Cecelia Bucknum to reign
over St. Pat s festivities
HU M M
I'atrirk'% I » j \ N u p p lr m r n l to Ihr llr|»|tnrr ( l a i r l l r Time*
Cecelia Kenny Bucknum Antique rocker and secretary were owned by
her parents Michael and Mary Kenny, early Morrow Co homesteaders
Her Irish eyes were smiling
and
their twinkle was ju.it about as
bnghl an the sunlight bouncing o((
the hand polished antujue furniture
It * obvious that Queen Cecelia Ann
Kenny > Bucknum puts a lot of love,
pride and elbow grease into her
World War I era home Niece (.wen
Mealy Jokes that her children say
they n**e<l sunglasses when they visit
their great aunt Cecelia her home
is theepitomy of Irish hard work and
cleanliness despite an injury Cecelia
received as the result of a fall
Cecelia Ann Kenny was horn to
Michael and Marv Doherty Kenny
on the Kenny ranch twelve miles
from lleppner in 11*6 Michael who
emigrated to Morrow County from
the County l^eitnm Ireland in 1*7»
worked at various ranches until
homesteading in Milk Canyon, in the
eastern part of Sand Hollow Mary,
of County Donegal Ireland, came
to the I v in 1HK.I On liecemher Ifi.
1KK4 Mary and Michael were tnar
ried Kight children were horn to the
Kennys John Francis Sarah'K ar
lev i, Hoseanne i Mealy i. James
Thomas Michael Kdward Kmmett,
Joseph Bernard and Cecelia the
voiingrst Kmmett only sis months
old died in 1401 and Kdward died in a
having accident in Ii*i7 at the age of
12 James died of diabetes in 1922
l 'ti elia is the only chilli of the Kenny
family still living
Kor a time the Kennys and their
children taught at their ranch The
mother of liuchel Harnett curator
of the museum for many years was
their teacher < ei elia s brothers and
sisters also went to sctusil at Butter
creek Imt the family moved from
the farm into Heppner so that
Cecelia could attend high school
there After Cecelia s graduation
the family returned to the ranch and
Cecelia moved to Cortland to attend
Bencke Walker Business College
While attending college she lived
at the all women Martha Washing
ton Motel which is now occupied by
the followers of the Bhagwan Shree
Kajnersh Hut after a year of
college she returned home to help
her mother who was in ill health
on Christmas day. 1929. at St
Catrick s Catholic Church in Mep
pner Cecelia married William J
Bucknum The couple matte their
home at Cecelia's parents' house in
lleppner Two years after they were
married she tiegan working for J C
I’rnnev Co in lleppner The store
was first located where the I^Bush
shop most recently has tieen The
J C I’enney store was then mov ed to
where the old lleppner Dost Office
huddling was Cecelia worked for
the company for lO 'i yrars until her
mother died on March 23. 1940 at the
age of 7f> Cecelia had taken a six
months leave from her Job. but
never returned She cared for her
father until his death on November
B 1940 at the age of SI just eight
months and two days after the
passing of his wife
K ecalling her youth. Cecelia
speaks of early days in Morrow
County. I remember when I was
small, my mother and father were
struck by lightning Our hired man
and my brother went out with a
lantern looking for them
Those
were horse and huggy days I'll
never forget it us kids were crying
It the lightning burnt the shoe off
my father x foot and killed one of the
horses
My dad helped a lot of Irishmen
get started in Morrow County," said
Cecelia Times were real hard We
did without all of these modern
things
Cecelia has lived in one of her
parents homes for 37 years The
original Kenny ranch, a loo year old
farm now. is still in the family and
owned by her nephew, Bill Mealy
St. Patrick's
Irish Festival
D in n e r & Entertainm ent
Saturday, March 16
4:30 to 7:30 p.m
Menu:
Ham, Scalloped Potatoes,
Green Beans. Salad, Rolls,
Milk, Coffee, Tea & Pie.
^Adults
$ 4 .0 0 Family $12.50
10 & under $ 2.00 3 & under Free.
Catholic Parish Hall
1 block behind church. 560 Jones St., Heppnei^
\ponvK «*J
by
Start St. Patricks
Weekend at the Elks
f /
*1950
Was $12,900
G
h
\etc linnd
fttr the lleppner Area
G
A
¥
i
Saturday - Sw iss Steak
j
B O TH
F R ID A Y «
JS'C\
SA TU RD A Y
o Heppner
G
Elks Lodge
*N
6
o n Introducing
:
1983 Olds 98 2-Dr.
*9
G
Friday - Harsh's Ribs
Take 4"
St. Patrick s WeekSpt'cial
G