July 2020

With five of the six high schools in Canadian County releasing their plans to return to in-house classes next month, the dependent school districts have also been drafting back-to-school plans.

“Everything is up in the air but we are working hard to get a comprehensive plan together to move forward and remain together as long as we can in our building.

“We are planning to open in-person with social distancing and precautions in place,” said Sacred Heart Catholic School Principal Shannon Statton.

The National Fire Protection Association and State Farm agent Layne Conaway are teaming up with the El Reno Fire Department to support Fire Prevention Week, an annual public awareness campaign that promotes home fire safety.

State Farm agents are delivering Fire Prevention Week tool kits to more than 100 fire departments across Oklahoma, including El Reno.

Either on the 660-foot shortened course or the full 1,000-foot tracks, the 2020 Smoke on the Water Drag Boat Races produced some of the fastest speeds on Lake El Reno since the event moved here seven years ago.

“Without timing lights I would guess they were hitting well over 150 miles per hour in the Unlimited Top Fuel. That’s some of the biggest speeds we have ever had,” said co-organizer Josh Finnigan.

High winds on the lake forced day one racing to be delayed over an hour and the course shortened to 660 feet.

While band and volleyball began preseason work last week, El Reno High School’s softball program remains closed due to complications with COVID-19.

“Softball will be shut down until Monday (July 27) because we had a second player test positive.

“They have not been together out there since July 13 and that gives us two weeks that the facility has been locked up,” said El Reno Athletic Director Rodney Haydon.

El Reno High School’s volleyball team kicked off preseason workouts last week at the Jenks Simmons Field House Annex. Head coach Kristen Koehler said her varsity players self-quarantined for two weeks prior to starting drills to ensure they were not exposed to the COVID-19 virus. “We wanted to make sure we could get started,” said Koehler. The Indians are set to have a preseason scrimmage Aug. 4 and open the season Aug. 10.

Martha Jane Mulanax passed away July 13, 2020, in El Reno at the age of 94.

Martha was born in Chickasha on April 29, 1926, to Floyd and Grace (Smith) Mulanax. As a teenager, her family moved to El Reno where she attended and then graduated from El Reno High School in 1944.

Afterwards, she returned to Chickasha where she attended the Oklahoma College for Women and became a member of Pi Gamma Mu Honor Society. She graduated with a B.A. in Education degree in 1950.

Louis “Lou” John Ernest Holtorff left his home to be with the Lord on Tuesday, July 21, 2020.

Lou was born Feb. 18, 1936, in Elmhurst, Ill., to Ernest Louis Holtorff and Lydia Wilhelmina Brockmann Holtorff. At age 4, when his mother died, Lou stayed with Opa and Oma Holtorff, and visiting their summer house in Mercer, Wis., became a very special memory.

About age 6, Lou, his dad and new stepmother, Louise Bolt Holtorff, moved to a farm in Warsaw, Ind. Louise and her family were a great blessing in Lou’s life.

Graveside services for Clarence Marvin Webster Jr. were held Friday in the Concho Cemetery with Rev. Waylan Upchego officiating. Services were under the direction of Huber-Benson Funeral Home.

Mr. Webster died July 19, 2020, at Integris Baptist Medical Center in Oklahoma City. He was born July 5, 1954, in Lawton. He was a longtime resident of El Reno before moving to Elk City and later to Oklahoma City. He served in the U.S. Army and was a Black Kettle firefighter.