If it's Christmas (and it is indeed), it must be time for the annual Cheapskate Editor's Christmas Card list. And it is.
If you've been reading my columns over the last several years, you know that each Christmas week I compile a list of people I would send a Christmas
card if I had the time and the money for postage. Since it would cost an entire field of heirloom tomatoes to pay 44 cents for each of the stamps, I
definitely couldn't finance the cards, even from Mighty Dollar.
Hence the Cheapskate label.
The sentiments are sincere, though, as are the apologies to those I've neglected or forgotten. So here goes:
To all those who played a role in Lindsay's development that led to her graduation from Western Kentucky Univesity this month.
Teachers who come to mind are John Swack, Karen Farrah, Samra Smith, Lori Bouldin, Carla Abbott, Georgia Bryson, Bonnie Hartley, Jan Holliday and Alisa Toon along
with leaders of the Russellville Youth Council, including Shirlee Yassney, Marie Sweatt, Pat Walpole Bell and Lisa Neagle plus Dorris Vick of the Concerned Citizens.
To Pearl O'Dell, a wonderful lady who is like another member of our family
To Mary Renfro, Pearl's lovely, genteel neighbor who is also close to Elaine and Lindsay
To Eddie Brooks, a young man with a big heart who is willing to do anything he can to help make succeed worthwhile causes throughout the
community
To Andrew and Katherine Phillips and Daniel and Jennifer McCarley, the young ministers and their wives of Crittenden Drive Church of Christ who
have helped create a spirit of revival in the congregation.
To Dale and Fran Baugh, who have returned to Crittenden Drive after living and worshiping in Bowling Green for several years. Their spirit of
benevolence, caring and involvement is refreshing and contagious
To Charlie and Pat Roney and Bobby and Joyce Wilson, good friends, good people
To Julie Davenport, a nurse with a big heart who belives Christianity includes a big dose of helping others. She and her sister, Annelle White, led the effort in Crittenden Drive's distributing over 700 Thanksgiving meals in the community, in addition to many others who
dined in.
To Bobby Allen, the only family member outside our household that we spend much time with these days. He's a good one, as is his wife Chris.
To Mary Elizabeth Allen, my only living aunt, who has had repeated health problems this year.
To Ginny Mayton Harding, a cousin who was so important in my life when we were young. We had lost touch with each other since she moved to
Washington state, but through the magic of the Internet we've reconnected.
To Davy Lee Dockins, our long-time family friend who "fixed up" Elaine and me on our first date three decades ago. She has undergone serious
health problems this year but keeps coming to worship serivices and church activities with husband Frank either by her side or pushing her wheelchair
To the widows of our church, including
Betty Sue Boyles, Sue Coffman, Perle Golden, Virginia Hildabrand, Imogene Hite, Dorothy Jackson and Shirley Peters, Punkin Klein, Marie Jones,
Jerlene and Emma Lewis, Burndeen Morgan, Thelma Nash, Helen Raby and Janet Hall, Dera Talley, Lucille Taylor, Johnnie Walling, Helen White, Nita
Williams and Evelyn Wilson
and the widowers, Bob Sumner and Larry Rigg
To David and Carolyn Price, our closest neighbors
To Holly Goddard Jones, whose writing excellence makes Russellvillians proud. She's headed for literary superstardom.
To Don Neagle for being Don Neagle
To J.W. and Nadine Maxell, our friends who observed their 80th birthdays and 62nd wedding anniversaries in 2009
To Oscar Wren, a former mayor of Auburn who is one of my favorite public servants. We joined many Logan Countians in helping him and his wife
Louise celebrate their 69th anniversary at a Hot Rods baseball game. O.R. has been a resident of Auburn Healthcare Center during part of this year.
To Mary Ewing Hart, one of the greatest staffers in the history of Russellville High School who is now a resident of BHI
To Lorene Leedom, a family merchant during the golden years of downtown Russellville retailing, who celebrated her 99th birthday recently at
Creekwood Place
To Sherman Price, who at age 96 is still an active livestock dealer. His horses are sought internationally.
To Charlie and Jackie Barnett, who oversaw their two children's weddings within a short period, and their wonderful children,
Jarrod and Charla Barnett Arnold and Seth and Sloane Barnett
To those celebrating their First Christmas as a Married Couple, including Lt. Kyle and Evelyn Ashby, Jon and Kristin Sindorf Baese, Michael and
Heather Carter Boggess, Ben and Katie Howlett Carpenter, Brian and Rachael Miller Carrico, Spencer and Kayela Wilkins Clark, Trevor and Elizabeth Coe,
Tyler and Meagan Collins, Phillip and Tara Cox, Victor and Melissa Grohovsky Dodson, Bryan and Jessica Inscoe Fuller, Chad and Jordan Graham, B.J. and
Ashley Grayson, Corey and Jennie Holley, Mario and Sarah Ibarro, Kelley and Rendi Shoulders Jordan, Neil and Emily Kerr, Rex and Mary Ann Morelock
Lashley, Billy and Leslie McCarley, Rich and Mary Lynn Moore, Josh and Christie Nash, Troy and Alissa Belcher Page, Ben and April Kay Pawley, O'Brien
and Nicole Pedigo, Chris and Cydni Young Sanders, Adam and Kayla Roberts Scruggs, Casey and Nicole Meacham Thomas, and Evan and Ashley Nylin Tobias
To those celebrating their First Child's Christmas: Todd and Dedra Adler, David and Catherine Bowles, Jarrod and Ashley Wilson Etheridge, Tyler
and Crystal Farmer, Scott and Sno Hopper, Mitchell and Heather Johnson, Jordan and Jessica Lyne, Chris and Tiffany McGinnis, J.P. and Annie
Montgomery, Justin and Kim Owen, Steven and Katie Ross, and the Duane Spencers
To Will and Andrea Sindorf Parker, who enter this Christmas as first-time homeowners
To Trey and Jenny Corbin, whose adoption of Samara Abigail Ruth Corbin, an orphaned baby from Ethiopia, became official in the late summer and
to grandparents Susan and John Allpress and David and Karen Corbin of Russellville
To leaders of the Russellville Blues Society, including Joe Gran Clark, Mary Lucy Franklin, Michael Gough, Pat Basham and Samra Smith, who gave
us something fun to do on warm nights and promoted diversity
To those same people along with Michael Morrow, Linda Slatonand others involved in Historic Russellville who brought a garden market and garden
plots to the area of the West Kentucky African American Museums.
To Main Street Russellville Manager Darlene Gooch, who continually worked with garden plots, garden markets, arts and crafts shows, trolley
tours, youth camps, social gatherings and many other activities in addition to promoting retail sales downtown
To Regina Phillips, who has given up her role as chair of the Tourism and Convention Commission, a position she turned into a mission and a
virtual full-time job
To the staff of Logan County Public Library, who are always willing either to help patrons out or leave you alone, whatever you need on each
particualr day. The value of the work of retiree/volunteer librarian Evelyn Richardson in preserving history and historic documents for both now
and the future cannot be overestimated.
To Chris and Nancy Carlson, who have brought Piggly Wiggly back from a fire better than ever
To Kevin Gettings, Ronnie Croslin and the players on the Logan County Little League All Starswho made us all proud
To Tray Allen, Joe Dan Laster, Ross Smith, Tyler Parrish and Brandon Bond, who join Trey as members of the WKU Superheroes. They have their own
fan page on Facebook.
To football coaches Lee Proctor and John Myers, who led their teams to fun, exciting and winning seasons.
To Greg Howard, who coached the LCHS track and cross country teams to new heights but also went beyond the call of duty to make the cross
country track one worthy of hosting a regional tournament
To Bryan Fuller, who made national headlines for his ironman pitching performance in taking Campbellsville to the NAIA World Series for the
first time. He made headlines in some of the nation's biggest publications and became a favorite of ESPN. He represented us well.
To Louise and Richard Holloman, good people to have as friends and as supporters of a team
To college coaches Ken McDonald, Rick Pitino and now John Calipari. who have made long winter days and nights pass much easier
To Roger 'Goober' Duncan and others who share several months of Tuesdays and Saturdays with us at the Logan County Farmers' Market
To customers of Turner Valley Produce, who depend on us for fresh produce and on whom we depend to support our farming operation. We've met some
wonderful people in the process
To Jerry Van Zee, Rusty Clark, Brian White, Relda Wood and Algie Ray Smith, who are especially helpful to Clay in his vegetable
production/distribution operation in various ways
To Gary Hughes, Carl Kell, Larry Winn and Dale Wicklander, who are my friends and are willing to be seen dining with me in the WKU Fresh Food
eatery
To Laura Wagoner and Cyndia Tarrence, the helpful office staff in the WKU Department of Communication, who are also my friends
To Paul Just and Wes Strader, two of the legends of WKU sports media who always make me feel like a part of Topper history
To contributors to The LoJo, including Pat Walpole Bell, Stacey Biggs, Ashley Bland, Pat Pepper Boleware, Jeannie Bowles, Angela Brooks,
Teresa Cramer, Dave Dockins, Jane Dodson, James Henry Duncan, Michael 'Pooh' Elliott, Marie Foley, Mary Lucy Franklin, Franklin-Simpson Video, Josh
Givens, Darlene Gooch, Carter Hancock, Mary Ewing Hart, Kathy W. Hathcock, Jim Herderhorst, Gerald Hildabrand, Belinda Humphrey, James Humphrey,
Veronica Johnson, Jerry Kenner, Neil Kerr, Marguerite Kirkpatrick, John 'Deedie' Martin, Catherine Hancock McCarty, Janet Menser, Clarkie Milam, James
Milam, Jo Ann Moffat, Pat Mooneyhan, Michael Morrow, Judy Osborne, Bob Owen, Ann Piper Pember, Diana Penrod, Sandy Brown Peveler, Vanessa Priddy, Andy
Mac Rector Jo Ellen Reece, Dana Richardson, June Robinson, Kaye Simmons, Al Smith, Algie Ray Smith, Samra Smith, Duane Spurlock, Sue Spurlock, Lauri
Warden, Jack Whipple, Clay White, Jerry White, Nola Willeford
To LoJo advertisers: Roy and Roger Morgan, Jolene Morgan, Kathy Howard and Lee Ann Harris of Roy's Bar-B-Q; Bryson Price of Price Funeral Home, Brad and Vanessa Priddy of Dr. Delco/Brookhaven Performance Center, attorney Neil Kerr, Lon "Big Daddy" Sosh of
WRUS, Jeff and Christy Harper of Farmers Hardware, investment counselor Trevor Coe of the Levine Group, Derek Shoemake and Mary and Sonny
Bailey of Slappy'z Family Diner, Mike Jackson of Ski Daddy's, Ronna Knuckles of Trophies to Go, Lynne Thomas of Lynne's List, Laura Miller of Corinth Country Market, Jerry Kenner, Ellen and the late Jim Nealy, James and Clarkie Milam, Tim and Darcy
Smith, Eric and T.J. Meguiar, and Johnny and Lavelle Meguiar
To Shirley Grace, who is a great supporter of The LoJo and to the 1,100 people who have signed on as a Facebook fan of The Logan Journal.
To doctors Douglas Thomson and Rebecca Shadowen, who we believe saved Trey's life this year from a serious lung disease
To Roger Morgan, our good friend who has battled cancer for over a year and seems to be making progress after a recent trip to Houston, and to
his supportive family and co-workers at Roy's Bar-B-Q.
To Mary and John Turner, who have experienced serious health issues this year, including a couple of trips to that wonderful cancer center in
Houston.
To Hattie Ruth Shelton, the queen mom of Lewisburg School, who has been sidelined at Greenview Hospital for almost two months.
To Martha Carol Elrod, who has not only battled cancer this year but also lost her dad
To other friends who have fought serious illnesses and injuries this year, including
Maydeen Bailey, Noram and Mae Head, Jerry Head,Faye Funk, Ed Schweers, Geraldine Hodges, Joe Grace, Joyce Chestnut, Barbara Williams, Margie
Clark, Janet Wells, Mike Corum, Dan and Wanda Grayson, Ray Parker, Gordon Pogue, Judy Murphy, Bubba Grimes, Wayne Free, Richard and Rose
Rainwaters, Mary Jo Young, J.R. Cundiff, Wayne Powell, Butch Ramsey, Faye Morrison, Chester McNulty, Karen Harris and William Swatzell
To Ed Coffman, one of Russellville's grandest citizens, and his loving daughters in the loss of wife/mother Carol Coffman shortly after Ed and
Carol's 60th wedding anniversary observance..
To Dawson Motsinger, whose wife Willie Kay died this year. I was sad that Dawson didn't make it out to the Farmers Market this year.
To Jeannie Gregory on the death of her sister.
To Burndeen Morgan, who is spending her first Christmas without her husband Goldie in 74 years, and to their children,
Virginia Johnson, Judy Meguiar, Katherine Powell, Joyce Shrull and John Morgan
To the families of two other grand old men of our congregation, Douglas Jones and Kenneth Lewis, whose lives ended this year
To Carolyn Mallory, in the untimely death of her dynamic syster, attorney Elizabeth Wilson, and to all the rest of us who loved Liz-buth
To Shirley Haines, Lori Ballard, Libbie Zuege and Stephen Haines in the loss of their husband/father Rodney Haines, one of the kindest, gentlest
and most talanted men I've known, former county agent Rodney Haines
To Ellen and Daniel Nealy in the loss of husband/father Jim Nealy, long-time Logan County circuit clerk and gentleman
To the families of other former public officials, Melvin Sykes, Virginia Bond,
Bernice Dickerson, Charles Head Jr. and James Quesenberry
To the family of "Mama Kate Hancock," the 106-year-old great lady who died this year,. A little of the luster left Christmases when her toy
department in the basement of Hancock's closed.
To Hazel and Stanley Fleming in the loss of husband/father Bob Fleming, whom readers of the Spa column came to know as a father figure friend.
To Lon Sosh, Jean Reynolds and Ann Leigh upon the death of their lovely, genteel mother, Emily Sosh.
To Sarah Frances Campbell, who lost her son, Bill Ballance, close friend Emily Sosh, and several other long-time members of First Baptist Church
To the family of one of the longest-serving members of the local health care community, the late Dr. Bob Hindman
To the family of Charlie Arnett, who died this year at age 95. Among other relationships, he was the minister who baptized me and who helped
officiate both of my parents' funeral services.
To the family of David and Bonnie Wilcutt Fitzhugh, a relatively young couple who died within a few months of each other
To Eddie Morgan, Ray and Paula Clark, and Beth and Gerry Switzer in the loss of grandmother/mother and sister/mother Liz Clark and Joanie Morgan on the same weekend
To Mark Hughes in the death of his mother, Red Cross leader Helen Hughes
To our neighbor Kenny Chapman in the death of his mother Florene, who was our neighbor before Kenny and Linda moved into his parents' home.
To the family of the Clay's first baseball coach (besides me),
Darrell Gregory
To Terry and Kevin McKenzie after the untimely death of their brother Tim
To David Atkins, Judy Lyne, Mary Jo Huffines, Donna Luckett, Wanda Price, Hope Strode and Kathy Sheffield , who lost their mothers this year,
and Mike Hoots and Bob Nelson, whose fathers died this year
To the family and friends of one of WRUS' first great air personalities,
Gene "Stick Buddy" Locke
To long-time employees of First Southern National Bank upon the deaths of two of the sweetest co-workers they ever had, Ella Ruth Holman and Debbie Wheelock,, and to those ladies' families
To Anna Grayson Smith and her husband Terry, whose son Adam died in an automobile wreck this month
To our long-time friend Rodney Seay in the unexpected illness and death of his brother Joe
To Betty and Jack McLean in the death of their son, Commander John McLean, after his courageous battle with pancreatic cancer.
To Wayne Mullen, whose mother Helen Mullen Dixon, died this year. Just like Elaine and I became friends of the parents of our kids' teammates,
my parents and the Mullens were close while Wayne was playing basketball for RHS
To my high school graduating class, who enjoyed gathering at Tobacco Festival time but then lost two classmates in the same week,
Jimmy O'Dell and Larry Loftis
To Hilda Lynch, who lost her husband Chuck, aunt Helen Loftis and cousin Larry Lofts within a shot time of each other this year.
To the families of retired educators in addition to Chuck Lynch in
Wallace Mason, Hazel Carver, David Hale, Lorenza Davis and Don Thornberry
To the families of retired business people
Evelyn Chandler, Doug Shoulders, Bill Johnson, J.R. Sansom, Edna Bentley Rector, Berks Brown, Donald Peters, Gertrude Smith, Lila Johnson, Norwood
Kemp, Barbara Scott and Mildred Herndon
To the families of the late
Rob Wynn, Lillian Cox, Doanie Fuqua, Willie Townsend, Winona Shrull, J.T 'Tuck' Tinsley, Donald Piper, Nellontean Jameson Vorland, Allie Mae
McDougal, Annabelle Sumner, Kathleen Ashby, Wanda Burchett, Vincent Weatherford, Sheila Kees, Don Epley, Russell Tynes Sr., Mary Craig Miller, Lila
J. Craig, Mike Oberhausen, Flo Ella Knight, Danny Morris, Mary Woodard, Marie Reeves, Velma Hall, Jean Dykus, Denny Free, Marguerite Leach, Preston
Vick, Shirley Mallory, Willie Cross, Peggy Walker, Marylou Blue McDaniel, Jackie Smith, Lee Neal, Browder Murphy, James Washington, Nancy
Cunningham, Bernard Bryan, Gale Mohon, Butch Varble, Amanda Sydnor Dawson, Rosia C. Martin
(at age 104), Alsa Garrett, Dennis Nuyt, Billie 'Junior' Martin, Edna Blackwell. Roger Stratton, Carl Jones, Rebecca Faye Mason and Marion 'Smitty' Smith.