Sugar Grove
By Paula Mitchell
Why do people decorate with lights at Christmas? After asking a variety of people, who put lights up for the season, these were some of their responses:
- It’s a neighborhood thing.
- It brightens up those short, gloomy days.
- It gets one in the holiday spirit.
- It’s a family tradition.
- It brings joy to the eyes of the beholder.
- I just love Christmas lights.
Each community has its own traditions that make Christmas feel special.
Bringing about a spirit of peace and unity is where the Christmas tree is nicely decorated. It is where most families gather together to open gifts, or to merely chat.
For a lot of folks, Christmas is a magical time. It’s a time of innocence; it’s a time of joy. The lights on the inside, as well as the outside, boost happiness, and increase energy levels, according to science research.
Some families make a tradition of driving around to look at the lights and to judge which house has the best display. Christmas lights show that they inspire other people to go all out on their houses. Most of all, everyone can agree that Christmas lights truly showcase the true Christmas spirit.
The winners for this year’s Parade of Lights in the Sugar Grove community were Jason and Martha Smith, first, Brandon and Cara Mitchell, second, Jeff and Maxine Rader, third, and Benny and Dinah Mitchell, the True Meaning of Christmas. As in the past, the winners will be receiving gift certificates to Fox’s.
Take the family out to enjoy the lights in the community!
To my readers, “May the closeness of your loved ones, family, and friends fill your heart with joy, this coming year. Give a cup of kindness to all you meet…every day…all year through! Happy New Year!”
Life’s little instructions include the following:
- Occasionally let a person’s children help one, even if it slows one down.
- Wash one’s hands before eating.
- Learn how to take notice of the needs around one.
- Put things back where a person found them.
- Warm cookies and cold milk are good for one.
Joys of the week:
Everyone is thankful for the rains that fell this past week.
There were family get togethers, where laughter, enjoying foods and reminiscing memories were the order of the week. Lots of gifts were exchanged, and peace abounded in this community.
Living in a safe community with helpful neighbors is a much-needed mix for a healthy life.
Quotes for the week are as follows:
“You can get excited about the future. The past won’t mind.” — Hillary Depiano
“Family is not an important thing. It’s everything.” — Michael J. Fox
“Blessed is the season which engages the whole world in a conspiracy of love.” — Hamilton Wright Mabie
“Keep looking up…that’s the secret of life.” — Snoopy
“Let all the failures of your past year be your best guide in the New Year.” — Mehmet Murat Ildan
“Hope smiles from the threshold of the year to come. Whispering, ‘It will be happier.’” — Alfred Lord Tennyson
“Christmas will always be as long as we stand heart to heart and hand in hand.” — Dr. Seuss
Sitting by the fireplace is the place to be, to hear the “Talk of the Grove.”
Bob and Judy Grimm spent Christmas with Rodney Kiser and family who live in Preston County.
Robby, Linnea, Logan, and Michael Fisher joined Brenda Fisher for Christmas dinner. Everything was delicious and enjoyed by all.
Jim and Karla Moats enjoyed a wonderful visit with Tuesday, Brian and Cedar Simmons, and Troy and Montana Hise this past weekend.
Good to hear that Rosalee Grogg is back home. She enjoyed having the following visitors: Terri Grogg, Claude Castleberry, Steven, Dakota, Braxton, and Vance Grogg. Anthony and Asher Mauzy and Madison Grogg.
The community has lost two remarkable women, Naomi Mitchell and Mary Puffenbarger.
Naomi lived a life that was filled with so many adventures in her 97 years. She was the daughter of the late John Boyd Wilfong and Rosa Florence Varner Wilfong. Her first husband was Garland Sheffer, to whom she had a son, Gary (Linda). To that she gained a step-granddaughter (Renee) and two step-great-grandchildren (Laura and Tim). She then married Otho “Dick” Mitchell. Naomi was preceded in death by both her husbands.
Her roots dated back to the Wilfong pioneer, of which she compiled a genealogy Wilfong book. She was an avid historian of the area, even securing a historical state road marker for the St. Michael Church (Wilfong). Her knowledge of history served her well as a former director on the Pendleton County Historical Society. She was also a member of the Home Demonstration Club, and the Post 9666 Ladies Auxiliary.
Naomi loved her many cats that lived a good life under her care. Her hobbies were crocheting, gardening, researching genealogy, and cake decorating. She was an avid communicator, writing many a letter to seek information for her causes. She was also a past Sugar Grove Tractor Parade Queen. Naomi was a busy lady.
Sunday afternoon, Naomi was laid to rest at the St. Michael Lutheran Church’s cemetery. This was her faith home. She will be missed by all who knew her.
Mary Puffenbarger’s fight with cancer ended Dec. 17. She was quite a determined lady. Mary was the daughter of the late Garland Rio and Myrtle Kathryn Carroll Terry. On Aug. 2, 1970, she married Eldon “Butch” Puffenbarger.
A definite homemaker, Mary enjoyed cooking, farming, gardening, sewing, babysitting, canning, and playing the piano. The writer recalls taking her “city cousins” to visit with Mary to see how cows were milked, and then the milk turned into butter, etc. The children were enthralled, and left learning a lot more about country living.
Mary was a former member of the Churchville Volunteer Fire Department Ladies Auxiliary, an assistant leader of the Churchville Girl Scouts. She also worked with the Kings Daughters Hospital ambulance service, prior to marrying Eldon. She was a member of Francis Asbury United Methodist Church in Sugar Grove.
Mary loved to sing, was in a church choir, and read her Bible faithfully. Gospel songs were always enjoyed by her, as a form of easy listening. “Will the Circle Be Unbroken…” was a favorite of hers, serving as a reminder of how important her family was to her. She enjoyed being close to her sons, Wesley (Becky) and David (Tabitha), and grandchildren, Ben, Emma, Nathan, Cole, Leah, Aria, and Ella.
Towards the last few months of Mary’s life, she participated in the Sugar Grove Tractor Parade as the Queen of the Parade. This illuminated her life, bringing a proud smile to her very countenance. In the back seat of the car in which she was sitting, were her grandchildren.
A memorial service was held Saturday at the Obaugh Funeral Home in McDowell, Virginia. A large assembly of friends and family were in attendance to hear the messages given by Judy Vetter and Jerry Smith. Mary has gone home, and she will be sadly missed by all who knew her.
This week’s clickety-clacks for the chin waggers are as follows:
- Each year, it is estimated that 80 percent of New Year’s resolutions are abandoned by February.
- The island nation Kiribati in the Central Pacific is the first location to ring in the New Year.
- Ancient Romans are credited with the kissing tradition on New Year.
- The most common resolution people make is to get healthier.
- Typically, a million people crowd into Times Square to watch the ball drop.
January birthdays include Janelle Mitchell and Linda Sheffer, first; Lowell Simmons, second; Wendell Marshall, fourth; Ivan Lam and Kathy McKenzie, fifth; Laney Bowers, seventh; Sue Kimble and Jeff Pitsenbarger, eighth; Richard Morrison, Ronnie Kimble and twin sister, Bonnie, ninth; Charles Nelson, Helen Nash and Julie Koontz, tenth; Joanne Moyers, 11th; Donna Bowers and Bob Hoops, 12th; Amy Gardiner, 13th; Tammy Mitts, Joyce Burgoyne and Richard Bennett, 14th; and Junior Crider, 15th.
Concerns for this week are many. They are as follows: Bob Adamson, Rick Adkins, Charles and “Pidge” Anderson, Roger and Joan Ashley, Mercedes Aumann, Judy Austin, Lynn Beatty, Jimmie Bennett, “Bo” Boggs, Jane Conrad, Marie Cole, Norma Propst Cunningham, Christian Dasher, the Jeff Evick family, Bethany Eye, Isaac Eye, Marie Eye, Mary Eye, Neal Eye, the Monika Flippin family, Loralee Gordon, Lola Graham, Jordan Greathouse, Patsy Green, Rosalee Grogg, Marlene Harman, Marvin Hartman, Steve and Armanda Heavner, Grace Hedrick, George Hevener, the Miranda Henderson family, Jackie Hill, Edsel and May Ann Hogan, Virgil Homan, Jr., Adelbert Hoover, the Olin L. Hoover family, Myrtle Hoover, Tim Hoover, Debbie and Enos Horst, Mike Jamison, Jessica Janney, Alice Johnson, Richard Judy, Marsha Keller, the Boyd Kimble family, Danny Kimble, Dennis Kincaid, Kim Kline, Tracie Knight, Melissa Lambert, Robert Lambert, Rex Landis, the Linda Malcolm family, the Betty Mallow family, Roger and Skip Mallow, Yvonne Marsh, Anna Mauzy, Neil McLaughlin, Rose Miller, Bruce Minor, the Naomi Wilfong Sheffer Mitchell family, the French Moates family, Barbara Moats, Melvin Moats, Aaron Nelson, Ruth Nelson, Don Nilsen, Cheryl Paine, Barbara Parker, Shirley Pratt, Alda Propst, John O. Propst, Kathy Propst, Harley Propst, Sheldon Propst, the Mary Puffenbarger family, Charles Rexrode, Jason Rexrode, Pam Rexrode, Donna Ruddle, Annie Simmons, Phyllis Simmons, Erin Simmons, Eva Simmons, Kent Simmons, Robbie Sites, Donnie Smith, Connie Sulser, Rosa Tichenor, Sandra Vandevander, the Wayne Vandevander family, Raymond Varner, Amy Vaus, Sheldon Waggy, Judy Williams, Ann Wimer, Junior Wimer, and Margaret Wimer.
