Kansas History come to life in the faces and places of Hatteberg's People.

Coming up: I finally came to grips with it but it took a period of years.

It's even more difficult when you're younger and you don't have maturity on your side.

It can be hard to make sense of life.

But Bill and Jeannette Swisher did their best to accept what they couldn't control to make the best of things.

It's a timeless lesson in love and determination from 1984.

Also and they said, Happy birthday.

I opened it up.

It was a 12 cup coffee pot.

I couldn't figure out why I got that one I only drink one or two cups a day.

That's when Jim Schaefer learned that he'd be having the whole town over for coffee every day.

You'll find out why and whether this is still goin on more than two decades later.

And we'll also have this.

While he was once seen as a reject, let's go, that he's learned he's not a reject.

He has a special purpose.

And we all do.

He is Wink, the one eyed wonder.

He's not only a wonderful pet, but an inspiration for anyone who feels less than perfect.

Hi, everybody.

I'm Larr Hatteberg.

And I'm Susan Peters.

Those are just a few of Larry's classic stories that are queued up and ready to roll for this edition of Hattebergs People.

These stories are like old friends.

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

They were teachers, but not in a classroom.

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

And I was their student.

While we all face challenges in life.

Some people have it extra toug and it seems downright unfair.

Sure it does sometimes.

And on that list you might include Bill Swisher.

Now, he suffered from a debilitating illness with no cure.

It was only going to get worse.

Yet, Bill, wit the encouragement of his wife, found a way to live a positive productive and fulfilling life.

Pretty boy.

Oh, look at that.

Hears those noises, huh?

Yeah.

When you visit Bill and Jeanett Swisher, you better like dogs.

Yeah.

Yeah.

Bill has limb girdle muscular dystrophy and has been confined to a wheelchair since 1977.

But frankly, you soon forget about his handicap.

He does.

I think I think it's a survival thing if you let it get to youre giving in, you're going to lose.

And the only way to win is to keep after it.

Bill and Jeanette have been married since 1980.

The fact he had M.D.

was never an issue.

Because it doesn't matter.

It's not important.

It's the person inside, the person that counts.

And Bill's a real good looking guy.

Anyway.

One club right there.

In my hand.

Bridge is Bill's favorite card game and here, there's no arguing with the hand you've been dealt.

Not so in the game of life.

It took Bill a long time to accept the fact that he had M.D..

I finally came to grips with it but it took a period of years, and it's even more difficult when you're younger.

You don't have maturity on your side and and life doesn't make as much sense.

And so you... it's just tougher.

99% of the time is he's up.

He has a real positive attitude about everything.

And he helps me get through a lot of my stressful moments in life.

At Boeing Bill works in the computer area, testing software for B-52 on board computers, and sometimes people have a difficult time adjusting to his condition.

A problem he's accustomed to handling.

How I try to take care of that.

First of all, there's nothing I can d about how they think about it.

So I try to keep myself in line and then... then they come around.

And if they don't come around, then that's tough.

So comes the natural question How does Bill want to be treated?

One thing that just drives me up a wall is to have people falling all over themselves to try to help me out.

Their intentions are fine but it gets old after a while.

Back home, operating his personal computer Bill reflected on his disease.

And you know what amazes his friends is that constant positive attitude.

I just hate to lose, you know, any time, any kind of a situation.

I just don't like to lose.

That's all you know.

And I don't know if that's good or not, sometimes.

He's just a real nice guy, nice to be around.

Just, we're friends and we're husband and wife and we're it' just the real good relationship.

Bill and Jeanette Swisher, tw people whose lives are dominated not by a disease, but by love.

This is Larry Hatteberg.

Now, ironically, Bill outlived Jeanette.

She died in 1989 at age 48.

Bill died in 2013 at age 67.

You know, no matter what happens to you in life, if disease hits you, people like Bill kept on working.

I know.

You know, to to the very end.

And he's really an inspiration for other people.

Total inspiration.

And he also reminds us that we all face challenges.

Absolutely.

No one gets out of this life scot free.

Nope.

That's for darn sure.

Kansans, though, do have a way of adapting to situation and making the best of things.

They d in the tiny town of McCracken.

Nothing was going to keep the local coffee klatch from convening every morning.

Here's the story from 2001.

Yes, we're losing population in the little towns, and we're lucky we had our grocery store as long as we did with 210 people or so.

It's just a sign of the times.

Looks just like a plain old house on McCracken's main street, doesn't it?

Well, it is, but it is so much more.

In town here.

We've got an 88 year old woman that delivers the mail to the homeless, the homebound and the elderly.

Jim Shaffer's living room is a bit cramped, and that's because it's coffee time in McCracken.

Carolyn Thompson And I do McCracken column for the Rush County Paper once a week.

And I pop in here once in a while and I'll say, Anybody got any news?

A couple of weeks ago, the town's only grocery store closed, and now that' where the coffee pot used to be.

You can't hardly put any more businesses in the real small towns.

There's just not enough people to support it.

Now, this store is up for auction and the town had nowhere to take a break.

So they brought in a box one morning and they said Happy birthday, I opened it up.

It was a 12 cup coffee pot and I couldn't figure out why I got that one I drink, one or two cups a day.

Then it dawned on me that, well, here's the place for coffee.

Since Jim got the coffee maker for his birthday, his house became the meeting place.

Nice to have a place together.

Nice.

We got nice people here.

This could only happen in a small town.

Jim's living room is so much mor than just a place to get coffee.

That's the only thing in a small town.

Everybody knows your business, you know?

But you don't care thats why you live here.

This way, if I make them come up for free coffee, they'll know whether I'm alive or not.

Not that anybody would care.

Yeah, not that anybody cares.

But it's just the idea.

It's easy to see why McCracken residents like their little town because they certainly don't like the big city.

The main thing, wrong with Wichita is its too damn big for us poor people out here.

I guess you'd call us common folks.

We enjoy life and we enjoy the relaxation of being able to do what we like.

Jim Shaffers living room.

All that's left!

Where McCracken gathers becaus the town's business must go on.

And the days when I'm not going to be here because of doctor appointments or something, I'll just give the keys to someone else and they can come up and make coffee and come and go as they please.

Now, the gatherings at Jim's house continued until the crowd got too big.

Then they moved the coffee klatch back to the old grocery store building, which was otherwise vacant.

It's now evolved into a once a week event at the public library.

Monday afternoons from 230 to 330.

That is so cool.

It is neat.

That is cool Could only happen in small town.

Exactly.

And often coffee klatches start with women.

But this was a man's coffee klatch.

Exactly right.

I love it.

Meanwhile, Jim Shaffer, though, is no longer living.

In addition to the coffee group, though, Jim is being remembered for being a wonderful mentor and baseball coac for the young men in McCracken.

It's so interesting to learn about these people and what they've done in this town to make a difference and how one person can help, really, a whole town.

And then they live on and they live on.

They live on in memory.

The man in this next story made a big difference in the lives of the little people in his community.

Eddie Ewy loved children and they loved him.

The Arlington Elementary School was always a happier place when he was there.

Hi, kids.

How are you this morning?

Oh, it's great to be here and see you again.

I'm going to visit with you just where you are at the table, just like we usually do.

Hi.

How you doing?

81 year old Eddie Ewy of Arlington, Kansas, is a class act.

Brianna.

Oh, I like you, don't I, Brianna?

We're friends, aren't we?

Nearly every day, Eddie appears at the Arlington, Kansas, grade school to help make children feel special.

Ten kitties?

That's too many kitties.

When I had my children at home, when I had my grandchildren, I always noticed that love is something you can't give away.

And the more love you give, the more love you get.

And that's true here at school.

Hey, are you six now?

Are you seven?

Every day each child gets a hug from Eddie.

We all know that the reason why he comes here is because he loves the children and he likes to be around them.

And that's what the important thing is to us.

Hi there.

How you kids doing?

Fine.

You'd be surprised how many children will say I love you.

There are a lot of ways you can show love.

He became involved at the urging of his grandchildren.

He's no stranger here.

He's an Arlington native who's also a 1932 graduate of the local high school, now a retired farmer.

He went back to school.

I'm not one to sit at home an enjoy the four walls of my home.

I like to get out and not only have fun, but be of service to other people.

In the lunchroom, the kids love to tell him stories.

Thank you.

Hi!

Huh?

What?

And he listens.

Yeah.

Yeah.

When little hurts are big issues.

Eddie's there.

Is it getting better already?

Yeah.

Well, that's all right.

And there's nothing.

Nothing like a story from a man called Grandpa.

In the morning, we saw our first dinosaur.

I like a challenge.

Yes.

You could say it was a challenge.

A beautiful challenge.

That's the end of the story.

Well, it means that at least for that minute, they are important to someone.

And we try to make our kids feel important here all the time.

But sometimes that may be the only hug.

You're the only one on one attentio that that child gets that day.

And so they know that when Eddie comes that they're going to have their moment, that they're going to be important.

Hi.

See you later.

Eddie does all this for one simple reason.

Love of children.

Put them right down.

Love of being loved.

Whatever love I give them comes back to me tenfold.

Goodbye.

Absolutely.

See ya later, alligator.

You be a good boy now.

Okay.

Here' the nice thing that older people can be so much of an inspiration to younger people.

And I think we all have t remember that and realize that over and over again.

I mean, he's teaching these kids things.

Yeah.

And being an inspiration for them.

Yeah.

He needed them.

They needed him.

Yeah, exactly.

A mutual convenience for both.

Okay, here's another inspiring story that should make you smile.

It's about Wink, the one eyed wonder and his faithful companion, Annette Karr.

Now, together, they've been spreading the message of acceptance and self-worth in the face of perceived imperfection.

He was not perfect.

He had a deformed ey and he would have been put down.

Good boy.

Yes.

Well, when I was younger, I used to see these women, they carry their dogs, these old ladies with their dogs.

And Id just think they were crazy.

And now that's me.

It's my time to be the crazy old lady.

Annette Karr is a massage therapist.

But as she rubs down her clientele, it is the other occupan in the room who people remember.

Wink, Wink.

Get into your nest there.

Good boy.

He is Wink.

A little one eyed poodl who's transformed Annette's life into a personal message of redemption.

While he was once seen as a reject.

Let's go.

That he's learned he's not a reject.

He has a special purpose and we all do.

Thank you very much.

You're very welcome.

Thank you, Wink.

Thanks Annette.

Thanks, Bye bye.

Wink saved from certain deat because some felt a one eyed dog didn't have a future, but they were wrong.

Wink has now become a teacher.

People respon to Winks message, particularly children.

Now through a book Annette recently published called “Wink the One-Eyed Wonder”.

He has become a symbol of acceptance.

“I sure am a lucky dog, for my life is filled with people who have let me know that I'm not a reject and that I have a special purpose in my life.

I am to make people happy.” An you can come up front, kiddos.

The message is first they are worthy, just however they are.

Wink!

But then to carry that over into accepting the imperfection of their friends and their classmates.

In McPherson classrooms like kindergarten teacher Kristen Stewarts, Wink is an instant hit.

Should Wink come and stay at your house again?

You want him to come sometime?

Wink is basically, he is an expression of love.

At an independent bookstore called The Bookshelf in downtown McPherson, Winks books are popula and a visit is always special.

The last page, that is the crux of the book, where Wink says, “Mom has told me, even though I'm not perfect, I'm worth a million bucks.” The work that we are doing together is incredible and I feel honored tha this little dog is in my life.

Did a good job, baby.

Yes, you did.

You did a wonderful job.

So 13 years after that story originally aired, what are Wink and Annette up to these days?

Well, they just recentl celebrated Wing's 16th birthday.

People from across the McPherson area stop by for hugs and cookies.

Now, Wink isn't quite as spry as he used to be.

You know, getting older.

But hes mostly retired now.

Also from his school visits.

But Annette says he's still doing pretty good for an old timer.

And he has a wonderful life.

They have a great message.

And when I went up to to film with Wink the Wonder Dog.

Yeah.

It's just it's just wonderful to see them together.

And the kids when he was younger, the kids would hold him and hug him.

And what an inspiration.

You don't have to be perfect.

No.

To be all right.

No.

You can be very imperfect and be wonderful.

Everybody's differen and we accept the differences.

And Wink, Happy birthday.

And I can't believe he's 16.

16.

You go, Wink.

You go Wink.

Okay.

Some people love clowns.

Some do not.

But you had to love Dropsy the Clown, or at least the woman underneath the makeup.

Now, her name was Micki Hansen, and she was a woma of many interests and talents.

Whether she was clowning around or not.

It's fun.

This is the face you know Dropsy the Clown, a well-known personality in the Wichita area who likes to make kids laugh.

They're just wonderful.

And this is her alter ego, Mickie Hansen, a woman who's been i show business most all her life.

In the fifties, Mickie was a professional ice skater and traveled for years with the Ice Capades, Holiday on Ice and with the Sonja Henie Ice Revue.

While touring, she found tha clowning also appealed to her, and her career went from ice to greasepaint.

I'm going 90 miles an hour, seven days a week.

I just can't not be doing something.

The “something” she's doing this season is decorating an Hawaiia Christmas tree for Century II.

And this one is a tribute to our 50th State.

She hand-made all the delicate ornaments and her artistic talent and her giving hands are a testament to her commitment of making people happy.

I want people to see it and enjoy it.

From Christmas trees to grease paint.

Mickey Hansens fingers touch them all.

At Kelly School, Dropsy the Clown-- Mickie Hansen to you-- is teaching the fine art of clown makeup.

Keep your eyes closed, honey.

They are so delightful.

I never had any children of my own and I never even had a little sister.

So when I took this job of teaching clowning in the schools, I thought, Ill either like it or I won't like it at all.

Well, I love it.

And oh, they're just so dear.

You're looking better.

Alright.

Her work as Dropsy has put her on the cover of several clown magazines, bu some of her work you never see, like taking care of stray and abused animals.

Come here, Silly.

I cant stand to see anything, any living thing, not taken care of.

I just love animals and people.

Old Georgie.

Oh, Georgie.

According to her obituary, Mickie traveled to Hawaii over 35 time to march in the Aloha Day parade as Dropsy and she would alway climb the ridge of Diamond Head.

That's the famou volcanic crater near Honolulu.

She kept doing that well into her eighties.

An extraordinary woman.

You know, she loved making people happy and being the clown she loved it.

And I don't know.

I'm sure you remember this.

Mickie used to email Larry and I all the time.

Yeah, just to say Hi.

What are you doing?

How are you?

And then she'd call on the phone sometimes the KAKE newsroom and we'd pass the phone around.

And we loved Mickie.

She made us smile.

She made everyone happy.

Well, Mickie died in 2014 just short of her 95th birthday.

It's nice to have those people in your life.

In our lives, and made some, sometimes horrible days in the newsroom, just a little bit better.

It did.

You're right.

Okay.

Now we're going to go to another woman who packed a lot of living into each and every day.

Now, her name was Marlene Graham.

She was a young mother and businesswoman who was always on the g and seemed to love every minute of it.

Hoping for an early spring, Autumn's leftovers wait for a seldom seen winter sun.

But inside this west Wichita home seasons don't matter much.

Marlene and Craig Graham are like thousands of other families It's time to get the day going.

Craig is a realtor.

Courtney's a student and on month old Collier is the baby.

Marlene is the force behind many of Wichita's family publications.

We try to give a comfortable feel.

The family feel translates into her work.

Hi, this is Marlene, is Connie there?

Her basement run company is responsibl for West Side Story, Family Ties and Highlighter plus a History of West Wichita and a book on the city itself.

As the day gets going, Craig and Courtney head off to meet the world.

The dog looks befuddled and Marlene begins the day as publisher, reporter, ad salesman and mom.

When I'm working, you know, on the phone with a client or something, I have a monitor on so I can hear him, and I may have to cut a conversation short to go upstairs to make sure he's okay.

Hi.

This is Marlene.

It's on fire it's a story.

I'll go cover it.

Oh, no, let's not do that.

What do we do with the pacifier?

Well, I'll tell you, let the Eagle do the story.

So tell people mid-April for-- No, no, no.

That it' going to be in people's homes.

Mid-April.

No, no, no.

Im off.

I didn't mean spotlight.

I meant-- Nice Smile!

Okay.

Out on the job, Jesse Chisholm's great grandson is the subject of an upcoming story.

Marlene and son are there.

You ready to take some pictures now?

I've become, I think, more maternal.

I'm probably still not the most maternal person in the world but I do feel a lot more of it.

I feel a stronger sense to do things with my family and my kids and so on.

Then I think I've ever felt, particularly since I've had this, you know, last baby, because I have my family, it's complete now.

Marshas or something like that.

It is complete, but her work never stops.

There's a meeting with her business partner.

Over at the shopping center, clients wait for ad proofs.

And my client and the people that I work with and the people I do stories on very rapidly become friends.

Bye!

And meeting with clients at home can have a fussy beginning.

This is definitely one of the more challenging periods, you know, of my publishing career.

I get that feeling right now since I am seven weeks away from deadline on four different publications, so I wonder if I'm going to make it.

Her publishing ventures may be successful because they fill a niche.

Folks want to have a newspaper with a family feeling.

I'm probably the kind of person, I'll never be totally content with the situation.

I'm sure career wise, I probably won't ever totally be content but family wise, I'm thrilled.

Few people work harde or longer than Marlene Graham.

For her, that isn't important.

But what is important is that by working at home, she can still be mom an can still be there for her kids.

If I wasn't having fun, I wouldn't be doing it.

In the nineties, Craig and Marlene left Wichita and took their two kids on the road.

They traveled to all 50 states twice, doing volunteer work along the way and promoting patriotism and family values.

They wrote a book about it titled Headfirst into America and talked about it on Oprah, The View and several other national talk shows.

The Grahams then made Naples, Florida, their home and went into the real estate business.

Sadly, in 2006, Craig passed away unexpectedly at just age 51.

Marlene continued with the real estate business and still does it to this day in Naples, Florida.

She also writes travel articles from time to time.

I see her posting occasionally on Facebook.

Do you?

Yeah.

And so it's just nice to see that her story continues.

The experiences she gave her children...

Traveling to 50 states twice.

And talking about patriotism.

Yeah, great.

That's great.

Unfortunately, we've run out of time for this week.

If you have a question or comment, we love to hear from you.

It was great to have you with us.

I'm Susan Peters.

And I'm Larry Hatteberg.

Thanks, everybody, for watching.

We'll see you again soon.