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October 2026

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WHAT’S INSIDE

what’s inside...

Upfront

City Elections: Justice and a Path Forward

Profile: Joe Phillipe

Looking Back: When Pharoah Ruled the Land

10 21 23

Feature: From Dust to Dusk Feature Sponsor Story: In the Eye of the Beholder Quality of Life: Ghost Walk 2026

A Good Word: What the Water Hides

Community: A Heart for Teaching

Calling to the Good: 6666’s Detour

Kids Calendar

Funny You Should Ask: While We’re Here

Chick-fil-A Events Calendar

Mental Health: Green Country Village

Now You Know: The Mnich Tradition

B the Light Update: Beat the Heat

Local Politics: A Life in the Law

A Fresh Perspective: A Boy, a Marine and a

Unsung Heroes: Walter Pettiford

Putting Green

Out & About: Photos from Around Town

Education: College High School

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FEBRUARY 2025 OCTOBER 2026

UPFRONT

upfront

Hello friends and welcome to October. The start of fall which I believe we all have been waiting for because the heat has just been brutality hot! High school, college, and NFL football are in full swing. This is my favorite time of the year for sports. This month our history queen, Debbie Neece, wrote a fascinating story on the small town of Hulah. Many people who think of Hulah think of the lake which basically put this town under water. Next time you are at the Kiddie Park look at the depot and see what’s written on it…Hulah. Debbie has wanted to do this story for awhile now, and she crushed it. Every story she writes I think I know as much as she does…nope! I learn so much from her stories. She is a huge blessing to me and Christy and helps so much getting this magazine out each month. Thank you, Debbie. As many of you know October is a month that creeps up on us. It is the month of all months that always brings the shadow of the hospital a little heavier. That is where we learned that we would not bring Tyler home that night or anytime! I sense it in the air weeks before October. Homecoming week, which to tell you the truth, is a week of the 52 that Christy prays would never come! It will be 17 years on October 8th that we haven’t heard his voice, felt his bear hug, seen that glowing smile, or been near his funny, funny self which made everyone laugh and smile. That was Tyler. He cared for everyone and was a friend to everyone he encountered. He is desperately missed and loved everyday. He is talked about daily in our family. We know without a doubt he is in Heaven and that we will see him again… AMEN! For the last 21 years of our marriage Christy and I have not had a vacation by ourselves. That is hard to believe but true. That has all changed, and it happened the week of September 14th to the 21st. For the last 3 years we have given B the Light every extra minute we could to refurbish the building, address EPA and the City of Bartlesville requirements, and create a program to help men and women start on a path to employment and a home. We are going to fight this fight that God has put in our hearts. Today we have 12 men, 5 women, and 6 kids from the age of 16 to 3 living in the building. Special thanks to Will, Sylvia, and all the other volunteers who held down B the Light while we were away! How our trip got underway - Christy came to me after walking with a neighbor and said let’s do a cruise - just me and you. Hours later

at 1:00 in the morning we booked a 4 night 5 day cruise going to the Bahamas. On the 24th we flew to our best friends’ house in Orlando. Charles and Amber Colaw picked us up from the airport - so no worries on a car rental. The next day they took us to the Port and off we went holding hands and kinda feeling like this is our first day of our honeymoon. We set off on Royal Caribbean’s 7th largest ship the “Harmony on the Seas.” We had an extra large balcony, and I promise you we spent hours night and day just watching the water go by listening to the sound of the waves. Watching the sunsets and moon rise on the water were incredible. We just sat and held hands. This woman is the love of my life who just with her presence brightens my day. We talked, we listened, and we laughed. Sometimes sitting out there alone while she was getting ready, I just sat back and thanked God for this woman who gets me, who loves me no matter what, and who is my very best friend. Where would I be without her in my life and the miracle God put on us? Divine intervention is what we both believe happened when she battled for my life, when we lost Tyler, and when I battled the ENEMY for trying to tear this marriage apart. Our God is bigger. The two times the ENEMY came at us with everything - we held on tight to one another and put our TRUST in Him. On this trip, we went to a private beach for 3 hours with some of the most beautiful water. We could have stayed there the whole trip. The memories we made will be with us for a lifetime. I have decided we need Keith and Christy time, and I’m going to make that happen more than once a year. This last part of our life we’re going to love like it’s our last day, laugh until it hurts, hold each other until our arms fall asleep, and have us time. That’s the best time for me… US! We got back Saturday and are going back to spend 2 days at the Colaw’s by the pool and relaxing.

I am writing this on their kitchen table Sunday the 20th. We did have to get ready for print the week of our vacation, but we spent very little time because we did a lot of the work before we left. Our writers, Debbie and Matt, helped put it all together. We get back Monday the 21st to start living again and facing life’s grind, but now we’re rested and our tank is refilled. No, we don’t have to go on a cruise every time, but it was nice not to be concerned about the magazine, B the Light, or where one of our kids were. We could focus on just us. I thank God for that everyday…US! Keith and Christy McPhail, bmonthly Managing Editors

Volume XVII Issue X

Bartlesville Monthly Magazine is published by

ENGEL PUBLISHING

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, Keith McPhail, Jay Webster Lori Just, Joe Todd, Greg Wheat Maria Gus, Brent Taylor, Tim Hudson

Contributing Photographers Bartlesville Area History Museum Craigs Photography

Calendars Debbie Neece

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 Remembering the town of Hulah.

Creative concept by Keith and Christy McPhail Design by Engel Publishing

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PROFILE SPONSOR

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PROFILE

Joe Phillipe

An Unusual Journey Through Life by Lori Just

Joe Phillippe’s life has taken him from the jungles of South America to the stages of New York City and, eventually, to construction sites across Bartlesville. It is an unusual combination to grow up a missionary kid who became an opera singer and later built a career constructing homes. Yet to Phillippe, the pieces fit together naturally, each chapter growing out of the one before it. “I never envisioned my life being this way,” he said. “It just all fell into place.” Phillippe was born in Georgetown, Guyana in 1958, where his parents were serving as missionaries. They worked in the interior of the country, in an area accessible primarily by small Cessna airplanes. People born in Guyana are sometimes called “mud heads,” a nickname tied to the muddy canals along the country’s coast. Phillippe has a story of his own that seems to confirm the title. He was about 18 months old and walking near the landing strip where his parents worked. Drainage ditches ran along both sides of the strip and the only way across was a plank. During the rainy season, the ditch was muddy. “I was trying to walk across it, fell in and went in headfirst,” he said. “All they could see kicking was my feet. They pulled me out and, of course, my head was muddy, so I lived up to the description of Guyanese people.” Phillippe’s parents spent two years in Guyana before being asked by their church to help establish Wesleyan work in Brazil. The family moved when he was 2 and remained there until he was 17. He grew up in Manaus, where he attended school through middle school. High school was completed through correspondence because there was no English-speaking high school in the area. “I was learning both English and Portuguese at the same time,” he said. “You just hear it and you speak it, just like kids growing up learning English. They hear it and they start to speak it.”

middle child. Music was also part of daily life. His mother played piano and accordion, his older brother played trombone, Phillippe and an older sister played trumpet and his younger sister played flute. That musical upbringing eventually led him in an unexpected direction. After graduating from high school at 17, Phillippe moved to Bartlesville in 1976, where his older brother and sister were already attending college. He enrolled as an undecided student at Oklahoma Wesleyan University. “I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do at that point,” he said. Music gradually became the answer. Phillippe sang in the college choir and, after his freshman year, was selected to participate in the Freedom Singers, a group that traveled to churches and youth camps and recruited students for the college. It was also through the group that he met Rita, whom he would later marry, getting to know each other well before they began dating years later. Initially, he thought music might lead to a career in church music. Then, during his junior year, opera singer Shirley Close came to the university as an artist in residence. Phillippe sang for her and received some life-changing advice. “She said, ‘Well, Joe, you really should think about coming to New York and going to school in New York,’” he said.

Growing up in Brazil meant plenty of time outdoors. Phillippe and his siblings played soccer, flew kites and played games such as hide-and-seek and Red Rover.

He took her advice. Phillippe auditioned for the Manhattan School of Music and was accepted. He moved to New York City in 1980, transferring some college credits and completing a bachelor’s degree in music before continuing to earn a master’s degree in vocal performance. He spent five years in New York studying as a baritone.

There were five children in the family and Phillippe was the

“I really enjoyed there until the last year I was there,” he added.

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PROFILE “The city’s pace began to wear on me. I was ready to get away from it, the busyness, the noise. There’s hardly any greenery. It’s all cement, concrete and asphalt, tall buildings and just a very busy city.” The experience was a contrast to his childhood in Brazil, where Manaus was already a large city but was considerably smaller when he lived there. Phillippe said that even with his experience growing up in an urban environment, he was ready to leave New York. Among the composers, he particularly enjoys Verdi’s operas, while Mozart’s works appealed to him for their lighter, more whimsical character. One of Phillippe’s favorite opera singers, Sherrill Milnes, was a baritone he remembered hearing during his years in New York. As a student, Phillippe took advantage of discounted student tickets at the Metropolitan Opera and tried to attend performances every couple of weeks, hearing some of the most celebrated singers of the era, including Luciano Pavarotti and Plácido Domingo. “It was so inspiring to hear them,” he added. Opera appealed to Phillippe because it combined several things he loved. “I think it was the whole singing, acting, performing, telling a story, all wrapped up into one thing,” he said. “Singing with a live orchestra, there’s nothing like that.” Opera also requires a particular kind of training. In addition to voice lessons, Phillippe studied the languages most associated with the art form: French, Italian and German. “You have to be able to correctly pronounce all the words that you would encounter in an opera,” he said. Phillippe returned to Bartlesville after his years in New York and married Rita in 1986. He began working in construction for Don Mueller while continuing to teach private voice lessons at Oklahoma Wesleyan University. His path into construction may have seemed like another sharp turn, but in many ways, it began when he was a child. His father, in addition to preaching and teaching as a missionary, did a great deal of construction work in Brazil. Phillippe grew up around projects such as churches, campgrounds and Bible schools. “There seemed like there was always construction going on,” he said. “I also enjoyed tinkering with things, taking them apart and figuring out how they worked. I think there was some natural aptitude there.” Phillippe worked for Mueller and for Dave Jenkins. When Mueller retired, Phillippe started his own company, Phillippe Homes, in 2000. Today, his work includes new home construction as well as remodels and additions, including kitchens and bathrooms. Over the years, he has built a faithful clientele in Bartlesville, with many repeat customers and he says it’s been a good career. Music remained part of his life, too. Phillippe spent about

five seasons with Tulsa Opera, commuting to Tulsa for rehearsals and performances. He sang in the chorus and took secondary roles while continuing to teach private voice lessons at Oklahoma Wesleyan. When his family grew, however, the demands became more difficult to balance. “We started having kids and I think after we had our third child I was like, ‘This has taken too much time,’” he said. He stepped away from opera but continued singing at church, community events, weddings and funerals. Phillippe and Rita have three children and three grandchildren. Their sons and their spouses live in Tulsa while their daughter has lived in Bartlesville and is preparing to move to Owasso after her wedding this month. The couple also shares a love of travel. They have visited Ireland, Australia, Brazil and southern Africa, among other places. Phillippe has taken about 11 mission trips as an adult, many involving construction projects. When his children reached high school, he took each of them separately on a mission trip. “I think it’s a good experience for them to get outside of the American culture and experience another culture,” he said. “That makes you appreciate much more what we have here.” One family trip took them to southern Africa, where they visited missionaries Phillippe knew through his family and went on an animal safari. His parents’ missionary work remained a thread throughout his life. They retired in 1991 after 35 years of missionary service and settled in Bartlesville. Phillippe’s father lived there until his death in 2025, while his mother, now 94, continues to live independently. There is another full-circle connection in that story. Phillippe helped build the Leisure Lane apartments where his mother now lives. The project was one of Don Mueller’s final projects in Bartlesville before his retirement. Phillippe has not returned to Brazil in more than three decades, though he hopes to someday. “I would love to go back, but it just hasn’t worked out yet,” he said. “One of these years I hope to return. I have a lot of friends there.” For now, he remains rooted in Bartlesville, where the different parts of his life have come together: missionary kid, musician, husband, father, grandfather, traveler and builder. This year, Phillippe and Rita are celebrating 40 years of marriage. For their anniversary, they went on an Alaska cruise last month, another destination on a long list of places they have wanted to see. After a lifetime of crossing borders, learning languages, performing on stage and building homes, Phillippe found that the unexpected turns have made for a meaningful journey and a deep connection to the community he eventually came to call home. OCTOBER 2026 | bmonthly

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From Dust to Dusk... by Debbie Neece

The Town of Hulah OCTOBER 2026 | bmonthly

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Located in northeastern Osage County, approximately 15 miles northwest of Bartlesville, was once a community the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway instigated. A town erased by the decline of passenger and cattle transporting trains and the creation of a man-made lake. Progress is not always pretty. In addition, the history of the rise and fall of this small community has been scantly preserved…until Mr. Joe Glenn documented the Dust to Dusk of his home town. I knew Joe Glenn as a detective at the Bartlesville Police Department; but I knew his wife, Lottie Glenn, first. As a sixteenyear-old, my first W-2 job was working at H&H Grocery on Nowata Road. Lottie was a part-time store manager and she made work playful with her German accent. Working on Sunday meant Lottie was cooking lunch for the employees so there were a plethora of volunteers joining her staff. But I digress...back to Joe’s connection. Norma Sas lived in the rock house at the corner of Tuxedo Blvd. and Waverly Ave. She was a meter-maid at the Bartlesville Police Department for many years and finally enjoying her well-deserved retirement. She was often at her backyard fence engaged in neighborly conversation when I drove by and we shared a 12

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friendly wave. Mornings often found Joe and Norma sharing a cup of coffee on her patio deck, talking about police matters she had not left behind. Then, one day I noticed an estate sale at her home…her lifetime treasures were being sold. Anyone who knows me, knows history is my treasure...your history, my history, or our county’s history...memories, books or memorabilia...all history. Most of all, I love finding family histories in order to share that research with another person to help fastforward their genealogy research. On this fateful day, I found what I thought was an impressive threevolume Glenn Genealogy. That evening, as I settled into my recliner to explore the three thick cone-bound books, I found a treasure beyond my wildest dreams. Joe Glenn was an excellent detective and that talent did not stop at the end of his shift. His genealogy research contains individual interviews, interrogations of sorts, detailing family memories, but these books went far beyond genealogy, to the rise and fall of a town named Hulah. Among the first area settlers, were the Frank Labadie, Sr. family who traveled to Indian Territory with the Osage Indians in 1871 across the very land that became the Cross Bell Ranch. Between 1887-1889, Bob

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Wade operated a freight line from Caney, Kansas to Pawhuska using team and wagon; then, he settled his family along the Caney River, southwest of the future Hulah community, where he began farming. From 1892-1897, the first post office was established 3 miles northwest of Hulah…Hampton Post Office with William Hampton as the first postmaster. The post office closed October 25, 1897 and the mail then went to Caney. The River School started about 1900 as a subscription school with students paying $1.00 per month or in-kind room and board for the teacher. Located south of Hulah, along the Caney River, this school started in the two-story ranch home of Osage Chief Alf Brown, brother of Ernest and Charles Brown. The first teacher was Esther Vandeventer. Then, in 1907, the Betts family moved to the area and setup a tent homestead. That is the basic beginning history of the area.

called Pioneering in Ten Communities. This 1940s program, written by Paul Hanna, James Quillen, and Gladys Potter, asked the students to interview Hulah settlers to better understand how their town developed. The result was an eight-page booklet titled A Community Study of Hulah. The Hulah community joined forces to create a collaborative history preservation of Hulah though memories, sketches and details that would have been lost without their efforts. Joe Glenn reserved this history too. The Hulah Brown School functioned from 1908-1958 with future students transferred to Bowring and Copan. The brick school, out buildings and land were then sold to E.C. and Kathleen Mullendore of the Cross Bell Ranch and used as storage until

Oklahoma became a state on November 16, 1907 and, soon after, the first state-regulated public-school districts were structured. January 1908, Ernest Brown donated land upon which the wooden District No. 1 Brown School was erected. The school served as a political polling location, church house, community hall and theater. The first edition of “The Brownie” was a keepsake booklet printed during their 1922-1923 school year. In 1925, the original school building was replaced with a redbrick schoolhouse. The new Hulah Brown School complex had a two-room school building and large auditorium; plus, a five-room teacher’s home, garage and coal room with furnished utilities. The school also had outhouses for nature’s calling, a teeter-totter, slipper slide, merry-go-round and swings on the playground. Documenting the community of Hulah was greatly elevated by the school children through a required social studies curriculum OCTOBER 2026 | bmonthly

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Jan Martin McGuire’s art being demolished July 1998. In District No. 8, the Carpenter School operated 1912-1947 with future students also being transferred to Bowring and Copan. Then, the District No. 7 Bowring School operated 19211968 with the high school classes discontinued and students were given the choice of transferring to Copan or Pawhuska. However, the elementary classes continued for a while. Each January, the Scholastic School Census Records were released, reporting the students who attended these schools and creating an outstanding early history of the schools. “Build it and they will come.” Perhaps this twisted quote attributed to the 1989 Field of Dreams movie said it best, as the Santa Fe Railway did just that. The bluegrass prairie and spring fed creeks of the Caney Valley in Osage County created prime real-estate for fattening cattle and the 657-acre Osage allotment of Kathleen Boren, operated by her father Joseph Melvin “Buck” Boren and grandfather Charley Brown, was the Santa Fe’s target. Miss Boren married Gene Mullendore December 1926 and their

empire became recognized as the Cross Bell Ranch, a cattle brand used by Gene’s mother’s family in Mexico. The Santa Fe Railway’s plan was to lay tracks from Chanute, KS, through the Owen Junction Switch, and on to the Osage Junction near Ralston, OK. Between 1913-1916, great progress was being made…until World War I interrupted. In 1917, progress was halted and the federal government requisitioned all of the track for military use. After the war ended, work resumed. The roots of Hulah were planted along the dusty trail of rail tracks being laid by the Santa Fe Railroad. On March 2, 1918, George Sutton filed documents to survey and plat blocks, streets and alleys on Milt Cunningham’s land tract, documenting what would become the new town. Charley Brown named the town Hluha, Osage for Eagle, and the name soon changed to Hulah. The Hulah townsite was platted with 27 blocks and 10 streets: First Street, Main Street, Third Street, Fourth Street, Fifth Street, Coffey Avenue, Norris Avenue, Broadway, Cunningham and Hill Avenue. Shortly thereafter, the Hulah Townsite Company began selling town lots like hot cakes for $125-$300 each and structures sprung from the green pastures of the Caney Valley. The first Hulah store was built at the southeast corner of Broadway and Main Streets; operated by William Clingman. Walter Rowland and his father, John “Grandpa” Rowland, later purchased the Clingman store and continued to operate a grocery in the building until about 1928. At that time, the Rowland’s bought Mr. Clingman’s bank building and moved their grocery stock to that location. The name of the new store became Rowland and Sons Grocery & Dry Goods. According to Joe Glenn, their store had a large icebox in the back where meats and cheeses were kept. Frank Squire lived in the Tuxedo community and was an employee at Bartlesville’s Crystal Ice & Cold Storage Company. Frank was the ice man who visited to fill the Rowland icebox

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weekly with several 100-pound blocks of ice. Walter cut the original grocery building in two sections and, between 1928-1929, he constructed a 4-room home from one section. He also built a small rental house at the top of the hill where Elmer and Ionian Hollingsworth lived, Joe Glenn’s sister and brother-in-law. Other families in the area were Lee and Bessie Hatfield, Ray Ivan, Claude Schul, Hank and Maude Bernethy, Emil and Irene Brown, Jake Ada, and the Cooper, Clay and Leland families. Hulah also had a small café with counter service operated by Claude and Nelva Harrison. In 1919, Joe Glenn’s father, John Caleb Glenn, built a two-story home in Hulah where he operated a first-floor hardware and variety store, with living quarters on the second floor. Joe’s mother, Nellie Glenn, was appointed postmistress of the Hulah Post Office on March 23, 1923 and space in the hardware store became the post office. She continued as postmistress until early 1944. At that time, Walter Rowland was appointed postmaster and the post office was moved to the Rowland grocery store.

The Hulah State, Home National and First National Banks were chartered and a newspaper, The Hulah Hoorah, was planned with Ralph “Smoke” Labadie as the general manager under the wing of the Caney Chronicle. However, the newspaper appears to have been a “smokey” pipedream as I found no record the newspaper was ever printed, except two promotional newspaper clippings. The Dickason-Goodman Lumber Company purchased a half block, joined by hotels, stores, restaurants and other businesses. The Hulah Baptist Church was organized December 4, 1934, with J.M. Barton as pastor; services were held in the auditorium of the Brown School. Then, January 1937, work began to remodel the second section of the Rowland building into the new Hulah Baptist Church. Mother’s Day, 1937, the church building was dedicated; then, 1951-1952, the Hulah Baptist Church building was moved to Wann, remodeled, and became part of the Wann Baptist Church campus, 1953-1954. In 1922, the Santa Fe Railroad began construction again; then, August 13, 1923, the first regular scheduled train service on the “Pawhuska Branch Line” operated from the home base of Chanute, Kansas, with Jim Ward as the railroad agent. The train

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Mary Church Terrell

route ran from Chanute, Kansas to the Owen Junction Switch, two miles south of Caney, then through Boren, Hulah, Bowring, Herd/Bigheart, Nanos, Opah, Pawhuska, Betts, Strohm, Keefe and Ralston, OK; returning to Chanute in the afternoon. Livestock holding and loading pens were placed at most locations. The railroad originally planned to connect with Herd as well; however, the town founder, Bill Easley, was a cantankerous, lifethreatening fellow, so the railroad bypassed Herd for the new town of Bigheart, diverting two-miles south of Herd. At this Santa Fe stop, a stockyard and tool shed were placed. In addition, although this Santa Fe rail stop was named for Osage Chief James Bigheart, this was not the town of Bigheart that later became Barnsdall. The mileage from the Owen Junction Switch to Ralston was estimated at 62.4 miles. The train was dubbed the “Cocklebur Special” and the Hulah depot the “Whistle Stop.” Cattle railcars were loaded with 23-40 head per car and some trains stretched across the Caney Valley hauling 100 cattle cars at a time, sometimes making multiple trips per day. Some cattle traveled this route and then on to Kansas City. The Santa Fe Railroad had a U.S. Postal Service contract to pick-up and deliver mail along this route as well. The Hulah Depot Agent was also the telegraph operator. The only telephones in the area were 16

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at the Depot and the Stanolind Pipeline Pumping Station, about a mile west of Hulah. A public telephone was installed in the Rowland & Sons Grocery in the 1940s. About 1923, the original Hulah Santa Fe Depot was constructed with the Hulah stockyard and loading pens built about one-half mile east of the depot. The cattle-loading stations were used by local ranchers to corral, load and ship their livestock to markets for processing. The Hulah depot was large enough to accept passengers and freight with an approximate footprint of 24’x113’. This depot was moved to Tulsa by the Atchinson, Topeka and Santa Fe railroad during the fall of 1946 to be used as a yard office and bunk-house/dormitory for trainmen laying over between runs. The railroad planned to remodel the building but the American Federation of Labor Union stood in the path of progress. No details were found of its demise. However, when the original depot was moved, a much smaller 12’x32’ depot was built at Hulah; painted bright yellow with green trim. In 1938, the agent’s “house car” at the depot caught fire and burned to the ground. The house car was located on the railroad side tracks, about 15-feet north of the depot building. The wind was gusting and the fire beat against the depot, blistering the paint on the north side of the building. Townsfolk and school

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Abraham Lincoln’s Funeral.

students extinguished the fire with water bucket brigade but the house car was a total loss. Hulah’s depot agent changed almost annually before 1944 when Miss Wilma Seibold became the agent. She had been a telegraph student in Dewey and was transferred to Chanute before becoming the Hulah depot agent, a position she held through 1957. Wilma carried the nicknames of Billie Seibold, Hulah Bill and Wild Bill. She was a notable character in the area as she dressed like a male and carried a sidearm. It was said she tolerated no non-sense on her watch. Her sister Ethel Thompson taught morse code to other station masters. A little side note: The Stanolind Pipeline Company and Stanolind Crude Oil Purchasing Company were formed as a subsidiary of Standard Oil of Indiana when Sinclair Pipeline assets were acquired in 1930. In 1931, Stanolind constructed a 12-mile,

3-inch pipe, connecting stripper oilwells in Chautauqua County, Kansas with the Stanolind Pipeline Booster Station, 1-mile west of Hulah. The Booster Station was approximately 250’ long and 60’ wide and housed six large diesel engines and pumps. The station operated 24-hours per day, pumping about 5,500 barrels per hour; and, approximately 12-14 families lived in company cottages at that location. In 1936, Stanolind Pipeline laid an 8-inch pipeline from Alluwe to Hulah with an 18,000-barrel capacity. In 1950, operations were merged to become Service Pipeline Company and soon after ceased to function at that location. Now, the shell of a building that once harbored a vibrant oil business holds memories and sparks traveler questions. October 1926, a torrential downpour resulted in flood waters from the Big and Little Caney Rivers washing out more than a mile of Santa Fe track in several locations and reconstruction began immediately. By 1933, the ever-flooding threat brought Don Tyler, as the chairman of the Bartlesville Chamber of Commerce flood control committee, to send A.H. Riney, Phillips Petroleum engineer, to Washington to speak to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers about building a dam near the town of Hulah. The project received positive responses; however, in spite of reports stating the many benefits the dam would bring to the area, including saving property damage, the local trade council debated. November 1933, a mass meeting was called to discuss the $3-million project in-depth and possible three-thousand employment opportunities. The project was a political battle that was finally Congress approved late 1936 under the Flood Control Act; 3,200 acres of property right-of-way was purchased and construction began May 1946. The dam was completed February 1951, costing well over eleven-million dollars. From the office of the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers: “Of the 50 OCTOBER 2026 | bmonthly

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floods that occurred on the Caney at Bartlesville from 1922-1947, 26 would have been controlled effectively by the Hulah Dam. The remaining 24 floods would have been reduced appreciably.” Although 2,045 acres of Cross-Bell Ranch and the Paul Endacott country home were inundated by flood waters, the Hulah Dam and Reservoir created outstanding recreational and flood control opportunities. The lake has hosted Speed Boat Races (1957) and the annual Hulah Lake Osage Association’s Catfish Noodling Tournaments (2011-present). Anyone can set a trotline or toss a rod and reel; but it takes strong fearless character to reach into deep holes in the muddy banks of Oklahoma lakes and streams, risking life and limb, in search of the “big one.” Noodling is a hand fishing, scar producing, dangerous sport. It requires strong swimming skills and a buddy, as drowning is a strong possibility. There are unforeseen dangers lurking under the water like snakes, alligator snapping turtles and aggressive catfish that could rip the hide off your arm or take you to the depths of the unknown. According to some noodlers, Blue Catfish are the most aggressive; however, some Flatheads can get as big as 120 pounds, so keep your

youngsters at home so they aren’t mistaken as lunch. Hulah Lake established an annual Noodling Tournament beginning in 2011 and the tradition continues. As June water temperatures reach 70 degrees, catfish instinctively know it’s egg laying season and the noodler’s adrenaline starts pumping. These fishermen are serious competitors with notoriety at stake. And at the end of the day…a catfish dinner is served. In 1955, Oklahoma Senators Mike Monroney and Robert Kerr introduced legislation to rename Hulah Lake as the “Lake O’ the Osages.” Their thought process followed the naming of “Lake Lookout” at Osage Hills State Park after Osage Chief Lookout and the “Lake O’ the Cherokees” at Grand Lake. The bill was christened by the 84th Congress and received the signature of President Dwight D. Eisenhower. However, the lake continues to be referred to as Hulah Dam and Reservoir. Then, May 1964, the Santa Fe Railway filed for permission to abandon the 62.4 miles of Osage County rail quoting financial losses of nearly $60,000 over the previous three years due to the rising usage of overland cattle trucks. Against protests from Osage County residents, businesses and county authorities, permission was granted by the State of Oklahoma. The loss of the Santa Fe Railroad meant a $30,000 annual tax loss for Osage County. After 42 years of central Oklahoma service, the AT&SF abandoned the line and depot in 1966 and gradually one by one the few residents moved and most of the houses were dismantled. After the station was no longer used, Kathleen Mullendore took possession of the depot building. Although the depot stood forlorn and useless in the pasture for several years, it was a familiar sight to see and became the subject of many photos and art projects. In 1983, Mrs. Mullendore donated the depot to Bartlesville’s Landmark Preservation Council and the building was relocated to Johnstone Park. On March 3, 1984 the Landmark Preservation Council and the First National Bank of Bartlesville sponsored a Roaring Twenties Ragtime Night at Hillcrest Country Club as a fundraiser to help fund the restoration. There was a massive amount of decay that needed to be repaired before the building could be painted and

bmonthly | OCTOBER 2026

SUTTERFIELD FINANCIAL FEATURE Jerry Hastings Art, Jay Hastings’ Father

restored to its former glory. Local Landmark members, Susan Lacey and Cheryl Buckles spearheaded the depot relocation while Cheryl’s son, Drew, organized an Eagle Scout Project. The Hulah Depot was a daunting project even before the structure was loaded for the trip to Johnstone Park. The building was full of debris; peeling paint requiring hours of scraping; and vandals had left graffiti from floor to ceiling. Under Drew’s organization, Boy Scout Troop 104 of the Good Shepherd Presbyterian Church and their dads rolled up their sleeves and delivered! Drew said, “There was one unforgettable and inspiring marking. Just inside the door, someone had used a marker and wrote ever so neatly the entire Lord’s Prayer. That was difficult to paint over.” The Hulah Depot was dedicated in Johnstone Park on May 12, 1984.

a resident remains, as if the town of Hulah was only here for a moment in time...Dust to Dusk. Thank you to Joe Glenn, Jay Hastings, Tim Clark and the Brown School students for preserving this history.

Our roving railroad researcher, Jay Hastings said, “Where the town of Hulah and the crumbling faded yellow depot once graced the Caney Valley, the railroad right-of-way, cattle pen scales and some Santa Fe section houses still remain, untouched for fiftyyears. For instance, exploring Keefe I found an open well site next to the windmill and storage tank. The 10-room bunk house still remains at Strohm. The scales still exist at Bigheart along with two of the section foreman’s houses. The last trip for the Santa Fe’s Pawhuska branch was January 1, 1966. Marion “Mike” Walker, had been a Santa Fe transportation agent at Pawhuska for 48 years with plans of retiring after locking up the depot. The last train north carried a desk, chairs, safes, files, and other office equipment from the Pawhuska depot, which was the only open station left along the line. The line was abandoned February 1, 1966; although, several of the cattle-loading facilities remain today; still used by local ranchers for loading cattle onto trucks. The old right-of-way is easy to follow along Highway 10 west of Copan Lake and south on Highway 99 into Pawhuska. The Pawhuska depot survives today as a local museum. An interesting note: There are no active rail lines in existence today within the borders of Osage County, the largest county in Oklahoma.” And there we have it...an Oklahoma legacy that took a stand on Oklahoma’s open prairie; created a life for a handful of people; and like a twister arrived to clear the earth, the town left nothing but memories in its wake. Not a shingle, not a door, not a rail, not OCTOBER 2026 | bmonthly

bmonthly | OCTOBER 2026

FEATURE SPONSOR STORY

In the Eye of the Beholder R. L. Bartholamew’s Sketches of The Copper Bar by Debbie Neece

Camping out at a local estate sale on a chilly morning before the sun and roosters were thinking about waking opened a whole new world of art for me. You just never know where you will find art and this time it was on the top shelf, well out of my reach, but I was bound and determined to check it out. I wondered around until I found a tall gentleman who could reach said top shelf and what he pulled down was t-r-e-a-s-u-r-e-s. He reached the top shelf with ease and proceeded to hand me down a stack of photographs and sketches that set my soul on fire. Anyone who knows me knows that is normally a response to something Frank Lloyd Wright or Bruce Goff. However, the first intriguing piece I picked from the pile was a sketch of the top third of the Price Tower by an artist named R.L. Bartholomew. This man was totally unknown to me; however, when I turned the art over, the package contained an amazing discovery! The second item was a hand-drawn pen and ink proposed rendering of the 15th floor Copper Bar at the Price Tower, showing the Conoco Phillips Building out the window. There was no containing my excitement as I fumbled through the rest of the pile. Well, what with my wondering eyes did appear…12 black and white photographic images of Bruce Goff’s precious Shin’enKan…the House of the Far Away Heart…the bachelor home of Joe Price, son of H.C. Price, of the H.C. Price Pipeline Company and Price Tower fame. And most importantly, there was a photo of the Phoenix statue that stood guard over the

Shin’enKan courtyard. An arsonist set the unique Shin’enKan structure ablaze in 1996, so these photos are treasures as well. The helpful gentleman was excited for me and moved on. But I digress. I had never heard of R.L. Bartholomew and had never seen any of his illustrations until that day. This was indeed a new chapter of art to explore. Rick Bartholomew made it personal for me when he sketched Bartlesville in such detail. Mr. Bartholomew was born in Sunbury, Pennsylvania; but now a Tulsan. He holds a Bachelor of Architecture and Master of Science-Interior Design from Oklahoma State University. He also taught color pencil and architectural illustrations at Tulsa Technology Center. He humbly said, “I have a passion for hand-drawn architectural illustrations because it is becoming a lost art.” He has been involved in design and illustration for over 45 years and has also taught interior design at Oklahoma State University for 20 years. Except for an occasional special presentation, artistic workshop or art festival show and sale, he’s currently happily “retired at retired.” He is an interesting fellow who has mostly sketched “Tulsa Towers and Landmarks” like the PhilTower, Boston Avenue Church, Mayo Hotel and the famed Westhope in Tulsa, also called the Richard Lloyd Jones House, designed by Frank Lloyd Wright. If you’re interested in Rick’s art has been sparked, visit The Sky Gallery or Bartian Mary Beth Babcock’s Buck Atom’s Cosmic Curios along historic Route 66 in Tulsa. OCTOBER 2026 | bmonthly

We live, work, and play in Bartlesville, and we’re proud to serve our neighbors with integrity Experienced, Honest, Local

bmonthly | OCTOBER 2026

HALLOWEEN

Ghost Walk 2026 by Tim Hudson

Fans of Halloween and Bartlesville history will be sporting a big grin come October 21st and 22nd as the Bartlesville Ghost Walk makes it’s 12th appearance. “We really hope everyone will come out and enjoy the holiday with us” said Ghost Walk board member Mark Haskell. “We’ve got good stories and are excited for everyone to enjoy.” For those not in the know about the Ghost Walk, it’s a (somewhat) annual event that takes real stories from Bartlesville’s past and retells them in spooky fashion at various locations around downtown B’ville within walking distance of the Center. So it’s somewhat annual in that there were a couple of years (Covid, we’re looking right at you) that they took some time off, but regardless they are back in 2026 as the song says: “with a brand new invention.” “We have six stories and six locations” said Elise Enterkin, Ghost Walk board member and Center volunteer coordinator.

“Local artist Josh Waddell will be bringing his bike that you can make painings with. So that’s always a lot of fun” Haskell said. Enterkin adds that the SPCA will be “coming out with adoptable dogs with costumes, so they will be very cute.” She says that Ambler Hall, the Boulevard Color Company and Marigolds Bookstore are all among the locations in the Walk. “Marigolds is all in about decorating for Halloween and Boulevard always does it up big” she said. “People are excited about halloween and they always get into costumes.” Haskell says that the the Ghost Walk has a good group of volunteers. “We have narrowed it down to a handful of writers that consistently gives us good stories: Tyler Barless, Kayleigh West, and Tim Hudson. Jennifer McMurrain doing a story about the Labady’s” he said.

So almost 72 stories in and hundreds of patrons later, there’s still some new stuff as several local authors are hard at work on this year’s offering.

“Dace Tom, Jurine Elkins, we have some great actors too and have some good volunteers that brings people downtown. We hope that maybe they will come back downtown and go to a restaurant or go shop.”

What are they? Well it wouldn’t be any fun to reveal until the actual show, but suffice to say that you’ll gain a further knowledge of the backstory of our beloved town throughout some of the tough stuff.

Behind the curtain of the entire event is Downtown Bartlesville and the Ghost Walk is entirely an all volunteer organization, so the money goes to helping downtown and downtown businesses.

“The original thought was how can we take some of the history and embellish it and make it into a fun story, people do like halloween and it’s a way to do something different” Haskell said

“We maintain Centennial Park for the City, do the Merchant Crawl that is part of Christmas in the Ville - and pay for the vouchers we give away to the winners of the drawings” Haskell said.

“It’s just entertainment as we are not trying to scare people. We’re just trying to give them a little excitement and a nice evening.”

“We also maintain a Downtown Facebook page with 5,700 followers, help pay for posters and other expenses associated with downtown events, insurance, and other things.”

In addition to the actual Ghost Walk the event will also include several activities at the Center for before or after the walk. These include Tarot card readings by Enchantments and Oddities as well as games like corn hole and ring toss.

Anyone wishing to volunteer for the Ghost Walk is encouraged to go to www.signupgenius.com and search for “Ghost Walk 2026. OCTOBER 2026 | bmonthly

OCTOBER

CALENDAR

SPONSORED BY 1

Children’s Musical Theatre Fall Classes

October 1, 6&8, 13&15, 20&22, 27&29, 12:00 p.m. - 12:45 p.m. Children’s Musical Theatre, 101 S. Wyandotte, Bartlesville

Bartlesville Public Library Weekly Storytime

Bartlesville High School Choir Fall Concert 7:00 p.m. - 8:15 p.m. Bartlesville High School Fine Arts Center, 1700 Hillcrest Drive

Bartlesville Art Association Creepy Creature Creation

1:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Bartlesville Art Association, 217 S. Comanche Ave.

October 7-8, 14-15, 21-22, 2829, 10:00 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S. Johnstone Avenue

Pumpkin Plunge at Richard Kane YMCA

OK Bandmasters Association State Marching Band Contest

Pumpkin Decorating at the Frank Phillips Home

8 a.m. - 11 p.m. Bartlesville High School, Custer Stadium, 1700 Hillcrest Dr.

bmonthly | OCTOBER 2026

Cinderella presented by Bartlesville Civic Ballet

Oct 24, 7:30 p.m. and Oct 25, 2:00 p.m. Bartlesville Community Center, 300 SE Adams Blvd, Bartlesville

11 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. Green Country Village, 1025 Swan Drive, Bartlesville

12:15 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. Richard Kane YMCA, 101 S. Osage Ave., Bartlesville

2:00 p.m. – 4:00 p.m. Frank Phillips Home, 1107 S Cherokee Ave.

Richard Kane YMCA Parents Night Out

6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m. Richard Kane YMCA, 101 S. Osage Ave., Bartlesville

Green Country Village invites you to a Foam Party

Bartlesville Public Library Story Sprouts

11 a.m. - 1 p.m. Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S. Johnstone Avenue

10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S. Johnstone Avenue

Country Bumpkin Pumpkin Patch & More

October 3-4, 10-11, 17-18, 24-25, 31-11/1 Saturdays 11-7 and Sundays 1-7; Fall Break Oct 15-16, 11:00-4:00 Country Bumpkin Pumpkin Patch, 18500 N 4030 Rd, Bartlesville

Bartlesville Public Library Lego Club

Halloween Trick or Treating at the Frank Phillips Home

6:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m. Frank Phillips Home, 1107 Cherokee Avenue, Bartlesville

Weekly Events On the Rock After School Program

3rd-5th Grade Monday: Kane, Jane Phillips, Osage Hills, Ranch Heights 3rd-5th Grade Tuesday: Wayside, Wilson, Hoover, home school/private school drop off 9th-12th Grade Thursdays: Rock bus picks up at BHS 6th-8th Grade Fridays: Rock bus picks up at Madison, Central, Osage Hills after school

Bartlesville & Dewey Boys and Girls Clubs

Mon – Fri, 2:30 a.m. – 6:30 p.m. BGC Bville, (918) 336-3636, BGC Dewey, 918-534-8209

OCTOBER 2026 | bmonthly

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

Oct 1 - Nov 1

Washington Park Mall, 2350 SE Washington Blvd.

Oct 8 - 10

Oklahoma Heritage Farm Annual Fall Festival

Oct 6

B-Mods Battle at the Border Special

Oct 1 - 31

Bartlesville Public Library in the Kitchen with Susan

Times Vary

9am - 6pm

Bartlesville Community Center presents Jon Lindblom

12 - 1pm

Bartlesville Public Library, 600 Johnstone Avenue, Meeting Room A

Caney Valley Speedway, 1324 County Road 1600, Caney S.

6:30 - 7:30pm

OSU Alumni Chapter Monthly Meeting

Bartlesville Public Johnstone Avenue

Oct 1 - 3

7:30 - 8:30pm

Library,

600

Fall Traders Encampment at Woolaroc

Bartlesville Public Johnstone Avenue

Oct 3

Oct 6 - 8

8am

Times Vary

Boots Hollow Golf Club Dewey Alumni Tournament 4 - 9pm

Oktoberfest hosted by OKM Music OKM Music, Inc., 415 S. Dewey Avenue

Library,

600

Boots Hollow Golf Club SMGA Club Championship

Boots Hollow Golf Club, 5801 Tuxedo Blvd, Bartlesville

Oct 7 5 - 10pm

Oct 3 - Nov 1

Gathering at the Roc Kick off Pary

Times Vary

Country Bumpkin Pumpkin Patch 18500 N 4030 Rd.

Lollipops Patio at Lollipops Woodfire Grocery, 311 S Dewey

Oct 8

All Day

Time Travelers Geeks & Antiques Indoor Market

Nineteen0Eight: Mixology Tales, American Prohibition

Nineteen0Eight, 311 ½ S. Dewey Avenue, Bartlesville All Day

Dewey Western Heritage Weekend

Bartlesville Public Library Make It So Book Club

10am - 5pm

Oct 9 6:30 - 8:30pm

6 - 7:30pm

Bartlesville Public Library presents the Johnstone Irregulars Book Club

Oct 1

5 - 10pm

10am - 12pm

ElderCare Grandparents Support Group

Downtown Dewey

Oct 9 1pm

19am - 5pm

Gathering at the Roc Car Show

Woolaroc, 1925 Woolaroc Ranch Road, Bartlesville 10am - 5pm

Visit Dewey Second Saturday Downtown Dewey Merchants 1pm

GeekyGami Riftbound Summoner Skirmish

GeekyGami’s, Washington Park Mall, 2350 SE Washington Blvd. 6:30pm

Under the Lights - Fall Fundraiser Dinner The Roc, 122 S Park Ave, Bartlesville

Oct 12 11:30am - 5:30pm

Boots Hollow Golf Club Bartlesville High School Golf Fundraiser

The Red Cross Blood Drive

Oct 10

Death by Chocolate - Blind Date Book Bar

Boots Hollow Golf Club, 5801 Tuxedo Blvd, Bartlesville

8 - 11am

Big Country Breakfast Benefit Bartlesville Bruins Varsity Girls Golf

Bartlesville Elks Lodge #1060, 1060 Swan Drive

Bartlesville Public Johnstone Ave.

Marigolds Bookstore, 208 S. Johnstone Ave.

Oct 13 2 - 8pm

9am

Bartlesville Public Library 2nd Tuesday Craft Club

Boots Hollow Golf Club Bulldogger Golf Fundraiser Tournament

Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S. Johnstone Ave.

Boots Hollow Golf Club, 5801 Tuxedo Blvd, Bartlesville

Advertising Opportunities: 918-214-4968 • keith@bartlesvillemonthly.com

bmonthly | OCTOBER 2026

600

5:15 - 6:30pm

THE MOST-READ MAGAZINE IN BARTLESVILLE 26

Library,

Oct 14

Oct 16 - 18

Oct 22

11:30am - 2:30pm

TBA

7 - 8:15pm

2 - 8pm

Bartlesville Art Association Water Color with Jim Buchan

College High School’s Class of 1966s 60th Reunion

Bartlesville High School Choir Fall Concert

BPL Open Craft Time

Oct 15

Oct 17

Oct 24

2 - 3pm

9am - 2pm

9am

BPL presents Gently Reads Book Club

7th Annual Memories Matter Car Show

Boots Hollow Golf Club Bartlesville Firefighters Tournament

Bartlesville Art Comanche Ave.

Association,

Bartlesville Public Johnstone Avenue

Library,

217

600

7 - 8pm

Hilton Garden Inn Bartlesville, 205 S.W. Frank Phillips Blvd.

Green Country Village, 1025 Swan Dr., Bartlesville 10 - 11am

BPL presents 3D Thursday Bartlesville Public Johnstone Avenue,

Library,

600

Oct 16

Bartlesville Public Library Lego Club Bartlesville Public Johnstone Avenue

Library,

600

Oct 20

8am - 1pm

Boots Hollow Golf Club 87th Annual Reda Tournament

Boots Hollow Golf Club, 5801 Tuxedo Blvd, Bartlesville 6 - 9:30pm

Bobby Baldwin at the Bartlesville Nineteen0eight

Nineteen0Eight, 311 ½ S. Dewey Avenue, Bartlesville

Oct 16 - 17

3 - 7pm

CPR Training at Elder Care

Elder Care, 1223 Swan Drive, Bartlesville 7 - 8pm

BPL Presents Cinema Discussion Club Bartlesville Public Johnstone Avenue

Library,

600

Times Vary

Boots Hollow Golf Club, 5801 Tuxedo Blvd, Bartlesville

Bartlesville Public Johnstone Ave.

Library,

600

Oct 29 7 - 8pm

Bartlesville Public Library presents Haunted Oklahoma

Bartlesville Public Library, 600 Johnstone Avenue, Meeting Room C

Oct 30

12:15 - 1pm

7pm

Pumpkin Plunge at Richard Kane YMCA

Garth Live! A tribute to Garth Brooks presented by BCCA

Richard Kane YMCA, 101 S. Osage Ave., Bartlesville

The Center, 300 S.E. Adams Blvd.

6 - 9pm

Oct 31

Richard Kane YMCA Parents Night Out

Richard Kane YMCA, 101 S. Osage Ave., Bartlesville

Oct 24 - 25 S.

Oct 21 - 22 6 - 9pm

White Rose Cemetery Mausoleum Stories

Bartlesville High School Fine Arts Center, 1700 Hillcrest Drive

Oct 27

Times Vary

Cinderella presented by Bartlesville Civic Ballet

The Center, 300 S.E. Adams Blvd, Bartlesville

Ghost Walk

Bartlesville Community Center, 300 S.E. Adams Blvd.

Tickets: Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S. Johnstone Ave.

Home Decor • Gifts • Apparel Gifts & Clothing Mon-Fri 10am-5:30pm Sat 10am-4pm

112 E 2 St Bartlesville, OK 74003 nd

118 E 2nd St Bartlesville, OK OCTOBER 2026 | bmonthly

NOW YOU KNOW

The Mnich Tradition A Century of Grocery Legacy by Debbie Neece The name Mnich carries clout in Oklahoma and Washington County, especially in the Bartlesville area. Konstanty “Gus” Mnich was a sixteen-year-old boy who fled Poland during tumultuous times and arrived in America, the land of opportunity, in 1906. He had no skills but his back was strong and his determination great. He followed many other Polish immigrants to Neodesha, Kansas, where the Lanyon Zinc Smelter had been established in 1902. Bartlesville had three smelters, Bartlesville Zinc, National Zinc and Lanyon-Starr which opened in 1907. Between 19091913, Gus worked for the smelters in Bartlesville; then, moved to St. Louis in 1913, where he married Mary Ponzic. The couple returned to Bartlesville in 1915 and Gus worked at the Lanyon Zinc Company here for a few years. Smelter work was brutally hot, dusty and strenuous. About 1917, Gus developed arthritis and emphysema and was unable to work in the smelters. Claremore had radium and mineral water bathhouses which were touted as treatment for arthritis and rheumatism, so Gus made the medicinal trips and did find relief. 28

bmonthly | OCTOBER 2026

During his absence, Mrs. Mnich visited Bartlesville stores to purchase goods for “westside” community residents which she resold from the front bedroom of the Mnich home. Business did so well that Gus Mnich, his brother Loddie and friend Henyrk Rypka became partners in a grocery store for about a year. In 1920, that grocery was called the Osage Market & Grocery with staple groceries, lunch meats, fresh fruit and vegetables, and fresh and salt meats…all with free delivery. Gus bought out the partners and continued the business as the Gus Mnich Grocery at the west end of 14th Street, in the Polish community known as Smelter Town or Pruneville. Mr. Rybka and Gus remained esteemed friends; so much so that Rybka named two of his ten children Loddie and Gus. The Mnich store was small but essential for Polish speaking families in the area, many of whom experienced language barriers with Bartlesville business operators. Gus Mnich was deeply community and family oriented and he took care of his community when times were very hard! During the Great Depression, the Mnich store was economically vital to the survival of the westside

NOW YOU KNOW north of their original site. The new Mnich’s Grocery opened May 1, 1978, across from the Phillips Research Center, with a stateof-the-art automatic smokehouse installed. Mike began helping make Polish sausage at six-years-old and he recognized the value of this improvement. He said, “That thing whistled Dixie and gave you change.”

community. Gus extended credit to families strapped for cash, knowing their struggles, and trusting repayment.

Was Gus making a fortune? Absolutely not, but his heart was as golden as his intentions. Having experienced work in the fiery smelters left a melted place in his heart for those who followed him. He Tony, Mike and Gus Mnich The Mnich’s were opened the store by a powerhouse team. 6:30 each morning to Mike operated the meat welcome the smelter department, step-brother Tony handled the grocery department workers when they got off shift; not because they arrived to and Gus’ wife, Nellie Mnich ran the produce department. Mike buy a quart of ice-cold Stag beer to cool off, but because these even sold to wholesale businesses like the local Taco and Pizza men arrived exhausted, with deeply sunken eyes, shirts open Huts. Business was exceptional…until the Ides of March, 1982! exposing their burnt chests, and they needed Gus to refresh That March 15th, a 3-mile-long, 175-feet-wide, F-2 tornado with them before going home. Gus had been there; he felt their pain. wind speeds of 113-157 mph destroyed the beautiful red brick Mnich’s Grocery became known as a specialty store and Mnich’s Grocery. Undaunted, the store was rebuilt and reopened patrons came from far and wide, including some of Bartlesville’s in September…“built back bigger and better, with a whirlwind of wealthiest. The biggest draw was Gus’ hand-made Polish values and specials” sausage from his on-site smokehouse; but he also brought Mike continued to operate the store after Tony’s retirement; in Jewish sourdough rye and pumpernickel bread from Tulsa, working 6 days a week, 12-16 hours per day, when severe back cheese from Chicago, Wisconsin, New York and Ohio, German issues sidelined him. After 68 years of service, the decision to sell sausage from Milwaukee via the train on dry ice, barrels of was a bigger hurt than the 1982 tornado. United Supermarket minced meat, sauerkraut and pickles, tubs of smoked fish and purchased the business May 1984 and served Bartlesville until herring…anything that other local stores didn’t or wouldn’t closing June 27, 2026…ending a century of Mnich and United carry…and business was good but space was limited. The store grocery service. had consumed the Mnich home and they needed more space. Gus liked the old ways…mixing the sausage in a #3 washtub, a hand-crank sausage stuffer, hand-chopped garlic on meat block. He was not interested in a new building. In 1958, Gus semi-retired and his sons, Mike and Tony, became partners in the store. Gus worked occasionally until he suffered a stroke, then died on April 13, 1978…before he could see the new red brick grocery store become a reality. On July 19, 1977, Tony and Mike Mnich held a ground breaking ceremony at their new location, 1849 W 4th Street, one mile

1982 Tornado Destruction

Even later in Mikes life, as he drove past Dinks BBQ, the hickory smoke aroma awoke a lifetime of memories and his tears flowed. Making sausage was hard work, but it was also tradition...the Mnich Tradition.

Did You Know? During August 1981, Michael Blichasz, President of the Polish American Cultural Center in Philadelphia, organized the first Polish American Heritage Month. Then, House Joint Resolution 99-76 passed July 1985 designating August as the Polish American Heritage Month. In 1986, the celebratory became celebrated each October. In 2026, Polish Americans will mark the 45th Anniversary of the founding of Polish American Heritage Month, an event, which began in Philadelphia, PA, and became a national celebration of Polish history, culture and pride. During 2026, Poles will mark the 418th Anniversary of the First Polish Settlers who were among the first skilled workers in America…among them Gus Mnich!

Now You Know * OCTOBER 2026 | bmonthly

Todd Cone For Washington County Associate District Judge

A Judge You Can Trust. A Neighbor You Already Know. Todd Cone isn’t just a candidate—he’s your neighbor. Married 32 years with five children, Todd has built his life here and devoted his career to serving here…34 years as a practicing attorney, 18 as a Municipal Judge. He doesn’t just know the law—he applies it with integrity, fairness, and respect for every citizen. Our community deserves a judge who serves with the same dedication he's shown throughout his career.

TODD

ONE for JUDGE 2026

COMMITTED TO FAIRNESS. GROUNDED IN COMMUNITY. Learn more by scanning this QR code.

PAID FOR BY COMMITTEE FOR TODD CONE FOR JUDGE 2026

ToddConeForJudge.com

bmonthly | OCTOBER 2026

LOCAL POLITICS

A Life in the Law

More Like Andy Griffith than Boston Legal by Maria Gus If television shaped your idea of practicing law, you might picture dramatic closing arguments, surprise witnesses and attorneys racing in and out of courtrooms.

There were clients struggling with addiction or mental illness, children in difficult circumstances and people who simply needed someone to help them understand what was happening.

Todd Cone describes his 34 years of practicing law and 18 years on the bench a little differently.

There were also clients who paid their legal bills in decidedly small town ways. Cone says he has accepted everything from a golf cart and motorcycles to jewelry, beef, garden vegetables, muffins and cookies.

“My practice and experience have been more like Andy Griffith than Boston Legal,” he jokes. That may be a pretty good description of practicing law in northeast Oklahoma. Cone began his career in 1992 at a small firm on Frank Phillips Boulevard in downtown Bartlesville. As the new attorney, he was assigned a job considerably less exciting than arguing before a jury. He examined abstracts. For anyone who has bought or sold property in Oklahoma, an abstract is essentially the history of a piece of property. For a young attorney, reading them meant reviewing deeds, divorces, probates, foreclosures, adoptions and legal documents prepared by other lawyers. Cone compares the experience to Mr. Miyagi training Daniel in “The Karate Kid.” The work could be repetitive and tedious, but eventually you understood why you were doing it. “You learn a lot from reading other attorneys’ pleadings and making sure they were done correctly,” Cone said. It was the beginning of a legal education that extended far beyond real estate. During his first years of practice, Cone contracted with the Oklahoma Indigent Defense System, representing people who could not afford an attorney. He handled hundreds of criminal cases. “The court assigned every third case to me.” Over the decades that followed, his practice expanded into just about every corner of small town law. He has handled probate and trust disputes, guardianships, adoptions, criminal cases, oil and gas matters, civil litigation, mental health proceedings, juvenile cases, real estate and foreclosures. He has practiced in federal court, trained as a mediator at Pepperdine University and served as a judge in arbitration, and as a city judge. Sometimes the legal questions involved considerable money. Sometimes they involved families fighting over estates. Sometimes the stakes were far more personal. “The most heartbreaking cases were the deprived children cases.”

Sometimes being someone’s lawyer meant more than answering legal questions. One client who could not read would bring Cone anything that looked important and ask him to explain it. Those experiences eventually followed Cone to the other side of the courtroom. Cone has spent 18 years serving as a municipal judge in Nowata and 8 in Oologah. He says his broad experience as an attorney has shaped the way he approaches the bench. He compares the role of a judge to an umpire. The law establishes the rules. A judge’s responsibility is to apply those rules fairly and equally. But experience has also taught him that applying the law and treating people with humanity are not mutually exclusive. Cone remembers one difficult defendant who arrived in court ready for a fight. Instead of escalating the situation, Cone moved his case to the end of the docket. When the courtroom emptied, he came down from the bench, sat beside the man and just listened. Eventually, the man paid his fine and left peacefully. “He really just wanted to be treated with respect and heard,” Cone said. That lesson has become a central theme of Cone’s campaign for Associate District Judge of Washington County: People who enter a courtroom should be heard, treated with dignity and receive a fair application of the law. After more than 3 decades, Cone’s legal career is difficult to summarize with a single specialty. He has represented people and judged cases involving property, businesses, families, children, crime, mental health, and estates. He has seen people on very good days and some of the worst days of their lives. Now, as voters prepare to select their next Associate District Judge, Cone is asking them to consider the experience he would bring to the job. OCTOBER 2026 | bmonthly

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bmonthly | OCTOBER 2026

UNSUNG HEROES

Walter Pettiford ... And His Service in Vietnam by Joe Todd

Walter Pettiford was born on 17 April 1942 in Lewisburg, NC. He graduated from Lewisburg High School in 1960. After high school, he worked on his father’s farm, feeding cattle and hogs, until he was drafted 19 December 1965. He was sent to Fort Benning, GA for Basic Training. He said Basic was disciplined but not too hard. He was in good shape because his work on the farm trained him to be in good shape. Basic lasted eight weeks, then he was sent to Fort Sill for training in artillery. He did not request artillery; he was just assigned. They trained in all kinds of weather. After his artillery training, he requested airborne and was sent to Fort Bragg, NC. He wanted airborne training because he would be close to home. The training was strict but good. His first jump was an experience and he thought it was fun until he learned what could go wrong. He had four more jumps in training and was more nervous on those jumps. He was assigned to the 11th Air Assault at Fort Benning where he became part of the First Air Cavalry Division. His unit went to Savannah, GA, boarded ships and left for Vietnam. He said it was a long trip; he got seasick the second day out and the rest of the trip was miserable. They landed at Da Nang and were sent immediately to An Khe in the central highlands. He was assigned to the 319th Field Artillery, First Cavalry Division. He was on the 105 mm guns with a crew of seven. He was trained on every position on the gun in case someone was injured. Every member had to be ready to do any job on the gun at any time. His first combat was at the Ia Drang Valley, November 1965. He said they fired a lot of artillery and killed a lot of NVA. This was the first major battle where the US fought the NVA. His unit then went to the border with Laos to fight the NVA and VC coming down the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Just like in Ia Drang, they fired a lot of artillery and killed a lot of the enemy. He was in

Vietnam one year, flew home and when he landed, he kissed the ground. He was at Fort Bragg, then went to Germany and assigned to the 25th Infantry Division. He was in Germany six months, then returned to Vietnam, assigned to the 1st Infantry Division, October 1968. He flew to Cam Ranh Bay and was assigned to an eight-inch howitzer; then, was sent to Quang Tri, near the DMZ. He said the second trip to Vietnam was more deadly than his first time there. His unit was overrun one night by the NVA and several of his unit members were killed. He was behind a log shooting and doesn’t know how many he killed. The next morning, he helped gather the dead NVA and said there were quite a few. He said you could not tell the VC from the local villagers. The war changed and if fired on, they had to get permission to fire back. If you fired back without permission, you could to jail. He thought this was a hell of a way to run a war. He had to go on patrol and the villagers supported who helped them the most, the Americans or the NVA. They could tell if the NVA or VC were in the village by the way the people acted. If the people were nervous, they just left the village so they would not have a firefight. He left Vietnam February 1969, sent to Fort Bragg. When he was discharged January 1972, he began working for Phillips Petroleum Company and moved to Bartlesville. He said the memories of Vietnam still bother him. OCTOBER 2026 | bmonthly

OUT & ABOUT

BARTLESVILLE LADIES CONVENTION

EMPTY BOWLS

bmonthly | OCTOBER 2026

OUT & ABOUT

SAMARITAN SPORTS SPECTACULAR

WILD BREW

OCTOBER 2026 | bmonthly

bmonthly | OCTOBER 2026

CITY ELECTIONS

Justice & a Path Forward by Maria Gus

During five years as Bartlesville’s municipal judge, Alan Gentges has considered approximately 20,000 matters. Behind every case number, however, is a person, and Gentges believes a judge must never lose sight of that. Some defendants have made a poor decision. Others are struggling with addiction, untreated mental illness, homelessness or the loss of a driver’s license that threatens their ability to keep a job. Gentges believes the court must hold people accountable, protect the community and follow the law. He also believes justice should leave room for people who are willing to change direction. His goals as municipal judge have been clear: do justice, keep the city safe, help those who are willing to comply with the law and foster respect for the judicial system and the rule of law. Municipal court may be viewed as a place for relatively minor offenses, but Gentges has seen how consequential it can be. For many citizens, it is their only personal encounter with the judicial system. How they are treated can determine whether they leave with greater confidence in the courts or greater distrust of them. Gentges works to ensure that those who appear before him receive due process, an opportunity to be heard and a fair decision based on the law and the facts. When a defendant is dealing with addiction or mental illness, he may offer a voluntary referral to an appropriate helping agency. Some later return to tell him they are sober, working or reunited with their children. He and his staff also help eligible defendants navigate the process of reinstating a suspended driver’s license. Gentges understands that losing a license can mean losing a job, and losing a job can begin a downward spiral that is difficult to reverse. When someone is sincerely working toward compliance, he looks for a lawful path that allows that progress to continue.

attended the University of Tulsa College of Law, where he was a member of the Tulsa Law Review and published an article addressing the need for state controls of hazardous waste injection wells. After earning his Juris Doctor in 1985, Gentges began practicing law in Oklahoma. He has tried a broad range of civil cases in state and federal courts, served as managing partner of Savage, O’Donnell, Scott, Affeldt and Gentges, and helped establish Scott & Gentges PC. In 2008, he opened an office in Bartlesville. His service to Bartlesville has extended well beyond the courtroom. Gentges represented Ward 4 on the Bartlesville City Council and served as vice mayor. He chaired the TIF Review Committee, Downtown Landscape Committee and Transportation Committee, co-chaired the Tower Green Design Committee and served as vice chair of the Bartlesville Planning Commission. Today, he serves on the Homeless Task Force, Bartlesville Chorale and Unity Square Management Committee. His involvement with Unity Square has also allowed him to combine civic service with a lifelong appreciation for the arts. Gentges and his wife, Diane, co-produced local productions of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” and “Gunsmoke” at Unity Square. He has appeared in community stage productions as well as film and television projects. The couple are members of First United Methodist Church of Bartlesville, where Gentges sings in the choir and plays in the praise band. They have six children and seven grandchildren.

“I have used every tool at my disposal to do justice,” he said. “I believe that has made a big difference.”

Now a candidate for Washington County Associate District Judge, Gentges believes the office requires knowledge of the law, patience, preparation and respect for every person who enters the courtroom. He describes the judge’s responsibility as deciding each matter fairly, impartially and in a timely manner based on the law and the facts presented.

That combination of accountability, education and practical assistance reflects the judge Gentges strives to be: thoughtful, prepared and willing to look beyond the immediate violation to consider what may prevent the next one.

His record also reflects something less easily summarized: a belief that communities become stronger when people are treated with dignity, given the information they need and shown that a mistake does not have to determine the rest of their lives.

His understanding of the law comes from more than four decades of experience. Gentges earned a Bachelor of Arts in Antiquities, with an emphasis in Ancient Near Eastern Studies, from Southwest Missouri State University in 1980. He later

For Gentges, doing justice means taking every case seriously, thinking carefully and continually asking what the right thing requires. OCTOBER 2026 | bmonthly

LOOKING BACK

When Pharoah Ruled the Land by Kay Little, Little History Adventures

During the Revolutionary War, a young man fought on the side of the Patriots, while his father remained a Loyalist who moved back to Great Britain after disowning his son. That young man was Joshua Campbell, born in 1757. In 1775, after his father disowned him, he changed his last name to Pharaoh and became a minister. Fast forward a couple of generations to Christopher Columbus Pharaoh, born in 1840 in Alabama, a Confederate War veteran, who died in 1885 in Mississippi. His youngest son, Oliver Jerry, OJ, was only ten when his father died. OJ quit school in the 2nd grade and traveled to Indian Territory by wagon from Mississippi with his older sister. He later became known as Bunk. Last year a friend of mine told me I should meet someone whose grandfather, Bunk, had sold land to Frank Phillips for Woolaroc and owned many more acres surrounding Woolaroc. This led me to meeting Bunk’s granddaughter and great grandson, Peggy and Jeff Williams. I was intrigued and started an almost yearlong research trek. I was trying to find the proof of the sale and the map showing the Pharaoh 38

bmonthly | OCTOBER 2026

land surrounding Woolaroc. I almost gave up after Debbie Neece and I made many trips to Woolaroc and the Osage County Clerk’s office. After the 7th trip to Woolaroc and the 2nd trip to Osage County, we found it all! Debbie and I were so excited! I was able to visit the Pharaoh Ranch and see where some of Pharaoh’s land joins to some Woolaroc land. The most exciting part for me was to see where the boundary zigzagged because Bunk sold Frank extra land to enable Frank to have water for his animals.

O.J. “Bunk” Pharaoh

There is so much more to the story than Bunk selling land to Frank. He began in Oklahoma as a tenant farmer, operated a general store and in 1920, oil was discovered on his land. He became one of the leading citizens in OkfuskeeOkmulgee counties. Pharoah was named for Bunk Pharaoh, located between Okemah and Highway 40. Notice that the town is spelled a little different from the family name. Most of the family lived in Henryetta. Bunk donated land for the Henryetta Country Club, built a dam at Nichols Park, owned land in Osage County from Avant to the Kansas state

LOOKING BACK line and from what is now Highway 75, west to Pawhuska. He also deeded land to the Henryetta Public Schools for the construction of the athletic fields. The Association of Oklahoma General Contractors established the Pharaoh Award, named after Bunk.

Gideon.

The American Exchange Bank of Pharaoh Ranch in Osage County Henryetta can thank the Pharaoh family for much of its success. During the Depression, FDR closed all banks for 4 days. Only one bank reopened in Henryetta, the American Exchange Bank. That was because Bunk was able Bunk’s son, to get 51 locals to invest J.O. (Peggy’s in AEB. He also was father) had many able to have a branch accomplishments in Okemah, which still also. He built many operates today. The bridges, a dam at Grand Lake, brought Aberdeen cattle from bank has prospered and is a pillar of community in Henryetta. Scotland, wrote standards for Aberdeen Angus, secretly sent J.O.’s daughter, Peggy, married her childhood friend, Fred several people through college and became the owner of the Williams in Henryetta. Fred worked for the U.S. Department of land in Osage County. J.O. started as a contractor with his Agriculture, Livestock Division, as a meat grader in Philadelphia. father, then went on to become a contractor with the State He and Peggy moved to San Franciso, where Fred was a Market of Oklahoma Highway Department. He was inducted into the News reporter and became known as “The Okie from Muskogee” Oklahoma Angus Hall of Fame and in 1995 was honored as because he periodically would mispronounce California towns the Okmulgee County Cattleman of the year by the Okmulgee during his radio broadcasts. They lived in Washington, DC over County Cattleman’s Association. He was very involved with the 25 years, where Fred worked in the Standardization and Review Henryetta Chamber of Commerce and was a member of the office, traveling the country to ensure all animal, carcass and board of directors of the American Exchange Bank. He also was meat grading was consistent. Fred also judged many state fairs very involved at the First Church of the Nazarene. and livestock shows. He authored the standards for Certified J.O.’s son and Peggy’s brother, Kent Pharaoh, has also been a Aberdeen Angus Beef. He was given an honorary Ph.D. When very important person in Henryetta. He followed in his grandfather Fred retired, he and Peggy moved to Osage County, built their and father’s footsteps by serving as President of the Association ranch house and settled on her grandfather’s land, the Pharaoh of Oklahoma Contractors and as chairman of the board for the Ranch. After Fred died in 2016, their son, Jeff moved to the ranch local bank. He served one term on the Oklahoma Transportation to help his mother, with the almost 2,000 acres. The family has Commission and was been very involved in the Nazarene Church in Barnsdall. recognized by the The Oklahoma Pharaoh family has been deeply rooted in Oklahoma Highway the state’s history, from pioneering, ranching, cattle industry, Users Federation for oil, and significant contributions in the construction industry, all outstanding service. starting with an orphan with a 2nd grade education. Bunk lived He owned the Pharaoh the real American dream. Peggy said it well, “I have had a very Angus Ranch west blessed and interesting life.” of Henryetta, which was in existence for 100 years. Kent is a Life Member of the Oklahoma Cattlemen’s Association, awarded the “Cattleman of the Year” in 2001. He was named “Henryettan of the Year” in 1996. In 2004, Kent was named Henryetta City Manager. He and his family are very active in the Church of the Nazarene and he is OCTOBER 2026 | bmonthly

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A GOOD WORD

What the Water Hides by Greg Wheat

Everybody sees the water. Almost nobody thinks about what’s underneath it.

The victories. Even some things I once wished had never happened.

Stand along the shore of Hulah Lake near Bartlesville on a beautiful Oklahoma morning or evening and you’ll understand why. Whether it’s the morning sun rising over the water or the evening sun beginning to set, there’s color in the trees along the shoreline, and the reflection is beautiful.

I imagine the same is true for you.

But there’s more to a lake than what you can see. Before the lake was filled with water, there was land. That land had to be developed and shaped. There are things still underneath the surface that the water hides. You can’t see them, but they helped give the lake its character. I think people are a lot like that. There are things beneath the surface in every one of us— things people can’t see that have helped shape our character. Think about your own life. Chances are, some of what shaped you happened before you even realized it was happening. A conversation you still remember. Someone who saw something in you. A chance someone gave you or a chance you took. A place you lived. A decision that changed your direction. Even ordinary moments that seemed insignificant at the time can look completely different years later. And mixed in with the good are possibly a few things you wouldn’t choose again. Hurt. Grief. Disappointment. Setbacks. Failure. They’re all below the surface where no one can see them. It’s true even in my life. What you see on the surface of my life was shaped by a lot of things you’ll never see below the surface. The good. The hard. The people. The disappointments.

And maybe some of what life has given you wasn’t meant to stop with you. You see, the lake holds something others need. And so do you. Hulah Lake gives of itself to help supply much-needed water to Bartlesville. And you have things in your life, maybe hiding below the surface, that others need too. It might be encouragement, empathy, or simply listening—to a coworker, a friend, someone in your family, or even a server having a rough day. It could be a thoughtful text, a few minutes with your kids or grandkids, or saying words we sometimes don’t say enough: I love you. I’m sorry. I was wrong. I believe in you. I’m proud of you. We spend a lot of time thinking about what we need. Maybe we should spend a little more time thinking about what we have that somebody else needs. Those things may never make the news, but they might just make somebody’s day. So the next time you look across Hulah Lake, enjoy what you can see. The sunlight. The trees. The water. But remember what the water hides. And let it remind you that there’s more underneath your life than people can see. And some of it may be exactly what somebody else needs. You don’t have to change the whole world today. But what you give someone today might help shape their tomorrow. So ask yourself: What do I have that somebody else needs today? OCTOBER 2026 | bmonthly

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COMMUNITY

A Heart for Teaching... A Commitment to Home by Maria Gus

Buying or selling a home is exciting. It can also be emotional and overwhelming. For Steve and Jana Russell, the job of a real estate professional is to help clients understand the process and make sound decisions, not just make a sale. That philosophy is one reason Steve’s recent selection as a RamseyTrusted Real Estate Pro feels like a natural fit. Steve serves buyers and sellers throughout the Bartlesville and Dewey area. To become RamseyTrusted, he completed Dave Ramsey’s financial freedom training and specialized instruction in the Ramsey approach to real estate. RamseyTrusted professionals must also meet standards for experience and production, have a record of serving clients and participate in ongoing training. There is another important expectation: They must have the heart of a teacher. “That part of the Ramsey philosophy is a perfect fit for us,” Jana said. “We believe educated clients make the best decisions. Our role is not to pressure someone into a transaction. It is to help buyers and sellers understand their options.” The Russells were following many of the financial principles associated with Ramsey long before his program became widely known. They believe homeownership can help families build long-term wealth while also providing stability. But they are equally committed to helping buyers avoid purchasing more home than they can comfortably afford. “A home is the largest single purchase most people will ever make,” Steve said. “We want our buyers to choose a home that meets their family’s needs while fitting their financial reality. Our goal is for them to feel confident in their decision—not just excited in the moment.” That same approach applies to sellers. The Russells help homeowners understand current market conditions, determine the right pricing strategy, prepare a property for the market and evaluate offers. Selling a longtime home can be every bit as emotional as buying one, and sellers deserve honest information about the choices in front of them. Whether working with a first-time buyer, a growing family, someone relocating to Bartlesville or a longtime homeowner ready for a change, Steve and Jana want clients to feel supported from contract to closing and beyond.

Rooted in Bartlesville Steve has called Bartlesville home since 1991, while Jana has lived here nearly all her life. They have watched the community and its housing market change, including the significant rise in home values seen here and across the country during the past five or six years. The market has slowed from its fastest pace, but the Russells remain confident in the long-term appeal of Bartlesville. “Bartlesville is a wonderful place to call home,” Steve said. “It is familyfriendly and affordable, yet it offers many of the amenities people expect to find in a much larger community.” People moving here are often surprised by just how much Bartlesville offers. The community combines affordability with strong educational opportunities, recreation, culture and the kind of community involvement that can be harder to find in larger cities. For Steve and Jana, those connections are personal. Their children and grandchildren live in Bartlesville, and the Russells continue to invest their time and support in the place their family calls home. Their service centers around four areas especially important to them: church, children, education and the arts. Steve serves on the boards of Bartlesville First Church of the Nazarene and the Bartlesville Art Association. Jana is a member of the business faculty at Oklahoma Wesleyan University, where the couple enjoys encouraging students while Bartlesville serves as their home away from home. They also support The Cottage and its ministry in the community. Six years after the Russells were last featured in bMonthly, becoming RamseyTrusted marks an important professional milestone for Steve. It has brought additional training and resources, but not a change in the principles that have long guided their work. “We want to teach, serve and help people make real estate decisions that strengthen their families and their financial futures,” Steve said. For the Russells, real estate is about houses, but it is also about people—helping them make informed decisions and find their own place in the community Steve and Jana have been proud to call home for so many years.

OCTOBER 2026 | bmonthly

bmonthly | OCTOBER 2026

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bmonthly | OCTOBER 2026

CALLING TO THE GOOD

6666’s Detour by Kelly Hurd

Routine can lead to rut but cutting loose every once in a while is just plain good for the soul! Now, John Hurd is the king of routine, but I actually got him to clip the ties that bind in the Osage and go on an adventure with me over the weekend.

Burnett’s estate back in the day and now enjoyed, most likely, by Sheridan when he visits – and if they’re still following suit to the old days, it’s most likely occupied by the current general manager and his family.

The Class of ’86 was having a little 40th reunion down south of the Red River and the King of Routine was riding shotgun with me – which meant I was in the driver’s seat, also out of the norm for His Majesty. It had been over a decade since I’d made it to my hometown’s Homecoming celebration, so I was all in and up for the trip.

Then to top it all off, we pulled up to the old Supply House, the only store in town. Inside, the merchandise had definitely changed from when I was a kid, as 6666’s clothing for both men and women met us the moment we stepped through the old double wooden doors. They had branded wild rags, coffee mugs, saddle bags, dishes, kids toys and more – and even a few grocery items.

We decided to venture just a little off the path to explore some of the 6666’s ranch country. Now, this territory wasn’t new to me. It took in part of King County and Knox County, Texas which was where I grew up. I didn’t know it at the time, but I am actually from what is now home to some of the most famous Texas ranches and ranchers. My daughters’ great grandfather actually worked for George Humphreys back in the day on the 6666’s before raising his family on what was then, the Waggoner Ranch.

Across from the parking lot was a metal sculpture of a huge arrow marking the trek of Quanah Parker and the Comanche Indians as they headed to Fort Sill in Oklahoma back in the 1800s. There we were, standing on all kinds of Texas history but I couldn’t help but feel as if sand was slipping through my fingers, and with it, a way of life. This historic ranch and Little Ann, from way back in the day had now changed hands from the family that started it all. Hollywood was now in the mix.

It was nothing to chat with Tom Moorhouse at a ranch rodeo or when crossing paths in Benjamin, Texas. Back then, he and Boots O’Neal were just area locals who made their living ranching or cowboying. But now, thanks in part to Taylor Sheridan – as well as some of these locals living long enough to become legendary – they’re known across the world.

But then again, as I got John to pose for a pic on the porch of the Supply House, those old double screen doors still issued the samesounding welcome as they always had - long before my time. And truthfully, other than the merch in the store, you wouldn’t even know Sheridan now held the reins to the next chapter of Texas history. I guess I just never want to see the end of the days of big cattle ranches where their owners and the cowboys who work there - are just the locals carving out a living, lending a hand when needed, where it’s not their autograph that’s worth something. It’s their handshake and their word.

John had never been to Guthrie, Texas so I became his selfappointed tour guide. I told him how the 6666’s owned almost everything in this itsy-bitsy Texas town. Even the Highway Department had a 99-year lease with the ranch for the ground their office and equipment yard were once on. I drove him through the side streets lined with cowboy houses and pulled him right up to the gates of “the big house” built by Burk

This is me over here at Charley Creek encouraging you to go exploring and break the rut of routine every now and then. You’ll be glad you did, and I want to hear about it when you do! Y’all keep Calling to the Good – and I just bet you’ll find it! OCTOBER 2026 | bmonthly

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FUNNY YOU SHOULD ASK

by Jay Webster Hi, friends.

regardless of your political party, renaming everything is

Occasionally, when I sit down to write these columns

ridiculous? Doesn’t it sort of feel like a bad playground

with you, I find I have a lot on my mind. You’re always so generous to give me a minute. Even though it’s been a month since we last talked, you’re the kind of close friend who needs no warm-up period. We just jump into the conversation feet first. This column could be titled “While We Are Here… as in, ‘While we are here…let me just say we see what’s going on.” Often, you don’t recognize the significance of events until they’ve passed. Then there’s a retrospective at the end of the year, and you watch from your couch on New Year’s Eve with an open can of bean dip and grocery-store champagne, trying to make it past 10 o’clock this year, and you say, “Oh yeah, I completely forgot about that. That’s so weird.” Like this one: While we’re here… can everyone just admit that, 52

bmonthly | OCTOBER 2026

scene where one bully resorts to calling everyone by madeup nicknames? “OK, Mister McShorty-Pants-Jerk-Face.” How soon until the rest of the countries in our hemisphere get tired of the labels North and South America and adopt “Mexanada” as their new continent name? They can outvote us two to one, and they’ve got us surrounded. And apparently, all it takes is a Sharpie and a decision that it’s so… and it is so. Sort of like when a President thinks documents are unclassified in their mind… and so they become unclassified. Did you know that last month, the US was the sole vote (164 to 1) against recognizing updated maps that showed the actual proportional sizes of continents? The outdated map showed Greenland as roughly the same size as Africa (a continent nearly 14 times bigger). We were also reportedly concerned that the US didn’t seem as prominent as it should be. Don’t have anything better

FUNNY YOU SHOULD ASK to do than argue about the size of our landmasses or our nicknames for them? While we’re here… are we on the brink of a caffeine

Who is after our food? Is this about the Zombie Apocalypse? I don’t think they’re looking for my New Potatoes as a side dish.

bubble bust? How many coffee shops can we support in

It really gets to your mind. I feel like a failure as a

the Ville? It’s a lot of pressure. At last count, we’re up to

man when I can’t get into my Coco Krispies, which are

1 drive-thru coffee shop for every 10 people. That seems

hermetically sealed for some reason. They have a 15-year

like a lot. And it’s not just our favorite local coffee shops,

shelf life! They’ll be OK if I open them. Release the Krispies!!

either. Forget data centers and Flock Cameras; it’s Big Coffee we should be watching, because they’re certainly watching us. I actually don’t know that to be true, but I’m on my third NitroColdBrew this morning, and I think it’s making me paranoid. I’ve started hitting different coffee places throughout the day to throw them off. Now I have to brush my teeth and change clothes throughout the day to get rid of the smell. I’ve even tried sipping outside my open car window, but I think the smell is still getting on me. I’m not addicted; you are.

While we’re here, can we talk about the Efficiency Conspiracy? Friends, we’re being automated right out of our own lives. When was the last time you embarrassed yourself going into a store by pushing on a “pull” door? You can’t do it because nearly all doors open themselves now. My car, Sally, is so eager to please that if I just get within 10 feet, she starts beeping (the car-equivalent of a dog wagging its tail). It’s her way of asking, “Do you want me to open the trunk. I can. I can do it all by myself. You just stand there and watch. See? I’m opening the trunk, all by myself

Then there are all the energy drinks, which are kind of

right now.” Then the automated door opens so I don’t have

the vaping of the caffeine world. Walk into any gas station,

to touch it. Then, sensing I’ve moved on, it closes by itself.

and energy drinks take up half the refrigerator section, with fruity additives and Kool-Aid flavors. What are we doing with all this processed energy? Are you staying up to write the next Great “Mexanada” novel? Are you hiking up Circle Mountain and planting your flag? Are you busy canvassing the city with AppleBees flyers? How are we suddenly so tired? Our mattresses need a down payment now. We have cooling pillows with NASA technology. Our watches watch us sleep and tell us how to do better. (Which is creepy.) We should be the most rested people in history. I think I know where our energy is going. Next conspiracy, please. While we’re here… can we just talk about packaging? Friends, I don’t want to brag, but I work out several times a week doing the Crossfits. You’ve probably heard of it. Beyond that, I have an active lifestyle. I routinely work my core, my posterior chain, my mental stamina, even my grip strength. So, can someone please tell me why I can’t open a jar of pickles? Who are we protecting the pickles from? The Hulk? And it’s not just jars. Every package is sealed like it’s part of a David Blaine magic trick. An Aldi grocery bag isn’t strong enough to make it 10 feet to the front porch without splitting its pants, but the frozen strawberries inside are in an impenetrable bag the “Power Team” couldn’t rip open. (If you got the “Power Team” reference, God bless you.)

At the Lowe’s Depot, efficiency has led to self-checkout stands. At first, I loved this. It made me feel useful. I also believed I could add checkout clerk to my resume since I had, in fact, done the work. I just didn’t have a W-2 or reference letter to prove it. But the reality is - I miss the humans! I have to go to Lawn & Garden or Lumber now to see Randell or Gary or Laura or smiley-mustache guy. (I don’t actually call him that to his face.) Efficiency is the new priority, but what is it buying us? What are we using all the time we saved for? Not sleeping, apparently. Look, I know all these “observations” make me seem old. I just want someone to know that while we are here, I see what’s going on. And I’m mad about it, just not mad enough to do anything about it. That’s all. Maybe future generations will do something about it. Because while we face many challenges, “Mexanada” is still a nation where you can be anything you put your

mind

to…if

it’s

efficient. OK friends. I’ll see you next month. And while

we’re

here…

there’s so much good that can be done out there. Let’s go do it. OCTOBER 2026 | bmonthly

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bmonthly | OCTOBER 2026

MEMORIES MATTER

Green Country Village

Annual Car Show Proceeds to Benefit Alzheimer’s Research More than 900,000 Americans age 65 and older are diagnosed with or develop Alzheimer’s disease each year, making the need for awareness, support and meaningful care more important than ever. There are over 13 million unpaid caregivers for family members and friends with a contribution to the nation valued at more than $446 billion. Green Country Village Senior Living is committed to making a difference for individuals and families affected by Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia. On Saturday, October 17, Green Country Village will host its 7th Annual Memories Matter Car Show on its campus in Bartlesville. Green Country Village has been a part of Bartlesville for over 35 years, founded by local business leaders and churches with a vision of creating a caring, connected community. We remain the only not-for-profit senior living community in Bartlesville, guided by a board of local businesspeople and managed by LCS Living, one of the nation’s leading senior living management companies. This partnership ensures we provide the highest standards and best practices in the senior living industry. “Green Country Village is unique as it offers differing levels of care, independent living, assisted living and memory care, to meet residents’ individual needs. We strive to serve the whole person regardless of what stage of life they are!” noted Executive Director Sheryl Kenimer. Proceeds from the event will benefit the Alzheimer’s Association as well as specialized programming for residents of Lakeview Memory Care at Green Country Village. “The programming in Lakeview is specifically designed to meet the unique needs of residents who have been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of dementia,” explained Heather Billingsley, Director of Assisted Living and Memory Care. “Our Heartfelt Connections program goes beyond providing excellent

care. It focuses on each resident as an individual—their life story, abilities, interests and the things that continue to bring them purpose and joy.” What began as a small event with only a few dozen cars in 2019, has turned into a fun and festive event of close to 100 cars. Local car show aficionados have been instrumental in the success of our car shows with their expertise and financial support. Wes Standridge, owner of Standridge Flooring, has been a platinum sponsor and the presenter of Best in Show year after year. Platinum Sponsor Chris Miller, owner of C and M Plumbing, will give a special trophy for Best Custom. The other Platinum Sponsors, Ascension at St. John and Bank of Oklahoma, will also present trophies. In memory of David Farmer, a long-time car show supporter and friend, an award for Best Truck will be presented by Green Country Village. Admission to the 7th Annual Memories Matter Car Show is free. Registration for cars (all classes), trucks and motorcycles is $25.00. Kids’ Class is free! There will be a food truck, 50/50 Pot, silent auction, beverage truck, Kid Zone and a Foam Party! The Memories Matter Car Show brings the entire community together for a day of fun while supporting a cause that touches so many families. Each car entered, each visitor who attends and each contribution helps further Alzheimer’s research and provides meaningful opportunities for the residents of Lakeview Memory Care. At Green Country Village, memories matter—and so do the people behind them. The Green Country Village Senior Living Seventh Annual Memories Matter Car Show is Saturday, October 17, 2026 from 9:00am-2:00pm at 1025 Swan Drive, Bartlesville, OK. Preregister your vehicle by calling (918) 335-2086 or email carshow@ greencountryvillage.com. On site registration begins at 8:00am. OCTOBER 2026 | bmonthly

bmonthly | OCTOBER 2026

Join us for the

Veterans Day Parade Saturday, November 7 • 11am Stop by and enjoy free coffee from Street Brew and shaved ice before the parade.

10am - 11:30am BancFirst

300 SE Frank Phillips Blvd Come celebrate, grab a treat, and help us honor those who have served our country.

OCTOBER 2026 | bmonthly

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

bmonthly | OCTOBER 2026

Like us on

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Featuring post-hospital skilled nursing and rehabilitation to help you heal, regain strength, and return home!

Newly remodeled semi-private and private rooms available, subject to availability. Bartlesville Health & Rehab Community provides a comprehensive continuum of senior healthcare services, all under one roof. Locally owned, BHRC offers 24-hour skilled nursing care along with inhouse physical, speech, and occupatonal therapy. We also provide specialized care for individuals with Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders within our newly remodeled, secure Memory Living Area. In addition, BHRC’s senior living apartments offer the independence of home while fostering comfort, connection, and the companionship of a supportive senior community. For more information or to schedule a tour, call (918) 333-9545. Medicare, Medicaid, private pay, and most insurance plans accepted (Determined by on level of care).

3434 Kentucky Place • 918-333-9545 • www.bartlesvillehealthandrehab.com 44

bmonthly | JANUARY 2026

OCTOBER 2026 | bmonthly

bmonthly | OCTOBER 2026

B THE LIGHT

B the Light Update: Beat the Heat From July 21 through September 9, B the Light Mission provided a safe, welcoming place and critical assistance during a period that included 33 consecutive days of temperatures reaching 100 degrees or higher. Extreme heat is more than uncomfortable. For people experiencing homelessness, living without reliable air conditioning or struggling to pay utility bills, prolonged triple-digit temperatures can quickly become dangerous. During those exceptionally hot weeks, B the Light Mission remained a place where people could step out of the heat, cool down, receive needed resources and encounter someone who cared about their safety and well-being. Throughout the reporting period, the Mission served 68 individuals representing 68 households. Because many people needed help more than once during the prolonged heat, our team recorded 293 separate instances of assistance. Those numbers reveal how quickly needs can multiply during an extended weather emergency. A person may visit once for a break from the heat and return another day for water, clothing, food, a shower or help connecting with other resources. Every visit represents a real person facing real circumstances—and an opportunity for our team to respond with compassion. Among the 68 individuals served, 57 were adults between the ages of 18 and 59, seven were seniors age 60 or older, and four did not report their ages. Of those who provided gender information, 22 were female and 38 were male. Thirty-seven of the people served reported that they were experiencing homelessness, while 15 said they were at risk of becoming homeless. Two individuals reported living with a disability. Some demographic information was not provided, but every person who came through our doors was welcomed and treated with dignity. Extreme temperatures often affect people who are already facing difficult circumstances the most. Those without stable housing may have few options for escaping the heat. Others may have a home but cannot afford to keep it adequately cooled. Seniors, people with disabilities

and those facing health concerns can be especially vulnerable when dangerous temperatures continue day after day. At B the Light Mission, our work is about more than providing temporary relief. We are a povertyreduction center committed to helping people move toward stability, responsibility and lasting change. Our residential program provides structure, accountability and support for individuals working to rebuild their lives. We also offer limited daytime assistance to members of the community who need help meeting immediate needs or connecting with available resources. Periods of extreme weather highlight the importance of having organizations throughout the community that can respond in different ways. No single organization can meet every need, but each can play an important role. We are grateful for the agencies, churches, volunteers, donors and community partners who help ensure that vulnerable neighbors are not forgotten. The 293 instances of assistance provided during this reporting period were possible because people gave their time, resources and financial support. Donations helped keep the building open and comfortable. Volunteers helped welcome guests, distribute supplies, maintain the facility and respond to needs as they arose. Community partnerships allowed us to connect individuals with additional services beyond what the Mission could provide alone. Behind every statistic is a personal story. It may be someone who had nowhere else to go during the hottest part of the day, a senior trying to stay safe, or a family struggling to keep their housing while facing financial hardship. In each case, the need was immediate, but the person’s value extended far beyond that moment. Throughout 33 consecutive days of triple-digit heat, B the Light Mission remained a place of refuge, compassion and hope for some of the most vulnerable members of our community. We are thankful for every person who helped make that possible—and we remain committed to offering a hand up, reminding each person who enters our doors that they are seen, valued and not alone. OCTOBER 2026 | bmonthly

Fall in Love with Your Retirement

This season, are you ready to embrace your retirement and live your best life? Enjoy the community and friendships that only Asher Point Independent Living of Bartlesville can provide!

918.395.5878 AsherPointBartlesville.com 2633 SE Mission Dr., Bartlesville, Oklahoma 74006

bmonthly | OCTOBER 2026

A FRESH PERSPECTIVE

A Boy, a Marine & a Putting Green by Brent Taylor I’m one of those people. You know the type. Tell me I’m loading the dishwasher wrong, and I’m liable to load it even more wrong. Tell me the cluttered refrigerator packed with leftovers is evidence that I’m emotionally unhinged, and I’ll show you unhinged. I’ll find three more margarine tubs, fill them with Sunday’s lasagna, and wedge them behind the milk. Most of us do not particularly enjoy being improved by other people. Perhaps our resistance is pride. Perhaps the urge to correct everyone else is a little prideful too. Either way, I wonder whether changing someone’s mind is nearly as important as we think it is. Occasionally, something more dramatic happens. We encounter a person, a book, an idea, or a work of art that does more than change what we think. It changes how we live. Wendell Berry lived a life that I have long admired. His writings are remarkable to me. They don’t demand that I change my life. They simply help me believe in something that is wider and longer and higher and deeper than my own circle of life. Berry, the Kentucky farmer, poet, novelist, and essayist, once described himself as a “bad-weather churchgoer.” He has never struck me as a man particularly interested in appearing religious. He seems more interested in what our beliefs actually require of us once church is over. Berry’s writing has made me think differently about the land beneath our feet, the towns where we live, and the people we routinely pass without noticing. But if he has only made me think differently, I have probably missed his point. It is one thing to say creation is sacred. It is another thing to take care of a patch of ground. When I look back across my own life, the people who changed me most were rarely the people who gave me instructions about how I ought to live. I once knew a Marine who helped change me, although it was never his intent. I was one of many kids who grew up learning about golf and life at Boots Adams Golf Club, where a crew-cut, bespectacled Edward Muir “Tid” Sweet worked in the golf shop. When he had

a spare moment, Tid engaged in thousands of spirited putting matches against junior golfers. He taught me to bear down over a four-foot putt when the match was on the line. He beat me about as often as I beat him. He believed competition deserved your full attention. If you were going to play, then play. But that is not the most important thing he taught me. Tid noticed people. Age did not matter much to him. Neither did status, social standing, pedigree, or whether you were particularly useful to him. Somewhere along the way, watching that former Marine behind the counter at a golf shop, I learned something about looking another person in the eye and recognizing that his life was every bit as real and complicated and important to him as mine was to me. Tid never sat me down and explained any of this. That is precisely the point. He lived it. There are far too many you’re loading the dishwasher wrong admonitions we forget before the day is over. And then there are a handful of words, gestures, and small kindnesses we carry around for the rest of our lives. My parents had the biggest impact on my life. But the adults who came alongside me and taught me without any obligation to do so are remarkable. Tid helped me grow up—morph from kid to young man. It happened slowly, almost invisibly, through many ordinary moments. You wake up decades later and realize that some part of who you have become came from living beside people like Tid. Maybe this is why we are so resistant to people who are determined to change our minds with words or social media posts. Deep down, we understand that words are cheap. A life is harder to argue with. Funny how a putting contest between a boy and a Marine can follow you around for the rest of your life. Which is considerably more impressive than teaching me how to load a dishwasher. Although, for the record, I am still doing that my way. OCTOBER 2026 | bmonthly

Did you know? More than 44% of women have heart disease.

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Schedule an appointment now at ascension.org/HerHealthStJohn 64

bmonthly | OCTOBER 2026

Advanced surgical care from the robotics leader in northeast Oklahoma If surgery is part of your treatment plan, take time for your health and talk with a surgical specialist at Jane Phillips Medical Center about options that are best for you. As the robotics leader in northeast Oklahoma, our advanced technology shortens recovery time so you can get back to the activities you enjoy.

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OCTOBER 2026 | bmonthly

JEFF HALL REAL ESTATE “My commitment to service is my commitment to you!”

37 Years of Real Estate Knowledge Jeff Hall, Broker/Associate (Licensed Broker in OK and NC)

124 SE Frank Phillips Boulevard, Bartlesville, OK 74003 918.440.9199 jhall@mcgrawrealtors.com

bmonthly | OCTOBER 2026

EDUCATION

College High School

The Class of 1966 Set For 60th Reunion

On October 16-18, graduates of College High School’s Class of 1966 will return to Bartlesville to celebrate. Graduating in 1966 seemed especially fitting in Bartlesville, where “66” was everywhere with the influence of Phillips 66 Petroleum Company. Phillips, along with flourishing businesses like Cities Service and Reda Pump, helped in providing us a superior public school system. We are Baby Boomers, born just a few years after World War II ended. We grew up in a rapidly changing America. In our early years, we watched black-and-white television with only a few channels, received some of the first polio vaccines, lived with the tensions of the Cold War (those Duck-and-Cover drills when we got under our desks), watched President Dwight D. Eisenhower led our country, and witnessed the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. During our school years, we saw the end of segregation in public schools, the birth of NASA and the race to space, heard Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech, witnessed the shocking assassination of President John F. Kennedy (think where you were on that day), and lived the growing conflict in Vietnam. All men had to sign up for the military draft. Some classmates entered the military right out of high school. Others had deferments or exemptions. In 1969 came lottery numbers. We mourn the loss of our classmates lost during that time and thank the soldiers who served. We danced at the high school gym, the Youth Canteen, the Y, and the Civic Center to the music of Elvis, Buddy Holly,

Motown, and the Beatles. We had several rock bands of our ’66 classmates. On weekends and during school breaks, we went to the movies at the Osage or Arrow Theaters. We enjoyed the drive-in theater and packed our cars so everyone could get in for a dollar a car on buck night. We went to Osage Hills, boated in the local lakes, and maybe took a beer run to Caney. During our junior year, we celebrated Phillips 66 CEO Boots Adams’ 66th birthday as the entire town gathered for a parade in his honor. Years later, when our class turned 66, we held our own birthday party and recreated that memorable celebration with a parade of our own. Even our mascot Willie the Wildcat (thank you Terry Sisco) marched in the parade! We were the last full class not affected by the split of College High and Sooner High. With 613 students, we were also the largest class ever to graduate from College High. We experienced the additions of portable classrooms. Our principal was John C. Haley, serving from 1954—1973. We were the Wildcats, the Mighty, Mighty Wildcats! We are proud to have grown up in Bartlesville and to have been taught by the very best teachers. Those years shaped us, and the memories have stayed with us. Now, 60 years later, we gather once again to remember the good times, catch up on each other’s lives, laugh about the memories, and honor those classmates who are no longer with us. Headquarters will be the Osage Casino Hotel. For reunion questions contact Priscilla Hiatt Freiberger (pristx@aol.com) or Nancy Rothlisberger Long (nancylong66@gmail.com). Wildcats Forever….. OCTOBER 2026 | bmonthly

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