20 years ago…
December 15, 2005
HOMETOWN HERO ONE OF SEVERAL SPENDING CHRISTMAS OVERSEAS IN IRAQ
Air Force Reserve Tech. Sgt. Kevin D. Brannan is one of thousands of troops spending the Christmas holidays overseas.
Brannan is currently deployed overseas at a forward operating location in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The official name given to military operations involving members of the U.S. armed forces and coalition forces participating in efforts to free and secure Iraq., Operation Iraqi Freedom’s mission objectives focus on force protection, peacekeeping, stabilization, security and counter-insurgency operations as the Iraqi transitional governing bodies assume full sovereign powers to govern the peoples of Iraq.
Brannan is in his 11th year of service in the Air Force. He served four years of active duty then went directly to the AF Reserves. His unit is the 73rd Aerial Port Squadron stationed at Naval Air Station, Joint Reserve Base in Fort Worth.
In April of 2005, Brannan was mobilized on a 12-month activation, separating him from his wife Susan and their children.
POSTMAN HONORED FOR DOING MORE THAN DELIVERING MAIL
Everyone who receives mail in the City of Whitesboro probably knows John Walker.
After all, he has been delivering mail to their homes for 12 years now. But what people probably don’t know is that isn’t where the job ends for Walker.
In June of this year, Walker went to work and it started out just like any other day. But that day would be drastically different.
As the day progressed, Walker neared the home of local political activist Mark Washburn, who is wheelchair bound.
Just minutes earlier, Washburn’s 11-year-old niece noticed as they were eating lunch that he seemed to be choking. When she asked her uncle if she wanted him to call 9-1-1, Washburn waved her off, thinking all would be well. A short time later, Walker was approaching the home and the niece hailed him and asked that he help.
Walker put the mail aside and went inside the home, delivering the Heimlich maneuver to Washburn and possibly playing a role in saving his life after successfully clearing the obstruction.
Since then, the two have enjoyed perhaps a little closer relationship and Washburn has developed a keener appreciation for his local postal carrier.
Last week, U.S. Congressman Ralph Hall also recognized Walker for his efforts and awarded him the Congressional Civic Award in honor of his lifesaving action.
30 years ago…
December 14, 1995
CHRISTMAS DECORATIONS TO BE SOLD
The first in a series of Christmas decorations honoring Whitesboro will be sold starting this week by the Whitesboro Area Chamber of Commerce.
The customized gold-plated solid brass ornament, designed by The Evergreen Bough, will be distributed for $10 each at the chamber office.
Only 150 of the collector selections will be sold - with the official issue date listed as Dec. 13, 1995.
FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH TO PRESENT HOLIDAY PROGRAM
Local residents can enjoy three separate live nativity scenes and a special Christmas program during the next two weeks.
The adult choir of Whitesboro’s First Baptist Church will present “In Adoration of the King of Kings” at 6 p.m. Sunday at the auditorium. The program will consist largely of music, with a touch of drama.
The youth department of Collinsville’s First Baptist Church will present a live nativity scene from 6:30-9 p.m. on Dec. 20 at the Highway 902 East facility.
40 years ago…
December 12, 1985
LOCAL LAWYER TO BE DISTRICT JUDGE’S CLERK
Whitesboro lawyer Clyde Siebman has been appointed as law clerk to U.S. District Judge Paul Brown, and has also been awarded “Outstanding Young Men of America, 1985,” for his demonstration of outstanding leadership and involvement in the community.
Siebman, a former Gordonville area resident, will be resigning from the staff of Munson Munson Hynds Gordon & Pierce P.C. Attorneys, 106 E. Main Street, Whitesboro, where he has been practicing law since January, 1985. He succeeded Daryl Halencak who left the firm to accept a position with a law firm in Stephenville, Texas.
CPR SYSTEM DONATED TO WHITESBORO EMS
The Concerned Citizens of the Whitesboro Emergency Medical Services (WEMS), along with the W. Jess Godwin Foundation (administered through the Security National Bank), Whitesboro, have donated a valuable life support device to WEMS.
Called “Thumper,” the device is a cardiopulmonary resuscitator (CPR) system valued at approximately $5,400. Once hooked up to a patient, Thumper mechanically performs CPR executing ventilation and synchronized external cardia chest compression automatically. It provides an easy, non-interrupted change in CPR and is more efficient than performing CPR manually.
Highly portable, Thumper is powered by oxygen supplied by portable cylinders. Because of its portability, Thumper can be hooked up to a patient at the scene. Then once the patient is put into the ambulance, Thumper’s oxygen source may then be hooked up to the ambulance’s self-contained oxygen source. The built-in oxygen reservoir allows Thumper to be switched from one oxygen source to another without interruption.
60 years ago…
December 16, 1965
J.W. HAYES IS PRESENTED ‘CITIZEN OF YEAR’ AWARD
J.W. Hayes, 40-year-old Whitesboro businessman, received the first “Outstanding Citizen of Whitesboro” award. The award is sponsored by the Whitesboro Rotary Club and was presented at the club’s annual Christmas party Tuesday night of last week.
Hayes, who is a native of Whitesboro, has been associated with almost every civic organization and committee. He has been president of the local chamber of commerce, president of the Rotary Club, and is now president of the Quarterback Club.
He also is a member of the board of trustees at Grayson County Junior College, vice-president of Grayson - Collin, Cooke County Pharmaceutical Association and chairman of the city planning commission.
The “Citizen of the Year” award, which will become an annual award by the Whitesboro Rotary Club, was presented by E.T. Allen Jr., mayor.