From The Pages Of The Ponca City News, Friday, January
2, 1998
LOCAL
Police Investigate Sexual Incident
DEATHS
Sylvia M. Tracey
Services Pending
Robert M. Kershner
Funerals
Dorothy Gray
Clara Ethelyne Watson
NEWS BRIEFS
EDUCATION
School News
VSO Students Engage In Several Local Projects
RELIGION
Epiphany Pageant Planned
First Lutherans Will Observe Epiphany
Glad Tidings Set Revival Services
Church Briefs
LIFESTYLES
Hepplers Mark Anniversary
SPORTS
Cat Wrestlers Try to Regain Top 10 Berth
A purported New Year's Day rape is being investigated by the Ponca City Police Dept. St. Joseph Regional Medical Center contacted police at 11:30 a.m. Thursday reporting an apparent rape victim that was being treated.
According to police the 21-year-old victim was drinking with friends at a local night club on New Year's Eve and spent the night with friends. She was awaken by the suspect in the early morning hours as the assault reportedly occurred. Police say that the suspect is known to the victim.
Police also say that the details are sketchy at this time and that the
incident is still under investigation.
DEATHS
EAST CORINTH, Maine - Sylvia M. Tracey, former Ponca City resident, died at her home in East Corinth, Maine, on Wednesday, Dec. 31, 1997. She was 81.
The funeral will be held at 2 p.m. Saturday at the Brookings-Smith Funeral Home, Bangor, Maine with Dr. James M. Young, pastor of the United Methodist Church of Orono, Maine, officiating. Burial will be in Riverside Cemetery in Hancock, Maine.
Sylvia M. (Stewart) Tracey was born Sept. 13, 1916, in Hancock, Maine, the daughter of Charles and Annie (White) Stewart.
She was married to Raymond A. Tracey and the couple had lived in Ponca City for about five years in the early 1980s. They moved to East Corinth, Maine in 1986. While living in Ponca City Mrs. Tracey was a member of the Pioneer Christian Church.
Survivors include one son, Stewart of Bangor, Maine; two daughters, Anne Tracey of Concord, N.H. and Mrs. Ernie (Mary) Grindle of East Corinth, Maine; two sisters, Marion Babkirk of Ellsworth, Maine and Ruth Hollander of St. Cloud, Fla.; 10 grandchildren; seven great-grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. She was preceded in death by her husband on Nov. 5, 1986.
Memorial contributions may be made in Mrs. Tracey's name to Hospice of St. Joseph, St. Joseph Healthcare Park, 900 Broadway, Bangor, ME. 04401.
GRAINOLA - Robert M. Kershner, Grainola resident, died Thursday morning, Jan. 1, 1998, at Fairfax Memorial Hospital. He was 78. Survivors include a daughter, Martha Jackson of Grainola. A graveside service is set for 2 p.m. Monday at Sunset Memorial Park Cemetery in Ponca City. Other arrangements will be announced later by Grace Memorial Chapel, Ponca City.
Saturday
Dorothy Gray - Memorial service to be at 1 p.m. at Miles Funeral Service Chapel in Winfield, Kan.
Sunday
Clara Ethelyne Watson - Memorial service to be at 3 p.m. at the
Stillwater (Okla.) First United Methodist Church. A private graveside service
will be held later by the family.
NEWS BRIEFS
Arrest - Police arrested a 27-year-old man at 6:50 a.m. Thursday from the 400 block of South Washington Street on a city warrant for failure to obey.
Burglary - At 7:51 a.m. Thursday police received a report of a burglary at the Ponca City Landfill. An officer was assigned and a report was taken.
Arrest - A 40-year-old woman was arrested at 8:14 a.m. Thursday from the 800 block of East Cherry Avenue on a city warrant for failure to obey.
Vandalism - At 8:23 a.m. Thursday police received a report from a resident in the 300 block of South Sunset Street of a open car door. A report was taken.
Break-In - At 8:43 a.m. Thursday a man in the 300 block of South Franklin Street advised police that someone had broken into his car during the night and attempted to set it on fire. A report was taken.
Hit and Run - A man in the 600 block of South Tenth Street advised police at 10:51 a.m. Thursday that his vehicle had been hit during the night. A report was taken.
Flags Found - Lew Wentz Golf Course flags, reported stolen Wednesday, were located at 11:47 a.m. Thursday in a ditch just east of L.A. Cann in Fairway Place. At 8:47 p.m. more flags were recovered in the 2300 block of Eagle Road.
Stolen Bike - At 2:25 p.m. Thursday a woman in the 300 block of South Eighth Street reported a bike stolen from the 1500 block of East Bradley Avenue. The bike was later recovered.
Gas Drive-Off - Police were notified of a $5 gas drive-off at 2:32 p.m. Thursday from Citgo, 200 East Highland Avenue.
Arrest - Police arrested a 21-year-old man at 2:28 p.m. Thursday from the 1600 block of South Tenth Street on a city warrant.
Juvenile Arrest - A 13-year-old boy was arrested at 3:18 p.m. Thursday for grand larceny.
Arrest - A 40-year-old man was arrested at 4:53 p.m. Thursday at the police station on a city warrant.
Injury Accident - One person was taken by ambulance to St. Joseph Regional Medical Center after sustaining injuries in a two-vehicle accident at 5:29 p.m. Thursday on U.S. 60 west of Oklahoma 156.
Arrest - Police arrested a 31-year-old man at 6:05 p.m. Thursday from the 100 block of West Oklahoma Avenue on a Kay County warrant for failure to pay.
Arrest - A 20-year-old man was arrested at 7:53 p.m. Thursday at the police station on a city warrant for failure to pay.
Arrest - Police arrested a 40-year-old man at 9:57 p.m. Thursday from the 800 block of East Central Avenue for unlawful entry.
Arrest - At 1:39 a.m. Friday police arrested a 28-year-old man at Cleveland Avenue and North First Street on two city warrants for failure to pay.
Vandalism - Police took a destruction of private property report
at 3:52 a.m. Friday after finding a window broken out in the 100 block of
South Pine Street.
EDUCATION
Hwang Nominated
Walt Hwang will be included in the 1998 edition of "Who's Who Among Students in American Universities and Colleges." He is a senior at the University of Oklahoma, and his parents are Long-Far and Regina Hwang, Ponca City.
Davis Graduates
Chandra Denise Davis, former Po-Hi graduate, has graduated from Southwest Texas University at San Marcos, Tx. She is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Price Thomas and the great-granddaughter of Helen Thomas.
Sheik Honored
Sandra Sheik, Newkirk, was honored for outstanding leadership of young people during 1997 as director of the local Modern Woodmen of America Junior Service Club. Sheik led the group to merit status, an honor given by Modern Woodmen to recognize leaders of youth clubs for top-level performance.
Bodenstein Participates
Chad Bodenstein was recently honored at the Fall Athletic Banquet at Tabor College in Hillsboro, Kan. He was honored in soccer and received an award.
Rench Listed
Matthew D. Rench was recently placed on the fall quarter Dean's List at Michigan Technological University by earning a grade point average of 3.5 or higher.
Frisby Graduates
Matthew Frisby graduated from the College of Liberal Arts at the University of Central Oklahoma in December. He is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Clyde Frisby, Ponca City.
Pioneer Technology Center students are engaged in and have recently completed a variety of community service projects to help enrich the lives of area residents, one person at a time.
Currently, under the direction of Pioneer Tech's Vocational Student Organization, (VSO) students school-wide are conducting a coat, hat and glove drive to benefit the Ponca Women's Shelter, and others who may be in need of warm clothing, toiletries and canned goods.
Pioneer Tech students also completed a successful Thanksgiving food drive by collecting 3,619 pounds of canned and dry foods, as well as turkeys, that were distributed to fellow students in the form of Thanksgiving Day food baskets.
Great performances were turned in by business technology students, who collected over 50 pounds of food per student. Students in the Child Care program helped out by collecting 67 1/2 pounds of goods per student.
PTC's other individual student organizations are also exhibiting their community-minded spirit with other projects including the Cosmetology programs Christmas card project. Students got involved by making Christmas cards for elderly individuals and their neighborhoods to help ease the loneliness often associated with the Christmas season.
The Licensed Practical Nursing Class selected Christmas caroling at Westminster Village to help spread the joy during the season.
According to VSO member and machine tool technology student, Juanita Thompson, "Pioneer Tech students and staff will continue to serve their communities through selected trades and by setting high standards with genuine concern and willingness to stand up and be a good example."
Thompson also stated that more community service projects and activities
are scheduled throughout the school year.
RELIGION
Epiphany or Twelfth Night is the twelfth day after Christmas and marks the end of the Christmas holiday.
This festival, which is older than Christmas, is celebrated each year at Grace Episcopal Church in Ponca City. This year's celebration will be at 7 p.m. on the evening of Tuesday, Jan. 6.
The festival originated in the Eastern Church and was mentioned by Clement of Alexandria in A.D. 200. The earliest mention of the observance of Christmas on Dec. 25 is in a list of Roman bishops compiled in 354, according to the Rev . Ken Armstrong, rector at Grace Church.
"Epiphany" is a Greek word for "Manifestation" or "showing forth". In the Eastern Church, by the fourth century, it was considered equal to Easter and Pentecost as one of the three great festivals.
A Twelfth Night or Epiphany cake was baked in honor of the three kings. This is another example of a pagan custom being given a Christian significance. A coin was placed in the cake and the recipient became king or queen for that night. (This custom is still observed by members of Grace Church.)
The Epiphany season continues until Lent, but as the Lenten season depends on the movable date of Easter, it may have from one to six Sundays, each with its own story.
The season of Epiphany begins at Grace Episcopal Church with the annual Festival of Lights, Epiphany Pageant and party at 7 o'clock Tuesday evening. Director this year is Laura Hines. This is the 53rd Anniversary of the Epiphany Pageant and party at Grace Church.
The Epiphany Pageant features the visitation of the Three Wise Men, who were the first Gentiles to proclaim Jesus as Lord. It signifies the light of Christ in the world. No one knows who the Wise Men were or from where they came. The Bible records only "...there came wise men from the east, bringing "gold, frankincense and myrrh."
Christ is King and gold was presented to Him by the first wise man. Christ is Lord and He was given frankincense by the second wise man. In the Old Testament, incense was burned to represent prayer rising to God. Christians offer prayers to Christ as Lord. The third wise man brought myrrh, perfumed oil used to anoint the body of the dead, thereby informing the world that Christ would die to be the Savior of all men.
The public is invited to join with members of Grace Church for this Twelfth Night event.
First Lutheran Church will observe Epiphany Sunday at both the 8:30 a.m. and the 11 a.m. services on Jan. 4. Dr. Paul Volz will preach his final sermon as Intermix pastor of First Lutheran. He has served in that position for the past 20 months. Now in accordance with the Interim program of the Lutheran Church-Missouri Synod he will relinquish his job in anticipation of the installation of the Rev. Thomas Ramsey on Jan. 18. The services on Jan 11 and 18 will be conducted by the Rev. Richard Zabel, retired chaplain from Wichita.
On Sunday afternoon at 4 p.m., the congregation will hold an Epiphany Celebration. During that service of readings and hymns the focus will be on the many positive results of the self-study and planning done during the past two years. Many of the organizations within the church will be represented in some way. The President of the Oklahoma District, the Rev. William Diekelman, and the Circuit Counselor, the Rev. Carlton Riemer, will participate in the service. The service will be followed by a farewell reception for Dr. and Mrs. Volz.
Members of the community are invited to join the First Lutheran family in worship and also in expressing their thanks to the Volzes for their service to First Lutheran and to Ponca City.
Evangelists Robert and Jan Teel will be ministering in revival services at Glad Tidings Assembly of God, U.S. 60 at Victory, nightly at 7 p.m. Jan. 4 through 7, it was announced this week.
A native of Ada, Okla., Robert was raised in southern California. He was a national champion on the rings event in the sport of gymnastics, and many believed he was destined to win a gold medal for the United States in the Olympics. However, at the height of his gymnastics career, he began to abuse drugs and alcohol, shattering all hopes for Olympic competition.
In January 1972, after descending to the depths of sin, on the brink of suicide, Robert was miraculously saved and instantly delivered from drugs and alcohol by the power of Jesus Christ, he testifies. For the past 23 years, he has been in full-time ministry, proclaiming the message of hope to a hurting world, according to his biography.
His wife, Jan, was born in Oklahoma city. As a "PK" (preacher's kid), she grew up "all over" Oklahoma and some of Arkansas. Jan felt the call of God on her life at a very young age. She is an accomplished musician and sings from her heart.
Jan has released her first recording, "Jesus, You're Everything to Me." She loves to share her testimony of the saving, keeping power of God and the faithfulness of God, even through the painful, devastating crises of life.
The public is invited to come and hear Robert and Jan Teel Jan. 4 through 7 at Glad Tidings.
Prince of Peace Lutherans Start New Year
Prince of Peace Lutheran Church send wishes to everyone for a safe and happy New Year and God's blessings.
The church also wishes "Happy Birthday" to Erwin Anderson and
Jim Goldman.
Faith Tabernacle Starts Helps Ministry
Faith Tabernacle New Life Christian Center, 501 South Fifth, is ringing in the New Year with an emphasis on the Helps Ministry as noted in I Cor. 12:28. January has been designated Helps Ministry month by Pastors Don and Norene Stanton. Each Sunday the church will honor the many people who are involved in some area of this ministry. According to Youth Pastor Mickey Baldwin, "The ministry of helps includes everything from cooking to ushering and anything in between. It allows the local church to function successfully."
"Faith Tabernacle is blessed with the talents and gifts of many
people, and we will take this time to let them know how important they are
to the Body of Christ," Pastors Stanton pointed out.
Ministerial Alliance Meeting Set
The Ponca City Ministerial Alliance will meet Jan. 8 at noon in the basement
of St. Joseph Regional Medical Center, it was announced today. The program
will be announced later.
LIFESTYLES
A family dinner at 5:30 p.m. Jan. 3 at the Elks Lodge in Perry will honor Mr. and Mrs. George V. Heppler of Perry for their golden wedding anniversary. Hosting the event will be the couple's two sons, Ken A. Heppler of Honolulu, Hawaii and Gerald W. Heppler of Edmond; a daughter and son-in-law, Marilyn and Rick Sattre of Piedmont, and Mrs. Heppler's brother and sister-in-law, Bill and Gerry Sheets of Perry. The honorees have three grandchildren: Richard, William and Matthew Sattre of Piedmont.
George Heppler and the former Doris Sheets were married Dec. 26, 1947 at the First Christian Church in Ponca City. Mr. Heppler served with the U. S. Army Air Force 1943-46 and was employed in the Mechanical Division at Conoco in Ponca City from 1948 until retirement in 1983.
Mrs. Heppler was employed in research at Conoco and Vista Chemicals from 1972-89 when she retired. The couple made their first home at Perry, later moving to Ponca City. They returned to Perry in 1987. Their mailing address is Route 3, Box 169A, Perry. The Hepplers celebrated their anniversary in early December with their son, Ken, and a family friend, Bob Woodger, at a dinner and tour of Hawaii.
Mr. Heppler is the son of the late George A. and Clara A. Heppler and
Mrs. Heppler is the daughter of the late George W. and Sophia M. Sheets.
SPORTS
By FRED HILTON
News Sports Editor
Ponca City's Wildcat wrestlers went into the Christmas break 3-1 in duals. They would like to come out of the holidays 6-1.
In rare holiday activity, the matmen will join in the four-team Jenks Quad Saturday - two days before the rest of the Po-Hi students return to classes.
But to reach their goal of three more wins, the Wildcats will have to go through No. 5 ranked Muskogee, No. 7 Putnam City North and the host Trojans.
The Poncans' bid to regain a berth in Class 5A's Top 10 starts at 10 a.m. Saturday in the Jenks Fieldhouse. However, coach Pat Young didn't know which team the Cats would wrestle at what time as of late Thursday.
"All I know is we'll wrestle at 10 and again about noon and at about 2," Young said.
Fortunately the Wildcats appear to be back to about full strength as they start the new semester.
Coach Young has changed his lineup slightly and will take some extra wrestlers for the tripleheader,
Phillip Gelino has dropped to 103 pounds with Bryan Gibson stepping in at 112.
Josh Bailey will be at 119 pounds, Mark Dodgen at 125, Matt Dodgen at 130, Clint Stafford and Matt Littleton at 135, and Lorenzo Jones at 140.
Michael Osborne will probably be at 145, Jacob Beck or Kyle Duren at 152 and Duren or Toby Redleaf at 160.
Marciano Villarruel will take over at 171, Jay Bentley at 189, Nick Steichen at 215 and probably Jason Nurenberg in place of the missing Hawley Tsoodle at 275,
"We'll just have to see how well we can do," Young said. Hopefully we'll do well. I'd like to win all three (duals) and start the second half of the season 6-1.
The Wildcats have been busy over the holidays, working out since the day after Christmas. Blackwell came in for one practice this week and Tonkawa was schedule to scrimmage the Cats today.
"We've had some pretty good practices," Young said.
After Saturday's Quad, the Cats are home Tuesday against the Enid Plainsmen
in an effort to take the second step toward the district title. The grapplers
enter the Geary Tournament Friday and Saturday.