10 Years Ago Rita Price Simpson is the 2005 grand marshal of the Mentone Egg Festival parade; this year’s event is June 2 through 4. She and her husband, Jack, moved to Mentone in 1979, a year after buying Valley Furniture. Price has worked for WRSW Radio for 46 years, beginning after her graduation from Bourbon High School in 1959. She hosted and sang during a live variety show before becoming a regular on-air personality. In 1972 she began sports broadcasting as a color commentator, and has called the play-by-play since 1976, making history calling the first IHSAA girls state basketball tournament. “Reub Williams encouraged me to do play-by-play,” she says. One of her prized possessions is a picture of herself and the women to wear the No. 1 jersey from Kosciusko County-Judi Warren, Chandra Kline and Shanna Zolman. 25 Years Ago Gina M. Smith has joined Kosciusko Community Hospital as community relations director, according to C. Wayne Hendrix, president. She began her duties May 21, with her office at MedPark Center. Smith served as director of information and community education for Warsaw Community Schools for five years. Gregory L. Dearborn, Warsaw, has been named director of operations at Little Crow Foods. He joined the company in 1974 and was promoted to plant manager in 1985. He is a member of the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department Reserves. Stanley S. Stokes, vice president and director of operations, has retired, starting with the company in June 1959 as the purchasing agent. Prior to working for Little Crow, he had been an English teacher in Warsaw Community Schools for two years and was in the Navy four years. 50 Years Ago Warsaw Choral Department seniors are Lorraine DePoy, Beth Swain, Sue Quillen, Janet Bunnell, Marla DeTurk, Kathy McClure, Janet Beck, Mikie Evans, Connie Latta, Elaine Rule, Rosalind Johnston, Sandy Pfeiffer, Jimma Christian, Toni Dock, Carol Zitterbart, Judy Garber, Gary Lemons, Dave Barnett, Paul Benson, Dale Cable, Ken Fish, Pat Valentine, Dave Martin, Charles Harvuot, Frank Todd and Neil Allison. 75 Years Ago Dora M. Ruse, senior, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Roy Ruse, North Columbia Street, was crowned May Queen Friday night, May 3, before a capacity crowd at the Warsaw High School auditorium, a part of the annual high school girls’ colorful physical education exhibition, “Maytime Ensemble.” Attendants were Doris Kincaide, Doris Jackson, Mary J. McKown, LaVerne Novak, Betty Rhoades, Johnnie Holderman, Bessie Ann Mallers, Waverly Berry, Jerry Craig, Jacqueline Smith, Jean Thomas and Betty Nall. The curtain rose at 8 p.m. on one of the cleverest musicals ever presented on a local stage.
