June 2021

The Oklahoma City Community Foundation has selected El Reno High School seniors Madison Craig, Emma Gilliland and Erick Loera to receive a $2,000 scholarship for the 2021-2022 academic year. They are among 150 central Oklahoma students receiving a total of $300,000 through the Community Foundation’s Community Foundation Scholars Program.

The Community Foundation Scholars Program is one of more than 150 scholarship opportunities at the Oklahoma City Community Foundation that benefit around 800 students with a total of $2 million every year.

Lamplighters Oklahoma Home and Community Education Association of Canadian County met recently at a local church. Joan Herr led the group in prayer and called the meeting to order, with Janice Taylor leading the flag salute.

Carol Stine gave a devotional titled “Do the Next Thing.” Maxine Little read minutes of the previous meeting, with Patricia Morrison giving the treasury report.

Herr presented a project called “Zero Hunger Challenge.” Members accepted the challenge to collect dimes for the project until the end of the year.

Bible Baptist Church Ladies conducted a recent meeting, with Jennifer Pearson offering opening prayer. Stephanie Vandever presented the lesson on prayer from I Thessalonians 5:16-25 and John 14:3. Pearson led in a game called Bible Blurt.

Others present were Gayle Miller, Ann Mulanax, Robbie Boardman, Cyndi Cockran, Faith Vandever, Kathy Malone, Judy Albrecht and Lu Ella Courtney.

Next meeting will be held July 10, with a ladies fun night set for Aug. 10. There will be a ladies overnight meeting in Ponca City Sept. 10 and 11.

Underwood Oklahoma Home and Community Education Association of Canadian County met recently in the home of Ann Ricketts. Natalia Valenzuela called the meeting to order, with Ricketts offering the devotional.

Bernita Davis read minutes of the last meeting, while Ricketts gave the treasury report.

Okarche Elementary School

Superintendent’s Honor Roll

Second grade - Bailee Ahlden, Max Gruntmeir, Kendon Kremeier, Rose Lawrence, Jordan Maddux, Jennings McDaniel, William McIlvain, Chase Parham, Hadley Rankin, Vivienne Roy, Clara Warden and Easton West.

Third grade - Kaidence Alig, Samantha England, Jake Kroener, Jag Mueggenborg, Kamryn Schieber, Sutton Terrell, Avery Treece and Carson Wright.

Funeral services for Homer Neal Gholston were held Thursday, June 24 at Wilson Funeral Home, with burial following in the El Reno Cemetery.

Homer was born March 4, 1932, in El Reno to Homer Franklin and Wilma (Smith) Gholston. He grew up in El Reno and attended El Reno Public Schools, graduating from El Reno High School in 1950.

The Korean War broke out shortly after graduation and he enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He received a bachelor of science degree from California State College in Long Beach and was a graduate of the Army Language School in Monterey, Calif.

Funeral services for Carrol Jean Mason were held Friday at New Hope Baptist Church with Pastor Dick Kurtz officiating. Burial followed in the El Reno Cemetery under the direction of Huber-Benson Funeral Home.

Carrol died June 22, 2021, at St. Katharine Drexel Retirement Center in El Reno. She was born Dec. 24, 1937, at Karns Spur to Arthur and Ina (Sand) Tech. She was salutatorian of the 1956 graduating class of Calumet High School and a member of New Hope Baptist Church, Red Hatters and NARVRE, serving as treasurer/secretary of the El Reno unit.

Prayer service for Elizabeth Margaret Kuehn was held on Wednesday, with Mass of Christian Burial on Thursday at Holy Trinity Catholic Church with Rev. Cory Stanley and Deacon Max Schwarz officiating. Burial followed at Holy Trinity Cemetery under the direction of Huber-Benson Funeral Home.

Betty passed away June 20, 2021, in Kingfisher. She was born Feb. 18, 1926, in Okarche. Betty worked for the U.S. Postal Service in Okarche for 35 years. She was a member of Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Okarche and Catholic Daughters of the Americas and Altar Society.

After a lifetime career of farming and ranching in western Canadian County, Frank Austin is now laying the foundation for future generations to find their path through education.

With an initial donation of $200,000 to the Redlands Community College Foundation, Austin has made it possible for the foundation to award up to 10 scholarships each year, and eventually the college will be able to expand its agricultural operation with the donation of nearly 2,000 acres of farmland.

A motorcycle group called “End of Watch: Ride to Remember” will visit cities across the country where a law officer was killed in the line of duty in 2020, and one of the cities will be El Reno.

Canadian County Sheriff’s Lt. Shirley Lanning died in a crash last year. Her unmarked patrol car collided with another vehicle along Northwest Expressway on Friday, Feb. 14, killing her and injuring a Piedmont couple, an Oklahoma City police report states.

Reports said Lanning apparently experienced a possible stroke prior to the collision.