Wapella.com Mourns the Passing of Richard Mills

Richard Mills, 65, of Clinton died Friday August 24. The brother of Wapella's own Ronnie Mills was a longtime resident of Clinton, and is survived a great number of relatives and friends throughout DeWitt and Macon County. All condolences to the Mills family from Wapella.com.

Easiest Question ever on Wapella.com

"Open Question: How can I find people that are looking for Karla(Ives)Stewart from Wapella,Ill.?


Aug 11, 2007 @ 07:02 pm by
I was best known for my height 5′10-11. Auburn hair, brn eyes, and raised on a farm, and went to school, in Wapella, Illinois. I was also a foreign exchange student in Brazil. I was first married to Butch Stewart, then Jeff Glenn, and my last name now is Manceaux. My maiden name is Karla Jean Ives. I also have a full grown son, Larry “Chad” Stewart. He has given me 3 grandchildren, and I am now 51 years old."

Gardening Tips

One of the least useful features of the old format Wapella.com was a list of hare-brained household and garden tips. Inadvertently this one got dropped from the list, but here it is:

Not enough swarms of dragonflies around your house? Try not cleaning your gutters for a year or two to encourage mosquito breeding, and sit back and enjoy the hordes of bugs fighting it out in your garden.

Wapella.com apoligizes for the omission.

8 Reason Why Wapella is Comfortable

Wapella sure makes a comfortable backpack, at least according to Obus Forme. Not sure why this model is named the Wapella, but it looks like a good one. Buy a Wapella Backpack and show your WHS Pride by stitching Ironbird or Hog City on it or something.

Here is the Wapella model Backpack on Amazon.com

Field Days

The always hospitable Wapella Great James Toohill, announces a Field Day at Toohill Seed and Beef. All are welcome. Thanks for the invite James!

Learn more Here!

Photography Website Features Wapella

The great Welsh photographer James Morris (perhaps a distant relation to the Hog City original James "Jimmy" Morris) has launched a new website, aptly named JamesMorris.info, highlighting his architectural photography, spanning from Cairo, Egypt, to Butabu in West Africa, with a big stop in Italy (where James' wife is a Contessa in the Royal House of Savoy) and a couple of trips to the USA, one of which took him to Wapella in September of 2004.

You may have dodged James, who drives British style (on the left hand side of the road, regardless of prevailing local conditions), while ambling out in Wilson Township (pictured), as he drove south from Merna to Wapella via Irish Row. There are a few pictures of Wapella on his website, as he extensively photographed both the Wapella Christian Church and St. Patrick's Roman Catholic Church.

You really should see what one of the worlds greatest photographers makes of Wapella.

James Morris

Wapella.com mourns the passing of Russell Welch

Russell Dean Welch, 60, formerly of Harp Township has died at age 60. A Wapella Wildcat, Russ graduated from Wapella High School in 1964. After attending officer training school, he served nine years in the Army at various locations, including Germany and Vietnam, attaining the rank of Major. He received his bachelor's degree from Southern Illinois University and an MBA from the University of Dayton. Russ was a certified public accountant who retired from Ford Motor Co. as a controller after 30 years. The son of longtime Harp Township and Wapella Village residents, the late Lester and the very much alive Evelyn Welch, Russell enjoyed pilotting and travelling.

Russ was the beloved husband of Nancy; devoted father of Brian (Mary) and Mark (Kelley); and stepfather of Gregory (Inas) Thomas and Dr. Laura (Anand) Ganger; and doting grandfather to six grandchildren. Survivors include his mother Evelyn, brothers, Montie (Ana Leticia) and Richard (Elfriede); and sisters, Delores (Bill) Severino, Linda (Craig) Kurth, Sheryl (Ray) Maier, Nancy (Dave) Raaf and Lana (Larry) Thayer; five nieces; 10 nephews; eight grand-nieces; and 10 grand-nephews.

All flags half-mast for US Army Veteran, Major Russell Welch.

Urgent Research Needed on Ol' Possum

Wapella.com readers, I need your help. Does anyone have the lyrics for George Jones' classic comedy-rock-country song "Root Beer"? It is from back in the 1950's (I think) and has all the elements of the best work of Mr. No-Show, albeit a light touch and not nearly as emotional as many of his forlon ballads...well a bit emotional as it is something of a paeon to not having enough alcohol, and being left to drink "Root Beer".

Anyone have this? I have searched high and low on the Internet for this.

Bobby Gallagher: Where Are You?

Having once graced the confines of Hog City, will the Gallagher clan be attending an attempted Guinness World Record event of the largest gathering of same last names ever? The organizers of 'The Gallagher Clan Global Gathering' are inviting every Gallagher in the world to the Guinness World Record attempt of the Largest Same Name Gathering. So, organizers plan to try to track down everyone in the world with the surname Gallagher, and hold the event in County Donegal, Ireland, where the name has it's origins.
Sources say the most famous Gallaghers on the planet - Noel and Liam Gallagher of Oasis - have been invited to attend. But a bigger question for Hog City: will Bobby Gallagher, Jimmy "Squelch" Gallagher and family attend? Does anyone know their whereabouts? Will they jam with 2/3 of Oasis???
Will this event have more Irishmen per capita then Wapella's Donovan reunion?

Serenity at Long Point

The Chapel at Long Point is one of the favorite topics of Wapella.com correspondents. There is a timeless nature to this Chapel, and a heavenly outlook towards the neighbors of Zabriska and Long Point.

Photo courtesy Rosaline Summers

Boots Randolph RIP

No one sums up Hog City humor like Benny Hill. His lowbrow winking antics were just the tonic for those that thought Monty Python was the epitome of humor. But half of the fun of Benny Hill was his theme song from Boots Randolph, Yakety Sax. When the sax began yakking, you could hear the hijinks honking away from Hill and his half dressed foils.

From Paducah Kentucky, Randolph served in the Army in WW2 and played in Dink Welch's CopyCats band in Decatur Illinois till 1957. Randolph also played with many rock and roll and country artists including Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis and Chet Atkins. His music was frequently used on the CBS NFL Football Highlights to spotlight a recovery from a botched play, or a mad scramble.

You want to hear it? Here is Yakety Sax from the master, Boots Randolph. For you sax-a-fans out there Boots used a a Selmer Super 80 Series II with a Bobby Dukoff D-9 mouthpiece, and a #3 Rico reed. Boots Randolph died July 3, 2007 at the age of 80. May he Rest in Peace.

Hat Tip to Barry Bonds

What a hitter, 756 and counting! Wapella.com lowers the Blue and White Banner for a salute to the Home Run King Barry Bonds, and his fine tribute to his father Bobby Bonds. Way to go Barry, hope you hit 100 more. Say Hey to Willie Mays as long as he is out there.

Wapella.com mourns Lavon Willoughboy

Wapella.com mourns Lavon Bray Willoughby, 92, a longtime Wapella resident. Mrs.Willoughby is the mother of the great Jerry Willoughby of Clinton, Eugene, Paul, and Patricia Lord as well as the Aunt, Great Aunt and Great-Great Aunt of over 100 Wapella Wildcats. She was preceded in death by her husband Orville Willoughby, five sisters and three brothers, including Merle "Brute" Bray of Wapella.

Put Out More Flags

Or how Heyworth reacted to the Wapella 150 Flag contest. I must admit, Heyworth 151 is a great flag, and serves the purpose of boosting our good Hornet neighbor to the North. This shot from the Heyworth American Legion, a great civic and fraternal organization that promotes the best qualities in neighborliness, patriotism, and civility. Hornets, I applaud you, but for simplicity sake, I am sticking with the Hog City Banner. So, to welcome, the Wapella Flag Commssion has been officially chosen, and the big names are in:

1) Chairman: Bill Morris
2) Jason Karr
3) Linda Jackson
4) Sean Holland
5) Beth Fryman

To the best of my knowledge, there can be no better choice for Civic Pride, Banner Fliers, and All Around Wildcats than the above Starting 5. Go Wapella!

If looks could kill

Here is a nice shot of Leo "The Lip" Durocher with Yankee prospect Herman Munster. The Cubs may have missed the trading deadline to pickup Herman.

Last Call for '82 Cats

$5 Cover, Walapalooza, and 25 Years of the Pride of the Wildcats. Come on up to the Irish Circle Saturday evening for high action, dog-fighting, and 25 Cheers for the Class of 82. All attached to WHS are invited (couldn't stop you from coming anyway, so get on up to the Green Ring).