Feature Stories
Katie Sherrow
5/2/1921 - 4/18/2025
If Katie Sherrow, a genuine World War II Rosie the Riveter, had lived only 13 more days, she would have been 104 years old. I thought this remarkable woman would make it to at least 110. On her 100th birthday, Ray and I had planned a huge celebration with 120 guests and a performance by our friend Bob, an Elvis tribute artist and his band. Unfortunately, Covid prevented that. Several people have said they would like to read the booklet I wrote about her life for her Centennial Birthday so here it is. Just click on the cover below to read the story of her adventurous sojourn on Earth.
To read Katie's booklet, please click on the cover.
To Be a Kansan
There was once a magazine in Wichita named Ks! which featured an article each month titled To Be a Kansan. Previous articles had featured Bob Dole and other famous Kansans but I figured I'd send an article even though I wasn't famous. It may have included the worst photo of me ever taken but I had a good excuse because I was smelling dead skunk. Ray and I had returned from as Vegas two days before to discover that a skunk had died somewhere under the front concrete porch and the house reeked of a decomposing skunk who had in his death throes apparently released a full load of skunk odorant. We sprayed the house with cans of air freshener which did nothing to erase, or even mask, the smell. In desperation we bought some very expensive liquid that we soaked into cotton balls and hid behind drapes and furniture that was supposed to magically remove the worst of odors. It didn't touch this odor. It was at that point that the Ks! editor called and said he was sending a photographer to Lawrence to take a photo of me. I told him that wasn't a good idea (and why) but he sent the photographer anyway and I learned it is hard for a photographer to take a photo while holding his nose.