bmonthly November 2025

upfront

Welcome to November, friends. This year has just flown by. I’m writing this Upfront on October 23, which is 63 days until Christmas. That is crazy to me! November is one of our favorite months, and Thanksgiving is probably our favorite holiday. It is when we bring our whole family together. This year we will have six grandbabies and all of our kids here. We always do our family’s Thanksgiving on the Friday after Thanksgiving. We have always done it on the day after because we know, for sure, all our kids will be here. We love family and having all these grandbabies this year just brings smiles to our faces.

This month’s feature is on Pearl Harbor. The day that changed America and slung us into World War II. President Roosevelt called December 7th, 1941 “a date which will live in infamy” when he addressed Congress to ask for a declaration of war against Japan following the attack. He asserted that the attack was a “premeditated invasion” and declared the nation would “win through to absolute victory.” I called on Maria Gus to write this feature story, and she crushed it. I know you’re probably saying, “Why did you do this in November, when it happened in December?” December is always Christmas, and that’s why we did this story in November. I love the cover because looking at pictures from that day, there are hardly any photos of the bombing - just photos of all of our battleships on fire or sinking. I did not want a picture of a ship in the cover two months in a row. I believe this painting tells the whole story of that Sunday morning. Approximately 2,343 U.S. service members were killed during the attack. The total number of American fatalities, including both military personnel and civilians, was 2,403 that sunny Sunday morning.

Three years ago, Christy and I were looking for a building to continue doing our warming shelters that we started with Pastor Rando and Shiloh. We had used their Jesus Burger metal building on 14th street for the past two years. We needed a building that was more set up for a warming center. We continued to

pray and believed we would find one. In May of 2022 I had Steve Lindquist write the Good Word for bmonthly magazine. We had lunch with him and his wife Cathy several times with our Pastor Joe Colaw and his wife Dawn Marie. At one of our lunches he said his sister had a building on the west side of town. He said we should call her and see if she would meet with us. His sister had a large building for sale which might be a good space for a warming center. I called her, and we had lunch. After lunch she wanted us to see it. As we were heading down Virginia, we turned into 219 North Virginia. The old NIPER building was a government building built in 1960 during the Cold War. The US government gave the building to the city of Bartlesville when NIPER was shut down in the late 80’s. In 1990 the city donated it to then Jane Phillips Medical Center, which is now Ascension Hospital. The hospital did many changes and upgraded the building. They had their payroll, accounting, home health, and stored all their medical records there. In early 2019 they moved all that back to the hospital, and home health was the last department there. They put the building up for sale, and it sat there for over 2 years. God had something planned which would totally change our lives. As we entered the community room, we knew. She said she couldn’t let us use the building or even lease it unless we had a non-profit. So we hired a lawyer and applied for 501c3 status. The process for approval usually takes 3 to 5 months, but we received ours in exactly 30 days. That’s the first God move. During this time we had gone to different shelters in three different states.

Two weeks after we got the approval letter for B the Light Mission to be a nonprofit, a letter from Ascension arrived. They wanted to donate the whole building to B the Light Mission. I will write more on all of this later. Here we are 3 years later, and we will be open full time on November 3rd housing men and women and changing lives. We give God all the credit and thanks for what HE has done. This building will bring light into so many lives! Stay tuned. God Bless, Keith and Christy

Volume XVI Issue XI

Bartlesville Monthly Magazine is published by ENGEL PUBLISHING

New office located in the B the Light Mission 219 North Virginia Avenue, Bartlesville, Oklahoma 74003 www.bartlesvillemonthly.com facebook.com/bartlesvillemonthly

Publisher Brian Engel brian@bartlesvillemonthly.com

Graphics Engel Publishing matt@engelpublishing.com

Director of Sales & Marketing Keith McPhail keith@bartlesvillemonthly.com

Community Liaison Christy McPhail christy@bartlesvillemonthly.com

Project Manager Andrea Whitchurch andrea@bartlesvillemonthly.com

Administration Shelley Greene Stewart

Delivery and Distribution Dewayne Engel Calendar/Social Media calendar@bartlesvillemonthly.com

Contributing Writers

Debbie Neece, Kay Little, Kelly Hurd Jay Hastings, Brent Taylor, Keith McPhail Jay Webster, Abigail SIngrey, Mike Tupa Lori Just, Miriam Walker, Joe Todd Greg Wheat, Maria Gus

Contributing Photographers Bartlesville Area History Museum , Mike Tupa Gammy’s Bartlesville Pics, Debbie Neece Bartlesville Sports Commission

Calendars

Debbie Neece, Jessica Smith

ABOUT THE COVER

Remembering Pearl Harbor’s affet on Bartlesville. Photo courtesy of historianet.com.

Creative concept by Keith and Christy McPhail

Design by Engel Publishing

Ignite Adams PARC Announces Partnership with Specialty Providers

At Ignite Adams PARC, our team partners with renowned local providers to provide worldclass therapy treatments and technology to get our patients active and back to their lives as soon as possible. Specialty services and programs include treatment and recovery plans in Orthopedic Rehabilitation, Stroke Recovery, Cardiac Care, Pulmonary Rehab, Wound Care & Infection Management, Renal Disease and Palliative Care.

We are pleased to introduce the exceptionally trained and highly skilled team of medical professionals who provide a continuum of care for our guests as they transition from the acute hospital setting to Ignite Adams PARC for their post-acute rehabilitation. Our newest partnership with these providers will allow for Ignite Adams PARC to continue to be at the forefront of healthcare as this esteemed team provides daily and weekly support to our clinical and therapy team to guide our guests’ recovery and treatment plans.

Mike Richardson From Fuel Tanks to Flight Paths:

The Journey of Bartlesville’s Airport Manager

by Lori Just

For more than three decades, Bartlesville’s airport manager, Mike Richardson, has quietly built a career from a job he never saw coming, but now can’t imagine doing without. What started as a lineman’s job cleaning and fueling corporate aircraft at 19 years old turned into a lifelong career managing airport operations, guiding major infrastructure projects and helping the city’s airport become self-sustaining.

“I was born July 11, 1969 at Jane Phillips Hospital nine days before Neil Armstrong landed on the moon,” he started. “We moved to Cache, OK when I was in grade school. Dad was stationed at Fort Sill before retiring in 1978 after serving 23 years in the Army. We then moved to the Ft. Smith area to be near family and then to the Jackson in the bootheel of SE Missouri and on to Oklahoma City in 1986.”

He graduated from Putnam City High School in 1988 and moved back to Bartlesville that same summer. That’s when his career unexpectedly took off.

“I got on with Phillips Petroleum in January 1989 at the Plaza C-Store downtown,” he recalled. “Back then, the C-Store employees were Phillips employees. I started hearing about other jobs in the company.”

It was a pair of security officers who first told him about an opportunity at the Bartlesville airport.

“They said there were openings at the airport, and I had no previous airport experience, but I applied,” he said. “Me and another guy from Copan, Mel Hunter, who also worked at the same C-store, got hired by Rick Beisley and Glenn Rigdon. Rick said to me years later that he just a feeling about the two guys from Copan and told Glenn he should hire Mel and I, and they did.”

Mike started a day before his birthday on July 10 as a utility worker, responsible for cleaning aircraft and basic maintenance around the airport.

“I didn’t know a job like this existed in Bartlesville,” he shared. “I was very impressed by the PPCO flight department, the aircraft, the size of hangars, the flight crews and the comradery we shared with co-workers. We really were one big family.”

In 2001, a major change came when the corporate flight department was relocated to Houston’s George Bush Intercontinental Airport. Conoco had just acquired a new Embraer

135 for the company’s shuttle service.

“We had a shuttle operation that ran from Ponca City to Bartlesville to Houston, then reversed,” he said. “It ran twice daily on weekdays, and one Sunday afternoon round trip, and that schedule continued from about 2001-2009.”

In 2009, the shuttle operation moved to Bartlesville and for the next 12 years ran 11 flights a week to Houston at its peak. During that time, Mike became assistant manager under thenairport manager and Shuttle Captain Rick Boswell, serving in that role for about six to seven years.

“In 2018, Boswell went full time flying and I became the airport manager for ConocoPhillips,” he added. “Then COVID hit in 2020, and we didn’t fly for 11 months. By then, Phillips 66 and ConocoPhillips had split into two companies but still shared the airshuttle service. Phillips 66 pulled out of the shuttleagreement in late 2020/early 2021 followed by ConocoPhillips.”

There was a six-month notification period that the operational control of the airport would shift back to the City of Bartlesville and in August 2021, the city officially began operating the airport.

“It was during that six-month period Mike Bailey reached out and asked if I’d be interested in working for the city continuingto manage the airport,” he said. “I was able to bring four of my team members with me. Phillips Aviation Services became Bartlesville Aviation and our FBO (Fixed Base Operator). Our success has been possible because we truly have a fantastic team.”

His first big project as city airport manager was the runway and FBO ramp/taxiway rehab.

“It’s never easy for an airport manager to close the runway and even harder for the people and businesses it affects,” he said. “To mitigate that impact, we allowed aircrafts under 15,000pounds to use the parallel taxiway as a temporary runway. It required a prior

permission required, but it let the locals still use the airport while we did the work.”

Another big accomplishment he oversaw was the completion of the new 1,300-foot taxiway just last year that cost 2.1 million dollars.

“It is the beginning of a 20-year development plan for the airport,” he explained. “We identified areas of opportunity for hangar development to provide space for private hangar development that benefits the community and the airport.”

He also served as the NE Regional Director of the Oklahoma Airport Operators Association (OAOA) from 2022 to 2025.

“It’s an amazing organization that promotes networking, advocacy and knowledge sharing among airport managers all across Oklahoma,” he said. “There are about 108 National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems in the state and it’s important to have a voice for airports/aviation, the second largest industry in the state.”

He also received the Oklahoma Certified Airport Professionalcertification from OAOA.

“What I’ve really enjoyed over the years is the people,” he said. “All the great people I’ve had the pleasure to work with and all the different flight crews, pilots from all over the US and some abroad, former managers, so many people that influenced me. Just to name a few: Rick Beisley, Jim Edwards, Glenn Rigdon, Phil Bates, Johnny Boyle, Rick Boswell, Allen Parker, EarlScott, Ron Enslinger, Ed Beers and Ron Trtan. I had so many great mentors who taught me not just about work, but about life. They weren’t just my co-workers they were my friends. I look up to them a lot.”

The job has also brought some surreal moments crossing paths with celebrities.

“When former President George H.W. Bush was in town, Secret Service came out a week before his visit to scout out the surroundings. All the guys in the mirrored sunglasses with the mirrors on the inside,” he laughed. “When Bush came in, he was taller than I expected. I’m 6’1 and he walked by, waved andnodded at us.”

Hearing that story reminded me of my own experience at the airport during that same visit that I shared with Mike, and I’ll share with you, my readers. My friend’s dad worked at the airport at that time. He took me and his daughters up there, andwe were told very clearly not to approach him or say anything. Bush arrived in a full limo motorcade. He stepped out and headed into one of the hangars to use the bathroom. When he came back out, he walked over to shake hands with a small group nearby. I didn’t get the chance to meet him, but I did take the opportunity to use the same bathroom right after he did. So,my claim to fame is that I used the same restroom right after a former president.

Other familiar faces have passed through. Once Mike saw Jay Leno sitting in their lobby as they were passing through for fuel.

“Another time, we had a Global Express pull up, and a guy in a black Tahoe needed to get through security to pick up passengers,” he recalled. “It was Ben Affleck. We weren’t sure at first. Then he got out and his wife, Jennifer Garner, got off with the kids. I was standing at the back of the Tahoe with Ben on my left and Jen on my right. I looked at him, then at her. She had the biggest smile. I must have looked like the cat that ate the canary. It was funny—you had to be there.”

He also recalled visits from Julia Roberts, Ewan McGregor, George Clooney, Jeff Dunham, and even Leonardo DiCaprio and Robert De Niro. Many celebs have passed through the airport.

“I have never asked for a picture or autograph,” he said. “I just wouldn’t do it out of respect for their privacy, but it is cool to see and talk to them.”

Outside of work, he’s a super proud father of three grown daughters: Mikayla Thomas, Meriah Richardson and Morgan Mackie.

“My daughters have been my whole life,” he said smiling. “My oldest and youngest are married. I raised three girls, and we spent a lot of time riding horses doing youth rodeos, raising stock for FFA.”

He has two grandchildren, a 4-year-old granddaughter, Aria, and a 2-year-old grandson, Shepard.

“Mikayla, my oldest, lives here in Bartlesville,” he said. “Meriah, my middle daughter, is in Arkansas and Morgan, my youngest, is in Cheyenne, Wyoming.”

He laughed when he talked about the barn time.

“Raising three daughters put me in the barn with horses for male companionship,” he added.

He also enjoys hunting and fishing.

“Some friends and I like to rent a cabin in Osage Hills around Thanksgiving for deer camp; that’s my staycation,” he said. “I like sand-bass fishing and running trotlines with my son-in-law,Brodie.”

And now, at 56, with a full career behind him and new goals ahead, he’s focused on growing the airport, supporting his team and spending more time with his grandkids.

“I can’t say enough about the people I work with and those who came before me,” he added. “Mike Bailey was a godsend in a dark time in my life. Managing the airport and being a part of its history has been a blessing. Hopefully the city feels the same. I see farther because I have stood on the shoulders of giants. It’s been a wonderful experience.”

When Mike came back to Bartlesville in the 80s it was for family. He wasn’t sure what he wanted to do and almost went into the military. But then he got on with Phillips without any experience, and he said that blessing turned into a career.

“Aviation kind of picked me,” he said, looking back. It’s a legacy built in Bartlesville, one flight at a time.

We live, work, and play in Bartlesville, and we’re proud to serve our neighbors with integrity

Experienced, Honest, Local

Bartlesville’s Link to Pearl Harbor

Remembering a War that Changed a Nation

by Maria Gus

The USS Oklahoma

Perhaps as society grows older, they begin to find deeper meaning in the stories of history. With each passing year, and each new way to preserve the past, Americans seem increasingly

fascinated by the people and events that shaped the world we live in. Maybe what’s past truly is prologue, and in our search to understand yesterday, we’re really trying to understand ourselves.

That’s certainly true for the stories of World War II, especially those that connect Green Country to moments that changed the world forever. When we think of December 7, 1941, many imagine the blue waters of Pearl Harbor, the surprise of the Japanese attack, and the plumes of smoke rising from the U.S. Pacific Fleet. But far beyond Hawaii, in towns like Bartlesville, those same events would ripple through families, factories, and futures for years to come.

The

Road to War

The conclusion of World War I left Europe economically devastated and socially fractured. Cities lay in ruins, industries were paralyzed, and morale was at an all-time low. Amid this instability, resentment brewed beneath the surface. The punitive measures imposed on Germany after the war, particularly under the Treaty of Versailles, created fertile ground for radical ideologies to take root. By 1933, Adolf Hitler had risen to power, consolidating control over Germany and beginning a campaign of aggressive expansion that would soon engulf the continent. When German forces invaded Poland in September 1939, ignoring warnings from Britain and France that such an act would provoke war, the Second World War began.

Across Europe and Asia, global tensions reached a breaking point. Trade sanctions and political hostilities deepened divisions among nations, and conflict simmered on multiple fronts. Japan had already invaded China in 1937, seeking to expand its empire across East Asia, while Germany’s invasion of the Soviet Union

in June 1941 further widened the war. Then, on December 7, 1941, the Imperial Japanese Navy launched a surprise assault on the U.S. Pacific Fleet stationed at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. The attack marked a turning point in world history, drawing the United States fully into the Second World War and uniting a nation under the banner of defense and determination.

The attack on Pearl Harbor transformed a nation that had

been largely neutral into one fully committed to the defense of freedom. The chaos and destruction of that morning shocked the American public, uniting the country in a wave of resolve. President Franklin D. Roosevelt addressed Congress the following day, calling December 7 “a date which will live in infamy.” His words galvanized the nation. Congress declared war on Japan almost immediately, and within days, Germany and Italy, Japan’s Axis allies, declared war on the United States in return. The world was now fully at war.

The entry of the United States into World War II reshaped both the battlefield and the home front. Strategic planning, resource mobilization, and industrial transformation occurred at an unprecedented pace. Yet the war also exposed deep social strains within America. Fear and suspicion led to restrictions on foreign-born residents, including legal American citizens of Japanese, German, and Italian descent, who faced curfews, relocations, and other unconstitutional measures born of wartime paranoia.

Amid the turmoil, Roosevelt’s vision for a more just and peaceful world resonated deeply with the American people. In his 1941 “Four Freedoms” address, he articulated four essential human rights, freedom of speech, freedom of worship, freedom from want, and freedom from fear, that became symbolic of what the Allies were fighting to protect. These ideals were later immortalized by artist Norman Rockwell, whose series of paintings inspired hope and unity during a time of uncertainty. By war’s end, the United States and its allies had indeed met Roosevelt’s test, fighting not only for survival but for the preservation of those fundamental freedoms he described.

Even from Green Country, far from the front lines, Oklahomans

answered the call to service with steadfast determination. Communities across the state mobilized to support the war effort in every possible way. Men and women enlisted in record numbers, industries shifted production to supply materials for battle, and local citizens organized drives for scrap metal, war bonds, and Red Cross aid. Though small in size compared to the nation’s industrial centers, towns like Bartlesville played an essential role in fueling victory abroad while keeping morale alive at home.

The USS Oklahoma at Pearl Harbor

On that quiet Sunday morning, life across America was just beginning to stir when Japanese dive-bombers, torpedo planes, and fighterbombers descended upon the naval base at Pearl Harbor. In less than two hours, nine ships were sunk, including five battleships, and 21 were damaged. The attack killed 2,403 Americans and wounded over a thousand more. Among the fallen, 1,177 were aboard the USS Arizona, and 429 perished on the USS Oklahoma, one of the proudest ships in the Pacific Fleet.

Amid the chaos at Pearl Harbor, the USS Oklahoma bore the

brunt of the attack. Secured along Battleship Row beside the USS Maryland, the Oklahoma was struck by eight torpedoes within the first ten minutes. The massive battleship capsized quickly, trapping hundreds of sailors and Marines inside. Despite desperate efforts to save their ship, the crew was overwhelmed by the rapid flooding and destruction. Of the 1,300 men aboard, the 429 lost lives were second in number only to the USS Arizona. For days after the attack, rescuers worked tirelessly, cutting through the overturned hull to reach survivors, their efforts a testament to courage amid catastrophe. The tragedy of the USS Oklahoma became one of the most enduring symbols of sacrifice from that fateful morning in Pearl Harbor.

Today, a memorial stands on Ford Island at Pearl Harbor honoring the 429 crew members lost that day. Each white marble column represents one life, a simple, solemn tribute to the men who never made it home.

News of the attack swept across the nation within hours, carried by radio bulletins and newspaper extras. In Bartlesville and across Oklahoma, disbelief quickly turned to determination. The state’s citizens mobilized almost overnight. Young men

enlisted in every branch of the military. Families planted victory gardens, organized bond drives, and joined the Red Cross.

Oklahoma’s oil industry, already a powerhouse, became vital to the Allied effort. Phillips Petroleum Company, headquartered right here in Bartlesville, ramped up production of high-octane aviation fuel that powered American fighter planes. The company’s chemists and engineers also worked on synthetic rubber and specialized lubricants for military vehicles and aircraft, products that proved essential to victory.

Nearly 475,000 Oklahomans served in the armed forces during World War II, and more than 6,400 gave their lives. Among them were dozens from Washington County, people whose stories still echo through local families and archives.

Sign of the Times

In 1941, Oklahoma was a state in between eras. The bruises from the Dust Bowl years and the Great Depression were still visible, but a new sense of energy was stirring. Across the state people were looking ahead, hoping that renewed growth, especially in oil and industry, might lift their fortunes.

Before December 7

Nationally, 1941 was a year of tension, debate, and gradual mobilization. While the U.S. had not yet entered World War II, the war in Europe and Asia loomed over American politics and daily life. Should the country stay neutral, or step in to support allies? That question loomed in the news and at kitchen tables across America.

In Oklahoma, the debates felt real. Many residents tracked news of the Atlantic convoys, German U-boat attacks, and Roosevelt’s Lend-Lease program. Meanwhile, the federal government was quietly expanding defense spending, drafting more men, and preparing industrial capacity for war. As a result,

unemployment was falling, and opportunities were opening, especially for people with technical or scientific skills.

The Selective Service Act of 1940, already in place by then, had begun to shift labor patterns. More men were drawn into the military, and more women and young people stepped into jobs left vacant. In Oklahoma, pilot-training programs were also underway, even before Pearl Harbor. For instance, the Darr Flight School in Ponca City trained over 1,100 British RAF pilots, and the Spartan School of Aeronautics in Miami, Oklahoma, taught nearly 2,000 pilots.

Then came December 7, 1941, when the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor jolted the nation into war. The state felt that shock acutely and from that moment on, Oklahoma’s economy, politics, and daily life shifted rapidly into wartime mode.

Cultural Life and Music

Even with shadows gathering on the horizon, life went on, and people found solace and joy in music, radio, dancing, and films.

The Sounds

In 1941, America was swinging. Big Band and Swing music filled the airwaves and dance halls, carrying a rhythm that kept spirits high even as the world edged closer to war. The lush orchestrations of Glenn

Miller, Benny Goodman, Duke Ellington, and Tommy Dorsey were part of nearly every household soundtrack. Their melodies, bright, romantic, and upbeat, offered comfort and excitement in uncertain times.

A few national hits stood out that year:

* “A String of Pearls” by Glenn Miller and His Orchestra (late 1941) became an instant dance favorite.

* The Andrews Sisters’ “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy” climbed the charts with its infectious military rhythm, soon becoming a wartime anthem.

* Folk group The Almanac Singers released “Songs for John Doe” in May 1941, sparking political conversations through song.

But while those East Coast and Hollywood bands set the tone nationally, Oklahoma had a sound all its own, Western Swing.

The Tulsa Sound Takes the Stage

In the years leading up to 1941, Tulsa had become the heartbeat of Western Swing, a joyful blend of country fiddle tunes, jazz rhythms, and blues influence. At the center of it all was Bob Wills and His Texas Playboys, broadcasting six days a week from Cain’s Ballroom on Tulsa’s powerhouse radio station KVOO. The broadcasts reached across Oklahoma, Texas, Kansas, and even into the Southwest, making the Playboys one of the most recognizable bands in the region.

By 1941, Wills and his band were national stars, but they never forgot their Oklahoma roots. They performed dozens of live dances and radio shows across the state each year, often at Cain’s Ballroom or local dance pavilions. Their signature sound mixed jazz horns, steel guitar, fiddles, and Wills’s famous hollers of “Ah-ha!” and “Take it away, Leon!” (a nod to pianist Leon McAuliffe).

Their 1940 hit “New San Antonio Rose” was still topping jukeboxes in 1941. The song had sold over a million copies and

became one of the most recognized tunes of the decade. Wills’s music brought together oilfield workers, ranch hands, and townsfolk alike, everyone could dance to it.

Other Oklahoma and Western Swing Voices Wills wasn’t alone in shaping that sound. Across Oklahoma and neighboring states, other Western Swing bands were lighting up dance halls:

* Spade Cooley, often called the “King of Western Swing” on the West Coast, was gaining traction with songs like *“Shame on You”* (though released later, his style paralleled Wills’s influence).

* Milton Brown and His Musical Brownies, based in Texas, were blending jazz sophistication with Southern rhythms, influencing bands that toured through Oklahoma.

* Al Stricklin, Wills’s longtime pianist, was among the first to blend boogie-woogie piano into country music, a sound that shaped future Oklahoma honky-tonk styles.

In small towns like Bartlesville, dance bands and local radio performers followed that trend, covering Bob Wills tunes and bringing Western Swing to community events and American Legion halls. Local musicians would have likely played popular Wills standards such as “Take Me Back to Tulsa” (1941) a playful, upbeat favorite that became an anthem for Oklahomans across the country.

Music Meets Modern Life

Radio was the lifeline for both entertainment and news. Families gathered around their sets for live music broadcasts, comedy shows, serialized dramas, and presidential addresses. In March 1941, many U.S. stations, including Oklahoma’s, had to reassign their AM frequencies under the new North American Regional Broadcasting Agreement, which meant listeners literally had to re-tune their dials overnight.

Beyond radio, movie theaters across the state screened musicals like “Ziegfeld Girl” and ”Sun Valley Serenade”, featuring many of the same stars heard on the radio. For a few cents, Oklahomans could escape into glamour, romance, and song.

The Soundtrack of an Era

In 1941, before the shock of Pearl Harbor, Oklahoma’s music reflected both resilience and joy. The Western Swing bands made people dance despite the anxiety

of the times. The mixture of fiddles, horns, and jazz-inspired rhythms mirrored the state’s blend of rural roots and modern optimism.

Oklahoma’s Economy, Politics & Community in 1941

Oil was Oklahoma’s backbone in 1941. The global push toward war meant demand for petroleum, gasoline, and related products was heading upward. New oil fields were being discovered, drilling was ramping up, and energy firms were under pressure to innovate. In fact, forty-one new oil fields were discovered in Oklahoma in 1941 alone.

One notable project was the planning of the Oklahoma Ordinance Works, a government explosives plant in Mayes County. Although production would begin later, the land acquisition and planning were already in motion.

Politically, the state was governed by Leon C. Phillips, and the 18th Oklahoma Legislature met from January to May. They tackled budgets, regulation, infrastructure, and social service, trying to balance recovery with preparing for national shifts.

In rural areas, agriculture remained vital. Farmers still faced structural challenges, volatile prices, mechanization costs, variable weather. But some relief came through increased federal spending and wartime demand.

Challenges and Change

As in much of the country, Oklahoma had social and racial hierarchies that created barriers

to equality. Access to education, employment, housing, and public services were often restricted by race or by community norms.

Yet by 1941, some of those barriers were being tested or quietly challenged. Not all social norms were rigid, and many local leaders, churches, or civic groups pressed for inclusive progress, even if change was slow. Today we can view those years as a period in which the tensions between tradition and transformation were always present and not without growing pains.

Bartlesville in 1941 was a town with the heartbeat of energy. Oil, research, and refining were paramount but Bartians nurtured a community life of their own.

Research Meets Industry

Bartlesville was home to a federal Petroleum Experiment Station, run by the Bureau of Mines. From its founding in earlier years, it had served as a hub where federal and private interests studied drilling methods, refining chemistry, and recovery techniques.

In the early 1940s, that research became even more critical. Local engineers and lab scientists in Bartlesville were soon tapped to help with the “aviation gasoline problem”, figuring out better grades, blending, and refining techniques for war use. Phillips Petroleum, headquartered in Bartlesville, also pressed forward on innovations in high-octane fuel, synthetic rubber components, and chemical processes.

Life in Bartlesville

Bartlesville was Washington County’s seat and a regional trading center, with its local newspaper, Examiner-Enterprise, already active. Community organizations, churches, and civic clubs held fundraisers, meetings, and local debates about defense, bonds, and preparedness.

One local point of pride was the Phillips 66ers, an amateur basketball team sponsored by Phillips Petroleum. Though they would achieve their greatest renown in later years, by 1941 they were already known locally and regionally. Sports and local gatherings offered moments of unity and relief even as the world

Bartlesville had a mixed social fabric. The town had, in earlier years, been a “sundown town” (a place where African Americans were discouraged from residing or being present after dark), but by the early 20th century that restriction had been removed. Still, like many places, opportunity often favored certain groups more than others. Jobs in skilled positions in the oil and research sectors tended to go to white workers more often, while minority workers often held labor, service, or support roles. But the presence of a community life meant that many people of diverse backgrounds coexisted, even if not always with full equality.

Bartlesville in 1941 may not have made its biggest headlines that year, but change was coming. The town was positioning itself in energy innovation, quietly adapting, and keeping local traditions as history marched forward.

From Pearl Harbor to Mobilization

Once America joined the war, things changed fast, and Oklahoma was no exception.

* Thousands of Oklahomans enlisted; in the years to come, nearly 5,500 from the state would lose their lives in World War II.

* The state’s oil production, refineries, and chemical works became vital to supplying fuel, munitions, and industrial materials for the war effort.

* In Bartlesville and many towns, workplaces shifted to war priorities; engineers worked on military contracts; factories expanded; rationing, bond drives, and civil defense became part of everyday life.

Oklahoma’s home front was one of sacrifice, effort, and innovation.

Local Heroes

Bartlesville’s own World War II record is filled with names that tell deeply human stories of courage, hardship, and perseverance.

One of them is Walt Sires, a Bartlesville native who was still in high school when Pearl Harbor was attacked. Although initially rejected from service due to colorblindness, Sires was later

drafted into the U.S. Army. He trained at Fort Sill and served in the European Theater, landing on the beaches of Normandy and enduring the brutal winter of the Battle of the Bulge. He earned two Purple Hearts and several battle stars before returning home to Bartlesville, where he worked as a drafting engineer at Phillips Petroleum for many years.

Another local, Howard Barnes, was just seventeen in 1941. By 1943, he had joined the Navy and was ferrying wounded soldiers and prisoners across the English Channel. On D-Day, Barnes braved heavy fire during multiple landings at Omaha Beach, helping to evacuate the injured amid chaos and danger.

Then there was Harry Edgar Brown, who joined the Army in 1942 and fought across Europe before settling in Bartlesville after the war. He went on to a 37-year career as an engineer and draftsman for Phillips Petroleum, a quiet hero who helped rebuild the peace he had fought to protect.

In total, 197 soldiers from Washington County lost their lives during World War II. Of those, 123 rest in Washington County cemeteries today, a sobering reminder of the personal cost borne by this small corner of Oklahoma.

The Victory Ship Bartlesville

One of Bartlesville’s proudest wartime moments came not from its oil fields or factories, but from the high seas. In January 1945, as the tide of war was finally turning in the Allies’ favor, the U.S. launched a new Victory Ship, a cargo vessel built to replace those lost to enemy submarines. The ship’s name, SS Bartlesville.

The honor of christening the ship went to 17-year-old Betty Lou Findley, a senior at Bartlesville College High School. With poise beyond her years, she stood before a crowd of shipbuilders, servicemen, and dignitaries as she broke a bottle across the ship’s bow, officially sending the SS Bartlesville into service.

The Bartlesville would join a fleet of Victory Ships that carried troops, ammunition, food, and fuel across perilous waters to supply Allied forces. The town watched with pride as its namesake ship sailed under the American flag, a floating symbol of unity and determination from a landlocked community.

Today, visitors to the Bartlesville Area History Museum

can see the actual bottle Betty Lou used to christen the SS Bartlesville, a small but powerful artifact that connects this Oklahoma town to the vast sweep of world history.

Legacy and Reflection

Eighty years later, the connection between Bartlesville, the USS Oklahoma, and the events of Pearl Harbor remains strong. The city’s wartime legacy, rooted in sacrifice, innovation, and community spirit, continues to inspire new generations.

In Bartlesville, The Wall of Honor Veterans Memorial at Washington Park Mall, recognizes and honors veterans and current military personnel for the bravery and sacrifices they’ve made to preserve our country’s freedom. Located at the northwest entrance of the mall, it stands as a permanent tribute to all Americans who have served and are serving our Great Nation. Names are listed on panels beside the display cabinets. Also on display are photos, story boards, World War II murals, eternal flame and POW/MIA Listings. In addition, a special display has been created to honor Lance Corporal Thomas A. Blair, Oklahoma’s first casualty during Operation Iraqi Freedom.

The names on local memorials, the preserved artifacts, and the stories handed down through families remind us that Bartlesville’s role in World War II was both profound and personal. Whether through the sailors who never returned, the workers who fueled the planes, or the young woman who christened a ship, Bartlesville stood firmly on the side of freedom.

History, after all, isn’t just written in textbooks or memorials. It lives in the people who carry it forward, in the reflections of those who still pause on December 7 to remember what was lost, and in the pride of a community that understands how far its roots reach.

For Bartlesville, the story of Pearl Harbor isn’t just about the attack that changed the world. It’s about the courage, resolve, and spirit of ordinary Oklahomans who found extraordinary ways to serve.

Special thanks to Debbie Neece and Joe Todd for resources and information for this story.

No Place for Reindeer...

Or Frogs!

by Debbie Neece

Griff Graham was described as a “plum noaccount” with a few dishonest deeds under his belt before his Misses gave him an ultimatum. No more Blue Mound cattle rustling, no more sleeping on the job…get a respectable job or else. He feared the “or else” so he served as Washington County deputy sheriff before becoming the sheriff from 1915-1918. In 1924, he purchased a 24-acre parcel of land eight-miles south of Bartlesville on Tulsa highway…“the first stopping place south after you pass Hicksville on Turkey Creek.” He declared himself the Mayor of Cactus Ridge so the Misses would see he had a “respectable” job. At his one-house metropolis along the Caney River, near the John Irwin Farm, he fed travelers at his Chicken Dinner Road-House. Then, in 1925, Graham sold Cactus Ridge to invest time at Woolaroc.

a Reindeer Roundup. Country Commissioners, Hamp Scudder and John Irwin, joined the hunt; however, a mere eight reindeer survived till Christmas.

As Frank Phillips established his ranch in the Osage, named Woolaroc, Woods-Lakes-Rocks , railroad cars of exotic animals began arriving via train at Bartlesville. Among the 536 wild game and animals was 130 buffalo, 24 elk, 71 Alaskan reindeer, 22 antelope, 33 swans, 5 zebra, 8 Indian Seras cranes, 5 ostriches, 4 Dunaiselle cranes, 8 peacocks, 7 bronze turkeys, 6 vulturine guinea fowls, 6 wild turkeys, 4 saddle horses, and more.

Graham quickly found the Frank Phillips Ranch was no place for reindeer and frogs. The Osage was way too dry for frogs which required water to be hauled to the ranch to support the little croakers. Plus, although reindeer are highly adaptable to the artic environment, Osage County presented challenges. The reindeer developed pneumonia due to severe weather changes and the dry dusty soil.

Uncertain of how many of the Woolaroc reindeer had died in the pasture, November 1926, Griff Graham called for all “hardshell cowmen” to join him at the Frank Phillips Ranch for

The joke among the area cowboys was the Reindeer Roundup was a rue for Graham to grow a flowing beard and play Santa Claus for Bartlesville kiddies that Christmas and the roundup was to corral the reindeer to pull the sleigh. The reward was “a feast – not of deer but a dear feast at least.”

“The National Izaac Walton League of America was an organization of sportsman and sportswomen actively interested in the preservation and restoration of America’s recreational area.” The highly anticipated Izaac Walton League Convention of May 3-4-5, 1927 in Bartlesville brought the planning of two great entertainment venues featuring a buffalo BBQ at the Woolaroc Ranch Lodge one night and a reindeer and pheasant feed at Johnstone Park on another. Former state game warden G.A. Smith donated one reindeer for the meal and the local Izaac Walton League chapter, with greater than 400 members, purchased three additional reindeer for the feast.

In 1938, the ever-generous Frank Phillips brought Santa and presents to the Bartlesville airport via his private plane. The Christmas parade was a holiday joy; however, Santa cleverly left his reindeer safely at the North Pole.

NOVEMBER CALENDAR SPONSORED BY

1 2 4 8 11 18

Price Tower Exterior and The Center Tour

11AM; Price Tower

Country Bumpkin

Pumkin Patch

11AM; 18500 N 4030 Rd

Oklahoma Heritage Farm Festival & Pumpkin Patch

9AM; Ramona Ok

Oklahoma Heritage Farm Festival & Pumpkin Patch

1PM; Ramona Ok

BHS Swim Meet

5:30PM; Phillips Pool

OKWU Men’s Basketball vs MidAmerica

Nazarene University 7PM; OWKU Gym

Veterans Day Parade

11AM; Downtown Bartlesville

The MADD Market 12PM; Unity Square

BHS Swim Meet

5:30PM; Phillips Pool

BHS Swim Meet

5:30PM; Phillips Pool

20

The Gifts Marketplace

5PM; Bartlesville Community Center

Bruin Ladies Basketball vs Rejoice Christian

6:30PM; BHS Gym

Cirique Dreams

Holidaze – Broadway in Bartlesville

7:30PM; The Center

Bruin Boys Basketball vs Rejoice Chrstian

8PM; BHS Gym

24 25

27 28

BPS Thanksgiving Break

Runs through November 28

OKWU Women’s Basketball vs Haskell Indian Nations University

5:30PM; OKWU Gym

Richard Kane YMCA –Turkey Trot 5K Fun Run and 1 Mile Fun Run

8AM; Richard Kane YMCA

Christkindl Market

4PM; Woolaroc Museum

Woolaroc Wonderland of Lights

5PM; Woolaroc

29

30 25

Christkindl Market

4PM; Woolaroc Museum

Woolaroc Wonderland of Lights

5PM; Woolaroc

Christmas in the Ville Opening Night

5:30PM; Downtown Bartlesville

Christmas in the Ville Ice Skating Rink

6PM; Downtown Bartlesville

Christkindl Market

4PM; Woolaroc Museum

Woolaroc Wonderland of Lights

5PM; Woolaroc

Christmas in the Ville Ice Skating Rink

5PM; Downtown Bartlesville

November 1-30

The Woolaroc Exhibition and Sale

10AM; Woolaroc

Woolaroc Animal Barn Open

10AM; Woolaroc

November 20-30

29

Fantasy Land of Lights by Bartlesville Daybreak Rotary

6PM; Johnston Park

Every Monday

5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m.

NOVEMBER EVENTS CALENDAR

FREE Beginning Spanish Class

Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S. Johnstone Avenue

Every Monday

6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

FREE Intermediate Spanish Class

Bartlesville Public Library 600 S. Johnstone Avenue

May 1–July 7

8 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Bartlesville Area History Museum

Presents “Our Culinary Past” BAHM, 401 S. Johnstone Avenue, Bartlesville

Every Tuesday

2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Price Tower Exterior and The Center Tour

Every Tuesday

5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m.

Bartlesville Public Library ELL

Conversation Class

Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S. Johnstone Avenue, Literacy Office

Every Tuesday through Saturday

6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Bartlesville Kiddie Park Open for summer season

Kiddie Park, 205 N. Cherokee Avenue, Bartlesville

Every Tuesday

6:45 p.m. – 7:45 p.m.

Bartlesville Public Library ELL

Conversation Class

Casa Hispana, 3850 Frank Phillips Blvd., Bartlesville

Every Wednesday 6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. and

Every Thursday

10:00 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.

FREE Citizenship Classes

Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S. Johnstone Avenue

Every Thursday

7:00 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Crossing 2nd Trivia in the Garage Crossing Second, 215 E 2nd Street, Bartlesville

Every Thursday

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Bartlesville Public Library ELL

Conversation Class

Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S. Johnstone Avenue, Literacy Office

Every Friday

9:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

Tai Chi with Dixie at Unity Square Tower Center at Unity Square, 300 SE Adams Blvd, Bartlesville

Every Saturday

8:00 a.m. – 11:30 p.m.

Bartlesville Area Farmers Market Frank Phillips Park

Every Saturday

11:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Price Tower Exterior and The Center Tour

Every Saturday

8:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

History and Haunts at the Dewey Hotel

Contact Dewey Hotel Museum, 801 N Delaware St., Dewey

Every Saturday & Sunday

8:00 p.m. – 12:00 a.m.

Crossing Second Karaoke Dance Party Crossing 2nd, 215 E. 2nd Street

November 1 - December 31

During Open Days, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

The Woolaroc Exhibition and Sale Woolaroc, 1925 Woolaroc Ranch Road, Bartlesville

November 1 - December 31

During Open Days, 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.

The Woolaroc Exhibition and Sale Woolaroc, 1925 Woolaroc Ranch Road, Bartlesville

Nov 20 through Dec 30

6:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. nightly

Fantasy Land of Lights hosted by Bartlesville Daybreak Rotary

Johnstone Park, 200 N. Cherokee Ave., Bartlesville

Nov 28 – Dec 31 (Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays)

5:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Woolaroc Wonderland of Lights

Woolaroc Museum, 1925 Woolaroc Ranch Road, Bartlesville

Nov 29 – Dec 24

Check Chamber of Commerce for open hours

Christmas in the Ville Bartlesville Chamber of Commerce, 201 SW Keller Ave

Sat, Nov 1

11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Time Travelers Indoor Market

Washington Park Mall, 2350 SE Washington BLVD, Bartlesville

6:30 p.m. – 10:00 p.m.

Hops for Hope Sweet 16 Benefiting Ray of Hope Advocacy Center

Bartlesville Municipal Airport Hanger 1, Wiley Post Rd, Bartlesville

7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Norway-based Hayde Bluegrass Orchestra

The Constantine Theater, 110 West Main St, Pawhuska

Sun, Nov 2

11:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Time Travelers Indoor Market

Washington Park Mall, 2350 SE Washington BLVD, Bartlesville

7:30 p.m. – Open

Dan Miller - Bartlesville Community Concert Assoc.

Bartlesville Community Center, 300 SE Adams Blvd, Bartlesville

Tues, Nov 4

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

In the Kitchen with Susan at the Bartlesville Public Library

Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S. Johnstone Avenue, Meeting Room A

5:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Dinner with Friends Elder Care, 1223 Swan Drive, Bartlesville

6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Johnstone Irregulars Book Club Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S Johnstone Ave.

7:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m.

Make It So: Speculative Fiction Book Club

Bartlesville Public Library, 600 S. Johnstone Avenue, Meeting Room B

Wed, Nov 5

2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m.

Alzheimer’s Association: Communicating Effectively Elder Care, 1223 Swan Drive, Bartlesville

Thurs, Nov 6

4:30 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Celebrate Giving presented by the Kiwanis

Washington Park Mall, 2350 Washington

7:00 p.m. – 8:00 p.m.

OSU Alumni Chapter Monthly Meeting - Washington County Scissortail Brewing Company, 623 E Don Tyler Ave., Dewey

Fri, Nov, 7

12:15 p.m. and 7:00 p.m.

Children’s Musical Theatre of Bartlesville present Missoula Children’s Theatre’s

The Center (Bartlesville Community Center)300 SE Adams Blvd, Bartlesville

7:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.

Live Music Night with Wade Daniel Nineteen0Eight, 309 SE Dewey Avenue, Bartlesville

8:00 p.m. – 11:00 p.m.

Crossing Second - Robbi Bell Crossing 2nd, 215 E. 2nd Street, Bartlesville

Fri, Nov 7 and Sat, Nov 8

Fri: 10:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.

Sat: 10:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Annual Downtown Christmas

Open House

Stroll Bartlesville’s Downtown Boutique Stores

Sat, Nov 8

All Day

Visit Dewey Second Saturday Downtown Dewey Merchants

VETERAN’S DAY PARADE

SATURDAY, NOV. 8TH - STARTS 11:00AM -

Being Thankful Matters

by Greg Wheat

What if you woke up today with ONLY the things you thanked God for yesterday?

Think about that question for a moment. Let it sink in. It’s far too easy to rush through life, caught up in routines, obligations, unread messages, and time that never seems to slow down. Before you know it, kids grow up, chairs at the dinner table sit empty, and the noise of life drowns out the quiet gift of reflection. Yet right in the middle of it all, we are surrounded—yes, surrounded—by blessings we’ve stopped noticing.

For many, Thanksgiving comes with an ache. There may be an empty seat at your table this year—a parent, grandparent, family member, or friend. Someone you loved deeply, someone who used to carve the turkey or lead the prayer. Now, only their memory remains. That kind of absence lingers. But Scripture gently reminds us: “The Lord is close to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” (Psalm 34:18 NIV) Even in sorrow, God is near. And thankfulness doesn’t ignore pain—it honors what was. It chooses joy because we were blessed to have known them. We give thanks for their laughter, their love, their legacy, and the way their presence still shapes who we are. Gratitude and grief can sit at the same table.

As we gather freely—praying, eating, laughing—we should also remember that such freedom was paid for. Every time I hear the National Anthem, I get emotional—it makes me thankful and proud to be an American. I see the faces: veterans wearing timeworn hats, soldiers in uniform, and families with folded flags instead of loved ones at the table. Our freedom is sacred, and it came at a cost. Brave men and women stood guard, fought battles, and gave their lives so we could live in freedom. And many still serve today, defending those same liberties. Thanksgiving is also a time to thank them—not just in our thoughts, but with our words. Shake a veteran’s hand.

Tell someone in uniform that you see their sacrifice. Freedom wasn’t free— and it still isn’t.

One of the greatest blessings we overlook is time. It passes quietly, until it’s gone. Babies grow up, and the friend you used to talk to daily now feels distant. We’re busy— but sometimes “busy” just means distracted. Distracted from what matters most. This Thanksgiving, slow down. Look someone in the eye. Tell the story again. Laugh harder. Take mental pictures. These are the things that last. Jobs come and go. Phones update. But love—real, intentional love—endures.

Maybe your year has been hard. Maybe you’ve faced loss, anxiety, or exhaustion. In those seasons, gratitude doesn’t always come easy. But even here, God is with you. There’s a military phrase I’ve always admired: “Improvise. Adapt. Overcome.” It’s about resilience. Strength. Endurance in hardship. And it reflects something even greater: faith. Not blind optimism, but the belief that even when life hurts, God holds us steady. Hebrews 11:1 says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” And 1 Corinthians 15:57 declares, “But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

So this Thanksgiving, pause—and really take it in. Reflect on what—and who—you’re thankful for. The people still around your table. The ones your heart still carries. The laughter, the love, the legacy. The quiet moments. The loud ones. The ordinary gifts we overlook, and the freedom that allows us to enjoy them. Let your gratitude reach beyond the meal, beyond the moment, into a deeper way of living—one that honors those who came before, cherishes those still beside you, and remembers the brave men and women who still stand guard so we can live in peace. Because what if you really did wake up tomorrow with only the things you thanked God for today? Let your heart answer that with a life lived fully—and lived thankfully.

A Magical Hominy Day Trip

Across Oklahoma’s 77 counties, our state has had a firm handshake in the creation of the heart of America. Osage County is the home of the Osage Nation Reservation rooted in the arrival of the Osage people in 1872, when the Osage established the town of Pawhuska, along Bird Creek. In 1907, Oklahoma entered statehood and Pawhuska became the prestigious county seat. According to the 2020 U.S. Census, Osage County recorded a population of 45,818 people, with 2,984 living in Pawhuska, and 3,329 residing in Hominy.

The town of Hominy began as a trading post in 1886; and, the growth of the community has been attributed to the oil and cattle industries. Located just one hour southwest of Bartlesville, Hominy seems to be a sleepy hollow on the exterior; however, according to population stats, Hominy is recognized as the largest town in Osage County with a lot to offer.

by Debbie Neece

The Oklahoma Historical Society has recognized 23 Osage County locations on the National Register of Historic Places. Among the listed is the Drummond Home in Hominy. In 1905, the Frederick and Adeline Drummond three-story, Victorian-

style home was built in Hominy. In 1980, the home was deeded to the care of the Oklahoma Historical Society and was listed on the National Register of Historic Places (NRHP) in 1981. The Drummond home is filled with family heirlooms and is open for tourist visitation. The Hominy Osage Roundhouse joined the NRHP listing in 1979; Bank of Hominy (1984); 1904 Hominy School (1988); Hominy Armory (1994); and the Marland Oil Company filling station (2002).

The Hominy MKT Depot was built in 1910 and enlarged in 1925. During the height of the oil boom, approximately nine freight and four passenger trains stopped at Hominy each day. In the 1980s, the depot and train caboose were restored and used as the Chamber of Commerce and restaurant.

Among the “do not miss ” things on your day trip to Hominy is the Cha Tullis Gallery on Main Street. You’ll know you have arrived when you see the blue two-building store front and hear the Native American music playing both on the street and inside the store. Cha and Teena Tullis established the one-of-akind gallery in 1977 and now, 48 years later, people travel from across America to acquire authentic Native American jewelry of silver and turquoise, hand-crafted daily. The gallery is also brimfilled with Native American and Southwest themed beadwork, artwork, sculptures, paintings and gifts.

Cha’s toybox of stones represents a rainbow variety of jewels from commonly expected vibrant robin’s egg blue-green turquoise to exotic jewels like Snakeskin Jasper from Australia and breathtaking orange Spiny Oyster. His showcases are updated daily with new and excitingly unique necklaces, earrings and bracelets. Part of his ever-evolving collection is handmade, hand-finished, hand-stamped and hand-strung 2-millimeter to 12-millimeter silver beaded necklaces and gorgeous squash blossom necklaces. If you see a treasure, don’t wait to purchase as each stunning piece of jewelry or Native American painting is truly one-of-a-kind and once it’s gone…it’s gone.

Cha Tullis is as rare as the gems and silver he molds into works of art. He stands a head (or two) taller than some men and his long white hair sparks jealousy in women. He is a Northern Blackfoot-Cherokee native who came to his creativity honestly and at a young age. He sold his first pony painting at the age of

two for a mere five dollars. Then, he bellied up to his workbench as a teenager and continues to work at the same bench at his Main Street gallery.

Conversations with Cha are inspirational; however, his laugh…that laugh is infectious. He is a wonderful story teller and stone whisperer. He has jestingly confessed, “I talk to trees, horses, rocks and other creatures of nature.”

And, he claims to be 112 years old, but we all know that’s not true. He is a walking advertising fashionista with a stunning handcrafted ring on each of his eight fingers, gorgeous turquoise belt buckle and silver beaded necklace with a large cross upon his neck, which he has showcased for well over 16 years.

One of Cha Tullis’ gifts to the world has been establishing Hominy as the “City of Murals.” Between 1991-1995 he painted the town with approximately 46 Native American murals on downtown Hominy buildings. The Hominy Chamber of Commerce recognized Cha Tullis with the 1992 Citizen of the Year award for his “Artistic Talent, Dedication and Commitment” in creating the City of Murals.

However, one of his grandest legacies are the fifteen “New Territory” Native American sculptures on the crest of Standpipe Hill, watching over Hominy from the west. Cha sketched the sculptures on his hands and knees; then, cut them out of sheet metal with a cutting torch. Standing 20-foot-tall and weighing from 1,200 to 2,000 pounds each, the sculptures bring magic to Hominy’s sunsets.

Cha Tullis is the happiest man in Hominy because he is heartdriven. He says, “You won’t be remembered for all your awards, you will be remembered for what kind of person you were and what you gave to people. With Christmas just around the corner, what better time to take a shopping day trip to Hominy. During your visit, be sure to take a photo with Cha’s 80-year-old restored “Chief” and the 8-foot-tall scrap metal rooster. Also, enjoy the relaxing ambiance of the gallery’s ornamental water fountain. But most of all, take in Cha’s City of Murals and gaze upon the western Osage Hills at his “New Territory” sculptures on your Magical Hominy Day Trip.

Did You Know?

Charles David “Cha” Tullis passed from this life October 20, 2025. Cha was born on May 8, 1957, in Carthage, Missouri. On March 5, 1977, Cha was united in marriage to Miss Teena Kelly. The couple owned and operated the Cha Tullis Gallery in Hominy where Cha’s art and jewelry has graced the community and friends for 48 years. The Gallery will experience a brief closure; however, watch the Cha Tullis Gallery Facebook page for updates and visit soon. Now You Know *

DEWEY WESTERN

BHS HOMECOMING

Downtown Bartlesville’s one-of-a-kind setting for your once-in-a-lifetime milestones and celebrations.

Two floors of chandelier-studded ballrooms — and an utterly charming on-site boutique hotel.

Inquire today for your special event! The Refinery at the Johnstone-Sare Building 888-733-1633

THEREFINERYOK.COM instagram @therefineryok

* Engaged? Mention B Monthly when you book a Grande Weekend Wedding package starting at $7500 and your bridal party will receive a complimentary Brunch & Bubbles!

...To Public Affection From Public Disdain

by Kay Little, Little History Adventures

In May 1967, Bartian David Weldon became a member of the U.S. Navy. The Vietnam War had just started, which meant David served in the war. He was an aviation mechanic on the Kitty Hawk, which played a significant role in the Vietnam War. It launched thousands of planes and conducted special operations from Yankee Station in the Gulf of Tonkin.

In 1971 David came home. Before the sailors went ashore in San Diego, they were told about anti-war protests and that they should not wear their uniforms in town. But David was flying home to Oklahoma and by wearing his uniform, he did not have to pay to fly home. In the San Diego airport terminal, he could feel the animosity against the military. Most people ignored him and one mom and her children actually moved to the other side of the aisle while he was waiting for his flight. This seemed so foreign to him because when he was first in the military right out of high school, people were kind and appreciated his military service.

David retired from the Navy in June 1987. He moved back home to Bartlesville, where he continued to serve, including being a policeman.

David meets with a group of veterans at the Copan Truck Stop every Tuesday. During one of those meetings, he met some veterans from

Independence, Kansas, who invited him to their weekly meetings on Thursdays. He regularly meets with them. At one of those meetings, a man talked to the vets about the Parsons, Kansas Honor Flight to D.C. David was the only one in the group to apply and the only Okie to apply.

The Parsons High School students have been organizing these flights for nine years. David received his acceptance letter from his guardian, Lilian Ward, a junior at Parsons High School. They communicated monthly before the trip in June 2025 and continue to this day.

David and the other vets who went on the trip received a bag with shirts, hat and toiletries. This was their suitcase and the only bag they were allowed to bring.

The group consisted of 60 vets, their guardians and six educators. The day of the flight, they left Parsons at 2 a.m. on buses for the Wichita airport, escorted by the highway patrol and sheriffs from each county they drove through.

They landed in D.C. at daylight. A colonial historian escorted them through the airport telling everyone the vets were coming. People in the airport clapped and cheered, saying “Thank you for your service”. Even one lady who had lost her son in war hugged David.

Their first stop was Ft. McHenry, where they all were able to raise the flag. They then visited the monuments. The most moving one was the Vietnam Wall. They spent three days in D.C. The students spent the year raising money, so the veterans would not have to pay for anything. These vets were overwhelmed with gratitude for the Parsons students and people who cheered for them and said, “Welcome Home! The animosity in the 1970’s was replaced with gratitude and respect. This was a trip of a lifetime; one they will never forget.

Your Baby, Our Cover

Judges Choice Winner will receive a photo session ($350 value) plus have your child on our January 2026 Cover!

• Your baby must be under 18 months of age.

• Your baby must be able to securely sit up by themselves.

• Legal guardian or parent must bring child and give consent.

Registration opens on Nov. 7 at noon at bartlesvillemonthly.com. Facebook voting will be held December 1 at noon CST to December 12 at noon CST.

QUESTIONS? Visit us online at bartlesvillemonthly.com for more details. Entries are limited to the first 100 online reservations.

• Photos will be taken in the Amanda Stratford Photography Studio.

• Must be available November 14, 15, or 16 for photo shoot.

Spots fill quickly. Be ready at noon!

Caleb Gordon: Changing the Room One Conversation at a Time

by Maria Gus

Bartlesville native Caleb Gordon has built his life around encouragement. As a speaker, pastor, and communicator, he’s spent years traveling the country reminding people that one person really can make a difference. Now, he’s sharing that same message in his new book about what it means to “change the room.”

The idea came from a bit of wisdom Gordon learned as a teenager. “My dad used to tell me, ‘Leave a room better than you found it,’” he said. “Over time, I realized that simple phrase was more than advice about picking up after yourself, it’s a way of living. Too many people convince themselves the world is too big for them to make a dent in it. That’s what pushed me to write this book.”

Anyone who’s met Gordon knows his energy is contagious. But he’s quick to admit that staying upbeat doesn’t mean life is always easy. In fact, his book offers encouragement for those moments when positivity feels out of reach.

“For me, joy is not simply a personality trait, it’s a spiritual reality,” he writes. Citing Philippians 4:4, he reminds readers that the Apostle Paul urged believers to “rejoice in the Lord always”, not from a place of comfort, but from prison. “This isn’t fake positivity,” Caleb explains. “It’s a supernatural perspective. Joy, at its core, is the settled assurance that God is in control, His purposes are good, and your life has meaning beyond the moment you’re in.”

When asked who helped shape his outlook, Gordon immediately credits a man named Andy Myers. “Everything changed the day Andy walked into my life,” he said. “He’d heard I could sing and invited me to join a band he was forming. That simple invitation gave me a reason to get up in the morning. Suddenly, I wasn’t an outsider, I belonged. Looking back, I realize Andy did more than start a band, he changed the room for me.”

It’s that kind of everyday impact Gordon hopes

readers will embrace. Taking time to notice others, offer encouragement, and make space for people to belong.

One of Gordon’s key messages is that we have to be intentional about the atmosphere we bring into every situation. “You have to make the choice to be a person who sets the tone, not absorbs it,” he said. “If you don’t make a conscious decision to change the room, the room will change you.”

In a world often marked by stress and distraction, Gordon encourages readers to bring light instead of absorbing negativity. “It’s not about charisma or titles,” says Gordon, “it’s about carrying peace, joy, and encouragement. As Proverbs 15:30 reminds us, ‘The light of the eyes rejoices the heart, and good news refreshes the bones.’ When you walk in with that light, you bring what the world needs most, hope.”

The book also tackles a timely topic, how to connect with people you may not agree with. “Few things are more disarming than someone who truly listens,” Caleb writes.

“In our distracted world, deep listening stands out.” His advice is simple: listen to understand, not to reply, don’t rush people when they’re speaking, and remember small details they share.

That mindset reflects something his mother used to say, “If everyone had to agree with me on everything for us to be friends, I’d be a very lonely person.” It’s a message our divided world needs now more than ever.

One of the best pieces of advice Caleb ever received came from his wife. “She told me, ‘Stop trying to fit into rooms you weren’t designed for. Focus on what God’s called you to do where you are.’ That wisdom shaped this book,” he said. “My hope is that readers will see that one person really can change not just a room, but the world.”

You can pick up a copy of *Change the Room* or invite Caleb Gordon to speak at your next event by visiting www.calebgordon.org http://www.calebgordon.org .

Golden Waves of Glory

by Mike Jerry Tupa

Golden waves of glory define the legacy of the Bartlesville High School swimming program as it nears the start of a new season.

Like Siamese Twins, the soul of Bartlesville swimming is inextricably linked with the Bartlesville Splash Club — which was founded exactly 75 years ago.

The high school program, meanwhile, has basically been an ongoing de facto dynasty for 70 years — and counting. Its success is stunning.

Bruin boys have won 22 state titles since 1948 — and finished as state runner-up at least another 15 times or more. From 1962 through 1971 Bartlesville boys captured 10-straight state crowns.

Girls swimming competition hasn’t been around as long, but the Lady Bruins have won 20 state titles since 1966 — including six in the past 11 seasons.

Added together, that means Bartlesville has won either a girls or a boys’ state title 36 times the past 63 years — more than one every other year.

Current Bartlesville/Splash Club head coach Chad Englehart has unlocked the full potential of Bartlesville swimming for the past 11 years — seven state championships (girls, six; boys one) and eight state runner-up teams (boys, six; girls, two).

To state it differently, in nine of the past 11 seasons, Bartlesville has either won or finished second in girls state competition and finished either first or second seven times in boys finals.

Bartlesville finished last year as state runner-ups in both the boys’ and girls’ divisions. In 2024, the Lady Bruins won it all.

That team was a juggernaut that crushed all its opposition at state and won by more than 100 points.

Bartlesville girls state champions in 2024 included: Addison Howze (200 medley relay, 200 I.M., 100 back, 400 free relay), Emma Howze (200 free relay, 400 free relay), Calli Richards (200 medley relay, 200 free relay), Ashlynn Taylor (200 medley relay, 400 free relay), Tristin Weaver (200 medley relay, 200 free relay) and Anna Young (200 free, 500 free, 200 free relay, 400 free relay).

Last year’s Lady Bruin squad finished as state runner-up — and graduated a slew of crucial performers. Key veterans to look to this coming season for leadership and individual/relay success are Young and Taylor.

The Bruins boys appear to be much more loaded with experience and talent going into the 2025-26 pool wars.

Bartlesville’s non-senior boys state medalists or ‘A’ finalists from last year’s state meet likely back are: Junior Travis Lief (200 medley relay, 500 free, 100 back), junior Parker Shoesmith (200

medley relay, 200 I.M., 100 breast, 400 free), sophomore Anthony Mann (200 medley relay, 500 free) and junior Aysen Offutt (200 I.M.).

In order to challenge for the title this year, the Bruins and Lady Bruins both will need young swimmers to assert themselves as combustible competitors.

STERLING STALWARTS

Here is a list of some outstanding Bartlesville High swimmers in the 2000s:

Gary Marshall (Class of 2000)

Qualified for U.S. Olympic Trials in 2000, 2004 and 2008. ... Missed qualifying for the 2004 Olympics by only one place in the 200m breaststroke. ... Ranked No. 12 in the world in 2003 in the 200 breaststroke.

Michael Wolfe (Class of 2004)

Qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials in 2004 and 2008. ... Advanced to the semifinals in the men’s 200m backstroke in the 2008 Olympic trials.

Kyle Ward (Class of 2016)

Qualified for the U.S. Olympic Trials in 2016 in the men’s 100m butterfly.

Haley Downey (Class of 2016)

Qualified for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Trials in women’s 200m breaststroke. Finished 78th out of 132 hopefuls.

Kate Steward (Class of 2018)

Qualified the 2020 U.S. Olympic Trials in women’s 100m and 200m breaststroke events. Due to COVID disruption, the trials took place in 2021 and were divided into Wave I and Wave 2. Steward competed in Wave 1, finishing 2nd in the 200m breaststroke and fifth in the 100m breaststroke.

TREADWAY GOES DISTANCE

Phillips 66 Bartlesville Splash Club founder Ken Treadway rose to the highest heights of national and international swimming.

— U.S. Olympic Swimming Team Staff, 1964, 1968, 1972.

— A.A.U. “Neptune” Award, swimming’s highest honor, 1972.

— International ambassador for the American Swimming Coaches Association and for AAU Swimming/ConoooPhillips.

— Inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame, 1983.

— Inducted into Bartlesville Athletic Hall of Fame, 2009.

Christkindl Market

Where Christmas Comes Alive: OKM Music’s Christkindl Market at Woolaroc

This holiday season, OKM Music and the Woolaroc Museum & Wildlife Preserve invite you to step into a world of wonder at the Christkindl Market, a three - day celebration of music, lights, and old-world Christmas charm. Held November 28–30, 2025, from 4pm-9pm, this beloved holiday tradition transforms Woolaroc into a magical European -style village that’s pure joy for all ages.

A Sparkling Partnership

Set amid the stunning natural beauty of Woolaroc, the Christkindl Market unites OKM Music’s festive artistry with the scenic beauty and cultural treasures of Woolaroc. Together, they’ve created an unforgettable experience where thousands of twinkling lights, festive music, and family traditions come to life.

Guests can wander through the beautifully decorated Woolaroc Lodge, explore the renowned museum filled with Western art and artifacts, and stroll the grounds as shimmering lights reflect off the lakes and wildlife pastures. Horse- drawn wagon rides add to the nostalgic charm, while the petting zoo will delight children eager to meet friendly barnyard animals.

A Market Full of Holiday Cheer

Each evening from 4:00 –9:00 PM, visitors can browse rows of artisan booths offering handmade ornaments, holiday décor, jewelry, and gifts. The scent of cinnamon pastries, roasted nuts, and hot cocoa fills the air as carolers and local musicians perform beloved holiday tunes. Guests can even warm up with a cup of European-style Glühwein (spiced wine) as they shop beneath the glow of the lights.

Family Fun and Magical Moments

Christkindl Market is a family favorite for a reason. Kids can decorate gingerbread cookies, paint colorful glass ornaments, or add a touch of sparkle at the “Jingle & Bling” hair décor station. Santa and Mrs. Claus make nightly appearances from 5:00 –8:00 PM,

General Surgery Services

When it comes to caring for the community, our expert surgeon team provides comprehensive care with compassion and expertise at the forefront of everything we do. Our surgeons are specialized in the latest surgical procedures, and deliver advanced surgical treatments using minimally invasive and robotic-assisted technology. Robotic-assisted surgery may lead to a faster recovery, shorter hospital stay and less scaring. Schedule a consultation to learn more.

Meet the providers

Ted Auschwitz III, DO Surgeon

GI/Abdominal

•Anti-reflux/Hiatal hernia

•Cholecystectomy

•Adrenalectomy

•Small bowel tumors

•Appendectomy

•Internal and external hemorrhoids and surgical excision and in-office procedures

•Anal Fissures and fistulas

•Perirectal abscess

•Panniculectomy

•Peritoneal Dialysis Catheters

•Large and small intestinal surgeries

•Splenectomy

•Laparoscopic Sleeve Gastrectomy

•Gastric Tube Placement

•Roux En Y Gastric Bypass

•Transoral Incisionless Fundoplication (TIF)

Endoscopy

•EGD/Upper Endoscopies

•Colonoscopies

•PEG tube placements

Dialysis access

•Fistulas

•Peritoneal & Hemodialysis access

Brent Steward, MD Surgeon

Scott Williams, DO Surgeon

Ascension Medical Group St. John

General Surgery Bartlesville

224 SE De Bell Ave

Bartlesville, OK 74006

(918)331-1045

Minimally Invasive Surgery

•Robotic-assisted laparoscopic surgery

•Laparoscopic surgery for majority of abdominal surgeries

Hernia

•Inguinal Hernias

•Umbilical Hernias

•Hiatal Hernias

•Ventral Hernias, including complex abdominal wall reconstructions

Thyroid/Parathyroid

•Surgical treatment of thyroid disease

• Surgical treatment of hyperparathyroidism

Skin and Soft Tissue

•Pilonidal cyst

•In-office skin biopsies

•Skin cancer excisions, including wide local excisions and sentinel lymph node biopsies

•Skin grafts

•Excision of subcutaneous masses

•Lymph node biopsies and lymphadenectomies

Ascension St. John Jane Phillips

Medical Center

3500 SE Frank Phillips Blvd

Bartlesville, OK 74006 (918)333-7200

COUNTY TECH

TECH TALK

GIVING TUESDAY

On December 2, Giving Tuesday will mark the biggest giving day of the year for Tri County Tech. This event gives our community a chance to unite for a meaningful cause and create a lasting difference in the lives of those in need. The Tri County Tech Foundation is delighted to be part of the global movement, joining thousands of organizations for the most significant giving day of the year. The Tri County Tech Foundation has set a goal to raise $5,000 in just 24 hours. No amount is too small, and anyone is invited to contribute to this goal. Those funds will be used by the Foundation to provide tuition assistance, emergency aid, and food assistance to students in need.

UPCOMING TRAININGS

Explore our trainings, such as Scene Command Class on December 11, or join one of our monthly CPR courses. Need something more specific? We offer customized trainings and you can even reserve our rescue tower for hands-on practice!

Contact us at 918.333.3255 or email Training@TriCountyTech.edu to learn more.

NEW YEAR, NEW CAREER!

Many of Tri County Tech’s adult programs begin in January—choose from EMT, Phlebotomy, CMA, Paramedic, Plumbing, Electrical, CompTIA A+, CompTIA Network+, or Welding. Most classes are held in the evenings to fit your schedule, and in-house financial assistance is available. Additionally, 90% of students qualify. Some programs require prerequisites or medical records; so it is recommended to apply early!

Looking to gain a skill and head to college? Most of our programs have continuing college credits that can be applied to a degree! Choose from courses in healthcare, computer, trade skills, and more!

Have questions?

Have you seen our newly renovated Cosmetology Salon? Stop by and experience our bright, modern space— now open and ready for clients! Treat yourself to a haircut, color, or spa service, all performed by talented students under the guidance of a licensed instructor. Call 918.331.3236 or book using the QR code to schedule your appointment today.

Tri County Tech is more than just a school—we’re a community resource! In partnership with the University of Oklahoma College of Dentistry, our state-of-the-art dental clinic provides affordable, high-quality care for patients of all ages. Your journey begins with a FREE screening appointment to identify the services you need. From cleanings and fillings to preventative care, treatments are performed by dental students under expert supervision from our faculty and a licensed dentist. Use the QR code or call 918.331.3218 to learn more and schedule your FREE screening today!

Contact us at 918.331.3333 or EnrichingLives@TriCountyTech.edu

HIGH SCHOOL OPEN HOUSE

Join us January 15 for our Open House! Future students and families can explore our high school programs, meet our team, and discover exciting opportunities. Bonus: Attend and earn extra application points! Learn more at TriCountyTech.edu/ highschool/openhouse.

A Western Legend

by Kelly Hurd

It’s a good thing there’s oil in Midland, Texas because it’s about the only thing I could see from the topography that would draw a person there.

At least those were my thoughts as I drove out there to emcee an event recently.

It was against this bleak backdrop of sage and sand in the Texas Permian Basin that a meeting would take place between a western legend and a lover of western culture.

When they met, the legend wore a flat top hat, black wool vest, and wild rag around his neck. His white mustache and beard whispered secrets about his age, but his smile strongly denied them. He was quiet but confident like the sun slipping behind the horizon.

(This almost sounds like a Marty Robbins ballad…but we weren’t in El Paso, we were in a hotel room in Midland recording an episode of the Calling to the Good podcast…)

My guest was none other than Michael Martin Murphey, and I found this music legend to be interestingly philosophical in his interpretation of American history, modern-day culture, and Biblical application to his own life. And I’ll be honest, all that surprised me.

Now, I’ve brushed up against the “famous” in recent years and have been blessed to go behind the glitz and glam with many of them to their real lives - in real time - and it’s taught me much about fame.

Fame is costly. It’s like a river with a rip current.

Have you ever tried to swim in a flooding river? I thought I was going to – once.

Many years ago in my former Texas life, the Clear Fork of the Brazos River was flash flood raging through our ranch country, and we had an expensive irrigation pump in the water that was about to get lost.

I thought if I put on a lifejacket and we tied a rope around me, I could possibly swim out to where the cable was clamped to a soon-to-be-gone tree and hook a line to it, then hopefully from the outer banks we could pull the pump in to safety – or something along those lines…

Now, the thing that should have concerned me in all of this was that my husband-at-the-time was ok with it all…But that is another life lesson…

Back to the river, as I entered the water, I realized I was no match for the current and even though I was a confident swimmer, I rethought my plan and chose the safety of the muddy banks – and we let the pump go.

The road to fame is much the same. Along the way, you have those encouraging you to venture further and further out into the raging current – and many times the person that first stepped into the river is not the person who later emerges.

The under tide and currents have a way of stripping a person of all that is valuable as they pull them under their influence, leaving nothing but a shell of what once was.

However, not so on this day in Midland.

Across from me sat a man touting six gold albums, a multiple Grammy nominee, with more honors and awards than I can list – but one who was anchored to a firm foundation based upon his Christian upbringing that brought him back to his roots.

Whether this meeting was fateful, accidental, or intentional – what this moment in time was most assuredly, was impactful.

Fifty years ago, Michael Martin Murphey had a dream that led him to pen down the words to a song - what we know today as Wildfire. In this episode of Calling to the Good, Murph goes into the whole story behind the song and what he also believes to be a spiritual significance to it as well.

He also announces the release of his movie, Wildfire, which began streaming on Fandango on October 10, 2025 –the day following our interview.

I hope you’ll pull up the Calling to the Good podcast and take a listen to The Real Michael Martin Murphey. I think you just might be impressed with a man who was able to swim upstream in his career as he now finds himself delighting in what it has all meant and thoroughly enjoying his continued successes at now 80 years YOUNG!

#CallingToTheGood

apartments where you can enjoy new friends and feel right at

We have independent living apartments available to rent for those ages 55 or older. All apartments are unfurnished, 1 bedroom, $950 per month

Bartlesville Health & Rehab Community provides a wide range of quality health care services. Locally owned, BHRC offers 24-hour licensed nursing care, skilled nursing services, long-term care, and in-house physical, speech, and occupational therapy. And now, BHRC offers memory care for those with Alzheimer’s disease or related disorders. This brand-new Memory Care Center (Memory Lane) is a secure 16-room unit with aroundthe-clock nursing care. For more information or to schedule a tour, call (918) 333-9545. 3434 Kentucky Place • 918-333-9545 • www.bartlesvillehealthandrehab.com

by Jay Webster

Are you nervous?

It’s only natural.

The “most wonderful time of the year” is here again, and you know - you’re going to have to see them again…family. Not just the family you love, but, in many cases, the family you have been actively avoiding since the last holiday season. The family that pushes your buttons, shreds your self-control, makes you feel like an emotional thirteen-year-old, and raises your voice to dog frequencies. The family members who toss out trigger words like fish lures until you’re hooked into a conversation you can’t believe you are having.

Those “conversations” are likely to include many pop culture and political buzzwords you’re not quite ready to use. Words like Rizz, Bussin, or even Future Proofing, and Hawk. Misuse these at the dinner table and you might be Cooked. (As my daughter likes to say, “Don’t throw it up if you don’t know what it means.”). Before you offend all the generations at your Thanksgiving table, maybe I can help with some real definitions and tips on when to avoid these words entirely.

Let’s start with the big ones.

FASCISM In the realm of political discourse, this is one of them “fightin’ words,” but what is it exactly? Well, by definition, it is a government system led by a dictator with complete power,

forcibly suppressing opposition and criticism, controlling all industry, commerce, and more, while emphasizing aggressive nationalism. Fascism has no tolerance for other points of view or any response but loyalty (think - Hitler or that one coach in middle school who kept yelling, This is not a democracy. It’s my way or the highway…).

The word is, of course, volatile because one person’s Fascist is another person’s hero. Also, fascism gets thrown around a lot, so you may want to limit yourself on how often you use it. I’m only allowing myself to say fascist three times today. Of course, if the conversation at your table gets awkwardly quiet, you can always play “Fascist or Not,” where people toss out names and you yell “Fascist!” or “Not,” keeping count until someone flips the table like it’s the end of a Monopoly game.

Next.

ANTIFA. Oooh, did you get goosebumps just reading the word? Literally translated, it means anti-fascist (as in opposing everything in the paragraphs above). So, it’s not a stretch to say Americans have a long history of being Antifa… most notably during the World Wars, when we fought for freedom against the poster children of fascism - Hitler and Mussolini. There’s also our ongoing fight against communism (China), which many consider at best fascist-adjacent. And you could argue (as many have) that our efforts to supply weapons and diplomatic support

for Ukraine against Putin are standing up to modern fascism. How trendy. So, if you support any of these fights for freedom against fascism, you may be Antifa. I won’t tell anyone.

But before you launch that verbal grenade over the green bean casserole this Thanksgiving, it’s important to understand that this is a complex movement in America because Antifa, by nature, is often a decentralized, grassroots effort. This means there is no headquarters, no national leadership, no unified mission statement or agenda, and no pancake breakfast fundraisers or quarterly meetings. Book clubs have more organization. That’s important because even though the movement is decentralized, transgressions by one group or protest reflect on all of them. In other words, if you have one hundred protests and one turns violent, they are all assumed to be violent. A similar thing happened to police officers in America a few years ago, when many unfairly painted all of them with the same broad brush, as some showed violent, racist tendencies or poor training. That’s our tendency—grouping people together by the loudest (often most outrageous) voice and then applying that label to everyone. It’s simply easier that way, even if it harms many people and distorts facts in the process.

Let’s see…what other words do we have? Oh, this is a hot one -

NATIONALISM Some people view nationalism as just patriotism trying harder, but in truth, the two couldn’t be more different. Nationalism claims that one nation or ethnicity is superior to all others. Its main belief is that government exists primarily to protect the culture and interests of its own group or dominant community. Basically, its motto is us above the rest, actually, us at the expense of the rest. By definition, nationalism is exclusionary. Patriotism, however, celebrates all citizens: freedom and justice for all. That all are created equal. While nationalism tears others down to lift itself up, patriotism encourages us to work together to make this country great. Looking at our history shows how many diverse hands have helped build, protect, and make this nation the envy of the world. Nationalism takes credit for your work, rewrites history, and then shows you to the door.

While we are here, let’s hit this one:

CHRISTIAN NATIONALISM If nationalism and patriotism don’t belong in the same sentence, then nationalism and Christianity shouldn’t even be in the same room, let alone goose-stepping down the street arm in arm. Where nationalism demands a culture of Us versus Them, Christianity challenges us to answer the question, “Who is my Neighbor?” (Answer: the outsider, the lowly, and the culturally despised.) Where nationalism promotes isolationism, Christianity calls us to go out and seek what is lost. Where nationalism relies on force and intimidation, Christianity is about restoration and transcending earthly kingdoms. Where nationalism seeks to extinguish individualism, Christianity lifts up all, from the “least

to the greatest.” Christianity declares the world is the Lord’s and everything (and everyone in it). The idea of militarizing faith— whether in words, political policies, or doctrine—is antithetical to all the teachings of Jesus. BUT maybe don’t launch into this one until after the pumpkin pie is served; there’s no reason to waste good dessert on a bad conversation.

OK, let’s move to the lightning round.

Six Seven, LowKey, Same, For Real, Demure, Rizz, Cap (or no Cap) Slay, and Dude… These words aren’t politically charged; you’re just too old to say them. Besides, to use them properly, you have to use them as often as breathing (No Cap). And because these words represent complete thoughts on their own, they are used independently. There’s no context to clarify what is being said. (Real). Just know if you ask a teen how the food was and they reply “Gas.”… well, they enjoyed it more than words can say.

Words or phrases like Brain-Rot, Era, Delulu, Fein... these are the verbal equivalents of emojis. They are small images that convey a larger sentiment. On the bright side, if War and Peace were written today, it could be printed in just ten pages— assuming the author didn’t think the story was Cringe.

But then, that might just be your avoidance tactic this year. When someone asks, ‘What do you think about that Fascist…’ you can just reply ‘Delulu’ and then shake your head while giving a Cringe. No Cap, it’ll save you some Brain Rot.

OK, friends… this is as far as I can take you. You have to face your family (and that person you don’t recognize who is apparently auditioning to join your family - God help them) alone. But I know you can do it. Let me leave you with one more thought: In all my Thanksgivings, I have never seen a conversation explode that ended with someone saying, “You know, I think you’re right. I can see it now. I bow to your superior intellect and change my allegiance.” So, maybe save yourself the indigestion and stick to easy questions like, “What do you think happens when we die?”.

Cheers, my friends. Go do the good you can do.

Driving Through the Garden of Gilgamesh

by Brent Taylor

“Why are we here?” Karen asked this nonchalantly, as if she were wondering why roosters have combs on their heads. I was hoping she was talking to herself—or that the question was rhetorical. But since we were driving to Houston, I was a captive audience.

She persisted. “Why are we here?”

“Well,” I said, “maybe we’re here because your father stole watermelons.” Let me explain.

Karen’s father, Thom, was sixteen when he and a few friends decided to steal watermelons from a farmer’s field. When the farmer caught them, the boys sprinted for the car. Only Thom didn’t make it back to the front seat—his buddy got there first, and Thom was forced into the back. Moments later, the car crashed. Thom’s friend died. Thom lived. He grew up, married Ann, and together they raised five children.

I am, admittedly, an annoyingly hopeful person. As the writer George Saunders once said, “I like to find hope, sometimes irritatingly: ‘Oh, there’s a nail in my head. It’s great, I’ll hang a coat on it.’” Whatever my answer to Karen’s question, it has to be hopeful—or I’m out.

We drove down Highway 19 through East Texas, passing through Paris, Athens, and Canton, where we stopped at the Dairy Palace for “the world’s best hamburger.” That’s what the sign says, anyway. Our destination was M.D. Anderson Cancer Center. We’ve been making this trip every four months for two years now. Lab work. Imaging. The doctor’s report. It’s like getting a report card— only your life depends on it. So occasionally, our conversations drift toward the existential. Like this one.

How do we live, knowing we will die? The remains of our days buried or scattered to the four winds. Do people, like places, decay and vanish over time? Pompeii was buried alive, its people frozen mid-gesture, cups half-raised, the marketplace silenced midtransaction.

This longing isn’t new. It’s as old as humanity itself. One of the oldest mythic stories ever recorded is The Epic of Gilgamesh. Before him stand shrubs of precious stones, vines heavy with carnelian and lapis lazuli. Gilgamesh walks in the jeweled garden, beholding what endures when all else has turned to dust. The garden marks a threshold between the mortal and the divine—a glimpse of beauty

and permanence mortals can see but never possess. It captures the ancient longing for transcendence, the awareness that even kings cannot escape death.

How do we live, knowing we will die? Perhaps we live by telling stories.

Grandma Taylor was a storyteller. She prepared macaroni-andcheese casserole, heavy on the butter and cheese, edges baked to a crisp. At precisely noon, she’d call us to the table. Grandpa would bow his head and say grace: “Our Most Holy and Merciful Father…” His amen was the other prayer bookend, and a green light for Grandma to tell her stories from a bottomless creative well.

My first understanding of death was a story told by my maternal grandma. I was nine when my Grandpa Davis died. I listened in naive fascination as Grandma described his death to a friend, her voice trembling with emotion, love, loss, yet studied and dutiful reporting of his last breath, as I eavesdropped from the hallway.

There were Bible stories—Moses in the bulrushes, Noah’s ark, David and Goliath, Jesus. Then libraries and novels, and reading stories to my children. Stories are, more than anything else, how I understand myself and my family.

Why are we here?

One Friday night in New Jersey, before Karen and I entered this world, three young men, bored and brimming with mischief, ran into a field of melons. Only two came home alive. One of them married and raised a family. From that family of seven came a thousand stories. The fourth child, Karen, married into another family of five children from Oklahoma, also a family with a thousand stories.

It would be easy to end with “They lived happily ever after.” But that wouldn’t be authentic, would it? The real stories go deeper— joy and grief, birth and death, meaning and memory.

We walk on in our own gardens, looking for a better one, telling stories as we go. And we walk hand in hand, beholding what endures when all else has turned to dust.

The question will not always be hidden behind a veil. Until then, we embrace a certain mystery. That is why we’re here. To tell the stories that keep us alive and give us hope.

What’s your story?

Revo Financial

by Lucas Nettles, CFP®, CKA®

Is $1 million in life insurance enough?

For years, $1 million was the gold standard in life insurance policies—the amount of money everyone assumed was plenty. These days, however, we’re having to break the news to a lot of our clients that $1 million may not be enough. That’s not a scare tactic or an effort to sell policies—it’s a function of what people hope that money will cover, and the cost to actually pay for those things.

The role of life insurance

The primary function of life insurance is to pay a benefit to your family if you die unexpectedly. If that were to happen, your family would lose, among many things, your income. So at its most basic level, life insurance is designed to replace your income. So next, you’ll need to ask:

What are you currently using your income for? Look beyond daily expenses. Are you saving for your children’ s education, paying off a mortgage, or investing for retirement? Life insurance should cover ongoing payments or fully fund the goal.

Are you the sole breadwinner for your household? If your spouse works, your family may be less reliant on your income, but your death could lead to additional costs, like childcare assistance.

Reviewing these questions can help you tally the appropriate size of your so-called death benefit. Increasing the size of this payout doesn’t necessarily mean paying huge premiums, though.

How are premiums calculated?

Premiums depend on various factors including your age, health, and gender. Essentially, insurance companies use multiple inputs to calculate when you might die, and price your policy accordingly.

The type of life insurance you buy matters, too. Term-life insurance policies have the lowest premiums because the coverage is finite and the insurance company may never pay out.

In an ideal world, you are alive when your coverage expires and you will have created wealth in the interim—kids out of the house, home paid off, and so on—such that your family could survive without you.

Whole-life insurance, on the other hand, continues for your whole life. It follows that the premiums would be higher since the insurance company will almost certainly need to pay out; everyone dies. How much higher depends on a similar array of inputs, as well as the terms of the policy.

Whole- versus term-life insurance

If you only want to cover your family in a worst-case scenario, term-life insurance is the most affordable option. Families who choose whole-life tend to do so because they’re looking for more than a death benefit.

Whole-life insurance policies tend to come with a cash value that reflects the premiums paid. Depending on the terms of the policy, you may be able to use that money in various ways. For example, you might use it to cover the cost of longterm care as you age.

Many of the secondary benefits or add-ons associated with whole-life insurance are relatively new, and they aren’t right for everyone. They may come with significant fine print and they tend to drive up the cost of premiums.

So while they can be a good option at times, one of the main questions we ask clients is:

Would the benefits of a whole-life policy increase your premiums significantly based on the death benefits you need?

If you need to reduce your death benefit—the reason for life insurance—to afford the secondary benefits associated with a more robust whole-life insurance policy, they may not be the best choice. Doing so is the main reason people end up with less coverage than they really need, putting their families at risk if that worst-case scenario were ever to occur.

A financial advisor can help you find alternate ways to address the issues you want a whole-life policy to solve. Or they can explore ways to lower your premiums, like combining a whole- and term-life policy.

If this is something you’re interested in discussing, visit www.revofin.com to contact our office. Reviewing your life insurance coverage is one of the most important tasks on the annual financial checklist we share with clients. To see the full list, scan the QR code.

Cirque Dreams Holidaze

Reimagined Show to Spend Tech Week in Bartlesville

Bartlesville is about to get a dazzling dose of holiday magic! The reimagined CIRQUE DREAMS HOLIDAZE will captivate local audiences with a brilliantly breathtaking holiday spectacular that the entire family will adore. This nationally acclaimed annual tradition blends a stunning Broadwaystyle production with awe-inspiring contemporary circus arts, promising an unforgettable evening of entertainment.

But the excitement starts long before the curtain goes up. For over a week, the entire Cirque creative team and cast will travel to Bartlesville to work closely with The Center’s technical staff to “tech,” or prepare, the massive production for its seasonal national tour. Ten days of intensive work will culminate in one spectacular performance at The Center on Thursday, November 20 at 7:30pm.

The Center, with its state-of-the-art facility, was specifically chosen by the Cirque producer as the ideal venue for this crucial preparation period. According to Caitlyn Kraemer, Managing Director, the facility’s capabilities are key. “Accommodating a tech week would not be possible without the space and specifications The Center stage possesses,” she notes.

The presence of the large cast, crew, and creatives for ten full days provides a significant economic impact on Bartlesville. Kraemer highlights the benefits: “They’ll contribute to our economy by staying in our hotels, eating in our restaurants, and shopping locally.”

This opportunity, however, is not guaranteed. Kraemer emphasizes that for The Center to remain a top choice for national productions, it relies heavily on local support. “Without the support of local foundations, patrons, and individuals, who donate to keep our facility up to date with lighting and sound

technology, and vote in favor of City capital improvement project funding to maintain the forty-four-year-old building, The Center would be overlooked for tech week opportunities.”

Both critics and audiences alike agree that CIRQUE DREAMS HOLIDAZE is a show for all ages to enjoy where families can make unforgettable memories together. And Broadway World exclaims, “Lose yourself for 90 minutes and go back to those wonderful dreams you had as a kid.”

Don’t miss the culmination of all this hard work—a spectacular show that is truly world-class, right here in Bartlesville. Tickets are available at The Center box office, bartlesvillecenter.com or by calling 918-337-ARTS.

Elevate your experience with a pre-show dinner at a local restaurant, some of whom will run special pre-show offers on their socials. Plan a trip through The Center’s mezzanine level. You’ll find pop-up activities, limited food options, signature beverages, and more! The fun begins at 6:30pm.

Generous donations from The National Endowment for the Arts, the Oklahoma Arts Council, and the following local sponsors make Broadway in Bartlesville! possible: Arvest Wealth Management * bMonthly Magazine * C + M Plumbing * Conoco Phillips * Cortney McClure Design * Mr. and Mrs. Paul Crawford * Examiner-Enterprise * Fourstone Wealth Management * Green Country Village * Jane Phillips Medical Center * Keleher Architects * KGGF KUSN KQQR * Kool Kreations * KRIG KYFM KWON KPGM * Melody’s Creative Cuisine * Nowata Road Liquor * Osage Casinos * Phillips 66 * Robinett|King * Dr. and Mrs. Richard Rutledge * Dr. and Mrs. William D. Smith * Sparklight * Truity Credit Union * Visit Bartlesville.

B the Light Update: What’s in a Story?

by Miriam Walker

There is no better sign of the significance of what we’re doing at B the Light, than to witness the evidence of a changed life right before our eyes. Every life on the street holds a silent story that is not often shared by the one living it. The words that make up these stories are rarely heard.

We tell our unhoused neighbors all the time that God has a purpose for their life. It is with this purpose in mind that we’ve seen 2 of our very own homeless neighbors housed within the last month, and one has entered into drug rehab for the first time in years.

They’ve been part of our family on a very regular basis for more than a year now. We do know their stories, and the fact that they’ve chosen to push through is a testament to God’s mercy and grace, and their resilience.

What these three have done to get their life back on track will likely go undetected by most, but not by us. We’ve been there early in the morning, late into the night, through the good, and through the very bad circumstances they have had to fight against.

Once upon a time they were homeless, and even after their worst chapter they’re still God’s choice. And their story continues…

BARTLESVILLE, THIS IS WHY WE DO WHAT WE DO. One journey, and one story at a time.

It is no secret that there have been hurdles put in our way at B the Light. Even though we are there every day, these hurdles have prevented us from opening as an overnight shelter. But know this; if all we did was focus on the hurdles, we wouldn’t be able to focus on Romans 8:28.

“And we know that for those who love God, for those who are called according to His purpose, all things are working together for good.”

Like our homeless neighbors, we all have a purpose. Those who serve at the Mission have a purpose too! GOD’S PURPOSE DOESN’T CHANGE JUST BECAUSE YOU HAD AN EXPERIENCE. It

is important to know that His purpose does not change just because we’ve had a few hurdles thrown in our way.

Fire safety is indeed important, but we’ll be caught following God’s plan for B the Light. We want God’s safety net, and that is what will sustain us far beyond when we open the doors. His timing will always supersede the timing of man. We encourage anyone who’s genuinely interested in B the Light to come take a tour and talk with us.

It is easy to watch life play out on the news or even on social media. Our ears are bombarded with thousands of words each day, and we read even more on our computer screens. Despite what some may think or assume, these “fly by night” highlight reels know nothing about what’s

really going on. Confusion is always caused by unsubstantiated and inaccurate information. Our unhoused neighbors don’t need anymore confusion

A good friend once told me,

“Don’t know what you don’t know.”

A story will unfold right before your eyes if you’re paying attention.

The words we share with our homeless community every day are weighty with encouragement, motivation, and love. They are living in a world of uncertainties, and exist in the kinds of stories you don’t want to get lost in. We’ve heard them all.

At B the Light we help our homeless friends escape these narratives they’re stuck in. We don’t judge and we don’t blame them for their circumstances. Regardless of the part they might have played in their story, blame is an easy escape, but it never follows a path to freedom. We do what it takes to help our neighbors on the street break free from homelessness for good. One life at a time.

And the story continues…

Willard “Red” Brashier

... And His Marine Service in Pearl Harbor

by Joe Todd

Willard “Red” Brashier was born 20 November 1920 in Sand Springs, Oklahoma. He graduated from Tulsa Central High School in 1937 during the Depression. There were no jobs and he joined the Civilian Conservation Corps and worked 14 months in Broken Arrow, Oklahoma in a Soil Conservation Camp under a CCC program.

He joined the Marines 25 November 1940 and was sent to San Diego for eight weeks of Boot Camp. He said it was worst eight weeks in his life but he learned discipline and how to work with others. He had always wanted to see the ocean so after Boot Camp, he volunteered for Sea School where he was taught more discipline and life on a ship in preparation for sea travel.

He boarded the USS Lexington for Pearl Harbor. He really enjoyed the trip since he had no duties and had never imagined a ship that big. Once he arrived at Pearl Harbor, being from Oklahoma, he requested the USS Oklahoma and went aboard 16 March 1941.

He was a member of the Marine Detachment on the Oklahoma and his quarters were one deck down from the main deck and his General Quarters was on a 5-inch gun. His first duty was Brig Watch, posted on watch 4 hours and off 8 hours for 24 hours then off for 24 hours. When he was off duty, he went to Honolulu and said it was just like paradise. The Oklahoma left Hawaii and went on maneuvers around Christmas Island and collided with the USS Arizona. There was no major damage, but the Arizona had to stay in Pearl Harbor for repairs instead of returning to the mainland.

He was also on board when the Oklahoma and USS Enterprise almost collided. The ship was on alert the first week of December 1941 and was with the fleet to locate the Japanese ships that had left Japan. The alert was cancelled and the fleet returned to Pearl Harbor on Saturday morning, December 6th. He went on liberty Saturday night and said he had a lot to drink. He got up Sunday morning, showered and was going to help clean the five-inch gun. When he got on the main deck, he saw airplanes making a run on the USS California. He asked what was going on and a guy said, “The Japanese are attacking, you damn fool!”

He started down a ladder when the first torpedo hit and the whole ship shuddered. More torpedoes hit and when

the ship was at a 45-degree angle, he climbed over the lifeline and walked on the side of the ship to the bottom as she rolled. When the ship stopped rolling, he jumped into the water and swam to the USS Maryland and helped bring ammunition up to a 20 mm anti-aircraft gun. A gangplank was laid from the Maryland to Ford Island and he was given a Springfield 1903 Rifle with a group of sailors and Marines.

They were told 20,000 Japanese soldiers were landing on Hawaii and they were to repel the landing. He had 3 bandoliers of ammunition and looked like a Mexican Bandit. The group did not know where to go or what to do. He found a hole and decided the Japanese were not going to take him prisoner. The Japanese

did not land and after several days, he was with a group of Marines that went aboard the USS Indianapolis and USS Chicago to reinforce Wake Island. They were 200 miles from Wake Island and were informed the Japanese had captured the island and the ships returned to Hawaii. He was transferred to the Coast Artillery on Oahu and help set up artillery guns on the beach in case the Japanese returned.

After 30 months overseas, he was sent to San Diego and was put on Brig Watch. He was in San Diego 7 months, then sent to Oceanside, California, and was warden on the Brig. He was sent back to Hawaii to prepare for the invasion of Japan and assigned to the 4th Marine Division. He knew the invasion would be a suicide mission. He was in a foxhole, training for the invasion when he was informed the Japanese had surrendered. On V-J Day he was with a group of Marines on patrol in Honolulu to arrest any Marine they caught drinking. He was discharged 31 December 1946 and returned to Tulsa. He moved to Elk City, Kansas in 1986.

Arvest Wealth Management has been a proud part of the Bartlesville community for nearly 70 years, serving our customers' investment and trust needs locally. In a market with new players and promises, we're here to rea rm our commitment to you and your future. Our team of financial professionals has over 225 years of combined experience in helping families secure a bright future. We're committed to providing help with investment and retirement planning and trust and estate services.

Bartlesville Investment and Trust Team Highlights:

Dedicated trust o cers and client advisors

11 advanced degrees and designations, including Juris Doctor, Certified Trust and Fiduciary Advisor, and Accredited Fiduciary Investment Manager®

Graduates from Cannon Trust School

Involvement with various local community organizations Let us help you grow, manage and protect your legacy.

EXTRA! EXTRA!

...CMT’s Young Performers Bringing Newsies Jr. to Life

Get ready, Bartlesville— the newsboys are making headlines! Children’s Musical Theatre of Bartlesville (CMT) is proud to present Disney’s Newsies Jr., a high-energy musical packed with heart, humor, and inspiring songs that celebrate the power of standing up for what’s right. Performances will take place Thursday, November 21 at 7:00 p.m. and Friday, November 22 at 2:00 and 7:00 p.m. at Madison Middle School Auditorium, 5900 Baylor Drive.

Tickets are just $10 and available now at www.cmtonstage. com.

Based on the 1992 Disney film and inspired by the true story of the 1899 Newsboys Strike, Newsies Jr. tells the story of Jack Kelly, a charismatic newsboy who dreams of a better life beyond the streets of New York City. When publishing giants raise distribution prices at the expense of the newsboys, Jack rallies his friends to fight back. The result is an underdog story full of courage, friendship, and songs that will have audiences cheering—like “Seize the Day,” “Carrying the Banner,” and “King of New York.”

This junior version of the Broadway hit has been specially adapted for young performers, featuring a cast of local students ages 9–18 who have been rehearsing for weeks to bring the bustling streets of turn-of-the-century New York to the Bartlesville stage.

“These kids have poured their hearts into this show,” says Director Kylie Anderberg. “Newsies Jr. is about finding your voice, standing together, and believing you can make a difference. Watching our cast embrace that message and bring it to life on stage has been incredible.

Anderberg is no stranger to the CMT stage—she grew up performing with the organization before

stepping into directing roles for productions such as Aladdin Jr. and Elf Jr. Her connection to the program gives her a unique perspective on the impact CMT continues to have on young people in Bartlesville.

“Being back with CMT as a director feels full circle,” Anderberg says. “This is where my love for theatre began, and now I get to help the next generation experience that same joy. The talent, dedication, and teamwork these kids show every rehearsal—it’s inspiring.”

Providing artistic leadership to CMT’s creative team is Artistic Director Roberta Eberhard, who joined the organization’s staff this fall. A passionate educator and dynamic musician, Eberhard brings more than twenty years of experience in arts education and performance, along with a long personal history with CMT.

Eberhard began with CMT as a student performer herself and has since served as a music director, mentor, and artistic leader for numerous productions including Cinderella, The Music Man, Annie, Mary Poppins, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat. Professionally, she has directed choirs and theatre programs at Rejoice Christian School in Owasso, taught voice at the collegiate level, and serves as Worship Leader at First Wesleyan Church of Bartlesville.

“It feels like coming home,” Eberhard says. “CMT has always been a place where young people can discover their gifts and grow in confidence. I want every student who steps on our stage to know they belong here.”

Eberhard’s appointment follows a leadership restructure at CMT aimed at strengthening both the creative and operational sides of the organization as it continues to grow.

“CMT has been part of Bartlesville’s heartbeat for more than twenty-five years,” Eberhard adds. “Our goal is to keep that tradition strong— offering youth quality musical theatre performance and educational opportunities.

From the bold choreography to the soaring ensemble numbers, Newsies Jr. captures the energy and determination of young dreamers ready to change their world. “It’s a story of hope and courage,” Anderberg says. “Audiences will leave humming the songs and cheering for these incredible kids.”

So grab your family, gather your friends, and “seize the day” with CMT this November. Tickets are limited and sell quickly— visit www.cmtonstage.com to reserve your seats for this unforgettable production of Newsies Jr..

A Look Back at the VFW

by Jay Hastings

Following the Spanish War of 1899, several small groups of veterans returning from Cuba and the Philippine Islands banded together, forming local societies sharing a camaraderie known only to those who’d faced the dangers of that war. Similar experiences and a common language banded them together.

The American Veterans of Foreign Service was established in Columbus, Ohio, September 29, 1899, by Spanish-American War veteran James C. Putnam. The Colorado Society, Army of the Philippines, was organized in Denver on December 12, 1899, by General Irving Hale. A third group, known as the Foreign Service Veterans, formed in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, in October, 1901. The Ohioand Pittsburgh-based groups held a joint convention in 1905, during which the two groups merged. Inclusion of the Colorado group was considered as early as 1908, but was not accomplished until 1913. In August of that year, an encampment was held in Denver, Colorado, and the groups merged their interests and identities into the national organization now known as the Veterans of Foreign Wars, the VFW.

The purpose of the VFW is to assist with rehabilitation of the nation’s disabled and needy veterans, to assist veterans’ widows and orphans and the dependents of needy or disabled veterans, and to promote Americanism by means of education in patriotism and by constructive service to local communities.

Unfortunately, like many organizations, over the years the VFW has experienced internal conflicts. In 1946, as JapaneseAmerican soldiers returned home from World War II, they faced discrimination despite exemplary service records. Many VFW posts refused to accept JapaneseAmerican veterans, including those born in the US, some even going to the extreme of removing existing members who had served in World War I.

Similarly, during the late

1960s and early 1970s, the VFW initially refused membership for some Vietnam War veterans. At the time, most incumbent VFW members were World War II and Korean War veterans, many of whom were of the opinion the conflict in Vietnam was a “police action” and, therefore, did not qualify as a war. This, despite the Korean War having also been a police action with no formal declaration of war. As a result, many veterans of the Vietnam War refused to join or support the VFW and, with the advanced ages and subsequent deaths of many WWII and Korean War veterans, several VFW posts closed due to lack of membership.

To its credit, the National VFW offers a wide range of assistance programs aimed at helping veterans of every generation. This includes providing free, professional help filing or appealing a VA claim, offering scholarships for post-secondary education and providing emergency financial relief. The organization also includes a nationwide network of VA-accredited service officers and pre-discharge representatives with varied expertise in dealing with the VA. The VA reports veterans represented by the VFW have recouped over $8Billion in earned benefits.

With offices located on or near major military installations across the country, VFW Pre-Discharge representatives guide personnel through the veterans claims process and conduct physical examinations prior to their separation from active duty. They are also available to answer questions about education and medical benefits, as well as VA home loans.

The VFW differs from other veterans’ organizations in that it only accepts veterans who served overseas in a combat zone or in a situation warranting the receipt of hostile fire pay.

It is said, at one time or another, just about every small community across the nation boasted a local VFW chapter. Through the years, local organizations have included the Bartlesville VFW post 989 and Dewey VFW post 10099.