bmonthly December 2022

Tis The Season of Giving

The holidays are once again upon us; complete with Christmas spirit and brimming with benevolence. It is the time of year w more on giving being thoughtful. This overwhelming sense of generosity and goodwill was embodied by the 4th century bishop, St. Nicholas. He devoted his life to sacrifice, giving, compassion He gave away his entire fortune to those in his community. The bishop’s commitment to charitable living is the inspiration for Each year OKM Music strives to exhibit this same dedication to generosi and reduced price offerings. OKM Music spent over $ 120,000 in 2022 on its Children’s Music Festival, Spooky Strings Concert, 8 Festival Showcase Concerts, Christkindl concerts, Scholarships, and Children s programming at Christkindl and Oktoberfest all of which were at no cost to the community.

Participating in the national giving movement, #GivingTuesday is yet another way OKM Music spreads kindness and goodwill to the community. Every year, OKM showcases Oklahoma based artists, often featuring homegrown talent, so as to spotlight local musicians and thank them for their contributions to the arts. The 2022 #GivingTuesday concert, entitled “Joy to the Ville”, was a special tribute to Bartlesville music educators and students; highlighting middle school, high school musicians who devote their lives to mentoring the next generation of young artists and to providing quality music to their audiences OKM held an Open House at Ambler Hall

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE Director of Development okmozart.com

Welcome to December friends, and Merry Christmas! I can’t believe we are in the last month of the year. Where did this year go? I believe as we get older the days, months, and years just go by in a blink of an eye.

This is my favorite cover to design each year, and it doesn’t hurt that we have the best Santa Claus out there. Ron Adams has been our Santa since bmonthly started in 2011. We have put out some iconic December covers, but I believe this one is the best. It speaks so clearly to what Christmas is all about…”The Gift”. I will talk about those two words later in the Upfront. We want to thank Tony Lehmer who always takes our Santa cover photo and Miss Louisa Blakemore who is handing Santa his very own gift.

In this month’s feature story, I wanted to learn more about the “Church” and the start of Christianity here in Bartlesville. I called on Sarah Gagan to tell the story. When I assigned it to her, she was so excited to write it. During our conversation on how I wanted to tell it, she asked me if she could add scripture to the story…for me that’s like asking if a dog barks! YES! Wow! She completely knocked it out of the park as she always does in her stories. I believe this city was built on the Rock of Jesus Christ. Our city founders made sure that these beautiful churches were built representing every denomination so that we all have a place to worship God.

I want to spend the rest of this Upfront talking a little about this last year, including the magazine and our crazy lives. We have reached some incredible milestones with the magazine from where we started in April of 2017. As of today, bmonthly magazine subscriptions are mailed out to 22 states, and we have over 20,000 readers each month. We have over 130 pick-up locations in four different counties, and we print over 12,000 magazines each month. On our Facebook page we have over 26,000 followers representing all 50 states and 11 countries around the world, and we have had over a million people view our videos about this great city. None of this would be possible without YOU, our readers, who each month can’t wait to get their copy of the best city magazine in the state! Thank you!

We want to thank some very special people, who none of this would be possible without them. First of all, we want to say thank you to the owner of bmonthly magazine, Brian Engle. He believed in us over five years ago, and since then he’s given us complete freedom to write and produce bmonthly each month. I have to list our writers because without them we would have blank pages. Thank you  Sarah Gagan, Lori Roll, Lori Just, Kay Little, Mike Wilt, Jay Hastings, Lori Kroh, Jay Webster, Brent Taylor, Abigail Singrey, Rita Thurman Barnes, Kelly Bland , and  Maria Gus . I have a few special people that I

have to thank. Each month Debbie Neece tirelessly puts so much of her heart and soul into this magazine with her incredible stories and helps us with all the photos to go with the stories. She is our biggest fan and supporter. To be honest, we would not have the quality magazine we have without her. She is family and we both want to say thank you, Debbie, for all you do for us behind the scenes. Shelley Greene Stewart , who is one of our childhood friends, has dedicated herself to helping Christy stay organized with all the business aspects of the magazine, and she also has the difficult task of editing every one of my stories I write. Thank you to  Matt Conley and  Robin Wilson at Copper Cup Images who do all the graphics and help us design all the ads and stories.

Finally, this past year we have seen God move mountains and answer prayers in our lives. For all of you who know and follow us on our personal Facebook page, you know our granddaughter, Scottie, had to have a liver transplant. She received her transplant and through thousands of prayers from you she is doing incredible. She just had her 2nd birthday, and we give God all the glory for this incredible angel he has blessed us with. Our daughter Mary just had our 2nd granddaughter, Elle, this past August. I can’t tell you how truly special it is to have grandbabies.

We are humbled and blessed to be able to give you this magazine each month. Because of bmonthly, there are so many wonderful community connections and opportunities to connect, serve and care in the Ville. We love it and couldn’t do it without the magazine connection. Christy and I pray one of the most famous and widely-used blessings over Bartlesville and all who read these words: The Lord bless and keep you; the Lord make His face shine on you and be gracious to you; the Lord turn His face toward you and give you peace. “The Gift” I talked about earlier is the gift God gave us all through his son, Jesus. If we believe that Jesus came to earth, died on the cross, defeated sin and death, and rose again, then whoever believes in their heart that he is the Savior will have eternal life in Heaven. Believe in “The Gift”! God bless you and your family and we will see you in 2023.

Volume XIII

Issue XII

Bartlesville Monthly Magazine is published by

ENGEL

PUBLISHING

Offices located in Downtown Bartlesville in the historic Price Tower 510 Dewey Ave, Suite 400, Bartlesville, OK 74003 P.O. Box 603, Bartlesville, OK 74005 www.bartlesvillemonthly.com facebook.com/bartlesvillemonthly

Publisher

Brian Engel brian@bartlesvillemonthly.com

Graphics

Copper Cup Images design@coppercupimages.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 Tim Hudson

Calendar/Social Media calendar@bartlesvillemonthly.com

Contributing Writers

Debbie Neece, Kay Little, Kelly Bland, Lori Kroh, Jay Hastings, Sarah Leslie Gagan, Brent Taylor, Lori Just, Keith McPhail, Jay Webster, Abigail Singrey, Randy Standridge, Maria Gus, Rita Thurman Barnes, Tim Hudson, Sherri Smith

Contributing Photographers

Bartlesville Area History Museum, Jay Webster, Keith Clark, Tony Lehmer, Gordon Huggins Jr, Andy Dossett

Kids Calendar Jessica Smith

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

ABOUT THE COVER

As our cover shows, the true meaning of Christmas is about “The Gift,” which is our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ! Photo by Tony Lehmer.

Creative concept by Keith and Christy McPhail Design by Copper Cup Images

Managing Editors Keith & Christy McPhail with our Santa, Ron Adams.

Number One!

Ignite the First in State on The Joint Commission List

by Lori Just

Ignite Medical Resorts, a skilled nursing facility, is the first in the state to receive accreditation by The Joint Commission.

The Adams Parc facility, located at 6006 SE Adams Blvd, is the fifth property in the boutique post-acute care facility oper ator’s portfolio to be Joint Commission-accredited, along with four in Illinois. A facility in Missouri is currently going through the process.

“This is exciting for Bartlesville, as we are the first skilled facility to obtain this accreditation not only in Bartlesville, but in Oklahoma,” said Revel Castillo-Simon, RN, General Man ager. “We all deserve excellent health care. This is reassuring for families as we are held to specific standards from CMS, the state, and now Joint Commission.”

Accreditation is the highest recognition in the industry and is based on achievable optimums. Keeping up accreditation brings dedication and focus to the facility’s team for superior health inspections, great care, outstanding therapy, remarkable customer service and hospitality, and risk management and risk reduction for the benefit of patients and families.

“Our team always prides itself on giving the best care possi ble,” added Castillo-Simon. “Everyone worked so hard to meet the compliance standards needed prior to the accreditation and is incredibly proud of the care we provide here daily.”

The Joint Commission’s standards are developed with input from a variety of health care professionals, consumers, govern ment agencies, and other experts. They form the basis of the evaluation and process, and they help facilities measure, as sess, and improve their performance.

For Ignite, which acquired the Adams Parc operation in January 2020, the efforts are in pursuit of the company’s core value of excellence. The company’s branded LuxeRehab mod el specializes in short-term rehabilitation and nursing care and other enhanced services. Ignite hires a team of hospitalists to increase the level of care provided by being on-site and see ing patients 6-7 days a week, plus available on call. This team offers daily family meetings to help ease the anxiety of family members or to listen to concerns. Ignite offers direct admission from home program where they utilize home health or primary care physician notes to gain approval from insurance compa nies. They offer a wide variety of Managed Care Insurance con tracts and are also contracted with Medicare.

Along with now being Accredited, they also have a 5-star Medicare Rating and were voted the best in Bartlesville in 2021.

“We have an amazing culture and team who are dedicated to quality,” said Castillo-Simon.  “Our team continuously strives to be the best and provide great quality care. We are always looking for ways to improve and continue to better ourselves.”

At Ignite Medical Resorts, residents have access to onsite physicians, therapists, nurse practitioners, and physical reha bilitation team partners up to seven days per week. Their spe cialty programs include treatment and recovery plans in ortho pedic rehabilitation, stroke recovery, cardiac care, pulmonary rehab, infection management, and renal disease. They have a dedicated wound team and specialists available on site. Take a tour of this newly accredited facility and see why by calling 918-331-0550.

K. Vasu

People-Focused Industry Leader

by Sarah Leslie Gagan

Bartlesville has long been blessed with entrepreneurial spirits. Some are homegrown, some are transplants, and some cross oceans to find us.

Karappurath “Vasu” Vasudevan’s amazing journey on this earth began in Eangandiyoor, Kerala, India, on the land with coconut trees and rice paddy fields owned for over 600 years by his ancestors. His early years of childhood were lived in the time of British rule in India, as World War II raged throughout the nations. While he focused on his education, days were difficult growing up in the British Colony, where a child’s greatest hope was to one day qualify for a government job. He studied by a kerosene lamp at night, which blackened his eyelashes with soot.

Soccer was a favorite pastime for Vasu growing up, during the summer when school was out. As the oldest son, he was expected to carry on the family heritage of operating the rich tropical property, and he began supervising people at the age of nine. The early management skills following the traditions of his father built limitless character within Vasu, but he would grow to discover that his heart resided in a different line of work.

Early on, Vasu found great satisfaction within himself in creating things, and seeing the results with his own eyes. This passion for manufacturing, producing, and creating remains alive within him today. When he finished his basic studies, he attended technical school in India, graduating at 17 with a diploma in electrical engineering. He started working in the big game reserves of the tropics in India, working in the hydroelectric power generation industry.

Within a short time, Vasu accepted a position with Tata Steel, a very large steel manufacturer in India. He earned several safety awards at the company of 44,000 employees and climbed the promotional ladder very quickly. Still, he found himself desiring to achieve more, and quit his very stable job, where he was well liked. He left India to further his education in the United States of America in the early 1960s. He began his B.S. degree in electrical engineering at the University of Arkansas.

During his years at the University of Arkansas, Vasu was very focused and driven. Taking as many as 22

credit hours per semester, he graduated with his degree in electrical engineering in record time. His goal was to get experience working in the USA, then take his experience back to India, develop the country, and further his career. Vasu’s wife, Lalitha, remained in India while he was in the USA on a student visa, which made his stay much more difficult.

After graduating from The University of Arkansas, Vasu sent out 250 resumes to various American businesses, finally landing a trainee position at McNally Pittsburg in Pittsburg, Kansas. In 1963, McNally Pittsburg was one of the two largest coal equipment manufacturers in the entire world.  He excelled at his job, utilizing his experience at Tata Steel and experience of operating the various machinery. After six very successful months of employment, he was transferred to India by McNally Pittsburg to their new operations there. He became very successful in his field, was one of the four engineers to develop the industrial India, today.

However, Vasu felt the people of India during that time period were happy as they were and decided to migrate to the United States, unemployed.

On June 23, 1970, Vasu arrived in New York, JFK airport with a 10-year-old son, a year-and-a-half old daughter, a wife unfamiliar with a foreign country, and a five-hundred-dollar debt. That was 52 years ago. After working for one U.S. company in the coal industry, Vasu, his wife, and children Gopi and Sujatha became naturalized U.S. citizens in 1976.

Their journey eventually led them to Bartlesville, as a short-term employee of a Houston-based consulting engineering firm. Vasu then began his first corporation, Service and Technology Corporation, in 1986. When looking for space for his new venture, he purchased the recently abandoned Lincoln Elementary School in 1986, remodeling it to meet his business needs. In remembrance of the school, its teachers and students, Vasu established the B.L.E.S.S. scholarship program in 1988. B.L.E.S.S. stands for Bartlesville Lincoln Elementary School Scholarship.

It provides an interest-free loan to students who pay it back in $100 per month increments after graduation. Several thousands of scholarship funds have been awarded to students since the organization was formed.

Throughout his years in Bartlesville, Vasu has founded five businesses, which he considers perhaps his greatest accomplishment. His focus remains on creating jobs, keeping people employed, and families fed. With heartfelt humility, Vasu’s own organizational creed states, “We do not conduct our business in order to make money; we make money in order to conduct our business.” People are his priority, and as a result, his organizations are thriving and growing.

Vasu founded his organizations independently, without a single penny of grant, subsidy, or handout from any federal, state, or other agency. Both Vasu and son-in-law, Kumar Krishnan, thank their clients, employees, friends, and community for making their success possible.

Vasu’s first corporation, Service & Technology Corporation, STC, is a consulting engineering firm for companies in oil and gas, cement, and other industries. In 1992, he added a manufacturing arm to the company, called Service & Manufacturing Corporation, which produces equipment for oil refining, pipelines, agriculture and other industries.

Vasu’s most recent venture is USAco. With USAco, he hopes to appeal to businesses that want their products made in the U.S. “It’s my hope that USAco can help lead the way in a resurgence of manufacturing consumer products here in this country. At one time, America was a worldwide leader in manufacturing of industrial and consumer products. We need to recapture that position,” Vasu said.

“Made in the USA” is a non-negotiable commitment for Vasu. From the products produced, to their equipment used, he is loyal to the tried and true quality the USA was once  known for. He is passionate about rebuilding the USA standard that has been lost over recent decades through importation of inferior international products. He urges patrons, business and industries to preserve and protect what we have in the USA and return to making everything we need in the USA.

When he reflects upon his humble beginnings in the super tropical India, he marvels at how far he has come in life and states, “How did I get here? I don’t know. I am very blessed. My life is led by three guiding lights: 1.) Lord Krishna who I consider my commander who said, ‘Action is thy duty, reward for your actions is up to me.’  2.) The human form who walked the face of this earth under the name of Jesus Christ and repeatedly demonstrated examples of how to live as a human. 3.) Mohandas Gandhi, who provided the leadership to free India from the most powerful empire on this globe….with nothing but truth and love.”

His faith shows through his kind eyes and warm smile as he greets others with “Namaste,” defining it as, “I see God in you.” What a beautiful way to view others.

Vasu’s wife passed from this life in 2013 and is still greatly missed. She was a steadfast support for all her husband’s endeavors, and a loving mother to their children. Lalitha  was a strong presence in the community and a lifelong supporter of the family business and charitable work. She had outstanding skills in music and dance, was fluent in six languages, and enjoyed preparing the cuisines of several Indian regions as well as Asian and American specialties. Vasu is no doubt the man he is today because of her loving influence.

Vasu has received the Silver Beaver Award for his work with the Boy Scouts. He is a long-time member of the Bartlesville Rotary Club and is a Paul Harris Fellow of the Rotary Foundation; he has supported many other community organizations. In 2010, the Examiner-Enterprise named him Bartlesville’s Most Progressive Citizen.

Vasu keeps a busy schedule, still working 16 hours a day, seven days a week, even at the age of 85. He cannot imagine it any other way. He does enjoy gardening and for years has raised 29 varieties of vegetables at the family home in Osage county. He also has a talent for drawing and sketching.

When his time on earth is complete, Vasu would like to be remembered “as a humble man of strong principles, honesty and courage. A man of gratitude and grateful for his part of the “Bharatha” ancestry and civilization.”

The Bartlesville community is incredibly blessed that Vasu and his family crossed the ocean to find us. His family has greatly enriched our community, and quality of life. How fortunate we are to have such noteworthy citizens living among us, making a difference in all the lives they touch. Vasu, I see God in you, and may He continue to bless all the works of your hands.

— John 14:6 (NKJV)

“I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

It’s Christmastime again, a season of joy, peace, and reflection. Every year, the holiday is an opportunity to contemplate and reminisce traditions and meaning. Christmas trees, Santa Claus, presents, family dinners, holiday music, and lights are just a few beloved traditions. Behind all the decorations lies the true reason Christmas exists. It is a season to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ, the Savior of all humanity.

For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.

— Isaiah 9:6 KJV

God, our creator, loves all people — past, present, and future born, so deeply that he sent his only son, Jesus, to be born on the Earth, fully God and fully man, to sacrifice his life so that we might live eternally with Him, if we only believe. Nativity scenes remind us of Jesus’ humble birth in a stable in Bethlehem.

South Methodist 1895 Methodist Episcopal 1903

Christmas brings scenes of little white churches with steeples, and candlelight services which bring peace and serenity, however, the church is much more than a building or house of worship. The crux of the church is the people, the Christians, those who place their faith in the God of the Bible, the Trinity: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

For we are God’s fellow workers. You are God’s field, God’s building.

— 1 Corinthians 3:9 ESV

Christianity is a faith that many Bartlesville town founders shared. As pioneers settled in the newborn community, they brought with them faith, the Gospel, and the desire for Christian community.

Years before Bartlesville became a settlement, Christianity came to Indian Territory. Since Civil War days, missionaries & traveling

Christmas hymns lead us in rejoicing as the angels did. And the Bible tells of Jesus’ birth, life, death, and resurrection, which led to the beginning of Christianity.

Christian Church

Bartlesville’s First 6 Churches

Baptist Church 1906 Church of God

Catholic Church

preachers visited Indian Territory sharing the Gospel of Christ to the residing tribes. In 1870, the Osage Indian Tribe settled along Silver Lake, just south of what would one day become Bartlesville. They built a school, along with several other buildings, on the east shores of the Lake and remained there for two years, until resettling on their permanent land further west in what is now Osage County.

In 1872, the Delaware Tribe purchased the school and formed Delaware Baptist Mission and Silver Lake School. They began conducting church services sponsored by Delaware Baptist Church of Alluwe, Indian Territory with Pastor Chief Charles Journeycake traveling from Alluwe every other Sunday to preach and conduct services. His preaching was presented in the Delaware language, then translated into English.  During the church’s first year, 108 souls were baptized in Silver Lake.

Charles Journeycake was converted and baptized in 1833. He and his mother were the first Christians among the Delaware. In 1866, before the Indian Defense Association, Chief Journeycake gave one of the most moving orations in history. He recounted the trials, persecutions, harassments, abuse, and

robbery suffered by the Delaware at the hands of the white people. His closing remarks were, “We try to forget these things, but we could not forget that the white man brought us the blessed Gospel of Christ, the Christian’s hope. This more than pays for all that we have suffered.”

After the Delaware bought the log building, they moved it one mile north of the Silver Lake location, onto land that is now the Hillcrest Country Club. At that time, the church was called Silver Lake Delaware Baptist, and was the only location devoted to Christianity in the Caney River area.

The log building soon became dilapidated, leading the people to build a new schoolhouse and church building called Rice Creek School, about one mile east of the former location, at what is now Highway 75 and Rice Creek Road. The church congregation began holding services in the new Rice Creek schoolhouse every Sunday.

For the next several years to come, the church grew, and various congregants began their own endeavors in spreading the Gospel, including two of Chief Journeycake’s own daughters. Mrs. Nannie Journeycake Bartles, wife of Jacob Bartles, was the

George B. Keeler & Francis Revard at the Delaware Silver Lake Baptist Church

Some members of the Journeycake & Bartles families.

guiding hand and spiritual inspiration of the town of Dewey, as she held meetings in the Bartles’ store that would one day organize into First Baptist Church of Dewey. Another daughter, Mrs. Mary Journeycake Armstrong, wife of Charles Armstrong, became a leader in Christian Church denominational work in the Bartlesville settlement.

Remaining members of the original Delaware Baptist Church decided to re-organize and on September 26, 1915, became Silver Lake Baptist Church. In 1917 they built a frame church building about a mile south of the Rice Creek School, just east of what is now Highway 75. This building was destroyed by a tornado on September 23, 1920, and soon replaced about a half mile north, on the west side of the road, where Silver Lake Baptist stands today.

Salvaged from the 1920 tornado was the church bell, erected in a tower in front of the 1921 building. The church building has undergone many remodels and additions, but the original bell that survived the 1920 tornado still resides in the belltower of Silver Lake Baptist Church.

For where two or three are gathered together in my name, there am I in the midst of them.

— Matthew 18:20 KJV

In the 1890s, Bartlesville was growing rapidly. The telephone line was completed to Caney, Kansas in 1895, the settlement was incorporated as a town on January 15, 1897, William Johnstone and George Keeler struck oil with the historic Nellie Johnstone oilwell in 1897 and were making plans to build a new railroad to the west of town.

These times were wild and wonderful historic moments in our community, however there were also dark realities of life in early Bartlesville. The murder of Deacon Wilson Sarcoxie occurred in 1876 when the Delaware Baptist Church meeting was interrupted by four men on horseback. After the scuffle and shooting, the men were chased into the Johnstone bottoms and caught. The criminals were found guilty at trial and were never heard from again.

Silver Lake Baptist Church & it’s congregation.

An 1895 murder in Bartlesville as reported by The Magnet newspaper was followed by the comment, “there is entirely too much promiscuous shooting going on around this town of late” and many citizens carried their revolvers on their side. Bootleggers were active in the area, as prohibition was the law.

Life in this era was uncertain, especially for children. Medicine was primitive at best, and it was the pioneer children who suffered most with high death rates due to “summer fever” and other illnesses. The majority of available “medicines” contained alcohol or hard drugs and could be purchased by anyone at the nearest drug store. These tonics did little to cure illness, but rather led to addiction during a time when the nation was in the grips of it’s first cocaine epidemic.

All of these adversities showed that, like our town today, we are all in need of a Savior. And there is only one — that Savior is Jesus. The people of the 1890s knew Jesus was the way, and despite any circumstance, they held on to great hope for the future.

Day after day they met in the temple [area] continuing with one mind, and breaking bread in various private homes. They were eating their meals together with joy and generous hearts, praising God continually, and having favor with all the people. And the Lord kept adding to their number daily those who were being saved.

– Acts 2:46-47 AMP

Chief Charles Journeycake continued to preach at Delaware Baptist Church, and also began services in a log cabin located on the north end of Seneca Street, owned by Arthur Armstrong, who arrived in the area in 1867.

In February 1891, several people from Delaware Baptist Church and from Armstrong’s group met to organize Caney Valley Baptist Church. They called John Sarcoxie, an ordained Delaware pastor, as their first minister. Sarcoxie could not read or write for much of his adulthood, but he preached long, passionate sermons, showing his love for the Lord. He was a sought-after preacher, both in white and Indian Baptist circles.

First Baptist Church, Bartlesville I.T.

In June of 1897, the year of Bartlesville’s incorporation, Caney Valley Baptist Church Reverend Robert Owen, with the help of residents Arthur Armstrong and William Johnstone, relocated the church from the south bank of the Caney River to a newlybuilt frame building on the southwest corner of Fourth Street and Cherokee Avenue in Bartlesville, Indian Territory.

This was the first building in the area used solely for worship.

In 1899, Caney Valley Baptist Church changed its name to First Baptist Church of Bartlesville, Indian Territory. On September 18, 1905, the wood frame building burned to the ground, destroying all the contents including a new piano and all the records.

The pastor and members started work on a new brick church building two weeks after the devastating fire, completing it on August 2, 1906. This congregation is the same First Baptist Church of Bartlesville that we know today.

You are Peter, a stone; and upon this rock I will build my church; and all the powers of hell shall not prevail against it.

— Matthew 16:18 TLB

On a Wednesday evening in March 1895, Josephine Cass Keeler, wife of Bartlesville pioneer George B. Keeler, invited several other women to her house to formally establish a church, a branch of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South.

The Bartlesville Magnet newspaper later wrote: “With the well-known push and energy of Mrs. Keeler, who is the president of the Methodist Episcopal Extension Society of this town and who is the moving spirit of the organization, our readers may be well assured that in due time the M.E. Church will form a leading movement for good in our community.”

Rev. Byers was assigned to pastor the new church and formal organization resulted in 1895. Mrs. George B. Keeler was the first Sunday School superintendent and also president of the Ladies Aid Society.

The Methodist Episcopal Church South began meeting in a oneroom frame schoolhouse on North Delaware Avenue that was used by several religious, music, and school groups.

The Bartlesville Magnet newspaper records that on February 26, 1896, there was “the first real organization of the Methodist body here. We now have a real Methodist church.” In 1900, the Methodist Episcopal Church South at Fourth Street and Delaware Avenue was moved to Fifth and Johnstone.

Another Methodist church, The Methodist Episcopal Church North, started services in 1894, led by local preachers and missionary ministers. Rev. Robinson is listed as serving

The Journeycake Memorial Baptist Church

the church in 1900 and Rev. W.K.S. Hillhouse in 1901. However, the Methodist Episcopal Church was recorded as “formally organized” in 1901 with Rev. John Wesley Bowen as minister.

First services of this congregation were held in a building known as the “band hall,” also called the Woodmen of the World Hall, at the corner of Osage Avenue and Second Street. In 1902 the “northern” church purchased a lot at Sixth and Johnstone.

The Rev. C.B. Larrabee of Nowata was appointed to the “northern” Methodist Episcopal Church pastorate in October 1903. He reorganized the Methodist Episcopal Church and preached in the Woodmen’s Hall at Osage Avenue and Second Street. During Rev. Larrabee’s ministry, a small church, the “House of Eight Gables,” was built at Sixth and Johnstone, on the alley at the rear of the lot facing Sixth Street. The church held services on the first floor and the second story was a parsonage. The first service was held on Christmas Eve, 1903.

From 1903 to 1908, the “northern” church stood on the south side of the block, and the “southern” church (built in 1898 and moved in 1900) stood on the north side. In 1904, the “eightgabled” church was used for Bartlesville High School’s first graduation exercises.

Early in 1905, arrangements were made for consolidation of the two small Methodist churches — the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, and the Methodist Episcopal Church, North. The new church became the First Methodist Episcopal Church of Bartlesville, Indian Territory.

In 1907, the recently-united Methodist Church held church services in the District Court Room on the second floor of the Pemberton Building at 321 S. Johnstone while building a new church at Fifth and Johnstone. The new church building was dedicated on February 14, 1909. The congregation would later become First United Methodist Church, and today is known as Bartlesville First Church.

The First Christian Church with 1087 people present for Sunday School

First Methodist Church Women

First Baptist Church Women

May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.

—

R omans 15:13 ESV

In the summer of 1897, Rev. J.R. Charlton, lawyer, schoolteacher, journalist, and preacher, came to Bartlesville, Indian Territory, to be the principal speaker at a Fourth of July celebration. While here, he began a revival meeting on the south bank of the Caney River, in the Woodmen of the World building, which was also the schoolhouse. This revival was enthusiastically received and was extended to three weeks. The services were well-attended, as Rev. Charlton was earnest and full of life, and his wife took charge of music and song for the crowds. The revival included basket picnics on Sundays and baptisms in the Caney River.

On the afternoon of July 11, 1897, The First Christian Church in Bartlesville was formally organized, birthed out of the ongoing revival, formed with enthusiasm and optimism for the future. In October of 1897, Rev. Charlton began preaching on the first Sunday of every month at First Christian Church, an arrangement that would last three years.

In August 1898, the people of the Christian Church started raising money for their own church building, located at Third Street and Johnstone Ave. The new building was completed and dedicated in January 1900.

The next man employed as the pastor brought much

difficulty to the church. In August 1900, a Mr. Reed and his cousin came to town, preached a good sermon, and was asked to be the pastor. The next week, the Reeds robbed the Weeks’ Store and left town. They were later found in Muskogee with the merchandise, and eventually were indicted for the robbery.

The church was kept alive by the Ladies Christian Aid Society and various fund-raising events, but despite these efforts, the church had debts that would soon be due. An appeal was made to Rev. Charlton, then residing in Caney, Kansas, who negotiated with William Johnstone, arranging a deal on behalf of the church, relocating their building to the northwest corner of Third Street and Osage Avenue in April 1901. The indebtedness and original lot were exchanged for the new site.

Rev. Charlton again filled in as pastor periodically for several years as called pastors came and went. Despite the turnover in ministers, the Christian Church managed to grow and become an important part of life in Bartlesville.

In 1907, The First Christian Church building at Third and Johnstone was moved to Third and Osage.  In 1908, the church acquired lots at Sixth Street and Osage Avenue from Harve W.  Pemberton, where the church built a basement, holding services there for three years. Many situations were encountered that delayed completion of the building but, finally, it was finished and dedicated in April 1911. All other churches

Saint Luke’s Episcopal Church

The Catholic Church

in the community cancelled their services to attend First Christian Church and join their celebration.

The First Christian Church became one of Bartlesville’s most successful churches in the early 20th century. By the early 21st century however, after 125 years of holding services and supporting the Bartlesville community, the church closed it doors after holding its last service in April 2022. The building’s future now stands in question, and plans are uncertain for this historic structure. The work and impact of the people of First Christian Church will nevertheless remain with us forever.

In response to all he has done for us, let us outdo each other in being helpful and kind to each other and in doing good. Let us not neglect our church meetings, as some people do, but encourage and warn each other, especially now that the day of his coming back again is drawing near.

— Hebrews 10:24-25 TLB

Much history surrounding the birth of Christianity in our community has been lost to time. People living in the early Indian Territory years had a desire to know God, serve Him, and share Him with others. Meeting in their homes and schools, Christians persevered in their faith and forged a legacy for us to inherit. Evidence of their faithfulness remains today, with over 100 churches in our community, and countless ministries and acts of service taking place daily. People still meet in their homes in small groups to worship and study the Bible as our Indian Territory ancestors did. New churches are still planted, and 21st century style revivals are held.

More than 150 years after the Gospel arrived, Bartlesville remains a community of Christian faith. Will our faith stand the test of time? Are we actively investing in passing our legacy of faith on to future generations? Life is still messy, terrible things still take place, we face issues of crime, addiction, and homelessness — but the church was designed to be a hospital for the hurting, not a shrine for the pious. Our community still has a need to hear about Jesus, and we are still called to be the church. May we be intentional about living out the Gospel as we pass it on to those who follow in our footsteps.

Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

— Ephesians 3:20-21 ESV

Dewey’s Finest

O.A. Patridge was Dedicated to Dewey

by Debbie Neece, Bartlesville Area History Museum

Kansas born Oral A. Patridge came to Dewey in 1910 with a finance degree. Dewey’s First National Bank had formed in 1906 and O.A. became their bookkeeper. He married Fannie James in 1913; then, their lives were interrupted by WWI Army service. He returned after the Armistice with an hon orable discharge and continued position at the Dewey National Bank.

After the death of his wife, Fannie, O.A. married Ruth Wick strum in 1936 and the couple became wellknown in the area for their generosity and public participation. “Pat” as many locals endearingly called him, was instrumental in creating the Washington County Live stock Auction and the first “Sales-Day-Association,” providing area ranchers with an avenue of buying and selling their live stock. For some ranchers, it was a saving grace during the Great Depression; while others were able to enhance the qual ity of their herds.

It was after a Thursday evening sale that O.A. and Ruth re turned home to find bank robbers awaiting their arriv al. While Ruth was held at their home, O.A. was taken to the bank to open the safe. Much to the frustration of the bandits, O.A. was unable to open the safe. In an attempt to “fetch” another bank em ployee who knew the safe combination, the police be came involved in a chase and shootout resulting in O.A. Partridge’s escape and mul tiple arrests. Police arrived at the Patridge home to find Ruth safe.

O.A. Patridge poured of himself into the community…

his communi ty. In his ded ication at the Dewey bank, he rose to the lev el of Vice Pres ident in 1935 and President in 1948, a position he held until his retirement. His service at the Dewey First Methodist Church was unwavering and his list of organizational memberships was extensive. He was one of the organizers and charter members of the Dewey Kiwanis, serving as president and as a member of the Board of Directors. And, although he had no children of his own, O.A. was a champion in financial and personal support of youth pro grams like 4-H and FFA, holding life memberships in each.

His dedication to the city of Dewey was profound. He was highly involved in the Tom Mix Museum beginnings; and, no ticing the Dewey Hotel had falling into disrepair, O.A. and Ruth Patridge purchased the century-old “Grand Ole’ Lady of the Prairie” in 1967 and donated the Hotel to the newly formed Washington County Historical Society to restore to her glory days. In 1968, the Patridges were recognized by the Washing ton County Historical Society for their contributions to its orga nization and for O.A.’s years of dedicated Washington County service.

O.A. Patridge was a man of moral integrity and gained the respect of all people. Ac cording to the late A.C. Hold en, “O.A. was a good, solid, honest man who cared about our community.” O.A. held the position of president at Dewey’s First National Bank when he retired in 1959; however, his community ser vice continued until illness slowed his pace about 1970. He died November 6, 1972 at 80 years young and left an outstanding legacy. His golden heart of generosity lives on through the foot steps he took and the lives he touched. And, he will long be remembered as one of Dewey’s finest.

The O.A. Patridge Family

RUTH & O.A. PATRIDGE

United at USI

Area Agencies Join National Insurance Firm

by Lori Roll

Four family-owned and operated insurance and benefit consulting firms recently joined USI Insurance Services, one of the largest insurance brokerage and consult ing firms in the world with over 9,000 insur ance professionals in more than 200 offices throughout the country. Together with USI, these local firms will expand their collective delivery of property and casualty insurance, employee benefits, person al risk, and retirement solutions to businesses and individuals throughout Oklahoma.

Overman Insurance, Phoenix Insurance, Tolson Agency, and Beasley & Company recently joined USI Insurance Services, bringing their combined 300 years of insurance and benefit consulting expertise to the residents of Oklahoma and sur rounding states.

Larry Brown, President of Overman Insurance agencies in Bartlesville, Cleveland, Norman, and Antlers, realized the time was right to position their century-old company for a robust fu ture. “As the world of insurance becomes increasingly dynamic and complex, we felt it was time to join forces with a larger or ganization to best serve our clients. USI presented the opportu nity to utilize best practices, leading technology, and an empha sis on personal relationships — which matched our mission,” he said. Overman is involved in assisting all six property and casu alty agency locations in consolidation and management.

The Bartlesville Overman agency will join forces with Phoe nix Insurance, bringing former competitors together under one roof at Phoenix. Lori Roll, President of Phoenix Insurance said, “Each company came to the decision to join USI independently, and it has been good timing and synchronicity.  We are appre ciative of the many resources USI brings to the table in the form of professional expertise, teamwork, and client-oriented results — which is at the heart of our Oklahoma agencies. Our com bined agencies are well-suited to continue the strong tradition

of community involve ment for which we are known.” The Bartlesville agency will be known as Overman-Phoenix In surance Agency, located at the current Phoenix office location at 316 S. Shawnee Avenue, in Bar tlesville. “It’s the same familiar faces but with greater resources to help our clients,” said Roll.

Tolson Agency has provided insurance ser vices in Pawhuska and Osage County since 1905, spanning four generations of Tolson family members. Steve Tolson operates the agency in Pawhuska, where most people in the area know and trust him, his family, and staff. They have been very active in insurance and bonds for the oil and gas industry, ranching, commercial entities, and residential clients.  Their partnership with USI gives them access to more insurance companies and a broader scope of services to assist loyal clients.

USI also recently announced that it had acquired Tul sa-based Beasley & Company, a regional benefit consulting firm founded in 1992 specializing in retirement, executive com pensation, and health & welfare benefit plans. CEO John Bea sley stated, “Over the last 30 years, Beasley has built a strong reputation for delivering creative ideas and decades of industry expertise to help organizations reward their people with cus tomized solutions. USI Consulting Group is an industry-leading retirement plan consulting firm, and I am confident this part nership will further enhance the value and expertise we deliver to our clients each day.”

The USI acquisitions of Overman, Phoenix, Tolson, and Bea sley will create a stronger insurance presence in Oklahoma and surrounding states, giving clients access to cutting-edge expertise and best-in-class solutions. USI is unique in the in surances services industry with the creation of the USI ONE Advantage®, a proprietary platform integrating analytics, net worked resources, and strategic planning to deliver customized solutions with economic impact for clients.

DECEMBER CALENDAR SPONSORED BY

OKWU Basketball vs Friends University

6 PM; OWKU Gym (W)

8 PM; OWKU Gym (M)

St. Nicholas Day

Youth of the Year

11:30 AM; Boys & Girls Club

The Great Futures Luncheon is an annual event held at the Boys & Girls Club. This year, we will celebrate 68 years of serving the youth of Bartlesville. After a delicious meal, performances by Club members and hearing the yearly Club highlights, the Youth of the Year candidates are introduced and a winner is announced.

Bruin Varsity Basketball vs Sapulpa

6:30 PM; Bruin Fieldhouse (G)

8 PM; Bruin Fieldhouse (B)

Bartlesville Christmas Parade

6:30 PM; Downtown Bartlesville

9 AM; The Center St. Nicholas Day, also known as the Feast of Sinterklaas, honors the third-century Catholic Bishop who encompassed the generosity of Christmas by selling his possessions and giving money to the poor and to children. At OKM’s St. Nicholas Day, children will learn about the magical story of St. Nicholas through story time, have fun with an instrument, enjoy exciting activities, and receive a St. Nicholas Bag filled with special gifts. St. Nicholas bags will be available for pre-order on November 1st. The bags are $5 each and must be purchased a week prior to the event through OKM’s website www.okmmusic.org or by calling 918-336-9900. This event is virtual. A link will be shared via OKM’s social media platforms.

17 19

Tchaikovsky’s

The Nutcracker

6:30 PM; The Center

Presented by Bartlesville Civic Ballet. A second performance will be held Sunday, December 18, at 2 p.m.

Storytime with Santa

12 PM; Bartlesville Area History Museum

December Events

Fantasy Land of Lights

6-9 PM; All month at Johnstone Park

10th Annual Jingle Bell Treasure Hunt

Daily; Through December 24 at Local Business Sponsors Woolaroc Wonderland of Lights

5-9 PM; Every Friday, Saturday & Sunday at Woolaroc

Bruin

Varsity Basketball vs Bixby

6:30 PM; Bruin Fieldhouse (G)

8 PM; Bruin Fieldhouse (B)

Dewey Christmas Parade

6:30 PM; Downtown Dewey

OKWU Basketball vs Ottaway

5 PM; OKWU Gym (W)

7 PM; OKWU Gym (M)

Christmas in the Ville Times Vary. Schedule: Dec 2 - Opening Night; 6pm Dec 3 & 4; 1-9pm

Dec 9; 6-9pm

Dec 10 & 11; 1-9pm Dec 16; 6-9pm Dec 17-23; 1pm-9pm

Christmas Eve; 1pm-5pm Christmas day; closed Dec 26-Jan 2; 1pm-9pm

BPS Winter Break

December 10-30

Hand-spun the old fashioned way, The Peppermint Chip Milkshake combines our Icedream® dessert with chips of peppermint bark and is topped off with whipped cream and a cherry, unless served via delivery. The festive, peppermint flavored milkshake is made with Icedream® and features chips of peppermint bark topped off with whipped cream and a cherry (except when served via delivery).

Event with Santa Cow & Elf Cow

We will have an event with Santa Cow and Elf Cow this December!

Date, time, and details to come, so make sure to follow us on Facebook and Instagram at @cfabartlesville to not miss it!

A great and fun event for the whole family!

DECEMBER EVENTS CALENDAR

Thu, Dec 1

All Day

10th Annual Great Jingle Bell

Treasure Hunt

City of Bartlesville & Dewey

10th Annual Citywide Treasure Hunt. This event is sponsored by local Bartlesville and Dewey businesses. Offical rules and details of how to play and what to do are located on the Treasure Hunt Facebook page. The Treasure Hunt begins on Monday November 21st and runs through December 24th or until “ Both “ treasures are found. This is a winner(s) take all Treasure Hunt event. There are 2 treasure’s read to be found. Clues are located at local Business Sponsors! Treasure hunt takes place within the city limits of Bartlesville and Dewey.

10 AM

11 AM

Free Citizenship Class

Bartlesville Public Library

600 S Johnstone Ave.

Citizenship classes are held on Tuesdays at 6pm, Wednesdays at 5:30pm, and Thursdays at 11am on the second floor of the Bartlesville Public Library in the Literacy Services office. These classes are FREE and open to the public. Please contact the Bartlesville Literacy Services office at 918.338.4179 for more information.

6 PM

Fantasy Land Of Lights

Johnstone Park

Cherokee and Hensley

A local holiday tradition, Fantasy Land of Lights is an annual, drive-through Christmas light display at Johnstone Park. With the help of generous donations from the public, Fantasy Land of Lights continues to grow each year. The display is manned by dedicated volunteers from the Bartlesville area. There is no admission fee, but donations are very much appreciated. Once the expenses are paid, money is set aside to purchase or repair displays and a budgeted amount goes into the Club’s Foundation to cover educational scholarships to students in the Washington County area. Event runs Nov. 20th through Dec. 30th.

ELL Conversation Class

Bartlesville Public Library

600 S Johnstone Ave.

ELL Conversation classes are held on Tuesdays at 5pm and Thursdays at 10am on the second floor of the Bartlesville Public Library in the Literacy Services office. These classes are FREE and open to the public. Please contact the Bartlesville Literacy Services office at 918.338.4179 for more information.

1 PM

Flex & Stretch Yoga

Elder Care

1223 Swan Drive

Participants are led through gentle, stretches for core strengthening that emphasizes core endurance, postural correction, and coordinated balance. The class is limited to 5 people. Open to all adults 18+ in the community. Program

Registration is $100 for ten weeks, beginning October 11. For information, call (918) 336-8500. For information, call Angie Thompson at (918) 336-8500.

Lesta Morrison, instructor. Event runs Tuesdays & Thursdays until December 27.

Fri, Dec 2

12 PM

Baby New Year Contest Begins

bmonthly Facebook

Voting starts for our Baby New Year Cover contest on Dec. 2nd! Photos of our adorable contestants will be posted at 12pm noon CST on our Facebook page. Help decide the lucky winner who will be on our front cover next month by visiting our Facebook page at www. facebook.com/bmonthlymagazine to cast your vote! Voting will be open until Dec. 9th.

Front Gate when guests arrive. Again this year, the main drive to the campus will be reversed, allowing guests the unique view, seen only this time of year, of the buildings across from Clyde Lake, outlined in lights.Admission to Wonderland of Lights is $6 for adults and $1 for children 11 and under.

8:30 PM

Christmas On The Plaza

Downtown Coffeyville

807 Walnut, Coffeyville

Come and shop local artisans and vendors. Bake off competition. Music Celebration Carriage rides. movie night and more! Market opens on December 2nd after the Christmas Parade. Opening times: December 2nd and 9th at 7pm, December 3rd and 10th at 11:30am.

Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays!

5:30 PM

Christmas In The Ville Opening Bartlesville Chamber of Commerce

201 S. Keeler

Outdoor ice rink! Games, Movies, Santa & Mrs. Claus, Carriage Rides, Concessions with hot chocolate and more! Want to have a Private party, contact the Chamber of Commerce for more details. Admission price of $10 per person includes skates.

Sat, Dec 3

6:30 PM

Bartlesville Christmas Parade Downtown Bartlesville

Starting at the Phillips 66 Parking Lot entrance at Frank Phillips Blvd, the parade Begins Promptly at 6:30pm. Made possible by the Kiwanis Club of Bartlesville, the parade will start at the Conoco Phillips parking lot, travel down Frank Phillips Blvd, then make its way back via Cherokee Ave, 5th street, Keeler street, West 6th street, Armstrong street, and Adams street. Santa and Mrs. Claus will be present! We hope to see you there!

8 PM

History And Haunts At The Dewey Hotel

Dewey Hotel Museum

801 N Delaware St., Dewey

Spend an evening at the Dewey Hotel. Learn some of the hotel’s unique histories and take a lantern guided group tour. You will see some of the rooms, usually blocked off to guests. Each journey will be unique, as you can never predict what our specters will do during the tour. Tours are held every Saturday at 8pm.

Mon, Dec 5

11

AM

Life Movements Group Exercise Class Elder Care

1223

Swan Drive

Join us Mondays and Wednesdays at 11am and 1pm. Participants are led through various low-intensity movements for core strength, endurance, postural correction, and coordinated balance. The class size is limited to 8 people and open to all seniors in the community. For information, call Angie Thompson at (918) 336-8500.

5:30 PM

Free Spanish Classes

Bartlesville Public Library 600 S Johnstone Ave.

Free Spanish Class every Monday evening at 5:30pm in Meeting Room B on the first floor of the Bartlesville Public Library. This class is free and open to the public. Please contact the Bartlesville Literacy Services office at 918.338.4179 if you have any questions.

Tue, Dec 6

Fri,

Sat, Dec 10

5:30 PM

9 AM

OKM’s Saint Nicholas Day Virtual Event

St. Nicholas Day also known as the Feast of Sinterklaas honors the third-century Catholic Bishop who encompassed the generosity of Christmas by selling his possessions and giving money to the poor and to children. This special day is celebrated all over the world during the month of December by sharing candies, gifts, riddles, and most of all giving to those in need. At OKM’s St. Nicholas Day, children will learn about the magical story of St. Nicholas through story time, have fun with an instrument, enjoy exciting activities, and receive a St. Nicholas Bag filled with special gifts. St. Nicholas bags are available for preorder. The bags are $5 each and must be purchased a week prior to the event through OKM’s website www.okmmusic. org or by calling 918-336-9900. This event is virtual. A link will be shared via OKM’s social media platforms.

6 PM

Johnstone Irregulars Book Club Meeting

Bartlesville Public Library 600 S. Johnstone Avenue

The book club meets in the Literary Services Office on the first Tuesday of every month.

12 PM

Baby New Year Contest Last Day bmonthly Facebook

This is your last chance to vote for your favorite in our Baby New Year contest! Visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/ bmonthlymagazine and help choose the face of our first cover in 2023! Thank you and we wish you and your loved ones a happy holiday season!

Dewey Christmas Parade Downtown Dewey Don Tyler/Delaware, Dewey Dewey will hold its annual night parade on the second Saturday in December. The parade starts at 5:30 pm. Entry is FREE! Categories for judging include Youth, Religious, Commercial, and NonCommercial. Trophies are awarded to the top two placings in each category. Entry forms are available at Dewey City Hall, to download from www. cityofdewey.com, or will be mailed to previous participants. If you need the form faxed, call Cassie at 918-534-2272. Questions? Call Chris at 918-337-3379 or Cassie at 918-534-2272. All entries welcome!!! Horses in the parade must present a negative Coggins test. Don’t forget to tell Santa your Christmas wish list! He will be at the Dewey Hotel Museum before the parade from 4:30pm to 5:30pm for photos, candy, and the opportunity to tell Santa how good you’ve been!

5:30 PM

Historical Brown Mansion

Candlelit

Tours

Brown Mansion

807 Walnut, Coffeyville

Hosted by Coffeyville Historical Society. This annual event needs to be on your wish list. Beautiful trees, lights, scents and holiday sounds fill this gorgeous three story home of W.P. and Nancy Brown. 2022 Tour Dates: December 9th, 10th, 11th, 16th, 17th, 18th & 23rd. Tour Times are 5:30pm, 6:30pm and 7:30pm. Tickets sold online or at the Coffeyville area Chamber of Commerce.

7 PM

Bartlesville Chorale’s Christmas Carols Across Time The Center 300 SE Adams Blvd

Come and hear the development of Christmas music through history. Listen as the chants from the Middle Ages become the motets of the Renaissance, or as a seventeenth-century Baroque cantata transforms into a famous Christmas tune of today. Featured works include Buxtehude’s Cantata No. 52, “In dulci jubilo” and Robert Shaw’s “The Many Moods of Christmas.”

Sun, Dec 11

10 AM

7 PM

Motown Christmas - Shadows of the 60’s

The Center

300 SE Adams Blvd

This festive show covers the season’s favorites as well as the very best of Motown. Usher in the holidays entertained with songs originally by The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Supremes, Smokey Robinson, and more, infused with holiday songs sure to spread joy and cheer.

Cultural Exchange/Meet and Greet - Holiday Traditions

The Eatery by 3 Kids & A Cake 324 S. Johnstone Ave

Let’s grab some hot beverages and join for some fun conversations in this lowkey event. So, we can talk about our favorite holiday traditions and memories or whatever fancy our moods to get to know each other a little better. See you soon!

“Friendly dealers, great showroom and vehicles, very accommodating. Really appreciate being called by name.” — Matt from Wichita, KS

4 PM

Messiah Sing Along

First Presbyterian Church

505 S Dewey Ave

Are you ready for Christmas? Come get into the Christmas Spirit even more as Bartlesville celebrates the Christmas Season with a Sing-Along Messiah! This event is free and is also part of the Bartlesville Festival of the Nativity events. This is also a family friendly event so kids are also welcome to join us!

Sat, Dec 17

10 AM

Monthly LEGO Club

Bartlesville Public Library

600 S Johnstone Ave.

LEGO Club is back! BPL’s monthly LEGO Club will meet the third Saturday of each month in the upstairs meeting room. The Club is for all ages and we provide the LEGOs! Each month, we will feature a fun challenge, project or game for all to participate in. Parents are welcome!

6 PM

Jesus Burger

Get Real Ministries 411 W 14th St.

Mon, Dec 19

Sun, Dec 25

Tue, Dec 13

6 PM

Knit & Crochet Night

Bartlesville Public Library

600 S Johnstone Ave.

This free event is held in Meeting Room C on the second Tuesday of each month.

Thu, Dec 15

6 PM

Storytime With Santa & Mrs Claus

Bartlesville Public Library

600 S Johnstone Ave.

Visit with Santa, hear stories from Mrs. Claus, take photos and go home with treats! This event takes place in the upstairs meeting room. We can’t wait to see you there!

Get Real Ministries is having Jesus Burger every 3rd Saturday of the month. Come be fed spirituality and physically with others that have recovered from ALL kinds of addictions and life struggles that have been healed or are being healed. We will fight the fight with you! Baptisms, free food, free clothes, and free love — all paid for by Jesus. You WILL leave changed! Get Real Ministries 411 w 14th st.

12 PM

Story Time With Santa

Bartlesville Area History Museum 401 S Johnstone Ave

Santa is coming to Bartlesville, and he’s visiting the Bartlesville Area History Museum! Gather your family and friends & join us at the Bartlesville Area History Museum on Monday, December 19th, 12pm – 2pm for this yuletide excitement. Santa will read a story and tell kids about his Christmas plans! Mrs. Claus will be making an appearance and will have a special craft for the kids! There will be a holiday-themed coloring station for little ones to enjoy, refreshments, and candy canes. The Museum is open Monday through Friday 8:30am - 4pm (closed on weekends and holidays) at 401 S. Johnstone Avenue, 5th Floor. Museum entry is free, but donations are always welcome. No reservation is necessary. If you have questions, you may reach Bartlesville Area History Museum staff at (918) 338-4290 or history@cityofbartlesville.org.

Wed, Dec 21

Fri, Dec 30

8 PM

Kismet Crossing 2nd 215 E 2nd St.

Kismet is a monthly gathering meant to bring people together for a chill night of music, food, and cocktails. This month Ant Lion will have hand drums for anyone to come up and play. DJ will be set up in the back room with the pool tables, foosball table & ping pong table.

Sat, Dec 3

7:30 PM

Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker

The Center

300 SE Adams Blvd

An annual tradition in Bartlesville, the Bartlesville Civic Ballet Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker. Enhance your holiday season by joining us for this timeless holiday tradition. Shows are Saturday December 17th at 7:30pm and Sunday December 18th at 2pm. For more details and ticket information, visit www.bartlesvillecommunitycenter.com

9 AM

KWON Green Country Christmas Grand Finale

KWON-KYFM-KRIG-KPGM 1200 SE Frank Phillips Blvd.

Local shoppers have the opportunity to win thousands in cash and prizes during the 23rd Annual “Shop at Home for the Holidays” Green Country Christmas promotion in Bartlesville and Dewey. Go to our online calendar at www.bartlesvillemonthly.com for details!

the holidays

Season’s Greetings!

Happy holidays happen when families come together, friends stop by, and the house is filled with laughter. Magic seems to linger in the air and warmth radiates from every smile shared. The nights may be long and cold, but everyone is grateful for time spent with loved ones.

Between the hustle and bustle, quiet moments allow stories to be shared. We cherish these moments as they become special memories.

Grace Hospice wants to help patients and families spend this holiday season together. No matter where eligible patients call home, we help them and their families enjoy this time of year together.

Let us help get your patients home for the holidays. Our team is working 24/7 to serve all patients and their loved ones who need and desire our care.

For more information or to make a referral, please call: 918.744.7223

There is no place like home for

all about helping people.

Tree & Park Lighting, Outdoor Ice Rink, Food Trucks, Frozen Princesses, Downtown Merchant Crawl, Movies in the Park, Carriage Rides, Tot Train Rides, Presents with Perspective Advisors and Santa!

1-9pm

Dec. 19 - Jan. 2 Daily 1-9pm

Enjoy Historic Downtown Bartlesville with outdoor ice skating, carriage rides, movies in the park, Santa sightings, holiday photo ops and so much more! Dec. 24 - 1-5pm Closed Christmas Day

Sponsored by:

Christmas in the Ville

Chamber of Commerce Brings Back Popular Holiday Ice Rink

by Sherri Wilt

The Bartlesville Regional Chamber of Commerce is excit ed to announce the return of its sixth annual “Christmas in the ‘ Ville” — a month-long Christmas festival that features a real ice skating rink set up in their parking lot just north of the Cham ber Depot at 201 SW Keeler in the heart of downtown Bartles ville. The festival, which is sponsored by Perspective Advisors & Keller Williams, The Koster Team, and many other local com panies, will open December 2 to the public and run through Jan. 2 , 2023.

“We are excited to bring back this fun entertainment gift to our community. We have a really special downtown and the Chamber staff, wanted to come up with something to highlight that, particularly during the holidays. We have created a fami ly friendly, old- fashioned Christmas atmosphere in the heart of downtown Bartlesville,” said Sherri Wilt, president/CEO of the Chamber of Commerce. “We wanted to set ourselves apart from other holiday rinks by surrounding our guests with beauty and entertainment, and people have loved our quaint, family friendly atmosphere and ease of free parking,” said Wilt. “The festival has grown every year with the addition of new things.”

During the festival, the Chamber’s property will be magically lit from the Frank Phillips Park at Keeler and Frank Phillips Blvd. all the way to the north parking lot where their vintage AT&SF No. 940 locomotive train sits. One can climb up into the loco motive and blow the whistle and explore. The train also features four other cars including a caboose. All have been lovingly re stored and are lit and decorated to make a beautiful back drop to the west side of the rink. The park is filled with twinkle lights and includes a magnificent 12 foot walk-through ornament and 28 foot Christmas tree. There is also a north end back drop to the rink that portrays a vintage village. Another favorite is the many photo ops around the property, which makes for great stops for holiday photos.

Beginning December 2, the festival will be open every Friday from 6-9 p.m. and every Saturday and Sunday from 1-9 p.m. Fri days Dec. 9 and 16 the rink is reserved from 3-6 p.m. specifical ly for families skating with children under 12. After December 19, when schools are out for Christmas break, the rink will be open every day from 1-9 p.m. but will be closed Christmas day, then open 1-5 p.m. on Christmas Eve. Horse drawn carriage rides are also available. Please visit them at www.BartlesvilleChristmas.com for their schedule.

Santa is available for takeyour-own photos in the big red sleigh on Friday evenings and Saturdays (you can check out www.BartlesvilleChristmas.com for specific times and full calen dar of events.) Evenings feature Christmas movies in the park on

the north lawn. Benches are set up like a little drive-in and fam ilies can enjoy some classic holiday movies while sipping hot chocolate. Yard games on the south lawn are also a favorite with families. There are other special activities planned throughout the festival, including character weekends featuring Anna & Elsa and Spiderman.

There will be a community-wide celebration for the sea son and opening of the rink on Friday, December 2 at 5:45pm. The evening will include the lighting of the Chamber park and 28 foot community Christmas tree with the flip of a switch. The evening will also feature other fun activities including meeting Frozen characters Anna &Elsa, visiting with Santa, local food trucks, a downtown merchant crawl featuring some great priz es, festive photo-op stops, real tot train rides, Presents with Perspective Shop where kids shop free for family members in the Perspective Advisors tent, carriage rides through down town, and much more.

Admission to skate is $12 and includes skates and unlimited skating time. Most of the other activities, except carriage rides are free so families can spend time together and create special holiday memories. “We hope the people will slip on out and en joy some frosty family fun in Bar tlesville,” Wilt said.

For more information about the festival, including the schedule of events, visit www.BartlesvilleChristmas.com and you can also follow on Face book at Bartlesville Christmas in the Ville.

Wreaths Across America

by Maria Gus

Bartlesville’s White Rose Cemetery has a long history of honoring United States Military Veterans. On Memorial Day in 1900, a celebration was held to honor the service men and women who are buried there. Those celebrations continue to this day, led by the White Rose Cemetery Board. This year, the board is joining with Wreaths Across America (WAA) to recognize the over 800 Veterans’ graves at White Rose.

The mission of the White Rose Cemetery is to commemorate lives in surroundings of beauty and tranquility that provide comfort and inspiration to bereaved families, friends, and the community.

Deb Cook is a board member for White Rose Cemetery and also serves the Oklahoma Society Daughters of the American Revolution (OSDAR) as Honorary Regent. Cook is the WAA Lo cation Coordinator for the Bartlesville Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution (NSDAR). Cook said she’s looking forward to honoring Bartlesville’s military history with this very special tribute.

“I know how fortunate I am to be a citizen of this great country,” said Cook. “As a member of the NSDAR, we focus on historic preservation, education, and patriotism.”

How it all started…

According to Dave Paone, WAA began in 1962, when 12-year-old Morrill Worcester, a paper boy for the Bangor Dai ly News in Maine, won a trip to Washington D.C.. While there, Arlington National Cemetery became an inspirational location for him.

Decades later, Morrill founded Worcester Wreath Co. To this day, Morrill’s  pilgrimage as a preteen serves as a constant re minder to him that opportunities stem from the values and free dom forwarded to American citizens by our nation’s veterans.

One year, the Morrills found themselves with a large sur plus of inventory. With the help of then-senator Olympia Snowe (R-Maine) and a volunteer with a truck, the husband and two of his teenage children made the 13-hour trek to Arlington Nation al Cemetery. Each December following 1992, the Morrill’s con tinued to lay wreaths in Arlington.

They didn’t know it at the time, but this act would soon be repeated nationwide by far more people than just them.

In 2005, a photograph by a Pentagon photographer of Ar lington covered in snow and adorned with wreaths cir culated on the In ternet. Soon, thou sands of requests poured in via email

and phone calls from people wanting to help emulate the Ar lington success at the local level, prompting the official forma tion of Wreaths Across America as a national non profit in 2007.

Wreaths Across America currently con ducts ceremonies at nearly 3,500 loca tions in all 50 states, as well as abroad and at sea. Last year, it placed 2.4 million wreaths and anticipates placing more than 2.7 million this year, according to Paone.

This year’s Wreaths Across America Day is Saturday, December 17. The Bar tlesville Chapter NSDAR is coordinating efforts for the event at White Rose Ceme tery. There will be a ceremony beginning at 11:00 a.m. in the mausoleum with the laying of the wreaths following.

“NSDAR looks for ways to serve our country and honor those who have made that possible,” said Cook. “It is an honor to be involved in keeping alive the memories of those who were dedicated to serving this country so we could enjoy our way of life. Everyone is invited to join us in honoring them.”

To help the Bartlesville Chapter NSDAR remember and honor as many veterans as they can, please visit the web site www.wreathsacrossamerica.org/OK0082P to purchase wreaths or send a check to the Bartlesville DAR Chapter and they will purchase the wreaths for you. Individual wreath spon sorship is $15 each.

In 2008 the U.S. Congress unanimously voted to declare National Wreaths Across America Day to be held annually on the second or third Saturday in December.

For more information on how you can get involved please contact Debra Cook at 918-914-9808.

Start Your Day with Prayer

Find a Daily Bible Reading Plan in 2023

by Sherri Smith

Here we are again, at the end of another year on this earth and I think we are all wondering if anything will ever be nor mal again. I guess that depends on what you consider normal.

As I think about the upcoming holidays and another new year, I want to go into this time of year with the right attitude and right thinking. I want to be positive, cheerful, encourag ing, and optimistic. But, as we all know, this kind of attitude is getting harder and harder to do on a daily basis.

I find that when I start my day with prayer (before my feet ever hit the floor) and I do my devotion and listen to the bible on my phone daily, that my attitude is better and my thoughts are more positive than if I just started my day off in a rush and tried to get my “to do” list done.

In 2023, I am personally trying to have my priorities in line with what I feel like the Lord has shown me in 2022.

2022 has been a very hard year for my husband and I. In October 2021, out of nowhere he developed a knee infection in his replaced knee, then it spread to the other knee, then went to his spine in the form of ab scesses, kidneys shut down, heart jumped out of rhythm, and 12 surgeries later and 137 days in rehab, he is doing much better, praise the Lord.

When you go through a storm that lasts over a year, the devil tries to make you believe

that God does not love you anymore or you have done some thing to make God mad at you — and the list goes on and on. This battle has been the hardest thing I personally have ever went through, and I pray we never have to do again, but I can personally tell you, without Jesus neither I nor my husband would be here today. I kept reading Romans 8:38 that NOTH ING can separate us from God’s love. Ephesians 6:11 Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. We have weapons to fight with that God has given us, but we have to use them, daily!

Set aside time to spend in the Word and in prayer daily, in the New Year, so you can stand strong when the enemy attacks. I challenge you to find a bible reading plan to do daily in 2023. I promise, you will be different by the end of the year!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

~ Sherri Smith

A Trip Through the Banks

Looking Back at Some of Bartlesville’s Early Banks

by Debbie Neece, Bartlesville Area History Museum

Arriving in Indian Territory about 1898, Edgar Clark was greeted by early pioneers George Keeler, Frank Overlees and William Johnstone who assured Clark the railroad would soon arrive and a city would erupt from the wheat field beneath their feet. Johnstone offered a stake of land to establish the Clark Lumber Company to furnish building supplies for the future city of Bartlesville. The railroad arrived by 1900 and the pioneers soon moved from the North Delaware Settlement to build on Second Street. Clark’s location became the northeast corner of Third Street and Johnstone Avenue.

Bartlesville had a post office and baseball team before it had a bank. Prior to banks, merchants offered the barter system or credit. Jacob Bartles, Bartlesville’s namesake, kept a “Day Book” recording the charges of the day.

As oil money began to flow into Indian Territory, the first Bartlesville City Directory recorded 119 oil and gas companies operating in 1907. Oil was finding its way to the surface and fortunes were being made. The explosion of new businesses and profits quickly created the need for banks to replace “socking the cash or stuffing a mattress.”

Many banks failed and when the National Bank of Atkinson, KS closed, Dr. George Sutton of Cleveland, I.T., seized the opportunity to capture the fixtures and furnishings needed to establish the First National Bank of Bartlesville, I.T. Construction of the two-story building began in February and the bank opened on May 28, 1900 at the northeast corner of Second and Johnstone. Dr. Sutton served as President and George Keeler as V.P. Then, April 27, 1905, the Almeda Hotel opened at that location after being Third Street was renamed Frank Phillips Blvd. on September 27, 1951.

built AROUND the bank building.

The Bartlesville National Bank was organized April 8, 1902 and opened for business June 16, 1902 in a frame building at Third and Dewey, while completing their brick building at the southwest corner of Second and Dewey. William Johnstone was President and Leslie Coombs V.P. The first floor was occupied by the bank with offices on the second floor. Expansion necessitated the building being replaced at the same location, with occupancy January 24, 1903. Johnstone relinquished presidency May 1908.

January 1904, the American National Bank created a three-way bank competition, opening at the northeast corner of Third and Johnstone, replacing the Clark Lumber Company. The second floor became the incubator for H.V. Foster’s Indian Territory Illuminating Oil Company. Then, October 1909, American National failed and Union National Bank consumed the organization.

Union National Bank was organized October 19, 1909 and October 25th adopted a merger contract with American National Bank. Operating at 100 E. Third Street, the name changed to Union Bank and Trust in 1975 and, following failure in 1988, the bank was operated briefly as part of First National Bank, until the name was changed to WestStar that year; then became Arvest Bank in 2002.

Elbowing his way into the banking scene, L.E. Phillips purchased property at 107 E. Third Street in July 1905 and opened the Citizens Bank and Trust on December 4, 1905. Brother, Frank Phillips was President, H.J. Holm V.P. and L.E. Phillips Treasurer. Late 1908, the biggest financial merger in the history of Bartlesville banking occurred when the Citizens Bank and Trust and Bartlesville National Bank became the latter and operated at 107 E. Third with Frank Phillips, President; H.J. Holm, VP; and L.E. Phillips Cashier.

The Exchange National Bank was organized in 1920 with A.H. Boles as President and H.L. Bryant V.P. Located at 321 S. Dewey, the bank assets were sold to Central National Bank September 1928.

Central National Bank opened November 1920 at 314 S. Johnstone Avenue with Jess Overlees as President and H.F. Tyler as V.P. In October 1922, Central National bought the Bartlesville State Bank assets and Howard Cannon became President. Then, September 1928, Central National and Exchange National merged to form Central National Bank and Trust, operating at Third and Dewey. First National and Union National banks took over Central’s loans after the 1929 stock market crash to dissolve the bank and prevent failure.

To tap into the “black gold” prosperity, Home Savings and Loan Association was organized October 15, 1908 at the southeast corner of Third Street and Johnstone Avenue. In 1920, Home Savings briefly moved to the Maire Hotel at 401 S. Johnstone; then to 107 E. Third Street from 1921 to 1978, vacated by the merged Bartlesville National Bank. As building development expanded east of the Caney River, Home Savings received FDIC savings account protection in 1953 and their assets exploded from $13M in 1958 to $110M in 1979. January 28, 1980 Home Savings moved into their new home at Fifth and Johnstone. Weathering the Great Depression and World Wars, Homes Savings and Loan merged with Cimarron Federal Savings and Loan in 1989, and the 66 Federal Credit Union moved into the Fifth and Johnstone building.

The 1920 merger of the Bartlesville National and First National Banks, created a word change from First National Bank “OF to IN” Bartlesville.

Chartered after the newly formed state of Oklahoma, the Bartlesville State Bank was organized November 23, 1908 and operated at 204 E. Third.

The bank failed in 1922.

Changes were brewing. In 1914, the First National Bank OF Bartlesville began construction of a six-story brick building at the northwest corner of Fourth and Johnstone; with occupancy in 1915, Frank Bucher served as President. April 30, 1920, with Frank Phillips at the helm, the Bartlesville National Bank bought the First National Bank OF Bartlesville and became the newly merged First National Bank IN Bartlesville at Fourth and Johnstone. Frank Phillips relinquished the presidency in 1928, but continued as Chairman of the Board. First National moved to their new 121 W. 4th Street location in 1964.

Bartlesville’s Peoples Savings & Loan organized in 1911 at 300 S. Cherokee with H.L. Bryant President and W.T. Berentz VP. In 1915, they moved to 100 W. Third Street; after additional relocations, Peoples settled at Fourth and Delaware from 1963-1982, then moved to 3309 East Frank Phillips Blvd. Peoples failed in 1990 and became part of WestStar Bank that year, later evolving into Arvest Bank.

Did You Know?

The 1907 recession and “money panic” left banks with limited cash flow and restricted customer withdraws. To ease the financial stress, the Bartlesville Clearing House Association supervised local printing of official paper money. This ship was righted after Oklahoma’s statehood and the establishment of the Federal Reserve Bank System. Now You Know *

Located in the heart of Downtown Bartlesville

Located in the heart of Downtown Bartlesville

100 SW Frank Phillips Blvd

100 SW Frank Phillips Blvd

Reserve your spot at the top (918)440-6773

Reserve your spot at the top (918)440-6773

JOHNSTONE-SARE

JOHNSTONE-SARE

The Room at the Top www.johnstone-sare-theroomatthetop.com johnstone.sare@gmail.comjohnstone.sare.building

The Room at the Top www.johnstone-sare-theroomatthetop.com johnstone.sare@gmail.comjohnstone.sare.building

Wigilia...

The Glue that Holds the Family Together

by Kay Little, Little History Adventures

When immigrants came to the United States, they brought many of their tradi tions and recipes. The Mnich family is a great example of this. When Gus Mnich came to Bartlesville around 1907, he brought the family recipe for homemade Polish sausage. It is a secret recipe and people came from all over the coun try to Mnich’s Grocery Store to buy his sausage. After Gus died, sons Tony and Mike con tinued the business until 1984.

The most important tra dition the Mnich family brought is the Polish Christ mas Eve celebration, Wigilia. According to Mike, the Wig ilia is the glue that holds the family together. The whole event is a celebration of the birth of Jesus and remem bering their Polish roots.

Mike and Suzie Mnich host the celebration every year. This year will be the 60th an niversary of celebrating in their home. In fact, when Mike had the house built in 1962, he made sure there was a large room to accommodate this cele bration of about 35 people, composed of several generations and different family members.

Mike’s first recollections of the family celebration were at his grandparents and then at his Dad’s house behind the store. In 1962, Mike started hosting.

The celebration starts with the arrival of everyone on Christ mas Eve. Around noon, the women start cooking. Everyone is to fast all day until the evening meal. This fast includes no meat and no alcohol all week. This is to cleanse the minds and to fo cus on the coming of Jesus and to signify giving up the best for Jesus.

As the patriarch of the family, Mike has grandkids help put the centerpieces on the table, which are hay or pine boughs. Each dish is put in the hay to signify the blessing of the Christ child.

The meal starts at dusk or when children see the first star in the sky, representing the star that led the wise men to Jesus. The host will give each person a bit of communion wafer, which many times is a Ritz cracker. Everyone says, “Merry Christmas”

in unison. The host then says grace over the meal, calling for unity, thanksgiving and hap piness. Everyone shares the communion wafer with each other, and if they have a prob lem with someone at the table, they are to go to them and ask forgiveness.

Everyone has a piece of bread that is to last all of the meal to signify blessings all year and as a reminder of com ing from humble beginnings, much like Jesus.

Most of the meal is bland, so the Mnichs add the famous family sausage, pork loin, and fried onions. There are 12 dish es to signify the 12 apostles. They are served on pottery made in Poland.

The Mnich house is com pletely decorated with trees, nativities, and Santas. One very important decoration is an official Polish tree with or naments made with straw.

There is so much more to tell, but I have run out of room. Mike is so proud to host this event every Christmas Eve. Family is very important and traditions are very special. He says, ”Re affirmation in my own mind is beseeching to the Good Lord and to celebrate His birthday.”

FOCUS

market downturns, no matter how severe. However, when the financial markets really decline, as happened when the COVID-19 pandemic struck last March, you might find yourself being more concerned than you thought you would be.

Before you change your investment strategy, it's important to understand the potential tradeoffs. By limiting your downside risk by investing less aggressively, you may also limit your upside potential. You might need to change your strategy in other ways, such as saving more or working longer. That said, the tradeoff involved in reducing your downside risk may be worth taking, if it helps you cope better with wild market swings, as the best strategy may be one you can stick with through the inevitable ups and downs of the markets.

Because market fluctuations are a normal part of investing, here are some additional suggestions that may help you focus on your long-term strategy.

Look past the immediate event. While the market’s pandemic-driven fall was sudden, its recovery was also fairly quick. Eight months after its March meltdown, the market had regained all the lost ground and reached a new record high. During the midst of what appears to be a real threat to your investment portfolio, it can be difficult to anticipate a more favorable environment. Yet, while past performance can’t guarantee future results, every historical market decline has been followed by a recovery.

Understand that the Dow isn’t your portfolio When the Dow Jones Industrial Average and the other major market indexes such as the S&P 500 fall precipitously (or shoot up), it makes headlines. But the Dow and the S&P 500 only track the performance of large U.S. companies – and while their performance may be an indication of the U.S economy, they aren’t going to track the results of your portfolio, which should ideally include a personalized mix of large-company stocks, small-company stocks, international stocks, bonds, government securities a nd other investments.

Keep your emotions out of your investment moves The market will fluctuate constantly – but you should always try keep your emotions in check. Excess exuberance when the market rises, or extreme despondency when the market falls, can lead you to make poor decisions. Specifically, we may buy when we feel good (when the markets are up) and sell when we feel badly (when markets are down). Your heart and your emotions may drive your financial goals –creating a comfortable retirement, sending your kids to college or leaving a legacy for your family – but when you invest for these goals, you should use your head. Your risk tolerance is a key part of your investment strategy. But by taking the steps described above, you can gain a broader understanding of how risk fits into your overall picture – and a better understanding of yourself as an investor.

Meet Victor Casey

Stride Bank Announces New Commercial Lender

Stride Bank is excited to announce Victor Casey as the bank’s newest commercial lender at the Bartlesville office. Victor brings a strong banking background, having worked his way up from a teller after college to roles as a commer cial lender and market president. At Stride, Victor will be sup porting the Market President, Charles Allcott, in commercial lending with a large focus on community outreach in the Bar tlesville area.

Growing up and graduating from high school in Pryor, Oklahoma, Victor then pursued his college education at Okla homa State University. He received his Bachelor’s degree in business administration with a minor in finance, knowing that opportunities in those fields of study would provide him with multiple career paths. He has since spent the last 18 years in the banking industry and looks forward to many more. Victor has also completed all Oklahoma Bankers Association state schools and is a graduate of the Graduate School of Banking at Louisiana State University.

“I am thrilled to be back in the Bartlesville area, raising my family in a town that values growth and community. At Stride, I intend to create more awareness of the bank’s capabilities to support, educate, and grow our town. Stride is positioned more than ever to make a difference and be present in the community — something that I am excited to be a part of.”

Victor appreciates the roots that Stride Bank and Bartles ville share and is ready to take Stride to the next level through innovative advances and local leadership influence. “I want the community to know that we are here to help grow Bar tlesville, help educate the community, and help bring new op portunities to the area.”

Outside of work, Victor enjoys spending time with his fam ily, including his wife, Camren, their four children, and two golden doodles. His hobbies and interests include any sport ing event or activity that his children are involved in and any opportunity to be outdoors as a family.

~ About Stride Bank N.A. Founded in 1913, Stride Bank is an Oklahoma-based financial institution. Offering a full range of financial services such as consumer and commercial banking, mortgage, wealth management, and treasury management, we have also developed and currently manage highly specialized payment solutions for several national fintech companies. While we are unwavering in our pursuit to continue innovating and offering new financial solutions, we will always remain loyal to our community banking roots in Oklahoma. We have branches throughout Oklahoma in Enid, Tulsa, Oklahoma City, Bartlesville, Blackwell, Woodward, and Mooreland. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender. Learn more at www.stridebank.com. ~

Usher in the Holiday Season

Mowtown Christmas Tribute Concert Set for December 9

What better way to usher in the holiday season than with the tribute show Motown Christmas, on Friday, December 9th at 7 p.m. Tickets for this exciting concert are $21 for adults and $11 for students. They may be purchased by phone at 918-337-2787 or in per son at The Center box office from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. For 24/7 ticket sales, you can visit bartlesvillecommunitycenter.com

This festive show features Christmas favorites, as well as the very best of Motown. Celebrate the season with songs originally by The Temptations, The Four Tops, The Supremes, Smokey Robinson, and more. The concert is infused with holi day songs sure to spread joy and cheer.

With top industry musicians and singers, exquisitely-de signed costumes, and dazzling choreography, the cast present the music of Motown with the intensity of the original record ed performances. Non-stop hits from talented performers will make you think you are back in the heyday of Motown!

Hometown Actress Stars in On Your Feet!

On Your Feet!, the story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan , plays at The Center on Saturday, February 4 at 7:30 p.m. The show, which is the second performance in the Broad way in Bartlesville! 2022-2023 sea son, is the inspiring true story about heart, heritage, and two people who believed in their talent — and each other — to become an international sensation: Gloria and Emilio Estefan. Now their story is an all-new exhil arating original musical winning the hearts of critics and audiences alike, with the Chicago Tribune de claring “IT’S A HIT!” and The New York Times cheering, “The very air in the room seems to vibrate in this undeniably crowd-pleasing musical!”

Winning the hearts of Bar tlesville will be hometown ac tress, Katie McCollum, who stars as the young Gloria. She and the rest of the cast will deliver some of the most iconic songs of the past quar ter-century, including Rhythm

is Gonna Get You, Conga, Get On Your Feet, Don’t Want To Lose You Now, 1-2-3 and Coming Out of the Dark . Prepare to be on your feet from start to finish!

Tickets for On Your Feet! are available by phone at 918-3372787 and in person at The Center box office, Monday through Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. For 24/7 ticket sales, visit bartlesvil lecommunitycenter.com.

Special thanks goes to The National Endowment for the Arts, the Oklahoma Arts Council, and the following local spon sors who make the Broadway in Bartlesville! 2022-2023 series possible: Mr. & Mrs. Kenneth Adams • American Heritage Bank • Arvest Wealth Management

bmonthly Magazine • Con ocoPhillips

and Mrs.

As we enter the final month of 2022, please consider an end-of-year gift to help preserve your Community Center! Sponsor an auditorium seat by making a contribution to the RUBY Capital Campaign and a plaque with your name, or your company, will be attached to the seat you choose. Seat sponsorships begin at $106 per seat. All donations are tax deductible and there is no limit to the number of seats that you can sponsor. Donations and seat sponsorship gifts will directly strengthen the endowment, thus ensuring The Center’s future.

Keleher Archi tects

KGGF-AM KGGF-FM

Photo: DJ Corey

by Jay Webster

Each year at this time, I like to offer a couple holiday survival tips. You don’t have to use all (or any) of these ideas, but as someone who’s well familiar with the spirit of Christmas Past, I’ve found these to be pretty helpful. Consider it an early gift.

First, you should ignore the theme of every Christmas movie ever made… ever. That is: if we all work together this will be the BEST. CHRISTMAS.

EVER . It may not. And that’s OK. It may just be peaceful, reflective and free from political ads. And right now that would be pretty fantastic.

We all have those humans that are difficult to be around at annual gatherings. They want to talk conspiracies or joke about your childhood trauma or belch violently like it’s a tribal greeting. It’s still currently illegal to kill people just because they’re annoying, but making conversation with them can be harder than spelling Frankincense.

So this tip is called: “Managing Expectations.” My wife’s late grandfather, Joe Bob Gale, was famous for announcing each Christmas morning, “If you don’t expect anything, you won’t be disappointed.” The reality is (without being grim), he’s not wrong. The quickest way to disappointment is putting a lot of heavy expectations on the season, the culture, and your family. If you really want to earn extra disappointment points, create a personal list of those expectations but don’t tell anyone. Then just let the failure count mount.

Each year, researchers measure the happiest people and

places in the world. You know who wins year after year — not us. In America we’re told we can be anything, do anything, have everything, and not only that — we deserve it. But the happiest people in the world live in countries with managed expectations. As a result, their gratitude for what they do have is immense.

“Speaking of Gratitude,” that’s number two. As you go through the season this year, find at least one thing each day that you can be legitimately thankful for in your life and make some outward expression of it. In other words, don’t just think it to yourself; write it or say it. Maybe you want to start your breakfast or dinner that way. Ask the people you’re with to say what they’re thankful for. A car. Family. Your city, state, or country. Your health or another season of Ted Lasso. Whatever it is, be sincere and be out-loud.

Speaking of out-loud, number three is something we’ve talked about before here: “See it and Say it.” Some people believe in visiting other people over the holidays. That can be awkward, especially if those people are family.

you’re on the same page about the season and shared events . Some people want to spend every waking moment bingeing Mariah Carey, baking cookies, and leaving the front door open for a constant flow of humanity. (I just got goosebumps. Not in a good way.)

Friends, the holidays are inescapable. And that wouldn’t be bad if they all held to a Hallmark Movie script with everyone running around in plaid scarfs and perfectly timed snow. But it doesn’t go that way. Christmas can fall off the sleigh pretty quickly.

Look, not all humans are the same. We have different wants, preferences, and expectations (there’s that word again). So get on the same page about the season or about a gathering or about gift budgets. Find ways to meet in the middle (which don’t simply include them coming over to your side). Compromise may be the greatest gift of all. Along with that, you might have to let your “partner” tap out here or there; to recharge or breathe or listen to some speed metal that’s not about Santa. Go into the conversations lightly, keep the humor up, be flexible, and be ready to give each other the space to enjoy parts of the holiday the way they want (even if it’s without you).

We all have those humans that are difficult to be around at annual gatherings. They want to talk conspiracies or joke about your childhood trauma or belch violently like it’s a tribal greeting. It’s still currently illegal to kill people just because they’re annoying, but making conversation with them can be harder than spelling Frankincense. Here are two things you can do. They’re not foolproof, but they’re pretty effective and they both involve people talking about themselves, which generally we are pretty passionate about.

The first is asking people about their holiday memories. What was their favorite tradition as a kid? Were the holidays a big deal in their family? What’s the one Christmas gift as a kid that really stands out the most? Nearly all of us have a past, so at least there’s a well to draw on from here.

The second conversation starter may require a bit more from you. Look at the people you’re with, especially the ones you would vote off your Holiday Island if you could. What’s something about them that’s “good”? They’re loyal. Maybe they’re frugal. They’re hospitable. They’re not a slave to fashion. See the good in them, and then ask them about it. (See it and Say it) “You’ve made a career out of financial planning, when did you first know you were good at math?” “You really use every part of those deer when you shoot them (to death). Did you grow up hunting?” “Most of the time you’re a real jackass. Who hurt you when you were young?” Nope. Scratch that one. That’s from a different column. Instead try, “You have so much fun with all the kids, what’s your favorite thing about being a Granddad?”

Your family won’t answer perfectly. There could be some awkwardness. They may be surprised you’re talking to them after the whole guacamole issue last year, but at least the conversation will break the silence. It might start something good. If nothing else it will make the time go faster.

As a recovering “Under-Communicator,” this next tip is pretty important to me. If you’re sharing the holidays with another human (a wife, significant other, parole officer) make sure

Finally, give the season some white space. That’s the air around the hustle and bustle that allows you to appreciate the points of focus. In other words, give yourself some quiet moments. Moments of reflection, of meditation, of examination. Get quiet, get chill, sip some tea (even if it’s called Merlot), and just be still ... routinely. Might be first thing in the morning. Might be 30 minutes before dinner. Might be after everyone goes to bed. Might be in your car in the vacant part of the Wal-Mart parking lot. Just breathe it in, give yourself a light focus on something that’s good, maybe read a little something and re-set. We’ll all be glad you did.

Friends, the holidays are inescapable. And that wouldn’t be bad if they all held to a Hallmark Movie script with everyone running around in plaid scarfs and perfectly timed snow. But it doesn’t go that way. Christmas can fall off the sleigh pretty quickly. So try one or two of these and see if it helps. Maybe you have your own mantra or coping trick. If so, share it with others. We can all use the help.

Godspeed, friends. If we all work together, this could be the most “ just fine” Christmas ever.

VETERANS DAY PARADE

BRUIN ATHLETICS HALL OF FAME

Leslee Boutwell Loosen

by Randy Standridge

I think sometimes about the 60s and early 70s and wish things could have been different back then. One area I would have changed in our high schools would have been girls bas ketball. In Bartlesville, we didn’t have a girls team at either College High or Sooner High. We had elementa ry school teams but nothing beyond that. I remember one girl in particular that would have been a star, Leslee Boutwell, who now goes by Leslee Boutwell Loosen.

It was in the 6th grade at Highland Park when I first met her. She wasn’t in the same class as me, but I do remember how I got to know her so well back in those days. It was from our neighborhood games, especially basketball. There were about 10 of us that lived close by and almost everyday in the summer or after school we would get together and play ball.

Back in the 60s we didn’t come in the house until it was dark outside or our parents said it was time to come in. There were no cell phones or iPads, only three or four TV stations and if you had central air conditioning in your home you were really blessed. Depending on the season, it was football, basketball, or baseball with a whiffle ball often being the substitute for a baseball as you didn’t want to break a window when playing in someone’s backyard. It was mainly boys with Leslee being the lone girl most of the time. She played right along with us and if she wasn’t the fastest, she was awfully close.

In 1966, our elementary schools had their own basketball teams with primarily 6th graders on the varsity team, coached by David Benne, one of our all-time greatest teacher and coach. We played some of the other 13 elementary schools and at the end of the season there would be a city tourney, culminating in the city championship for both boys and girls. Leslee was one of the Highland Park starters and they were a pretty good team that ended up taking second in the city.

While there wasn’t that opportunity to play basketball in high school and to show possibly her greatness, Leslee was successful. In our senior year, besides being one of the smart est students in our class, she was our homecoming queen and she took all of the office-type classes that were offered, like of fice machines, typing, bookkeeping, etc. She also worked at a

couple of secretarial positions and had decided what she want ed to do in life.

After our graduation from Sooner in 1973, she went to Okla homa State University to obtain a two-year Associate degree in the Clerical Secretary Program and after completing that she began her secretarial career in Oklahoma City. She continued her education with some additional business courses while working full time and in one of her accounting classes her in structor took her aside and stated that the accounting world was becoming more open to women and she should go back to OSU. She decided to do just that.

Leslee received her bachelors degree in Accounting in De cember, 1977 and her first position was at a Big 8 accounting firm in OKC. The firm hired 9 new staff members in January 1978 and she was the only female. After a few years she moved back to Bartlesville and began an eight-year career with Phillips in their International Accounting Department. She married Mark Loosen and moved to Muskogee, where he was in a family busi ness and where her parents had moved. She started working in a Savings and Loan and after six years they moved back to Bar tlesville. The S&L’s failures were rampant across the country at that time and she started working at Arvest for five years before transferring to the 66 Federal Credit Union (now Truity).

She retired from Truity after a 17-year career there and Mark and her have traveled to Europe several times, went on sever al mission trips to Zimbabwe, one to Moldova, and numerous other road trips to help out with kids and grandkids in various ways. She has lived a good life, one of caring for others and vol unteering in so many ways to make this world a better place to live. It goes to show that no matter your circumstances in life, even when you’re the only girl in the neighborhood competing against the boys, you can be successful and a winner through out your life. Leslee Boutwell Loosen has proven that.

Managing Your Retirement Savings Plan

If your employment situation changes, you may wonder what to do with your retirement savings at your previous em ployer. In fact, you have a variety of options when it comes to taking distributions from your employer-sponsored retirement savings plan. Here are four options to discuss with your finan cial advisor:

Option One: Leave the money in the plan.

• Your account could benefit from continued tax-deferred growth, or potentially tax-free growth for Roth accounts.

• While IRAs can provide more investment options than an employer plan, your plan may offer certain investment op portunities an IRA can’t replicate.

• You may receive penalty-free distributions as early as age 55—or 50 for qualified public safety employees—compared with age 59½ for IRAs.

• Qualified plans generally provide greater creditor protec tion than IRAs.

Option Two: Choose no rollover and, instead, take the lump-sum distribution of your retirement funds in cash and securities, if applicable.

• All or part of your distribution may be subject to feder al and/or state taxes. The taxable portion may be subject to an additional 10% early distribution penalty tax if you haven’t reached age 55 or 50 for qualified public safety employees.

• You may lose the benefit of continued tax-deferred or taxfree growth.

Option Three: Roll your retirement funds over to an IRA. You can only roll over distributions from Roth accounts to a Roth IRA.

• Your account can potentially benefit from continued tax-de ferred or tax-free growth.

• There tends to be more investment options with an IRA than with an employer plan.

• You can freely move your money among the various invest ments offered by your IRA trustee, and you can freely move your IRA dollars among different IRA trustees/custodians using direct transfers.

• You typically choose the timing and amount of distributions in an IRA. It is important to understand you must start tak ing required minimum distributions (RMDs) from traditional IRAs after reaching age 72.

• During your lifetime, you do not have to make any required distributions from Roth IRAs.

Option Four: Roll the retirement funds over to your new employer’s plan, if the plan accepts rollovers.

• This move offers the same advantages as choosing to leave your money in the plan.

• You can consolidate your employer plan retirement savings.

• You may be eligible for a plan loan, and you may be able to delay required distributions beyond age 72.

A professional can help ensure you are factoring in all items that could impact your retirement funds, depending on the op tion you choose. For example, if you are considering rolling over your funds, you should ask about the following:

1. Possible surrender charges your existing employer plan may impose, or new surrender charges your IRA or new plan may impose.

2. Any investment fees and expenses your new IRA or invest ment fund may charge, compared to those charged by your existing employer plan.

3. Any accumulated rights or guarantees you may give up by transferring funds out of your employer plan.

You also don’t have to roll over your entire plan distribution. If you choose to roll over part of a distribution, but it includes taxable and nontaxable amounts, the amount you roll over is treated as coming first from the taxable part of the distribution.

It can be challenging to know if you are making the right decisions when adjusting your retirement savings plan. While there is no guarantee that working with a financial professional will improve investment results, it is possible that professional guidance will provide increased peace of mind and help ensure you are considering the best options for your unique circum stances.

Arvest Wealth Management does not offer tax or legal ad vice – consult a professional.

~ Josh Randolph serves as regional manager and executive vice president of Arvest Wealth Management in Bartlesville. Josh began his career in the financial services industry in 1994, joining Arvest Wealth Management in September 2003. Josh ob tained his CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification, the Certified Trust and Financial Advisor designation and Chartered Financial Consultant® designation.

Arvest Wealth Management offers wealth management, trust services and insurance products. Investment products and services provided by Arvest Investments, Inc., doing business as Arvest Wealth Management, member FINRA/SIPC, an SEC registered investment adviser and a subsidiary of Arvest Bank. Insurance products are made available through Arvest Insur ance, Inc., which is registered as an insurance agency. Insurance products are marketed through Arvest Insurance, Inc., but are underwritten by insurance companies. Investments and Insur ance Products: Not a Deposit, Not Guaranteed by the Bank or its Affiliates, Not FDIC Insured, Not Insured by Any Federal Govern ment Agency, May Go Down in Value. Trust services provided by Arvest Bank. ~

by Josh Randolph, Arvest Wealth Management Regional Manager

WITH FAITH-BASED INVESTING IN REVO’S BR STRATEGIES

Faith Integration

WITH -BASED INVESTING IN REVO’S BR STRATEGIES

Faith Integration

Many men and women are expressing their faith through a desire to align their values with their investing, finding ethical companies that not only avoid doing bad things, but impact humanity for good.

Many men and women are expressing their faith through a desire to align their values with their investing, finding ethical companies that not only avoid doing bad things, but impact humanity for good.

Dual Mandate Investing

Dual Mandate Investing

Faith Integration

Dual mandate investing is investing with two goals profitable financial return and a positive impact on the world. Dual mandate investing adds a second dimension of the impact your investments have on the world, to investing that traditionally focuses only on financial return.

Dual mandate investing is investing with two goals profitable financial return and a positive impact on the world. Dual mandate investing adds a second dimension of the impact your investments have on the world, to investing that traditionally focuses only on financial return.

Many men and women are expressing their faith through a desire to align their values with their investing, finding ethical companies that not only avoid doing bad things, but impact humanity for good.

Investment Strategies

Dual Mandate Investing

Investment Strategies

We choose funds we believe impact the world for good and manage how your assets are allocated over time. Our biblically-responsible faith-based portfolios leverage these core strategies:

We choose funds we believe impact the world for good and manage how your assets are allocated over time. Our biblically-responsible faith-based portfolios leverage these core strategies:

Dual mandate investing is investing with two goals profitable financial return and a positive impact on the world. Dual mandate investing adds a second dimension of the impact your investments have on the world, to investing that traditionally focuses only on financial return.

Investment

Strategies We choose funds we believe impact the world for good and manage how your assets are allocated over time. Our biblically-responsible faith-based portfolios leverage these core strategies:

Social Impact: Companies and funds that may include Community Development, Medical Research, Renewable Energy, Global Economic Development, Affordable Housing, etc.

Good Profits: Companies that may create value by means of Energy Efficiency, Clean Water Supply, Cybersecurity, Healthy Food Supply, Biotechnology, Customer Loyalty, Employee Benefits, Fair Trade, etc.

Corporate Funds that with corporations deficiencies, corporate leadership shareholder resolutions, voting, and dialogue.

Investment Strategies

Financial Return

Maximize profits without regard to moral or ethical concerns of companies owned

Lucas Nettles, CFP®, CKA® Personal Financial Planner

Jon Nettles, CFP® Chief Executive Officer

A New Home

Taylor Homes Moves Into New Offices

by Brent Taylor

Taylor Homes has moved into new offic es at 3615 SE Pioneer Drive. “We love our new digs and we are looking forward to a new era of providing residential spaces to our clients,” Brent Taylor, President and CEO, said.

Taylor Homes has been building homes, offices, and church buildings in Bartlesville and surrounding com munities since 1958. Taylor Homes has left a lasting mark on the Bartlesville community, as they have built more than 1,000 residential units in the area. In addition to single-family residences, Tay lor Homes has built and managed several multi-family projects. These include Pathfinder Apartments, Price Lofts, and Gramer cy, which includes lofts, cottages, and tiny homes.

The Taylor family has also significantly contributed to the development of major residential neighborhoods including Co lonial Estates, Park Hill, Eastview, Bluestone, and Stonebranch. The newest addition to Stonebranch, across Tuxedo Blvd. from Adams Municipal Golf Course, has 117 lots ranging from .3 to 2.8 acres in size, ready for purchase and building.

Taylor Homes CEO Brent Taylor reflected on this transi tion for the company. “Offices, like homes, are gathering plac es,” Brent said. “We gather around water coolers, coffee pots, and conference rooms as we meet customers and partners. Just like our homes, we accumulate lots of stuff which we sift through during the move. The old stuff doesn’t matter so much to me, things like outdated hand crank Paymaster machines (our old Paymaster is at Bartlesville Goodwill, by the way, in case someone likes office antiques) and typewriters and hand saws. But those things we have to re-purpose and give away were important in their day. Even old sofas were important at one time.”

Connecting the thought about old sofas back to the found er, Brent said, “In his later years, I could hear dad snoring from his daily nap at the old office which shared a wall with mine. He slept curled up on a plaid jewel-toned 80’s era sofa, which wound up in the alley as we prepared to move offices. The sofa had red tape marking it for the dump or for whomever wanted to haul it away and carry on the napping tradition of my father.”

Brent concludes the thought with a re flection about the time more than two de cades ago when Terrel awoke from another kind of nap, an anes thesia cocktail nap, af ter six-bypass heart surgery. In the recovery room, awakening to dis cover that he was warm and alive, the nurses heard him singing in full voice, the hymn, “Amaz ing Grace, How Sweet the Sound.”

“I won’t miss that ugly sofa,” Brent said, “But I do miss dad. And I will miss his simple trust in his Creator and how even when homes were not sell ing and his heart was failing, he still looked unto the hills from whence his help always came.”

Taylor Homes first offices were located at 211 NE Washing ton Blvd, the current site of Joe’s Carpet. Ross Taylor operated a furniture store at that address and his son, Terrel, made his office in the midst of sofas and dining room sets by erecting a wood partition to segregate the homebuilding offices from the flow of furniture sales. Brent said his first memory of this first office revolved more around roller skating. “That old furniture store became a skating rink where I learned to limbo to the song The Lion Sleeps Tonight,” Brent said.

Moving our offices creates an opportunity to gather many memories, dusty crinkled floorplans, neighborhood plats, and yellowed newspaper clippings from the 1980s, when we won dered if Bartlesville would survive the takeover attempts of Phillips 66. Through all the peaks and valleys and challenging times of takeover attempts, recessions, oil busts, layoffs, and pandemics, Taylor Homes has continued building in Bartles ville. Our legacy lives on through a continuing focus on build ing quality homes through the fresh ideas provided by the next generation of our team including Greg Taylor, Lauren Taylor, and Chuck Martz.

“I’ve always loved the idea of new beginnings,” Brent said. “Our offices at 3615 SE Pioneer Drive are a new beginning built on the foundations of those who have gone before us. Like Ter rel Taylor and his ideal of making each new home better than the last, we forge on with our mission to build homes that en able the best moments in the lives of our clients. We do this through a focus on quality, trust, and The Golden Rule.”

Celebrating Success November Students of the Month

Tri County Tech and Downtown Kiwanis Club are proud to name the November Students of the Month. Our students of the month are chosen based on their character, leadership, and contribution to our community.

Osburn Medicine & Biosciences

Cosmetology

We are proud of their performance as students, role models, and future professionals.

About Tri County Tech

We offer hands-on career and college training in more than 30 instructional areas. High school students in Pawhuska, Nowata, & Washington counties attend tuitionfree, while adults are offered affordable tuition.

Hands-On Training. Real-World Experience. Life-Changing Learning.

TriCountyTech.edu

Julia

HIGH SCHOOL STUDENT

Sophia Johnson

ADULT STUDENT

Foster Homes Needed

by Lori Just

Foster and adoptive parents in Oklahoma serve in many ca pacities to provide parenting resources to children and bridge the connections to their families. Because of this, they are of ten called Bridge Resource parents. The children for whom the Oklahoma Department of Human Services (DHS) is responsi ble have been removed from their own families due to abuse or neglect. Bridge Resource Families work closely with DHS and the child’s family to correct the circumstances that led to the child’s removal. The goal is to return the child to his or her own home, if possible.

Michele Marlow moved to Bartlesville from Texas in 2020. She was single and all her children were out of the home. She had no plan for her home to become a place of respite for littles and bigs from all across the state.

“I have three adult kids and seven grandkids, so I wasn’t looking to foster,” she explained. “A friend of the family had a baby and the mom had tested positive for drug use and the infant was taken into DHS custo dy. I opened my home for a non-relative kinship placement. Since then, I’ve provided respite and long-term for 20 chil dren. I currently provide long-term placement for five children including two sets of siblings.  I have adopted one child, so I have a total of six kids in the home.”

The goal of fostering is to help reunify children with their families to maintain important connections, assist with tran sitions for children who cannot return to their own home, and may provide a permanent, adoptive home for the child.

The children in need of homes range from 0 to 17 years old; part of a sibling group needing to be placed together; and may have some physical, emotional, and/or developmental needs. Fostering and adopting children can be challenging but has many rewards.

“It’s a beautiful thing when you can work alongside the bio parents, and they can get their child back,” Marlow said. “When they are in my care, I watch them grow and can teach them and their parents what a healthy family looks like. My goal is to empower these kids to not repeat negative genera tional cycles.”

Currently, there are many children in DHS custody that need placement within Oklahoma. DHS is desperately asking the community to step up to support these kids — even if it’s just a short-term placement.

“There are not enough homes available for our kids,” said Alisha Thompson, Child Welfare. “About 69% of kids in Wash ington County are being placed outside of our county, which can contribute to secondary trauma. It’s going to take commu nities to step up and support these families.”

Even if someone can’t physically foster, Thompson suggests that they can support others who can foster by giving them support through meal trains, resources, transportation, or just someone to talk to about it.

“We want our homes to be successful,” she said. “There are services within the community that come to the home, such as behavioral or occupational therapy so foster parents don’t have to worry about driving across the state to these appointments.

Another way the community can support fostering is by donating items to their partner agencies such as Ray of Hope, Sparrow’s Closet, and Fostering Connections.

“Most of these kids come with nothing — not even a bag to carry the small number of items they do have,” said Mar low. “Just buying them necessity items can add up really quickly. I have a closet that is full of items I can send with the kids, including a suitcase to carry it all in. Having people in community who can donate to foster families rather than a goods store to be sold can go a long way in supporting these kids.”

Right now, DHS has a critical need for unexpired car seats for transportation. If you are would like to know more about be coming a Bridge Resource Parent or supporting them, please call 1-800-376-9729.

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

Painting Helps Fallen Officer

Local Artist Helps Family of Fallen Edmond Officer

by Tim Hudson

Take a golf icon, two native Bartians, and a good charity and you have a feel-good story worth more than the sum of its parts. “When you are doing things for the right reason and your heart’s in the right place, it just works,” said project organizer Jon Kelley.

Recently, Kelley collaborated with local dentist and artist Jon Lindblom on a painting of professional golfer John Daly for the purpose of raising money for the family of a fallen Edmond police officer.

“Everyone’s seen the meme on Facebook,” Kelley said of the popular picture of Daly, clad in typical loud, colorful cloth ing, standing next to Tiger woods while smoking a cigarette. “I was laughing at these memes because they were really popular at that time. I knew Jon’s work and thought if I could get Jon to paint that meme, maybe I could get John Daly to sign it and auction it off.”

Lindblom’s work is becoming well known in and around Bartlesville, appearing prominently at the Eatery as well as many private collections. Famously, Lindblom mainly does his paintings for non-profits and silent auctions, with his colorful style of painting and selection of subjects becoming sought af ter in many quarters. Kelley says that he reached out to Lindb lom via Facebook messenger explaining his idea for the paint ing as well as the cause.

“It all kind of stemmed from an Edmond Police Officer named CJ Nelson. We had just moved there the week prior and Officer Nelson got rear-ended on his motorcycle by a guy on meth, dying shortly after from his injuries” he explained. “I had come up on the accident and it just really affected me for some reason. I had an overwhelming urge to do something to help his family — hence the John Daly idea.”

Lindblom agreed to work on the painting and a few phone calls later, including a key call to the CEO of Daly’s Heart of a Lion Foundation, the project was underway. “Jon would send little updates while he was working on it and you get to see it come to life,” he said. “He’s an immensely talented individual and he was eager to help and so gracious and awesome to work with.”

When the painting was done, Kel ley took off for Iowa, where a meet ing with Daly and the auction for the painting had been set up. Predict ably, upon seeing Lindblom’s paint ing Daly became a fan. “He loved it.

He originally wasn’t going to sign it until he found out it was raising money for CJ Nelson’s family” said Kelley. “He walked in, saw the 3-foot x 4-foot painting, and in true John Daly fash ion said, “That’s [expletive] cool!””

The painting was then auctioned off and was purchased by the Casino where the auction was held, to be hung in the resort’s golf course pro shop. A canvas print of the painting was later auc tioned off in Oklahoma City, rais ing another $8,000 for the cause. “John Daly is a really cool person, really quiet. You see these videos of him and you think he’s outspo ken and that way all the time, but he’s not. He’s just like everyone else” he said. “He’s super chill with a heart of gold.”

“Craft” Your Life for You

You can Create Your Life How You Want it to Be

by Lori Kroh

She opened the door and we walked into a wonderland of montage, oddities, and whatnots.  My eyes scanned the walls, the rooms and the sunshine poured in and caught the glimmer of glitter bouncing across the room. As we were welcomed in, I had to peek into her world of whimsy. She had created her world that made her the happiest and I just had to know. My curiosity peaked as I stared at the most amazing boxes of “as semblage” as she called them. I had made dioramas before in 6th grade yet, had never seen any with such artisan flair. She would create a theme and then she shared how she spent hours and hours thinking and creating and finding the bits and pieces of little junk parts, oddities, and papers to make a three dimensional box that would sit on a shelf and as you stared upon it … you were in that world. She had made hundreds of assemblage boxes and the rooms were filled with other cre ations by her.

I asked Bev how long she had been an artist and she happily chirped how it was her entire life. Since she was a little child she would invent and create and she gave all the credit to God creat ing her that way. She found it to be her passion and joy to show others a world only that came from inside of her … she created it and no one else could take the credit. She told me that age was only a number, yet since she was 83 years old and married with three children, she wanted me and my friend to know that her mind was still there. “Every day is a day to create something for someone,” she told us. I nodded in agreement as we went from room to room and gazed at all the creations. She inspired herself each day to make her world that she lived in better for all.

As we meandered through her home, I asked her what oth ers had thought or said to her about her art, and did she ever sell it? She replied, “Everything is for sale because someone else needs to love it.”  Then, she added that there will be many art critics in life and some know nothing about the process of creativity or the value of a piece … she laughed and smiled, “I don’t make it for them, I make it for me. Art saved me at my lowest so I know the true price.”

I then learned that in May of 2022, she had taken a fall off of a ladder and broke her back. She literally could not move and was transported to the hospital. It was there she learned her

life was to be altered and she may lose all ability to ever create again.

She had a complete spinal fusion and many doctors thought she would be bed ridden, unable to walk again, and even possibly never recover. She thought about it and although the fusion did not end up being a success and she lives with daily pain, she decided that the doctors don’t get to decide for her. She had a choice, too. As she pondered all the reasons, her main one was she had a lot of life yet to live. At that moment, she slowly worked her way over to her chair in her art room and started to glue and cut and create. Even through the pain, her mind gave her idea after idea and so she started with what she had in front of her and got to work. Bev told us with glis tening eyes, “My art saved me. It got me up and over to the chair and once that hap pened, nothing could stop me.”

As my friend wandered around and peered upon creation after creation, I stood there in amazement. I was inspired to see how decorating, dressing, and designing a life around the beauty one finds for yourself is the purest path to create. She lived a life of art and in that moment, I was in her world of a storied life. Art is art and there is no price to deter mine Joy.

She has lived her life according to her choices and for that lesson learned, I thank her.

Create your Life how you want it and just know there will always be critics … yet they don’t know the price. Make your life for you, not them. Find your Joy.

Even now, Bev is seeking ways to get her art shown to the world here in Bartlesville … each day she continues to create and looks for ways to inspire others.

We left that day and this came to me as I waved goodbye to my new friend:

There was a little old lady who lived with some glue. There was much to create and she knew what to do. She started with her heart and added some flair. She painted and glued and for got her despair. She added some more and leaned back to grin. She created her happiness and found joy within. She invited oth ers to come and see. She saw their expressions as they peered with glee. She loved her life and all that was true. She wished others knew what she knew that she knew. Life is too short and there’s a part that you play. Create to create and don’t miss a day. Find your true joy and live to give. You’re here for a reason, God made you this way.

Mikala Curless • Director of Development

‘Tis the Season of Giving

“Tis The Season

The holidays are once again upon us; complete with Christmas spirit and brimming with benevo lence. It is the time of year when people focus more on giving and being thoughtful. This overwhelm ing sense of generosity and good will was embodied by the 4th centu ry bishop, St. Nicholas. He devoted his life to sacrifice, giving, compas sion and faith. He gave away his en tire fortune to those in his commu nity. The bishop’s commitment to charitable living is the inspiration for Santa Claus.

Each year OKM Music strives to exhibit this same dedication to generosity through its free and re duced price programming and con cert offerings. OKM Music spent over $ 120,000 in 2022 on its Children’s Music Festival, Spooky Strings Concert, 8 Festival Showcase Concerts, Christkindl concerts, Scholarships, and Children’s programming at Christkindl and Oktoberfest – all of which were at no cost to the community.

Participating in the national giving movement, #GivingTues day is yet another way OKM Music spreads kindness and goodwill to the community. Every year, OKM showcases Okla homa-based artists, often featuring homegrown talent, so as to spotlight local musicians and thank them for their contributions to the arts. The 2022 #GivingTuesday concert, entitled “Joy to the Ville”, was a special tribute to Bartlesville music educators and students; highlighting middle school, high school musi cians who devote their lives to mentoring the next generation of young artists and to providing quality music to their audienc es. OKM held an Open House at Ambler Hall on November 29 inviting people to share this magical night by watching the per formances, sipping on hot cocoa and eating Christmas cookies. Donations made on this special day went toward supporting the featured performers and helping fund OKM’s music educa tion programming.

page (https://www.facebook. com/okmfestival) or website (okmmusic.org) on December 6, beginning at 6 pm to gain access to all of these activities. In addition to providing enter tainment, OKM sells and gives away approximately 200 St. Nicholas bags containing musi cal instruments, books, activity booklets, play-doh kits, arts & craft supplies, an orange, candy and other kid-friendly items to children. Each bag is valued at over $75 and sold for $10. Every year, over 70 special St. Nicho las bags are donated to 4th and 5th grade students at the Jane St. Nicholas Bag Instrument Phillips Elementary School. OKM hopes that this act of philanthropy will inspire others to give back.

OKM Music Music Festival, Spooky Christkindl concerts, Scholarships, and Children’s which were at no cost to the community.

OKM’s philanthropic spirit is sustained by the kindness of the community. Through sponsorships, donations and patrons of all ages, OKM remains an integral part of Bartlesville’s Com munity. Bartians can get involved by simply following in the footsteps of St. Nicholas and choosing to give of their time, tal ents and treasures. Volunteerism is a great benefit to OKM as it is the primary way in which OKM events are able to function and run successfully. Volunteers are required for a variety of re sponsibilities so regardless of skill set OKM has a place for ev eryone. Monetary donations are always welcome and necessary to maintain the organization’s existence. OKM relies heavily on its loyal donors to keep music and the arts alive in Bartlesville. If money isn’t an option, consider making an in-kind donation to the organization. Musical instruments, children’s books relating to music, unused office supplies, production equipment, print ing services, and raffle gifts, are just a few different areas where in-kind donations are welcomed.

The Sugar Plum Shoppe and Curiosityan are a new addi tion to OKM Music. The Sugar Plum Shoppe features season al and musical themed gifts. The Curiosityan is a unique store that features peculiar antiquities and gifts. Both are whimsical shops that help support OKM Music. The shop hours are 9am5pm, Monday through Friday. OKM Music invites the commu nity to come shop for special Christmas gifts in person or shop online at https://shopokm.square.site/store.

Participating in the national giving movement, #GivingTuesday kindness and goodwill to the community. Every year, featuring homegrown talent, so as to spotlight local the arts. The 2022 #GivingTuesday concert, entitled music educators and students; highlighting middle to mentoring the next generation of young artists and held an Open House at Ambler Hall on November watching the performances, sipping on hot cocoa and special day went toward supporting the featured performers programming.

St. Nicholas Day, held on December 6, is another free event that is not only community-centered but also youth-specific. Children have the opportunity to experience story time with St. Nicholas as he reads a few of his favorite Christmas books. Tutorials on how to bake traditional German gingerbread cook ies, draw holiday designs, watch videos about St. Nicholas as well as a short movie, and play Christmas tunes on the ukulele and violin will be included in the event. Visit OKM’s Facebook

Support is needed in every form and fashion. Without it, OKM Music and other arts-based organizations, will cease to exist. Such a loss is unimaginable and many times irreversible. The arts provide much needed exposure to different cultural experiences, they increase tourism and relocation attractive ness, and offer a shared experience that unites people within a community. Cities rich in the arts have been consistently linked with having thriving communities, higher property values, bet ter paying jobs and thriving tourism. As such, the arts organi zations are crucial to Bartlesville’s development and continued success.

So this season, please consider giving back to your favorite local arts organizations. Channel your inner St. Nicholas and let your charitable heart shine through. OKM Music hopes you will consider them as a recipient for one of your year-end donations. For more information on how to donate or get involved with OKM Music, call 918-336-9900 or you can visit okmmusic.org.

The Sugar Plum Shoppe to OKM Music. The Sugar and musical themed gifts. that features Both are

The holidays are and brimming with more on giving generosity and goodwill Nicholas. He devoted He gave away his commitment to charitable Each year OKM generosity through offerings.

St. Nicholas at Christkindl Market

Happy Birthday, Pawhuska

Nearby Community Turned 150 Years Old this Year

by Kelly Bland

It seems only fitting before this year comes to an end, to wish the bustling little western county seat of Osage Coun ty a very happy birthday! It was back in 1872 when a Quaker missionary turned U.S. Indian agent from Ohio, Isaac T. Gib son — known as Father Gibson to the Osages, established a permanent agency for the Osage at what is now present-day Pawhuska (formerly known as Deep Ford).

Within a year, traders had established businesses, and by 1875 Pawhuska had its own newspaper — the  Indian Herald. The Year 1876 saw the opening of the post office and by 1907 when Oklahoma became a state, Pawhuska had a population of 2,408.

Looking out past the city limits, the tall grasses surrounding Pawhuska have long been known as excellent for fattening cat tle. In fact, grass leases In Osage County to cattlemen date as far back as 1883 and by 1901 the Osages were leasing out over 700,000 acres to ranchers. In the Killers of the Flower Moon exhibit at the Tall Chief Theater in Fairfax, it is noted that the Osages were considered wealthy long before oil, due the mon ies received from these grazing leases on some of the lushest grass pastures to be found in America.

Pawhuska has long been attracting cattle ranchers and cowboys trailing herds. The present-day colorful culture re flects the richness of the range, the southern smile, and a ro mantic way of life where “yes ma’am” and spurs clinking across hard wood floors are the norm more often than not. The Osage Nation also owns one of the largest ranches in the state now, just west of Pawhuska.

As is the story of most communities, Pawhuska saw its rise and fall of businesses and population through the years with it peaking during the oil boom times, until it finally found itself mostly empty in the early 2000s, just struggling to survive. Ar chitectural statements landscape the streets and tower down from hilltops whispering of wealth from an era gone by.

However, thanks to an entrepreneurial spirit, optimism at its best, history being excavated on film, a ranching family or two investing in their hometown, and an Osage Nation with a vision for community — Pawhuska is once again on the rise. Renovations are roll ing downtown. Old

ISAAC GIBSON, STANDING

relics are being remodeled. Restoration and expansion are the mood of the day — and it seems to be a contagious one, the way it is spreading.

Getting the ball rolling isn’t always the easiest task, but once the momentum kicks in, the rest is like icing a cake — smooth and easy — or at least it should be and could be in a place like Pawhuska where #TheSmilesAreAlwaysFree and where #TheCowboyNeverRidesAway.

At least that’s the way I see it.

Here’s hoping your Sesquicentennial spurs sequential surprises saturated with stupen dous strides of unity that over and abundant ly bless the community! Happy 150th, Pawhus ka, you’re lookin’ good!

Oh, and Merry Christmas too!

Mr. K.I. June’s Postal Elves

Former Postmaster Made History on Several Levels

by Debbie Neece, Bartlesville Area History Museum

Mention the name Kester Isaac June Jr. and few Bartians know who this man was, but reference K.I. June and that is a different story.

West Virginia born in 1919, K.I. June, Jr. made post office history on several levels during his 54 year postal career, including never taking a sick leave day and being the last Presidentially appointed Bartlesville postmaster. The Postal Reorganiza tion Act, signed in 1970, ended Pres idential postmaster appointments; and, since 1971, postmasters have been selected through internal merit advancement.

K.I. was a Bartlesville postal clerk when the postal inspector arrived demanding a balance of the post office vault which consisted of cash, stamps and bonds. Postmaster Christopher asked K.I. to fulfill the request and K.I. produced a to-the-penny balance sheet, proving his worth and allowing him to work up the ladder to assistant postmaster and finally postmaster, October 1968.

His postal career actually began during his WWII military service. Blue eyed, Captain June was a Postal Officer during his European service and received an honorable discharge with a Bronze Star Medal, American Defense Service Ribbon, Amer ican Theater Ribbon, European–African–Middle Eastern Cam paign Medal with 2 Bronze Battle Stars, WWII Victory Medal, and 2 Overseas Service Bars.

In 1943, he married Illinois born Virginia Kathryn Plante, who also served during WWII, in the Women’s Auxiliary Corps; and the couple had three children, Michael, James and Judy. K.I. was instrumental in instilling work ethic in his boys by be ing highly involved in their Tulsa World newspaper route, a job that later gained Mike a college scholarship.

In 1932, the post office opened in the Federal Building at the northeast corner of Fifth Street and Johnstone Avenue. While working at that location, the K.I. June family proudly received their mail at P.O. Box 1 and that prestigious address followed K.I. to the Jen nings post office when it opened in 1966.

In November, 1984, K.I. placed a Santa Mailbox outside the main post of fice where tiny tots on tip py toes reached the handle and deposited their Christ mas letters addressed

A four-year-old Emily Brodie, of Ramona, mailing her letter to Santa.

to Santa Claus c/o the North Pole. And each evening, Santa’s Postal Elves carefully gathered the wishes and delivered them to the Examiner Enterprise newspaper to be published for all to enjoy. Several “littles” even had their photo captured with the Santa Mailbox for the Examiner Enterprise, like four-yearold Emily Brodie of Ramona and K.I. June’s own granddaughter, Jennifer June.

The June family members hold deep military roots as they valiantly served in the Civil War, WWI, WWII and Vietnam. In memory of K.I. June’s WWII service, the James H. Teel Ameri can Legion Post 105 accorded him full military rites as he was laid to rest in Bartlesville’s Memorial Park Cemetery. A bronze military marker with an engraved cross indicates his Christian life and his service to family, friends and the Post Office he loved.

K.I. June’s legacy continues each Christmas as Santa’s Mail box greets youngsters who have Christmas wishes to mail to Santa Claus at the North Pole … in care of Bartlesville’s Postal Elves.

Christmas was Meant for Children

by Rita Thurman Barnes

Our doorbell rang many years ago and I went to the door, followed close on my heels by my unusually curious husband. It was getting dark early by that time, and fortunately for the three little boys at our front door and for our not-so-good eyesight, we had a welllit front courtyard. I could see by the brightly optimistic looks on faces that they had made their way to our front door to sell us something.

The evening was cool compared to the weather we’d been having in the earlier part of that week, so my hus band and I asked the three “wise men” to step inside the door to keep out the cold air while they were giving us their spiel. After introductions all around and proper greetings were exchanged, we asked the three what they were selling. It was candles of all flavors for the benefit of their wrestling association. They had only one sam ple candle for us to sniff, which was of the Christmas variety, and although it did indeed smell Christmas-like, I opted for a Gardenia-scented variety since the candles wouldn’t be deliv ered until a few days before Christmas

We went through the procedure which they outlined for us and after forking over the sum of $12 to a little boy we’d never seen before, he took our money and promised to be back “just in time for Christmas” with my very un-holiday-like candle. The fact remained we didn’t need any more candles yet we bought one for the same reason most of us buy candles and fruit and sausage and chocolate bars this time of year matter — the kids are all just so sweet and they remind us of our own children when they were young, and also of ourselves at their age.

My husband and I got the biggest kick out of listening to the sound of those young children’s voices and we admired the eagerness with which they approached their promotional job. We enjoyed just having that slightly musky aroma pervade the room that is particular to a trio of hurried-up little boys. When you raise sons, those things never leave you and on this cold winter evening we paid $12 to relive a few moments of our own sons’ childhoods and those of ours, as well.

The old song says, “Christmas was meant for children” and I remember singing those words for the first time in high school choir for a Christmas program Dr. Dale Smith’s choir performed for the public. I remember the old College High School audi

torium and the voices of all the choir members as we sang about “children” and how we believed we all were so much older than the children about whom we were singing.

I look back now and realize what children we all really were as we were singing that song at Christ mas in 1965, and at the same time I reflect upon what children we all still are and I understand how true those lyrics re ally were. “Christmas was meant for children, chil dren like you and me with mistletoe and holly and toys upon the tree. A stocking by the chimney and hearts so full of joy; old Santa’s riding through the snow for every girl and boy.

“So, ring out the bells from the steeple o’er the world in its mantle of white. Let the star in the East that led them shine on your tree tonight. Al ways remember the in fant, away in the manger so wee, for Christmas was made in heaven, for chil dren like you and me” ... and for the little boys sell ing candles for their wres tling club at my front door so many years ago.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Richard M. Heyman, Jr.

Highly-Decorated Veteran has Just About Done it All

by Debbie Neece, Bartlesville Area History Museum

“If you’ve done it, it ain’t braggin” and Colonel Rich ard M. “Dick” Heyman Jr. has done a lot…three times.

The Heyman family moved to Bartlesville in 1932 where Dick attended Jeffer son School and achieved his Boy Scouts of America Ea gle Scout Award, the highest merit achievable in the BSA. Eagle Scouts are goal-orient ed leaders and have a high degree of planning skills, all character traits Dick Heyman continued to demonstrate. Bill Conover was the Scout Master of Troop 3 and a most influential man in Dick’s life.

He graduated College High School in 1942; and, on June 2, he answered Uncle Sam’s call to serve in WWII. He received his “wings” at Williams Field in AZ on July 28, 1943 and shortly thereafter, he was flying over Normandy during Operation Overlord, furnishing cover for the invasion operation on D-Day, barely escaping by the hair of his teeth.

In Bartlesville, Dick Heyman’s father operated the Heyman Junk Supply on First Street. After Dick completed his combat flying, his assignment was Base Salvage Officer so, as a joke, he hung a shingle inspired by his Dad’s Bartlesville business, operating the Heyman Supply Company in Korea.

plane not so much, “It’s a good war if it weren’t for the flak,” he said. One thing he missed was “quenching his thirst with cold milk” and the thing he never wanted again was brussel sprout mush.

The military was in his blood so he remained a pilot trainer and spent two tours as a fighter-bomber unit commander during the Kore an Conflict and Vietnam War. His 32 year career as a fight er pilot with the U.S. Army Air Corps ended in retirement May 1974.

Just one kill short of an Ace, Colonel Heyman was a “three-timer” pilot of Mus tang and Lightening fighter planes with over 400 U.S. Air Force combat missions during WWII, Korea and Vietnam with the well-de served awards to prove it:

• Air Medal with 13 oak leaf clusters (2 silver, 3 bronze)

• American Campaign Medal

• Army of Occupation Medal

Back in those days, the local newspaper kept everyone on the home front informed about the war…the good, bad and the really ugly…so Dick’s parents proudly tracked his every move as he moved up the military ranks. His sense of humor never wavered as he wrote home to say he had escaped injury but his

• Distinguished Flying Cross with 3 oak leaf clusters for “ex traordinary achievement and heroism in aerial combat and the destruction of enemy airplanes over enemy occupied continental Europe.”

• Korean Service Medal

• Legion of Merit

• National Defense Service Medal

• Silver Star

• United Nations Service Medal

• World War II Victory Medal

• Croix de Guerre (French)

• Air Force Commendation Medal

• Air Force Longevity Service Award with 6 oak leaf clusters (1 silver, 1 bronze)

• European-African-Middle Eastern Campaign Medal with 4 bronze stars

Now 98 years young, Retired Bird Colonel Richard M. Hey man lives in Oregon with his lovely bride of 62 years, Barba ra Keeling Heyman. He looks backward with a smile and story book full of experiences, but no regrets. He accepts each day as it comes and anticipates a party with his comrades when he takes his last breath. Job well done Colonel Heyman!

The Christmas Truce

by Jay Hastings

During World War I, the German, French, and Dutch sol diers took a series of widespread, unofficial ceasefires along the western front around Christmas 1914.

In early September 1914, French and British troops stopped the German attack through Belgium into France, outside Par is at the First Battle of the Marne. The Germans fell back and both sides began digging trenches. In the Race to the Sea, the two opposing sides made reciprocal outflanking maneuvers and, after several weeks, both sides ran out of room.

As Christmas approached, Pope Benedict XV begged for an official truce between the warring governments. He requested “that the guns may fall silent at least upon the night the angels sang”. His plea, however, was refused by both sides.

One December morning, a British soldier encountered a friendly visit from a German sergeant “to see how they were getting on.” French and German troops had been more hostile towards each other but soon they, too, were beginning to have daily communications on the battlefield.  Other interruptions in combat were forced on both sides by bad weather, especially when trench lines flooded, often lasting well after the weather cleared.

The officers in charge of each military installation were not fond of the inter-military fraternizations and would routinely discourage it. One commander of the 10th Army, Victor d’Urbal, wrote of the “unfortunate consequences” when men “become familiar with their neighbors opposite.”

One explanation for the unique phenomenon was the prox imity of the trench lines, which made it easy for soldiers to shout greetings to each other. The trenches in some areas were only 300 feet from the other side; the area in the middle was considered “no man’s land.”

At the start of the war, the troops had tried to intimidate each other by yelling back and forth, but soon the shouting gave way to the frequent exchange of daily news and greetings. British soldiers reported instances of Germans asking about news from the football leagues, while other conversations were about the weather or messages for a sweetheart. Many Ger man soldiers had previously lived in England, particularly Lon don, and were familiar with the language and the culture. One topic that grew in intensity was music. It was not uncommon for the troops to sing in the evenings, sometimes deliberately towards entertaining or gently taunting their allies. This be came more festive in early December.

So, as Christmas approached, the Germans placed candles on their trenches and on Christmas trees. The German troops then began singing Christmas carols and the British troops re sponded by singing carols of their own. Soon, each side began shouting Christmas greetings to each other. Slowly thereafter, there were excursions across “no man’s land” and they began exchanging small gifts. The troops exchanged items like food, tobacco, and alcohol, and souvenirs, such as buttons and hats. There were even reports of the German troops playing football (soccer) with the British troops.

Eventually, the artillery in the region fell silent. This im promptu truce allowed a breathing spell where recently killed soldiers could be brought back behind their lines by burial par ties. There were even reports of joint services for the fallen.

The truce lasted through Christmas night, continuing un til New Years Day. Many troops wrote home to their families to report on the experience. Soon the news would break of “the Christmas truce” and many articles were printed in newspa pers. Since then, the Christmas Truce of 1914 has been the top ic of several books, movies, and even a few songs.