Page 2 - Reedley Exponent 5-24-18 E-edition

The Reedley Exponent A2 Thursday, May 24, 2018
Macon new executive director of Choice Books of West Coast
Contributed
Calvin Macon is the new execu- tive director of Choice Books of West Coast, which has its office in Reed- ley and is part of the national Choice Books company based in Harrison- burg, Va.
Macon started on April 16, ac- cording to an announcement from the West Coast office.
The facility is one of seven re- gional nonprofit distributors that work cooperatively with the Har- risonburg central office. Together, they strive to share “the ‘good news’ of Jesus Christ in the general market place through inspiring and whole- some reading material,” according
to the company announcement.
The books are sold at hospitals, pharmacy retailers, airports and oth- er locations in the United States and Puerto Rico. In 2017, Choice Books sold more than six million Christian
and inspirational books.
Macon is a fairly recent resident
of Reedley.
A native of Georgia, he moved
with his family to Yuma, Ariz. He attended Arizona Western College, where he majored in management and accounting. His 40-year career includes sales and management, with companies such as Southern Arizona Citrus Exchange.
In 1983, Macon and his family moved to Southern California and
later to Visalia. He continued to be involved in citrus produce sales and management and provided consulting and agriculture real estate services. He also served on the Sunkist Growers
board of directors and on a variety of committees for the U.S. Department of Agriculture. From 1975 to 2000, he was part own- er of a Discount Auto Supply Compa- ny, with eight stores and warehouses
in California and Arizona.
Macon’s church background has
been with Protestant churches, pri-
marily Methodist. He has served on church boards and committees.
Five years ago, while living in Arizona, Macon suffered a heart at- tack and spent eight months recov- ering in a Tucson hospital. “Prayer and dependence on God helped me through this difficult time,” he said, in the announcement.
He eventually was able to go back to work. After deciding to retire last year, Macon, who was living in Phoenix, and his son, who lives in Fresno, began checking out retirement facilities in the Central Valley. They chose the Sierra View Homes Retirement Community in Reedley.
He soon wanted to find some
meaningful activity or work and mentioned it to Ro Linscheid, an as- sistant administrator at Sierra View Homes and wife of a member of the Choice Books of West Coast board.
Now, Macon has taken over the role of executive director, with the goal of generating new sales.
“My walk in faith was strength- ened during my time spent in the hospital after a period of two years of recuperation and therapy,” he said in the announcement of his ap- pointment. “I feel that I was given the opportunity to be involved in the mission of serving and giving that Choice Books ministry offers. At this stage of my life, I feel this is a perfect match.”
Cemetery reps will assist visitors on Memorial Day
BROOKS Continued from page A1
and to provide closure to their military past. In all, 66 Central Valley veterans — ranging in age from 66 to 97 — partici- pated. The group included Korean War and Vietnam War veterans.
On May 8, Brooks and his fellow Val- ley veterans were honored in a “Victory in Europe Day” ceremony at the World War II Memorial in Washington D.C. Local veterans were called one by one, with the Washington Monument in front of them and the Lincoln Memorial in the distance behind them.
“It was very emotional, actually,” Brooks said of the ceremony. “These guys I remember, not every one of them, but a lot of them. I lost 16 shipmates on the ship I was on. When you think about all that, times have changed for sure, but I lived in the time when the most patriotic people in the world lived in that era. I saw mothers go to make ships. Anything they needed to do to help the cause, they did.”
The three-day Honor Flight experi- ence also included visits to the Korean War Memorial, Vietnam War Memorial, Navy and Air Force memorials, Iwo Jima Memorial, Arlington National Cemetery and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. The veterans also visited the Library of Congress, where Valley congressmen Devin Nunes, Jim Costa and David Va- ladao all welcomed them. The honored veterans enjoyed plenty of catered meals, entertainment, surprises and camarade- rie throughout the trip.
Everywhere the veterans went — accompanied by an individual guardian — they were led by a police escort that parted the gridlocked Washington D.C. traffic to ensure the veterans made all their stops over the three days. At many of the stops, strangers went out of their way to give them applause, a handshake or a salute.
Staff Report
Reedley Cemetery offi- cials will be on site Monday, May 28, to assist the public in finding the location of graves on the Memorial Day holiday.
Manager Bill Conrad and workers will be on the cem- etery grounds early that day to offer maps and assistance.
The public is allowed to bring flowers early for the holiday. Cemetery officials say mylar balloons are pro- hibited from the property with no exceptions.
The Reedley Cemetery District Board of Trust-
MEMORIAL Continued from page A1
their second child in July. The Memorial Day cere- mony will feature the laying of wreaths at the cemetery’s Unknown Soldier tomb by a number of community groups
and organizations.
For the second year, Carl
Smith will serve as master of ceremony. Smith is a retired Navy chief petty officer and is involved with American Legion Post 25 and the Reed- ley Area Veterans. Smith also serves on the Reedley Com- munity Services Commission.
Bob Robertson with Le- gion Post 35 said that volun- teers are needed to help put up American flags on veter- ans’ gravesides for the holi- day weekend. He asks that anyone interested come out Friday, May 25, at 9 a.m. to
ees asks the public to pick up silk flowers, potted plants or reusable wreaths from graves no later than Wednesday evening, May 30, if they wish to use them another time. Work crews will mow and water the cemetery lawns on Thurs- day, May 31. All flowers and decorations will be removed and disposed of at that time.
Regular mowing will re- sume on Wednesday, June 6. The annual Memorial Day Commemoration ceremony will be at Reedley Cemetery on Monday, May 28. This year’s event will start one
hour earlier, at 9 a.m.
help clean and prepare the flag wells at gravesites. Vol- unteers then will begin plac- ing flags at veterans graves beginning at 7 a.m. Saturday, May 26. Volunteers also are needed to remove the flags from the gravesides at 4 p.m. Memorial Day.
Persons interested in volunteering to help set up flags can simply show up to the cemetery’s back pavilion area. For more information, contact Robertson at 790- 8997.
After the Reedley Cem- etery ceremony, the public is invited to attend a Memo- rial Day commemoration in front of the Vietnam veter- ans memorial in front of the Reedley Police Department, 843 G St. The brief ceremony will begin after the Reedley Cemetery event, sometime between 10:30 and 11 a.m.
Jackson Moore / Mid Valley Publishing
FRED HALL ............................................................................. Publisher JON EARNEST..............................................................................Editor CHRIS AGUIRRE .............................................................. Sports Editor FELICIA COUSART MATLOSZ..................................Panorama Editor DEBRA LEAK........................................................................Marketing JANIE LUCIO.....................................................................Advertising DUBY TREVINO..............................................................Graphic Artist CLINTON ANTONIO......................................................Graphic Artist TOM MONTIJO..............................................................Graphic Artist KATE ISAAK................................................................ Classified Sales STACY HAWKINS .............................................................Accounting ROSEMARY OCHOA........................................................Accounting
The Reedley Exponent (USPS 458-860) is published weekly on Thursdays for $20 a year, $24.50 other areas and $26.50 out-of-state by Mid-Valley Publishing Inc., 1130 G St., Reedley, CA 93654. Periodicals postage paid at Sanger, CA 93657. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to The Reedley Exponent, 1130 G St., Reedley, CA 93654
The Reedley Exponent is one of Fresno County’s oldest newspapers. It was established in March, 1891, in the Knauer residence on the corner of what now is F and 11th streets. In about 1893, it moved to the building where it is still located. The newspaper’s office is at 1130 G St, Reedley, CA 93654, Phone (559) 638-2244.
Fr ed LoeFFLer
December 10, 1922 ~ May 16, 2018
Fred Loef er, age 95, of Reedley, CA. passed away peacefully at Sierra View Homes on May 16, 2018. He was
preceded in death by his parents, Frederick and Rose Loef er, and his seven siblings: Henry, Ruth, Freda, John, Samuel, Walter, and Louise. He was also preceded in death by his beloved son,
Mick Loef er and beloved grandson, Kurt Loef er.
He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Kathleen Loef er; his daughters Linda and husband Ken, Dianne and husband Leroy, son Sam Loef er; seven grandchildren, and eight great-grandchildren; and many beloved nieces and nephews.
Fred practiced medicine in Reedley for 35 years before his retirement in 1990.
The family would like to thank the staff at Sierra View Homes, Dr. Peter Simonian, Dr. Marshall Sorensen, Dr. Janet Habegger, and staff at Reedley Adventist Health, and the many friends and extended family who provided support and prayers to Fred through his later years.
There is a visitation service on Wednesday, May 23, from 4:30 p.m. - 7:00 p.m. at Christ Lutheran Church in the church. There will be a memorial service on Thursday, May 24, at 10 a.m. at the Christ Lutheran Church, 1245 N. Frankwood Ave. in Reedley.
In lieu of owers, remembrances may be made to Christ Lutheran Church.
Calvin Macon
SYMPHONIC Continued from page A1
band director. The call just came on May 15. Once the invitation could be accept-
ed, the 50 RHS Symphonic musicians began rehearsing regularly to learn Hisaishi’s melodies.
This year’s Symphonic Band, under Paulsen’s direc-
tion, again earned a unani- mous Superior rating at the annual CMEA Large Group Music Festival in March. In fact, Paulsen has said this year’s group is one of the best he has led in his years at Reedley High.
Paulsen said the students have been working hard on achieving the quality that the music needs to be. He said the ensemble will have
one rehearsal with Hisiashi Friday afternoon before that evening’s premier perfor- mance in the San Jose Center for the Performing Arts that seats about 2,600 people.
In addition, Paulsen, Gip- son and several other mem- bers of the KCUSD music de- partment will perform with the RHS students. They are Lisa
See SYMPHONIC on page A6
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March 17, 1925 ~ May 19, 2018
Eloise Lozano left this earth and joined her
late husband Daniel Lozano Sr. and daughter Evelyn Roussos in heaven.
She is survived by her children; Danny Lozano Jr., Dennis Lozano, Emily Perez, Colleen St. Martin, Ana VanHorst, and LuAnn Aldape. Eloise has 11 grandchildren and 2 great grandchildren that she loved and cared for dearly.
Eloise was born in Ransburg, Ca. and moved to Reedley where she met her husband Daniel and the two of them were married in 1948. They built their life together in Reedley. Eloise was a nurse at Sierra Kings Hospital who cared for newborn babies. She retired and that retirement consisted of watching her grandchildren everyday. She loved a good family get together or pool party. In her later years she was diagnosed with kidney and heart failure. Eloise was a strong woman who went through dialysis for 4 years - 3 times a week, not once did she complain. She was not afraid to die, but she didn’t want to leave her family behind. These last few years of her life were special as her children and grandchildren spent the most time with her creating more memories. Eloise took her last breath surrounded by her children and grandchildren who were with her in her last days, praying for her and comforting her. Eloise wouldn’t want anyone to be sad in her passing. She would want us to celebrate life and to live our life honoring God and showing kindness to others.
Please join us in her Celebration of Life on Thursday, May 24, 2018. Viewing: 9:30 a.m. - 10:30 a.m.; Rosary: 10: 30 a.m. - 11 a.m.; Mass: 11 a.m. - 12 p.m. all to take place at St. Anthony’s old church. Graveside immediately following mass, at the Reedley Cemetery. Reception following graveside service at The Armory.
Chic Brooks surveyed the solemn scene at Arlington National Cemetery on May 9 during the Central Valley Honor Flight trip to Washington, D.C..
Brooks said it was a “fantastic” ex- perience.
“It will wear you out, two days in a row, but I wouldn’t miss it,” he said. “It wasaverynicetripandImetalotof nice people. It took me back a few years.”
After his military service, Brooks launched 26 restaurant chains, with a single restaurant chain having as many as 66 locations across the Western United States. In recent years, he has attempted to sell off many of his eateries, including some to family.
Brooks still works full-time to operate 10 restaurants — including Brooks Ranch in Reedley — with about 120 employees. His newest restaurant launched in April. Also, he is responsible for about 100 gal- lons of ice cream made weekly at Jeb’s Swedish Creamery in Kingsburg, which he calls his “pet project.”
Brooks has enjoyed his business suc-
cess despite dropping out of school in the eighth grade to “whip the Japanese for bombing Pearl Harbor.”
“I’ve never had stress in my life,” Brooks said, “I refuse to be stressful ... I’m working seven days a week, and I think I can still outrun all the girls in my eighth-grade class.”
On the flight home to Fresno, the veterans were treated to a “mail call” of letters and gifts from family members, friends, city officials, students and more. Upon landing at Fresno Yosemite Inter- national Airport, they were welcomed home by hundreds of people who cheered as loud as they could while the veterans walked through the lobby. It was a wel- come that many of the veterans on the trip never received after their service.
Brooks said of the trip: “It was a fur- therment of my education, and I appreci- ate what they did.”
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