Magnolia Village/Park - Family Park

After mulling this over and talking with the officers and board members for the past few days the consensus of everyone is that the members of the Magnolia Park Senior Citizens Association need to be made aware of the happenings in Magnolia Village/Park.

As I have told you previously, 31 new mobiles have been moved into the park and they are huge. They are all being advertised on craigslist and the gist of the ad is as follows:   

"Multifamily Housing All Ages Welcomed!! All Credit Considered"

Experience FAMILY LIVING in one of the area's NEWEST COMMUNITIES

The ad goes on to say that it is a pet friendly community, New Playground Coming and Picnic Area.

It does tout these homes of course, as one would expect from someone trying to rent them and from what I can see they have further reduced the rents to help in that effort. A sign is placed out by the gate on a lot of days advertising an Open House.

Now, if it walks like a duck and quacks like a duck, it's a duck. In other words, Magnolia Village is now a family park no matter what they may call it. Most of us who have either lived here year-around for years or come as Winter Texans have enjoyed it as a 55+ park all that time and now that has definitely changed.

There is still no website up for the park so we have no idea what the rents are going to be. They told us the rents wouldn't change but they also told us it was going to stay a 55+ park and that has proved to be not the case. I can't see too many seniors needing or wanting a playground for instance.

There will have to be many decisions made next season in regard to the Association and what each of us plans to do in the future.

Jim and I have about decided that we will return for one more year. We did leave a deposit before we left and reserved our spot on the corner of Center and Magnolia with the thought in mind that we could cancel if things got really bad. We didn't actually think it would come down to Magnolia turning into a family park and now we more or less feel that if we don't come back for one more year we would kind of be like rats deserting a sinking ship.

As I've told several of the officers and board members, it is an end to an era and it is sad. We've had a lot of fun over the years and met lots of great folks. The park has always had its ups and downs which is normal when you get a lot of people living together (especially "old" people). By the time March rolls around most of us are ready to head back north but if you are like I am, it isn't long until I'm counting the months till we are back on the road heading south, wondering how everyone's summer went and looking forward to seeing everyone again.

Stay tuned - I'll try to keep you informed and as always, you can reach me by email.

Arlene Beach Obituary

We have received word of the passing of Arlene beach who was part of the Magnolia family for many years. I don't really have an address where cards can be sent but at the bottom of the obituary you can click on the link and leave a message for the family at the funeral home.

Funeral services for Arleen Gae (Stieg) Beach, 87, of Baker will be 11:00 a.m. Thursday, May 30, at the American Lutheran Church in Baker with Pastor Scott Kiehn officiating. Burial will follow at the family plot in Bonnievale Cemetery with lunch following interment at American Lutheran Church.

Visitation for Arleen will be from 4:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Wednesday, May 29, at Stevenson Funeral Home in Baker with a prayer service being held at 6:00 p.m.

Arleen passed away Tuesday, May 21, 2019 at Fallon Medical Complex in Baker.

Arleen is survived by two daughters; Sheryl (Greg) Elsen, Indianapolis, Indiana; Kalli McQuillan, St. Paul, Minnesota; and one son, John (Pamela) Beach, Baker; and ten grandchildren, Ben Elsen, Sarah (Eric) Ratliff, Jay McQuillan, Patricia Deluciano, Leah McQuillan, Ian (Marie) McQuillan, Carson (Ruth) Beach, Connor (Lynn) Beach, Laura Beach, and Hillary (Jeff) Frank; and nine great-grandchildren; a sister, Betty Tagge; friend, Kenny Beaderstadt; and two sisters-in-law; Joan Beach and Lenore Beach. She is preceded in death by her husband Delane; her parents; two brothers, Art and Bill, and sister Helen.

Remembrances and condolences may be shared with the family at www.stevenosnfuneralhome.com.

Map Update, 31 New Mobile Locations

There have been several new posts in the last few days so if you haven't checked in for a few days be sure to scroll down for all the latest news. I put a park update on last night and then today Barb posted Eula's obituary along with her photo. We remember Eula well, she was a nice lady and I always enjoyed her especially when she was in the Choraliers. She did a lot of things in Magnolia  and was a very active person in our park.

Below is the latest map update with the locations of all the units that have been brought in. Thus far 31 units have been brought into Magnolia Village/Park and I believe 38 over at Shady acres. Carolyn Murray has provided me with the lot numbers and I hope I have them all right. 

Obituary for Eula Henderson

Obituary for Eula Henderson
Eula Virgene Kenney was born to Archie and Martha Kenney on February 1, 1928, in Kearney, Nebraska. In 1940, the family moved to Harvard, Iowa, where they lived until they bought a farm in the New Zion area.

Eula graduated from Corydon high school in 1945, and became a school teacher in a one-room schoolhouse.

On June 1, 1947, she was united in marriage to Harold Wayne Henderson. To this union were born 4 children, Gwenda, Janet, Gary and Bette. The family made their home on a farm east of Corydon, where Eula lived until she moved to Corydon in 2014.

Eula continued to teach school, and worked as a secretary for the Wayne Community School from the late 60s until 1977. Beginning in 1978, Wayne and Eula began to travel. They spent winters in south Texas, and particularly liked the flea market they attended in Canton, Texas. They spent many years buying junk, and selling antiques. Eula had several collections, but she was probably most proud of her pie bird collection.

Wayne and Eula also enjoyed dancing, and if there was music, they would dance. If there wasn't music, Eula would play her organ, which was frequently requested by her grandchildren. Possibly more requested than the organ were her famous chocolate chip cookies, which could always be found in a yellow tub in the freezer in her kitchen. These cookies earned her the nickname, Grandma Cookie. She also loved to paint, and color, and her grandkids and great-grandkids could expect a personalized birthday card in the mail on their day.

She was a lifelong member of Prairie Trails Museum, and was granted a lifetime honorary spot on the board of directors of the museum. She was also a lifetime member of the American Legion Auxiliary, and was a charter member of the Wayne County Hospital Auxiliary. She was also a member of the Eden Garden Club in Corydon. In 2013, Eula was honored to be named Old Settler of the Year, at Corydon's annual celebration.

She spent her last years at Murphy Place in Corydon, and most recently lived at Homestead Assisted Living, in Chariton.

Eula was preceded in death by her parents, her husband of 49 years, Wayne; her daughter, Janet Hansen; her brother, Leland Kenney and his wife Shirley; and a grandson, Terry Harvey. She is survived by her brothers Dean (Doris) Kenney, and Gordon (Shirley) Kenney; her daughter Gwenda (Jim) Baker, son Gary (Susan) Henderson, daughter Bette (Linus) Kuboushek, and son-in-law Alan Hansen, as well as 9 grandchildren, 15 great-grandchildren, and 2 great-great grandchildren.

Park News

I chatted for a little bit with Bea this afternoon because I have had phone calls telling me that it was announced last week that Magnolia would be a family park.

This is what Bea told me. She said that she did not use those words but what she said was the park is a multi-age park. She told me that she is trying hard to be mindful of the ages when the units are rented and in fact, the units are not renting easily, at least at this time. Now, everyone I imagine is going to have their own idea of what a multi-age park is, I know we do.  The mobiles that have been brought in are huge and there will not be any park models brought in. I believe they are all two or three bedroom.

The streets are being worked on, in fact I have received a few pictures of that. From what I understand, the potholes were filled with asphalt and then a very thin coating was sprayed on the streets. Anything would be an improvement I would think.

David Helton who lived over on Willow has pulled his mobile out of the park and as far as I know, there haven't been any others that have left, at least not recently.

I did not ask Bea about the rents but I know a lot of you who own mobiles have paid for a year in advance before you left the park this spring. As RVers, we would like to know what they intend to do with the RV rates. As of yet, I can't find any kind of website for Magnolia and the one that I do find for Shady is old as their email address on there is flintstone properties and they are no longer the owners of either park.

If any of you have information you'd like to share, please send me an email and as I say every time, my email address is in the directory as well as our phone number. If I hear anything else, I will certainly post it.

Eula Henderson Passed away

From Eula's daughter:

Our Mom, Eula Henderson,  passed away this morning. She went very peacefully and she was ready.

Visitation is Wednesday from 5-7 at the funeral home in Corydon.  The funeral is Thursday at 10:30 at the Methodist Church in Corydon. 

She loved Magnolia and missed being there.

Gwenda Henderson Baker

I slipped up. Barb

Bill and Kay Stilson have made it home and Bill did very well on the trip.

Latest Park News

There are now 29 mobiles that have been moved into Magnolia Village and it would seem that the last ones are just parked temporarily for now. There are still four in the RV section and a couple more  parked on Magnolia street. I think they are waiting for the work to be completed back on Cummings so they can move them back there but that is strictly a guess. I will pass along any information as I get it.

I understand Anita Nelson has been in the hospital and I'm betting she would appreciate getting cards in the mail. She and Dick live on Pecos and their address is in the directory. I kind of hate to put it on line as anyone can read this blog.

The one mobile that has been skirted on Pecos has now been rented but I can't tell you anything more than that. It is on Lot #211.

I have not heard if Pecan Bill and Kay got back home to Iowa but I am assuming they have. If someone knows differently, let me know. If anyone has news you'd like to share, please let me know.

Park Update

The latest update that I have gotten is that there are now 27 new mobiles in the park and at least one more across Midway in the area of the dumpster. As I understand it they are using that as a "storage area." The other four new ones are parked in the RV section, some on Center and some on Texas. They are just sitting there, waiting I presume for the road work to be done back on Cummings and then the supposition is that they will go back there.

This is the one home that has been skirted and is ready to be rented. It is on Lot #211. There was an Open House in the park over the weekend and I am guessing it was to visit this home. The park owners have listed LOTS of these mobiles on Craig's List, both for Magnolia and also Shady Acres. These homes are not furnished but do have a stove and refrigerator and I think perhaps a dishwasher. For the most part they are three bedroom homes I believe.  There are also a number of 5th wheels which are occupied by people who are working in the oil fields. It would appear that the park is in a state of transition and I guess all that we can do is wait and see what develops. I do know that as far as I can tell neither our park or Shady Acres currently has a web site and, as a matter of fact, neither does Big Valley which is also owned by the folks who now own Magnolia and Shady unless one was put up today but as of last night when I looked I could find nothing. I, for one, am interested in what the rent structure is going to be for Winter Texans. I know people are wondering what their lot rents are going to be and the few RVers who are Winter Texans are also wondering.  I will try to keep you updated as I am able to get information.

Stilson Update

Bill and Kay will be leaving the valley on Thursday. Craig, their son, will be assisting them. Our prayers will be with them on the journey.

Bernie Houle Obituary

I snipped this picture of Bernie from the website.
Barb

I had a message from Vera with a link to Bernie Houle's obituary. Unfortunately I wasn't able to copy and post that link here successfully but I did find another notice of his obituary which I have below. For those of us who have been coming to Magnolia for quite a while, we remember Bernie and I think they lived over on Lime but I could be wrong about that. I'm going to look through my pictures from years past and see if I can find a photo of him. This is the link to what Vera sent me and you should be able to click on it and there is a photo there of Bernie and a more complete obituary.
https://www.integritydeathcare.com/bernie-houle?fbclid=IwAR1fgppGQVzfgbS3nAka6WPd7kZxCdULVP6hoFuis_ZSHt1Sy8o8gR6M-Fk

Here is the other one that I found just as it was printed.

It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Bernie Houle (Winnipeg, Manitoba), who passed away on April 7, 2019, at the age of 73, leaving to mourn family and friends. Family and friends can send flowers and condolences in memory of the loved one. Leave a sympathy message to the family on the memorial page of Bernie Houle to pay them a last tribute.

He was predeceased by : his parents, Adelard and Retha (Cooke). He is survived by : his children, Krista, Kevin (Laurelle), Kerry, Diane, Coreen, Karen (Gigi), Ronnie, Dean and Geordie; his siblings, Dollard, Jean-Claude, Leo, Irene and Paulette; his grandchildren, Natalie, Ashley, Renee, Emma Grace, Lilly, Raquelle, Randi, Miranda, Chris, Jordan, Hailey, Sierra, Elijah and Emily; his significant other Anita. He is also survived by several great grandchildren.

A celebration of life will be held on Monday, April 22nd 2019 at 2:00 PM at the First Unitarian Church (603 Wellington Crescent, Winnipeg, MB).