This is a show unlike any other.

Bringing you up close and personal with Kansans through the decades.

Some are gone.

Some are still with us.

All are interesting.

Boy are they ever.

Coming up on this edition of Hattebergs People-- Our house would have been here.

We were found a block east in the backyards of these houses.

Amazingly, Don survived, but tragically many others didn't.

Now Don reflects back on the 1958 El Dorado tornado and the need to construct a memorial to the victims.

Also.

They mean the world to me, they mean the world.

Theyre my life.

Jan O'Dell was one of those grown ups that kids never forget.

See what made her preschool so special and why she made the difficult decision to close it down.

Plus.

I could tell they were really listening.

And I would want them also to to feel that someone cared about them.

Sometimes music is the best medicine.

Muriel Slater has devoted much of her life to performing for the sick and dying.

You'll see how the benefits flow in both directions.

And we'll have this story.

I sell lots of it.

Last year I scanned 45 of the first Saturday night of the season.

Even in 1985 Kelly Nichols general store was a throwback from the past.

He knew time was running out.

He was getting old and his tiny town was crumbling.

We'll take you back to this moment in time in Harlem, Kansas.

Hi, I'm Larry Hatteberg.

And I'm Susan Peters.

We are glad to have you with us.

We'll show you those stories and more on this edition of Hattebergs People.

These stories are like old friends.

Their lives radiate from the screen, like prophets of the past.

They were teachers, but not in a classroom.

Instead, they taught about life to those around them who cared to listen.

And I was their student.

In Kansas, We are used to the threat of tornadoes each spring for as long as there have been people on the plains.

There have been damaging and deadly twisters.

And many Kansas towns have been hit by at least one deadly and devastating tornado in their history.

The worst to hit El Dorado came in 1958.

Don Nace was just a child.

And 50 years later, he talked about that harrowing event as his town was preparing to dedicate a memorial.

The tornado came through.

It carried us almost directly.

A block east of where I'm standing now.

Our house would have been here.

We were found a block east in the backyards of these houses.

It was June 10th, 1958, when El Dorado residents Donald Nace and his brother, sister and mom felt the full fury of the tornado.

A man I hadn't seen before came to the door and told us that.

A tornado was coming.

That time, my mother and I, we went out of the bedroom closet and it was just seconds later that we could hear the glass breaking, the windows blew out of our house.

I can hear the house start to come apart the next thing I remember, I was laying on the ground.

I really didn't know where I was, but I was laying on the ground and it was raining very hard on me.

The tornado and tragedy tonight.

El Dorado counts 13 dead and 57 injured.

More than 150 families are without homes.

Today, walking in the neighborhood where the tornado touched down, Don Nace knows he was one of the lucky ones, even though he spent weeks in the hospital.

I don't mind talking about it.

I don't think it should be forgotten.

But of all the tornadoes to hit Kansas in modern times, this one is the least remembered by the public.

The El Dorado Rotary Club wants to change that.

That's why they designed a memorial dedicated to the 13 victims who lost their lives in that tornado.

The design will feature 13 pillars and a wind harp.

The memorial will be a permanent fixture in Graham Park in El Dorado.

So I think a memorial is a great thing because it brings all those memories back.

We rebuilt the house, replaced most of our possessions, healed from our injuries, the school starting and life just went on.

Yeah, I'll never forget, that was quite an experience.

Now, each June 10th, El Dorado residents gather at the memorial to honor the victims precisely at 5:45 p.m. That's the exact moment in 1958 when that tornado hit.

And I think people like Don will remember that time for the rest of their lives because it changed lives in El Dorado.

And as kind of a little aside to that, I remember going with my dad to deliver pastries to the rescue workers in El Dorado in our bread truck.

You do not!

I was like in the sixth grade or something.

That's incredible!

And I went with him and he passed out donuts and pastries to the linemen and to all of the workers who were working to rebuild.

That is-- That's embedded in my mind.

Thats incredible.

And it was a long time ago.

You know, it's important that these things are remembered.

And it just it.

Its something important, that this history is passed down, even though the history is not very pleasant.

You have to pass.

You have to pass it down.

Well, you learn from it.

Yeah, that's what they did.

I'm glad a memorial was finally built.

Absolutely.

It's a good thing.

In TV, we like big audiences, but musician Muriel Slater is content with audiences as small as one.

In 2006, she was completing her certification as music therapist.

However, by then she had already been at it for a number of years, using music to bring comfort, joy and healing to the sick and the infirm.

I have been on a mission to see music at the hospital.

It is a short walk of hope that brings Muriel Slater to one of the Via Christi campuses.

Her belief is that music can provide healing, hope and entertainment to those dealing with significant medical issues.

I think this is what I was born to do.

In the other part of her life, Muriel is a department secretary for patient care support at St. Francis.

For 19 years, she's been involved with the hospital and has been playing music here since the 1990s.

The secretarial job and the playing for patients really balance each other out pretty well.

Playing can be very emotional.

It can be a very emotional experience.

I stress myself out and so it's nice to come back to the secretarial work and don't have to be worried about a note or or something like that.

I really hope that the music that I'm playing is making a difference.

It is here with the people.

This is where it is most rewarding.

They were really listening.

I could tell they were really listening and I would want them also to feel that someone cared about them.

She has studied under the rigorous Music for Healing and Transition Program at Wichita State.

The music practitioner is trained.

Hi, Mildred.

To watch the patient.

Happy birthday.

To match your mood To play major keys for certain kinds of patients, for heart patients, or for patients with chronic illnesses.

You play a heartbeat music 60, 60 to 80 beats per minute.

And sometimes her work is for an audience of one.

I know that she was taking it all in as a good experience and something that was just for her.

I think the best part for me for listening is how it makes my faith grow.

I look back through my life and I see how I was.

It appears to me like I was groomed to do this.

Muriel officially retired from Via Christi in 2013.

However, she has continued to perform her music for patients at the hospital and at the Harry Hines Hospice.

This as a volunteer.

And it's so nice that she's continuing to do that because I know when I shot the story with her, when she would walk into a room, the people really loved it.

They loved “A ”, being remembered, “B ” having somebody in their room and just nice to be noticed with the music.

To Be noticed.

Thank you, Muriel, for still providing our infirmed with love, joy, music that can provide them with peace and memories and a few minutes of joy.

Absolutely.

And that's what it's all about.

Calms the soul.

Mm hmm.

Imagine how much better our world would be if we had more patient, talented teachers who care for children the way Jan Odell did.

Yeah.

Jan ran a preschool in McPherson for nearly 30 years.

Everybody there knew her.

And in 2008, when she decided to call it quits, I received many letters from parents who simply loved Jan.

They said she had an amazing way with children and had been a great blessing, an asset to countless families in the McPherson area.

They suggested I pay her a visit and make her one of Hattebergs people.

So I did.

You found some over there.

Oh, thank you.

Theyre little people.

Theyre our future leaders.

And we need to remember that with children, we need to open our hearts and our minds and listen to them because they do speak and what they say is very important.

Where is the train going?

Front.

Is he going around the mountain or through the mountain?

Through.

Right.

They are little faces, fascinated with life, learning to share, learning to cope, and most importantly, learning to trust.

Well, what would be really tall?

A church.

Yes.

Youre right.

And it is down these stairs where hundreds of children have trusted and loved Jan O'Dell.

I pledge allegiance...

It's not your typical basement.

So I want it to be cheerful and inviting when the kids come in.

Well, I've always wanted to be a teacher.

This is about dinosaurs.

That's right.

A great joy from being with God's children.

They're just real blessings.

And to see them grow and nurture is the biggest reward of all.

For her, this basement learning center isn't just a job.

It's an extended family.

And these are her children.

The Lord gives me patience and gives me the patience and the blessings to have the preschool as a ministry.

I really consider it a ministry for Him and to the children and the parents in the community.

Parents have been very, as you can tell from the emails, very loving and very caring and wanting to help with all activities that we do in school.

For nearly three decades, these colorful basement rooms have been full of chattering children and the smell of paste and crackers.

But in May, this beloved teacher will close her daycare for good.

And they mean the world to me.

They mean the world, theyre my life.

But on June 1st, Jan will begin a new life working in the children's ministry at her church.

Very hard.

But at the same time, I know this is the Lord's will.

He's directed me to go.

It's your turn.

Give me five.

I'll see you Thursday.

But the old place preschool will never be gone.

Because these children will always carry with them the memories of Jan the woman who became like family to hundreds of MacPherson children.

But never say goodbye.

Just say, see you later.

Jan said, “See you later ” One last time.

When she passed away in 2014, she was 65 years old.

Just to have people in a community who love the children and who you can trust with your children to take care of them, you know, that's such a blessing.

And fortunately, McPherson had that person.

Right?

Right.

And it was a blessing to Jan and the community.

I'm sure that you recognized her with Hattebergs people.

Well, how nice.

Well, the entire community had already recognized with their most precious treasured things, their kids.

And so just to give her a little publicity, it was a good thing.

We lost her too young.

We did?

Yes, very much.

Back in our day, the five and Dime was a popular place to shop.

In our grandparents day, it was the general store where they went to buy just about anything from pickles to pantyhose.

And one of the last old fashioned country general stores in Kansas was in the little town of Harlan.

And in 1985, as you'll see right here, both the town and the store were on their last legs.

I'd almost bet money that you haven't been down this old road before.

You're just off Highway 24 south of Smith's Center, rolling into Harlan, Kansas.

This is the general store.

It's the only business left on Main Street.

Down here is the post office.

And way down yonder sets the church.

It's one of those frosty, crisp mornings.

And back up at the general store, Proprietor Kelly Nichols is making sure his cats are fed.

Well, I used to raise bird dogs, but the old hunting dog died.

And I told my wife that after we get rid of him that I wasn't going to have anything had to take care of.

There's one thing you'll notice.

Kelly doesn't have to take care of the outside of his store.

It just sort of takes care of itself.

That sign there has been there for that as long as I've been in business.

Well, I'm the oldest man in town.

I figure when I'm gone, why, itll close.

You know, there aren't many stores left like this.

There's stuff piled all over the place, both in front and across the street.

Some of it's junk, some antique.

And all of it has been put there by Kelly.

I had a fella come yesterday from the next town west, and he wanted a stovepipe.

And after I got him fixed up, I said, “Dont they have stovepipe there?

” “Well, ” he says, “I'd rather come down here and get it.

” There's a reason for that.

Kelly's store isn't the slick computerized one in the city.

His is all country.

You can hardly walk down the aisle because of the piles of goods.

These potatoes came from his garden and these razor blades you haven't seen for a long time.

I told my wife it didn't make any difference what you kept, if you kept it long enough, somebody would come by that wanted it.

Under the bare light bulbs you'll find crutches and fan belts, lamps, corncobs and baling wire and of course, pheasant.

Oh, yes.

I, I sell lots of I.

Last year I scanned 45 the first Saturday night of the season.

For downtown Harlan, Kansas.

The season is just about over.

Only Kelly's general store keeps company... with the wind.

This is Larry Hatteberg.

Well, we're not sure exactly when he closed the store, but Kelly lived another 15 years.

That store, interestingly enough, is still standing.

Here it is, in a recent photo of downtown Harlan.

Wow.

There's not much happening there these days, but there you have downtown Harlan.

And I love these little Kansas towns, you know?

I do, too.

I do.

But they're drying up and blowing away, particularly out in western Kansas.

And I drive out to western Kansas now, and I see towns that when I started at KAKE TV all those years ago were flourishing.

And today, Tumbleweed City, I mean, there's nothing happening.

And that's unfortunate.

And the bigger towns of Liberal, Dodge and Garden.

Yeah, that stuff is happening, right?

But in these little tiny towns, the young people have left.

And I hate to see that.

Oh, I hate to see it, too.

But, you know, if we were them, we would probably too.

I absolutely.

You know.

You know, what I think we should do is start a western Kansas town museum where we, you and I, take tours, take people on tour from town to town to these historical towns like Harlan and whatever and whatever, and just take them on a tour.

What do you think?

I think that'd be wonderful for you to do.

I thought I'd get that answer.

No, it's right.

You're absolutely right.

Well, I don't know what the solution is.

Yeah, and everybody's searching for a solution.

And if somebody comes up with one.

Hey, give us a call.

Call Larry.

Shoes are a necessity for all of us, but some people, particularly women.

For women, there are much more than a necessity.

Yeah, well, for Ann Quirk of Wellington, shoes were her great passion, her hobby, and she considered footwear to be art.

Take a look at this story from 1986.

Now that I've got your attention, you've probably noticed that the dog has a shoe in its mouth.

Well, anything that has to do with shoes, Ann Quirk collects here in her home, she has 4400 ceramic shoes and other items that all relate to shoes.

I've always been interested in footwear.

What people put on their feet really fascinates me.

When she first started collecting 30 years ago, she had no idea her collection would grow so large.

Not in my wildest dreams.

Shelf after shelf after shelf hold her ever growing shoes that include some exotic varieties.

This is the shoe of the old shell art has a pincushion top opens up to reveal a little trinket box on the inside.

It's made of cardboard and covered with a pattern of shells.

Actually, my collection is utterly useless.

Mainly because you only collect one.

You'd never buy them in pairs, and you can't wear them.

But there's one thing about it.

The only item of our wearing apparel, it has a sole of its own.

Obviously, and collects jokes with her shoes too.

And I want to tell you, she collects everything that has shoes on them, like these cards.

And with her collection comes bits of information that could be cataloged under shoe folklore.

People used to put shoes in the walls of their home to ensure good luck to the family that lived there.

And a mother used to put her son's shoes under the floorboards, hoping that he wouldn't leave home.

And I'm here to tell you that Ann keeps shoes in every room.

Or in my little bathroom.

That's right, folks.

Even in here.

But when you run out of room every place else, then you resort to the bathroom.

In the bedroom.

More shoes, knitted shoes, pillows, shaped shoes, pinata shoes and full sized ceramic shoes.

Don't they look like you could just pick one and put it right on your foot?

Up until 1880.

Shoes were made to fit either foot.

And after that time, then they were made to fit the right and the left foot.

Now, of all the shoes Ann has collected, this is my favorite.

I'd like to show it to all those people who continually throw their cigarette butts down in my yard.

The longer I collect, the more fascinating it becomes.

Now, Ann and some of her shoes were featured on Antiques Roadshow back in 1997.

She died in 2004 at age 81.

We don't know the fate of her collection.

However, we found at least some of it for sale on an auction website that dates back to 2012.

And that's all we've been able to discover.

You know, sometimes we do these stories and and people die and move on and life goes on and you lose track and you lose track.

We try our best here at KPTS our producer Jim Grawe does an amazing job of tracking down where the people are in these stories.

Sometimes we can, sometimes we can't.

But we try our best and I love those 1980s shoes.

They're incredible.

You probably still have some.

Yeah, I do.

I do still have some.

Just as women like their shoes.

Men in many cases, like their trains.

No, we love trains.

Gene Toilers great passion was model railroading.

And when I walked into his basement in a Wichita home in 1985, I almost couldn't believe my eyes.

Song: Im leaving on that new river train, I'm leaving on that new river train.

Oh, the same.

Old train that rolled through here is going to.

Carry me away.

I got about 71, I was sitting around the house one evening watching television, eating food, getting fat.

And I had had a model railroad down in the basement belonged to my nephews.

So I just decided to go ahead and get that thing set up.

That's when it all began for Wichitan Gene Toler.

Now, he may have one of the largest model railroads in Wichita.

All fires, locomotives.

I have around 110 locomotives and about 1300 freight cars and passenger cars.

Song: 15 cars and 15 wrestless riders.

We conducted 25 sacks of mail.

All along the southbound.

Train pulls out...

There's a romance with the railroads.

I don't care whether you're into model trains or you're out watching modern locomotives go down a track or go out and ride some steam locomotive.

It's a romance that the public outside of the railroad loves.

A lot of people inside the railroad loves.

And it it's just a strange thing.

Once you get bit, you can't get rid of it.

I have been bit.

Song: I hear the train coming.

It's rolling around a bend.

Yeah.

I come down because I get tired of watching television.

That's a hard thing to say to you, but that's the truth.

This is one hobby that I even think about when I go to sleep at night.

It'll put me to sleep if I keep my mind on my hobby instead of my work.

Whatever you do, never tell a model railroad enthusiast that his trains are cute or that it must be fun to play with trains.

No cute.

No toys, no playing with trains.

Were model railroaders.

Were railroading, not playing.

Song: But the train...

Keeps a rolling, on down the San Anton... a 600 feet of track and a basement full of trains.

Gene says that when he starts on a hobby, he goes whole hog.

No kidding by the way, he retired last month from his job.

Guess what will be taking up most of his time now?

Song: And I love that lonesome whistle.... From the Edgemoor and Northeastern Railway.

This is Larry Hatteberg.

Well, Gene had 24 years of retirement till he passed away in 2009.

He was 86.

And yes, it is true that guys love model railroading.

I had a model railroad in my basement at 8th and College in Winfield.

When I was when.

You were young.

Kid, my dad bought it for me.

I loved it.

I wish I still had it.

Okay, well, here's the deal.

Adult men love their trains.

Absolutely.

My brother in law and my brother both have big model train sets in their basement.

And they work on them.

They build them.

They you know.

It's in our DNA.

I guess that's.

I know.

I guess it brings you back to a much more peaceful time.

A simpler time.

A simpler time.

That's what I mean.

Yeah, well, that's another one in the can, Larry.

A great one.

People love this stuff, Larry.

Well, I love this stuff and I love these people.

And we hope you enjoyed all these stories from the past, remember?

If you have a question or comment for us.

We always enjoy reading what you have to say.

Until next time, I'm going to stay.

Larry Hatteberg and I'm Susan Peters, well be back again soon with more Hattebergs People.

We'll see you then.