Das Haus October/November 2015

DasHaus OCTOBER/NOVEMBER 2015

History’s neighbor House, former barn share a piece of the past

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CONTENTS

Family heirlooms..4

Discussion, planning can help ease the transfer of keepsakes.

At home6

Fall colors.....12

Break out the earth tones as autumn is here.

The ‘Hoover House’ and its unique history.

Das Haus is published and distributed by The Hays Daily News, 507 Main, Hays, KS 67601. Find it online at www.HDNews.net/DasHaus.

Copyright © 2015 Harris Enterprises. All rights reserved. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Das Haus is a registered trademark of The Hays Daily News.

Printed by Northwestern Printers, 114 W. Ninth, Hays, KS 67601, northwesternprinters.com.

Publisher, Patrick Lowry, plowry@dailynews.net Advertising Director, Mary Karst, maryk_ads@dailynews.net Designer, Nick McQueen, nmcqueen@dailynews.net Account Executives: Joleen Fisher, Ashley Bergman, Eric Rathke Creative Services: Juno Ogle, Mallory Goeke

Duct work....14 When is the right time to have your air ducts cleaned?

FOOD FOR THOUGHT

Linda Beech is a family and consumer science agent with K-State Research and Extension in Ellis County.

Family heirlooms Discussion might ease the transfer

A

lmost everyone has personal belongings such as wedding photographs, a baseball glove, holiday ornaments, a beloved doll or a yellow pie plate that are meaningful for them and for other members of their family.

These heirlooms and personal possessions are known as non-titled property because they do not have a legal title which establishes rules of ownership.

Deciding who gets Grandma’s yellow pie plate or Dad’s collection of fishing gear might seem minor and easy as family decisions go. In reality, decisions about personal belongings can be extremely difficult and become major challenges for families to face.

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4 DAS HAUS October/November 2015

These belongings might or might not have financial value, but they often have a great deal of sentimental or emotional value. Decisions about personal property involve dealing with the emotions connected to objects accumulated over a lifetime or across generations. It is often the emotional value attached to personal belongings that makes talking about them so challenging.

Paring down and transferring personal property is inevitable when owners move or die. While many people have a will or estate plan to deal with their titled property, few people plan ahead regarding what should happen to the items in their household.

Decisions about non-titled property are not often made during ideal circumstances. Frequently these decisions are made in times of transition, such as remarriage or down-sizing, or during a family crisis such as when a death has occurred or when an elderly family member is moving to a health care facility. Decision-making becomes more challenging and sensitive when family members are in the process of grieving a death, selling the home they grew up in, and/or facing the increasing dependence of an elder. While not easy, decisions about the transfer of personal property can be a time to reminisce, share memories or work through the grieving process together.

There is no magic formula or solution available for transferring personal property because each family and their possessions are different. However, the Extension program “Who Get’s Grandma’s Yellow Pie Plate?” suggests

that there are some factors for every family to consider whether planning for the transfer of an individual’s own personal property or working together to plan the transfer of items belonging to a family member: 1. Recognize that decisions about personal belongings are often more challenging than decisions about titled property. Assuming such decisions are unimportant or trivial can lead to misunderstandings and conflicts.

2. Recognize inheritance decisions can have powerful consequences — emotional as well as economic. Decisions about personal property involve dealing with emotional and potential

financial value connected to objects accumulated over a lifetime and across generations of family members.

3. Plan ahead. When decisions are made prior to death, the decisions can reflect the owner’s wishes, and special memories and stories may be shared.

Planning ahead versus waiting until a crisis or death offers more choices and a chance for thoughtful communication.

4. Consider how to deal with conflicts before they arise. Issues of power and control do not disappear in inheritance decisions. Unresolved conflicts among parents, adult children, siblings, and others are often at the heart of what goes wrong with inheritance decisions. Listen for feelings and emotions, watch for blaming, and determine if you can agree to disagree if conflicts arise.

5. Remember that different perceptions of what’s “fair” are normal and should be expected. Those involved need to uncover the unwritten rules and assumptions about fairness that exist among family members.

6. Consider all options. Being fair does not always mean being equal. In fact, dividing personal items equally is sometimes impossible.

7. Ask others for input. Family members who have input and agree on how decisions are made are more likely to be satisfied with the outcomes of those decisions.

8. Discuss what those involved want to accomplish. This will help reduce mistaken assumptions, misunderstood intentions, and makes choosing distribution options easier.

9. Ask others to identify items that have special meaning to them. This will help minimize inaccurate assumptions about who should get what. Not everyone will find the same items meaningful.

10. Put wishes in writing. By creating a separate listing mentioned in a will, for example, the property owner will reduce the dilemmas and decisions for estate executors and surviving family members.

For more information about the Extension program “Who Gets Grandma’s Yellow Pie Plate?” or to schedule a presentation for your group or club, contact the Ellis County Extension Office at (785) 628-9430.

AT HOME

A house and barn in the early 1900s, the barn was made into a house in the 1940s.

6 DAS HAUS October/November 2015

Hoover House

W

ilma Hoover spent a lot of time in two homes across the alley from each other in downtown Hays during the past seven

decades.

The 86-year-old Hays woman can hardly wait to see what all the fuss is about over the limestone house at 210 E. 19th, where she and her husband, Herbert, raised their family of seven.

The Hoovers were married in 1950, and while searching for a house to call a home, they ran across a remodeled home that piqued their interest.

The newlyweds liked what they saw of a former barn built on a homestead at the edge of town in the early 1900s.

Ditto for the young family that now occupies the

home known around town as the Hoover House.

It took just one glance as Sarah Brogden drove by the house on 19th Street to know she was home.

Local house renovator Kris Munsch bought the Hoover House in 2014 and began doing his magic, remodeling it with the intent to sell when completed.

He and some of his helpers were working at the home in July when they were interrupted by a local realtor and some visitors from Colorado.

Sarah and her husband, Steven Brogden from Brighton, were looking to move to a smaller town to raise their two sons, and they had just checked out a home for sale to the north of Munsch’s project.

Story by Diane Gasper-OBrien

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Photos by Jolie Green

ABOVE & BELOW: Inside the house at 210 E. 19th.

“We were driving by and slammed on the brakes when I saw this place,” Sarah said. “I said, ‘I want that.’ “ If there was even a bit of doubt, it went away once they entered the home.

“I knew we had to have this as our home when I looked out the upstairs window,” she said.

Sarah was bubbling with excitement, but they only asked Munsch a few questions. The main inquiry wasn’t what one might think.

The story goes something like this.

“We wanted to know when he would be done with the house,” Sarah said, “when we could move in.”

“Well, let me put some numbers together and see what I need out of it,” Munsch replied.

“We don’t care!” Sarah shouted, her eyes sparkling as she retold the tale.

Actually, “we did care,” Steven said grinning and rolling his eyes.

No matter. By early August, Munsch

was tidying up the yard as the Brogdens’ first moving truck from Colorado pulled into the yard.

The family got a nice surprise in the kitchen.

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Sitting atop the butcher block island was a matching cutting board with Brogden engraved in it.

Just a few days later, furniture was in place, boxes were unpacked. And voila! The Hoover House was once again a home.

Reminiscing Health issues sent the elderly Hoover couple to Brookdale Senior Living in Hays in the spring of 2014.

Herbert died in July, and Wilma remained in the assisted living facility, where five of her seven children in the Hays area often visit her.

The Hoover children didn’t even put their parents’ house on the market.

“I had known Kris for years,” said Sue Ihde, the fifth of the Hoover children. “I knew he redid old homes. I knew he would be the one to fix it up.”

>>>>>>>>>

A look at the kitchen inside the house on 19th.

Across the alley from 210 E. 19th, the original house is located at 209 E. 18th.

The deck on the back of the orginal house at 209 E. 18th.

Munsch, who has restored more than 50 homes — including several in Hays — started work on the Hoover House almost immediately and gleaned history from the Hoover family.

“I wanted to keep it about the same as it was,” he said.

During a recent visit to Brookdale, Wilma and Sue had fun reminiscing about their home.

Sue mentioned the time Munsch asked if she wanted to come take a peek at his renovation progress.

“I was afraid to,” she said. “I thought there would be a lot of changes. I was surprised. He kept it nearly the same, made it look magnificent. I cried when I went through it.”

Sue would like nothing better than for her mother to see her home again.

“Mom, it’s gorgeous, you would love it,” Sue said.

They laughed at the thought of the huge picture window in the living room

that stretches 7.5 feet wide and 6.5 feet high.

“Birds would fly into it all the time,” Wilma said.

“Some of them got up, some of them didn’t,” Sue added, giggling.

The Brogdens had been looking for six months for a small town to raise their sons, 11-year-old Beck and 8-year-old Beau. They traveled to several states and had an appointment set up to visit a home in Baldwin City in eastern Kansas the day after they toured the Hoover House.

“I was picturing hills with green grass,” Steven said.

Instead, he got gorgeous western Kansas sunsets.

Even with old shag carpet still on the floors, which later would reveal original wood floors, Sarah already could envision what the house would look like with all her antique furniture.

“I called our realtor in Baldwin City and said, ‘We’re done,’ “ Sarah said. “I knew the search was over.”

Where it all began The house and barn had been built by a Hays family in the early 1900s, and the house was remodeled in the 1940s, the same time the barn was turned into a home.

Adam and Anna Rupp moved to the newly remodeled 209 E.18th home when Wilma, their only daughter, was in high school.

Even after Wilma graduated, moved out and started raising a family of her own, she and her parents stayed close — literally.

As the Hoover family grew in numbers, the children frequented Grandpa and Grandma Rupp’s house just across the alley to the south.

>>>>>>>>>

“I think it’s great the way everything worked out. This is so much fun.”

- Melissa Dixon

“I think we spent more time in that house than Mom did,” Sue said. “We loved that house.”

New owners Grady and Melissa Dixon feel the same way.

Different than the Brogdens, the Dixons saw their future home on the Internet before ever coming to Hays from Mississippi.

“We had chosen about 10 houses to look at,” Melissa said. “But this was our No. 1 pick.”

Those feelings grew even stronger once they saw the home in person, especially since it had been recently upgraded, and had a heating and air system installed by David Randa, owner of Reliable in Hays.

“We looked at 10 houses,” Melissa said, “but we knew this was it.”

Soon, the Dixons and their two young children — Delia, now 7, and Brooks, 4 — were settled into their new home.

The Hoovers still owned the house across the alley to the north, so the Dixons got to watch its renovation process and enjoyed exchanging stories with Munsch.

Almost from the minute the Brogdens moved in, the two young families became friends.

Sharing history, friendship Drive down 18th Street after work, and you’ll likely find the Dixons — and often the Brogdens as well — enjoying an evening on the Dixons’ 900 squarefoot deck.

“This is one of our favorite parts of the whole house,” Melissa said.

They enjoy sharing stories about their two homes, joined forever by history.

They talk about having a picnic on the Brogdens’ picnic table, a 5-by-7 foot slab of limestone that once was the porch of the Opera House in Hays.

Someone asked why the barn was limestone and the house blond brick.

“Oh, it’s limestone, too,” Melissa piped up.

There’s a place in the basement where she proves her point.

Underneath the stairs, a new piece of history is unveiled. Behind the blond brick is a layer of red brick. Underneath that is the original limestone structure.

“I think it’s great the way everything worked out,” Melissa said. “This is so much fun.”

You get the feeling she wasn’t just talking about her own home.

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Berry Berry Quite Contrary Kayla Berry is a stay-at-home mom who enjoys creating, decorating and re-purposing old furniture and decor.

Fall is in the air F

all is always welcomed with open arms in our household. Crunchy leaves littering the sidewalks, pumpkins perched on porches, apple cider warmed on the stove, aromas of pumpkin pie coming from the oven or if you’re not a baker maybe a candle instead are signs that fall has arrived. There’s just something a little magical about fall and it’s one of my favorite seasons to decorate for.

Chalkboards are great for decorating for holidays since you can switch out the picture.

12 DAS HAUS October/November 2015

>>>>>>>>>

Throwing pumpkins in any type of basket instantly turns it into a perfect decoration for fall. You don’t need to spend a lot of money on items that are specifically geared towards certain holidays.

Just buying a few basic things and placing them on or in items you already have can save quite a bit of money.

Decorating a tree for different holidays is now one of my favorite traditions.

One can use different types of small pumpkins, ribbon, etc. to decorate.

Add some lights and you have a “fall” tree!

For more Fall decorating ideas visit my blog at: berryberryquitecontrary.wordpress.com

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Living smart A proper air duct cleaning will help with the biggest causes of respiratory problems.

How often should you clean your air ducts?

M

14 DAS HAUS October/November 2015

any homeowners who’ve hired a Most experts, including the EPA, reputable air duct cleaning conhave not endorsed air duct cleaning as tractor are often pleased with a remedy for health issues, but cleaners the results. While there’s no scientific say they’ve amassed a growing body of evidence to prove that vent cleaning has anecdotal evidence that it does provide a direct and significant benefit, experts some benefit. agree there’s some benefit to having air “I’ve had tens of thousands of duct cleaning performed, particularly if customers over 26 years that will tell you hire a skilled proyou they’ve enjoyed fessional. the benefits of air The Environmental Protection Agency The National Air duct cleaning to their recommends cleaning air ducts when: Duct Cleaners Assoenvironment,” says • You suspect that mold exists in the air ciation recommends Michael Vinick, NADCA ducts.

•You notice a vermin infestation somegetting your air ducts president. where in the home, or you see insects or cleaned every three to Mack said a proper rodents entering or exiting ductwork. five years. Ed Mack, air duct cleaning will • You see a visible “poof” of dust released from the supply registers when air is owner of Air Duct help with the biggest exiting the vents.

Professionals in Lake causes of respiratory Elsinore, Calif., says problems. “If you have homeowners should consider doing it asthma, your number one enemy is dust every two to five years, depending on mites,” he says. “And for people with altheir circumstances. lergies, pollen and dander are a big prob“How often you need it will depend lem. These are microscopic elements you on what part of the country you’re in, can’t see with the naked eye, and they’re how often you use your system, and if commonly found in air ducts. A good anyone in your home has allergies or cleaning will remove a lot of them.” asthma,” Mack says.

However, NADCA standards caution Mack recommends taking a look that these elements will only be removed inside your air vent register. by a thorough cleaning that addresses “If you notice black debris around the every part of the system that air moves outside, that’s pollutants that have been across, not just the air ducts. recycled through the system over and “A good cleaner is going to use a over again, and that’s a sign your system negative air machine and a rotary brush is excessively soiled,” he says. “Also, take cabling system,” Mack says. a look at your system when you change “The brush goes through the ducts your filter. If there’s a lot of dust buildup and knocks the debris loose, and the in that area, that’s another sign you’re negative air machine vacuums it away.” overdue for a cleaning.”

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