Cherishing friendships

I'm told that in small towns of years past, women shared stories and supported each other over back fences.  Maybe because of increased air pollution or it's just today's way, but one Shelton group has moved indoors.

By taking quick trips into town, the Tuesday coffee group has updated the kaffeeklatsches of old. In doing so they have kept up on personal details of their daily lives and family events using old methods of communications in a modern world. 

Although four out of five have been tight friends since quite young, the same women, plus one, have met for coffee every week for well over six years at the Motor Inn in Shelton. This past Tuesday there were the usuals who still enjoy each other and have clung together over the loss of dear friends, beloved children, and a loving husband who are often memorialized during their Tuesday morning chats. They report they are true life-long friends who met through routine life experiences while living in Shelton, Nebraska.  In spite of many similarities ­ each has been married for well over 30 years and are mothers ­ they've maintained individual approaches to life and pastimes. Let me introduce them:

Mary Bohnart now lives in the country near Wood River where she grew up.

When she married, 54 years ago, she moved to Shelton with husband, Andy, and lived there until her two children grew up and left home. Before retirement Mary helped with the family business where the best part was, "raising our children on the farm and working together." Now that Mary is retired her life is fulfilled by her husband and children, three grandchildren, two great grandchildren, and many dear friends.

Cyndy Ryan is married to Mike Ryan and together they own and manage Ryan's Used Cars, Inc. of Shelton. She said that she enjoys working their family business, but especially "likes traveling a lot to pick up cars and meet people." Cyndy has lived in Shelton for her entire married life of 33 years and found it to be a wonderful place to rear her family. Mrs. Ryan stated, "There is no better place to raise a family than in this small town.

Everyone watches everyone's kids and the school system is good, too." Unlike the other women who are retired, Cyndy is still enjoying her family while maintaining a busy professional life.

Pat Bilslend grew up in Shelton but moved away when she married Harold 56 ago.  When she moved 'away' it was to go to a farm outside Shelton, just 3 miles from where she was born, and where she raised her three children. Pat enjoys the humor and positives of remaining a homegrown, Shelton girl.

Before she retired 30 years ago Mrs. Bilslend worked at the Wood River bank for seventeen years and valued her time there. Today she enjoys her family which includes six grandchildren, but the best thing about retirement is that she and husband can "do what we want, when we want."  And, "the hours are better!" she claimed.

Betty Stearley reported that she has always lived in Shelton and that she used to know everyone who lived there. Married for 59 years to the same man ­ Lyle ­ she loves living in Shelton. Earlier in her married life Betty worked at Baldwin Filters in Kearney for sixteen years. When asked why someone might want to live in Shelton, she easily discussed the positives.

She stated,  "It's a good place to live. Everyone helps," in emergencies and

"when somebody dies everyone brings food to the house."   Betty's life has

been blessed by two children, five grandchildren, and three great grandchildren and now that she's retired Mrs. Stearley keeps busy by enjoying Mr. Stearley. And in addition to her family she remains involved in the Lodge and the American Legion Auxiliary.  I also hear she's a wonderful gardener.

Dorothy Webben was originally from Shelton, but after the death of her beloved husband of 47 years, she moved off the family farm to Grand Island to be closer to  family.  Before retirement she worked for fifteen years at the Jack and Jill market in Shelton and was a cook at the Shelton Schools.

Currently Dorothy enjoys living near her daughter in Grand Island as well as her six grandchildren and four great grandchildren. Still too young to stop contributing, Mrs. Webben volunteers at the  St. Francis Hospital and Grand Island Library.  Not one to cut ties, she still remains a member in good standing at the Our Nite Out Club, the Rebekah Lodge, and the P.E.O., a philanthropic organization in Shelton.

It is my wish that some day these wonderful women look back at their lives and see who they have been to Shelton. Clearly they have been the backbone of Shelton's family life for decades by being the mates of farmers, as well as the mothers, grandmothers, and even great grandmothers to area residents.

Over the past five or six decades they've held each other up while witnessing births, deaths, war and peace.  They agree that an outstanding practice of Shelton is how families and neighbors bring food to the home and help out in times of grief. That old practice hasn't been abandoned in Shelton and is still practiced today.  As the women have learned over the years, things change, like it or not, and life requires adjustment.  They once knew everyone in town, but now they only know almost everyone.

And to the men who were waiting for their wives, they really were "in the bar" as you've claimed all these years, but they were behaving themselves!

So if any of you ladies need an alibi I'll be happy to provide you with one.

And for coffee drinkers or supporters of wise women give these fine ladies a shout and thank them for the generous gifts they've given all along for the improvement of Shelton, Nebraska.