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Through my mother's eyes

The following article is being shared in memory of Katie Laine by her sister Suzanne Hilty Lind and originally appeared on the blog of writer Greta Holt. Katie's obituary is HERE.

Katie graduated from Bluffton High School in 1966. After the death of her birth mother, Eleanor Keeney Myers in 1949, she grew up in Corpus Christi, TX with her father, George Myers, her brother George Myers, Jr., her stepmother Hannelora, and five half siblings. George and Katie's baby sister, Suzanne (Susie) stayed with the Herman and Celia Hilty family in Bluffton after the death of their mother and was later adopted into the HIlty family. Following a time of disruption in the Myers family in Texas, Katie moved to Ohio and lived with the Hilty family for six years, attending Bluffton Junior and Senior High School. She returned to Texas for university studies and raised family and developed her career there. The two sisters became close friends and continued a loving, often hilarious relationship throughout their adult lives. 

September 8, 2020

My friend (since 6th grade!), Greta Purves Holt, has been writing for many years. I was sharing some writing I was doing with her and she invited me to be a guest writer on her blog. Here is the story I wrote about experiences my German stepmother had during WWII in Nazi Germany.

By Katie Myers Laine
https://gretaholtwriter.com/2020/09/07/through-my-mothers-eyes/

All that came to be in my life began with what occurred to my two mothers.

In 1949 my birth mother, paternal grandmother and paternal great-grandmother were killed in a car accident.  They were buried on my second birthday.  My father, a WWII veteran (paratrooper), left after her death.  When he returned, he had married a German woman, and she became my stepmother.  They arrived in America, the promised land, on July 4, 1951, the nation’s birthday.

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Katie Laine owned Discover Consulting

Katie Laine passed away peacefully, surrounded by loved ones on Monday, March 13, 2023. Katie had a long battle with a rare lung disease.

Kathryn (Katie) Lenore Myers Laine was born on October 2, 1947 in Bluffton, Ohio to George, Sr. Myers and Eleanor Keeney Myers. Katie’s siblings are George, Suzanne, Barbara, Michael (deceased 1972), Joe, Eric, and Julie; she was close to all of their spouses, children and relatives.

Katie grew up in San Marcos, Texas, then moved to Ohio, where she spent her junior high and high school years. She graduated from Bluffton High School in 1966.

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Pirate tennis nipped by Bryan

Wins by first and second doubles

By Cort Reynolds

The visiting Bluffton High School boys tennis team lost a close 3-2 bout at Bryan Saturday afternoon, April 15.

The Pirate record fell to 2-7 with the loss.  Bluffton lost all three singles matches, and won the two doubles matches, each in three-setters.

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Weekend Doctor: Little Leage elbow

By Laura Durliat, OTR/L
Occupational Therapist, Julie A. Cole Rehab & Sports Medicine

It’s spring in northwest Ohio, and that means track, softball and baseball seasons are underway. Unfortunately, that also means injuries. A common injury, which occurs in young athletes, at this time of year is “little league elbow.” This occurs most commonly in the ages of nine to 14 because the bones of the elbow at this age are not fully developed. These young pitchers often have joint laxity, open growth plates and immature bones. Little league elbow occurs with overuse and repetitive throwing motions. This is an injury of the inside area (medial) elbow’s tendons, ligaments and or bones in the young throwing athlete. Repetitive throwing causes trauma and injury to the immature skeleton of young athletes causing an overload to the inside of the elbow. If left untreated, it could lead to a stress fracture (crack in the bone) at the head of the humerus caused by overuse.

Buried treasure in Bluffton?

By Fred Steiner
www.BlufftonForever.com

Nah. Well, maybe.

We’ve collected several local stories of buried coins plus the discovery of coins older than your great-great grandmother. The following stories reveal some of the loose change that could be waiting discovery, plus a copy stories of rare finds right in our back yard.

Keeney Peace Lecturer looks back on 50 years of peace activism

During Bluffton University’s annual Keeney Peace Lecture, Rev. Valerie Bridgman shared, “What is Peace When You Feel Like Fighting: Reflections of a Womanist Biblical Scholar.”

During the April 4 presentation, Bridgman looked back on her 50 years of experience as a peace activist. Ordained in 1977, she is the dean and vice president of academic affairs at Methodist Theological School in Ohio (MTSO) where she also serves as an associate professor of homiletics and Hebrew Bible.

At the onset of the presentation, Bridgman explained, “I am living the history I am thinking about.”

She shared several stories from her life including the integration of schools during her childhood, leading MTSO during a difficult transition at the seminary, and interacting with young gang members in Austin and Memphis.

Focusing on her experiences in Texas, Bridgman shared about an invitation to join the gang task force for the county, but she quickly realized the task force was more interested in policing young people rather than helping young people. Instead, she got to know about their lives—their names, their families, their struggles.

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