Mid-November 1998 - Life in Oak Springs, the Homeplace

Life in Oak Springs, the Homeplace

Mid-November 1998

This series of posts on each Friday during 2015 continues the stories of “The Homeplace Saga” series of family saga, historical fiction families in the area of Oak Springs following the novel “Christmas at the Homeplace,” which ended as 1997 began. Here is a peek at ‘Life in Oak Springs,’ and the surrounding valley, in Mid-November of 1998.

The Oaks Springs Historical and Genealogical Society held a regular monthly meeting at the Oak Springs Public Library on Tuesday evening, November 17. Jennifer Kirk presented the program on her experiences using the PAF computer program for storing her researched family history data. Discussion after the meeting was split between those who saw the computer program as a ‘great new tool’ and those who only wanted to continue to use paper records and notebooks as they had always done it. 

A joint press release from The Bevins Trust and the McDonald Conservancy was published in the Oak Springs Enterprise on Wednesday, November 18. It simply stated that agreements had been reached among all parties involved with regard to land assignments and distributions to the various ongoing projects related to the two entities and related individuals. These agreements would allow planning for the individual projects to move forward. Both entities expressed their appreciation to all other entities, both public and private, for their cooperation. Ronnie Cox, Executive Director of the McDonald Conservancy, in response to questions following the press release, added: “We felt it was important to let the public know that these negotiations had been completed. It was one of the loose ends following the awarding of the DNR grant that had held up or delayed some other project planning. Those plans and projects can now move forward.”

Meanwhile, construction work at the McDonald Conservancy Visitor Center on Highway 37 was moving along briskly.

Paul Gates, Manager of the Oak Creek Mill and Mill Market, confirmed that plans for the Par-3 Golf Course near the Mill along the creek were now proceeding forward. He added that clarification of the land ownership interests had opened the way for the golf course planning as well as the modifications to the kayak/canoe portage roads and the proposed new housing development in the area. These would all now be done in concert with the trails system of the McDonald Conservancy funded by each phase of the DNR grant.

Traditional Thanksgiving holiday activities in Oak Springs and the Oak Creek Valley were continued with a focus on “food and football” for most of the local residents.

Thanksgiving Day family gatherings reported included:

1) Harry and Sarah Flanders hosted Jacob Howell, his wife, Lisa Flanders-Howell, and their son, Tommy Howell.

2) Jack and Mona Evans hosted Travis and Laura Inman and their children along with his parents, Grover and Hedda Inman. Mona’s father, Lyle Cunningham, and Jack’s father, Doc Evans, were also among their guests. Late afternoon guests were Christopher, Nicole and C.P. Ogden.

3) Karen and Lori Winslow hosted the extended Bevins family in the Heritage Hall at the Homeplace Country Inn, including:

a) Bart and Diane Bevins; Christopher, Nicole and C.P. Ogden; Brian, Jennifer and Ashley Kirk; Don and Linda Kirk

b) Paul Gates, Julie Barnes, Scott, Rachel and Faith Gates, and Heather Gates

c) Peter, Sheila and Jeremy Bevins

d) Matt, Susan, Tyler and Emily Winslow

e) Mark, Erin and Jessica James, visiting from Austin, Texas

f) Raynor Crimmons and his daughter, Randi, visiting from the Washington, D.C. area

g) Dick and Penny Nixon

"May everyone have a homeplace, if only in your mind."

Dr. Bill  ;-)

November 1998 - Life in Oak Springs, the Homeplace

Life in Oak Springs, the Homeplace

November 1998

This series of posts on each Friday during 2015 continues the stories of “The Homeplace Saga” series of family saga, historical fiction families in the area of Oak Springs following the novel “Christmas at the Homeplace,” which ended as 1997 began. Here is a peek at ‘Life in Oak Springs,’ and the surrounding valley, in early November of 1998.

At 4:50 p.m on Thursday, November 5, 1998, the phone rang and Karen Winslow picked it up. It was her sister, Beverly, on the other end of the line, calling from her home in Jackson, Mississippi. “Winnie has died. He had a massive heart attack, late this morning. There was nothing they could do.” Beverly began sobbing. “I’m sorry, I’ll get myself together again. I just cannot believe it. He was so vital, so full of life!”

Karen listened carefully. She had never heard Beverly sound like this, and let her talk, waiting for an opening to reply. “Are you okay, Beverly?” she said. “What can I do for you?”

Beverly sniffed hard, “Can you tell Scott and Heather? I can’t do it over the phone.” More sobbing. “I just can’t.”

“Of course. I’ll go do that, and you call back when you know what comes next. OK?”

“Yes, thank you, Karen. I’ll do that. Just let the kids know. I’ll get back to you when I know about arrangements.” Beverly hung up.

Karen immediately set about locating Scott and Heather and arranging to speak to each of them in person. Her nursing and counseling skills kicked in automatically. She handled the task with ease even with the difficult circumstances. She had gone to the stable to talk to Heather, and then the two of them went to Scott and Rachel’s house to tell them. Lori had agreed to stay by the phone at the Inn in case Beverly called back sooner than expected. She didn’t.

Like Karen, both Heather and Scott were much more concerned about their mother’s mental health condition than the fact that their stepfather had died. He was an old man after all. They barely knew him. He was very nice to them, but he really was their mother’s close companion, not theirs. They expected he would die one day, but were expecting it to be further in the future than turned out to be the case. They were also concerned, of course, about what came next. Karen was a good person to have available to talk to. She assured them the next steps would come in order. It would just be a matter of hurry up and wait, over and over, for a while. They talked about possible approaches until they were comfortable with the most likely outcomes. They had called their father, Paul, and he had joined them at Scott and Rachel’s place. He had assured them that he would accompany them to the funeral in Jackson, if that turned out to be the right thing to do.

And, that is what they did. In addition, Karen, and Bart and Diane, went to the funeral as well. Rachel and baby Faith stayed in Oak Springs, of course; her sister and father were available to assist, as needed. Lori stayed to look after the Country Inn. Peter decided he didn’t need to go. He wasn’t that close to his older sister Beverly, and felt he would only be a distraction.

On their return, Karen summarized their observations when she spoke with Lori. “Beverly was completely composed, again, for the funeral. She acted appropriately, as Winnie would have wanted her to. She introduced us to his children and their families. We were also all surprised that they all knew, already, about Winnie’s distribution of his assets. Apparently he had been very open with his children, and with Beverly. They had a pre-nuptial agreement that was very specific. All of his Mississippi property went to his children, except that Beverly could continue to live in the mansion as long as she wished (as long as she didn’t remarry). All of his Missouri property and interests went to Beverly along with a one million dollar asset fund that was hers without strings. Beverly had seemed perfectly happy in the mansion, made them all feel at home, while they were there, and handled herself as well as anyone could have expected.”

Heather returned to school the day after her return and everyone else went on with their lives as usual.

Over at Bart and Diane’s house, Bart just said one more thing: “Well, I wonder what Beverly will do next.”

Diane replied, “Don’t we all.”

"May everyone have a homeplace, if only in your mind."

Dr. Bill  ;-)

Mid-October 1998 - Life in Oak Springs, the Homeplace

Life in Oak Springs, the Homeplace

Mid-October 1998

This series of posts on each Friday during 2015 continues the stories of “The Homeplace Saga” series of family saga, historical fiction families in the area of Oak Springs following the novel “Christmas at the Homeplace,” which ended as 1997 began. Here is a peek at ‘Life in Oak Springs,’ and the surrounding valley, in mid-October of 1998.

Sunday, October 18, 1998, was a sunny, crisp fall day in Oak Springs and the Oak Creek valley. Families gathered at many homes to enjoy this particular day, each in their own ways.

Peter, Sheila, and Jeremy Gates chose this Sunday to scout the woods along the ridge in the 4-wheel ATVs for future Christmas trees. In another month or so, it would be time to get serious about this task. They enjoyed just being out in the woods, together, of course. From time to time, they stopped to examine a particular area more carefully. Or, a high spot on the ridge provided a distinctive view of the surrounding Ozarks wooded mountains that they want to share. Life was good, on days like these.

Don and Linda Kirk hosted their family for dinner after church, and family time after. This also served as a family one-year birthday party (actual birthday was the 15th, of course) for grandson, C.P., along with his parents, Christopher and Nicole Ogden. Baby Ashley, now in her second month, was also a center of attention, of course. They grow so fast. Young parents, Brian and Jennifer Kirk, were happy to share their baby and realized she would have a first birthday, before they knew it. The other grandparents, Diane and Bart Bevins, were pleased to be invited to join in the celebrations.

Matt, Susan, Tyler and Emily Winslow had invited his mother, Karen, and sister, Lori, to join them for dinner after church, as well. Tyler was now in third grade and Emily had started Kindergarten, earlier in the fall. They enjoyed playing games together and Emily was especially proud to show her grandma some of her art projects from school.

Travis and Laura Inman, Zach and Kyla, hosted the paternal grandparents, Grover and Hedda Inman, on Sunday afternoon, at their home.

Paul and his daughter Heather Gates visited Scott, Rachel and baby Faith on Sunday afternoon. They didn’t stay long, to allow baby and mother to get their rest. They continued to marvel at the miracle of birth that had blessed their family.

The Oak Springs Enterprise on Wednesday, October 28, was filled with advertisements and announcements related to the upcoming weekend Halloween activities for the community. There were also notices of prohibited activities and the penalties for violations.

"May everyone have a homeplace, if only in your mind."

Dr. Bill  ;-)

October 1998 - Life in Oak Springs, the Homeplace

Life in Oak Springs, the Homeplace

October 1998

This series of posts on each Friday during 2015 continues the stories of “The Homeplace Saga” series of family saga, historical fiction families in the area of Oak Springs following the novel “Christmas at the Homeplace,” which ended as 1997 began. Here is a peek at ‘Life in Oak Springs,’ and the surrounding valley, in October of 1998.

Winnie and Beverly (Bevins) (Gates) Threshold arrived at the Oak Springs Motel late Thursday afternoon, October 1, 1998. They had driven up from their home in Jackson, Mississippi, in anticipation of the birth of the first child of Beverly’s son, Scott, and his wife, Rachel. They hoped they were not too late. They had not received word on the car-phone Winnie had in his car, so they assumed they had made it on time. Winnie was known in Mississippi at Winston T. Threshold III, a wealthy local industrialist. Here in Missouri, he insisted on just being “Winnie” the southern gentleman visiting his second wife’s hometown. He had built, and did own, the Oak Springs Motel so their arrival did not go unnoticed by the local staff.

Normally, they stayed northeast of town, in the adjoining county, at the Big Thunder Lodge, where he was a major stockholder and a member of the Board of Directors. A board meeting was his normal excuse to get Beverly to come up and visit her children by her first marriage to Paul Gates, Scott and Heather. She always enjoyed seeing the children, but had also always been reluctant to stay more than a few days in her hometown. She had left for Jackson right out of high school, and at the time, said she would never return. However, in 1987, in order to assure a family inheritance for her children, she had come “Back to the Homeplace” as the wife of Gates and the mother of their two young children. She soon returned ‘home’ to Jackson, divorced Gates, and sometime later, married Threshold. Paul Gates and the children, Scott and Heather, remained in the Oak Springs area to participate in the Bevins Trust, created by Beverly’s parents to preserve the family farm and related assets. They had been very happy living in Oak Springs. For this trip, Winnie had insisted they stay nearby Scott and Rachel at the Oak Springs Motel.

Beverly had come back for Scott’s graduation, both High School and Community College, and his marriage to Rachel (Rachel was one daughter of the local newspaper editor and publisher). But, each time, Beverly had retreated back to Jackson in short order. Now, with a grand baby arriving, Beverly really wanted to be a part of this new phase of her life, if she could. She called Scott and learned that, yes, the baby was still pending… but it wouldn’t be long, for sure.

The baby, a girl, arrived early on Saturday morning, October 3. They named her Faith Gates. Mother and baby were able to have family visitors at the hospital, for a brief visit, late that afternoon. Along with Winnie and Beverly, Paul Gates was there, of course. Paul and Beverly now had a friendly, civil, relationship based on their mutual love of their children. He still didn’t understand her motivations, nor she his, but they had worked it out. Also there, whom they had met at the wedding, was Richard ‘Dick’ Nixon, Rachel’s widowed, and still single, father. The grandparents took turns going in to see the baby and her mother. The young father, Scott, was mostly happy to have a healthy wife and baby. He was pleased the grandparents were each there to visit, but really hoped they wouldn’t stay too long.

Baby Faith had two aunts, Penny Nixon and Heather Gates. Each decided to wait until Sunday afternoon to come for a visit. Penny was the older sister of Rachel, and was Associate Editor to her father at the Oak Springs Enterprise. Penny had never married, and assumed she would not have children, so she felt a special relationship to her new little niece. Heather was now in her Senior Year of High School. Her feelings toward the baby were very similar to those that Penny was feeling.

Winnie and Beverly returned to Jackson a couple of days after Scott and Rachel took baby Faith home.

"May everyone have a homeplace, if only in your mind."

Dr. Bill  ;-)