My Family
“I grew up in Okawville and moved away for college, career and to experience the city. After stretching my legs, my husband and I started to look for a place to settle down. We decided to come back to Okawville to buy our first house. We chose Okawville to be close to family as well as the family-like and caring atmosphere from the local businesses and town residents. It’s a unique quality that is hard to find anywhere else.”
My Peaceful Retirement
“We chose to move back to the region three years ago, after being gone 30 years. What we’ve found was fun for our retirement years - events and organizations that welcome new volunteers, a loving church family, safe, peaceful country living an easy hour drive to all there is to do in St. Louis. Even an airport 15 minutes away. It’s our little slice of heaven.”
My Livelihood
“I moved back to the area to join my family’s business here in town and my husband and I have chosen to raise our girls right here in Okawville. We are happy to have a great place to work, great schools and kid’s activities, and small-town safety and support.”
My Community
“One of the greatest benefits of being a citizen of Okawville is seeing, being a part of, and experiencing the support and comradery of this community. From large community events such as the Wheat Festival to the many benefit dinners & fundraisers to support local schools, business, & organizations to the support given to individuals and their families when illness or tragedies occur, Okawville pulls together to care for the people who live and work here.”
Community Thank You Messages
Phillipians 4:8 says, in part, “..........whatever is true,whatever is honorable, whatever is right.........whatever is of good repute, if there is excellence and if anything is worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things”
This has been one of my favorite Bible verses. I try to keep it in the front of my mind everyday to counteract the 99+% of bad, negative news that bombards us daily through our media forms. When I do see or hear of things mentioned above I am so thankful. But most importantly I started this letter with that verse because it so aptly applies to you Okawville area residents; this entire last year you all lived out this verse because of the wonderful, loving, and caring things you have done for and with our much-loved Holly.
I would say you “OKAYS” are the best to be found anywhere. Explanation of the term: I will call you the Okays (NOT Okies!) because you all are “A-OKAY” with our Brown family!
If there was an award for the most caring, loving, supportive small town in America you would win that award. This past year I am often asked by friends and extended family how Holly is doing. I always end my response by praising you Okays and how you have helped her adjustments by the kind and thoughtful things you have done for her and with her.
I will list just a few thoughtful acts you have extended to Holly---and us---get through this first painful year. THANK YOU: Lady friends that volunteered to come and spend the evening and/or overnight those first few weeks so she would not feel so alone; friends who invited her to couples parties/social events; for planning trips to the Fox or Muny or other special trips/events; thanks to a friend who insisted she come to Florida with them for 4 days or so during Christmas break; inviting/planning shopping trips, etc.
One thing that really impressed me was your CONTINUING assistance .
Not long after Toby’s passing Holly showed us a sort of covenant sheet signed by several couples who promised home-related things that would need attention. For example, they pooled resources to make sure her huge yard was mowed. For one WHOLE mowing season Jeff Obermeier has brought his mower and mowed her lawn.
Often when a spouse passes it seems normal for people to say, “If there is anything I can do for you, just call me”. However, you Okays that had a tight bonded friendship with Toby and Holly just seemed to sense how and when she might need help, you take the initiative to show up and offer to help in any way.
Many of you who read this are modest would say that anyone would do those things for a friend. However, sadly, that is not the case. Many people mean well but start making excuses why they can’t help----just too busy, he/she has friends and family to help, I’ll just give some money, etc. You Okays, on the other hand, put “sweat equity” in your helping others. The easy way is to start a GoFundMe account. But the “Okay Way” is to immediately plan fund raising dinners, dances, raffles, golf tourney, etc------things that require sweat equity.
Do not misunderstand, I am not anti-GoFundMe as it is very helpful in a financial crises that needs immediate attention. The fund raising events you have already had for Rocky Killion is a good example of your planning and hard work efforts. I believe it is in your community DNA to love your neighbor-----and then do something to help. Sometimes an outsider has to praise all you do for so many people with needs. And being from Nashville I am a REAL outsider! Just kidding.
And now about the Toby Brown 2019 Pack-A-Lina Classic! I find it hard for Judy and me to express our feelings of gratitude. When I arrived and saw the huge number of carts lined up, the growing number of players showing up, the very nice T shirts, I was speechless as I thought it would be our family members and a few? of his friends; and all that came to mind were two of Toby’s favorite sayings: That’s AWESOME! and That’s FANTASTIC! A lump came to my throat and tears welled in my eyes as I tried to comprehend just how much you all loved him and remembered him. I felt so humbled, honored, and blessed I was that I was his dad.
PLEASE allow me to do deeds of thoughtfulness and gratitude in some small way to show how we thank you for what you have done and are doing for Holly. I am retired and in good health---due to pacemaker number EIGHT! As most of you know I am skilled in painting but I would also like to assist in projects, chores. If your church needs some painting, call me, as I love to paint in God’s house. I really want to do this in Toby’s name and memory. My email is printed below so you can contact me.
God Loves you Okays---and we, the Brown family sure love you and thank our Lord for your time and efforts in carrying out His message of love and care of a neighbor.
With gratitude and thankfulness,
Ron and Judy Brown
A BIG thank you to everyone for the support shown to Rocky and our families. A big thanks to the Addieville Jaycees (it was awesome), Okawville Lions Club, and all organizations, businesses, and individuals. Despite this terrible disease we have been faced with, it was an awesome day with great friends and family, as well as with amazing music, food, and weather. Like one of the grandkids said “I can’t believe all these people are here for my Papa!” Also, a big thank you to Jim Lehde for his talent of Auctioneer. One of the advantages of small town living is the way we help each other out. Thank you all for your continued support and prayers for a cure for ALS.
The Killion Families
Michelle Hasheider-Burianek is no stranger to facing a challenge.
She conquered a big one helping lead the Okawville Lady Rockets to its first state basketball championship in 1994 and becoming the school’s leading scorer. She met other challenges to recover from injuries and surgeries to return to play for the University of Colorado basketball team.
But now at age 42, Hasheider-Burianek is facing the challenge of her life - and one she didn’t seek. Her challenge is to survive aggressive breast cancer.
The rural Okawville woman is taking chemotherapy treatment to shrink a tumor. She will later undergo surgery, which will be followed by radiation.
The basketball coach was honored at a “Pink Out” held at the Lady Rockets Volleyball game Thursday. Players and fans of both teams wore pink t-shirts for the event to coincide with National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
For Okawville, it was an opportunity for players, fans, students, family and friends to show support for the coach/mother/wife.
Hasheider-Burianek addressed the crowd, saying that it is her faith and family that are getting her through this challenging time.
Through nauseousness and fatigue, she is trying to live life as close to normal as is possible. She undergoes triple chemotherapy doses (due to low blood count) in an every other week regimen. By the time she starts feeling better, it is time to repeat the cycle.
The cancer patient will undergo surgery before practice starts for the basketball season. That will be followed by radiation.
Despite her medical struggle, Hasheider-Burianek will return for her 9th season coaching the Lady Rockets.
“I want to keep life as normal as possible,” she said. “I love basketball, and helping the girls with the sport.”
The coach said that during her recuperation from surgery she will depend more on assistant Haylee Althoff and volunteers coaches Paul Jansen and Courtney Lintker to show players moves she is restricted from doing.
Hasheider-Burianek uses a word that one would not expect from someone facing this health challenge: gratitude.
She said that she is grateful for the women with breast cancer that have gone before her. They have paved the way for early detection and treatment, “Doctors learned what works from them,” she said.
Hasheider-Burianek’s cancer was diagnosed in May and treatment began in June. Her advice to women is to get regular mammograms. Early detection can be life-saving.
Hasheider-Burianek manages the Hasheider robot dairy herd operation. She and her husband, Jason, a teacher and head football coach at Missouri Baptist University, raise three children, Teagan, 7, Nyelle, 5, and Kyan, 2.
Daily her roles as mother and coach blend as her daughters ask her to “fix” their shots as they play basketball for hours in the living room. And no matter how exhausted the mother/coach is, that makes her smile.