Singing in America” or SPEBSQSA was incorpor 1938. From the initial handful of warblers, the society grew to more than 2,000 members in North America within the first year.
At the time, the name SPEBSQSA fit well with President Franklin Roosevelt’s alphabet soup of New Deal agencies; however, in 2004,
Edwards. The runners-up were awarded a box of throat lozenges.
One of the rules of the SPEBSQSA was that a quartet could win first place only once, but all is fair in love and competition so, in 1940, the SPEBSQSA National Champion Barflies left on a Santa Fe s national co New York World’s Fair at the personal invitation of NY Mayor LaGuardia; with a quick guest ar st appearance at the Illinois St e Finals in Chicago. Before the day of a television in each home, Bartians ed to KTUL’s radio station to hear the Barflies defend their title. Unfortun ely, the Barflies received second place, but returned to a hero’s celebration at the Osage The where they were each prese ed a Crosley radio-phonograph. They also gained notoriety after being highlig magazine article.
Under Phillips Petroleum sponsorship, the quartet the Phillips 66 Barflies and set out to regain the world’s barbershop title again. Headed to St. Louis, vying for the 1941 SPEBAQSA cham nship, Herman Kaiser, Harry Hall, Bob Durand and lin harmonized their way to first place in the initial elimi tion round, with the play-by-play notes heard over St. Louis radio stations. When the final judgement was announced, the Barflies pla d 3rd in
In 1946, George McC lin moved to McAlester and the Barflies were in search of a tenor replacement. Inquiries were initiated and much to the surprise of the three-legged quartet, McC lin moved to Tulsa and returned to the foursome. Donning the costumes and elabor es from their original 1939 performance, the Barflies continued appearances at conventions, although not competing, belting the musical art form t them
The Barflies performed at Hillcrest Country Club, Kiwanis Picnics at Osage Hills State Park, Frank Phillips Men’s Club, Will Rogers Memorial celebration and more. The Barflies were headliners at the 1946-1950 Junior Chamber of Commerce fundraiser held at the Bartlesville Civic Center titled the Barbershop Quartet Parade which benefited local charitable organizations. The Barflies also made television appearances
well into the 1950s and were included on two Decca
By the Light of the Silvery Moon;
By the Watermelon Vine, Lindy Lou; Just a Dream of You, Dear; When the Harbor Lights Are Burning; and Love Me and the World
Welcome to October friends and the official start of fall. Football is in full swing, and the taste of colder weather will be upon us. For this family, October is a month of looking back at our son Tyler’s life and how his death changed so many. I will talk more on this later in the Upfront.
This month’s feature was written by our historian, Debbie Neece. She talks about how one man’s vision transformed not only this city but the world. She describes the construction of the Phillips Building which stands 19 stories changing the skyline of Bartlesville forever. When you look across America at cities with populations around 37,000, you won’t see a skyline like we have here. Driving back from Pawhuska and coming down the big hill, you can view this beautiful skyline built by two men who had enough money to drill one more oil wellthe Anna Anderson. It hit and hit big! That well started a company called Phillips 66.
On October 9, 2009 our whole world changed. I’m writing this Upfront at 11:30pm on September 19, 2024 which from today is 14 years, 11 months and 10 days ago from that awful day. If you want to go by the hours and minutes from that day to tonight, it is 131,014 hours and 7,860,866 minutes. That day was not a normal day because it was homecoming week. Tyler was dressed up as a nerd since it was “nerd day” at school. That day Tyler had an accident. His Jeep had gone off the road at the curve by the high school. As Tyler stood by his car waving at everyone, one of our friends stopped to help Tyler get his car out of the ditch in the middle of pouring rain. Our friend called Christy to let her know what had happened and that Tyler was just fine. Christy and our 3 year old daughter, Grace, jumped into her van to get Tyler. As she pulled up to Tyler, there he was waving like a Rock Star on the side of the road. Tyler had the biggest smileas he always did. What happened next is that the three of them were able to spend time together and grab lunch. This was not normal, but God knew and was not surprised as the day continued. Tyler was supposed to be at work at Colaw Fitness, but he did not want to miss the homecoming parade. He asked a coworker to work for him. The coworker agreed and was on his way from
Skiatook. The parade was canceled 45 minutes later due to rain, so Tyler called the coworker to say that he could work. His coworker was 10 minutes away, so Tyler came home.
This was October, so Tyler and his friends were going duck hunting that weekend. I had just gotten home from work at the Wal-Mart Distribution Center. I always took a nap after work before going to the gym. As I lay there asleep, Tyler walked in and said in a whisper - which Tyler never whispered - “Hey Keith, can I borrow some money for gas?” I turned over and told him there was $2.87 on the shelf. As he walked out of our bedroom, he said “Thanks Keith…see you later.” Those were the last words he spoke to me. Just a little over an hour later, Christy walked into the room on her cell phone. She said the words that still bring me to my knees…she said…”WHAT DO YOU MEAN TYLER’S BEEN SHOT?” From that single moment in time our lives have never been the same.
Tyler was accidentally shot at his best friend’s house and died instantly. On September 2nd Tyler turned 17. He and his younger brother James made the high school baseball team. For the first time Christy was going to be able to watch them play the game they both loved together.
Days, months, and the first few years after his death were rough. I had always been able to fix things for Christy…but I could not fix this for her. I was two years out of my horrible addiction, and then we lost Tyler. He was the backbone of our six other kids and made everyone laugh…I mean laugh. I can not close my eyes today and not see Tyler’s big smile and hear his big laugh. For the last 15 years we have spent many, many hours at his gravesite. Christy sitting right in front of his gravestone for hours. Not one word said, but as I look at her I believe in that moment that there are visiting hours for heaven. I see it on her face and feel his presence.
Tyler Teague
Love the ones you have in front of you because one day you may not be able to and maybe you will get that glimpse of splendor in “heavens visiting hours”. God bless, Love and miss you Tyler! Keith
Volume XV Issue X
Bartlesville Monthly Magazine is published by
New office located in B The Light Mission 219 N Virginia Avenue, Bartlesville, OK 74003
Publisher Brian Engel brian@bartlesvillemonthly.com
Graphics Engel Publishing Matt@engelpublishing.com
Director of Sales & Marketing Keith McPhail keith@bartlesvillemonthly.com
Community Liaison
Christy McPhail christy@bartlesvillemonthly.com
Project Manager
Andrea Whitchurch andrea@bartlesvillemonthly.com
Administration Shelley Greene Stewart
Delivery and Distribution
Tim Hudson Calendar/Social Media calendar@bartlesvillemonthly.com
Contributing
Writers
Debbie Neece, Kay Little, Kelly Hurd, Aaron Kirkpatrick, Jay Hastings, Darin Martin, Brent Taylor, Keith McPhail, Jay Webster, Abigail SIngrey, Josh Wright, Mike Tupa, Maria Gus, Lori Just, Miriam Walker
Contributing Photographers
Bartlesville Area History Museum
Westside Community Center
Michael Louthan, Kristin Kurd Kids Calendar
Jessica Smith
ABOUT THE COVER
Michael Louthan is a Bartlesville native, graduate of Sooner High School (1971), Phillips University (1975), world traveler and photographer extraordinaire.
Creative concept by Keith and Christy McPhail
Design by Engel Publishing
Police Chief Kevin Ickleberry
by Lori Just
The recently promoted police chief of Bartlesville Police Department (BPD), Chief Kevin Ickleberry, has always harbored a deep-seated passion for his community. Born and raised here, his lifelong connection to the area has fueled his unwavering commitment to making Bartlesville a safer and better place. Under his leadership, Bartlesville can look forward to a future where trust between law enforcement and the community is strengthened, and the well-being of all citizens is a top priority.
He attended Jefferson Elementary, Central Junior High, and College High Schools. He began his law enforcement career as a Bartlesville Police Reserve Officer while managing Mr. Limey’s Fish & Chips. He worked with and for Joyce Thurman since he was 15 years old. Both Joyce and former Sheriff, Pat Ballard, were instrumental to him in pursuing a career in law enforcement.
“Anyone that knows me, especially in law enforcement, knows that I worked at Limey’s,” he laughed. “And Pat moved next door to me on Seneca when I was 7. He was my new neighbor and just became police officer after he went away to the academy. My parents would babysit his little girl.
When he turned 15, he started working as dishwasher at Mr. Limey’s then to being a manager. Joyce and her husband, Virgil, became like his second parents. He earned both his associate degree and bachelor’s degree from Oklahoma Wesleyan University. Between Joyce and Pat, in 1989, he was encouraged into becoming a Reserve Police Officer at BPD which he did for five years before becoming a Washington County Deputy for the former Sheriff Pat Ballard.
“He was a fabulous and supportive boss,” he reflected.
Additionally, he graduated from the Oklahoma State Reserve Police Academy and the Oklahoma State Basic Peace Officers Academy. He also completed the 146th Administrative Officers Course at the Southern Police Institute at the University of Louisville in Kentucky. After a year as a deputy, Chief Ickleberry decided it was time to go back to the BPD in December 1995 because they had better hours, benefits and manpower at the time.
“I went to Pat and told him ‘I want to go back to the City of Bartlesville, but you gave me this opportunity, and I can’t go without your blessing,’” he said. “And Pat said ‘there are only two options either I fire you or you quit.’ He knew the difference and supported me. We continued to stay close over the years. Forty years later, he was present when I was sworn in as Bartlesville Police Chief. Joyce was also there even though she is in her late 80s and still like my mom.”
Throughout the years, he has served as a patrolman, detective, sergeant, lieutenant, captain, deputy chief and now chief. Each rank promotion involved changes of duties and
brought increased responsibilities.
“One of my favorite things to do as a patrolman was to stop by school bus stops and give the kids a donut.,” he shared. “It was interesting the first couple of times, but then the kids came to expect it.”
As a detective, he found the work challenging and worked every type of case possible. He was even assigned to a 20-yearold cold homicide case from 1983 where a 28-year-old black female was murdered, and it went unsolved. A man came into BPD claiming he knew who did it so the case was re-opened.
“At the time of the case, there was no DNA type testing, but there was collection of evidence,” he explained. “I went to the evidence room and submitted the DNA that was collected back then. We got the results and had profile on it. I went back through that case and re-interviewing witnesses. I had built a suspect that was the victim’s distant cousin but couldn’t connect. I was able to find him in Texas and got a warrant and picked him up in Dallas and he was brought back to Bartlesville. We did a search warrant and ran his DNA against, and it was a match. I had to prove it wasn’t just a fact that they had relations, but he had murdered her. I was able to place him in the house from photographic evidence. With the help of the then prosecutors, Scott Julian and Rick Esser, we went to trial in 2003 and he was convicted and now serving a life sentence in Hominy.
“ You work something like that and it’s hard to find a case to top that,” he said. “It was a good case to learn on and experience. I’ll never forget it and was glad I could get closure for the family. It was very satisfying. “
He ended up getting the Officer of the Year award in 2004 from that case. He gained a vast amount of experience and knowledge while in the detective division by working armed robberies, missing persons, aggravated assaults, suicides, homicides, frauds and any felony crime reported. I was privileged to work with many great officers and mentors, such as Rick Silver, Jay Hastings, Bob Newman, Mike Woods, Tim Shively, Scott Owens and “many, many more.”
As a sergeant, he was honored to work for Captain Bob Newman and Lieutenant Jay Hastings in the Detective division, where he served for 12 years, and became a lieutenant working for Captain Hastings. When Captain Richardson retired from
the services division, he was moved to the services division where he supervised 911 Dispatch, hiring, training and the Special Operations Team.
“I joined the Special Operations Team as a Crisis Negotiator working under Sergeant Tim Shively and Sergeant Steve Gardella,” he said. “I then became a member of the entry team as well and after the retirement of Shively and Captain Scott Owen, I served as the Team Commander until I retired after 20 years on the team in 2019.”
While he was the SWAT commander, he met his wife because someone didn’t have the key to their training site.
“ We were getting ready to start our training drills at the then Mid-High School,” he said. “At the time, Owen had the key for the building but couldn’t find it. So, they called the Director of Health and Safety for Bartlesville Public Schools which was my future wife Kerry. After the training, I wanted to thank her for borrowing the key. She started telling me about a grant she was working on for more safety at the schools and needed an officer to help with that. And I said, ‘well, let me know what that looks like and I can help out.’ So that’s how we met. We then hit it off. One thing led to another. We fell in love, and we got married in 2009.”
He was promoted to Captain by Chief Tracy Roles, served as Captain over the training division, special operations division and administrative service, Chief Role’s later appointed him to Deputy Chief of the Administrative Division of the police department.
“After Chief Roles was appointed as the Bartlesville Assistant City Manager, I applied for his vacated Chief of Police position and was appointed in June 2023,” he said.
Under this leadership, the BPD administrative staff is working hard to continue to build the trust of the citizens of Bartlesville. In the last year we have held many community events, from Fentanyl Forums, Homeless Forums and Mental Health Forums. They have also joined with Tri County Technology Center and just graduated their first Basic Peace Officers Course in September.
BPD has recently added patrol bicycles and a mini-truck to their department to assist with making the parks and Bartlesville Pathfinder safe by adding officers to work the Parks District.
“ We are focused on officer wellness as a main goal,” he said. “I believe by encouraging and providing a way for our officers to keep their physical and mental health taken care of they will be better officers, spouses and parents.”
This year, they added a weight room to their substation and bi-annual wellness visits for the BPD employees, along with growing our peer support group, and adding an additional police Chaplin to their Chaplin Corp. They also provide fitness instructor to help officer with their physical fitness.
BPD also added a Crisis Intervention Response Team to assist the citizens and beginning working to find a solution for our unsheltered/ homeless problem within the community, we
have recently received a grant to help grew the program and focus on housing and drug rehab.
Back in 2012, Chief Ickleberry and his wife were instrumental in getting the School Resource Officer (SRO) program off the ground. He said this was due with the forward thinking and help of Superintendent Chuck McCauley, Bartlesville Public Schools Foundation Executive Director Blair Ellis and City Manager Mike Bailey. The program has grown now to have 11 SROs to be at each of the area schools.
“My wife and I have the same passion which is obvious in our roles in the community,” he said. “She is very strong on safety at the school and trusted. We love this community and do what we can to make it a better place.”
He said they train constantly so if anything happens, they can handle the problem as it unfolds instead of playing catch up. The SROs are sent to national trainings and active shooter trainings so they can be the best first responders on the front lines. Kevin Lynch, of ReMax, has worked through the Stand1st non-profit and provided each SRO with a ballistic shield. Project Liberty provided them each with trauma packs.
“ We are making every effort to provide a safe atmosphere to learn and building relationships with the kids,” he said. “Their main job is to protect school staff, students, parents and anyone on campus from an emergency. Most of these kids, by the time they graduate, know them all and have established relationships with them. A lot of the SRO’s are unsure about being an SRO when they are first assigned to the position because they want to be on the streets fighting crime, but then they make those connections within the school and it changes their lives. They get appreciated and loved on every day.”
When asked what he does when he’s off the clock, he chuckled and exclaimed, “what is that?” However, he confided that for 27 years, he played in a country band, Distant Thunder, along with Sheriff Scott Owen and the late Judge Steve Conatser.
“ We played all kinds of places like street parties, Sunfest and Oklahoma Indian Summer,” he said. “We were just a cover band that played old and new country and old rock ‘n roll. We made a lot of good friends over the years, and it was a good way for us to blow off steam.”
For the last ten years, he’s shared his talent on vocals and rhythm guitar as the worship leader at First Baptist of Ochelata. He said he enjoys singing and playing music as a hobby. Kerry and Kevin have three daughters, Leasha, Madison (husband Jason) and Isabella all born, raised and living in Bartlesville. He enjoys fishing on their pond with their bonus son, Ty, and one new grandson, Tripp. As far as looking toward the future and retirement, he said he’s having too much fun to think of that.
“I am excited about the future as we research new and better ways to improve our service to the citizens of Bartlesville,” he said. “I am very proud to work for the finest police officers and citizens in the State of Oklahoma.”
In Pursuit of an Oilman’s Legacy
by Debbie Neece
Risk takers, Frank and brother Lee Eldas Phillips arrived at Bartlesville, I.T. in 1903 and were quickly entangled in the oil boom. However, they were playing with some big boys in oil development and had failed miserably. Faced with defeat and the prospect of returning to Iowa broke, they had enough money for one more drilling attempt and an eight-year-old full-blood Delaware girl became their saving grace.
Anna Anderson was living with her aunt and uncle in extreme northwest Washington County when the Phillips brothers came knocking. It was on Anna Anderson’s Indian allotment that
Frank and L.E. brought in their first of 80 successfully productive gushers; the Anna Anderson #1 “saved their bacon” and paved the way for one of the most prosperous and well recognized oil companies in the world, the Phillips Petroleum Company.
As oil money began to flow into Indian Territory, the first Bartlesville City Directory recorded 119 oil and gas companies operating in 1907. Among the oil companies were Anchor Oil and Gas, Highland Oil Company, Janenora Land and Oil Company, Lewcinda Oil Company and Meredith Oil Company, all of which Frank and L.E. Phillips served as executives.
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, stuffing a mattress or burying the cash in a tin can in the backyard and hope someone remembers where it’s buried. 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 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 Street with Frank Phillips as President and L.E. Phillips as Cashier. That year, Frank Phillips’ mansion was built on Cherokee Avenue.
The well maintained, three-story with basement, neoclassical style home of Frank and Jane Phillips at 1107 SE Cherokee Avenue was designed by Architects Walter Everman, Edward
The Anna Anderson well with L.E. Phillips, Phil Phillips, and Frank Phillips.
Delk and Arthur Gorman. The home was listed on the National Registry of Historic Places in 1974 and revised in 2008. After the deaths of Frank and Jane, the Phillips’ home was placed in the care of the Oklahoma Historical Society (1973-2018) and is now in the care of the Frank Phillips Foundation who also “assures the operation and preservation” of the Woolaroc Museum.
In June of 1917, Phillips Petroleum Company was incorporated and headquartered in Bartlesville on the second floor of the original Citizens Bank and Trust building and, through the 1920s, expanded their operations to produce and market gasoline, chemicals, aviation fuel and natural gas.
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 Street and Johnstone Avenue with occupancy in 1915; Frank Bucher served as President. April 30, 1920, with Frank Phillips at the helm, Frank and L.E.’s Bartlesville National Bank bought the First National Bank OF Bartlesville and became the newly merged First National Bank IN Bartlesville moving their bank to the Fourth and Johnstone building. Frank Phillips retained the presidency until 1928, but continued as Chairman of the Board. This six-story building also became the office building for Phillips Petroleum Company. Directly across 4th Street to the south, the Maire/Burlingame Hotel conveniently housed Frank’s overnight business guests.
The 1920s brought a huge building boom for Bartlesville, in homes and business buildings. In need of additional office space, in 1925, Frank Phillips commissioned a 60’x140’, seven-
story building, to compliment the bank building, built just west of his bank along Fourth Street. Two framed dwellings at the corner of Fourth and Keeler Avenue were relocated west of the railroad tracks on Third Street to serve as a family dwellings and Hamilton Construction began excavation April 1926. The building was completed in 1927 with a price tag of half a million
dollars and boasted of elevators, boardrooms and a mahoganypaneled office for Frank Phillips. Sitting in his cigar smoke filled executive office, overlooking 4th Street, it has been said Frank often seethed that he was looking upon a Cities Service Gasoline Station at 4th and Keeler Avenue and not a Phillips 66 Gas Station. As added pain, Cities Service occupied that corner from 1924-1956, when a 66 Station finally took over the corner 1957-1961. Unfortunately, Frank Phillips died in 1950 and never got to see that transition.
The company’s vision of grandeur was not quite grand enough and before the final brick was laid on the seventh floor of the new office building, plans were being drawn for an eighth floor to be added. The original seven-story building plan called for a full basement, first-floor modern theater, the second-floor access to the bank building, Legal and Land Departments on the sixth floor, and the seventh floor was home of luxurious executive offices with magnificent workmanship. Unfortunately, the theater was vetoed by company executives.
excavation and foundation prep, and Keene and Simpson of Kansas City were the architects. Today, the original fourteenstory Phillips Tower is all that remains after the construction of the Plaza Office Building built in 1986.
Phillips Petroleum Company established their first service station at Wichita, KS, November 19, 1927.
Phillips Petroleum Company was evolving and pioneering. In 1920, Phillips developed a process for extracting hydro-carbon liquids from natural gas streams; 1940, developed the process for producing carbon black from low grade oil; 1942, discovered the process for manufacturing tire-type synthetic rubber from butane and discovered the process of HF alkylation for upgrading octane ratings of motor fuels; 1948, developed the Hexane Isomerization process utilizing aluminum chloride catalyst; 1951 received the Chemical Engineering Award for pioneering work with cold rubber production; and so much more. This growth required the construction of the Phillips 66 Research Center in Bartlesville. Although it paled in comparison to its current footprint, the Phillips Research Center’s community open house was held April 13-14, 1957, showing the public the Chemical Laboratories and Sales Service Laboratory and research center grounds.
Bartlesville was the “nerve center” of the vast Phillips organization and employment opportunities grew quickly. Five years later, in 1930, the 219-foot tall, fourteen-story, art deco style, Phillips Tower was completed at 310 S. Keeler Avenue with Keene and Simpson of Kansas City as architects. At that time, an eighth-story was added to the seven-story building and a second 10-story tower was added to the Phillips Building complex. Did you know there were two towers? Rucks-Brandt of Tulsa were contractors, Hamilton Construction cared for the
The Company encouraged discovery and patents. By accident, two men mixed ethylene and propylene and discovered plastics which have changed the world; brought us the Hula-Hoop and now we use this plastic in every aspect of daily life. Today, Phillips R&D has approximately 1 million square feet under roof, filled with scientists and engineers, researching for answers to “why’ questions, creating patents and changing the world.
Frank Phillips was not all business and no play. Although he traveled extensively for business, his entrepreneurial
spirit was closely matched by his philanthropy. There was a reason Bartians called him “Uncle Frank.” Frank appreciated Bartlesville and paid it forward. Adults who were children of that era still tell stories of free Barnum & Bailey Circus tickets for children and a silver dollar with a bag of fruit and candy at Christmas. November 1939, on the occasion of Frank’s sixtysixth birthday, the community was heavily involved in a citywide celebration with a parade and festivities throughout the city.
One of the greatest amateur basketball teams of all time started in Bartlesville with the support of Frank Phillips. From 1920 to 1968, the Phillips 66ers chalked up 1,543 wins against 271 losses, won two Olympic trial championships and 11 Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) titles, produced 39 AAU All-Americans and 21 AAU Hall of Famers, and yielded four company presidents.
On August 16, 1927, stunt flyer and daredevil, Art Goebel piloted the single engine prop plane named the Woolaroc to win the Dole Air Race from Oakland, California, to Hawaii with the support of Frank Phillips. His win brought press attention to Phillips Petroleum Company and Phillips’ aviation fuel. The plane is now on exhibit at the Woolaroc Museum. Frank Phillips also supported Wiley Post in his test flights into the stratosphere.
Billy Parker was a young pilot with aviation fuel ideas, which he presented to Phillips Petroleum Company. In 1927, Phillips hired Billy Parker to serve as the manager of Phillips Petroleum’s aviation fuels division. With Parker’s help, Phillips Petroleum Company was among the first to develop superoctane fuels. Parker was a legend in the air and held a 39-year
From the 1950s through the 1960s, Phillips Petroleum Company had a serious spurt of building growth which greatly expanded and markedly changed the streetscape of downtown Bartlesville. K.S. “Boots” Adams began his illustrious career at Phillips Petroleum Company as a warehouse clerk and work his way up the corporate ladder to become the president of the company in 1938, at just 38 years of age. In 1948, the westside of the 400 block of Keeler Avenue was cleared of homes to allow construction of the 12-story Adams Building with a basement and small penthouse at 411 S. Keeler Ave. The 192-foot-tall building offered office space and recreational opportunities for Phillips employees like a swimming pool, bowling alleys in the basement, fitness center and an auditorium/gymnasium which offered space for Christmas parties, graduations, Phillips 66er basketball games, gymnastic events and more. The Manhattan Construction Company completed the modern building in 1950, implementing the architectural designs of Neville, Sharp and Simon.
As quoted from Scott Perkins, former Price Tower Arts Center curator of collections and exhibitions and author of ‘Building Bartlesville: 1945-2000,’ “the 390,000 square foot, brick blockhouse, Adams Building was named for former Chief Executive K.S. “Boots” Adams and allowed Phillips Petroleum to consolidate employees from 35 buildings across the city.”
In 1962, two major construction projects began on the east side of the 400 block of Keeler Avenue…the First National Bank building (121 W. Fourth Street) and the 19-story, 292 ft tall, 119 ft square, Phillips office building (420 S. Keeler Avenue) both completed in 1964.
Company, of New York City. A subsurface pedestrian tunnel system connects the Phillips parking lot, just west of the railroad
tracks, with each of the Phillips, and later ConocoPhillips, buildings allowing underground employee access to all company buildings and a walking track.
In short order, a high wooden fence surrounded the work area for pedestrian safety and excavation began, moving 135 loads of dirt and shale from the dig site. Pavement along 4th Street and Keeler Avenue had to be compromised in order to link the pedestrian tunnel system to the buildings which greatly disrupted traffic in the downtown area.
Sharply decorated in white marble and teakwood furnishings, the new First National Bank greeted thousands of guests for its May 9-10, 1964 grand opening with dignitaries treated to a Saturday evening celebration at Hillcrest Country Club. The two-story and full basement bank, and 19-story Phillips Building were separated by an open-air plaza with First National’s Motor Bank at the corner of Fifth Street and Keeler Avenue offering three drive-thru teller units connected to the main bank with telecommunications and pneumatic transaction tubes. The multi-million-dollar bank project also incorporated an escalator for easy access to the lower-level tunnel system and other banking facilities. First National later became Westar Bank.
In speaking of the Phillips Building, the architect stated, “The building was designed as a single clean shaft soaring 292 feet into the Bartlesville skyline, to portray strength, basic simplicity, and elegance. The first-floor base is recessed and glass enclosed in order to extend the plaza into the building and make the structure appear open and inviting. Where the walls are set in at the first level, the structural columns become free-standing.” I don’t know about you but for a few minutes, I felt like Frank Lloyd Wright was speaking to us.
Once the new First National Bank building was complete and dedicated, Central States Investment Company of Bartlesville purchased the building at 327 S. Johnstone Avenue, northwest corner of 4th Street and Johnstone Avenue. And who was the executive officer of Central States Investment? William Hensley went to work for Phillips Petroleum Company in 1924, served as a Comptroller in 1938 and later retired in 1956. He was elected Mayor of Bartlesville in 1955 and served in that capacity for 18 years. Small world, right? In addition, Mayor Hensley was a strong proponent of Bartlesville’s Pathfinder Parkway System and to his honor, First Street was renamed Hensley Blvd.
The Phillips Petroleum Company executives with Boots Adams, seated.
effective March 1969.
From the first shovel turn of earth to turning over the keys, Frank Griggs was a constant at the 19-story Phillips building and First National Bank building construction sites. He captured the earth moving, tunnel construction and floor by floor excitement of the buildings rising from where the Thompson’s 66 gas station, an apartment building and the Burlingame Hotel Annex once stood. Frank Griggs trained with George Eastman of Eastman Kodak Camera Company who told Frank to go west. So, Frank came to Bartlesville in 1908 with a quarter in his pocket. He befriended local photographer Oscar Drum and the pair captured images of all things Washington and Osage County and detailed the rapid growth of this little town on the prairie.
Griggs’ camera lens was not the only prying eye…Bartians often remarked about strange fixtures staged in a parking lot near the construction site. The mystery structures were precast concrete, tinted glass windows, weighing two-tons each. According to the architect, approximately 1,900 of the oddlooking windows would be installed into the building. The Bartlesville Examiner Enterprise also kept an eagle eye and reported almost weekly on the progress of the steel framing inching closer and close to the sky. As the weather turned, plastic sheeting covered the exterior of the framed building to protect the workers from the elements and kept the project on schedule. When the construction reached the 19th floor, the structure was completely covered in plastic sheeting and Bartians waited
impatiently to see the structure unwrapped as if a gift awaited them.
In 1948, the City of Bartlesville’s airway obstruction beacon was place on the top of the Phillips Tower. In 1963, a helicopter lassoed the 36-inch beacon and carried it airborne a half-block to the top of the under-construction Phillips office building penthouse, as the new building was 90-feet taller.
In October 1963, the local newspaper made note that the electricians were installing ceiling lights, carpeting was placed in 15 of the 19 floors, and office furniture was moving into the lower floors. By December, the reports were that nine floors of the new building were occupied. And, by November, the protective fence around the bank building was removed; not that the work was complete, but to allow onlookers a better view.
In need of additional office space, in 1970 Phillips Petroleum Company renovated and occupied the Burlingame Hotel as the Phillips Annex. The H.C. Price Company sold the 19-story Price Tower to Phillips Petroleum in 1981 following the Price Company’s move to Dallas. Phillips Petroleum only used the building as storage. They retained ownership until 2000, when the building was donated to Price Tower Arts Center. But in their wake, Phillips Petroleum employees were good stewards of the properties they cared for and left their surroundings improved.
My neighbor, Sandy Shaw, was a notable longtime Phillips employee who devoted years of service working in the Executive Dining Room, Executive Suites, and later in the Executive Barber Shop of the 19-story PPCO building. Sandy began her career under the direction of the contracting agency Sodexo, then she became employed by Phillips Petroleum Company and ConocoPhillips. She served all executives from company presidents K.S. “Boots” Adams to James Mulva and retired in 2002 as a highly regarded employee.
During the 1980s, Phillips Petroleum was challenged by the likes of T. Boone Pickens, Jr. and Carl Icahn in takeover attempts. However, the leadership of
Phillips stood tenaciously firm against the wolves and emerged stronger than the storm that tried to destroy the oil icon. Sure, Phillips’ corporate debt nearly tripped but restructuring brought the company to solid ground and allowed great expansion in international markets. In the 1990s, Phillips entered agreements with China to produce polyethylene plastic and Marlex.
In 1934, Lee Eldas Phillips resigned noting health issues but continued to be active in travel, agricultural interests and civic service. He died at Bartlesville on April 16, 1944 and rests in Bartlesville’s Memorial Park Cemetery. In 1938, Frank Phillips handed the reigns of Phillips Petroleum Company to Kenneth Stanley “Boots” Adams who had served as Frank’s assistant since 1932. Frank continued to serve as senior officer and chairman of the board until he retired in 1949. Frank Freeman Phillips died August 23, 1950 and now rests in the Phillips Family Mausoleum at Woolaroc. Boots Adams carried the title of chief executive officer until his retirement April 1964. Kenneth Stanley Adams died March 30, 1975 and rests at Memorial Park Cemetery in Bartlesville.
The legacy of the Frank Phillips family has been firmly rooted in Washington and Osage Counties. Frank Phillips became a wealthy man and his heart was dedicated to preserving what he worked to develop. In 1937, the Frank Phillips Foundation was founded by Frank and Jane Phillips with just that purpose. Today, that legacy continues to live well passed their earthly presence, in the care of the Frank Phillips Foundation Board who superbly maintains two of Frank’s treasures…the Frank Phillips Historic Home and the Woolaroc Museum and Wildlife Preserve.
Locally, the lives of Frank and Jane have been greatly memorialized. The first chapter of the Jane Phillips Sorority was organized in Kansas City in 1937. The Bartlesville Chapter organized the Jane Phillips Credit Union in January 1939 and
their Credit Union has grown to become the Truity Credit Union, open to all. “Aunt Jane” was honored by the Oklahoma Hall of Fame with her induction into the Class of 1938. On September 27, 1951, Third Street was renamed and dedicated as Frank Phillips Blvd. in honor of “Uncle Frank.” In June 1952, the Phillips Apartment/Hotel was completed; currently called the Apartments at Hotel Phillips at 821 S. Johnstone Avenue. On November 15, 1952, the Jane Phillips Hospital was dedicated; currently called Ascension St. John Jane Phillips Medical Center. And the Jane Phillips housing addition and Jane Phillips school were named after “Aunt Jane.”
By March 1931, Frank Phillips had drilled hundreds of wells on Osage Tribal land, helped bring fortune to the Osage people and Chief Fred Lookout was appreciative. In an unprecedented event, Chief Lookout adopted Frank Phillips into the Osage tribe as Chief Hulah Kihekah (Eagle Chief). Clad in tribal regalia, before the Osage Tribal Council and a hundred or more spectators, Chief Lookout presented Frank with a large parchment scroll granting him full tribal rights, except property ownership.
In the 1931 words of famed Oklahoma humorist, Will Rogers, “The Osages was always the smartest Indians in America. Now they show it again. There is 120 million white men and they picked out the best one in the whole bunch to make him an Indian. Best regards from the Renegade Cherokee – Will Rogers.”
In 2000, Frank Phillips was posthumously listed as one of the Fifty Most Influential Oklahomans of the Century by Oklahoma Today Magazine. And locally, the city of Bartlesville has greatly benefitted financially and structurally with city blocks of skyscraper buildings. Frank Phillips carried the respect of all who met him. I would say that is quite a legacy for an oilman who almost went home broke.
Around Town with Edgar Weston
by Debbie Neece
Welcome Back…Our next stop on Johnstone Avenue is the Young Women’s Christian Association at 411 Johnstone Avenue.
The “better halves” of Bartlesville’s “movers and shakers” were a group a tenacious forward-thinking ladies who refused to respect the word “defeat.” In the fall of 1921, they gathered to form the Bartlesville Young Women’s Christian Association Club and met with the National Y.W.C.A. from New York to hammer out the details. The first year, the group met in the basement of the Y.M.C.A. at the northwest corner of 5th Street and Johnstone Avenue.
During that timeframe, the 400 block of South Johnstone was a “Mayberry” setting, lined with homes and businesses. In 1925, the Y.W.C.A. established their first home in a small cottage-style home at 416 S. Johnstone, referred to as “The Little House,” now the location of the Washington County Courthouse at the northeast corner of 5th and Johnstone.
The Y.W.C.A. quickly out grew The Little House and, in 1927, they made arrangements to move across the street to a much larger two-story home at 411 S. Johnstone, surrounded by the Y.M.C.A to the south and the Griggs Photography Studio and Hotel Maire to the north. This home was once the original residence of Mary Journeycake Armstrong with a gingerbread accented front porch.
The Y.W.C.A. was mostly volunteer-operated, women standing for the needs of women and their families. They provided counseling, child care, etiquette and educational classes, fitness training, arts and crafts, recreation for women and youth, and medical care; but most importantly, the Y.W. offered a community service that developed leadership skills.
By 1945, the need for a new building was apparent. The initial capital campaign was executed in April, followed by a second campaign in 1948. The architectural firm of Neville, Sharp and Simon was commissioned to design the building late 1948. The
construction cost was estimated at $110,000 and the Y.W.C.A. signed a 99-year lease on the land. Frank Phillips donated $50,000 to the building campaign with other donations completing the fund. Later that year, the wooden building was razed and the ground breaking ceremony took place on January 17, 1949 for the twostory brick building. One year later, January 15, 1950, a formal grand opening reception welcomed the community to the new facility.
Each November the Y-Market was a local pre-Christmas shopping “must” for one of a kind crafty gifts; followed by Cookies N’ Claus in December for the children. Y.W. programs included the Mutual Girls Club, Mother’s Day Out, Mutual Teen Mothers, Young Actors theater performers, Y-Teens and more.
In 2002, after 81 years of community service, the waning membership forced the closure of Bartlesville’s Y.W.C.A. The brick building at 411 S. Johnstone, which served as the Y.W.C.A.’s fiftyyear home, was listed for sale and the Y.W. moved to small offices in the Y.M.C.A. to complete their business. The building was demolished in 2003 and the property is now the parking lot for the City of Bartlesville.
To Be Continued…
OCTOBER CALENDAR SPONSORED BY
OKWU Men’s Soccer vs Kansas Wesleyan
4PM; OKWU Soccer fields
Bruin JV Volleyball vs Muskogee
5:30PM; Bruin Fieldhouse
Bruin Varsity Volleyball vs Muskogee
6:30PM; Bruin Fieldhouse
Bruin Mile
4:30pm (3rd and under Girls)
4:45pm (3rd and under Boys)
5:00pm (4th/5th grade Girls)
5:15pm (4th/5th grade Boys)
Sooner Park
OKWU Soccer vs Avila University
5PM; OKWU Soccer fields (w)
7:30PM; OKWU Soccer fields (m)
OKWU Alumni Golf
Scramble
12PM; Adams Golf Course
Bruin Varsity Football vs Sapulpa
7PM; Custer Stadium
ARF’s Paws in the Park
10AM; Adams Lake
OKWU Soccer vs Sterling College
1PM; OKWU Soccer fields (w)
3:30PM; OKWU Soccer fields (m)
Community Fest
1 2 5 17 19 23 25 26 16 12 15 16 9 4 5
Triple 7 Car Show hosted by Curts Auto Glass
4PM; The Center
5PM; Unit Square
OKWU Women’s Soccer vs Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
The Center, 300 SE Adams Blvd. Event runs through Sunday
Mon, Oct 14
11:30 AM
Red Cross Blood Drive
Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S. Johnstone
Tues, Oct 15
6:00 PM
Downtown Ghost Walk
Downtown Bartlesville starting at The The Center Event runs through October 16.
Fri, Oct 18
5:45 PM
Furry Fright BINGO Night
Washington County Fairgrounds, 1109 N Delaware St.,Dewey.
Sat, Oct 19
8:00 AM
Run the Streets Woolaroc Woolaroc, 13 miles SW of Bartlesville.
7:30 PM
Irresistable Piano Presented by Bartlesville Symphony Orchestra
Bartlesville Community Center, 300 SE Adams Blvd, Bartlesville
6:00 PM
Washington County Residents Community Baby Shower
Delaware Tribe of Indians, Forsythe Hall, 5100 Tuxedo Blvd.
Fri, Oct 25
5:30 PM
Spooktacular
Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S. Johnstone
9:00 PM
The Rocky Horror Picture Show
Bartlesville Community Center, 300 SE Adams Blvd, Bartlesville
Sat Oct 26
10:00 AM
Teton Trade Cloth Fashion Show and Art Market
The Center, 300 SE Adams Blvd., Bartlesville
2:00 PM
Pumpkin Decorating at the Frank Phillips Home
Frank Phillips Home, 1107 Cherokee
Thurs Oct 31
6:00 PM
Trick or Treat at the Frank Phillips Home
Frank Phillips Home, 1107 S. Cherokee Ave.
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What
Bartlesville’s Harmonizing Barbershoppers
by Debbie Neece & the Bartlesville Area History Museum
Barbershop harmony was rooted in late 1800s AfricanAmerican folksong and gospel traditions. By the 1920s, barbershop music had begun to wain; but the 1930s brought a quartet revival and Bartlesville stepped forward to make harmonizing history.
In 1937, the Bartlesville American Legion elected to present a show of satire, song and dance. New in town, a wiry Englishman by the name of Harry Hall had produced such enter tainment in Pawhuska, so he was persuaded to assemble the production. All of the “gleeful” men in town were invited to an open-audition and, having some harmonious singing experience himself, George McCaslin was appointed as a committee-of-one to select the crooning foursome…just like that – abracadabra – the Bartlesville American Legion Quartet became a reality.
The following year, tax consultant O.C. Cash was looking for singing entertainment for the state teacher’s convention in Tulsa and asked McCaslin if his quartet was available. The engagement was accepted and Mr. Cash informed the local newspaper of the upcoming event. However, Cash neglected to ask McCaslin the name of his quartet and when asked by reporters covering the story, Cash replied…the Bartlesville Barflies.
On April 11, 1938, O.C. Cas Hall, both Tulsa businessmen, invited a group of friends to the Roof Garden/Sky Terrace of the Tulsa Club to stir a common i the barbershop quartet. The charter meeting drew twenty-six in attendance; however, word quickly spread and by the third meeting, 150 attended the songfest. The sounds of harmony created quite a commotion in downtown Tulsa around the A intervention. From this overwhelming enthusiasm, “The Society for the Preservation and Encouragement of Barber Shop Quartet
Singing in America” or SPEBSQSA was incorporated June 30, 1938. From the initial handful of warblers, the society grew to more than 2,000 members in North America within the first year.
At the time, the name SPEBSQSA fit well with President Franklin Roosevelt’s alphabet soup of New Deal agencies; however, in 2004, the SPEBSQSA was rebranded with a new name and logo to become the Barbershop Harmony Society.
The Bartlesville Barflies were:
• Tenor: George McCaslin was an insurance salesman and a charter member of the SPEBSQSA. His son, Tom followed George’s musical lead, performing at the Oklahoma Jazz Hall of Fame and was a vocalist at KOTV.
• Lead: Harry Hall was born in England and emigrated to the U.S. in 1914. After serving the U.S. Army in 1919, he settled in Pawhuska. In 1937, he moved to Bartlesville and worked as a painting contractor.
• Baritone: Kansas born Robert “Bob” Durand attended the University of Kansas, sang in the K.U. Glee Club and following his 1927 graduation, worked at the First National Bank of Bartlesville, achieving the rank of Senior Vice President before retiring in 1968. volunteered for the Bartlesville Welfare Association and was treasurer of the Bartlesville Chamber of Commerce.
Missouri born Herman Kaiser sang in Bartlesville Presbyterian choir for 22 years. employed at Phillips Petroleum 19221964 and retired as a senior purchasing agent. ps supported the Barf lies as a company tion.
The first SPEBSQSA championship barbershop contest was hosted in 1939 at Tulsa with 23 competitors. The Bartlesville Barflies won the championship and were awarded a $50 grand prize and bragging rights as the first National Champions by harmonizing the 1909 tune “By the Light of the Silvery Moon” written by Edward Madden and Gus
Edwards. The runners-up were awarded a box of throat lozenges.
One of the rules of the SPEBSQSA was that a quartet could win first place only once, but all is fair in love and competition so, in 1940, the SPEBSQSA National Champion Barflies left on a Santa Fe streamliner to attend the national contest at the New York World’s Fair at the personal invitation of NY Mayor LaGuardia; with a quick guest ar tist appearance at the Illinois State Finals in Chicago. Before the day of a television in each home, Bartians tuned to KTUL’s radio station to hear the Barflies defend their title. Unfortunately, the Barflies received second place, but returned to a hero’s celebration at the Osage Theater, where they were each presented a Crosley radio-phonograph. They also gained notoriety after being highlighted in a 1940 TIME magazine article.
Under Phillips Petroleum sponsorship, the quartet became the Phillips 66 Barflies and set out to regain the world’s barbershop title again. Headed to St. Louis, vying for the 1941 SPEBAQSA championship, Herman Kaiser, Harry Hall, Bob Durand and George McCaslin harmonized their way to first place in the initial elimination round, with the play-by-play notes heard over St. Louis radio stations. When the final judgement was announced, the Barflies placed 3rd in 1941 and 1942.
In 1946, George McCaslin moved to McAlester and the Barflies were in search of a tenor replacement. Inquiries were initiated and much to the surprise of the three-legged quartet, McCaslin moved to Tulsa and returned to the foursome. Donning the costumes and elaborate mustaches from their original 1939 performance, the Barflies continued appearances at conventions, although not competing, belting the musical art form that gained them national recognition.
The Barflies performed at Hillcrest Country Club, Kiwanis Picnics at Osage Hills State Park, Frank Phillips Men’s Club, Will Rogers Memorial celebration and more. The Barflies were headliners at the 1946-1950 Junior Chamber of Commerce fundraiser held at the Bartlesville Civic Center titled the Barbershop Quartet Parade which benefited local charitable organizations. The Barflies also made television appearances
well into the 1950s and were included on two Decca LP Recordings with their ballads: By the Light of the Silvery Moon; By the Watermelon Vine, Lindy Lou; Just a Dream of You, Dear; When the Harbor Lights Are Burning; and Love Me and the World is Mine.
Did You Know?
While employed at the Bartlesville Area History Museum, I was contacted by a gentleman from Australia with an interested in the Bartlesville’s Barflies. Our “across the pond” conversations inspired him to schedule a business meeting at Phillips Petroleum Company and a personal meeting with me. This man traveled 9,415 miles to hold the Bartlesville Barflies 1941 SPEBSQSA third place brass trophy held in the Museum’s collection.
Now You Know *
Alfred Landon
by Kay Little, Little History Adventures
Once again, I have found a Kansas tie to our local history. This time, I am talking about a banker and independent petroleum producer from Independence, who ran for President of the U.S. What does he have to with Bartlesville? Keep reading to find out.
Alfred Landon, sometimes called Alf, was born in 1887 in Pennsylvania, but most of his childhood was spent in Ohio until he was 17, when the family moved to Independence, Kansas. He graduated from the University of Kansas in 1908 with a law degree. In 1915, Alf married Margaret Fleming, but after giving birth to their only child in 1917, Margaret died. They named the child Margaret, but called her Peggy Anne. Alf poured his energy and devotion into his baby girl and his interests. In 1930, Alf married Theo Cobb and they had two children, Nancy and John.
During the early 1900’s, Alf supported Theodore Roosevelt and found his place as a part of the progressive Republican party. He then became a leader in the state of Kansas, eventually becoming governor during the early 1930’s Depression era. He was the only Republican governor west of the Mississippi at one time. As governor, Landon had the reputation for reducing taxes and balancing the budget. He also believed the government should address social issues. He liked some of the FDR New Deal, but he thought FDR was corrupt for having too much power and ignoring the Constitution. He was against segregation and as governor, he told the newly elected black leaders that their offices would be “right here with the rest of us!”
Alfred worked oil leases not far from Frank Phillips’ oil property. He visited Woolaroc many times. In 1935, Frank hosted
a large party at Woolaroc in honor of Oklahoma Governor and Mrs. Marland and Kansas Governor and Mrs. Alfred Landon. Landon was getting ready to announce he was going to run for President against FDR. Frank believed that Alf had a promising future and offered some hope for the Republicans, because he felt that FDR was too powerful. Alfred launched his campaign for Presidency at Woolaroc. After the Republicans chose Landon to be their Presidential candidate, Alf periodically went to Woolaroc for strategy meetings.
Unfortunately, Landon lost big, not even winning his state of Kansas. That ended his national political career, but he was still active in Kansas politics. He also stayed in the oil business and continued to visit Frank at Woolaroc.
In 1966, the KSU President began the Alfred M. Landon Lecture Series on Public Issues, to honor the former governor. It has become one of the nation’s most prestigious lectures. The speakers have been from all walks of life and from both political parties. Landon gave the first lecture. In 1982, President Reagan spoke, saying “We can’t have it both ways. We can’t expect God to protect us in a crisis and just leave Him over there on the shelf in our day-to-day living.” On Alfred’s 100th birthday, Reagan visited him and a month later, October 12, 1987, Alfred Landon died. His legacy lives on, with his daughter, Nancy, serving as a U.S. Senator from 1978-1996. The Landon State Office Building in Kansas is named in his honor.
SAMARITAN SPORTS SPECTACULAR
EMPTY BOWLS
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Experienced, Honest, Local
by Jay Webster
When you were younger, how did you envision yourself at this age?
I don’t know where this picture came from, but I have always lived with the anticipation that at whatever age, I would fully mature into a person with the grace, wisdom, and demeanor of a Jedi Knight. I assumed I would emerge from a midlife chrysalis to a Zen-like peace that comes with heightened understanding. Being nearly perfect, I would not fear the trappings of human failure. Greed, lust, and fruitless anger would no longer capture me. The ignorant, violent, and outrageous in our world would find no ire in me, only compassion since I now fully recognize the limits of most intellects. I pictured myself warmly laughing off insults and
aggression, not with condescension but simply the awareness of the larger universe that makes these issues seem petty. And yet, despite this awareness (or maybe because of it), I would also find great joy and wonder in small, common experiences like newborn babies and Oreo cookies with milk.
In short, I would be my best self.
Now that I am the age I am, I’m dismayed to find myself a long way off from “enlightenment” and with far fewer years to reach it. I’m forced to consider - What if this is the best me? What if I never attain the grace of Dumbledore or the tranquility of Yoda or the unflappable wisdom of Mr. Miyagi?
What if I have maxed out my grace and greatness?
As my wife Ann-Janette likes to say, “Being human is hard.” And she’s right.
But there are some people that make it easier. Even as a child, I have had people who represented “a safe place” to me. These were close friends and family - even teachers and priests - that I could talk with freely, honestly, and often in an unguarded way with the confidence my words would stay between us.
A couple of weeks ago, Ann-Janette had some girlfriends over. There was wine. There was laughter. New friends met old friends. Time was briefly airy instead of pressing. As things eventually closed out, one of the friends lingered. It turns out she was going through some life and needed to know if she was broken or if everyone felt this way. She confided in AnnJanette because my wife is a safe place. A conversation with her is met with compassion and understanding and fierce encouragement, a manner that only comes from someone who has discovered that being human is hard so we should help each other.
Despite my personal failings as a Jedi, I have discovered I still have the capacity to be a safe place for others.
I have learned that those who operate as a safe place are: A) Good listeners. B) They listen without being critical or judgmental. C) They tend to only offer advice when asked (sometimes people just don’t have enough room to take in advice at a particular moment and they can only output). And D) A safe place means what has been said will be…safe.
I can do those things even without being a Zen master. I can listen. I can reassure. I can hand someone a Kleenex or point them to a punching bag or refill their coffee or buy them a beer. I can be trusted with what others entrust to me. Being human is hard, but I can make it easier.
I was at the recent City Council meeting that included planning and discussion about last month’s Pride event. Several citizens were on hand to be heard. A handful were persuaded that in the land of the free everyone should live by their system of beliefs. It’s difficult to be in a room with friends who work hard, pay taxes, volunteer, and serve the country as well as our community yet they still have to endure a conversation debating their civil rights and/or humanity yet again.
I noticed one friend sitting behind me made a special effort to come in late and leave early to try and avoid the worst of it. I texted when it was over to express my love and apologize for how painful I knew the conversation was to endure - for likely the 100th time - and hoped they would be OK.
In response, they said the very reason they sat close to me was because they felt like I was a safe place. I doubt my friend knows what those words meant to me, but I took it as quite possibly the greatest compliment I’ve ever received. In the course of this relationship, this person knew that I could be trusted to uphold their humanity, to respect them as an individual, and to be there for them.
Being a safe place doesn’t require you to agree with someone, to share their political party, their faith, or even their
zip code. My extended family is all over the map politically, but each of them knows when we have a conversation it is a safe place. A place of respect. A place of learning. A place of upholding the other’s humanity. Who of us can’t do that?
With a couple of my own safe places, I’ve been having this conversation recently: The powerful WEBB telescope is now literally a million miles from home. With each astounding image it sends back of solar systems and galaxies and heavenly wonders the relative insignificance of Earth in the scope of the Universe grows. I find myself gravitating to the words of the Poet-King, David:
“When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers, the moon and the stars, which you have set in place, what is mankind that you are mindful of them, human beings that you care for them?”
And so as I struggle to not get lost in the vastness, here is where I have landed: In the face of the “bigness” of our universe, I am still struck by the divine DNA inside of me. That DNA keeps calling me, drawing me, even pushing me - to love other humans more deeply… and in that, I feel alive. The very fingers David sang about stitching the heavens in place are the same fingers that “stitched me together in my mother’s womb.”
When you love and do good to someone who can’t give you anything in return - that is divine. When you seek empathy, the understanding of someone else’s pain or fear over outrage or indifference - that is divine. And when we become a safe place for others - that is divine.
My wife also believes that if you want to find a safe place, make yourself a safe place for others. Probably pretty good words to live by.
Thanks again for being in this space with me for another monthly column. You’re always so gracious.
Cheers, friends.
B the Light Update: Thank You Volunteers!
The fall weather is upon us, and with it comes our heartfelt thanks to all of our amazing volunteers who helped to make our garage sale, our golf tournament, and the Elks Lodge breakfast such a great success. A nonprofit is only as good as the volunteers that make the wheels turn, and our volunteers fall under the category of amazing! So thank you to everyone who took part in getting us closer to opening.
B the Light continues to move forward in helping those that are experiencing homelessness in our city. Our partnerships with several sober living homes have been instrumental in moving people forward and out of the chains of addiction. Our goal is to help our neighbors on the street leave homelessness for good, and addiction is at the root for many.
He showed up at our garage sale Saturday morning, not for discarded treasures and kitchen items, but for help. He had been living in the park for 2 days, having just lost his job and his apartment. We were able to very quickly get him in touch with one of the sober living homes here in Bartlesville. As of Monday he was no longer homeless.
Does this one moment in time signal the end of things? Will this be the end of his addiction and homelessness? The fact of the matter is, we have no way to tell if this moment will be the end of his struggles - but this one moment is how it all begins. You see, without any help at all he might still be sleeping in the park. And we see a dozen moments just like this each month at B the Light.
We’ve also helped many of our neighbors obtain gainful employment throughout the city. You know as well as most how
difficult it is to find a job in Washington County, and it’s even more so for the homeless. It’s through our partnerships with many of the businesses and establishments around our city that help us, to help them.
Too often, the currency of our culture is to judge those that don’t have a job. Is it the person’s fault they are unemployed? Well, sometimes it is, and that’s an unfortunate truth. But regardless of the why or the how to a person’s unemployment, everyone should have the same right and availability to redemption. Second chances are often the beginning of a new lease on life. Be the Light helps with those second chances, and we are thankful for those businesses that offer that opportunity to begin again.
Our Poverty Reduction Center helps the homeless leave dependency on outside resources behind. The truth is, outside resources are often needed; for a season. But when the season of dependency turns into years, then it becomes enablement. We will continue to be a balance for those that come to us for help.
HAPPENING NOW - TOURS!
We invite groups and corporations to book a tour! If you’d like to see all that we do here at B the Light, don’t hesitate to call us and set up a tour. Until you see with your own eyes all that we’re making happen in our city, it’s hard to comprehend the mission.
Call us at 918-288-0009 to book your tour.
The cooler weather is here! Until next month, get out your hoodies!
Derrick’s Story Have You Had Enough Of Where You Are?
by Miriam Walker
To say that the unseen can live without judgment is categorically false. The random judging eyes may not find their victim, but one can never hide well enough to escape the judgment of self.
Derrick has had many opportunities to judge himself for his past, but to what end? Our past is back there where we left it, and redemption often takes palace where we fell. The question then becomes; do we judge ourselves and remain stuck, or do we accept the redemption that frees us from the past?
Derrick chose redemption.
Life in the back of an El Camino. I know the feel of the wind in your face, as your dad goes a little too fast for his crew of kids, piled in six deep. And as the neighborhood houses flew past in shutter-speed quickness, the memory stuck in my mind.
It was a memory that that rose to the top as Derrick began to share his story...
Derrick’s life in the back of an El Camino began in California, and didn’t stop until he reached Bartlesville.
They drove three days, through the sunny weather and through the rain.
“Ventura Highway, in the sunshine. Where the days are longer, the nights are stronger than moonshine. You’re gonna go. I know.”
Dewey Bunnell
Derrick left the beaches of Ventura California to begin a new life in Bartlesville Oklahoma.
Upon arriving in Oklahoma, his mother, a former Hell’s Angel, tried her best with her son. Coming to the aid of somebody who was defenseless at the time, Derrick stepped in the middle of a situation to help. And at the age of 13 his life took a sharp turn downward, as he ended up a youthful offender in a maximum security prison for a violent crime.
For the next 7 years Derrick’s home was prison.
His life in prison was violent and riddled with anxiety. He fought, rebelled, and was unable to even think for himself for years.
At the age of 21 he got out of that prison, and took on a 2nd chance at life.
Derrick tried church to the tune of twice a week, but the years of isolation and prison created bitterness towards God. His life on the outside of prison took him deeper into the path of dysfunction and trauma, as he began drinking and using hard drugs. He went back and forth to jail more than 14 times, and ultimately ended up in a mental hospital in Wagoner County. It was there that he met his wife Angelina.
At 23 years old Derrick left the mental hospital, and Angelina left shortly thereafter. They married during the blizzard of 2009 and have been together ever since.
Love is a funny thing, until it isn’t. In a perfect world love would be enough, but it rarely is. The couple had their fair share of troubles, and at the center was always the alcohol. Always the drugs. Soon Derrick was up to a half of a gallon of alcohol a day, which was what he drank before wrecking his motorcycle going 80 miles per hour. He broke his back and underwent 7 surgeries.
It took him 4 years to learn how to walk again.
Life went on in the wrong direction for Derrick, and he ended up back in jail for 9 months. But this time he ran into the somebody that gave him the book, “Prison To Paradise”, and that was enough to plant a seed of change into his heart and his mind. Derrick surrendered his life to Christ in jail the last time he was there, and that was also the last time he was ever locked up.
Although he was now a free man, Derrick was homeless and living on the street when he met up with Rando and Shiloh Gamble. He began to help out during the outreaches, which was a big part of his transformation. He went from using and selling dope, to helping at church. He went from being homeless, to helping Keith and Christy McPhail run the warming shelter for the homeless. Little by little Derrick became a new man.
These days Derrick still helps at Get Real Ministries and he still remains clean and sober.
It’s nearly impossible to describe to someone who’s never seen it, and who’s never felt it, what it’s like to be free after so many years of captivity. And whether it’s alcohol, drugs or jail, freedom is a new lease on life. It was a long road, but Derrick is finally free...
Good Ole Western Swing
by Kelly Herd
That old Rhineland gym was only six miles from where I lived, but it felt like another world every time I walked in the door - as if the clock had been turned back to the early days of Western Swing when photos were all in black and white. Twice a month on Saturday nights that place would fill up with cowboys from the outlying ranches which included the 6666’s, the Moorehouse Ranch, the Waggoner’s, and the Pitchfork – just to name a few.
Live music and dancing on an old hardwood floor with punchers decked in their best starched shirts and tall topped boots didn’t make the social pages of the Knox County, Texas news – but it did etch an imprint on this young girl’s heart and mind that every now and then, I turn back to like the pages of an old newspaper.
Good music and good dancing make for a fun evening. There’s just something about Western Swing that pulls you to the dance floor. It was happy. It was sassy. And it was Bob Wills who seemed to champion it in its beginnings - back during the days of WWII, almost as if his “haws” and “a-ha’s” were meant to lighten the load of a country bearing one for sure.
During that era, the story goes that in the late 1930s, folks used to cruise 9th Street in Pawhuska trying to maybe get a glimpse of Bob and whatever new car he was sporting. The King of Western Swing was courting a local gal, whom he later married! Can you imagine it? That would have been about like Elvis’s courting Priscilla in your home town!
As locals cruised by, history was being made on stations like KVOO in Tulsa. Retrospectively speaking, very few performers get the privilege of creating something that, in time, becomes timeless… Elvis Presley was one – and Bob Wills was another. And, it would even seem Bob’s music had an influence on the King of Rock and Roll…
So, it may be safe to say that while Bob Wills had his Texas Playboys, and he may have had his San Antonio Rose – it was Oklahoma that put the “Haw” in his chaw as he sang “Take Me Back to Tulsa” from places like Jumps in Fairfax and Whiting Hall in Pawhuska.
Well, this Fall, Pawhuska is bringing back the fun of good music and good dancing to the tunes of Western Swing music with the Pawhuska Western Swing Music Festival on November 15-16th - as they welcome to town the Brazos Valley Boys and the music of
Oklahoma Swing! Nightly performances will take place at the Osage County Fairgrounds and you can bet there will be a dance floor for you to spin some circles on with your best gal! A Fiddler’s Contest will take place Saturday morning, November 16th, at the Constantine Theater of Pawhuska and that afternoon they will be showing a highly acclaimed documentary film, “The Birth and History of Western Swing.”
If you’ve been missing the light-heartedness of yesteryear, come enjoy a weekend of it in Pawhuska – the Home of All Things Western (Swing, that is). Tickets are available online at PawhuskaWesternSwingFestival.com and you can also follow their Facebook page by that same name.
Come put some “Haw” in your chaw, the weekend of November 15-16th! You just might leave with a song in your heart and a memory you’ll want to flip back through as well.
Downtown Bartlesville Ghost Walk Returns Ready to Fright and Delight!
by Maria Gus
As autumn arrives and a crisp chill fills the air, the Downtown Bartlesville Ghost Walk is ready to deliver its spine-tingling blend of history and haunting excitement. This popular event last took place in 2019, but they are back and spookier than ever. The Ghost Walk will take place on Tuesday and Wednesday, October 15th and 16th, 2024.
Starting at 6 p.m. each evening, guided walking tours will depart every 15 minutes, with the final tour leaving at 8:45 p.m. Each tour lasts approximately an hour and a half. The Ghost Walk kicks off at The Center for Arts, Events, and Community, located at 300 SE Adams Blvd., where visitors can enjoy a lively festival atmosphere featuring music, decor, a Halloween photo booth, and food and drink specials to enhance the evening’s festivities.
This year’s Ghost Walk includes six haunted locations, each with chilling stories, some even rooted in real-life characters and incidents from Washington County’s past. Special thanks to Debbie Neece for historical information. Tour stops include The Center, Boots & Brushes Paint Bar, Boulevard Color Co., Frankie P’s, Musselman Abstract, and Buffalo Roam Studios. Stories will be performed by Bartlesville performers in cooperation with talented writers from the area.
The Ghost Walk would not be possible without the generous support of its sponsors: The Center, Visit Bartlesville, AC&H
Services, Phillips 66, Linda Jones, Mark and Debbie Haskell, Price Connors and Martin Smith, ConocoPhillips, Bartlesville Chamber of Commerce Truity Credit Union, Arvest Bank, B Monthly Magazine and The Eatery. Additional thanks go to Bartlesville Area History Museum, Tim Hudson, Tyler Barless, Maria Gus, and our Ghost Walk story winner, Kaleigh West.
Tickets for the Ghost Walk are priced at $15 each or a four pack for $50. Patrons are encouraged to arrive early, purchase tickets for a later tour, and enjoy dinner and the vibrant downtown scene before joining the guided tour. The Ghost Walk is suitable for ages 12 and up, and the tour route is fully accessible.
We will be looking for volunteers to help as tour guides, tour guide assistants, location hosts as well as other opportunities to make this a great event, email ghostwalkbartlesville@gmail.com to add your name to the list of interested volunteers and we will send a signup genius to you at a later date.
As the largest fundraiser for the local non-profit Downtown Bartlesville, Ltd., all proceeds from the Ghost Walk support the ongoing revitalization of downtown Bartlesville.
For more information, visit the Downtown Bartlesville Facebook page at @downtownbartlesville or contact The Center at 918-337-2787.
srussell@mcgrawrealtors.com
Wishing you all a Happy
Day!
Wing, Administrator Affordable apartments where you can enjoy new friends and feel right at home! We have independent living apartments available to rent for those ages 55 or older. All apartments are unfurnished, 1 bedroom, $950 per month
Bartlesville Health & Rehab Community provides a wide range of quality health care services. Locally owned, BHRC offers 24-hour licensed nursing care, skilled nursing services, long-term care, and in-house physical, speech, and occupational therapy. And now, BHRC offers memory care for those with Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders. This brand-new Memory Care Center (Memory Lane) is a secure 16-room unit with aroundthe-clock nursing care. For more information or to schedule a tour, call (918) 333-9545. 3434 Kentucky Place • 918-333-9545 • www.bartlesvillehealthandrehab.com
In American folklore, we have a soft spot for the anti-hero. We want Captain Jack Sparrow to slip away from the arrogant English authorities and swashbuckle another day. We cheer when Bonnie and Clyde knock over another bank, narrowly escaping the police in an epic car chase. We love when Maverick pulls wild and dangerous stunts in his F-16. He’s breaking the rules, but he’s breaking them with style. The open ocean, the open road, and the open skies—there’s something about it that resonates deep in our American spirit. We know these characters are in the wrong, but they’re wild and free, and our ethos aches for that kind of freedom.
Of course, we know how these stories end. The wild and free anti-hero eventually faces an abrupt and violent conclusion. But the thrill of the ride—the illusion of absolute freedom—seems worth it in the moment.
Reality, however, is far less glamorous.
In life, freedom isn’t about breaking all the rules or escaping every consequence. The truth is, freedom and responsibility go hand in hand. The more responsibility we take on, the more freedom we gain. Wise people know this—they understand that freedom is something earned, not something handed over without effort. They accept the risks that come with responsibility, knowing that the rewards are greater in the end.
On the other hand, some chase after freedom without thinking about the consequences, much like our beloved antiheroes. They want the thrill without the work. They want to be free from everything, even the effects of their own choices. But in the real world, freedom without responsibility leads not to adventure, but to a trap. Eventually, the consequences catch up, and instead of being wild and free, they end up stuck in a life they didn’t choose—paying for choices they can’t escape. Here’s where a helpful comparison comes in:
Imagine a ship at sea. A captain who takes responsibility for steering the ship, watching the weather, and maintaining the course enjoys the freedom of a successful voyage. He knows that with each task, he’s ensuring the ship stays on course and reaches its destination. His freedom to navigate the waters comes
by Aarron Kirkpatrick
“Those who expect to reap the blessings of freedom must, like men, undergo the fatigue of supporting it.”
— Thomas Paine
“It’s a free country. I can do what I want!”
— My child, arguing about chores
from his willingness to bear the responsibility of command.
Now picture a captain who insists on total freedom—no course corrections, no checking the weather, no care for the sails. He might argue, “It’s my ship, I’ll do as I please!” But without responsibility, his freedom quickly turns into chaos. The wind and waves take over, and soon, he’s at the mercy of forces beyond his control.
Freedom works like that. Without responsibility, it doesn’t last.
This doesn’t just apply to individuals—it works in society too. A community that values personal responsibility thrives, just like a fleet of well-steered ships. Each person takes charge of their own vessel. There may be differences in how far each ship goes or how fast, but the sea is wide enough for all.
But in a culture where freedom is seen as a right, not something earned, things fall apart. More and more people abandon their ships, leaving the steering to a shrinking number of captains. Eventually, those few take control, and the rest become passengers on a journey they no longer control.
So, the choice is clear: we can either take responsibility for our lives or leave it to others.
This distinction is why we celebrate liberty—not just freedom. Freedom is like the open sea—the ability to go wherever you want. But liberty is the ship itself—the right to navigate those waters with dignity and autonomy.
When Patrick Henry declared, “Give me liberty or give me death!” he wasn’t asking for freedom from consequences. He was embracing responsibility, knowing that true liberty comes at a cost. America was built by people who longed for liberty and accepted the responsibility that came with it. They understood that real freedom, must be supported by responsibility.
In Bartlesville, where we value strong families and community, taking responsibility isn’t just about personal success. It’s about ensuring that our neighbors and our town continue to thrive.
We’ll all benefit from it—just like a fleet of well-steered ships.
Bartlesville Baseball Glory Roosted in 1980
by Mike Tupa
What is greatness, after all?
Is it fortune’s ordained child, set to rise and never fall?
Can its secrets be self-styled, for only a chosen few? What parts do luck and faith play? Is greatness solely the residue of hard work and sweaty sway?
Consider the boys of ’80, prowling Wildcats, proud Sooners, baseball underdogs of destiny. grit and focus, late bloomers, They jolted 3A with seismic passion believing in fate beyond understanding flattening favorites in feisty fashion until they were the lone two left standing.
M.J. Tupa
A few 1980 highlights:
Sooner 10, Muskogee 1: Gregg Hicks fanned 11 batters and drove in 4 runs.
Sooner 6, Col-Hi 4: Steve Smith ripped a 3-run homer for the ‘Cats. Sooner’s Scott Iglehart tripled home Greg Spence.
Col-Hi 17, St. Rita 5: John Ausmus crushed 2 solo homers.
Col-Hi 14, Sooner 8: Jimmy Lawson drove in four runs and Tom Folz added 2 doubles for Col-Hi. Kurt Gregson walloped 3 hits for Sooner.
Col-Hi 9, Sapulpa 7: Darryl Reese tied the game, 5-5, on a 2-run homer.
Sooner 13, Crooked Oak 1: Russ McGinnis mash 3 hits.
Col-Hi 4, Choctaw 2: Scott Keck pitched the distance and Tony Troxell delivered a 2-run single.
The town had plenty about which to crow in an all-Bartlesville final for the Class 3A championship — College High vs. Sooner High.
More than 2,500 energized Bartlesville fans jammed into the Oral Roberts University baseball stands on that magic day of May 10, 1980 when the ColHi Wildcats powered past the Sooner Spartans, 11-1, for the state title. Col-Hi erupted for nine runs in the first inning and never looked back.
Both schools shared the spotlight of greatness — this might have been the only time in state history that two teams from a Bartlesville-sized community played for the state baseball title.
Going into the 1980 spring season, no one had given Col-Hi or Sooner a fighting chance of making state — let alone ascending to the top. Col-Hi had won only 11 games in 1979. Sooner had fared better in ‘79, but still wasn’t considered potential state royalty.
Col-Hi started 1980 at 12-6 — including a 6-4 loss to Sooner. Not exactly a scintillating surge.
But led by veteran coach Jerome Gibson and assistant Mike Hainzinger the ‘Cats progressed on a regimen of grueling work from an exhausting practice regimen.
“ That winter (1979-80), we were going to the gym at 6 a.m. in the morning,” recalled ‘Cat baseball player Jeff Stayton. “We were hitting and throwing and doing the bonding thing. We kind of jelled as a team. It was really kind of cool. … (Assistant coach) Mike Hainzinger was there in the mornings and worked us out. He also had us running during the sixth hour. I didn’t like running, but I did it.”
Toward the regular season’s end ColHi caught fire. It surged to a 15-2 record (including a 14-8 payback win against Sooner) in its final 17 regular season and playoff games.
But going into state, Col-Hi had less respect than Rodney Dangerfield — the state seeded the ‘Cats No. 8 and (and Sooner No. 7) for the state quarterfinals.
Then it happened.
Col-Hi shocked No. 1-ranked Carl Albert, 4-1, dunked Duncan, 19-2, in the semifinals and buried Sooner in the final.
Guided by skipper Gary Vaught, Sooner had advanced with a 4-1 thriller against No. 2 Southeast and out lugged Bixby in the semis, 14-12.
“Nobody expected anything like what happened,” said Col-Hi player Scott Keck. “We just went out and had fun. ... It was just everybody. Everybody got hot at the same time. Everything seemed to blend together.”
He also praised Gibson’s impact.
“He was real calm, easy going,” Keck said. “He kept us on an even keel.”
The talent in the 1980 final including Sooner’s Russ McGinnis, who would later play for the Texas Rangers and Kansas City Royals.
In addition to McGinnis, a partial list of Sooner players includes: Kurt Gregson, Gregg Hicks, Phillips, Greg Spence, Scott Iglehart, Stan Miller, Phil Holsten, Joe Bolding, Robert Blackmon, Mattox and Hicks.
Helping fill out at least part of the Wildcat roster were: Jerry Peace, Greg Brewer, Chris Pitaniello, Phil Pasqua, John Ausmus, Scott Keck, Mike Teague, Tom Folz, Steve Smith, Jimmy Lawson, Darryl Reese, Jeff Stayton, Mike Christy, Tony Troxell, Gary Williams, Corey Brewer, and Mike Crawley.
On championship day, Blackmon (102) started on the mound for Sooner, and Keck (10-2) hurled for the ‘Cats — both on just one day’s rest.
Col-Hi earned the prize — but the rivalry was dying. In 1982, Col-Hi and Sooner merged to create Bartlesville High School.
All that remained from before that were memories of a friendly, fierce feud and the town’s divided loyalties that had made it special.
You’re invited
At UnitedHealthcare®, we offer many Medicare Advantage plans, including plans for those who qualify for Medicaid. Come and join the fun while discovering the right Medicare plan for you. During this event, you can:
• Listen to a presentation on Medicare plans
• Find out if you’re missing important health benefits
• Compare all your plan choices
Please RSVP as space is limited
Admission is free of cost. I look forward to seeing you.
NEW Medicare Plan Options 10/18/2024 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Eggbert’s 2073 SE Washington Blvd 6739 Bartlesville, OK 74006
NEW Medicare Plan Options 10/18/2024
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Eggbert’s 2073 SE Washington Blvd 6739 Bartlesville, OK 74006
NEW Medicare Plan Options 10/25/2024 10:00 AM - 11:30 AM
Eggbert’s 2073 SE Washington Blvd 6739
Bartlesville, OK 74006
NEW Medicare Plan Options 10/25/2024
1:00 PM - 2:30 PM
Eggbert’s 2073 SE Washington Blvd 6739 Bartlesville, OK 74006 Come join me for a special event
Navigating Medicare Mayhem
Why Everything Insurance Group is Your New Best Friend
Navigating the labyrinth of Medicare plans can feel like trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube blindfolded while riding a unicycle. Each year, the plan options seem to multiply like rabbits, and the terminology can be so confusing it makes you wonder if it was all written in Klingon. But fret not, local heroes Alex and Abrina from Everything Insurance Group are here to guide you through the Medicare maze with expertise and a touch of humor.
Why Your Medicare Plan Matters More Than Ever
Choosing the right Medicare plan is no small feat. Think of it as picking the perfect avocado: you need to get it just right, or it could turn into a soggy mess that’s impossible to salvage. The stakes are high—selecting the wrong plan could mean unexpected costs, less coverage, or a whole lot of confusion. And with new plans entering the market, this year is not the time to hit “snooze” on your Medicare review.
What’s New This Year?
New Medicare plans are cropping up like trendy coffee shops. Each year brings a slew of fresh options and tweaks to existing plans, making it crucial to review your choices. You wouldn’t wear last year’s fashion without checking the latest trends, right? The same principle applies here—don’t get stuck in a Medicare rut just because it’s what you’ve always done.
The Annual Enrollment Period (AEP), running from October 15th to December 7th, is your golden window to make changes. If you miss it, you could be stuck with the wrong plan for the entire year. And trust us, no one wants to be in that position—it’s like being stuck with a fruitcake you didn’t ask for.
Meet Your Medicare Mavericks: Alex and Abrina
Enter Alex and Abrina from Everything Insurance Group, your friendly neighborhood Medicare experts. With over a decade of experience under their belts, they’re not just about selling plans; they’re all about educating and empowering you. Think of them as your Medicare Yoda—wise, experienced, and with a knack for making the complex seem surprisingly simple.
Their approach is refreshingly different. While other agents might try to upsell or push products, Alex and Abrina focus on what’s best for you. Their goal is to make sure you’re not just enrolled but truly informed and satisfied with your plan. And the best part? Their services don’t cost you a dime.
Why You Should Care
Even if you’ve been with the same plan for years and are thinking, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it,” think again. The Medicare landscape is shifting, and sticking with the status
quo might mean missing out on better coverage, lower costs, or additional benefits that suit your needs. In a year where changes are plentiful, a quick chat with Alex or Abrina could uncover opportunities you didn’t even know existed.
More Ways to Save with Everything Insurance Group
And guess what? Medicare isn’t the only area where Everything Insurance Group can help you save. They also handle Auto, Home, and Commercial policies. On average, clients are saving around $800 a year just by switching their auto and home coverage. So, whether you’re looking to cut costs on your insurance or simply want to make sure you’re getting the best bang for your buck, Alex and Abrina have got you covered across the board.
In Conclusion
Checking your Medicare plan every year is like getting an annual health check-up. You might not need surgery, but a little preventive care can go a long way. Everything Insurance Group is here to ensure you’re not just covered but wellinformed and confident in your choice. So, this October, don’t just grab a pumpkin spice latte—grab the chance to review your Medicare plan with Alex and Abrina. It might just be the best decision you make all year.
So, why wait? Your perfect Medicare match is out there, and Everything Insurance Group is ready to help you find it. Reach out today, because when it comes to Medicare, being in the know can save you a whole lot more than just time.
Call us today at 918-688-1197.
Molly Bart, DNP, APRN-FNP
Medical Screening Helps Local Resident Live to Play Another Round of Golf
by Abigail Singrey
Eighty-year-old Bartlesville resident Jim Brown had no idea he had a ticking time bomb inside of him. When he went to Dr. William Davito, his primary care physician, for a routine checkup, he felt perfectly fine. However, he had several risk factors for an abdominal aortic aneurysm, so Davito suggested a screening.
Known as the silent killers, aortic aneurysms are a leading cause of death for men over age 65. The risk increases due to factors like age, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and smoking. When an aneurysm reaches five centimeters or more, it’s at risk for rupture, said Dr. Anderson Mehrle, a board-certified cardiologist at Ascension St. John Jane Phillips.
“It’s like a weak spot in a tire,” said Mehrle. “If you continue to drive on it, it may blow out. If the aneurysm ruptures, the chances of being able to fix it are greatly reduced, and it becomes a lifethreatening situation.”
Brown underwent a simple 15-minute ultrasound screening, which showed alarming results—a seven-and-a-half-centimeter aneurysm on Brown’s aortic artery. Davito immediately called Mehrle, and they scheduled Brown for an emergency surgery on June 18, 2024.
“If you have (an aortic aneurysm), you won’t know until it bursts or you have a test,” Brown said. “I was a walking dead man.”
Luckily, the endovascular percutaneous—or through the skin—surgery was minimally invasive. Mehrle used a large artery to go up with a catheter and place a stent graft. A stent graft is a small tubular device made of mesh and fabric that when fastened in place, redirects the blood flow.
“Once the aneurysm is no longer under pressure, it will shrink and heal,” Mehrle said.
About 2 percent of the population will be diagnosed with an AAA at some point in their life, but Mehrle thinks many more go undetected
“ The bigger question is: without the screening program, how many do we miss?” Mehrle said. “It’s well worth the time and effort to get screened so we can intervene appropriately and save lives.”
Both Mehrle and Davito encourage their patients to take meaningful steps to improve their own health. The best prevention for many potential health conditions is a healthy meal plan and exercise. They also encourage patients to quit using tobacco, as the Centers for Disease Control estimates this can add 10 years to a patient’s life. Even people who have already smoked for many years can see health benefits from quitting.
For Davito, he’s grateful he can have those conversations with his patients. Brown was the first patient to sign up for MDVIP, a new program through Primary Care Associates where patients receive longer appointments, more screenings and have their doctor’s cell phone number. This extra care most likely saved Brown’s life.
“I like to ask patients: How do you know your arteries aren’t bad? Do you want to risk not looking into it?” Davito said. “. . . Many patients don’t know how much better they’ll feel if they start taking care of themselves.”
If you’re worried you might be at risk, a screening can be scheduled through a primary care physician or through Ascension St. John Jane Phillips’ cardiac and vascular screening program. The hospital’s program allows anyone to receive an abdominal aorta evaluation for only $40, and the results will be shared with their primary care doctor. Other screenings are also available, including carotid artery evaluation, cardiac function evaluation, ankle-brachial index, baseline electrocardiogram and a cardiac calcium score.
Thanks to his screening, Brown was able to get his aneurysm solved and he’s back to doing the things he loves: golfing and spending time with family.
“It’s how I lived to play another day,” he said. “I will forever be grateful to Dr. Davito, Dr. Mehrle and the rest of the hospital staff for saving my life.”
To schedule a screening through Ascension St. John Jane Phillips, call 918-331-1598.
TECH TALK TRI COUNTY TECH
ALL THE TALK HAPPENING AT TECH
COUCH TO CAREER
FROM COUCH TO CAREER
Looking for a new career? We’ve got you covered! Finding a job can be tough, but we’ve created the perfect opportunity for you! Our NEW Adult Flex module allows you to complete courses faster and start earning sooner. Choose from courses starting SOON, such as Accounting, Basic Phlebotomy, CNC Mill, HVAC, or Welding.
Check out our adult classes using the QR code below and start a new career in just a few short months!
CAREERS IN ENERGY WEEK
October 21 - 25 is Careers in Energy Week. Oklahoma plays a vital role in supporting how we use energy every day. From production to distribution, energy powers our world—and you can be part of it! We offer a variety of programs that prepare you for a career in the energy industry. Programs are available for both high school and adult students. Explore your future in energy with us today!
NATIONAL FIRST RESPONDERS DAY
October 28th is National First Responders Day. We are incredibly thankful for all the first responders who work tirelessly to keep us safe. Are you interested in joining their ranks? Explore our programs designed to prepare you for a career as a first responder. Already in the field and looking to enhance your skills? Check out our upcoming training on our website. Don’t see what you need? We can customize a class to meet your specific needs!
NEED TO GET CPR CERTIFIED?
Enroll in one of our courses today! Whether you’re a first-timer or need to renew, we’ve got you covered. Use the QR code below to view and register for one of our upcoming classes!
DENTAL OPPORTUNITIES
Did you know that Tri County Tech is more than just a school? We also offer low-cost quality care in a state-of-the-art dental clinic, in partnership with the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry. You receive a FREE screening appointment to identify any service you need. Treatments are provided by students and are supervised by our faculty and a licensed dentist. Use the QR code or call 918.331.3218 to learn more and schedule your FREE screening today!
JOIN THE FIRST ROBOTICS TEAM 2165
There’s still time to join the Tri County Tech Team. You’ll learn first-hand about science, math, engineering, and technology while getting hands-on experience and working as a team to resolve problems. The program is open to all Tri County Tech students and students enrolled in a Project Lead the Way (PLTW) program.
CELEBRATE MANUFACTURING
Join us this October to honor the innovative world of manufacturing. From bioengineers to machinists, there’s a career for everyone! Manufacturing careers provide safety, security, and strengthen our economy, offering long-lasting opportunities. Interested in a manufacturing career? Whether you’re a high school student or an adult seeking a new path, we have programs tailored for you. Check them out using the QR code below!
K. Vasudevan (Vasu)
With great sadness, and a profound sense of loss, we wish to announce the passing of our father, father-in-law, great uncle, grandfather, and great grandfather Karappurath (K.) Vasudevan, (Vasu) on September 6, 2024, following a prolonged,illness. He was 86 years old.
He is preceded in death by his wife Lalitha, and leaves behind his two children, Gopikrishnan Vasudevan and Sujatha Krishnan with their spouses Mini Vasudevan and Kumar Krishnan; grand-nephew Gopal Chandrashekaran and spouse Remya; grandchildren Janaki Cash, Shiva Vasudevan, Sreeram Krishnan, Vishnu Vasudevan, Ambika Krishnan, Priyanka Krishnan; and great grand-daughter Roma Meera Cash. It is with love and respect that we acknowledge how indebted we are as a family to his vision, insight, hard work, perseverance and wisdom in the manner he led by example.
Vasu began his journey as an American immigrant landing at JFK airport in July 1970, with a wife, a 10-year-old son and a 20 month old daughter. He arrived not having any guarantee of a job and with only two suitcases containing all of the family possessions. Like many legal immigrants before him, arriving in the U.S.A was a major calculated gamble. He was determined to succeed and to be worthy of being an American. There was no naivety in his adoration and admiration for the promises and hope this country offered. Rather, it was a stubborn desire to conspicuously promote and praise the positive, while quietly trying to repair and resolve the negative. An example of this is the BLESS Fund.
The Bartlesville Lincoln Elementary School Scholarship, (BLESS Fund), provided scholarships to students pursuing higher education beyond high school. Since 1994, BLESS has helped 105 students achieve their dreams with awards exceeding $400,000 towards their education.
He was the most organized and hard working person anyone in our family has ever met. Vasu staunchly believed in the traditional old-fashioned American work ethic and innovative “can do” spirit. It was always a dream for him to be at the forefront of a business that contributed to the common societal good, and treated its employees as an extended family. That dream came true in 1986, when he established Service and Technology Corporation (STC), a consulting engineering firm. In 1992, he founded Service and Manufacturing Corporation (SMC), a custom manufacturing firm, and in 2021, he created USAco, with a focus on manufacturing “Made in the U.S.A” consumer products.
Vasu was well respected by the community for his competence, and was entrusted with many local projects such as the restoration of the Nellie Johnstone; the Sooner Park Play
Tower; relocation of the Locomotive 940; the A4 Skyhawk display at the Washington Park Mall, to name a few.
He collaborated with the Sutton Avian Research Center and invented a portable backpack incubator for their rehabilitation project, which reintroduced Bald Eagles into the lower 48 states. He served two terms as a Director of the Federal Reserve Bank of Kansas City – Oklahoma City Branch.
Vasu was always deeply grateful to the United States of America, and the Bartlesville community, for accepting and embracing him. He, in return, continuously strove to earn the privilege of that trust with multiple philanthropic projects. He was a great supported of law enforcement and public education. Vasudevan spearheaded the expansion of Highway 60 West of Bartlesville, recognizing that it was a narrow and dangerous piece of road with many fatalities. In addition to a petition signed by citizens, he took a delegation of prominent Bartlesville citizens to meet with Legislatures in Oklahoma City to plead the community’s case. Even today that expansion work continues.
Additionally he was a great supporter of the Boy Scouts of America, earning the prestigious Silver Beaver Award. His efforts included providing free engineering consultation and project management from STC for various camps in the area that were expanding or renovating their facilities. One of his proudest moments was when three out of three of his grandsons earned the highest rank of Eagle Scout.
He was good and true to his family, friends, employees, community, business associates, and to his country. Our family will cherish all the guidance and wonderful moments we had with him. He will be deeply missed. With love, heartfelt gratitude and fond remembrances, we wish him moksha (eternal blissful liberation and loving union with divinity).
If you wish to honor Vasu, in lieu of flowers, please send any contributions to: BLESS Fund, Inc.,105 South Penn, Bartlesville, OK 74003 or via online at https://www.blessfundassociation. com/donate.
Are You a Planner?
by Darin Martin
Many of us love to plan vacations, birthday parties, weddings, and other such engagements to the nth detail. It warms ours hearts to plan and over-plan. In spite of all our planning efforts; however, God sometimes intervenes and in essence says, “Good try. Now let me show you how things are really going to go down. Trust me.” My wife, Jill, and I experienced this early on in our marriage.
We met at Harding University in Searcy, Arkansas in the early 1990s. I attended Harding following the path of my two older brothers who attended the university in the ‘80s. Jill, a native Arkansan, traced her mother’s footsteps to Harding. After dating seriously for eleven months during my senior year and Jill’s junior year, we were married in Batesville, Arkansas on July 23, 1994. After a couple years of marriage and having moved to Bartlesville (Darin’s hometown), we felt it was time to start a family. This was our plan and our timing -- not God’s. We discovered having our own biological children at this time was not going to happen. What should we do now? Wait and keep trying to get pregnant? No. We were ready to have a baby. Explore fertility treatments? No. At this time, we did not feel that was a path for us. What about adoption? Now this was something we had not considered before but were now open to pursuing. After some time of prayer and consultation with friends from church who had previously adopted, we were ready to follow this path.
We were guided to Colorado Christian Services, an adoption agency based in Denver with a satellite office in Edmond, Oklahoma. The agency offered periodic informational meetings for couples wanting to adopt. After attending the meeting, gathering a mountain of information, and talking to other encouraging families in the adoption process, we were ready to move forward. One early hurdle we encountered in the adoption process was the expense.
In 1997, a private adoption through Colorado Christian Services cost approximately $10,000. Given that I was a public school teacher and Jill worked part-time in the school system, we were not sitting on an extra $10,000. This is when God stepped in. Little did we know that my Great Aunt Helen had purchased savings bonds years before for all her greatnieces and nephews. We learned of our bond just in time for our adoption. Guess how much the bond was worth? $10,000! God’s timing and provision are perfect!
We were directed by the agency to send flyers to our friends and relatives across the country letting them know we were in the adoption process and looking for a birth-mother who would consider us as adoptive parents. We sent a flyer to our friends Lance and Toria in Georgia. At this time, Lance was working as a youth minister in a church near Atlanta. By God’s providence, Lance happened to be in the church office one day and overheard a colleague’s phone call. Amazingly, the call was regarding a birth-mother who wanted to place her baby. Lance eagerly reacted, “I know some friends who want to adopt a baby!” Filled with excitement, Jill and I drove to Atlanta just a few weeks later. Amelia was born in November of 1997. We brought her out of the hospital when she was just two days old. As brand new parents, we were emotional, excited, nervous, and most of all, richly blessed!
Amelia is now 26 years old. She’s an independent and talented young woman who constantly reminds us of God’s amazing grace. And, as if God had not blessed us enough already, we discovered we were pregnant just five months after bringing Amelia home! Hallie arrived in February of ’99. God continued to bless our family as we adopted Quin in 2003, and, as only God can do, Jill gave birth to Evvy in 2011. Our family is evidence that God loves to move in big and unexpected ways to bless His children.
The Forever Butler Family Bond
by Debbie Neece and Bartlesville Area History Museum
Indiana native, Reverend Elmer Butler was a horseback riding “five-church circuit minister” before the turn of the century. He retired in 1935 and moved to Bartlesville where he served as “supply” pastor for Epworth Methodist Church. His only surviving son, Fred Butler, married Miss Helen Sanderson in 1927 and that is when Helen’s adventures began.
She was born and raised on a stock ranch near the Wyoming Shoshone Reservation. She dreamed of making beautiful piano music; however, her father gifted her a typewriter and sternly reminded her the typewriter offered financial gain. She became a reporter for the Washington State Journal during high school, and graduated from the University of Helena, Montana with a Journalism Major. So, her father’s gift greatly paved her adult path.
Fred and Helen hopscotched “in-and-out” of Bartlesville, working on opposite sides of the petroleum industry. She was employed at Phillips Petroleum Company and was editor of Phillips’ Philnews publication; while Fred was the Superintendent of Public Relations at the Indian Territory Illuminating Oil Company (I.T.I.O), which evolved into the Cities Service Oil Company.
From 1927-1933, the Butler’s resided in Bartlesville, where their son, Robert Morris Butler, was born in 1930. He later became a Tulsa attorney. They returned to Bartlesville between 1940-1957, living at a total of six different addresses during their in-and-out relationship with Bartlesville.
Designed to fill the demand for dramatic expression, the Little Theater Guild began in 1925 with meetings and rehearsals held in basements, attics and barn lofts. Patterned after “Hollywood Oscars,” the “Oswald Award” was presented for outstanding performances at an annual recognition banquet, often held at Hillcrest Country Club. In 1949, Helen Butler received an Oswald as best director and her
efforts received an even bigger award, she was elected first-ever woman president of the Little Theater Guild, which also brought her a resounding standing ovation.
In 1953, Helen made her typewriter sing as she typed her first novel, A Stone Upon His Shoulder, a true story about a young Indian boy who survived a bloody conflict between Arapahos and Shoshones in 1869 to become an Episcopalian missionary.
Local photographer Frank Griggs captured many incredible images over his 70+ year career. In 1956, he captured Helen sitting in her three-wheeled Germanmade Messerschmitt microcar at her Southview Ave. residence. The Messerschmitt was only produced 1955-1964.
In 1967, the Butlers lived in Tulsa and Guadalajara, Mexico, where Helen gained inspiration for her book Dr. Gringo about a young doctor’s experiences educating and caring for the people at a small improvised Mexican village.
There were several intriguing curiosities that drew me to tell the adventures of Fred and Helen Butler; however, my greatest blessing came from their deaths. When Reverend Elmer Butler died, he was laid to rest in Bartlesville’s Memorial Park Cemetery, beside his wife Sarah. The family became forever bonded when Fred Butler died in 1982, Helen Sanderson Butler in 2002, and their son, Robert “Bob” Butler in 2015…and each were interred upon the grave of Reverend Elmer Butler. Connecting the Butlers in a forever family bond.
Helen Butler, Bob and Christine Butler with their children.
Fred Butler, 1958.
Just a Guy Who Writes Songs
“I’m just a guy, man, who writes songs,” John Lennon once exclaimed, to a neurotic American man who flew to England to visit with Lennon about his songwriting. It turns out that this crazy man believed that Lennon’s songs were written exclusively about him.
Any sensible person knows that this is vanity. But great songwriting grabs us by the ears and carries us to places we could never inhabit without songwriting. It makes us all crazy and sane together. Lennon was coaxed from his home to speak with the man. He listened to his plea and replied, “How could I be thinking of you, man?” Indeed, how could any songwriter be thinking of me? And yet, some songs feel that way. They move us and shake us and hit us squarely in the solar plexus.
Songs begin with words. “Word” is the shortened form of the phrase: “my word is my bond” which originated with prison inmates and also by my Grandma, who avoided blasphemy by saying,”oh my word.” Ultimately, the marriage of words to harmony and melody makes us feel uniquely us.
So, in honor of the man who took a pilgrimage to John Lennon’s doorstep to offer Mr. Lennon advice on songwriting, here are some songs that make me want to go to the songwriter’s home with wide-eyed solipsistic wonder.
Simon and Garfunkel - The Boxer
“All lies and jest, still, a man hears what he wants to hear and disregards the rest.” My daughter and I share a love for their poetic lyrical ballads.
Woodie Guthrie - This Land Is Your Land
“As I went walking I saw a sign there, And on the sign it said “No Trespassing.” But on the other side it didn’t say nothing, That side was made for you and me.” This verse is lesser known, but pretty good!
by Brent Taylor
James Taylor - Country Road
“Sail on home to Jesus won’t you good girls and boys I’m all in pieces, you can have your own choice But I can hear a heavenly band full of angels And they’re coming to set me free I don’t know nothing ‘bout the why or when, But I can tell that it’s bound to be Because I could feel it, child, yeah, on a country road.” Yes, James, I love the highway also.
Bob Dylan - My Back Pages
“I was so much older then, I’m younger than that now”. I have no idea what this means, but I love it.
U2 - Where the Streets Have No Name
“I want to run, I want to hide, I want to break down the walls, That hold me inside, I want to reach out, And touch the flame, Where the streets have no name.” Echoes of the Bible passage in Galatians, “There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.”
Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here
“We’re just two lost souls swimming in a fishbowl”. Not many artists can sing about mental health and still attract large crowds.
Jimmy Buffett - Changes In Latitudes, Changes In Attitudes “If we weren’t all crazy we would go insane.” I know...right?
Bruce Springsteen - Jungleland
“There’s an opera out on the turnpike, there’s a ballet being fought out in the alley.” Strange juxtaposition makes things memorably odd.
Robert Robinson - Come Thou Fount
“Come thou fount of every blessing, Tune my heart to sing Thy grace.” The entire song is beauty and loveliness.
Neil young - Comes a Time
“Comes a time when you’re driftin’, Comes a time when you settle down, Comes a light feelin’s liftin’, Lift that baby, right up off the ground., Oh, this old world keeps spinning round, It’s a wonder tall trees ain’t layin’ down, There comes a time.” Neil tells a life story with few words.
James Taylor - Carolina in My Mind
“With a holy host of others standing ‘round me, Still I’m on the dark side of the moon, And it seems like it goes on like this forever, You must forgive me, If I’m up and gone to Carolina in my mind.” Paul, John, George and Ringo surround JT in the studio (a holy host of others standing ‘round me) in England where he was first signed by Apple Records. Carolina in My Mind was the song I sang most often to my children before bedtime so it means more to me as a lullaby about the peace of rest and saying good night to my children.
Copeland for City Council
by Scott Carlberg
The Bartlesville Chamber and leaders said this of Dale Copeland for the Tom Shoemake Leadership Award in 2024:
4 Copeland was elected to the City Council in 2011 and has been mayor since 2016.
4 During the past eight years, he has led the council and city through difficult situations including the pandemic, water shortages during severe drought, and a critical sales tax increase election.
4 Whenever there are those who wish to address the council, he respectfully welcomes their thoughts.
4 Copeland has served Scouting since 1984, from scoutmaster to president of the Bartlesville based Cherokee Area Council, which is a six-county area. He has a national and international résumé that includes Philmont Scout Ranch in New Mexico, the Scouting Association of Japan, and the World Jamboree in the UK.
4 This gentleman is a church-ordained deacon and Sunday School teacher since 1980 and church treasurer since 1998.
4 Community involvement includes the Adams Golf Course Operating Committee and the Community Center Trust Authority.
4 He helps his wife, Donna, with Wreaths Across America, at White Rose Cemetery, in her position in the Daughters of the American Revolution.
The Tom Shoemake Leadership Award recognizes, “a true leader who has the confidence to stand alone, the courage to make tough decisions, and the compassion to listen to the needs of others. He or she does not set out to be a leader but becomes one by the quality of his or her actions and the integrity of their intent” according to the Bartlesville Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Re-elect Dale Copeland to the Bartlesville City Council, Ward 1
Dale Copeland knows Bartlesville:
4 Ward 1 resident for 43 years
4 Businessperson (now retired) since 1973
4 Community volunteer since 1986
4 Regional family presence since 1963
From Dale:
Bartlesville prospers as we reinforce three fundamentals for our citizens:
Financial health: Economic uncertainty requires detailed financial oversight, balancing short term and long-term needs, and carefully analyzing both sides of the balance sheet.
Core services: Foundational city services can make or break a city – fire and police, streets, water, trash, and sewer. These impact everything from response times to property insurance rates to quality of life.
Civility: Positive, open communications are a bedrock of civic health. I work to maintain this kind of atmosphere.
THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF GEORGE MICHAEL Tuesday, October 1, 2024 | 7:30 PM Recommended for ages 10+
ADDAMS FAMILY Sunday, February 23, 2025 | 7:30 PM Recommended for ages 10+ DEAR EVAN HANSEN Thursday, March 6, 2025 | 7:30 PM Recommended for ages 13+ PRETTY WOMAN Monday, January 6, 2025 | 7:00 PM Recommended for ages 13+
Broadway in Bartlesville!
2024-2025 Season Announced
The Center for arts, events, and community is proud to announce its 2024-2025 Broadway in Bartlesville! season. Four national touring New York based shows will perform at The Center throughout the year during the series’ twenty-second season. Purchase your season tickets today and mark your calendars for another outstanding run of professional, traveling Broadway performances.
The season opens on Tuesday, October 1 at 7:30pm with THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF GEORGE MICHAEL . The show is a brand-new theatrical concert event that chronicles the amazing journey George Michael had with music and his fans. The show captures the performance and sound of George Michael with staging and lighting while telling his story through early music hits from Wham! and his illustrious solo career. As one of the biggest international stars of our time, the show will have fans on their feet dancing and singing along to blockbuster hits including “Wake Me Up Before You Go Go,” “Freedom,” “Faith,” “Careless Whisper,” “Father Figure,” and many more. Spanning a four-decade career with over 115 million albums sold, THE LIFE AND MUSIC OF GEORGE MICHAEL shows his rise to fame as a member of Wham! in the 80’s. He went solo in 1987 with “Faith,” one of the biggest albums of all time which included multiple number one hits.
On Monday, January 6, 2025 at 7:00pm, enjoy a story based on one of the most beloved romantic comedies of all time, PRETTY WOMAN: THE MUSICAL is a modern spin on Cinderella. Vivian, a spirited diamond in the rough, dreams of a better life. A star-crossed meeting with Edward, a shrewd corporate raider from New York who is lost in Hollywood, turns a simple business deal into a week of romance and a journey of self-discovery for both Vivian and Edward. With a wholly original musical score by Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance, this contemporary theatrical take on the iconic love story, will sweep a new generation off their feet and make them believe in the power of “Happily Ever After.” PRETTY WOMAN: THE MUSICAL features an original score by Grammy® winner Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance (“Summer of ’69”, “Heaven”), and a book by the movie’s legendary director Garry Marshall and screenwriter J. F. Lawton. PRETTY WOMAN: THE MUSICAL will lift your spirits and light up your heart. “If you love the movie, you’ll love the musical!” (BuzzFeed News). Are you ready to fall in love all over again?
Next in the line-up is, THE ADDAMS FAMILY slated for Sunday, February 23, 2025 at 7:30pm. A comical feast that embraces the wackiness in every family, THE ADDAMS FAMILY is the magnificently macabre hit musical featuring everyone’s favorite creepy, kooky characters. Wednesday Addams, the ultimate princess of darkness, has grown up and fallen in love with a sweet, smart young man from a respectable family. A man
her parents have never met. And if that weren’t upsetting enough, she confides in her father and begs him not to tell her mother. Now, Gomez Addams must do something he’s never done before - keep a secret from his beloved wife, Morticia. Everything will change for the whole family on the fateful night they host a dinner for Wednesday’s “normal” boyfriend and his parents. On the heels of Wednesday, the third most-watched show on Netflix of all time, Big League Productions, Inc. presents THE ADDAMS FAMILY, a devilishly delightful musical comedy based on the bizarre and beloved characters by legendary cartoonist Charles Addams.
The series finale, DEAR EVAN HANSEN, plays on Thursday, March 6, 2025 at 7:30 p.m. This production is the deeply personal and profoundly contemporary musical about life and the way we live it. A letter that was never meant to be seen, a lie that was never meant to be told, a life he never dreamed he could have. Evan Hansen is about to get the one thing he’s always wanted: a chance to finally fit in. WINNER OF SIX 2017 TONY® AWARDS INCLUDING BEST MUSICAL AND THE 2018 GRAMMY® AWARD FOR BEST MUSICAL THEATER ALBUM. “One of the most remarkable shows in musical theater history,” says The Washington Post. The New York Times calls DEAR EVAN HANSEN “a gut-punching, breathtaking knockout of a musical” and NBC News says that the musical is “an inspiring anthem resonating on Broadway and beyond.”
Ordering a season subscription is the most cost-effective way to see all four shows from the same seat. Season subscriptions range from $115 to $376, include four shows, and save subscribers between $30 and $40 over buying individual tickets. However, if you cannot commit to the entire season, single tickets to each show go on Tuesday, September 3 at 9:00am. Single tickets range from $30 - $95 depending on type of ticket and seat location.
Financial support from the National Endowment for the Arts, Oklahoma Arts Council, and these local sponsors make it possible for The Center staff to present the 2024-2025 Broadway in Bartlesville! series: * Arvest Wealth Management * bMonthly Magazine * ConocoPhillips * Copper Cup Marketing * Cortney McClure Design * Mr. and Mrs. Paul Crawford * ExaminerEnterprise * Green Country Village * Keleher Architects * KGGF KUSN KQQR * KRIG KYFM KWON KPGM * Melody’s Creative Cuisine * Nowata Road Liquor *Phillips 66 * Price Tower Arts Center * Robinett/King * Dr. and Mrs. Richard Rutledge * Dr. and Mrs. William D. Smith * Sparklight * Stumpff Funeral Home & Crematory * Ms. Terri Taylor * Truity Credit Union * Visit Bartlesville.
For more information or to purchase season tickets, call The Center box office at 918-337-2787. The Center is open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday, and evenings and weekends during scheduled concerts and events, and is located at 300 SE Adams Blvd., in Downtown Bartlesville. You can learn more at www.bartlesvillecenter.com.
Celebrate Giving Event Unites Local Nonprofits
by Abigail Singrey
The Kiwanis Club of Bartlesville’s Celebrate Giving event is more than a holiday market—it’s a party with a purpose, bringing nonprofits together to raise awareness, funds and holiday cheer.
Featuring 48 local nonprofits, the come and go event will be held from 4:30 p.m.-6:30 p.m. on Nov. 14 at The Center on 300 SE Adams Blvd.
Community members are invited to this free event to explore nonprofit booths, learn about the organizations that make Bartlesville special and shop for unique stocking stuffers just in time for the holidays. In past years, booths have featured handmade Christmas ornaments, baked goods, and local favorites like pecans from The Pilot Club and salsa verde from Casa Hispana. Guests can also enjoy dinner on-site, with the Dewey FFA food truck serving hot dogs. Other nonprofits will have food offerings as well, and a cash bar will be available.
Community members can get involved by voting for the BFF — Bartlesville Fan Favorite — award. Each attendee receives a free voting ticket to drop in the jar of their favorite nonprofit booth, with the option to purchase additional tickets to cast more votes. Nonprofits are encouraged to get creative, designing unique booth themes and decorating their ticket jars to stand out and win the crowd’s support. The winner of the BFF award will receive a cash donation to their organization.
“ We want to celebrate our nonprofits and reward them in a fun way with contests and prizes,” Event Chair and Kiwanis member Karen Wilson said.
The Kiwanis Club of Bartlesville will be hosting a raffle with an exciting prize: a 6-day, 5-night stay in a deluxe Founders Level condo at the Wyndham Resort in Branson, Missouri, along with a $100 VISA gift card. The condo stay was generously donated by Kiwanis member Grace Farmer, and all proceeds will go towards prizes for local nonprofits participating in the Celebrate Giving event. The winner will be announced at the event on Nov. 14 at 6 p.m., but you do not need to be present to win. The fundraiser aims to raise $1,000; however, if ticket sales fall short of this goal, the prize will be 20% of the total sales instead. Tickets can be purchased at https://bit.ly/KiwanisRaffle24.
“I don’t know of any other event where this many nonprofits come together to fundraise,” Wilson said. “It’s especially helpful for small nonprofits that may not have the resources to have a signature event.”
The event was inspired by Wilson’s experience fundraising for nonprofits in Atlanta, Georgia. After moving to Bartlesville in 2007 and joining Kiwanis in 2008, she teamed up with Kiwanians and community members in 2014 to create Bartlesville Holiday Wreaths. As interest in the wreaths declined over time, the event was rebranded three years ago as “Celebrate Giving.” Now, the event allows local nonprofits full creative freedom with their booth space, letting them keep all proceeds from sales, while also raising funds that are distributed to participating nonprofits.
The Kiwanis Club of Bartlesville, established in 1920, continues its long tradition of supporting local nonprofits with
events like this. One of the club’s earliest initiatives was the Kiwanis Milk Fund Show, which raised money to provide milk for school children. While that event no longer exists, Kiwanis remains deeply involved in the community. The club organizes Bartlesville’s annual Freedom Fest on the Fourth of July, the Bartlesville Christmas Parade, a kids’ fishing derby, and operates Sooner Junior, a miniature golf course at Sooner Park. Proceeds
from Sooner Junior help fund scholarships for local students, demonstrating Kiwanis’ ongoing commitment to making a positive impact.
“I would encourage everyone to consider joining an organization like Kiwanis,” Wilson said. “Our mission is kids and the community, and everything we do benefits them in some way.”
2024 Celebrate Giving Participants
Ghost Tracks
by Jay Hastings
Being a Ford Shelby enthusiast, I follow several related groups on social media. Last month, something caught my eye that sent me down a history rabbit hole. A story popped up about the lowest mileage Shelby Cobra in existence. It had been ordered brand new in 1964 for Graham Shaw’s private race team. The car was only six weeks old with 418 miles on it when Shaw wrecked it at Garnett Lake Raceway in Garnett, Kansas. It has since been restored to its original appearance from the 60’s. It was a great article about a vintage race car and its survival, but it left me wanting to know more about the Garnett Lake Raceway.
Anyone who has ever driven from Bartlesville to Kansas City has most likely passed through Garnett, Kansas. On one such trip a few years ago, I was exploring the old Santa Fe railroad line north out of Garnett when I discovered Garnett Lake Park. Driving around the lake, I noticed the road seemed like it would make a nice road course-style racetrack with its gentle hills and turns. I hadn’t thought anymore about it until I read the article about Shaw’s Shelby Cobra. Sure enough, after a little research, I discovered there was quite a little history about the Garnett Lake Raceway.
Originally, the lake and roadway were constructed as a park in the 1930’s. Grand Prix races began at the lake in 1959 and remained active until 1972. In 1963, Carroll Shelby brought his factory team to Garnett with Cobras 97, 98 and 99 to take on the new Corvettes and in the Sports Car Club of America (SCCA)
event. While in the lead, the Ford crew made a mock gravesite for the Corvettes on the track.
The small town of Garnett, population 3,000, would swell on race days to 80,000. In 1963 and 1964, the crowds grew so large extra police were brought in to control riots that broke out in the town during the evenings. It was those sorts of unintended events that led to the banning of alcohol at the events and all races there in 1965. Races were sporadic from that time and, in 1970, were permanently stopped due to safety concerns for racers as there had been several serious accidents at the track as speeds began to increase. Today, the lake hosts the annual Garnett Lake Grand Prix Revival Race, in which speeds are restricted to 100 mph.
As I continued my search, I discovered a few other nearby ghost tracks out there. Have you ever heard of the Ponca City Grand Prix? For a twenty year stretch, Ponca City Lake hosted top level SCCA races on 4th of July weekends from 1961 to 1981. Racers and spectators doubled the population of Ponca City and at times the crowds got quite rowdy.
What about War Bonnet Park Raceway? For two short years, there was an SCCA road course near new Mannford, Oklahoma. It was built around the same time as Keystone Lake was completed. The old town of Mannford had to be moved to make way for the lake and, as housing construction grew, the land including the track was acquired for development. In 1968, though, the one-mile track was expanded to a two-point, fourmile course so Mannford could host the 1968 Trans Am series. The track, now named along with the neighborhood as the Keystone Loop, can still be driven as a residential street.
Now, how about Lakeside Speedway in Dewey? It’s been more than 40 years since the last races there. I’ve recently read and heard a lot of chatter about plans to re-open the track. I can’t be alone in hoping those dreams become reality. Maybe sometime soon I’ll see you at the races. After all, some ghosts are worth raising.
