James Lanier Ondruch; 77 years and 21 days of Normangee, TX; passed away on February 19, 2021 at his home in Normangee, TX. Funeral services were scheduled for 1 p.m. on February 27, 2021 at Union Baptist Church in the Ten Mile Community. Jerry Gustavus will officiate. The burial followed at Ten Mile Cemetery. The visitation is scheduled prior to the service beginning at 12 p.m.

Dorothy “Nell” Pickens-Willis was born on May 25, 1956 in Dallas, Texas to parents, Dorothy M. Dickey and Raymond Pickens. Dorothy accepted Christ at an early age under the leadership of Pastor Hampton at Johnson Memorial. She later served under the leadership of Elder Leroy Johnson. Dorothy married her husband, Larry D. Willis, April 12, 1998 and she loved him dearly. They raised six beautiful children together.

A number of area competitors in the Texas Junior High Rodeo Association (TJHRA), Region IX, earned distinctions for their performances in 11 rodeos throughout the season and will advance to the state competition in Gonzales May 23-29. The state event will encompass all nine regions within the organization and determine who advances to the nationals event this summer.

Weather has been a popular topic of conversation for the last two weeks and was on my mind when I sought a Musings topic. Currently Volume 1 of Madison County history is not available for purchase, but we are working to convert it into a searchable computer document that will later be available for purchase on a USB flash drive, or, for you non-techies, an inexpensive computer plug-in device. I took advantage of what we have so far and searched “weather”. I’m sharing some of what I found.

Emergency and crisis management can be a confusing and complex process, but our local officials -- the boots on the ground -- are working tirelessly to address the crises of people in each of our East Texas counties. In heartfelt appreciation, I want to acknowledge our County Judges and Commissioners, Mayors and Council members, Emergency Management Departments, Sheriff’s Departments, non-profit organizations, churches, and so many others for the work they’ve done to help people in trouble through trying times. Thank you to the unsung heroes, Good Samaritans, and the neighbors who have stepped up for our communities in recent weeks.