January 2, 2025 Column
This is my first column that will appear digitally and copies will also be available in the Patriot General Store. Hopefully the Reveille will return to print at some point, until then, I will endeavor to continue writing the stories/history and tales of our community through this new venue.
Charla Abzell of Indianapolis came home last Friday to take Mary Lynn Reese to her doctor appointment in Madison. On Saturday Charla and her mother, Dollie took the Ferry from Rising Sun to Rabbit Hash, Kentucky, which they enjoyed very much. On Sunday Charla, Dollie and Mary Lynn traveled to New Albany for Easton Green’s football game. They also spent time with Levi and Elijah Green. Charla returned home on Monday.
The weekend of December 21 was a time of celebration for Dollie Green and Mary Lynn, Charla, Drew and Sam Azbell of Indianapolis and Alli Azbell and Liam Otterbein of Nashville, Tennessee enjoyed dinner at Belterra on Saturday, celebrating Christmas early. On Sunday Dollie and Mary Lynn treated everyone to a wonderful big breakfast on Sunday everyone returned home that afternoon.
Patrick and Melissa Jones, Rosa and Mason visited family in Hooven, Ohio and Bright, Indiana for Christmas. On Christmas Eve we all enjoyed lunch at our mother, Leah Jones’s home on Meades Ridge. Ian Van Winkle and his friend, Bailey Smith of Florence joined us.
The Town of Patriot held their annual Community Christmas Dinner on Saturday, December 21. A large crowd attended and special guests, Santa and Mrs. Claus stopped in to visit with the children.
On Sunday, December 22, the Patriot Baptist Church youth visited the holiday train display in Rising Sun and the Christmas display at the Rising Star. Afterwards we enjoyed food at the Rising Star.
My cousin, Nicole Cook Ficaro and her husband, Jason and children, Bevyn and Brayson all of New Orleans visited for Christmas. They stayed in Dupont with her brother, Sean and family. Sean and his wife, Ashley welcomed a new son, Rhys Gary, into the world a few weeks ago. Nicole and her family enjoyed visiting their new nephew/cousin! I visited them on Christmas Eve and also enjoyed visiting with my cousins, Macy and McKenna Cook.
If you have not visited the Patriot General Store recently, you need to check them out. We recently had a plumbing issue at our house, and we were able to find every piece of hardware we needed at our local store. They have added many items to their store. We are lucky to have a locally owned store in our community!
Thanks to Eileen Wiesmann for sharing information about her grandson, Jaiden Malichi who plays basketball at Elmhurst University, which is near Chicago. Jaiden is tall, 6’7, and is a junior this year. Jaiden is the son of Steve and Devonna Wiesmann Malichi of Indianapolis. Devonna is a former student of mine. Jaiden played high school basketball at Cathedral High School in Indianapolis. Elmhurst won their conference championship last year. Eileen’s late husband, Ronnie Wiesmann, was a former Switzerland County Commissioner. Her father,the late Orville Phillips, was a former State Representative.
Prayers for the family of William Ravenscraft of Devers Road, who passed away last week.
I stopped in to visit Sandy and Van Thacker on Thursday. Van seems to be doing ok. He has more doctor appointments this week.
Leah Jones enjoyed a letter from her cousin, Fay White Boone of Greenwood, Indiana on Thursday. Fay has recovered nicely from her surgery for carpal tunnel. She is planning on retiring from her longtime position as a paraprofessional with the Center Grove School Corporation after this school year.
My brother Patrick and I went to Ghent, Kentucky to decorate family graves at the cemetery there. Most of my father’s family is buried there. There are four generations of my family buried in that cemetery.
My mother said that Vera McAlister told her that Bob Fisher used to pick her husband, Whitey McAlister up and they would go to the American Legion in Patriot for fried oysters on New Years Eve. Patriot had an active American Legion at the time with many veterans of World War I and II living in the community at that time. I would love to get more information on the Patriot American Legion if anyone has any.
Eyan Peelman received his Masonic Degree work on Saturday in a one day class held at the Switzerland Lodge in Vevay. Eyan is the son of Greg and the late Dorie Peelman. He is also the grandson of Bob and Sharon Peelman. He currently serves in the United States Marine Corps. Sam Edwards also received his Master Mason degree.
My Grandmother Cook’s family are all buried in Grant County Kentucky, mostly at the Concord Baptist Church near Jonesville, Kentucky. It is a beautiful little church and cemetery. Grandma’s maiden name was Webster. Her father, Thomas died when she was a young girl, her mother, Mattie Johns Webster (my great grandmother) lived until the 1970’s. I usually try to visit the cemetery twice a year.
Has anyone made any interesting New Year’s resolutions? I would be interested in hearing any!
Tom Conroy and I traveled to Vanceburg, Kentucky on Monday to visit Mona and Steve Crabtree. Mona is very ill at this time. Please remember her and Steve in your prayers. We stopped in Maysville on the way and on the way back we stopped at Elizaville to visit the monument to Marine P.F.C. Franklin Sousley who was killed in the battle of Iwo Jima in World War II. Sousley was one of the Marines who put the flag up at Mount Suribachi. That picture of the flag being put up became a famous symbol of the Marine Corps. Sousley grew up near Elizaville and Ewing, which are near Flemingsburg. On the back of the monument are the names of all of the Marines who were in the famous picture, including Ira Hayes, the subject of the famous Johnny Cash song, The Ballad of Ira Hayes.
Prayers are requested for Bill and Terri Bauer of Hooven, Ohio. They are both dealing with health issues. They are the parents of Melissa Jones, of Meades Ridge.
Former President, Jimmy Carter passed away this past week. He had turned 100 on October 1, 2024. Marlene and I had the honor of meeting him and Rosalyn in 2003 when we traveled to Plains, Georgia to attend his Sunday School Class at the Maranatha Baptist Church. We spent some time with the Carters on the previous evening at the Plains Community Center. They were so gracious and friendly. They both dedicated their lives to public service.
I received a new bird feeder as a Christmas gift this year. I love watching the birds in our backyard feeder! The new feeder has a camera on it that identifies the birds on it. Last week we were visited by a pileated woodpecker. They are such beautiful birds!
That is all for this week. Please send me information to 812-290-3088 or mike1405@earthlink.net (mailto:mike1405@earthlink.net). I will soon be leaving copies of my column at the Patriot General Store and will also have copies at the Patriot Baptist Church. Until the next time, in the words of the Glen Campbell song, remember to try a little kindness and shine your light for everyone you meet.