COUNTY LIFE
Christmas villages sparkle
Bennie Walker shares his memories, traditions
By BARBARA GREEN
editor@bowienewsonline.com
Christmas is all about memories and traditions, and no where is that more visible than the home of Bennie Walker as it twinkles and shines with his vast collection of Christmas villages.
As soon as you step into the living room you will hear the happy sounds of toy trains, the swish of an ice skater on a rink and the soft whirl of the ferris wheel from different parts of the holiday town. It is definitely a place where the holidays shine and Walker is happy to share it with his friends and family.
Walker is a longtime Bowie resident and a 30-year retired educator. At 73 he retired twice. He was with the Texas Education Agency, taught at Bowie 13 years, followed by a brief time at Chico before retiring in 2001. In 2002 he returned to teach at Valley View for seven years, before retiring again, and then returning to Valley View.
After retiring again Walker left the school to be available full-time for Mary, and as her illness progressed they decided to move to Missouri, where their oldest daughter’s family lived and she wanted to help care for her mom. Walker says they had planned to stay for a few years, but two weeks later Mary would be gone and Bennie came back to Bowie.
He is a man still grieving for his wife, especially as their 50th anniversary would have been celebrated this year.
“We knew each other six weeks before we got married,” exclaimed Walker. “Two weeks after I met her I asked her to marry me. We were married 42 and a half years when we lost her. She is buried at Truce Cemetery and I usually go out on Sunday.”
Read the full story in the weekend edition of The Bowie News.
Gold-Burg High School students will perform at area one-act competition at 9:30 a.m. on April 11 at Grayson County College.
Director Linda Fitzner said they present “Lady Precious Stream” followed by Newcastle, Irivium Academy, Sulphur Bluff, Avery and Bryson. She called it a “tough, tough area” as Bryson was at state the year before. Gold-Burg also has made a state run last year.
Nocona Public Library and Friends of the Library will be hosting a children’s Easter story time at 10 a.m. on April 11.
Dean Prine will be reading to the children before they make a craft. Dean always makes it a fun story time. All children are invited to attend.
Summer is quickly approaching and the library is already making plans for our summer reading program. Starting June 1, the children can pick up their reading logs. A professional story teller will be visiting the library in July. More details will be released as time gets closer to summer.
The library has received several new books in the last week. “In To Deep” by Lee Child, “Paranoia” by James Patterson and “Far From Home” by Danielle Steel, are just a few new ones that are available for checkout.
Did you know that the library is not all about books? The library staff can make copies and send faxes for a small fee. It has computers for the public to use. Stop by and see what all you can do at the library. It is open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday-Friday.
Bowie High School’s one-act play, “View From The Bridge,” advanced out of bi-district to area after competing this past week.
Teacher and Director April Word said area will be on April 12 at Clyde High School. Bowie performs as the final play of the day.
Other schools performing will be Holliday, Early, Clyde, Ingram Moore and Jim Ned. Plays begin at noon that day and cost to watch is $10.
“The students were amazing at bi-district and had a tremendous performance. I could not have asked for more from them,” said Word.
At bi-district Lia Meier was named best performer, Corban Word was named to the All-Star Cast and Corben Wolsey, honorable mention All-Star Cast.
Aowyn Word received the All-Star Tech and the tech crew was named best overall. Crew members are Elise Fitch, TJ Ferguson, Keller Dosch, Adamari Alonso and Aowyn Word. “Break a leg” Jackrabbits.
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