The Mathis News (Mathis, Tex.), Vol. 58, No. 52, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 24, 1981 Page: 2 of 20
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Winter Texans
hy B»DMc Hammock
Elmer Miller began a
lifetime hobby and became a
licensed Ham Operator early
in 1927. His wife, Opal, also
became interested in the
fascinating hobby 20 years ago
and they enjoy many hours of
conversation on their im-
pressive transciever daily.
Once, at 2 a.m. in the mor-
ning, Elmer became sleepless
and turned the set on. He
recieved messages from a
marine ship in the China Sea.
After giving their location, the
Marine Sergeant ap-
proximated the distance as
being plus or minus 150 miles
half way around the world.
The Miller’s summer home is
in Hazelhurst, Wisconsin.
There they have a 95 foot an-
tenna and have reached even
further distances. They are
originally from the Missouri
Ozarks.
Elmer and Opal were
married on June 28, 1937 in
Lincoln, Nebraska while
Elmer was serving a seven and
a half year tour in the Air
Force. He then was in Civil S-
ervice as Quality Control
i
Representative in D.C.A.S.R.
for 25 years. He had as many as
15 men as his subordinates. He
is also an electrical engineer
specializing in com-
munications. He retired in
October of 1967. That same
year he suffered a massive
neart attack, however, he is
fully recovered to date.
After his retirement they
owned a lake home in Lac du
Flambeau, Wisconsin. Lac du
Flambeau is an Indian name
meaning Lake of the Flame.
They lived there until 1971 then
decided they wanted to travel
and not be burdened with the
big home, so they transported a
mobile home on their daughter
and son-in-law’s lake frontage
in Hazelhurst.
They started traveling in
1972. They have seen all the
Southern states, Florida,
Arizona, through tout the West
Coast, and Texas. They prefer
Texas by far. Since they have
begun traveling they have put
: <^3l
£................
DIRECIORV {
PRIMERA IGLESIA
SACREDHEART
BAUTISTA
CATHOLIC CHURCH
526 North Highway 359 ;
118 South Aransas
Reverend Dorso Maciel ?
Father Henry Heese
ST. MARY'S :
LAKE VIEW
BAPTIST :
BAPTIST
Corner of Duval & Laredo l
F.M. 3024
Reverend John C. Caruthers j
GETHSEMANI
TEMPLO EL REDENTOR •
PENTACOSTAL
606 S. Live Oak
314 S. Atascosa
Rev. Santiago Longoria ;
Reverend Max Garcia
•
WEST SHORE ;
ARGENTA
BAPTIST CHAPEL :
CHURCHOF CHRIST
F.M. 534 :
Off F.M. 888 & 1040
Pastor - Wright Price l
Minister - Joe Wolf
•
ST. PIUSX
FIRST BAPTIST
CATHOLIC CHURCH <
CHURCH
Sandia •
404 South Bee
Father Seamus McGowan ;
Reverend Clif Abshier
MENNONITE
CHURCHOF CHRIST
721 West San Patricio Ave. ;
407 E. Rockport
Reverend Jose Calderon l
Evangelist-Ken Chumbley
•
ST. JOHN OF THE ;
FIRST CHRISTIAN
CROSS CATHOLIC CHURCH :
CHURCH
Orange Grove I
308 E. St. Mary's
•
Minister - R.E. Bream
FAITH CHURCH, U.C.C. <
(Congregational) «
ST. PATRICK
Evangelical & Reform
CATHOLIC CHURCH
Highway 624, Orange Grove •
Father Louis Joseph
;
Old San Patricio
LAKESIDE
!
BAPTIST CHURCH
UNITED METHODIST
F.M. 534 ;
CHURCH
J
; Corner of Duval & Hackberry
CHURCHOF CHRISTI :
l Rev. Mary E. Raper
Hwy. 624 West > \
l Rev. Terry Dowdy
Orange Grove
I JEHOVAH'S WITNESS
CORPUSCHRISTI ABBEY
I East Fulton Street
Lake Arrowhead
547-9303
Rt. Rev. Alfred Hoenig j
: LAKE CORPUS CHRISTI
OUR FATHER'S HOUSE ;
I COMMUNITY CHURCH
F.M. 534 *
Arrowhead Airport
Pastor Robert Gallagher ;
: FIRST BAPTIST
PEACE UNITED :
CHURCH
Tynan I
l Sandia
Reverend John Donaldson I
I Reverend Audie Morris
*
GRACE LUTHERAN
I BETHAN 1A TEMPLO
CHURCH < ;
220 South Duval
Rev. Waldemar Wenael
1205 East San Patricio
* FIRST BAPTIST
^ CHURCH
TEMPLOBETHEL !
• Orange Grove
1400 East San Patricio
; ST. PAUL LUTHERAN
MT. PISGAH
; Rev. Waldemar Wendel
BAPTIST CHURCH
Left on F.M. #796
Duval & Pecan Streets
l Tynan
547-2074 .
Rev. H.E. Young
I HARMONY ASSEMBLY
: OF GOD
SWINNEY SWITCH
• Reverend Malcolm Doerr
BAPTIST
219 South Aransas
(Next door to
Fire Station)
Rev. Russell Gordon
• This Church Directory published
| courtesy of the following
’• Mathis businesses:
Western Auto
• Sunrise Beach Campground
Hub Pharmacy
: Jimson’s Department Store
Mathis Grain and
■ Elevator Corp.
Villarreal Mercantile Co.
READY...Elmer and Opal Miller outside their motor home
before departing for a dinner on the town. They hail from
Hazelhurst, Wisconsin and plan on spending many more
winter months in Mathis and Sunrise Beach.
130,000 miles on their com-
fortable Travco Motor Home.
This is their fourth year of
winter residency at Sunrise
Beach. They had been staying
in Rockport and decided to
come to Lake Corpus Christi
for a one day trip. At beautiful
Sunrise Beach that one day
lasted a whole week with the
only reason for leaving being
mail call in Rockport. That
week’s stay determined in
their minds that the scenic
YULETIDE
CHEER
Our greenery
abounds! Here’s
hoping your yule-
tide cheer grows
as abundantly!
RITA’S NURSERY &
GARDEN CENTER
1205 N. FRONT
547-5455
Rita and Loyd Buff,
How All-Risk
Federal Crop Insurance
makes you a better risk
with your lender.
Your lender is looking for investment security just as much
as you are. That's why he looks at Federal Crop Insurance as
a definite plus.
With Federal Crop Insurance he knows you’re a better risk
because you can:
• Protect the extra money it takes to produce a
high-yielding crop.
• Save profits you might be forced to sacrifice
in a bad year.
• Protect the savings that could be lost if you
didn’t carry crop insurance.
• Use crop insurance as solid loan collateral.
• Get the kind of repayment power it takes to
build financial confidence.
So call your FCIC representative today. Get an All-Risk Federal
Crop Insurance policy on cotton, grain or corn, tailored to bdthi
your farming and your borrowing needs.
Federal Crop Insurance. vc*
In good years and bad, it pays off.
V
Federal Crop Insurance
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Ronald Houser
512/364-1986
Dennis Troup
512/364-2346
CROP SECURITY CO.
"ALL RISK CROP INSURANCE”
OFFICE PHONE 512/364-1155
117 E. SINTON ST. SINTON, TEXAS 78387
views at Sunrise Beach was
were they would spend all their
winter months.
They said, “Sunrise Beach
and Texas are more desirable
and here in Texas is the fifth
lowest cost of living area in the
whole United States. Another
reason for loving Texas and
Sunrise Beach is the insects
are fewer here”. They added
further, “We feel we have the
best of two worlds. The -
weather in Mathis in the winter
rarely reaches below 40
degrees and in Wisconsin in the
summer months it rarely
reaches above 80 degrees.
They spoke with kindness of
camping site owners, Buddy
and Geraldine Hoskins, saying
they were “lovely people.”
They also noted how kind and
friendly their winter neighbors
were. “In time of trouble
everyone is there to help. You
couldn’t have better neighbors
and that is another reason why
we decided to stay here”, they
added.
The Millers are the parents
of two children. Their daughter
and son-in-law are Jo Loann
and Greg Strugul who have a
daughter and son-in-law, Linda
Jo and Steve Perry. The
Sturguls own and operate a
speciality shop in Tomahawk,
Wisconsin, called “Cowboys
and Indians” selling western
wear and Indian relics.
Their son, Bill Miller, resides
in Greenbay, Wisconsin. He
graduated from Greenbay
University in 1975 and is now
salesman for the Langenburg
Hat Co.
Opal was involved with
Scouts and P.T.A. for many
years and is also a retired
school teacher, however upon
both retirements they decided
to keep their time free.
Elmer’s other interest is
fishing and Opal spends leisure
time reading, writing, playing
the piano and handwork. On
the day of the interview she
had written 40 letters. Mailcall
that day resulted in letters
from Kansas, Wisconsin,
Illinois, and Missouri.
Elmer is three eights
Cherokee and their children
have always been particularily
proud of their Indian heritage.
Ironically, this week they
learned that Opal is also one
eighth Cherokee, a fact that is
very pleasing to them.
Of Mathis they said, “The
merchants really go all out.”
They recently attended the
annual Chamber of Commerce
function and Opal won a $25 gift
certificate and Elmer won a
dinner for two. They enjoy all
function offered and are
It's'So-So'Time For This Writing
A
Sketching
A
—
c
I am not “agin” Christmas,
and I’m not exactly “fer” it
either. To say the least, that
season of the year sort of
“bugs” me. We do know that it
originated just a few hundred
years ago, and that the certain-
ty of the date that Americans
celebrate is very doubtful.
Those of us who have been
around for, say the last fifty
years, do know that it has been
grossly commercialized, and
carried to many other ex-
tremes. Some people choose
that as about the only time dur-
ing the year that they get
religious enough to go to chur-
ch, while others set aside the
date to get boozed up. Some dif-
ference. I feel that I can im-
modestly say that I fall into
neither of these catagories. Be
that as it may.
As for selecting gifts for
other people, I am probably the
world’s worst. For my own
family, I let the girls buy for
Mama, and she for the girls. I
foot the bills, and they seem to
enjoy spending the old man’s
money. Who wouldn’t?
I just flat told my family this
looking forward to the annual
Sunrise Beach Christmas Eve
Party and Christmas day feast.
They will leave our part of
the world to be back in
Wisconsin in time for
Easter,however, they are
already looking forward to
returning in October next year.
As they spoke of the
hospitality they have found
here my thoughts were that
their hospitality is hard to
match. They are cordial and
friendly people who apparently
have a coffee pot that is never
empty. WELCOME ELMER
AND OPAL MILLER!
Happ^ Holidays
Just a cheery little greeting to say, may your
Yuletide season be merry in every way!
j Balyeat’s )
| Auto Service if
Lw..,.. ^, J?
Happ>J Holidays
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Peace to all men of good will.
To Our Members At Saedia & All Our
Friends Of The Area. . .
Rev. & Mrs. Audie Morris & Family
year, and that includes Susie,
that I have everything that I
want. Certainly I don’t need a
thing. I counted up the other
day, and found that I had two
bucks-fifty cents that I didn’t
really need at the moment, and
if that is not well-to-do, I don’t
know what it would take to be
well-to-do. Besides that, I hang
in there with Hambone who
said, “Dey say that it is mo’
Right on fellah, there are lots of
people out there who apparent-
ly share that view.
One of the things that I used
to like about Christmas was all
the rich food that was going
around. I participated fully in
the festivities, until I grew a
stomach that was 30 pounds
overweight, so by the time I
starved that off, I was con-
verted to the Idea of modera-
tion.
My roomie cooks, absolutely
the best combread dressing
this side of the Mason-Dixon
line. I don’t care a thing about
turkey, or any other feathered
biped, but I do adore that dress-
ing, and giblet gravey. She still
cooks and serves the stuff, and
I still salute it with vigor, but
stop with just one serving,
whereas I have been known to
ingest four times as much as I
do now.
Fruit cake has a way of show-
ing up at our house around
Christmas. I can and do eat it,
but there are definitely other
sweets that I actually prefer.
Here again my roomie stirs up
the best version, the famous
Collin Street Bakery in Cor-
sicana not excepted, that I have
ever eaten. She is very selec-
tive about the ingredients, so
we have no citron, and very lit-
tle dough.
I take some comfort in the
fact that I am not alone in this
lack of taste for fruit cake.
Calvin Trillin, staff writer for
the New Yorker Magazine, who
claims, somewhat doubtfully,
the distinction of being the
peerless observer of
Americana, says a lot about
what little he does know. He
does not slight the fruit cake,
for which he seems to have a
terminal case of disdain. He
says that each family should
have just one such cake, and
pass it to all others in turn, and
the last receiver give it to a
friend or the hogs, so that the
ritual would have been
observed, and nobody would
have had to suffer the ex-
periene of eating it.
Now to say such things to the
McNutt family, who runs the
Collin Street Bakery in Cor-
sicana, would be about the
same as asking a hog, how he
felt about sausage. This family
operation holds the undisputed
distinction of producing more
poundage of fruit cake than
anyone else on this
planet.When the smoke clears
after Christmas this year, they
will have shipped about four
million pounds of their product
to 166 countries, several heads
of state and at least one queen.
Such well known personalities
as Lawrene Welk, Gene
Autrey, Bear Bryant, Estee
Lauder and other of like rank
will pay for many cakes.
Somebody ordered one for Kho-
meini, and sent the cash along
with the proper address. The
McNutt firm refused to fill the
order.
They did offer to send one to
Trillin, but as yet he is not a hot
prospect. He said that it was
the most awful thing that one
could be asked to eat.
I was by Collin Street Bakery
a few weeks ago, and they were
already geared for the season.
They had about 260 people,
mostly older women on the line,
putting together their famous
cakes. These women are
employed for about two months
a year, and are a jolly group.
They might just break forth in
song on, “I’ve Been Working on
the Fruitcake.”
About 20% of the cake is
native pecans, and the region
abounds with what McNutt
claims is the best crop he has
seen. A two pounder, the least
that they make will be
delivered for $9.25. Bigger
ones,-more money of course.
They all come in a tin that fits
the cake, and can be used after
the cake is gone for buttons,
etc. A real bargin.
What a way to go!
ONLY 50THOUSANP
AT 16% OR VOU
CAN RENT IT FOR
$450 A MONTH f
:Htr
W
PAGE 2 THE MATHIS NEWS Thursday, December 24,1981
(USPS 334-040)
MEMBER 1981
TEXAS PRESS ASSOCIATION
SUL AINING MEMBEa
!MiW
*.«JLA .s*. S' •"*
MEMBER- NATIONAL
NEWSPAPER ASSOCIATION
JAMES F. TRACY, SR................'................President & Publisher
BURNIS K. LAWRENCE...........................................Editor
MICHAEL MANNING.....................................Assistant Editor
ELIDA TAMAYO............................................News-Society
SONIA FLORES.............................................News-Society
JAMES F. TRACY, JR...................................Business Manager
JOHN HENRY TRACY......................................Sales Manager
JEANIECOONROD& VICTORIA AGUIRRE....................Bookkeepers
PRODUCTION STAFF
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Irma Hernandez, Leticia Gonzales
Published Every Thursday at
115 E. San Patricio by
San Patricio Publishing Co., Inc.
Second-Class Postage Paid at
Mathis, Texas 78368
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Lawrence, Burnis K. The Mathis News (Mathis, Tex.), Vol. 58, No. 52, Ed. 1 Thursday, December 24, 1981, newspaper, December 24, 1981; Mathis, Texas. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1041210/m1/2/?rotate=270: accessed July 10, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting Mathis Public Library.