GLENWOOD — It’s always hard when our community loses someone who lived here, whether they were old timers or newcomers. It’s especially sad to share the news that Harold Kuhnhausen and his son Bob both passed away last week.
Harold was the son of the late Herman and Carrie Kuhnhausen. I love this story a neighbor of theirs shared with me about them. We have many new couples and families moving to Glenwood. One couple, Raquel Ade and her husband Dan, are building a new home at the end of Kelly Road. Raquel shared with me that both Harold and Bob have been great neighbors to them, helping prepare their land for the house build, clearing the driveway, removing trees, tilling, plowing, digging, and all the other things that go into setting up a new home site. She said the Kuhnhausen men were “super helpful and generous to us and will be missed greatly.”
Harold has recently been in hospice care at his son Chris’s home in Eugene, but requested to return to his home in Glenwood during his last days. Raquel and Dan and other family and friends have been checking on Harold and Bob here at home, taking them food and just being there to help when they could. Thank you for sharing this, Raquel. Our community is very lucky to be gaining such kind, caring new members as you and Dan. Our condolences go to Harold’s and Bob’s families and friends.
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I love catching up on news from one of our former Glenwood students, Corbin (CJ) Schuster, PhD. CJ has recently completed a paper about providing diverse and inclusive education for Indigenous STEM students and another regarding the discovery of a new neurotropic parasite he and his team discovered in Grenada. His manuscript has been accepted for publication and I’ll include news of where and how you can locate it to check it out when I get that information. CJ continues to make all of us here very proud. And I know he’s got more exciting things in the works that I’ll be able to share at a later date. Congratulations, Dr. Schuster.
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On April 13, we, along with several other Glenwood residents, had the privilege of attending a celebration of life for one of Goldendale’s most beloved seniors, Kay McKay Kayser Thompson. Because Kay touched so many lives including many of us here in Glenwood, the Goldendale high school gym was packed with people there to honor her memory. The Goldendale FFA members greeted attendees and handed out Kay’s famous cowboy cookies to everyone. Her dear friends and family gave moving tributes to how selfless and giving Kay was during her many decades serving the communities of Centerville and Goldendale and the great love she had for her large extended family.
One of Kay’s dearest friends, 93-year-old Joan Heming, played beautiful piano music for Kay one last time. As I looked around the gym, I realized I was acquainted with many of those there, including Joan, because of Kay. There are so many wonderful memories, but one very special one is how Kay, who had worked as school cook at both Centerville and Goldendale, loved cooking for family and friends long after her retirement. She had many dear elderly men friends whose wives had passed away and she worried about them being alone, cooking for themselves. So, Kay began having many of those widowers over for delicious home cooked dinners on Thursday nights. How lucky they all were.
After the service at the Goldendale gym, everyone drove out to the Centerville school for a huge potluck dinner. Because pretty much everyone attending had been fed by Kay at some point, and many of them often, in their lives, I think everyone wanted to make the best dishes they could think of. There was so much delicious food, the dear ladies in charge of the dinner didn’t have room to put every dish out. It was a great time to visit with Kay’s family members and friends and share good memories.
Kay is already so greatly missed in Goldendale and Centerville, and my hope is that we can all follow her wonderful example of what it truly means to be a good friend and neighbor. Kay, you are missed more than words can ever adequately express but your legacy lives on and on.
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If you have driven by the rodeo grounds lately, you may have noticed that park-like camping area is looking even better now. Recently there were several rodeo association members out there raking pine needles and limbs and burning them. Other members cut down dead or dangerous trees and cleaned up all that debris. Those who plan to camp there during our rodeo time this year will have a very nice place to stay.
As plans are finalized, I want to continue to share the excitement coming to the rodeo this year. In addition to the Stoney Ridge Farms ponies and chariots races and the Wild Card Trick Riders, there will be exciting Wild Horse Races put on by the Professional Wild Horse Racers Association. And this year the rodeo will have a highly rated rodeo clown and barrel man, Ben James, in addition to all the regular, exciting rodeo events. Mark your calendars for that special Father’s Day weekend.
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I really enjoyed attending the Glenwood School spelling bee on April 9. First place finishers were first grade — Rigynn Walker, second grade — McKenzie Feller, third grade — Amyah Bisping, fourth grade — Ben Harring, middle school — Della Fujita, and high school — Ari Berge. Congratulations to all the winners for working hard and studying you word lists. For those who competed but did not win, I wanted them to know they are all winners, too, for having the courage to get up on that stage in front of parents, grandparents, and others to try their hardest. A big thanks goes to Toni Troh for organizing this year’s spelling bee, Kinley Troh for serving as master of ceremonies, Terry Arnold, Abbie Eldred, and Bridget McLaughlin for serving as judges, Blaine Arnold and Tyler Webster for ensuring the safety of the competitors as they used the stage steps, and Shae Jackson for seeing to the microphone placement for the competitors. It was a great night for our students.
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Mary Pierce writes about the community of Glenwood every other week in Columbia Gorge News. Please send any news items to gmpierce09@gmail.com.
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