This Week in Odessa History

As May turned into June 59 years ago, the outlook was bright for a good wheat crop.

Up to this time, the weather had been ideal for growing. In some ways, it is a parallel to the situation being experienced by wheat farmers in 1996 – when a storm struck the Odessa region, reversing the good fortunes that year for some.

The Record had this report in its issue of June 6, 1957:

A terrific thunder and lightning storm, with torrential rains and hail, hit this area on Saturday night. Damage from hail was scattered, but complete.

Torrents of water sent flood streams through coulees. One of these, at the Herbert Haase place, overflowed the highway and a bridge there, over six feet of water cresting at that point.

Greatest hail damage was in the area of the Alva Lightbody, Elmer Schafer and Oscar Anderson ranches in the Shoonover area. Hail killed chickens and broke growing wheat off at the stems. Crop damage in these fields was declared to be total by those who viewed the area following the storm.

Lightning struck at several points in Odessa, knocking out electric transformers at the Gudgel place south of town, the Alvin Iltz place, the Jim Scrupps gravel pit and the airport, as well as at Sol Walter’s irrigation pump. Telephone trouble developed. About half the street lights were out in town. A.W. Jessett, of the Washington Water Power Company, and Bill Sperry of the telephone company, were busy for several hours repairing trouble.

Two trees were blown over in town, one at the John H. Luiten place, and the other at the Sam Tschritter home, where the tree fell across the light service and the house was left in darkness.

From Lamona came reports of heavy water erosion, with ditches so deep a car could have been driven in them. As seems common in storms of this type, it hit in some areas, leaving others dry. The rainfall in town was excessive, barreling off the roofs and leaving water standing deep in low places.

100 Years Ago

From The Odessa Record

May 16, 1913

Otto Weber and Jacob Foos have purchased Dobson & Davis’ dray and transfer business and will do business under the firm name of Weber & Foos. The old firm will continue to do the city sprinkling, as well as give attention to the other lines of business in which they are engaged, including the livery barn.

75 Years Ago

From The Odessa Record

May 19,1938

With a fall of .11 inches of rainfall on Tuesday, the rainfall for the present crop season passed the 10 inch mark, bringing the total from September to 10.05, an unusual amount for this area.

The junior-senior banquet on Wednesday night marked the start of the exercises that will bring the present term to a close and will mark the completion of high school for the 29 members of the senior class.

Members of the graduating class include Virginia Carstens, Ruby Deife, Harold Derr, Lydia Eckhardt, Milton Frieske, Dorothy Gies, Harvey Haase, Elmer Heimbigner, Louella Heimbigner, Howard Hemmerling, Ruth Hopp, Willard Jantz, Verna Kramer, Alma Lenz, Harold Lesser, James Lyons, Berti Mae O’dell, Edna Poggensee, Gertrude Raugust, Jacob Reihs, Robert Schafer, Ray Schorzman, William Smith, Erma Strate, Sam Weber, Winston Weber, LeeRoy Weizel and Lucille Weizel.

50 Years Ago

From The Odessa Record

May 16,1963

This year Memorial Hospital will be celebrating its 13th year of service to the community. During this time the hospital has operated 24 hours each and every day. Also, 5,502 patients have been admitted to the hospital and an additional 4,370 persons have received treatment on an out-patient basis. Babies born there number 816.

School activities are crowding through toward the May 29 commencement exercises for a class of 31 candidates for graduation.

Making up the class are Gary Allington, Jerry Burghard, Terry Burghard, Verl Cassell, Richard Derr, Elaine Eckhardt, Ronald Ferderer, Patrick Gies, William Giles, Erwin Graves, Patricia Groh, June Haase, Linda Haase, James Haugen, Joan Heimbigner, Anne Horak, Stephen Jessett, Randall Kagele, Carol Michaelsen, Roger Needham, Janet Sackmann, Evan Schafer, Jack Scrupps, James Stehr, Jack Stephens, Jim Stephens, Dean Turner, Noel Walter, Michael Weber, Eldon Widmer and Richard Zagelow.

25 Years Ago

From The Odessa Record

May 19, 1988

More than 80 quilts designed, cut and tied by members of Christ Lutheran Church were on display everywhere in the church sanctuary last week awaiting their gathering up for shipment to a storage unit where they will be held until needed throughout the world. The ladies of the church have worked on these units since last October– the project is an annual mission work for Christ Lutheran.

10 Years Ago

From The Odessa Record

May 15, 2003

Odessa’s community float for 2003 made its debut at the Spokane Lilac Festival’s Torchlight Parade.

Looking a lot like the Little Locomotive that Could, the make-believe steam engine depicts the theme chosen for this year’s entry, “All Aboard for Odessa.”

Odessa’s royalty, Miss Odessa Kelsie Luiten and Princesses Kimberly Jeske, Jena Meise and Amanda Finkbeiner, greeted parade spectators from the locomotive’s tender.

Ken C. Schutz, principal of the Darrington (Wash.) Middle/High School, has been selected as the Odessa School District’s K-12 principal.