TINNEN: Remembering Litton,

Pete’s Inn after attending what was intended to be a victory party, but turned into a gathering of mourners, as friends and supporters of the Litton family were crushed by the tragic news.

Litton came from humble beginnings, born near Lock Springs, Daviess County, Missouri, in a house without electricity. His intellect and charisma led him to be selected as the national secretary of the Future Farmers of America (1956–1957). He graduated from the University of Missouri in 1961 with a B.S. in Journalism.

Agriculture was the backbone of the Litton family, as he made his fortune raising cattle at the Litton Charolais Cattle Ranch in Chillicothe, Missouri. Before he began his political career, he was active in promoting youth involvement in leadership in agriculture and rural communities.

Litton was elected to the U.S. House as a Democrat in 1972. He was considered a rising star in the Democratic Party and his futuristic belief in vast communication led to his television show ‘Dialogue with Litton’ which was broadcast statewide. Among the guests who came to the Hilton Airport Inn for his telecasts were Jimmy Carter, former Vice President Hubert Humphrey, Secretary of Agriculture Earl Butz, Congressman Tip O’Neill, and House Speaker Carl Albert.

Green bumper stickers (like those used in his prior Congressional campaigns) circulated in the state saying, “Litton for President.” President Jimmy Carter went on to say that he thought Litton would be president one day.

Our state and country lost a generational leader that day. The unhappy result was Republican Jack Danforth was elected our United States Senator.

The congressman is honored with the Jerry Litton Visitor Center located near the dam on Smithville Lake. It is estimated the center welcomes 25,000 who come to learn more about the man who many thought would one day become President of the United States.

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Trivia question: Name the third known planet from the sun in our solar system. A. Venus; B. Jupiter; C. Mars; D. Earth (answer is close by).

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Some smiles… Which of the farm animals at Circle C Farm keeps the best time? A watch dog. Why shouldn’t you tell a secret

Continued from Page A4 on a farm? Because the potatoes have eyes, and the corn has ears!

Where does a farmer get his medicine from? The farm-acist.

What is a farmer’s favorite Bruce Springsteen song? Born in the USDA.

What’s black and white and eats like a horse? A zebra.

What did the depressed pig say to the farmer? “You always just take me for grunted.”

How did the organic vegetable die? Natural causes. (Trivia answer: the third known planet from the sun in our solar system is D. Earth. The Earth is sometimes called “the third planet” because it is the third planet in distance away from the Sun. Mercury is closest to the Sun, followed by Venus, then Earth and then Mars).

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Food for thought: “The truth is incontrovertible. Malice may attack it, ignorance may deride it, but in the end, there it is.”

Sir Winston Leonard Spencer Churchill (30 November 1874 –24 January 1965) was a British statesman, soldier, and writer who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom twice.

Talk to you next week!

Steve

Tinnen

stevetinnen@yahoo.com