Jonathan Burdick awarded $1,000 Daedalian scholarship

A couple of months ago, this column featured a scholarship offered by the Spokane Chapter of the Order of Daedalians, which is designated as Flight 41.

The Order of Daedalians is the National Fraternity of Commissioned Military Pilots. It was organized on 26 March 1934 by a group of World War I commissioned Army pilots to perpetuate the spirit of patriotism, love of country and ideas of self-sacrifice which place service to nation above personal safety or position.

Flight 41 received several applications for the $1,000 scholarship. Two were picked for the final selection with the decision to be completed at the May meeting. The two finalists were qualified to the point the group didn't want to turn either one down, so both will receive a $1,000 scholarship.

One lives right here in the Columbia Basin: Jonathan Burdick. Jon is currently employed by Big Bend Community College as a Flight Instructor. Over the next few weeks we will feature his story in his own words.

"My father, John Burdick, started his Air Force career at K.I. Sawyer SAC base as a jet engine mechanic on the F-106. He then met my mother, Karen, while stationed at Davis-Monthan AFB in Tucson, AZ as a tech sergeant and was serving as a jet engine mechanic on the A-10.

"He again was relocated at RAF Bentwaters, U.K. where I was born on March 26, 1989 at Lakenheath RAF, England. At 3-years-old I vividly remember watching C-141's landing and departing from McChord AFB while eating lunch on an observation lookout at the western end of the airfield. Watching planes take off and land was arguably the number one thing I wanted to do as a child and I looked forward to airshows more than even Christmas.

"My favorite aircraft is the B-1 Bomber. My first encounter with this airplane was during a barbeque in a hanger on the base. I was in line to get and hamburger when suddenly the hanger started to shake. I ran outside and saw a B-1 in rotation combined with a deafening roar. From that point forward, military aviation was my calling and I would do what it took to become a pilot for the Air Force."

Wilson Creek area history

The Rev. David H. Crawford compiled and published a history of families in and surrounding Wilson Creek titled, "Family Memories of Wilson Creek Area." The book was printed in 1978, which was the 75th anniversary of the town. David's son, John Crawford, has given permission for those memories to be a part of this column.

Today we continue the story of the Keller family:

As a young man Jacob attended Blair Business College in Spokane from 1909 to 1911. Upon gradu?ation he became a bookkeeper and later manager of the Wheeler grain elevator. After several years he became manager of the Ruff grain elevator, which he managed until 1919 when he became manager of the Wilson Creek grain elevator.

He was a dedi?cated and successful manager, serving in this ca?pacity until 1962 when he became assistant mana?ger and officially retired in 1968. For 40 years he was a volunteer Official Weather Bureau obser?ver. He faithfully kept the weather records daily and received official recognition in a ceremony in Seattle from the U.S. Department of Commerce with an award of a plaque and pin for his 40 years of service.

He also contributed to the community by serving on the School Board and Town council. He was a faithful church member of the Presbyterian Church.

It was during the time of his Ruff job that he met and courted Gertrude Griesinger, then a teacher in Wilson Creek. They were married June 28, 1916 in the family home in Wilson Creek, then occupied by her mother, Maria Griesinger.

They began their married life in Ruff and on August 13, 1918 a son, Leonard was born. They moved to Wil?son Creek to the family home in 1919 when Jacob became manager of the Wilson Creek elevator. Two more children were born, Margaret on August 19, 1922 and Harold on October 2, 1928.

Leonard, Margaret and Harold attended school at Wilson Creek, graduating from high school in 1936, 1939 and 1946 respectively.

Leonard and Harold attended Washington State College in Pull?man, Harold obtaining a degree in Pharmacy. Margaret attended Eastern Washington State College at Cheney getting a degree in education.

Leonard and Harold both served in military service. Leonard was a Staff Sergeant in the Army Air Corps during World War II and served in the South Pacific. Harold was in the Navy during the Korean War, serving as a pharmacist aboard a hospital ship.

It was during this time that our dear mother passed away, on July 11, 1952, after being in failing health for several years. She endeared herself through her selfless years of service to the Presby?terian Church and other social organizations.

There was never enough time to accomplish all she wanted to do each day and so she usually was on a quick?step. She loved her home, flowers and garden, but always put the needs of others before herself. We cherish precious memories of her.

Margaret married Stanley Siegenthaler from Spokane, on February 12, 1944, and they have three sons, Kent, born Mar. 25, 1946; Craig, born Aug. 25, 1950 and Mark born Dec. 4, 1953. Margaret, Stan and family reside in Seattle where Margaret has pursued a teaching career.

Stan was in an architectural business. Craig married Nancy Wood from Minneapolis, Minn. on Nov. 28, 1975. They met while both were employed at a radio station in Washington D. C. They lived a short time in San Juan, Puerto Rico and now live in Seattle where Craig is chief engineer at KUUU and KZOK Radio Stations.

Leonard met Lillian Kay while both were working for the Navy Department in Seattle and they were married on August 16, 1947. They have two children, Ros?etta, born Oct. 31, 1952 and Jeffrey born Sept. 19, 1955.

In 1953 they moved from Seattle to Wilson Creek, where Leonard became bookkeeper, assistant manager and manager of the Wilson Creek Union Grain and Trading Co. in 1968 when his father re?tired.

Rosetta married Terry Olsen from Hyde Park, Utah on Aug. 13, 1976 and they have a son Matthew, born May 24, 1977. Jeffrey served two years as a Mormon missionary in New Zealand and attends Brigham Young University in Provo, Utah.

Harold married Joanne Walter from Odessa on Nov. 5, 1950. They have four children; David, born Jan. 9, 1952; Ronald, born Jan. 9. 1954; Nancy, born Jan. 13, 1955 and Will born May 10. 1956. Harold and Joanne lived many years in Odessa where Harold owned and operated a drug store and Joanne continued a nursing career at the local hospital. With family reared, Harold decided to pursue a new career and purchased the Card N Candle Gift Shop at Northtown in Spokane, and part-ownership in a pharmacy in the valley. He recently acquired the Hallmark Gift Shop also at Northtown.

David is working in research for a public television station in Los Angeles. Ron married Danielle Radlova, a Czechoslovakian girl whom he met in Cairo, Egypt while working on Arabic language mastery for his degree from the University of Chicago.

They were married in Cairo in May of 1977. Nancy is now a First Lieutenant in the Army Corps of Nurses having received her degree in nursing in May of 1977. She is now stationed at Fort Sam Houston in San Antonia, Texas. Will is attend?ing Western Washington State College at Belling?ham.

Jacob Keller, our dear father, passed away on May 31, 1972. During his last years he lived with Leonard and Lillian, but boarded with them for many years previously. Of interest to the family is that Harold's sons and Leonard's son are the only ones to carry on the name of Keller.

E-mail from Cheryl

Facts from the past gleaned from the Moses Lake Herald, Columbia Basin Herald and The Neppel Record by Cheryl (Driggs) Elkins.

From the CBH on Friday, April 21, 1950:

Canning classes asked by the Grange

Mrs. Jessie Burch Jackson, associate county extension agent, is being asked to conduct special classes in renovating furniture, food freezing and canning for member of the Moses Lake Grange home economics group. Similar sessions held last summer were judged a crowded success, with repeats asked for this summer.

When the group met Friday afternoon, they also asked Mrs. De Walls to help at the grange fancy work booth at the Grant County Fair, Sept. 9 through 11. Refreshments were served by Mrs. Fred Reid and Mrs. Evelyn McInnis at the close.

Three garden clubs to meet Thursday

Trees, shrubs and lawns will be discussed next Thursday when the Cascade Valley Garden Club entertains members of the Ephrata and Peninsula Garden clubs at a potluck luncheon at the home of Mrs. W.E. Richards. Called for 1 o'clock, members plan an all afternoon program.

Check-up for CAP plane

The L-4 Piper Cub, on loan from the air forces to the Moses Lake Civil Air Patrol, was taken off the line this week for a 100 hour check at the air force base. This plane, taken from war surplus stock, flew only five hours in 1949. In its six weeks here, the 100 operational hours have piled up so fast, that a second plane may be requested for local CAP operations.

Housing to take applications for smallest units

Applications for no-bedroom units in the Moses Lake housing project will again be accepted next week, Mrs. Jessie Pearce, manager, announced this week.

Because of the large number of applicants wanting housing, with no vacancies occurring, no additional applications have been taken at the project for several weeks. There are no vacancies now, Mrs. Pearce said, but turnover in the smallest units rented only to childless couples, means that some applicants might be admitted in the next month.

Applications must be filed in person at the housing project office after 8:30 a.m. Monday. No applications for larger units can be accepted, Mrs. Pearce added.

Benton City man buys barber shop

John H. Pickett, formerly of Eugene, Ore., and Benton City, has purchased the Capistrano Park Barber shop, he announced this week. Effective immediately, hours will be from 9 a.m. until 6 p.m. in the shop located just east of the KSEM Radio Station building. Mrs. Pickett and their son will move to Moses Lake in June after school is out at Benton City.

Grant County history

The Grant County Historical Society has compiled several volumes of Grant County history. The books are available for purchase at the Historical Society Museum gift shop in Ephrata.

I bought the series in 2009 and secured permission to relay some of the history through this column.

Memories of Grant County, compiled from taped interviews by the Grant County Historical Society.

Today we continue the story of Hartline, by Kathryn (Kay) Evans, recorded May 9, 1978 and the letter written by her grandmother, Aunt Kate, in 1940:

"After teaching four months at Coulee City, three months in public school and one month by private subscription, I married and went to live on a ranch. The house was a one-room log cabin with dirt piled on the roof.

"We lived there only a few months, put in about 20 acres of wheat, and then went back to Coulee City, where Bob (Roberts) had bought a dray business.

"Coulee City was certainly a lively place, the terminal of the Central Washington Rail?road and the freighting outlet for a dozen or more little frontier towns with no railroad. The one main street was knee deep in alkali dust; sagebrush and greasewood covered vacant lots. Freighters put bells on their horses, for the dust was so thick on the roads and in the air that drivers could not see their lead teams.

"Nearly all the buildings were wooden. One man put up a galvanized iron building and did a big business. When the railroad was built through the county west of Grand Coulee the freighting came to an end and Coulee was dead.

"Evelyn, later to be Evelyn Evans, and Walter were born in Coulee City. Note from Kathryn (Kay) Evans: My mother, Evelyn Evans, took credit for being the first white girl born in Coulee City.

"When Coulee City died down because of the other railroad, we went back to the ranch, got it all fenced in and more land broken out. Those were lonely years, I would not see another woman for weeks at a time, for most of my neighbors had small children like myself and most were related, so when the women did go visiting, it was to see their own relatives.

"In 1893, came the Cleveland Panic. Wheat was so low in price, no one had money. Most ranchers used parched wheat, rye or barley for coffee. We had meat and bread, but vegetables were scarce for grasshoppers cleaned up what garden stuff we tried to raise.

"Fruit was to be had only by a three- or four-day trip to some fruit ranch on the Columbia. I bought enough peaches and plums one year to can 18 half-gallon jars one fall from Charles Hill, Jim Hill's brother, who peddled fruit. We would open a jar when we had company and use what was left. How careful I was of it. The little local stores carried only staples, such as sugar, tea, coffee, etc., a few dry goods, mostly overalls and such.

"One year wheat sold for 16 and 18 cents per bushel way below the cost of production. Bob and some neighbors went over to the Coast to work in logging camps. Uncle George Roberts stayed with us.

"That year literary societies were going on in Hartline and our own school districts. George took us to attend them. I surely enjoyed them and always took part in the debates in which many important questions were settled.

"I think we could profit by such discussions these days. I read everything I could get hold of. I borrowed every book in the neighborhood and during those years, I memorized many poems. When I was a youngster in Ohio I had memorized every poem in the McGuf?fey's Readers, among which was Patrick Henry's 'Give me Liberty or Give me Death' speech.

"When my oldest was about 5 and a half, I was left alone with three children. I went back to Ohio for about a year and a half, but came back to Washington and taught school for two years. We had to stay very closely on that homestead, for land was getting scarce and meddlesome people were watching new home?steaders closely.

"Several times we caught someone sneaking around the house and stable when coming back after having been away for a few days. When we would come in sight of the house, the spy would sneak away through the sagebrush.

"The land commissioner, John R. Lewis told me that one fellow had been to his office com?plaining that I would go away and leave the child?ren at home on the homestead and that I had no right to prove up just by leaving the kids there. Lewis told the fellow that I was the head of a family and that I could stay away as much as I wished so long as my family was there. I have always been grateful for the good neighbors we had.

"I forgot to mention that in the fall after coming back from Ohio, we built a little house in Hartline, while teaching there, in which we lived for two years until I filed on a second homestead. Afterward the girls batched in the little brown house as it got to be called while attending school during the winter months. Otto Schultz built a little shack on the same lot in which he lived and batched while he attended school. He and the girls used to borrow various and sundry groceries forth and back like some house?wives.