Trip to DesMoines, Iowa

January 18, 2006

 

Basil P. Ketcham had been a friend since I worked at the VA Center in Leavenworth Kansas.  We shared rides to work from Kansas City.  Basil and Rich’s father were Pharmacists at the hospital.  Basil’s wife died after he moved to Kansas and was buried in Des Moines, Iowa.

Basil had an Aortic Hart Valve Repair and Triple By-pass in 1993 and was a Diabetic.  He moved in with us following surgery.  I had served as his surrogate NOK for some time before the surgery.  He was being seen by six physicians.  He died at home on January 15, 2006.

Rich and I went to Des Moines, Iowa for the burial on the 18th and had time in the evening so we decided to visit the State Capital building as I had over the years in my travels and assignments in different parts of the country visited Presidential Libraries, note-worthy Churches, and State Capitals.

 

Polly Bukta, State Representative

 

We were delighted to find both the Senate and Assembly in session and recessed. We checked into the Senate Chamber and it did not look welcoming enough for us to try to get in pictures so we went to the assembly and the doors were open.  We were looking the chamber over and about to take a picture when a person came up and asked if she could help us.  We told her we were from New Jersey and just enjoying their lovely capital.  She reached over and took hold of my rainbow scarf and said “These good-old-boys here will go crazy over this”

 

Click here for a new item about bullying in Iowa.

 

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