As the Cushing Rotary Club gears up for its 90th anniversary celebration, members were treated to a “trip down memory lane” led by past president Dick Wheeler.
Mr. Wheeler was the president of Cushing’s Rotary Club in 1959 when the club celebrated its 40th anniversary. He said the celebration was held on Valentine’s Day that year.
“We received a neat little gift that I gave to my wife,” Wheeler reminisced. “It was a manicure set in a case. My wife carried that until we were getting ready to get on a plane after 9/11 – they got my pocket knife, too!”
Mr. Wheeler shared many tidbits of the past, including a rundown of all the businesses that once lined the streets of Broadway in downtown Cushing.
“We used to have five lumber yards and four hardware stores… a couple of theaters, hotels and a couple of drugstores – can you imagine?” he said.
Wheeler himself was a part of the downtown group as owner of the Western Auto store located next door to “Pappy James” for many years.
Aside from the memories, Mr. Wheeler amused the group with his quips and great sense of humor.
“You know if you live long enough to see all your friends start dying, you’d better get to making some new ones,” he advised with a twinkle in his eye. “You get to looking at the obituaries and see folks dying in their 40s, their 50s and such and you get to thinkin’ that maybe that Guy up there just don’t want you!”
Brought into Rotary over 50 years ago – by “Lee Denney’s dad,” Mr. Wheeler turns 92 on July 2nd, earning him the title of the “Oldest Living Past President” of the Club.
Mr. Wheeler ended his portion of the meeting by asking his audience to stand and sing the song “Smile.”
And then he did and they did.
Cushing Rotary Club will celebrate its 90th anniversay on June 17th.
***
