This week’s Valley Home News came close to not being. We had a power failure here at the ranch lasting for four days that could not be immediately remedied, and in fact is still not working. A very nice PG&E worker came to our assistance first and turned off the electricity so that repairs could be made. Fortunately, we have a wonderful friend who is an electrician and general handyman, who came to our aid and in addition to working many hours installing new wiring, poles and gadgets also generously loaned us the use of his gas generator so that we could have light during the evening hours and power to run the well pump several times a day. Can you imagine when we discovered to our dismay, that after making the needed repairs, we were told to call PG&E on Saturday by another PG&E lineman only to discover to our horror they do not work on weekends and therefore, were not available for reinstall of the line. Thanks to our friend, Ralph Damante, and his loan of the generator, we are able to write this week’s Valley Home News column, and his help is greatly appreciated.
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We have received word that Valley Home School PTC will host a Happy Retirement Party for Mrs. Laurinda Vargas on Monday, May 17th at 6:30 p.m. in the Gym/MPR, 13231 Pioneer Avenue, and all are invited to see her off on her new journey. If you have had Mrs. Vargas as a teacher either for yourself or your children, PTC members would love to have you attend the event. Have you taught with Laurinda and want to see her? Please come by and visit with her, she would love to reconnect.
We will miss Mrs. Vargas dearly, but wish her well in her new venture, she is one of the best teachers at Valley Home School. Her wisdom, knowledge and spirit will live on in the students who were fortunate enough to have her as their teacher.
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Valley Home friends and former neighbors were saddened to receive word that former long time Valley Home resident, Harry Eugene ‘Gene’ Frisk passed away on April 29th at the John J. Perishing VA Hospital in Popular Bluff, Missouri. He had been a resident of Oxly, Missouri since moving from our area. He was the son of the late Harry and Mary Frisk of Valley Home. Gene was a retired self-employed builder and real estate agent, dairyman and farmer. He loved to work in his garden, remodel houses and travel. Gene served in the U.S. Navy during the Korean Conflict and was a member of the VFW, American Legion and U.S.S. Shangri-la Association.
We send our heartfelt condolences to Gene’s wife Inez and his three sons, Phillip Frisk of Doniphan, MO, Rocky Frisk of Oxly, MO, Jason Frisk of Amarillo, TX and daughter Carmen Zamastil of Fairdealing, MO. Funeral services were held on May 4th and Gene was laid to rest in Old Swedish Cemetery in Mountain Grove, Missouri with full military honors.
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Special Happy Birthday wishes go to Hazel Rushman who celebrated a birthday on Mother’s Day from all her Valley Home friends and neighbors.
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Happy Anniversary wishes go this week to Shirley and Bill Watson who celebrated their wedding anniversary on Sunday.