Meeker, Stories

The fountain of youth?

MEEKER I Those who are brought up in the homes of hardworking people often become hard workers themselves. Hardworking describes Bill and Phyllis Schoenhal perfectly. Bill, who is more than 80 years old, continues to work like a much younger man.
Recently, Bill had to cut down a tree in their yard they feared would fall onto their home. He built an incredible contraption to guide the pieces of the tree safely to the ground as he removed them.
Phyllis told Bill, “Don’t climb up the tree when I’m not here, I don’t want to come home and find you with a broken back.”
“Heights don’t bother him,” she added. “He was a derrick hand in the oil field.” He farmed, roughnecked and worked for a county in Texas before he retired and they moved back home to Meeker.
Phyllis was born and raised in Meeker and shared her memories and area history in the two volumes of “This Is What I Remember” to tell her family’s story.
Her grandfather, Jack Service, was a blacksmith for the railroad in Wyoming, Oklahoma and Pueblo Colo. He was working on the well-known “Roller Dam” in DeBeque Canyon when he decided it was time to move to Lime Kiln Hill, where his good friend Lon Moyer lived.
On May 8, 1914, he and his family loaded horse-drawn wagons and moved to Lime Kiln Hill where they homesteaded near Moyer and Martin Slifka. Jack cut the logs to build the house and barn now owned by Mike Grady and later built a blacksmith shop that remains today.
Jack and Mable (Walker) Service had five children: Madge, Gae, Jim, Audiene (Toots) and Eve. Jack wanted his children to have an education and after talking to the neighbors, he donated the land to build a schoolhouse. Together, the settlers put up a log school building. Sometimes in the winter, classes were held at the Service home.
Mable passed away two years after the family had moved to Lime Kiln and Jack raised the children on his own. He built a reservoir and dug three different wells before finding a good one. He also farmed and trapped to make ends meet. The homesteaders – Cose, Slifka, Peaslee, and Service – went in together on a horse-powered threshing machine that was kept where their fences met. The machine remained there for several years even after the families left.
Phyllis’s father, Jim Service, helped his dad work on the Lime Kiln homestead until he was able to “prove up” his own homestead on Flag Creek. About this time a new teacher, Eleanor Margaret Kuglar, moved in to teach summer school at Lime Kiln. Jim would ride by the school to see Eleanor. He finally began talking to her and the two fell in love. They were married Oct. 26, 1929. The couple lived in Palisade for a while but the Depression was hard on them. They had a quality tomato crop but people did not have money to buy the tomatoes. They moved back to Flag Creek and Eleanor taught in the county schools for 45 years, employed by the Meeker School System until her death. Jim was a carpenter and became a well-known craftsman. The two had three children of their own, Phyllis Elizabeth, Jack Duane Conrad and James Joseph (Jimmy Joe), and were foster parents to two of Eleanor’s Axial schoolchildren, Sam and Sharon Love.
Jim and Eleanor were members of Grace Bible Church. They donated the lots for the building and Jim directed the construction of the church. Eleanor taught the youth Sunday school class for more than 30 years.
Bill and Phyllis have been married nearly 50 years and have three children: Terry, Jalina and Liria; four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren. Phyllis used to bring her grandchildren with her to their Flag Creek cabin in the summers when they were living in Texas.
“Those were some of the best times, camping out, fishing, being outdoors in this beautiful place.” Phyllis taught school in Texas, owned a fabric shop, worked in a flower shop and even a Quik Stop. When she moved back to Meeker she went to work for the Meeker School District. Today, she has a mail run.
“I grew up on a horse, riding all over the place.” She still loves horses and tries to find time to ride. She even has a pack rig for her horses to spray weeds. “My old mare might try to buck me off it has been so long since I’ve ridden her, she has always needed a lot of warming up.”
Phyllis learned to work at a young age. Today, nearly 81, she goes to work nearly every day and then does her chores. In fact, she was unable to sit down for an interview until nearly 8 p.m. Her endearing smile reveals her happiness in the area and with her husband.
Of Meeker she says, “It is home. It is one of the most beautiful small towns in the country.”
The Schoenhals are proof that staying active, enjoying the opportunity to work, and the strength of family bonds keep people young.

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Rio Blanco County and the White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts are still asking for your help to identify additional hatch-outs of crickets so that control efforts can be put in place. The success of the program will highly depend upon local landowners and the public helping to locate crickets as soon as they hatch.  See last week’s paper for a list of ways to help or contact the County Weed & Pest District at 970-878-9670 or the Conservation District office at 970-878-9838 with any questions. Website: www.WhiteRiverCD.com
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It’s getting late, do you know where your kids are? Read all the Rio Happenings for this week in print or online at ht1885.com.
It’s getting late, do you know where your kids are? Read all the Rio Happenings for this week in print or online at ht1885.com.
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Mormon crickets have hatched near Rangely. They were all sighted on BLM land north of Hwy. 64 near the junction of CR 96 and CR 1, down a dirt road near the Moffat County line.  The picture shown was taken yesterday by Mary Meinen from Rangely. She says the crickets are about the size of a ladybug (less than 1/2”). Some of them are actually yellow in color but most of them are darker. They are milling around and getting ready to start moving soon. Note: Photo is not to scale.
Rio Blanco County and the White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts are still asking for your help to identify additional hatch-outs of crickets so that control efforts can be put in place. The success of the program will highly depend upon local landowners and the public helping to locate crickets as soon as they hatch.  See last week’s paper for a list of ways to help or contact the County Weed & Pest District at 970-878-9670 or the Conservation District office at 970-878-9838 with any questions. Website: www.WhiteRiverCD.com
Mormon crickets have hatched near Rangely. They were all sighted on BLM land north of Hwy. 64 near the junction of CR 96 and CR 1, down a dirt road near the Moffat County line. The picture shown was taken yesterday by Mary Meinen from Rangely. She says the crickets are about the size of a ladybug (less than 1/2”). Some of them are actually yellow in color but most of them are darker. They are milling around and getting ready to start moving soon. Note: Photo is not to scale. Rio Blanco County and the White River and Douglas Creek Conservation Districts are still asking for your help to identify additional hatch-outs of crickets so that control efforts can be put in place. The success of the program will highly depend upon local landowners and the public helping to locate crickets as soon as they hatch. See last week’s paper for a list of ways to help or contact the County Weed & Pest District at 970-878-9670 or the Conservation District office at 970-878-9838 with any questions. Website: www.WhiteRiverCD.com
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Choose-your-own-adventure…. Hear from our Editor in this week’s edition and online at ht1885.com.
4 days ago
View on Instagram |
5/9
A crew from the Flat Tops Chapter of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation joined forces last summer to remove obsolete fences to improve habitat for wildlife. Read the full story and the foundation’s update from their 30th Anniversary meeting in this week’s edition and online at ht1885.com.
A crew from the Flat Tops Chapter of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation joined forces last summer to remove obsolete fences to improve habitat for wildlife. Read the full story and the foundation’s update from their 30th Anniversary meeting in this week’s edition and online at ht1885.com.
5 days ago
View on Instagram |
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Black Sulphur Tavern held a grand opening and ribbon cutting for their new business at 364 Seventh St. The space has been renovated with several TVs and games and provides a fun, friendly atmosphere to watch your favorite sports team and enjoy a burger and wings. Owners Frank Maestas and Pat Maestas are pictured with their new staff and Chamber of Commerce representatives Stephanie Hanson, Trudy Burri and Margie Joy. Follow Black Sulphur Tavern on Facebook. Their hours are Wednesday and Thursday 3-9 p.m., Friday 3 p.m. - 1 a.m., Saturday 11-1 a.m., Sunday 11 a.m. to midnight.
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The winning teams and individuals for the 18th annual White River Community Association Buy-Fly Fishing Tournament are as follows. Individual top weight catch was Dave Metrovich and longest fish was Kevin Massey. First place team won by Rio Blanco Abstract: Erik Eckman, Adam Parrett, Dave Metrovich and Wayne Kirkpatrick. Second place team was Drake Consulting: Travis Kaiser, John Douglas, Tony Bartolomucci and Bob Brandeberry. Third place team Mr. Rogers and the Hood (accepted by Doug Rogers) Gary Rogers, Mark Beauchamp, Kyle Schutte and Rick Gunter. The white fish have been frozen and will be served at the annual White River Community Association fish fry fundraiser in June.
6 days ago
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Cowboy Carson Klinzmann on the mound for Meeker at Suplizio Field in Grand Junction last Saturday. Meeker took on the 4A Rifle Bears, losing 11-1, and the Basalt Longhorns, losing 7-3. Read the recap online at ht1885.com.
6 days ago
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