Truro Area News
By Mary Lou Parker
Hey kids, moms and dads: I just learned that there is an ice cream truck that goes all around Truro on Monday afternoons around 2-2:30 p.m. They have all kinds of ice cream on a stick, ice cream in a cup or possibly ice cream sandwiches. I know of one mom who is pretty excited about having this treat; maybe even more than her children. When I was growing up in Maryland there was an ice cream vendor that came around known as “The Good Humor Man”, which was an ice cream truck, too. At that time popcicles sold for 5 cents and ice cream sandwiches sold for 10 cents. Gone are those days but I along with the kids in my neighborhood really looked forward to him coming.
Last Thursday a Mrs. Bonnie Dunlap from Orient came into City Hall and donated a quilt made many years ago by some of the women who lived in and/or around Truro. I saw my husband’s grandmother, Elsie Parker, and her daughter, Fern Smith, among the many names on the quilt squares. Some of the other names were not as familiar to me like Nanni Dutton, Nora Presley, and Frannie Fitzgerald. Some of the other names written on a square of the quilt are Amy Denly, Lucile Priest, Grace Durfey, and Ina Ryerson (who is the mother of the woman who donated the quilt), Francis Musselman, Ann Petterson, Flora Ray, Velma Jones and Ardis Jones. A lot of work and many hours were put in making this quilt that I’m sure it is very old. Stop in and see this quilt in City Hall that many of your ancestors may have helped to make. I don’t know about you but I treasure pieces like this quilt because it has so many memories of wonderful ladies that are no longer with us.
The quilt was in the possession of Ina May (Motson) Ryerson and then passed down to her niece, Bonnie Dunlap. Mrs. Ryerson was the daughter of James Matteson and Mary Bennum. She married Ed Ryerson on January 22, l909 and lived in the south edge of Truro until 1970.
Our deepest sympathy is extended to Larry and Nelda Beeler in the death of Larry’s sister, Linda Beeler, who passed away on June 12. Memorials may be sent to the Presbyterian Church of Winterset or to Blank Performing Arts Center Expansion project at Simpson College. I had the privilege to meet Linda and she was a sweet and very intelligent woman. She graduated from Truro High School in l957 and went on to receive several degrees from various colleges. A private family memorial service will be held at a later date with burial in Ebenezer Cemetery.
The children of Arlie and Pat McKinney held a reception to celebrate their parent’s 50th wedding anniversary on June 14. The reception was held at the Calvary Baptist Church where they attend. When Dean and I arrived the room was filled with friends, family, Church members and neighbors. It was fun seeing people that once lived in St. Charles like Leo and Evelyn (McKinney) Young, Bernard and Beverly (McKinney) Tucker. Also attending was one of their former Pastors, Rev. Doug Domokos and his wife, Laurel. There must have been more than 200 people attending the event.
Vacation Bible School for 2009 at Calvary Baptist Church will be held from Sunday, June 28 until Thursday, July 2 from 6:15-8:30 p.m. All children ages 4 years through 6th grade are welcome to attend. Please call Barb Flickinger at 641-221-0231 to get a registration sent out to you.
Esther Neidt, former resident of Truro, who is currently residing with her daughters in Omaha, will celebrate her 90th birthday on June 29. Esther’s family would like to have a card shower in her honor. If you would like to send a card or letter to Esther, she would love to hear from you. You may send it to either daughter’s address: 1640 South 97th, Omaha, NE 68124 or 2548 Avenue F, Council Bluffs, IA 51501-2252.
All alumni, students’ instructors and friends from Truro High School and I-35 are invited to attend the annual Truro High School Reunion on Sunday, June 28. The meal is served at 12:30 p.m. in the I-35 High School lunch room.
Truro’s 125th birthday celebration with all its activities is June 26-28. You won’t want to miss it. Last weeks paper had all of the schedules for the different contests and activities plus the time for the crowning of the 2009 King and Queen.
RAGBRAI will be coming through Truro on July 21. If you have any questions or would like to be one of the volunteers to help out that day, please call Joe Sciarrotta on his cell phone at 515-681-4612.
The Truro Fire & Rescue Association met June 16 in the fire house. Discussion was on all the upcoming events. June, July and August are going to be busy months for the group. June they have the water fights between the different fire departments during Truro’s 125th birthday celebration and the parade. July they will have a booth for RAGBRAI selling watermelon slices, meatballs on a stick and water and St. Charles’ parade. August the Association along with the fire department will be holding their annual street dance and dinner. The band that will be performing this year is “The Barrelhouse Rockets”. We will need extra help in cooking this year since Fran Hoffman is still not well enough to help out. She will be missed but hopefully she will be helping next year.
The Association President, Julie Morris, announced that the Association will be receiving $3,000 from the Greater Madison County Community Foundation grant that will go toward our building project. We are very appreciative of the donation to our Association
The Association welcomes a new member Heidi Burhans, who is Truro’s City Clerk. We welcome her ideas, expertise and most of all, her help.
My husband would describe to me what it was like in Truro years ago when he was a kid especially on a Saturday night when everyone would come to town to shop or sell eggs or watch TV in Dorman’s hardware store (because TV’s were the latest thing). He said everyone would have so much fun visiting. Last week I was in New Virginia getting my hair done by my daughter, Nancy Hagan, in Missy’s Hair Salon and it was a beautiful day so Nancy left the door to the shop open. I can’t tell you how many people went by that door and stopped to say hello or even chat for a while. I mean there were people from young children, to ladies my daughter’s age to people who were a little older. It was so much fun visiting with all these new people and just reminded me of how my husband described how Truro was years ago and hopefully will be again.
