The Superior Express -

It had been 150 years in coming but Burr Oak celebrated “150 Years Along the White Rock” this past weekend.

The celebration actually kicked off in March of 2019 with Cal McNichols depicting “the essence of the town” in his mural of Burr Oak’s history. The mural is in the Burr Oak Community Center and it watched over the Friday night events beginning the weekend celebration.

Friday night saw community, area friends and family joining together in a meal organized and provided by the Guarantee State Bank. Sloppy joes and all the fixings! Comments like “You haven’t’ changed a bit!” and “I wouldn’t have recognized you!” were heard around the room.

Part of the celebration was a contingent from the Burr Oak Class of 1970, the largest class in Burr Oak High School’s history. The class was supposed to have their 50-year reunion last year but it was among the many COVID-19 cancellations. This year, “We just needed to get together and not wait five years.” said Pam Garman. So, a reunion was planned to coincide with Burr Oak’s big birthday party.

Harold Oliver was up from Waynoka, Okla.; Jaci Jeffrey Firner and sons, Maddox and Kaden, were there, Alma Garman came over from Mankato, Allison Habenn was there from Topeka and Cheryl Decker Rose came from Tacoma, Wash. Just a few who came back “home” to celebrate the birthday of Burr Oak.

Scattered among the crowd, it might have seemed there were more men than usual sporting facial hair. About a dozen of those men entered the Beard and Mustache Contest. But for some, clean shaven isn’t part of their lifestyle.

Cody Volker, Burr Oak, has been growing his mustache since 1993 and has children who have never seen him clean shaven. Floyd Gross, aka “Kansas Parsons,” is part of the Solomon Valley Players. His long beard is part of the persona of Kansas Parsons and is used to accurately depict life in the 1860s. Those were years just prior to the 1871 start of Burr Oak.

Bob Windmuller, Esbon, was Uncle Sam, complete with a red, white and blue beard. Dennis Willis, Smith Center, had a long, white beard with a mustache to boot. The youngest entry was little Walter Willitts III of Burr Oak. His painted-on beard was a contrast to the decorated beard his grandfather, Walter Willitts I, sported.

Travis Ray, Cory Underwood, Kenny Heald, Kelly McNichols and Jim Anderson were part of the group being judged. There was Amber Grace with a mustache on her pinky finger but she just didn’t come close to some of the seriously long, bushy, decorated and trimmed beards and mustaches of the male entrants.

Cory Underwood, Bob Windmuller and DennisWillis were declared the winners and after photographs, the party continued with a variety show.

A popular act was the “Sunny Brook Shufflers.” According to a spokesman, they might be on their way to Las Vegas! Penny Turner had the idea for the act, Pam Garman choreographed the routine and “shufflers” like Rosella Campbell joined in the fun.

Wanda Fraiser was not only one of the “shufflers” but she also told a story on her son’s business acumen. Levi Willitts drew a lot and danced a bit to create a dragon’s portrait. Victoria Willitts sang the Irish ballad “The Rattlin Bog” with the Willitts family joining in for support. Daniel Jupina and Walter Willitts II were the guitar background for Anastacia Willitts as she sang “Jolene.”

The program ended on a spiritual note with Dianna Willitts giving voice to the Jaci Velasquez song “Adore” and Diana Ord’s expressive sign language rendition of “Shout to the Lord.”

After the program, reunions, conversations and reminiscences continued into the evening. The first day of celebrating “150 Years Along the White Rock” came slowly to a close.