SCENE in Passing

Marie Whitehead

Welcome to March. The beginning of what we hope will

be a beautiful collection of spring days filled with happy memories.

All of us at this office are extremely grateful to you who made our birthday celebration a memorable event. You helped light a candle on our symbolic cake. It was a happy, happy day.

The beautiful floral arrangements and lovely cards you brought and sent were truly a joy.

One card of particular interest came from Magoline Tosh, Jerry and Betty Miller and Ken McClure. It was especially designed and created just for me by Betty. The front of the card had a couple reading our newspaper about our anniversary and inside said "That's great news!"

You all are such wonderful people and we were delighted by your attendance at our open house. You will never know how much your love and friendship means to all of us at Whitehead Enterprises.

Among our friends who registered for the party were Penny Reynolds, Janae Halbert, Lynn Kelley, Virginia Self, Gene Kelley, Steven R. Wimer, J.R. Adcock, Teresa Tosh Langley, Bobby and Hazel Tosh, Loretta Springer, Glenda Long, Angela Raiborn, Connie Brown, Bob Goldsberry, Rev. and Mrs. Michael Caldwell, Michael Todd, Charles Hassell, Nancy McKean, Margaret and Jim Perkins, Johnny Patterson, Myra White, Cindy Havard, Gary Epperson, Toni Meador, Leslie Hassell, Amanda Gray, Joyce Beckham, Sheilah O'Heaney, Ted Debbs, Stephen Resham, Mike Murray, Camille Jones, Opal Fitts, Betty McLain, Zelwanda Hendrick, Judy Faye Garner, Betty Tosh Miller, Mrs. Alice Raines, Dan Vandever and Sarah Summers.

I really appreciate your support during the past years. The newspaper dates back to before we were born and I have only been in Rusk almost 58 years. Each and everyone of them has been the greatest.

Rusk is where Emmett and I decided to settle down and rear our family. You have been so good to us. Thank you for being here for us.

Your help with identifying several recent pictures is appreciated. However--I would like to know who the members of the band are in that photo. Anybody? Here's a note from a person you will remember: Joy Hamilton Conway.

"My husband and I grew up in Rusk and look forward to reading the Cherokeean Herald each week, especially "Scene in Passing." In the Feb. 13 issue, this column was of particular interest to us, telling about the crowning of a beauty queen. You can imagine my surprise when I looked at the pictures of this event and saw my name as the winner. The girl who was crowned was not me, but was in fact the lovely Joy Fox. I was, however in another contest held a few years earlier. It was also held at the brand new Cherokee Theater. I don't remember for sure, but I think this contest was for the winner to represent Rusk in the Tomato Festival. I was sponsored by the J. C. Williams Ford Co. I don't recall who won, but maybe some of your readers can shed some light on this event. It was also interesting to read about Quinton's Restaurant and to recall the many good times we had there as teenagers."

Jake Johnson, standing center at the microphone, served as master of ceremonies for a coronation ceremony at the Cherokee Theater in the early 1950s. He fronts a band of six musicians.

Our writer lives in Fort Worth. If you wish her phone number or e-mail address, I have both.

On the down side of this mistake situation, here's more from the young woman who really is the daughter of Jake and Wanda Johnson. She is Wanda Pierce and lives in Tyler. She resided in our community a brief time while her dad served as manager of the Rusk Chamber of Commerce. She notes that Frank and Katie Gillespie were very good friends of her parents. (I had incorrectly reported that she had been reared in Rusk and was still here. I was wrong on both counts. Please accept my apologies.)

Please remember that your contributions to this space are appreciated. Send any comments about yesterday, the way we were, and/or comments about the way it is and the way that you think it is yet to be. What you think matters to me and others. We are all in this together. And aren't we having fun? Keep smiling. mwhitehead@mediactr.com