Shirley Mae (Reed) Cook, 78, Lena, passed away peacefully Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2013, at home. She was born June 17, 1935, in Oconto to the late John B. and Margaret (Pillsbury) Reed. She graduated from Oconto High School in 1954. On May 14, 1955, Shirley married William “Bill” Cook, of Lena, at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Oconto. He preceded her in death on Dec. 16, 2012.

Jeffrey “Jeff” Warren Furst, 44, Lena, died Saturday, Dec. 14, 2013, at Bellin Hospital, Green Bay. He was born to Warren and Anna (Johannes) Furst on April 29, 1969, in Peshtigo. Jeff married Lena Marquardt on Aug. 18, 2005, in Oconto Falls.

While the literature is a bit mixed on the significance of birth order, some theories were brought into play on a recent road trip returning to the path around the Falls. Popular psychology suggests that order has an impact, but so many other variables also come into play.

The day after Thanksgiving (Black Friday to some), I was listening to “All Things Considered” on public radio, and I heard what I thought was an amazing interview with Mormon Bishop David Musselman from Taylorsville, Utah. The bishop said that on the Sunday before Thanksgiving, he attended his weekly church service in Taylorsville, not as a preacher, but as a member of the congregation.

Kellie Claflin, agriscience teacher at Gillett Secondary School, attended the National Association of Agricultural Educators conference Dec. 2-6 in Las Vegas. RAM Trucks sponsored the trip where Claflin was selected as one of 41 participants for the Teacher’s Turn the Key program. Teacher’s Turn the Key is a professional development program focused specifically for early career teachers at the NAAE convention. The attendees heard from Dr.

Dewey Krueger won his bracket as the Oconto Falls High School wrestling team finished 11th at the Battle of the Bay wrestling tournament Saturday at Bay Port High School. Bay Port (559) won the tournament. Two Rivers (421) took second and Pewaukee (404) took third.

It took all four quarters for the Oconto Falls High School girls basketball team to take care of Denmark to open Bay Conference play Thursday in Denmark. The Panthers won 48-39 after outscoring the Vikings 14-6 in the final period. “Denmark came out in a half-court trap,” Oconto Falls coach Michael Kaczmareck said.

There were bound to be people unhappy with the WIAA conference realignment proposal. Marinette and Oconto Conference officials, though, didn’t think it would be them. After the M&O went untouched in early drafts of the proposal, Oneida Nation High School was added to the conference in the latest plan, approved by the WIAA Board of Control by a vote of 6-2 Dec.

A groundbreaking ceremony was held Dec. 9 for a two-story medical office building that will expand health care services on the Community Memorial Hospital campus. The 28,000-square-foot facility will offer specialty medical services such as orthopedic and podiatry care, urology, oncology and pain management.