Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
Serving Lincoln County for more than a century!
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I sat down to interview Jim and June Walter in their home one evening after they had been at the home of friends enjoying oysters. June is a soft-spoken, polite and elegant woman who loves genealogy. Jim can have a gruff, intimidating exterior, but you know where you stand with him. He is honest, devoted to his wife and family, and has a great sense of humor. June was born in Kansas and moved to Omak, Wash. after her parents had divorced, reconciled, and remarried within the y...
This is a Cinderella story of sorts. Sprinkle in some fairy dust, a little luck, and a lot of hard work and you have the story of Rebecca Maddock. This young woman went from cleaning the bank to managing it. She is the manager of the new Washington Federal (formerly Bank of America) branch in Odessa. She has tenacity and perseverance and, by her own admission, "it wasn't going to be handed to me." This quiet, unassuming woman has always had a natural, high level of professiona...
lunteers are the heartbeat of our community. These unsung heroes just show up to help and assist with all of the various behind-the-scenes activities that we so often take for granted. In a perfect world, lots of people would all help out a little. But we all know that in the real world it doesn't work that way. Especially in small towns, a small core group of familiar faces do 90 percent of the work. Justin Parr is one of those people. At Saturday night's New Years Eve Chamber party he was bestowed with the award for...
Volunteers are the heartbeat of our community. These unsung heroes just show up to help and assist with all of the various behind-the-scenes activities that we so often take for granted. In a perfect world, lots of people would all help out a little. But we all know that in the real world it doesn't work that way. Especially in small towns, a small core group of familiar faces do 90 percent of the work. Justin Parr is one of those people. At Saturday night's New Years Eve Cham...
I showed up to interview Ann Oliver at her cozy little home on 5th Avenue in Odessa. She had been recommended to me and I had never met her. She was worried the house was too warm, is that even possible this time of year? With her faithful dachshund, Pip, by her side, we visited in the cozy warmth of her home, and the time just flew by. I couldn't believe I had never met her, her life was fascinating and her experiences rich with the ups and downs that life sometimes throws...
By KATHY TAYLOR Larry and Linda Gustafson's lives are rich with history and many funny stories. Married 48 years, their love of fun and adventure is a special bond they share which has been embedded deep within their children as well. I arrived out at their farm house in the country which they have lived in since 1976. I fell in love with this huge dog in the yard. It was about five degrees outside and I was rubbing his face and ears. I thought he was growling at me and then realized he was being very verbal about how...
By KATHY TAYLOR I sat down for my interview with Chris and Tianii Costlow at their auto repair shop. Chris spends a lot more time here than at home and has built his reputable business through years of hard work and service to our town. Although well known in the community, they are both very busy in their jobs, and they choose to spend rare time off with their family, a close network of friends or just as a couple doing the things they love. Chris is a hard-working, polite man with a calming presence. Tianii,who describes he...
Sam Mullins was born in 1961, the son of Ruby Music and Toby Mullins. He grew up in Packwood and Randall in southwest Washington. His father was a logging truck driver. We laughed about a caption I once saw on a photo in the newspaper of a logging truck that had spilled logs on the highway. "How much wood can a wood truck chuck?" it read. Even though his father was 15 years older than his mother, they died within two weeks of one another about 25 years ago. He was not surprise...
Alice Schmierer comes from generations of farm families. We met in her spacious, lovely home in town which she and her husband built after they retired off the farm. You ring the doorbell and one of 25 songs happily chimes in the background. It is warm and inviting, full of cherished collectibles, quilts she has made and huge houseplants that show what an amazing green thumb she has. Her caretaker, Velma Provost tended to her lovingly, helping her out with anything she needed during the interview. With the exception of using...
Barbara "Barb" Lou Gilbert By KATHY TAYLOR Barbara "Barb" Lou Gilbert Schlimmer was born July 21, 1950 in Spokane, WA. The doctor that showed up to deliver her was intoxicated and her mother forced the hospital to find a replacement. Barb had actually been a twin, her brother died in utero before the birth. Her father worked relief on a railroad crew and for several years their home was a 16' Shasta trailer which was moved to various locations along Stevens Pass. Barb was the...
Dillon Jahns and I sat down for his interview at the Odessa Golf Course clubhouse, his home away from home. In May of this year, he was recruited and hired to supervise the course and manage the groundskeepers for the new owners. It was a perfect match. Jahns has a passion for golf and a level of reliability that is way beyond his years. Although he is a salaried employee, it has not been unusual for him to rack up 190+ hour, two-week pay periods this summer without a complain...
By KATHY TAYLOR I was really looking forward to getting to know Duane and Jonnie Pitts better through this article. I was a little intimidated though, after all, Dr. Pitts is the oracle, the grand poobah of grammar, spelling and all things composition. After many years of service, teaching and devotion to this community, they recently retired and have moved to Moses Lake. Duane is still involved assisting with the transition for the new English teacher here. His heart still...
I first met Bonnie Burroughs one day at the local hair salon. We had never been officially introduced. We became fast friends, largely because of our mutual love of reading. We discussed different books and recommended some of our favorite authors. A few weeks later, she came into my office with a bag full of books. I couldn’t believe that someone I had met only once would do something so thoughtful. Telling her I would get them back to her as soon as possible, she told me to...
For someone who will be 27 this month (August 28), Marcus Horak is truly an “old” soul. He is a kind, quiet, introspective guy…shy in some respects. Although imposing at 6’4” tall with a size 17 boot, he is a gentle, compassionate and caring guy. There to lend a helping hand to anyone who needs it, he admittedly has an issue saying “no” to anyone. This might account for why Marcus is currently on the school board, an EMT, a Freemason, a lifetime FFA alumni member, Chamb...
When I arrived at the home of Keith and Becky Kolterman, I was amazed at the beautiful, sprawling green lawn and manicured flowerbeds. “Your yard is amazing. It looks like a park,” I told them. “Funny you should say that,” Becky told me. Apparently, one day when she and Keith were inside the house, a car pulled up in their side yard. They watched as two adults, two kids and a very large dog got out of the car. The dog gleefully frolicked around their yard. They watched...
When I approached Dee Deife to ask her for an interview, without missing a beat she told me she needed to check her calendar to make certain she didn’t have any other interviews on Thursday. She has a razor sharp wit and a calming presence that draws people in. In some respects, she is a private woman, a keeper of secrets. I learned so much that I had never known about her -- her joys, her triumphs and some of her darkest hours. Dee was born in Tonasket, June 11, 1942. She w...
Some people in the world are really good gift givers. We all know the type. They find just the right gift at just the right time. Dale Winfrey takes this to a whole new level. He truly gave the gift that keeps on giving, the gift of a kidney. On March 13 of this year, he was wheeled into the surgical unit and donated a kidney to local resident Lois Hubbard. They were cousins and had kept in touch over the years. Their grandmothers were sisters. His mother had set up Lois’ parents, Clarence and Helen, on their first date. Dale...
My interview target this week is not an easy man to catch up with. Even though he is “retired”, he currently serves as chairman for the County Noxious Weed Board and also as chairman for the County Retired Public Employees Council. Driving around town in his signature blue Toyota 5 speed, he is typically running errands and going out to check on his farm. The amazing thing…he is 97 years old. Eddie Kern is a humble man with a spring in his step and a twinkle in his eye. I had...
