John Wylie Othic (1946 – )

US Army, 1964-1967 – 69th Engineers Battalion

After high school graduation I couldn’t find a decent job because of my age (17.) So I joined the Army. The only problem was I didn’t weigh enough. I needed to be 117 pounds. So an Army recruiter took me aside and said, “Hey, wait here. I’ll be … > More >

James Flynn

US Army Air Force, (1942 – 1945) – pilot, POW, WWII

James Flynn, from Marceline, MO, registered for the draft in 1940, but it was late in 1942 before his number came up. As he had always had a desire to fly, he signed up for the US Army Air Force. He married Betty Othic, … > More >

Bert H. Oldham (1904 – 1978)

US Navy, 1919-1946

Bert Oldham grew up on a farm four miles south of Marceline, the youngest of six children. He was born in 1904 and his mother died two years later. His two sisters died as children. His oldest brothers served in WWI, George in the Navy and Henry as a pilot in the … > More >

Beta Sigma Phi Sorority

Beta Sigma Phi, an international organization founded at Abilene, Kansas, in 1931 by Walter W. Ross, is dedicated to hundreds of thousands of young women throughout the world, who compose the membership of some four thousand active chapters. It has gained recognition around the world as a non-academic and non-sectarian, social, cultural and civic organization.… > More >

Athena Club

In the fall of 1935, the Missouri Federation of Women’s Clubs, was conducting a drive to organize more clubs in the Third District, of which Marceline is a part. Interested members of the Junior Soros is Club invited several girls of high school age to .meet and form a junior club to be known as … > More >

St. Bonaventure Church

In the spring of 1888, Rt. Rev. John J. Hogan of Kansas City requested Rev. Walter Tormey of Brookfield, to select lots in the new town of Marceline upon which to build a Catholic Church. Fr. Tormey secured the lots.

Rev. Thos. J. Burke came to Marceline in August, 1888 to assume duties as pastor. … > More >