Editor's note: Gloria took the week between Christmas and New Year's off from writing to enjoy with her family. This is one of the Yoders' favorite recipes: Daniel's waffles. These waffles are perfect for a Sunday morning breakfast and if you don't have a waffle iron these can be made into pancakes. Gloria returns next week.
Imagine walking along the edge of the Grand Canyon without seeing another soul. Imagine skies so clear and sharp that mountains 100 miles away are visible. Imagine a blanket of snow in the forest and frosting the red rocks of the canyon walls. Now stop walking and just listen. • Hear that hushed stillness? For a minute, the world is suspended. All that exists is you and the Earth’s most distinctive scar. The canyon appears especially bewitching and luscious in the low angled light. • Welcome to the wintertime version of Grand Canyon. • It doesn’t matter whether you make regular trips to Grand Canyon National Park or if you only go every few years. Everyone should go at least once in the winter. • Grand Canyon is a vastly different experience in December, January and February. But it does require some preparation. Here’s what to know before you venture to the Big Ditch.
LIBERTY - Roberta A. Coker, affectionally known as Poo, passed away on January 3, 2022. Roberta was born on April 6, 1941 in Kansas City, Missouri to Robert Austin and Mary Jane Stevenson Austin. At a young age and given her love of Winnie the Pooh, she acquired the nickname “Poo” and was known throughout her life as Poo. She was a 1959 graduate of Raytown High School, where she was a proud member of the cheerleading squad. She attended CMSU, eventually earning a master’s in arts and Communication Studies from UMKC. Poo was a Director of Community Relations for the Independence School District for 29 years, before retiring in 2008. Poo was a PEO Golden Girl and member of PEO Chapter IK, Independence, a past President and sustaining member of the Independence Junior Service League, and a member and first female President of the Independence Rotary Club. She was a Board member and past chair of both the Truman Heartland Foundation and the Independence Chamber of Commerce, Past Chair of the Independence Tourism Commission, and Save the Truman Depot. She was a member of many community boards, including Friends of Powell Gardens, Horizon Academy, Raytown Historical Society, Community Services League, Hope House, and served on the advisory committee for the Health Care Foundation of Greater Kansas City. Poo was a docent at the Truman Library and wrote a weekly column for The Independence Examiner“Poo’s Corner”. She was in the first class of Raytown graduates to be inducted into the Raytown Alumni Hall of Fame. Poo was the first recipient of the Independence Citizen of the Year from the Truman Heartland Foundation in 1996. She was a recipient of Lifetime Achievement Award and Woman of Distinction from the Independence Examiner. Poo dedicated her life to being a cheerleader for her community. She was preceded in death by her parents USAF Colonel Robert Austin and Mary Jane Grey. Poo is survived by daughter Shellie (Page) Kemna, son in law Don Kemna, of Kansas City, and granddaughter Page Kemna, of Denver. Son Jerry Page and granddaughter Amanda Page of Independence. Former husbands Jerry Page and Ross Coker; Sister, JoDee Austin; Stepmother, Pauline Austin; Sister, Donna Crawford; brother, Dale Austin. A public celebration of life will be scheduled at a later date in Spring of 2022, with private family inurnment. The family would like to thank Missouri Hospice and Palliative Care for their compassionate care and kindness for Poo. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Truman Heartland Community Foundation Legacy Fund.
BUCKNER - Willa Katherine (Adkins) Anderson, 75, Buckner, Missouri, passed away December 25, 2021, at her home, after a short battle with cancer. She was born, October 1, 1946, in Kansas City, MIssouri, to Woodrow Wilson Adkins and Emily Frances (O’Neill) Adkins. Willa was the oldest of eight children. She graduated from Fort Osage High School in 1964. Willa married the love of her life, Keith M. Anderson, on August 3rd, 1973. They were married for 41 years. She was a homemaker who enjoyed gardening. The vegetables and beautiful flowers she and her husband grew were fantastic. They shared all of this with many people. She also enjoyed doing embroidery and counted cross-stitch. Willa did beautiful work and gave some of it as gifts. She loved reading the Kansas City Star and started each day with the news. Her main love was her family and taking care of them. She is survived by: daughter, Angela Buckner, son Murry Keeran and her step-daughter, Sandy Christensen; sisters & brothers-in-law, Emma & Steve Brendel, Sara & William Miller, Mishelle & Steve Newman; brother and sister-in-law, Thomas & Linda Becker; three grandchildren, two great-grandchildren and many nieces and nephews. Willa is proceeded in death by: parents; husband, Keith; siblings, Steven Becker, Richard Brown, and Betty Jane Burks. She will be mourned and greatly missed by her family and friends. A visitation and funeral service was held on Thursday, December 30th, 2021, at the First Christian Church of Buckner. Burial in Buckner Hill Cemetery, Buckner, Missouri.
It was unthinkable that Americans would storm the Capitol a year ago with the intention of doing harm to members of Congress and overturning a lawful election. Yet it happened.
President Joe Biden was addressing America from the U.S. Capitol’s Statuary Hall Thursday morning, at a lectern bearing the presidential seal that had been precisely placed in the center of this historic chamber for what would be a most un-festive commemorative ceremony.
Larry Pearce, Independence To the editor: In the 1960s I was living in Northeast Kansas City just south of Gladstone Boulevard and a block east of Van Brunt Boulevard. We, my wife and 4 daughters, went to Holy Cross Church on St.
Jaxson McIntyre got the win that tied the match and then Mason Sullivan followed with a pin to break the tie. From there, Blue Springs won the next three, closing with six straight wins to pick up a 52-28 win over Park Hill in a Suburban Big Eight Conference dual Thursday at Blue Springs High School.
There’s no sugar coating the legacy that the Herl name has left on William Chrisman High School. It’s only fitting that Dawson Herl’s younger brother, Dayne, has picked up the torch.
DENVER – Patrick Mahomes sees the regular-season finale at Denver on Saturday as a way for the Kansas City Chiefs to tune up for another long playoff run, no matter when that might begin. The Chiefs (11-5) lost the pole position in the AFC bracket with their lastsecond loss at Cincinnati last week.