Oklahoma SCS/NRCS Retirees Newsletter

October  2008

The latest meeting of the Oklahoma SCS/NRCS Retirees was held October 24, 2008 at the Hometown Buffet Restaurant in Oklahoma City.  Sixty four people were in attendance.  They were:  David Ankle, Mike Barrick, Don & Darlene Bartolina, John & Mary Ann Beard, Lester & Jo Anne Brockman, Bob Bumgarner, Everett & Helen Cole, Les & Barbara Conner, Geri Cutler, Bob & Betty Day, Fred & Gayle Fortney, Randy & Bonnie Freeland, Jim & Roberta Frie, Lloyd Garrison, Gayle Goforth, Chuck Grimes, David & Janice Haggard, Sandra & Terry Hough, Mavis & Wilene Jones, Ed Kephart, Otho LaMar, Nick & Doris Lambeth, Robert & Charlene Maples, Jim McCampbell, Forrest McClung, Hadley Meinders, Nelson Meuller, Gordon & Minnie Carol Moebius, George Moreland, Glen & Eunice Mullen, Bill & Ladonna Petermann, John & Joy Pewthers, Clyde Pratt, Eddie & Linda Rathbun, Stan Rice, Dan & Sharon Runnels, Gayland Sandy, Bob Smith, John & Shirley Spitzer, Bettie Todd, Keith Vaughan, and Billy & Marcella Wagner.

A short business meeting was held to discuss items such as the Oklahoma website for retirees.  It is located at:  http://www.cyber-shack.net/nrcs/   A short story was read about a current NRCS Employee in Oklahoma, Greg Kindell, who had received the Meritorious Service Award from the U.S. Department of State for his efforts in helping farmers in Iraq organize farmers unions in that country.

The group then conducted a Memorial Service for former employees and spouses who have passed away since our last meeting.  Those were:  Carol Payne, former Secretary to the Assistant for Programs; Julia Martin, widow of Swede Martin; A.J. Schwarz, Soil Conservation Technician & wife Betty, Marlow; Erwin Leaverton, Planning Party Leader, Edmond; Mary Lou Wheeler, widow of Fred Wheeler; Charles Tarrant, Soil Conservation Technician, Hinton; Pauline Meyers, Stillwater; Erdene Jones, District Secretary, Sayre; and Glen Stillman.  A moment of silence was observed and Fred Fortney offered a prayer.

Stan Rice called on several in attendance to tell funny stories related to their employment with SCS/NRCS.  The group was thoroughly entertained by many stories from the past.  Vice-President Rice promised many more for our meeting in April 2009 and encouraged the group to be getting their “facts” together for that meeting.

Some of the “activities” reported by those who had not attended our meeting recently were:  Gayland Sandy retired in 1987 from the Contracts Section of the State Office.  He lives in Perry and spends the majority of his time fishing.  Keith Vaughan retired in 2002 and still lives in Stillwater.  He works part time as the Payne County Floodplain Administrator and volunteers as a tutor for English as a second language.  He and Phyllis have 2 children and 5 grandchildren.  John Beard retired in 1984 and now lives in Paris, Texas.  John married Mary Ann (a native of Canada) in 2006.  He has 2 daughters, 4 grandsons, 2 great grandsons, and 2 great granddaughters.  He spends his time on church work, wood carving, gardening, fishing, and traveling with Mary Ann.

Otho Lamar lives in Marlow, Oklahoma after having retired in 1990.  He was a Soil Scientist for much of his career and retired as the DC in Duncan.  He lives on the farm and raises Angus cattle.  He has 1 son and 1 granddaughter.  Bobby Smith was the DC in Medford, Oklahoma when he retired in 1992.  He is currently the Pastor of First Baptist Church in Wakita, Oklahoma.  He has 4 children, 5 grandchildren, and 3 great grandchildren.  When not in the pulpit, he has found time for two cruises (Caribbean and Hawaii).  George Moreland lives on a ranch in Atoka.  He spends his time camping, hunting, fishing, cattle ranching, and improving forestry and grasslands on the ranch.  He retired in 1998 as the Area Conservationist in Woodward.

Lester and Jo Anne Brockman live in Ponca City after his retirement in 1995 from the Lincoln, Nebraska National Soil Survey Center.  They have 3 children, 7 grandchildren, and 1 great grandchild.  They live on the home farm where he grew up and raise cattle.  They travel some and go on an occasional cruise.  Recently returning to Oklahoma are Dan and Sharon Runnels.  Dan just retired from NHQ as the Associate Deputy Chief for Management.  He held several positions for SCS/NRCS in Oklahoma, Illinois, Montana, Texas, and Washington D.C.  They will reside in Sand Springs, Oklahoma.  Dan says he is currently settling in hunting/fishing and plans to travel in his RV and get to know Oklahoma again.  Welcome back Dan!

Jim Frie retired in 1990 and lives in Stillwater with his wife Roberta.  They do significant camping at Lake Carl Blackwell.  Jim plays golf 3 times a week and rehabs 3 times a week after having 5 by-pass surgery in May 2008.  He and Roberta volunteer at the Stillwater Hospital and are the proud parents/grandparents of 4 children, 6 grandchildren, and 3 great grandchildren.  Billy Wagner and his wife Marcella have 10 grandchildren and enjoy life on his grandfather’s farm in Antlers, Oklahoma.  Billy retired as the State Soil Scientist in Oklahoma in 1990.  Chuck Grimes resigned from SCS in 1971 after about 8 years in Oklahoma and Indiana.  He has kept in touch with his many friends in the agency and still enjoys meeting with them periodically.  He and Beverly have 3 very successful children and 6 grandchildren.  He runs a cow-calf herd in Hennessey and has been very involved in the grass seed and equipment business for many years.  He is planning a mission trip to Mexico in December to use a Christian witnessing tool he developed.

We always welcome current employees to our meetings so they can get a little taste of what they are in for when they retire.  We would even welcome any “non Okies” who wish to join us.  Just give us a call and we will put a bean in the pot for you.

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