It has been some time since we have been to the Senior Center for lunch. However, on one occasion when we went to the one-time Pet Milk Plant to enjoy some of their cooking, we found ourselves seated at the same table as one of my favorite readers. She always identifies herself as a long time reader.

Now, it must be said that she had been reading the Cassville Democrat a lot longer than I have been writing for the paper. At the age of 93, Annabelle Walker, who then lived in town, could come up with a story or two whenever we had the opportunity to visit for very long. She and her late husband, Warren, came to this county in 1966. The topic of one of her usual conversation pieces was about the Democrat. She liked to point out that one of the first things she noticed when she saw the sign above the office door when it was on the south side of the square was “Covers Barry County Like the Morning Dew.”

Subscribing to the paper, for considerably less money than today, was one of her first acts when becoming a Barry Countian.

From Texas

The Walkers started their lives together in Texas, eventually moving to Kansas to farm. Warren developed health problems and was told to get out of the dusty conditions in that state. Looking for a more serene atmosphere, they located a 700-plus acre farm in the Mano community, between Rock Creek and Highway 86, where they settled down.

She said that their decision to make the move to the Ozarks was possibly the best they ever made, and it was made jointly. Her family included three girls, all of whom were red heads. Mrs. Walker chuckled about the fact that “few people today would have any idea I was once a red head!”

Business

Warren and son Jim, who was in the real estate business here, were once involved in a modular home manufacturing facility here in Cassville. The business was located on West 11th Street. After a short period of time the facility closed and became the property of the IDC and was quickly converted, the work pit down the middle filled and the structure became the first home for Wells Aluminum when they opened a window-door facility in Cassville as an off-shoot of their extrusion plant in Monett.

That move was actually facilitated by the late E.L. Monroe, Monett attorney for Wells, who initially contacted Nolan McNeill, who was Cassville Chamber president at the time.

By the way, Elvin Kime came to Cassville as the first Wells plant superintendent at this time.

Off the spike

Looking ahead to cooler Fall weather coming to the area brings a reminder of what my aunt Mary Ray’s thoughts were about the coming of lower temperatures. This time of year, one of her favorite phrases was, “It’s a pair of drawers colder today.”

She and Uncle John lived across Main Street from the old high school building for many a year.

She was actually a double relative of mine; her maiden name was Mitchell. She might be best remembered by her pair of Bulldogs, Romeo and Juliet, whom she took nearly everywhere she went. They were as much at home in her black Buick automobile as they were in the house. Undoubtedly there are many firsts to be celebrated for graduates of Cassville High School. One that sticks out in my mind is Laura Jo Ellis, daughter of the late Joe and his wife JoAnne of Cassville. A graduate in the class of 1981, Laura took her place in the judicial circles as presiding judge of the 38th Judicial Circuit for Christian and Taney counties after an unopposed election. She remains in that position today.

It’s about this time of the year that one-time quail hunters of the area start remembering the old days when the season opened Nov. 10. As has been stated previously, there was an actual exodus from Cassville by businessmen to pursue their favorite sport.

Thanks to no one except some farming practices, the word is out that there might be a revival of the Bob Whites. That’s thanks to no one in Conservation, as this area was never tagged for any restoration programs as there have been on other species in the state.

Bob Mitchell is the former editor and publisher of the Cassville Democrat. He is a 2017 inductee to both the Missouri Press Association Hall of Fame and Missouri Southern State University’s Regional Media Hall of Fame.