Around and About

A picnic for former employees and retirees of the Sunflower Army Ammunition plant in De Soto will be at 3 p.m. Sept. 19 in Kill Creek Park, Shelter House 1, 11670 S. Homestead Lane, in Olathe.

Attendees are asked to bring their own bread, drinks, table service and lawn chairs. If your last name begins with A-J bring a main dish; K-Q bring a salad, and R-Z bring a dessert. A donation will be taken to cover the park rental and postage. For more information, call Lou Simmons at 832-1850, Karen Frankenfield at 841-1750, Dave Aiken at 842-8503 or Gaynel Meglemre at (913) 888-3221.

  • Family and friends are having a card shower for Francis Denton who will celebrate his 98th birthday on Aug. 14. His address is 417 N. Michigan St.

  • The descendants of John S. and Alice Oyler Dillon met for a family reunion Aug. 1 in the basement of the Lone Star Church. A carry-in dinner was enjoyed by 80 family members and friends. Those present were from California, Oklahoma, Missouri and Kansas.

The oldest member of the family who attended was Letha Dillon Louk, Lawrence. The youngest member was 4-month-old Cody Wayne Smith, son of Marty Smith and Teresa Kincheloener, Lawrence, and the grandson of Bob and Nanci Smith, Lawrence.

The next reunion will be Aug. 6, 2006.

The Averill, Butel, Butell, Jardon family reunion was July 18 at The Lodge in Baldwin. In attendance, were 65 direct descendants of families who came to the area between 1855 and 1858.

Attendees enjoyed sharing pictures and family information. A buffet meal was served. There was a short business meeting. Carl Butell was re-elected president and will lead the 150th family celebration on July 17, 2005.

A bus took attendees around the countryside to see sandstone homes built in 1857, 1860 and 1863 that are still owned by family members.

Those from Baldwin who attended were: Bud and Shirley Jardon; Anne and John Jackson; G. Robert Butell; Delores Jardon; Marvin and Norma Jardon; Dorthea Jackson; Peggy and Floyd Ford; Bill and Deneese Jardon; Doyle, Becky, Megan and Emily Jardon; Carl, Susan and Brian Butell; Kathy Jardon; Amy Stotts, and Pat and Ginger Jardon.

Others who attended from the area were: Don Jardon and Ernest Butell, Lawrence; Larry and Ann Averill, and Kenneth and Kathy Butel, Wellsville. There were 34 out-of-town family members is attendance.

Catherine Stella and Rachel Sellon, both of Lawrence, graduated with honors in May from Grinnell College, Grinnell, Iowa. Stella received a Bachelor of Arts degree in political science. Sellon received a Bachelor of Arts degree in chemistry.