2014 nev issue2 lr

NEVADA T H E

M A G A Z I N E

Featuring Vernon County’s People and Towns

Vintage CARS & TOYS in the Attic THROUGH the

Kitchen Door

CURTIS & Sons

Vol. #2 ISSUE 2

m

2014

m

$3.99

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Ranea Schulze Nevada High School Library Media Specialist

What drew you to your position?

I knew I wanted to be a teacher since I was in junior high. I had several great teachers who influenced my decision, including Lucille (Pettibon) Butner, Marilyn Greer, Myrtle Pickens and Jim Shannon. I loved being in FTA (Future Teachers of America) in high school school and in band.

What has surprised you about your job/position?

Why I

Nevada

I was a little worried when I transferred out of the classroom as an English teacher and into the LMC (Library Media Center) in 2008 that I would not have the same types of rapport with students. I was always able to get to know my and Vernon students so well through their writing. It amazes me how much students share with me while they are in the library. I have great student helpers who serve as T.A.’s (Teacher Assistants) and one of the best colleagues, Tonia Bowman, who helps part-time in the LMC and then works as breakfast and lunch cashier.

What would you like to see in the future for the city, county?

I would love to see Nevada have more of a variety of restaurants and fewer payday loan places. It would be great to have more entertainment attractions for our youth to enjoy, for instance a skating rink, a non-smoking and fun bowling alley, and maybe something like K-Rock in Kansas.

What brought you to Nevada? And why have you decided to stay in Nevada?

I was born and raised in Nevada and always heard it was a good place to raise your family. I have worked under some great administrators in the R-5 and have made great friends with many colleagues, some who have already retired.

What qualities about Nevada and Vernon County are appealing to you?

I am glad both of our sons were involved in 4-H and participated in the Vernon County Youth Fair. They showed pigs, sheep, goats, bucket calves and yearling heifers. We had the best leadership in our 4-H groups with Shelly Pitts and then Becky Gazaway. I encourage everyone to get your children enrolled in a 4-H Club. The lessons learned through the years are invaluable for a lifetime.

How do you describe Nevada and Vernon County to people who are not from the area?

This is an area that certainly comes together to help others in times of tragedies. Whether it is a death, a fire, a wreck, or some other catastrophe, people in Nevada and Vernon County UNITE together to help their own. I have seen this done at school and in the community. This is also a community that supports its youth, whether that is a student group like Renaissance, or at the Vernon County Youth Fair Livestock Sale. It is truly amazing. I try to teach my Renaissance kids that it is also important to give back and not just “get” all the time. We try to do several community service projects, like caroling to elderly at Christmas, ringing bells for the Salvation Army, helping with the Shop with a 2nd Grader project at Wal-Mart, and playing bingo at nursing homes. Coming together and helping others is so important.

What are some of your earliest memories of Nevada and Vernon County?

I have the best memories of the pool at Radio Springs, which was just a few blocks from my home. I also loved playing outside with the neighbor kids and riding the bus to and from school. Tom Fecht was my bus driver, and he was the best. I also participated in Rainbow Girls, which was an affiliate of the Order of Eastern Star and Masons. That organization taught me many things that I am thankful for to this day.

What do you love most about Nevada? About the county?

I love my job at NHS and the sense of security living in Nevada has given to me. I also love being able to go walking or biking and feel safe, at least most of the time.

County

Why I

Fort Sc

BACK ROW: Dad, Nelson Brooks; husband, Ron Schulze; sons: Christopher and Kyle

FRONT ROW: Ranea, granddaughter, Gracee; Daughter-in-law, Jenny; Kyle’s girlfriend, Lauren Dennison-Quest, and granddaughter, Maelee.

Hometown —

Nevada, Mo., 1959-present

Family ­—

My dad is Nelson Brooks, age 82, who lives on S. College Street in the home where I grew up. I have been married almost 35 years to Ron Schulze, whom I met in high school band. We have lived in Nevada almost all of our lives except for about a six-month period when we moved to Texas, where Ron had to live while working for the MKT Railroad.

We have two sons: Christopher, who graduated from NHS in 2001, and Kyle, who graduated in 2010. Christopher, who is a consulting arborist and customer sales rep for Ryan Lawn & Tree, lives in Battlefield, Mo., with his wife, Jenny, and their two little girls: Maelee, age 5, and Gracee, age 2. Kyle, who is owner of Sales by Schulze across from Woods, lives in Compton Junction.

Professional work background —

Upon graduation from NHS in 1978, I continued working at Sirloin Stockade, which is now the location of Sonic. After my first year of college, I went to work at Ramey’s Village Market as a checker, and the following summer, I worked at the Nevada Daily Mail as a reporter of farm news and county correspondence.

After graduating from Pitt State, I began my career with the Nevada R-5 in 1983 and worked at Nevada Middle School for two years and then transferred to Nevada High School, where I am currently in my 30th year.

Educational background —

I graduated from Nevada High School in 1978; attended my first year of college at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville; got married in 1979; commuted back and forth to Pitt State where I received a bachelor’s degree in Secondary Education in 1982; a master’s degree in Secondary Education in 1995; and a master’s degree in Educational Technology with an emphasis in Library Media in 2006.

Civic background —

I have been a member of Nevada CTA, MSTA (Missouri State Teachers Association), MASL (Missouri Association of School Librarians) and the Osage Prairie YMCA. I have also served on the Nevada Parks Board and the Vernon County Cancer Relief Board. At Nevada High School, I have served as sponsor of several groups including SADD, PRIDE, Hi-STEP, Renaissance, LOL (Living Out Loud) and was the Drug-Free Schools Coordinator from 1989-2008. I have also coached volleyball from 1987-1990 and will be starting my 3rd season as freshman volleyball coach at NHS in the fall.

NEVADA the MAGAZINE | 3

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FEATURES Why I love NEVADA Ranea Schultz..................................................... 3

AT YOUR SERVICE Check out the services Nevada offers........... 4

THE EGGS, THE CHICKEN and I Leva Loyd has raised chickens her entire life.............................................................. 6

VINTAGE CARS & Toys in the Attic, too...................................... 8

THROUGH THE KITCHEN DOOR with Erica Skouby............................................. 10

CURTIS & SONS

Curtis and Sons Real Estate............................... 12

AUCTIONEER PROFILE

Bill Nance........................................................... 14

HAIRDRESSER PROFILE

Niles Salon.......................................................... 14

14 Why I

Nevada

and Vernon County

NEVADA SCENE Facetime in Nevada........................................ 15

3 Fort Sc Why I

THE COVER

NEVADA T H E

M A G A Z I N E

Featuring Vernon County’s People and Towns

Vintage CARS & TOYS in the Attic THROUGH the

8

Kitchen Door

CURTIS & Sons

Vol. #2 ISSUE 2

m

2014

m

$3.99

Despite the cold, cloudy weather hundreds of children scramble for several thousand plastic eggs scattered outside the Osage Prairie YMCA last year for the Vernon County Adult Recovery Drug Court’s annual Easter Egg Hunt.

Photo by Ralph Pokorny

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10 NEVADA the MAGAZINE

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Leva Loyd’s oldest brother fought and died in WWII.

Leva Loyd’s parents and 11 siblings.

The Egg, the Chicken and I

Leva Loyd’s 10 children and husband

Leva Loyd holds up an embroidery piece she made for her family.

Raising chickens keeps Loyd young.

By Gloria Tucker

Born in 1922, Leva Loyd, of Compton Junction, Mo., has raised chickens nearly her whole life. She has seen her fair share of history along the way during those 90 plus years.

Loyd grew up on a western Kansas farm during the dustbowl with 11 other siblings. “We had cattle, hogs and chickens, and my dad farmed some,” she said. “It was pretty dusty at times. We’d have to wipe the dust off the tables before we could have breakfast.

“It was a tight house, but the dust still came in somehow or other. We’d get up in the morning and our form was on the sheet where we laid all night. That’s how bad it was.”

Her family eventually moved to Erie, Kan., and her oldest brother left to fight in WWII as a rear gunner on airplanes.

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| NEVADA the MAGAZINE

“He got killed in WWII,” she said simply.

Loyd went to college in Chanute, Kan., but decided she wanted to help the war effort and left to work at an airplane factory in Wichita, Kan. “I met my husband there,” she said. “He was a part inspector. When he left the plant to enter the military, they asked him who he wanted to take his place. He said me. So, I took his place and inspected parts.”

In 1944, Fred Loyd was honorably discharged because of an injury and he came back to marry Leva.

“We got married and moved to Schell City,” she said.

“We raised sheep, cattle and chickens. Cattle was his main interest. I raised our 10 children.”

They sold their eggs, mainly Golden Comet variety, to stores in Schell City and people living in Harwood.

Moving to Compton Junction in 2000, after Fred passed away, she still raises them.

Her 20 grandchildren, 35 great grandchildren and 14 great-great grandchildren all gather at her home on Easter to decorate and hide eggs.

“I enjoy taking care of the chickens,” she said. “I like to hear the roosters crow. We raise them from babies, and they get pretty close to you sometimes. They like to be petted. The grandkids love to gather eggs.”

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|7

VINTAGE CARS

& Toys In the Attic, Too

ABOVE: 1958 Corvette shown by their son, Randy Smith 1957 Chevy with Ralph Zartman and David Cauthorn checking it out.

By Neoma Foreman

C. A. and Peggy Smith of rural Collins, Mo., have turned their love of collecting toys, memorabilia and cherry condition, vintage automobiles into a private museum. The museum is set up in a variety of displays with a general store motif, seasonal display and other interesting varieties.

On display is the first car C. A. and Peggy drove off in to get married. He has been collecting cars for years. Among the collection are Corvettes from the 1960s, BelAir Chevrolets from the 1950s, and a 1957 Super 88 Oldsmobile.

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Peggy Smith at front door of Toy museum Peggy explained how the museum came about. “Once when I was sick, C. A. bought me a doll — and he kept buying me dolls since he knew I loved them. He has always been so good to me.

“But then the house got full of ‘stuff.’ We had every room full and we had to do something. C. A. wanted to build a building for his cars and offered to build an adjoining one of the same size for my collections. I took him up on it.

“When the building was finished, we brought out folding tables and put my stuff on them. It was like Christmas every day. I found stuff I

had forgotten I had.

“It didn’t near fill the building so I got an opportunity to buy out an antique toy shop in Joplin. The lady helped me decorate and identify each article.

“It has been such a pleasure that we want to share with the public. Besides, I can come out and enjoy it every day.”

The museum opened Nov. 26, 2012 during a snow storm. Peggy was sure no one would come — but they did — and have been coming ever since.

Almost every item has a story. The bear merry-go-round took several years to complete as she bought the base first and bought a bear each year until it was full.

Two of the exquisite baby dresses hanging on the wall are family. The one on the left belonged to C. A. The next belonged to her sister’s father-in-law.

Peggy purchased the others.

A lot of the toy stoves were salesman’s samples, but some came about because you had to belong to a toy stove club to purchase one. Some of the names on the stoves were Little Willie, Scranton Stove Co., and Bridge Ford and Co-Louisville. It also had IDA and Merry Christmas inscribed on it.

One showcase has toy washing machines in it, but beside it is a hand washer that Peggy used. It is displayed with suds showing!

Another case displays Storybook dolls.

C. A. and Peggy’s private collection at Toys In The Attic, Too offers something for everyone at the museum with its cozy feeling and family photographs interspersed among the toys. The collection of Americana is sure to bring back memories for the older visitors and generate questions for the younger ones. The only items in the museum that are for sale are the Steiff bears.

Peggy telling Jody Cauthorn about the bear merry-go-round

Toys In The Attic, Too is open 10:30 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Wednes-

day through Saturday. Visit toysintheattictoo.com The museum is located about 40 miles east of Nevada, on Highway 54 and about a mile west of Collins on the north side of the highway.

Doll wedding. Bride doll has a face that looked like C. A.’s mother.

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|9

Through the

KITCHEN DOOR . . .

...and into the kitchen of Erica Skouby Story and photos by Martha Meinsen Scott

Erica Skouby in front of the 2014 Bushwhacker Opportunity Quilt, which is displayed in her shop.

A Missouri native, Erica Skouby, came to Nevada in 1989 to work at 3M. Born in Missouri, she had previously lived in Oklahoma, Tennessee, and Alabama.

A ceramic engineer by education, she worked for 3M for 21 years and then left. “It’s all my mother’s fault that I now own Nine Patch Fabric and Quilt Shop.”

After leaving 3M, she wasn’t ready to retire and although she was not “into quilting,” she did enjoy fabric crafts. Her grandmother made clothing and quilts and her mom made clothing, so sewing was “in her blood”!

The shop, which has been open since 2006, sells fabric, notions, and patterns and has classes. It’s a quilter’s mecca and she tries to have three or four classes a month. She is currently working on an appliqué quilt class.

“Not all the classes are fabric,” she said, “for we sometimes do other 10 | NEVADA the MAGAZINE

crafts.”

When asked when she learned to cook, she laughed and explained that when the Skouby children are young, they sit them in front of a piano. If they appear musical, they “throw them out” and if they aren’t, they put a wooden spoon in their hand! Which means that she started cooking when she could stand on a stool next to her mom.

And she loves cookbooks. She has hundreds and hundreds of them!

She reads cookbooks more than she reads romance novels. And she “tags” recipes to try later as she reads.

“My favorite cookbook,” Erica said, “is the United Methodist Women’s Cookbook from about 10 years ago.”

She added that there was also a cookbook from her church in Tennessee that she refers to often. “Those two, plus Betty Crocker, are the ones I use most,” she said.

Lemonade chicken simmering in the crock-pot

Her first cookbook was the Good Housekeeping Cookbook, which was a high school present from her aunt. “And I still use that cookbook,” she said.

Her business takes up a lot of her time and she doesn’t often watch television but she does like to catch America’s Test Kitchen and Cook’s Country when she can.

One of her interests in Nevada is the Griffons Baseball team. Erica said she always loved baseball and watched a lot of baseball with her dad. Her favorite MLB team is the Saint Louis Cardinals and her favorite college baseball team is Nevada’s own Griffons.

She is currently on the Griffons Board of Directors as the Promotional and Advertising Chair.

Previously, she was in charge of Griffon housing and each year, she would hand the host family a packet of easy recipes for crockpot or the oven or for make-ahead dishes — dishes with lots of meat and carbs. She usually hosts some of the ballplayers herself.

She said that when she is watching baseball, she is totally relaxed and the whole world goes away!

Because Erica spends long hours at her store, she is especially fond of crock-pot meals. It’s a good way to have a tasty hot dish when you come home after spending a long day at work, she said.

Not all crock-pot recipes require a 10- or 12hour cook time, and she has solved this dilemma with a simple lamp timer.

She makes her dish, plugs her crock pot into the lamp timer, sets the timer to come on at the proper time, and she has her hot perfectly cooked dinner when she comes home.

“I don’t like to eat out much,” Erica said. “I much prefer home cooking. But I do like to eat at Bella Rosa.”

Since she likes fabric crafts, her placemat was from the “Twelve Months of Placemat Class” that she did a while back. It’s appliquéd and quilted with raindrops and umbrellas. It’s for April, she said.

The recipe Erica is sharing is for Lemonade Chicken. She’s fixed this “forever.” It’s one of the ones that you dump in the crockpot and walk away from it. She’s fixed it so long; she doesn’t remember where she got the recipe.

The Lemonade Chicken is usually included in the host family meal packets as well as some

A great lunch — lemonade chicken, breadstick and salad

of those tagged recipes from her cookbooks.

She laughed and said, “One year, one of my Griffons would only eat chicken. I found 101 ways to cook chicken that year.

“But,” she added, “he was a left-handed pitcher and they’re odd sometimes.”

As a busy shopkeeper, Erica’s conversation wasn’t in the kitchen but rather in her shop where she proudly displays the Bushwhacker Quilt Guild’s Opportunity Quilt called “Farm Scraps.”

LEMONADE CH ICKEN 4 boneless, skinles s ch 1 can frozen lemon icken breasts ade, thawed 3 T. brown sugar 1 T. vinegar 1/4 c. ketchup Place chicken in a gr lemonade concentra eased 4- to 5-quart slow cooker.

Stir te, gether. Mix well. Po brown sugar, vinegar and ketchup tour over chicken. C over and cook on for 3 to 4 hours or high low from 6 to 8 ho urs.

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| 11

FOR SALE

Pictured from left, are J.J. Curtis, Monte Curtis, Marilyn Brownsberger, Sandy Williams, Donetta Remington, Andy Remington, and Joann Cash.

By Floyd Jernigan

From a part-time endeavor that took time away from his “real” job as a “This is something I would not even consider this day and age, but it was regional manager for Ford Motor Company, Elmer Curtis’ efforts spawned a a different time back then. I do remember I didn’t get paid for it though,” business that spans some 66 years and four generations. recalled Monte with a grin. “’But you got food on the table,’ Dad told me.”

Curtis and Sons was a sideline in 1948 during Elmer’s working years until In like fashion to Elmer’s original entrepreneurship, Curtis and Sons had the “part-time became full-time,” recalled Elmer’s grandson, Monte, as he their hand in many different side businesses to keep them extremely busy. reflected back on the real estate company’s beginnings. “He had to decide “Curtis & Sons had an ice company in Nevada that was located across what to do,” said Monte. “He liked the area around Nevada so much that they from the old bus station on North Osage. I raked yards, and even shingled ended up purchasing a farm near Sheldon, Mo., while still working in Kansas roofs,” Monte recalled.

City.”

“The one thing about dad being the capitalist he was — if we weren’t busy Elmer soon saw the possibility of what the business selling real estate, then we were out helping the guys on the construction crew — so we tried to always could become in Vernon County. He and his wife Agnes keep busy. started “E.D. Curtis and Sons Real Estate” that same year.

“They had a great crew back in those days.

“We are a family business The ‘sons’ part of the name was more of a hope, as Danny Pilcher was a salesperson for Curtis and dedicated to the betterment Sons, and also managed the ice company. Leroy neither son was in the business at the time.

Gean was the construction foreman. Leroy was quite He (Elmer) started selling ‘hobby’ farms or ‘small of our community, whether it a perfectionist,” said Monte “I can remember one of acreages’ in the Kansas City market. Being an active enis through actual community trepreneur, Elmer also went door-to-door selling eggs in the brick layers had placed a mantle on a fireplace service, building new homes, Kansas City from their farm in Sheldon. This business and Leroy said it was crooked. The brick layer disstructure carried on successfully, until Elmer passed agreed, so Leroy went and jerked the mantle off and renovating existing, or even from a heart attack in 1962. said it wasn’t up there suitably — it was straight the finding the right placement second time the mantle went up!”

At this point, Monte’s father Bill, who was a loan offor families who are looking to ficer with the Bank of America in Glendale, Calif., had

With the idea of a more steady income, Monte to make his own decision; as did Elmer’s other son Bud, joined the team full-time as a partner in 1974. By simply change homes; at Curthis time, Bill was also getting into the auction busiwho was a farmer/carpenter in Vernon County. Both Bill tis and Sons, we truly do treat ness a bit more, and hired Doug Shupe as an auctionand Bud decided to continue on with the family busiyou better than family.” eer/salesperson. ness, with Bill moving back to Missouri from California.

In 1978, Bud retired and Monte said, “that’s The brothers opted to diversify Curtis and Sons in when dad fully took over the building business.”

1962 and they started building houses, with Bud con It was also 1978 that Monte married Linda centrating on construction and Bill on real estate. Bud had a great deal of Dobson of Nevada. Linda had been working as a legal secretary for Bill construction knowledge and together the pair built over 400 houses in the McCaffree previously, and in 1979, she got her real estate license and joined Nevada-Vernon County area over a span of 21 years.

Curtis and Sons full-time as well.

“Most homes they built were a three-bedroom ranch style that was popular In 1983, Bill retired and turned the business over to Monte and Linda. By at the time,” recalled Monte, adding, “it’s about the same type home that we then a lot of the staff had changed and/or retired, and Monte and Linda needed still build today.” help running the business.

Not surprisingly or out of character, the late Bill Curtis was always looking History began to repeat itself once again. Linda had a son, Andy, who was to the future. Bill saw the possibility for expanded growth in the area when the 8 at the time she and Monte wed. The business made an impression on Andy, state was planning a new major highway through the area in the late 1960s. who vowed, “he would never get into the real estate business because his Monte said, “He bought a lot of property in the area; from the jail all the parents were never at home and always at work.” way back east, then south, near the current truck stop. I remember he owned Instead, Andy opted to pursue law enforcement, earning his criminal jus160 acres near the airport and worked out a trade for the property where the tice degree and going to work at the Vernon County Sheriff’s Office, followed truck stop and Wal-Mart is now located so the city could lengthen the run- by working for the Nevada Police Department. way.”

Events changed soon after, and in 1994, Andy was told he would have to Monte’s choice to join the family business seemed destined as he was move to the midnight shift on a permanent basis. Andy gave notice right then growing up. “Dad bought a 360-acre farm near Moundville. We had some and there, and went to get his real estate license. people come in from Kansas City who were interested in the old homestead In 1996, Andy married his wife Donetta, and she soon got her real estate and dad told me to go and show it,” Monte said. “I was 12 at the time and Dad license and joined the team as well. didn’t know the folks but they seemed real nice.

It wouldn’t be long before another family member would also come 12 | NEVADA the MAGAZINE

aboard. In 1983, Monte and Linda had a son, J.J. By his senior year of high school, in 2002, J.J., who had been working for the company in the construction side, got his real estate license.

Unlike Andy, who came to real estate in a round-about way, J.J. always knew he wanted to work in this business. J.J. had already been selling ‘stuff’ since he was 10 — everything from baby snakes out of his lunchbox to friends at school to bigger items like toys and bikes to neighborhood children.

At 13, J.J. got his first real opportunity with real estate. He (with the help of his dad) purchased his first rental house over on East Douglas in Nevada. Getting a taste of real estate at a young age only fueled the fire. J.J. now has a fleet of rental homes in the Nevada area, and is continuously expanding.

With the addition of Andy, Donetta, and J.J.; five different family members were now part of the business. That’s when the company’s slogan came into existence: “We treat you better than family.”

“It’s always been a family business,” said Monte. “It’s sometimes hard to get outside sales people to come in. They think that there is preferential treatment but that is most definitely not the case!”

In 2011, Linda passed away from an illness — leaving Monte, Andy, Donetta, and J.J. as the only members on staff.

Fortunately, Marilyn Brownsberger wasn’t put off by the family connections and joined the sales team in 2012, having the best record year she had ever had in real estate.

Marilyn wasn’t the only non-family member to join Curtis and Sons though. Soon, fellow Realtor Joann Cash closed her real estate office in 2013 and came to work with Curtis and Sons as well.

The last non-familial staff member is Sandy Ashcraft, who is the company’s administrative assistant. “We’ve got the best staff we could have ever asked for,” said Monte. “It truly is a great group of people.”

Along with the staffing changes, Curtis and Sons has gone through many corporation transformations. In the early ‘80s Curtis and Sons joined United Farm Agency out of Kansas City. They stayed with United Farm for three years, which helped with national exposure. However, their fees and expenses were high for the amount of return received.

Curtis and Sons joined Coldwell and Banker at the end of 1986 and stayed with them until 2007.

The staff of Curtis and Sons looked at this as a great learning experience, even making the ‘Presidents Club,’ which was the Top 5% of over 2,200 Coldwell and Banker offices.

Coldwell Banker soon opted to leave the small market area (which Nevada was considered); they wanted to inundate big cities. So, in 2007, the family business, which had always kept the Curtis and Sons name as headliner, opted to go independent.

“We had a great name and reputation on our own,” Monte said.

Monte recalled many differences from then to today’s technical world. “Back in the mid ‘70s we didn’t have MLS (Multiple Listing Service) in which Realtors share their information on properties they have listed with each other.

“During those years, the Realtors moved from having no system, to using loose leaf notebooks, to printing books of listings once a month, which

were outdated by the time received. Today, everything is on computer and it’s updated down to the very minute.”

“Another difference,” Monte reminisced, was “we used to have to go pick up keys from everyone’s office locations to show multiple properties, and they return the keys when done. Today we just have electronic lockboxes that make everything much simpler.”

In accordance with those technological advances, Curtis and Sons has evolved with the times and cultivated a sizable Internet presence in maintaining the marketability of their listed properties.

“The technology is unbelievable,” Monte said, noting “my first Internet contract was with a Cottey professor in the late ‘90s — and I had to go out and buy a scanner! It all seems funny today, considering I can now scan with my smart phone.”

Today, it’s a matter of email and electronic signatures. “If our computers are not working, neither are we,” Monte said. “When you’re talking about one of the largest single investments a person makes in a lifetime, you want to make sure that they have been fully informed, showed all the disclosures and feel comfortable about their purchase.”

Curtis and Sons was the first company in Nevada to use property disclosures. They started in 1987 and disclosures have now become the norm and are used throughout the country.

Another significant change in business has been the expanded paperwork and legal maze.

“It has changed a lot since 1974 when I started.

We literally went from a one-page sales contract, where today it’s seven pages, six pages for the residential disclosure,” said Monte, adding then there are amendments and items such as leadbased paint documentation.

Each contract ends up being approximately 14-18 pages in today’s real estate world.

While the MLS listings are ‘the norm’ for Vernon County; along with a weekly MLS meeting and a monthly Realtor meeting, the “surrounding areas haven’t adopted that,” said Monte. “We tried to change with the times, and tried to keep current with our training; we have found though that Nevada and Vernon County Realtors are far superior,” Monte praised.

“One thing that hasn’t changed,” said Monte, “is the family’s commitment to the community.”

Each part of the Curtis family has made a point to give back to the community that they call home. Monte is currently an active member of the Nevada Lions Club, involved as the chairperson

from the Nevada Airport Board for the City of Nevada, is a Vernon County Sheriff’s Department volunteer Deputy Sheriff, and holds an active membership to the Nevada Eagles and Elks Clubs.

Andy is a past president of the Nevada Lions Club, and is currently very involved in Nevada girls’ softball, along with his wife Donetta.

J.J. currently serves as the past president of the Nevada Lions Club, and has been very active in the Nevada/Vernon County Chamber of Commerce, both as board member and past vice president. J. J. is also a past Board of Director for the Compton Junction Fire Department, and enjoys aiding local charity auctions whenever he gets a chance by donating his services.

Although not working in the real estate business “yet” Monte said, Betsy, J.J.’s wife (married in 2009) has an immense opportunity to be involved in the community as the Director of Marketing and Community Relations for Heartland Behavioral Health Services.

“Betsy tells me all the time that she loves her job, and absolutely will not come to work for Curtis and Sons for fear she would put poor J.J.’s record sales to shame,” said Monte.

Betsy currently serves as the vice president to the Nevada Lions Club, she is the president of Vernon County United Way, she serves on the Board of Directors of Nevada Regional Medical Center’s Foundation Board, she is an active member of the Nevada Police Department’s Crisis intervention Team (CIT), is an individual member of the Nevada/Vernon County Chamber of Commerce, serves on the Mental Health Committee for The Healthy Nevada Project, and is involved in the Vernon County Youth Task Force.

The most recent charitable effort by the family business has been donating land for the new Vernon County Jail and Sheriff’s Office.

The Curtis family has also donated the land for the new Children’s Center of Nevada. Both businesses, each and every member of Curtis and Sons stand behind fully, with the members wanting to help where they could.

In closing, Monte said, “We are a family business dedicated to the betterment of our community, whether it is through actual community service, building new homes, renovating existing, or even finding the right placement for families who are looking to simply change homes; at Curtis and Sons, we truly do treat you better than family.”

Gammon

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(573) 692-1133

www.GammonHomes.com NEVADA the MAGAZINE

| 13

By Gloria Tucker

Bill Nance’s grandfather loved auctions. Cattle, farm, or antique, it didn’t matter. He’d go six days a week. And wherever grandfather went, Nance went.

“I’d say I’ve been able to do the chant since I was 5 years old, even before I knew what the numbers meant,” he said. “My Uncle Tom is also an auction fanatic and he thought our family should start a business.”

In 1997, Nance’s uncle Leroy and friend Justin Macintyre started Nance Auction Service with Nance helping out as a ringer.

“We had a huge sale, and my uncle lost his voice,” he said. “He handed the mike to me. I had to sell for quite awhile. A week later he handed me an application to a school of auctioneering and I got my license in 2000. I’ve been selling ever since.”

Nance said the people make his job worthwhile.

“I love people,” he said. “I love to meet new people. I love to hear their stories. I love to share mine. I love rare, different and unique things. I’m a farmer as well, so I love farm stuff. It’s just a thrill.”

Dealing with people is difficult as well, he added. “The hardest part of my job is you can’t please everyone,” he said. “You just cannot do it, no matter how hard you try. I also hate paperwork.

If I could afford a secretary, I’d hire one.”

Auctioneer Profile

Bill Nance auctions watermelons in the 2013 Sheldon Old Settlers Picnic.

This January, Nance competed in the World Livestock Auctioneer Championship at Mo-Kan Livestock Market for the first time.

“The competition was tough,” he said. “I was up against 12 guys in our region that have been in the Top 10 for the last five years. There were

Hairdresser Profile Just off Washington Street sits a faded shop front beside the mural of the old hotel. Though unassuming, Niles Salon has opened its doors to Nevada for 52 years.

Nile Ogle moved to Nevada to live near his family 65 years ago, and finding the opportunity to attend beautician schools, he began his career as a hairdresser in 1962.

“I’ve always enjoyed working with hair, ever since I was a small child,” Ogle said. “I’ve kept doing this because I really love people. I enjoy working with people. I enjoy my job, making people happy and getting to be part of their lives.”

Through the decades, Ogle said he has seen Nevada and the industry change tremendously.

“It’s not as good as it was when I first began,” he said. “When I came to work, there were a lot of styles and fashions. One point in time, I had all the country club people who put on parties and did their hair for the parties. Everything is so casual and free now. There’s not as much skill in doing hair today, as there was when I started.”

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no rookies that moved on. I placed 25 out of 33, but I had a great time. I learned a ton. I learned a lot just from listening to other professionals. I met an excellent guy from Alabama, and we became friends.”

Born and raised on the outskirts of Sheldon, Nance, 42, said besides auctioneering he loves to farm and raise cattle.

“My grandfather and father passed all that knowledge down to me,” he said. “Between my father, brother and I, we raise about 300 head of cows. It keeps my time occupied as well.”

He said it’s hard to juggle, family, work, being president of the school board, school administration and events.

“My number one thing is my family,” he said “My wife, two daughters, two sons, and my faith in God are very important to me. My family is the backbone of my business and life. I love the school. I love our community. Even though I don’t live in city limits, this is where I went to school.

This is where I grew up; this is where I plan to die.”

Nance said his plans for the future are to grow the auction service. “We’d like to see the day where we can do two sales at the same time in two different communities, 100 miles apart, so we don’t conflict with each other,” he said. “I would love to see myself become a bigger and better livestock auctioneer. I’d love to be the World Livestock Auctioneer Champion. I would love to be the Missouri Auctioneer Champion. Will it happen? I don’t know, but I would love to try.”

He added he loves every kind of auctioneering, whether cattle, antique, farm or estate.

“I don’t want to do anything else the rest of my life,” he said. “This is what I want to do. God willing, people will continue to hire me and put their confidence and faith in me. This is what I’ll do for the rest of my life.”

By Gloria Tucker

Even so, Ogle said he still has one customer from the beginning who comes to have her hair done. But locals aren’t the only ones coming by. Twenty years ago, movie actress Ida Lupino dropped in while visiting friends in El Dorado Springs.

“I really enjoyed doing her hair, visiting with her and listening about her life and job,” he said.

Besides the shop downtown, Ogle works at his salon at Culpepper Place, a residential care facility.

“That’s opened up a whole new life for me,” he said. “I love them all and I get a great deal of satisfaction from helping improve their lives and days. It’s a lot of sadness and a lot of joy because I don’t get to do their hair for very long sometimes.”

Refusing to give his age, Ogle said he has no plans to retire.

“My plans for the future are to carry on as long as I can,” he said. “Each day is a joy, and I look forward to coming in to work every day. My hobby is my job. This is what I really enjoy more than anything.”

Nile Ogle fixes Marge Pursley’s hair.

THE

Nevada SCENE

CURE ON THE COURT

NHS Dance team, cheerleaders and Stand Up to Cancer Club members.

THE ANNUAL METHODIST CHURCH BAZAAR

Annual bazaar had a sizeable turnout for lunch and pie. Many people complimented the large variety of pies and desserts at the meal.

United Methodist Women members Marge Holznagel and Cindy Dye gave samples at the Bakery section of the annual holiday bazaar.

REN STUDENTS

Renaissance students at Nevada High School are ready for the program’s assembly.

CHAMBER GALA

Executive Director Jennifer Eaton and Board President Aimee Meyer display some of the auction items.

CHILDREN’S CENTER Those in attendance at the first fundraiser for the center got into the spirit of the mice races.

NEVADA the MAGAZINE

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