PHILLIPS - CROFUTT

by Rosalee Crofutt

Entry F333 from the History of Hooker County Nebraska
with permission of the Hooker County Historical Society

Wayne and Rosalee Crofutt

Rosalee Ann Phillips Crofutt was born in
Mullen, Nebraska on 1952, the oldest
child of Lynn and Joellen Loudon Phillips.
At the age of 18 months we moved to a farm
outside of Yellville, Arkansas, in the northern
part of the Arkansas Ozarks. Mom tells of
placing a sheep bell around my waist to keep
track of me in the dense shrubs and trees. At
time, in later years, I am sure she wondered
why! In 1953, when I was about 15 months old
we moved back to the ranch in southern
Cherry County. The only running water was
in the kitchen sink. I remember going outside,
past the locust tree with all the huge thorns
that lay in wait for my bare feet, to get to the
outhouse. I was so excited! We had running
water! I flushed the toilet time and time again
just to see the water appear and disappear.
With an inside bathroom and a black and
white TV, I knew we had somehow become
rich overnight.

The rest of my school years were spent in
Mullen, where I graduated from High School
in 1970. In December of 1970 I was married,
a brief marriage that only lasted until 1974.
Walter Lynn (Walt) was the one highlight of
the marriage. He was born 1972, my
parent's first grandchild. After the divorce I
moved from Sidney to North Platte, Nebras-
ka, where I worked first at Merrick's, then at
Shakey's as assistant manager. Walt spent
from the spring of 1974 through August 1976
with my folks, living at Mullen. He also
stayed with them his first grade year. In the
spring of 1978 I went to work at the Gerald
Gentleman Power Plant, which was being
constructed south of Sutherland, Nebraska.
There I met my husband, Wayne Crofutt.

Wayne Alan Crofutt, the eldest son of Paul
James and June Ellen Bloomenkamp Cro-
futt, was born 1948 in Ogallala,
Nebraska. Wayne and I were married March
23, 1980 at my parents' home in Mullen, on
the day of their 29th wedding anniversary.
Between Wayne's first marriage and mine, we
started married life with a family of four boys.
Our daughter, Joellen Marie (Jo), named for
my mother and Wayne's maternal grand-
mother, was born 1981. She missed
her brother Kevin's birthday by only 64
minutes. Our children are Walter Lynn
(Walt) 1972, Kevin Wayne
1972, Jesse Ryan 1975, Ross Alan
1977, and Joellen Marie (Jo)
Crofutt 1981. Kevin Alan
1977, and Joellen Marie (Jo) Crofutt
1981. Kevin and Walt are sopho-
mores at Ogallala High School. Kevin is out
for football, basketball and track. Walt is out
for inter-murala basketball and is on both the
staff of the Allalago the school newspaper'
and the Chieftain the school annual

Wayne and I both belong to the United
Presbyterian Church in Keystone, and Walt
is Jr. Leader of the youth group. Wayne is an
elder and an don the session. I am at the other
end of the spectrum - church janitor. Wayne
and I also belong to the Keystone-Laymone
Volunteer Fire Department. Wayne was one
of six remaining active charter members
recently honored at our ten year celebration.
I joined the department in 1983, the first
woman member. I still am the only female on
the department. We both hold offices.

Wayne served in Viet Nam with the 101st
Airborne Div. and was the recipient of several
medals. After his third Purple Heart, he
spent the remainder of his tour in Korea,
arriving back in the states just in time for
Christmas in 1969.

We live on a farm five miles northwest of
Keystone, Nebraska just a few minutes away
from Lake McConaughy. Wayne works at
Nebraska Public Power District out of Pax-
ton. He is a canal operator, in addition to
farming. I ran a licensed day care center out
of my home until our youngest started to
school.