I just wanted to post a news article about my visit that hopefully will appear in Thursday's Monitor. By searching Dave Kusel's web pages and all the great information he has made available allowed me to contact one classmate in less then 24 hours. {Faith (Sanders)Schroeder} who now lives in Des Moines. And then Alan Kusel's Email address was on the web pages as well. Everyone should really appreciate all the hard work that has gone into these pages by Dave....he is truly Manning's Greeter and information source.

Gary Cooper Plans
Ride Into Manning
to Search Past

RAGBRAI creates an opportunity for a past Manning resident to return to his roots this next week. Gary Cooper, now living in San Diego will participate in the Ride Across Iowa the week of July 23-29. The third day of the ride this year goes from Dennison to Atlantic, close enough for him to visit and still keep with the other riders.

Cooper is the grandson of Louie and Dora Ehlers, deceased. They were long time residents of Manning, first as farm owners south of town approximately 5 miles and then living on 2nd street. His mother was Inez Ehlers, a 1934 graduate of Manning High. He attended Kindergarten to Fifth grade here, moving to California the following summer. Cooper now 57 went to school with those graduating in the 1961 Alumni group.

In an interview, he said, "The bike ride provided a great opportunity to visit family grave sites and to try to reestablish contact with shirttail relatives and past classmates/friends." This will be his first return visit in over 35 years except for a 2 hour visit in search of the family plots. Prior to that he did visit his grandparents at the age of 15 and 21.

Cooper will ride his bike Saturday, July 21, from the Omaha area to Manning. He plans to remain Sunday and Monday (22-23) and rejoin his friends at RAGBRAI
in Atlantic or somewhere in route on Tuesday.