2017 Summer Newsletter

Vera Dakin, one of our longtime volunteers, celebrated her 90th birthday on June 25th. Vera began her career as the County Health Nurse and in 1975 she began to get interested in genealogy and soon found herself volun teering for the Museum. Her passion has beenworking on obituaries, which are the best condensed stories of family history. Vera has always lived in Miami County, just outside of Drexel, and she faithfully drove to Paola four, five and six times a week to volunteer. When she first began to volunteer, the museum was just beginning to collect obitu aries of those with Miami County connections and of the 43,000 plus obituaries we have now, Vera has probably cut, pasted and filed most of them. Her knowledge of County History is tremendous. In 2000 she had to cut back her trips to Paola but still faithfully comes in every Monday. Lft - rt LuAnne Debrick, Vera Dakin, Colleen Ewan, Ann Roark, Alice Grandon, Patsy Bortner, Mildred Haley and Lila Jones.

Elnora Louise Henness, age 87, Elnora Louise Henness of Osawatomie, died June 1, 2017, at Life Care Center of Osawatomie. Elnora was born June 14, 1929, in Orlando, Oklahoma. She was the fourth of eight children born to Newell Fillip and Nora (Pinnix) Michael, and had five half-siblings as well. She grew up in the Orlando and Delaware, Oklahoma area, at tending grade school at the Potter one room school house and high school in Delaware. After school, Elnora was an active member of the First United Methodist Church of Osawatomie, the United Methodist Women or ganizing numerous funeral dinners, the Osawatomie Food Pantry, VFW Auxiliary #6397, Miami County Historical Soci ety, the Osawatomie Museum Foundation, Business Profes sional Women, NARVE, and Fontana Old Settlers. In addition to the various organizations she was active in, Elnora loved traveling with Mel. They purchased a home on Pomme de Terre Lake near Hermitage, Missouri, and spent countless weekends there with family and friends. She en joyed genealogy taking many trips to Salt Lake City and the Truman Library to do research. Elnora’s mother and siblings eventually settled in California, so they made numerous trips with their daughters to visit as well as sight seeing all across western United States. She and Mel had a close knit group of friends they loved

spending time with, whether it be traveling, get-togethers for holidays, having a fish fry, Friday night at the Elks Club, or hosting many basement parties. She was preceded in death by: her husband, Mel; her parents; brothers, Ralph, Rex, Dean, Ted, Clyde, Loyd and Sherwood Michael and Orville Wood; sisters, Stella Desene Portlock, Lavonna and Winifred Michael; brother’s-in-law, Wayne E. Henness and Doyle B. McQuay; and. sister-in-law, Phyllis Henness. Survivors include: Daughters, Joyce (John) Bumgarner, of Osawatomie, Jea nette (Elvin) Troutman, of Stilwell, Kansas, Patty (Mark Mar quez) Henness, of Osawatomie, and Linda (Jay) Beadle, of Olathe, Kansas; nine grandchildren Lincoln (Heather) Keen, of Bevier, Missouri, Luke Bumgarner, Ottawa, Kansas, Amy Johnson, of Osawatomie, Michelle Marcum, of Arlington, Texas, James (Shannon) Troutman, of Olathe, Tiffany (Matt) Hamblin; :of Overland Park, Kansas, Lindsay (Ryan) Russell, of Osawatomie, Melanie Trout¬man. Portland, Oregon, and Haley Beadle, of Olathe; 13 great-grand¬children, ; sister, Joann McDaniel, of Modesto, California; and sister in-law, Merna Kay McQuay, of Bolivar, Missouri; along with rumenous nieces, nephews, relatives, and friends. Services were held on Monday, June 5, 2017, at the Ed dy-Birchard Funer¬al Home. Burial: Osawatomie Cemetery

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