We’ve nearly made it through a rotten winter, and yes, there will be a spring someday, Virginia. If you were too cold to consider going out for the wonderful Progressive Dinner, don’t forget the annual St. Patrick’s Day dinner and party at St. Roch’s. Irish or not, this is one not to be missed. It will most certainly get spring going nicely.
Even with the terrible weather, there have been many newsworthy happenings this month.
We are indeed sad to bring you the news of the closing of J-R Motorite, a business which we need and have long taken for granted in our neighborhood. Jerry and Ray and all the employees will be missed as they move to a new location. Their support of neighborhood activities, including fund-raisers and The Paper, has been just terrific, and we are genuinely sorry that their lease problems have forced this move. We wish them success in their new location, and we envy the people who will be able to count them as business neighbors. Thanks to Jerry and Ray for giving us such a fine example of how a neighborhood business should work. We will really miss you!
On Pershing, there have been two homes sold recently. On the 5700 block, Mr. and Mrs. Ray Weber became neighbors just before Christmas. And Dorothy Roper has moved into the 5800 block. Welcome to all the new neighbors on Pershing.
New neighbors, but already an integral part of our neighborhood, are Jim and Nan Kearn, who have purchased a home on the 6000 block of McPherson. Jim is the minister of Grace and Peace Fellowship. From the sound of it, lots of nice things are happening on the 6000 block of McPherson. Welcome to the Kearns.
Another young minister in our midst, Henry Hall, is leaving Grace Methodist Church after a successful stay as Youth Minister. Henry plans to attend school fulltime to get his degree in Urban Planning. Henry has been as asset to the neighborhood, and we hope to continue seeing him here. Who can forget his really outstanding “magic act” at the DinnerTheatre last fall? Good luck!.
Do you recall reading of the young student at Washington U who was recently named a Rhodes Scholar? Well, he and his mother are neighbors of ours on the 6000 block of Waterman. His name is Stephen Lockhart, 18 years old, a senior, majoring in math, and now a Rhodes Scholar. Congratulations are surely due an outstanding young man.
Joe Botz, one of our neighbors on the 6100 block of Kingsbury had an operation in January. We are glad to hear he is recuperating well.
We are pleased this month to introduce new babies all over the neighborhood.
Warren and Jane Pinkston, who live at 319 Rosedale, welcomed a baby girl on Dec. 20. Her name is Theresa Rose, and her proud papa works at St. Roch’s. Congratulations.
Timothy and Judy Sloan of the 5800 block of Pershing had a baby boy, named Jeremy, on Dec. 5. Our best wishes to the Sloans.
Soon to be parents are Margaret and Robert Mahon. Maggie (a Parkview Hart) teaches 5th grade at St. Roch’s. Congratulations to all the new and almost parents.
The prospect of a late February vacation at a (swinging, we hear) resort in Mexico apparently inspired Sandy Rothschild to lose 20 lbs. in a blitz program. Not that he needed it! We look forward to hearing the details of his trip, if he’ll tell, that is.
Blanche and Alton Reel were also fortunate enough to be able to take a winter vacation to California. And the Reels have other happy news — their son Tom is engaged to be married in July to Miss Barbara Murphy of Ladue. Congratulations.
Our condolences go to the family of Council Smith at the passing of his father, Mr. C.L. Smith.
We also extend our sympathy to the family of Mr. Percy Armstrong, of the 5800 block of De Giverville, who passed away recently.
Last month we reported that Mrs. Mattie Palmer, of the 6100 block of McPherson, had been hospitalized following a fire at her home. What we didn’t know at the time was that three of Dorothy Lloyd’s children had saved Mrs. Palmer from that fire even before the fire department arrived. These young heroes are Donna Owens and William and Jeanne Reynolds. We applaud their courage and good sense and hope they realize the appreciation all of us have for young people like them.
And there is a further ‘follow-up to this story. Since Mrs. Palmer’s return home, the block unit of 6000 McPherson has been helping her with meals, housework, hanging curtains, etc., as she gets her home put together again. Going to the grocery store and taking her granddaughter the places she needs to go are other activities these fine neighbors have been busy with. This group has been designated BlockUnit 1027 by the Urban League’s Federation of Block Units, with whom they have recently become affiliated. We hope to give you more information about this interesting group next month.
Welcoming new neighbors has sometimes proved to be an erratic endeavor for this writer., and so, five months late, we want to officially welcome Tom and Karleen Hoerr to the 6100 block of Washington. Tom is a doctoral student at Washington U and is an intern in the St: Louis Board of Education’s Department of Evaluation and Research. Karleen works at Children’s Hospital as a Special Education Teacher. Futhermore, just moved in on the 6100 block of McPherson are Karleen’s sister Jan and husband Bill Kuhl. Bill is a Computer Programmer at Barnes, and Jan teaches remedial reading in the U City School System. An impressive lot, huh? We are delighted to think we may safely anticipate seeing lots of them. It is always especially gratifying to welcome people who are abandoning South County for us!
The 6100 block of Westminster tops the illness list this month. Bill Atkinson is now recuperating from a recent hospital stay for treatment of a pinched nerve. We were happy to see Elaine out at the Weir fund-raiser in February and hope to see Bill out and around soon, too.
What lengths some people will go to get in the Paper two months running. In case of an odd person or two who may not know, Lois Schoemehl is sporting a very long leg cast, after breaking her ankle in an icy sidewalk fall. Mother-to-be and baby are doing fine, and we expect to be seeing Lois out very soon.
February 17 was the occasion for saying Happy 35th Anniversary to Lou and Vince Schoemehl, Sr. The Schoemehls were in Minnesota visiting their nonneighborhood daughter Betty on the 17th, but they were honored at a party at Sam and Lu Green’s home on their return home. Congratulations to two of the greats.
If I may add a personal note this month, I want to thank those who have so graciously appreciated this column recently. It is certainly encouraging! Thanks also to those of you who have actually called with information for the column . Your help is really needed and appreciated. Thanks!
Originally published in The Paper, March 1977.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Archival transcription note: February places Palmer on6000 McPherson but this report says6100 then describes6000 block unit; preserve discrepancy.
Original source: SD_Times1977_03.pdf, printed page(s) 3; PDF page(s) 3.
