gracefest 2025 on the Green. This is our 5th Gracefest, and it’s hard to believe. Five years ago while we were sitting in our former office at the Price Tower, God told me I needed to bring a concert to Bartlesville.

At that moment I said to Christy I wanted to create a Christian concert where people would be brought to Jesus. I wanted to make it on Mother’s Day weekend, and it would always be FREE to the public.

I wanted to do this because of what God had done for me over the years through my horrific drug addiction, how HE saved me, and how HE blessed our marriage and our family. I wanted to give back to HIM! We had never created a concert before, but we dug in.

The first concert we had Rhett Walker perform and over a thousand people showed up. The first two years all the proceeds were donated to The Journey Home. We love what they do for individuals and families who are at the end of their lives. We raised $10,000 each year from the first two concerts. The most important part of those first two concerts was at least 17 people gave their lives to Jesus and were saved.

The last three years all proceeds have gone to B the Light Mission to help our homeless friends get off the streets and start a new life. At this time all we have left to do is the fire protection system. This includes smoke detectors and CO2 detectors, which will cost about $26,000. We have the money for this system because of you who have generously given each month. We’ve been told that everything will be installed in the next 4 to 6 weeks. At that moment we will be able to get our Occupancy permit from the city of Bartlesville and be open full time - 24/7!

For the last two and a half years we have totally redone the building that Ascension Hospital generously donated to us. Through the 15 months of going through federal and state mandatory inspections and testing, we finally got the okay from the DEQ (Department of Environmental Quality) to be able

to house people full-time.

We will begin our Poverty Reduction Center, which is much different than just a homeless shelter. Even though we couldn’t house people full time, we were still able to open our building over the last two years for 5 warming shelters. We have provided shelter, food, and resources to many people during the extreme cold and housed over 200 people during that time. We helped save lives and give hope and warmth to those in need.

Christy and I are grateful for all the volunteers who have shown up during our warming shelters and have already signed up to help when we open full time. What a blessing this community has been! We want to give a huge thank you to the Lyon Foundation who has given to us since day one. Without them we would not even be close to opening.

Many thanks to the Parsons Foundation for their help with our new roof and the Mabee Foundation for the grant to start our 3rd phase for the 2nd floor construction. When all this started we were just looking for a place to house people for a warming center. We didn’t expect to be donated a 58,000 square foot building with monthly costs of $9500. We solely depend on volunteers and donations to make this work.

Saturday, May 10th at 5:30pm Gracefest 2025 will begin at the Unity Square green space. It is a FREE concert. This year we have Everett Music Studio bringing kids to open the concert and sing the National Anthem. At 6:00pm we have a great singer coming from Dallas, Candace Eddleman. We will also have the House FM there, as they always come and support us. Then the BIG show starts with Ryan Stevenson who has over 7 top 10 hits on Christian Radio. His biggest hit is “In the Eye of the Storm” which has 59 million downloads on Spotify. We will have food trucks and games for the kids.

Bring your lawn chairs or blankets and sit back and enjoy an evening with us at our 5th Gracefest. Thank you for always supporting us and making this a night to remember.

God bless, Keith and Christy MAY 2025 | bmonthly

29

NOW YOU KNOW

12 Summers of Shangri-La The History of Rabbit Ears Lodge

by Debbie Neece There is an interesting piece of Bartlesville history that tied to Colorado for twelve summers and brought many Phillips Petroleum Company employees wonderful vacation memories. If you are scratching your head…so was I. Located midway between Steamboat Springs and Kremmling, Colorado is a rock formation that resembles the shape of rabbit ears, called Rabbit Ears Peak; directly 28 miles south is a 110-acre natural lake surrounded on all sides by aspen trees and beautiful national forest. Earliest records indicate this crystal-clear lake was called Hetzer’s Lake, where some of the finest trout fishing in the Rocky Mountains could be found. According to 1891 newspapers, Fish Commissioner Gordon Land used Hetzer’s Lake as a hatchery; hatching 250,000 cutthroat trout eggs, then replenishing other lakes and streams with some of the hatchlings. In 1926, during Fred Hamlin’s transcontinental auto trip from New York to Los Angeles, he stopped in Denver for the best directions. After weighing the road and weather conditions, he made his way towards Rabbit Ears Pass. He found lodging at a sportsman’s lodge, where the proprietor encouraged the travelers to stop at Hetzer’s Lake for a fishing excursion.

Being 30

a

well-known

bmonthly | MAY 2025

Colorado

state highway auditor had its benefits for Ed Mitchell; he knew the area’s best stocked fishing lakes and purchased Hetzer’s Lake in 1930 in anticipation of his eventual retirement. Mitchell changed the name of the lake to Lake Agnes; and, after enjoying abundant private fishing for many years, he sold the property to Gene Cary in 1947. Mr. Cary built numerous cabins and other accommodations while maintaining the well-stocked trout fishing lake. Among the guests to visit Rabbit Ears Camp were Phillips Petroleum Company employees, who enjoyed their Colorado vacations so much that in June 1952, PPCo purchased the camp.

The company then hired an architect and construction firm, and invested one-million-dollars in creating an exclusive vacation resort for company executives. The Rabbit Ears Lodge and camp renovations were completed in 1956.

Enter Omar “Bud” Browning. He was quite the sportsman even at the University of Oklahoma where his basketball skills brought membership on the All-Big-Six Conference team and All-American basketball star from 19351936; and, from 1937-1943, he played for the Phillips66ers. However, the name Bud Browning grew to notoriety as the famed coach of the Phillips 66ers basketball team who took the team to the 1948 Summer Olympics and achieved a gold medal. He was recognized as

NOW YOU KNOW the winningest coach in Amateur Athletic Union tournament history with seven titles between 19441963. And, in 1957, Browning was named to the Helms Amateur Basketball Hall of Fame.

He danced on both sides of retirement until 1954, when opportunity came knocking.

It was under the direction of PPCo’s CEO K.S. “Boots” Adams that the dream of Rabbit Ears Lodge became a reality. Adams shared a close relationship with Bud Browning as a fellow Phillips 66er player and respected coach.

When Browning announced his retirement, Adams asked Browning to be the manager of the Phillips Rabbit Ears retreat.

As a tribute to Boots Adams, Mrs. Betty Browning penned a delightful memoir about the challenges of the Colorado Rabbit Ears Lodge and referred to her husband as Mr. Rabbit Ears. In her words, “The million-dollar lodge was flanked on each side with twelve double cottages surrounded by mountains and a lovely lake. There were two dormitories for employee living quarters who were hired for the 3½ month season, a wash house for guests and a dock/boat house. The “old lodge” was our home away from home until the new western motif lodge was built with a large living room, dining room with a big fireplace, kitchen, three bedrooms and one-and-half baths. The full-moon shining on Lake Agnes was delightful. After a few years, Phillips introduced cattle so Mr. Rabbit Ears also managed the 3,000-acre cattle operations while also being the Lodge’s entertainment director, often giving safety tips before mountain trail rides or hayrides. Visitors were greeted with an elaborate buffet and each week a full campfire barbecue picnic was served with smores as dessert. Caring for 60-100 weekly guests required about thirty employees…chefs, cooks, bakers, salad boys, dishwashers, bus boys and waitresses.

Plus, housekeeping staff, boat dock-man, maintenance engineer and wranglers to care for cattle ranch chores.”

For 12 summers, Rabbit Ears Lodge was home for the Browning children (Kay, Tex, Jill and Gay) who Mrs. Rabbit Ears lovingly referred to as her bunnies. In closing her story, she said, “Forgetting the hard times and thinking only of the wonderful employees, guests and gorgeous surroundings, the Rabbit family was most grateful to Phillips who made the summers memories possible.”

Phillips Petroleum Company used Rabbit Ears Lodge until 1969; closing due to increased expenses. The Lodge remained closed until 1973 when the facility was purchased by an investment group. The Rabbit Ears Lodge and Guest Ranch opened to the public as the “Shangri-la of the Rockies” in June 1975, offering by-reservationonly dining with à la carte recreational opportunities.

December 1976. acclaimed fly-tying professionals Phil and Zona Boyer were caretakers, keeping the Lodge operational through the winter for skiing vacationers, ice fishermen and prospective property buyers. That opportunity became fruitful January 1977 when the Episcopal Order of the Holy Family purchased the property as a 24-hour therapeutic center for emotionally-disturbed children and renamed the property Lichen Ranch. Funding challenges forced the Lichen School closure January 1979.

In 1980, a religious foundation purchased the property as the “Wilds of the Rockies,” a summer camp hosting over 35,000 children through their operational years. In 2006, the property was purchased by an oral surgeon who redesign the floor-plan into a 17,674 sq.ft., 5 bedroom, 9 bath, private residence, using stone sourced from the property.

The picture-postcard property remains private property, carpeted in wild flowers during the summer and colorful aspen leaves in the fall which reflect in Lake Agnes and continuing to flood the area with summer memories.

Did You Know?

The 9,680-foot Rabbit Ears Pass on Highway 40 crosses America’s Continental Divide. The original road was merely prospector trails followed by a dirt-surfaced road. Between 1911-1917, an automobile suitable road was constructed; however, the road opening was delayed until 1919 due to a 50foot snow covering even the 40-foot-tall telephone poles. In 1959, the current Rabbit Ears Pass Road was opened after two years of construction as part of US 40.

Now You Know * MAY 2025 | bmonthly

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38,245 Meals Served

412

Clients Served/48 Children

96

Found Work

52

Obtained Housing

23

Reunited with Family

17 Found Salvation

1,786

$

Cost per Day to Operate

32

bmonthly | MAY 2025

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OUT & ABOUT

BRUINS OF THE YEAR

BBBS BOWL FOR KIDS SAKE

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bmonthly | MAY 2025

OUT & ABOUT

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WOOLAROC CENTENNIAL

100 Years of Woolaroc

Iconic Preserve Set to Celebrate Centennial

by Kevin Hoch, CEO, Frank Phillips Foundation If only walls could talk!

Frank Phillips’ historic Woolaroc Lodge was originally constructed in 1927 and was largely inspired by the El Tovar Hotel located at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon. It served as a part-time residence for the family and retreat for close friends and business associates.

The scenic view from its front porch overlooking Clyde Lake was one of Frank’s favorite spots on the property to unwind after a stressful day of work. The pine logs used to construct the Lodge were originally harvested in the heart of the Ouachita National Forest near Mena, Arkansas. Initially, Frank insisted that the outside logs of the Lodge be unchinked.

It is safe to say that Jane’s displeasure with frequent critter encounters led to the logs being filled in with cement shortly thereafter. The interior décor of the Lodge remains largely unchanged since Frank’s passing in 1950. Due to the immense collection of taxidermy, new visitors immediately assume that Frank was an avid big-game hunter – but that simply was not the case. Many of the animals adorning the walls passed due to natural causes at Woolaroc or were gifts from friends and associates. One of those mounts included a personal favorite of Frank’s – the lion centered over the fireplace. In fact, Frank received him from John Ringling North, and the big cat spent his retirement years (post-circus) in luxury at Woolaroc while occupying what now houses the Aoudads.

take off. As frequent Woolaroc visitors, it only seems fitting that their portraits are proudly displayed at the entry of the Lodge – flanking the two large doors.

When you head upstairs, you are quickly greeted by the famous poker table that hosted many high-stakes matches – where oil leases were lost but lifelong friendships were forged. Frank understood first-hand the importance of the motto “Happy Wife, Happy Life” as evidenced by Jane’s lakefront second-floor bedroom and adjoining balcony that included the best view on the grounds. If your signed portrait ended up on Jane’s bedroom wall, you were in good standing with the family. If not, your signed portrait ended up collecting dust and cobwebs in the basement of their mansion on Cherokee Avenue.

And yes, we still have the evidence! Even though the original owners of the Woolaroc Lodge have been gone for over 75 years, their Lodge is still very much “alive”. You can feel the energy as you meander through. The faint aroma of tobacco and whiskey still lingers and transports modern day visitors to a different era –the last chapter of the West and the early days of a booming oil town we affectionately call home – Bartlesville, Oklahoma. ~ Part 1 ~

The ornate chandeliers hanging in the four corners of the Lodge also have quite an interesting history. At one time, they hung in the Tap Room of the old Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City, of which Frank was part-owner. During the Great Depression, the Hotel was razed to make room for the Empire State Building. Frank often quipped with friends that the only return he received for his investment in the hotel were these four chandeliers. The Dining Room served as center stage for many fine dinners and notable attendees – including foreign dignitaries and U.S. Presidents.

Unfortunate tragedy struck in 1935 when Frank’s two dearest friends, Wiley Post and Will Rogers, perished in Barrow, Alaska, when their Lockheed plane failed to properly MAY 2025 | bmonthly

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BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT

A Rebirth

The Return of Legendary Keepsake Candles

by Debbie Neece with Angela Jeffers During the Cold War, the U.S. Air Force Aircraft Control and Warning Squadron was perched on a westward hill keeping watchful-eye over the valley of Bartlesville…a hill locals have long called Radar Hill and home of a local treasure, the Keepsake Candle Factory and Country Store.

Keepsake began as an Oak Park church fundraiser in 1969 and quickly found its place in the community as a local gift shop, candle manufacturer and tourist attraction.

The company grew so fast that, in 1975, Ed and Alice Ririe moved Keepsake to Radar Hill in what was once the Air Force’s gymnasium building, where they assumed the watchful-eye duties with candlelight.

Keepsake became a Bartlesville staple, welcoming visitors with “Pie on the Porch” or “Lunch on the Porch” serving seasonal soups, sandwiches, desserts as a special touch. And, the announcement of the annual Christmas Candle was highly anticipated.

Merely stepping from your car, you were enticed by the fragrant aromas that spilled from the Country Store, flooding the senses of visitors with memories of seasons past. Keepsake found notoriety in the Oklahoma TODAY magazine, local news stations, a host of newspapers including the Examiner Enterprise, and became a nationallyknown brand for home-made candles, home décor, gifts and keepsakes. At the factory’s peak, the Ririe’s produced over 500 styles and scents of candles, shipped around the world.

Then, after molding candles for 49 years, the unique candle factory revealed the 2018 Christmas Candle and held the “Last Christmas Open House” before closing December 2018. Although, Alice and her workshop elves continued the legacy through online sales, the loss was devastating.

Now, history is being rekindled

by Bartlesville native, Angela Jeffers. After months of care, planning, and anticipation, the historic Keepsake Candles brand has officially changed hands—and entered a new era. This is not simply a reopening; it is a rebirth.

According to Angela, “Keepsake Candles has long held a special place in the hearts of Oklahomans and travelers alike.

Known for its hand-poured craftsmanship, timeless charm, and deep roots in the local community, Keepsake is more than a candle company—it is a living piece of regional heritage.” As the new owner and steward of the brand, Angela is an artist, entrepreneur, and descendant of Delaware and Cherokee heritage. She has a fierce love for storytelling, symbolism, and soulcentered creativity. Under her guidance, Keepsake Candles will honor its treasured traditions while introducing thoughtful new lines, hand-poured designs, and collaborations inspired by Oklahoma’s rich history and spirit.

“Keepsake means something deep to this community.

It’s not just about candles—it’s about memory, emotion, connection, and home,” Angela shares. “This is a resurrection of something sacred, and I feel honored to help carry the flame forward. The candle studio and shop will soon reopen to the public with revitalized energy, including new collections that reflect themes of remembrance, healing, celebration, and cultural storytelling. Visitors can expect familiar warmth with a fresh, intentional twist—designed to stir the soul and spark nostalgia.

Grand reopening celebrations, community events, and exclusive early-access releases will be announced in the coming weeks.”

This transition is more than a business milestone. It is a homecoming and a rebirth of a local legacy.

MAY 2025 | bmonthly

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CALLING TO THE GOOD

Jody Nix. . .

See Him at the Pawhuska Western Swing Festival

by Kelly Hurd

today. If you would like to hear our entire conversation, you can listen to it on the Calling to the Good podcast, available on most major podcast platforms.

The wind was blowing and the walls were creaking in that old dance hall just outside of Big Springs, Texas – but the conversation and even an occasional tear were flowing freely.

To top off my visit, after we finished our conversation, Jody walked over to one of those side tables and popped the buckles open on a double fiddle case. He slowly lifted the top, and inside the case, his fiddle was cradled right next to Bob Wills’ fiddle.

Now, driving out there was like driving through a desert.

Texas can be like that in the winter, especially anywhere west of Abilene, but as I pulled up to the historic Stampede Dance Hall, Jody Nix stepped out the side door to greet me with a smile that surprisingly brightened up the drab winter landscape.

My eyes adjusted to the dimness as I stepped inside the doors and walked across the hardwood dance floor, sanded smooth from years of boot scootin’. Side tables and chairs flanked the long wooden walls running down each side of the dance floor - and a colorful calf roping mural was the backdrop behind the stage.

This was a moment for me. Jody Nix and the Texas Cowboys were a favorite at every summer rodeo dance from San Angelo to Ft. Worth, and I had danced to his music since I was in high school. His dad was Hoyle Nix – who had played with Bob Wills back in the day. In fact, the King of Western Swing had stood on that very dance hall stage I was standing in front of and had played here many times.

And here I was, about to interview Jody and have him take me back to the days when Bob and the Texas Playboys’ music set the world on fire.

It was in his telling me about the recording of For The Last Time that tears began to roll down Jody’s cheeks.

Many of the former Texas Playboys and even Merle Haggard were getting together along with the aging Bob Wills for one last recording in the mid-1970s, and Bob had personally invited Jody and Hoyle to be part of it. Jody was 21 years old at the time and Wills’ antics on Jody’s singing “When You Leave Amarillo” would be the last recording of Bob Will’s voice - ever.

Following the recording session that day, Wills suffered a major stroke from which he later passed away. Silence crept across the dance hall as Jody wiped the tears.

From his taking the stage at eight years old, to his continuing on after his father’s death, Jody opened up and shared about his life and the music that shaped who he is

To my surprise and delight, taking Bob’s old fiddle from the case and tuning it up, Jody stepped up onto the Stampede’s stage and said, “What would you like me to play for you?”

I almost couldn’t believe I was standing there in this moment, but I said, “Faded Love,” and right there for an audience of one, Bob Wills’ fiddle was making music up on that old dance hall stage once again with Jody Nix’s skillful hand guiding the bow while smiling down at me.

You know that old saying, “The older the violin, the sweeter the music?” Well, it’s true. I heard it – firsthand – in the old Stampede Dance Hall outside of Big Springs, Texas that day.

Now, if you’re wishing you could have been there with me, good news!

At this year’s Pawhuska Western Swing Festival on November 14-15 at the Osage County Fairgrounds, Jody Nix will be performing on Saturday night – and tickets just went on sale May 1st!

This will be a night you don’t want to miss, and I hope you’ll get tickets and make plans to spin a few circles on the dance floor in Pawhuska as an iconic Texas legend is coming up to Osage County and bringing the Texas Cowboys with him! You can find out more at PawhuskaWesternSwingFestival.com.

I’m so glad you decided to stop on this page and go “On the Road” with me this month through the tumbleweed country of Texas where a legendary fiddler met up with an Osage County cowgirl – and she walked away knowing that Waylon was most definitely correct when he said, “It don’t matter who’s in Austin, Bob Wills is still the king.”

Ah-Ha! MAY 2025 | bmonthly

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UNSUNG HEROES

Charles Leroy Sanders ... And His Time as a Tuskegee Airman

by Joe Todd

Charles Leroy Sanders was born 15 Feb 1923 in Kansas City, MO, and graduated from Lincoln High School, in Kansas City 1939. He said the Great Depression didn’t affect the family too bad because his father always had a job and they raised chickens and hogs on a small farm to keep the family off welfare.

When Germany invaded Poland in 1939, he knew this was going to be the start of World War II and the United States would be drawn into war. He was working in the Plaza Hotel in Kansas City when the Japanese bombed Pearl Harbor. Due to attending welding and sheet metal school, he was hired by the Kaiser Shipyards in Richmond, CA as a welder on new ships. The shipyards provided dormitories for the workers but he found lodging with a preacher and his wife. He said the workers were still segregated and could not live in the dormitory. He worked on the ships called the “Kaiser Coffins” because they were easily sunk. He worked in the shipyards eight months then volunteered for the Air Corps 2 Nov 1942.

In his tests, he scored very high and was sent to Tuskgeegee Air Base for Basic Training, which lasted six weeks, then was sent to Sky Field, IL for radio school. He trained in communication and was able to take 25 words a minute in Morse Code in telegraphy school. Then, he was sent to Toma, WI for advanced radio school and trained to be a radio operator and mechanic. After his radio training, he went to Selfridge Field, MI, assigned to the 332nd Fighter Squadron commanded by Colonel Benjamin Davis. While at Selfridge, he applied for flight training, was accepted, and sent to Keesler Field, MS. One hundred were accepted in the flight training.

After the six-week physiological and physio-motive examinations, only thirty men remained.

They had no training at Keesler Field; however, they were sent to Tuskegee Institute, where he qualified

for all three disciplines… pilot, navigation and bombardier. His highest score was bombardier; so, he was sent for bombardier training on the B-24. He first had classes at Tuskegee in English, Mathematics, and Aircraft Identification.

He was sent to a base in Texas and had classroom work, then flew in a small two-engine airplane and trained on the Norden Bombsite, which was top secret.

The bombardier training lasted six-weeks and he received his commission.

Then, he went back to Tuskegee, where they needed pilots.

He had pilot training at Tuskegee Institute. They had pre-flight training and began flying in the PT-17 bi-wing and soloed after 16-hours of flight time.

He was almost finished with his flight training when navigators were in demand. The Air Corps was going to start the 477th Bomb Group, an all-black bomb group; so, he was sent to Monroe, LA to train on the B-25, classified as a medium-sized bomber. He trained in radio and celestial navigation and said it was mainly radio navigation because there were radio stations everywhere. In celestial navigation, he had to learn all the constellations, which was more difficult than radio.

The 477th Bomb Group was shipped to Lockbourne Air Base at Columbus, OH. The war in Europe ended and he was informed the entire bomb group would be discharged. He was discharged in the summer of 1946 and was unable to find a job at home because he was either over qualified or the wrong nationality. Therefore, he went back into the service and served until 1952. At that time, he settled in Columbus, OH and went into the trucking business. His father left him a farm near Nowata and he moved here in 1983.

He said he never got overseas in his service, but he is still a Tuskegee Airman.

MAY 2025 | bmonthly

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bmonthly | MAY 2025

LOOKING BACK

Sue Smith

Northern Washington County History Hero

by Kay Little, Little History Adventures How badly I need that telephone.”

January 31, 1973, a local history tradition was started.

Sue Smith, who always loved writing as a teen, winning many essay awards, started writing a column, “Rural Ramblings”, for the Dewey Herald-Record. It was followed by a different column, “The Copan News”. The Caney Chronicle soon picked up both columns. Several years later, she wrote a regular column for Bartlesville’s ExaminerEnterprise.

She later wrote a different column for the Dewey newspaper titled, “Recalling the Past.” This was the impetus for her three-volume books, Recalling the Past. The first one was written in 1988. Within the books, Sue told the history of Copan, Dewey and Wann. The main stories are of several families from those communities.

People enjoyed Vol. 1 so much, they told her she should write another book. After gathering more stories, she published Vol. 2 in 1992, and in 1995, published Vol. 3.

In Sue’s first column, she wrote about her seed catalog and trying to decide what to plant that year.

She told about the disaster she had with the corn the year before. “The family had corn for a few meals when the racoon lines of communication spread the word of our corn patch among our wild friends. It must have been the biggest racoon nocturnal picnic ever, for in one night our corn crop was consumed.” She had such a way with words.

She soon became interested in sharing local history.

She was invited to speak to a class in Copan about local history and was concerned the students would be bored, until she shared about their ancestors and the Copan bank robbery. She knew how to get and keep their attention, much as she did in her writings.

Another article I found amusing was from the mid-1970’s.

The first sentence says, “Our telephone is out of order. How inconvenient!

I actually feel crippled.

Soon after her marriage to Lowell Smith, they moved to Northern Washington County, where they were involved in cattle and oil business. She loved the rural life, which prompted her writings.

In 2005, Sue was named Historian of the Year by the Washington County Historical Society. She quit writing her E-E column, “Copan News” in 2006. Sue Smith died in 2012, at the age of 88. She left behind many memories for her family. One of those family members, her grandniece, Stephanie, told me she fondly remembers sitting in her living room with her mom and Aunt Sue telling them stories of family members. Stephanie was very proud of seeing Aunt Sue’s articles in the papers. She told me that Aunt Sue and Uncle Lowell’s relationship was always so sweet to witness at all the family gatherings. She loved receiving thoughtful cards and notes for important occasions in her life.

Sue’s granddaughter, Olivia, told me about how Sue really enjoyed the pioneer days and learning and writing about those. She talked about how Grandma Smith loved living on the farm and all that entailed. She went on to say Grandma Smith was very loquacious and active in her family, community and church. Olivia said she continues some of the traditions and ways of life she learned from her grandma.

I loved visiting with these two ladies. As a historian, I am very grateful for Sue Smith and her contributions in preserving local history. I frequently use her books for research.

MAY 2025 | bmonthly

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srussell@mcgrawrealtors.com

918-213-5943

Wishing all you moms a Happy Mother’s Day!

Charity Wing, Administrator

Affordable apartments where you can enjoy new friends and feel right at home!

We have independent living apartments available to rent for those ages 55 or older.

Bartlesville Health & Rehab Community provides a wide range of quality health care services. Locally owned, BHRC offers 24-hour licensed nursing care, skilled nursing services, long-term care, and in-house physical, speech, and occupational therapy. And now, BHRC offers memory care for those with Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders.

This brand-new Memory Care Center (Memory Lane) is a secure 16-room unit with aroundthe-clock nursing care. For more information or to schedule a tour, call (918) 333-9545.

All apartments are unfurnished, 1 bedroom, $950 per month 3434 Kentucky Place • 918-333-9545 • www.bartlesvillehealthandrehab.com 48

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of Exceptional Senior Living

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Whether you or someone youyou great hospitality for more than 30 years. Whether you or someone love is is considering considering independent independent living, living, assisted assisted living living or or memory memory love care, Green Country Village is the place to live, connect, grow. care, Green Country Village is the place to live, connect, grow.

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HELPING HANDS

CPR Heroes...

Good Samaritan Helps Save Man at Lowes

by Abigail Singrey

When Brandon Chiles reached down to grab a tool at Lowe’s on Feb. 8 and saw stars, he assumed his blood sugar was low. He’d spent the morning painting a ceiling and had stopped by the store for supplies. Still feeling off, he knelt down to reach the tool—then everything went black. The next thing he remembers is waking up on the ground to a voice asking, “Sir? Sir? Do you need help?”

Chiles, who had briefly regained consciousness, passed out again—this time, it was clear he needed immediate help. Though he had no prior medical issues, he was in the middle of a heart episode. Luckily, a good Samaritan who knew CPR was nearby. Off-duty EMT Brian Church happened to hear the commotion nearby and rushed to begin chest compressions. Chiles drifted in and out of awareness, each time waking up confused—an experience he later compared to Groundhog Day. Church would later say Chiles was purple when he found him. Chiles’ next clear memory was lying on a stretcher in the back of an ambulance, struggling to breathe and telling the paramedics as much. By the time he arrived at the Ascension St. John Jane Phillips Medical Center emergency room, his vision had gone, though he could still hear.

“I kept saying, “I’m dying, I’m dying,” Chiles said. “I can’t die.

I’ve got little kids.”

He coded two times in the emergency room, but the staff revived him each time. Chiles, whose dad died when he was nine, says his children and his family inspired him to keep fighting. “I didn’t want my kids to go through what I went through,” he said.

called long QT syndrome in people with a specific genetic mutation. A 2000 Yale study found that 1.6 percent of the population carries this gene, which can cause the life-threatening heart rhythm disorder. Most, like Chiles, have no idea they’re at risk.

Dr. Mehrle determined that Chiles was a strong candidate for a Micra pacemaker—a tiny device designed to keep his heart rate from dropping dangerously low. About the size of a large vitamin capsule, it’s the smallest pacemaker available and was approved by the FDA in 2016. During a minimally invasive procedure, the device was inserted through a vein in Chiles’s leg and placed directly into the right ventricle. Unlike traditional pacemakers, the Micra is leadless and requires no chest incision, which significantly lowers the risk of complications and eliminates the need for wound care.

“It’s the latest, greatest little device we have,” Dr. Mehrle said.

Today, Brandon Chiles is back home with his family—and a renewed appreciation for life. Thanks to the quick action of a bystander, the dedication of the Jane Phillips emergency team, and the cutting-edge care of Dr. Mehrle, a normal trip to the hardware store didn’t end in tragedy. Instead, it became a powerful reminder of how fast life can change—and how the right people, in the right place at the right time, can make all the difference.

The emergency room staff called the on-call cardiologist, Dr. Anderson Mehrle, who ordered a round of tests to find out what was going on and performed surgery to put in a temporary pacemaker. However, Chiles was doing so poorly that his wife reached out to their priest to perform last rites. Chiles was placed into an induced coma for three days, then he was strong enough to be revived. Dr. Mehrle had decided that he was a prime candidate for a Micra pacemaker, so prep began for that surgery.

Chiles is so grateful for the team at Jane Phillips and Dr Mehrle, who went above and beyond to save his life.

“My mom (who worked at Jane Phillips) used to tell me, ‘Dr. Mehrle’s the type that just won’t give up. That’s someone who you want on your side.’”

Chiles had no prior health issues but had recently started taking the antibiotic Bactrim for an infection. Less than 10 minutes before driving to Lowe’s, he took a dose—and suffered a rare allergic reaction. Bactrim can trigger a rare heart rhythm disorder, MAY 2025 | bmonthly

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Green Country Pet Cremation Service offers private pet cremation with timely return of ashes in your choice of a decorative wooden urn with an engraved nameplate. If no return of ashes is requested, the ashes will be gently scattered on a beautiful pastoral/garden property.

We are located in Bartlesville, Oklahoma and gratefully serve pet owners from a wide area surrounding Bartlesville, Dewey, and Northeast Oklahoma.

For our fee schedule, please feel free to call us at any time.

918-766-3812 GCPetCremation@aol.com 52

bmonthly | MAY 2025

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TRI COUNTY TECH

TECH TALK ALL TH E TALK HAPPEN I N G AT TECH ENROLL TODAY! REGISTRATION ENDS MAY 25, 2025

Join us this June for a fun-filled, week-long day camp for kids currently enrolled in 3rd - 9th grade. Visit TriCountyTech.edu/SummerCamp to register and see the full list of camp themes. Camp is Monday - Friday, 8:30am - 3:30pm with lunch, morning & afternoon snacks, and a t-shirt.

GRADES 3-4

GRADES 5-6

GRADES 7-9

June 9 - June 13, 2025 8:30am – 3:30pm

June 16 - June 20, 2025 8:30am – 3:30pm

June 2 - June 6, 2025 8:30am – 3:30pm

LET’S SWING FOR STUDENTS

COMMENCEMENT IS ALMOST HERE!

HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM OPENINGS!

Join us for the Tri County Tech Foundation’s annual golf tournament, Swing Fore Students, on Thursday, October 2, 2025, at Hillcrest Country Club. All proceeds will benefit the TCT Foundation, helping provide tuition assistance, emergency funds, and food support for students. To be included on the event poster, please commit by June 1, 2025. To learn more about the event and our sponsorship tiers, please visit TriCountyTech.edu/Foundation/Golf.

Tri County Tech’s Commencement Ceremony will be held Tuesday, May 20, at The Center. Programs will be split up into two ceremonies. The first ceremony is at 5:30pm, and the second is at 7:30pm.

Be sure your graduate has picked up their tickets as they are required for guests to attend. For questions, contact our Student Services Department at 918.331.3333 or via email at EnrichingLives@TriCountyTech.edu.

Is your child a junior in high school?

Check out our new Firefighter/EMT program, designed to prepare students for a life-changing career in emergency services in just one year! Classes start in August, and with limited spots in this senior-preferred program, early interest is key. Plus, have you heard the news? Our Aviation Maintenance & Drones program—formerly Drones & Aviation—now offers hands-on training in aircraft maintenance and drone technology. Students can earn certifications and jumpstart a career in Oklahoma’s second-largest industry: aviation! To apply, please visit TriCountyTech.edu/HighSchool.

VISIT TRICOUNTYTECH.EDU TO LEARN MORE! 6101 Nowata Road, Bartlesville, OK

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bmonthly | MAY 2025

EDUCATION

Tri County Tech

Launching Bold New Career Pathways for High School Students

by Maria Gus

Anyone who works with or cares for students wants to see young people find a path they’re passionate about—one that’s meaningful, exciting, and full of opportunities. At Tri County Tech (TCT), that’s exactly what students are discovering through innovative, career-focused programs designed specifically for high school students. With enrollment now open for August 2025, TCT is proud to introduce two standout programs that are not only filling critical workforce needs but also giving students the chance to explore impactful and rewarding careers.

A Life-Saving Start: Firefighter/EMT Program New this year is TCT’s Firefighter/EMT (FFE) program, a one-year course designed for high school seniors who are ready to dive into the world of emergency services. Whether your student has always dreamed of riding in a fire truck or wants to make a difference during life-or-death situations, this hands-on program equips them with the knowledge, physical skills, and certifications to begin that journey.

Through real-world scenarios and training, students learn how to respond to fires, perform search-and-rescue missions, and provide life-saving care as an Emergency Medical Technician (EMT). Participants also gain practical certifications in areas such as CPR, Hazardous Materials Response, and FEMA’s National Incident Management System (NIMS), preparing them to work alongside fire departments and ambulance services right out of high school, and the impact is personal—these aren’t just jobs; they’re careers that allow young adults to serve and protect their own communities.

Several certifications are offered, including Firefighter I, EMT (students can test at age 18), First Responder Hazmat, CPR, and NIMS 100 & 700. Career opportunities include Firefighter, EMT/Paramedic, and Emergency Response Technician.

Soaring into the Future: Aviation Maintenance & Drones TCT’s newly revamped Aviation Maintenance & Drones (AMD) program brings even more lift to students’ career aspirations. Formerly focused solely on drone technology, this updated two-year program now includes Aviation Maintenance—giving students a broader entry point into Oklahoma’s thriving aviation industry, the secondlargest economic driver in the state. Whether your student is fascinated by aircraft engines or captivated by the capabilities of modern drones, this program offers a unique blend of traditional aviation training and cutting-edge technology. Students gain hands-on experience with the Choose Aerospace curriculum and can earn their FAA Part 107 Remote Pilot Certification—completely paid for by TCT. After completing the program and working in the field for

just 18–30 months, students can qualify to test for Airframe or Powerplant certification, opening doors to a wide array of aviation careers.

Certifications offered in the aviation program include the FAA Part 107 Unmanned Pilot License and the Completion of Choose Aerospace curriculum, which leads toward Airframe or Powerplant certification.

Career opportunities include the following: Aviation Maintenance Technician, Commercial Drone Pilot, Aircraft Mechanic, Aerospace or Aeronautical Engineer, Air Traffic Controller, Safety Inspector, Pilot, or Co-Pilot.

In addition to technical skills, both the FFE and AMD programs focus heavily on communication, problem-solving, and critical thinking— skills every young adult needs, no matter where their career takes them.

Enroll Now—Limited Spots Available Tri County Tech’s high school programs are tuition-free for eligible students and provide a jumpstart into highdemand, high-impact careers. With spots still available in both the Firefighter/EMT and Aviation Maintenance & Drones programs, now is the perfect time to encourage the young adults in your life to consider these exciting opportunities.

Whether they’re racing to save lives or soaring to new heights, students at TCT aren’t just preparing for a job—they’re preparing for a future filled with purpose.

For more information or to apply, visit TriCountyTech.edu or contact the Student Services team at EnrichingLives@ TriCountyTech.edu.

MAY 2025 | bmonthly

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FUNNY YOU SHOULD ASK

by Jay Webster Anxiety is said to be the result of trying to control something that is blatantly out of our control.

For better or worse, we live in a universe governed by certain nonnegotiable rules: Gravity - what goes up must come down.

Aging - the process of depreciation for nature, humans, and all that we build. Mortality - the reality that everyone will, regardless of talents, income, or perceived importance, eventually die. And Government - which will never miss an opportunity to disappoint.

Happy Spring, everyone.

I work out. I eat well. I say “no” to things far more than I want. Yet none of these good choices were visible when I found myself halfnaked in a dressing room recently. Assaulted by fluorescent lights and what I can only assume was a carnival funhouse mirror, I was horrified at the sight of myself. I immediately spiraled into anxiety, 56

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thinking about what I could do differently in my diet or workout regimen. But here’s the reality: none of those additional changes would amount to much. So, I’m confronted with the truth: your body simply isn’t the same at fifty as it is at twenty. Surrendering to that truth (or accepting it) brings me a certain level of peace. “OK, I will simply never be twenty again. This is my age. That’s the reality.

Now, what do I want to do with what I have?”

For starters, I will do everything I can with the body I have.

And I will stop being surprised when it doesn’t operate like a much younger model. Anything else would be trying to control what I cannot change.

Let’s do an exercise. Take a minute or two right now, get quiet, and think about the greatest anxieties in your life. Do you have them in mind? If anxiety results from trying to control things beyond our

FUNNY YOU SHOULD ASK control, what does that tell us about the things on our list?

One challenge with anxiety is that it often leads us to focus on what we lack or what we need rather than on what we have. We need or want a spouse. We need or want more income. We need or want more success…because we feel we are running out of years, which makes us want to feel younger.

The day I turned thirty, I cried.

I was so far from where I was supposed to be on my journey to become the next Spielberg or even Steinbeck. I thought I was supposed to be great. Acceptance (for me) means acknowledging that those things will likely never happen in my lifetime. So, what do I want to do with the time, talents, and opportunities I do have?

I can either obsess over what is not here or acknowledge what is here and get on with using it.

There’s a tipping point, right? How do we know when to fight and when to accept and move forward where we can?

If I were to poll you right now, most of you would express frustration and anxiety over the state of our Union. The world and our country, state, or city are not going the way we want. And yet, I have not received a call from Washington or even Oklahoma City asking for my input. Anxiety comes when I try to control what I have

no control over. So my options are: a) lose my mind and invite a heart attack or b) stay informed at a level that is healthy for me and do what I can. And here is what I can do: I can vote, I can act locally (because I do have some sway here), and I can love my neighbors.

Don’t tell me how important an issue is to you if it causes you to hide in National and International politics while ignoring the people living around you.

So, where do you feel anxiety? Are there any steps you can take (aside from getting into fights on Facebook) to help resolve things?

If not, stay aware, but focus on the things you can address. There are hundreds, possibly thousands, of different fires burning in the world at any given moment. You can’t fight them all. Choose the ones you can genuinely assist with and take action. It’s not that you don’t care about the others, but maintaining your sanity will enable you to do the good you can.

And let’s ward off the anxiety we often feel by acknowledging what we do have instead of worrying about what we don’t have.

How sad it would be to finish this life, never having embraced or enjoyed what was in our hands, all because we were focused on something else we wanted that was likely never to come.

I guess that’s all for now. Until we see each other here next month, find ways to do good, friends! Cheers.

Dreamers Coalition

Hello readers. You may have noticed that my column is shorter than usual in this issue. That’s because bmonthly is allowing me some space to share about our new nonprofit effort, Dreamers Coalition.

Dreamers Coalition is our new umbrella organization that covers so many of the things you know us for, like our communitybuilding efforts with DreamersLIVE! Events. Or raising money to provide at-risk elementary kids with books and Christmas gifts. Some of you have seen our work in the schools as we encourage middle schoolers to expect more from their futures through our DreamON! program and DreamersCLUB! Others have even volunteered alongside us on our community service projects. And so many of you have connected with hundreds of others by listening to our encouraging podcasts.

All those community-building efforts fall under the organization of the new Dreamers Coalition Inc. As you might have guessed, we’re not just trying to highlight all these wonderful things we get to do with our community partners but also to ask for your support. We are thrilled with the work our group is able to do on an ongoing basis, and we’d like to request your help to continue making it grow.

To find our more about our community projects and how you can get involved visit www.DreamersCoalition.com.

MAY 2025 | bmonthly

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A FRESH PERSPECTIVE

Mosquito Dancers & Fire Halls

by Brent Taylor

“Dancers work and they work and they work, and they master their skills so far that improvisation just comes flowing out of them… Their natural expression of the best they can possibly be comes out of them because there is no boundary to hold them back.” — Pete Carroll I can’t dance, but I married a dancer.

My wife Karen grew up in Tabernacle, New Jersey, a small town on the edge of the Pine Barrens between Philadelphia and Atlantic City. When we were dating, I flew out to visit her, catching my first glimpse of the Garden State on a drive from the Philly airport with Karen and her sister Dawn. We crossed the Ben Franklin Bridge into Camden and rolled past a gauntlet of neon bars and dives along Route 70 — a far cry from the “garden” I had imagined.

We arrived at her parents’ home in a rusty green Chevy Nova that seemed permanently pointed toward the ditch thanks to a crooked alignment and a passenger door that wouldn’t open. Exiting through the driver’s side, I met my future mother-in-law. I went in for a handshake, maybe a hug.

Ann kissed me squarely on the lips.

As a Midwesterner raised on restraint, I nearly passed out. My pupils dilated. I blinked into a speechless stupor.

Where were the cornfields and tomatoes? Was this New Jersey’s version of Eden, where inhibition is composted into affection?

Turns out, that kiss was just the Garden State handshake.

I prayed the same rule didn’t apply to tollbooth guys from South Philly. “How you doin’?” was about as intimate as I wanted things as I handed over a five-dollar bill.

That moment was my first real clue: this was going to be a cross-cultural relationship. Karen’s family was a party waiting to happen. Mine? A potluck in a church basement.

I come from the Midwestern loam of virtue — grounded in religious rationalism, social gospel, and Dust Bowl pragmatism. Our cultural mantra is a tight-lipped aversion to pleasure, skewed closer to sin-avoidance than sensory delight. That isn’t to say joy doesn’t exist — only that it arrives quietly, like an apology. Lest you think I’m ashamed of this, let me assure you: I wear my social dysfunction with gentle pride.

Karen, meanwhile, learned life as a dance. Literally. Every celebration in Tabernacle happened at the fire hall — her dad was the volunteer fire chief, and she grew up on a dance floor.

Weddings, birthdays, anniversaries, Groundhog Day — all commemorated with Bee Gees and Bob Seger. She dances with grace because she was raised on rhythm.

I, however, have only one dancing memory from my youth: playing a genie in a 1978 song-and-dance revue at Harding University. That’s about as rebellious as we got. Back then, the school wouldn’t say “dance” outright — we called it “choreography,” like a Footloose parody with better lighting.

Decades later, I returned to Harding for Spring Sing and watched students sing and sway with surprising rhythm. I had coffee with a few old classmates — David Fowler and David Hall. As we chatted about dancing, Hall leaned in and said, “I’m one of those mosquito dancers” — his term for a flailing, arrhythmic style full of sudden cattle-prod movements and confused facial expressions, like someone with biting mosquitoes in their socks and underwear.

In the noisy coffeehouse, Fowler and I misheard him: “I’m a Speedo dancer.”

For a moment, we considered the trajectory of postcollegiate freedom. Hall, a pastor now, apparently danced in a Speedo. We had a good laugh once we realized the misunderstanding.

God bless all the mosquito dancers. All we want is a little rhythm and grace — and a community like Karen had at the fire hall. A place where people danced not because they were good at it, but because the music was playing. Where the standard wasn’t perfection, just participation.

Some of us learn to waltz later in life — starting with tape on the floor and low expectations. And when we hear a song like “Sweet Caroline,” we don’t need to dance well. We just need to move a little, hug someone, and shout, “So good! So good! So good!”

I feel my left foot jitterbugging. My right foot’s trying to moonwalk.

I hope it’s not a mosquito.

MAY 2025 | bmonthly

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B THE LIGHT

A Generation on Fire

by Miriam Walker

May is beginning with an array of beautiful flowers all around town. Make sure to take some time to notice God’s handiwork here in Bartlesville, as April has left us a gift. There is much to cover this month at B the Light, so let’s get right to it!

Every ending ushers in a new beginning, and each new beginning usually starts the way the last thing ended. A close pastor once told me, “Miriam, how you leave a thing is as important as how you start the next thing.” No truer words have been spoken.

With that in mind, we have to say goodbye for now, to our faithful OKWU students. We have been around some of these “kids” since last year, which was when many of them began coming to B the Light, to help with our yearly garage sale. There are some that have been coming for longer than that!

They have promised to come back in the fall, and their presence will be missed for far more than just the help they provide the other

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volunteers. These college students are respectful, funny, empathetic, kind, and always willing to help whatever the task may be.

When asked why they continue to come serve each week, the answers vary, but are all closely connected with the call that many feel God has put on the inside of them. “It’s a calling. I just want to serve.”

And as the parent of young adults myself, if I had to choose an alternative title to this update, it would be; I Wonder If They Know. I wonder if they know how well their son acted while he was away at school. I wonder if they know how kind their daughter is to those less fortunate than her. I wonder if they know, that when their child packed the car and left last fall, that they would shine a light bright enough for their generation to take notice. I wonder if anyone has told these parents what a wonderful job they’ve done raising their child. Good job mom and dad! You have raised an amazing young adult.

Every ending ushers in a brand new beginning. Oklahoma

B THE LIGHT Wesleyan students, you began by putting your handprints all over this building, and we thank you from the bottom of our hearts. HAVE A GREAT SUMMER! The Homelessness Task Force first met this past January. Aaron Kirkpatrick, the City Councilman for Ward 4, began this six month Task Force with the goal of trying to find the best practices to address and improve homelessness in the community.

The team is strong, and despite public opinion that often skims over one paragraph instead of reading the entire story, the meetings have been very productive. Joining the Task Force was not a hard sell for the McPhail’s. Bartlesville is a very unique city, and B the Light has always cared about the way in which our unhoused neighbors are treated, but also in how they treat our city. Both are equally important and we are here for the long haul for both. The Task Force is committed to finding sustainable solutions that benefit both the homeless population, and our broader community.

The difference between the fleeting and the lasting is simple. Like a thought that comes and then very quickly dissipates like a vapor, many are making noise about how the homeless are treated. And yes, we know they care. It seems like, however, once the roar dies down and the post no longer shows up on their algorithm, like a vapor, the noise vanishes. This comes as no surprise to us, as we saw this same fleeting behavior this past winter. The concern ends where it begins.

Then you have the lasting long-haulers. These are the ones meant to last or remain unchanged. Their level of caring is coupled with action, and it doesn’t stop when the noise dissipates. You see, long after the snow melts, after the post no longer shows up, and long after the Task Force is disassembled, B the Light will still be here for our neighbors experiencing homelessness in Bartlesville.

Additionally, yes, Virginia, we are open!

There have been numerous discussions around Bartlesville about when we will open. What may not be common knowledge, is that over the past sixteen months we have been open to serve the unhoused and financially struggling people of Bartlesville with food, shelter, transportation, clothing, and many other methods of support.

There is a great deal of time and energy spent discussing what

we cannot or are not doing, yet we are accomplishing a great deal in other areas that serve the city’s poor and homeless population. Over the past sixteen months we have served over 170 unique individuals.

Everyone hears about the emergency sheltering we have done over the years; however, we serve the homeless every day with services like extra blankets, clothing, meals, transportation, and yes, shelter too.

While we may not be ready to have in-house residents, we have provided temporary lodging for 111 individuals whether it is emergency sheltering, hotel rooms, or other resources around Bartlesville and even to other cities. We have provided clothing to 136 individuals, paid and provided transportation to over ten individuals, while reuniting them with estranged families locally and out of state. We have also taken people to other shelters with available space. We have referred thirtysix individuals to other resources for medical, rehabilitation, or housing, and we provide snacks or meals weekly to a dozen unique individuals.

So, yes Virginia, we are open for business, and we are looking forward to expanding our service to regular overnight and temporary housing for our community. In a real sense, we have been open and serving Bartlesville this entire time. Yes, we’ve had some setbacks with opening full time, but we are not giving up on our homeless neighbors - don’t give up on us.

While we wait for our occupancy approval, we remain open Monday thru Thursday, from 10 AM until 1:00 PM. Showers are available during those hours, but by appointment only, to ensure B the Light has proper staffing.

And get ready for our 5th Annual Gracefest! This is a pretty big deal just to help bring people to Christ, and first and foremost that’s why we do it! For the first two years we raised money for The Journey Home, and the last three years money was raised for B the Light Mission. During the four years combined however, over 30 people have given their hearts and souls to Jesus, and that will always be the most important thing we do. If we raise $10 or $10,000, salvations are what we want! We hope to see you there! and that will always be the most important thing we do. If we raise $10 or $10,000, salvations are what we want! We hope to see you there!

MAY 2025 | bmonthly

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“SWING INTO SPRING” Luke Christenson

FRIDAY | MAY 16 | 7-9 PM

“WORLD FARE”

Something Steel Band Experience culturally diverse artisans, dances, cuisine, and music

FRIDAY | JUNE 13 | 7-9 PM

“CINEMA UNDER THE STARS” “The Outsiders”

FRIDAY | JULY 18 | 9-11 PM

“CINEMA UNDER THE STARS” “The Parent Trap”

FRIDAY | AUGUST 15 | 9-11 PM

“BRUIN BASH HOMECOMING AFTERPARTY”

DJ Chase; BHS Drumline w/ Pom|Cheer|Color Guard

THURSDAY | OCTOBER 9 | 6-7:30 PM

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ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

Sizzlin’ Summer Series

A Look at the Live Music & Outdoor Movie Line-Up Spring is here, and it’s time to announce Unity Square’s 2025 Sizzlin’ Summer Series lineup! Our free, family-friendly festivities kick off with “Swing into Spring” on Friday, May 16th from 7-9pm. Award winning singer, songwriter, and Pawhuska native Luke Christenson will take the stage and deliver traditional and original music for the audience to enjoy. We’ll have a bounce house and other free activities for the kids, The Corral Hat Bar will be selling custom made hats, Little Makers pop up shop, a cornhole tournament featuring Bartlesville Cornhole, and a variety of Food Trucks to choose from!

Get ready to enjoy the culturally diverse “World Fare” on Friday, June 13th from 7-9pm. Featuring the Something Steel Band and free Salsa dance lessons from DJ Klave. Something Steel delivers the music of the islands with their own blending of steel drum sounds, guitars, and percussion. Bring the entire family and experience the flare, wares, and fares of dancers, artisans, and food vendors showcasing ethnicities from around the globe. Come and experience a variety of cuisine and art forms all in one place!

Two family film nights are tucked between the “World Fare” and our end of summer event. “Cinema Under the Stars” screens a PG movie that will be shown on a jumbo outdoor

screen. Featuring “The Outsiders” on Friday, July 18th from 9-11pm and “The Parent Trap” on Friday, August 15th from 9–11pm. Bring your own chairs or blanket. We’ll have all your favorite movie concessions available for purchase as well as free glow in the dark bling for the kids!

To wrap up Unity Square’s Sizzlin’ Summer Series the park will be transformed into a “Bruin Bash Afterparty” for all the students and their families to safely have fun after the homecoming parade, on Thursday, October 9th from 6-7:30pm.

Those who will be featured as the entertainment for the evening will be the BHS Band, the Pom team, the Cheer team, and the Color Guard. Come and enjoy free entertainment along with an assortment of food trucks and tons of School Spirit!

Food and beverages will be available for purchase at all the events, and theater-style concessions will be sold on movie nights. Treat your sweet tooth or collect swag and other giveaways at series sponsor booths.

Get excited for a full summer of amazing events in downtown Bartlesville! Mark your calendars, dust off the lawn chairs, and get ready to enjoy three nights of music and two nights of film entertainment, all at Unity Square. Visit unitysquarebville.com for more details.

MAY 2025 | bmonthly

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LET FREEDOM RING

Washington National Monument

by Jay Hastings

The Washington Monument was built to commemorate George Washington, the first U.S. President and revered as the father of our country. Following the Revolutionary War, there were proposals made to build a monument to Washington.

In 1783, the old Confederate Congress agreed to erect an equestrian statue of General Washington in a future national capital city. On December 24, 1799, 10 days after Washington’s death, a U.S. congressional committee recommended a different type of monument. They proposed a tomb be erected within the Capitol, with a later design including a crypt below the rotunda of the great dome. However, there were a number of barriers. Between a lack of funds, disagreement over what type of memorial would best honor the country’s first president, and the Washington family’s reluctance to move his body from Mount Vernon, progress on any version of the project was hindered.

After Washington died, the United States Congress authorized a suitable memorial in the planned capital city, on which they’d started construction in 1791. However, that decision was reversed when the Democratic-Republican Party took control of Congress in 1801 after the pivotal 1800 election. The Republicans were dismayed that Washington had become the symbol of the Federalist Party and the values of Republicanism were not in favor of building monuments to powerful men. They also blocked his image on coins or the celebration of his birthday.

Progress toward the memorial gained significant momentum in 1833. That year, a group of citizens formed the Washington National Memorial Society. By 1836, the Society had raised $28,000 in donations. They also announced a competition for the design of the memorial. In 1845, architect Robert Mills of South Carolina was announced as the winner.

His original design included a proposed colonnade but ultimately was not included due to lack of funds. Construction began in 1848 and was later suspended between 1854 and 1877 due to funding issues. Further political disagreement between the North and South during the Civil War blocked the completion of the monument until late in the 19th century. By then, George Washington had the image of a national hero, celebrated by both the North and South.

The capstone was set on December 6, 1884, and the completed monument was dedicated on February 21, 1885. The structure finally opened on October 9, 1888. A difference in shading of the stone is visible from about 150 feet upward, showing where construction was halted and later resumed from a different marble source. The Monument was originally 66

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intended to be located at the point at which a line running directly south from the center of the White House crossed a line running directly west from the center of the U.S. Capitol.

However, the ground at the intended location proved to be too unstable to support such a massive structure, so the location was moved 390 feet east-southeast. The structure is described as a hollow Egyptian-style stone obelisk with a 500ft tall column surmounted by a 55-ft pyramidion. The interior is occupied by iron stairs that spiral up the walls, with an elevator in the center. The pyramidion has eight observation windows. There are eight red aircraft warning lights and two aluminum lighting rods connected to the elevator support columns submerged into ground water. The monument’s foundation is 37 feet thick. The walls are 15 feet thick at the base. On the northeast corner of the foundation, 21 feet below ground, is the marble cornerstone including a zinc case filled with memorabilia. Fifty U.S. flags fly on a large circle of poles centered on the monument, representing each U.S. state.

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