By Ron Wilson, director of the Huck Boyd National Institute for Rural Development at Kansas State University.
This year, 2021, is the national year of the sunflower. That’s nice recognition, especially because the pretty, golden sunflower is the state flower of Kansas. In one rural community, this has served as inspiration for a beautification initiative. Coincidentally, this is also a year when that community is working to save its historic theater downtown. The building is named – what else? – the Sunflower Theatre.
Last week, we met Dr. Susan Mayo, who is part of the effort to save the historic Sunflower Theatre in downtown Peabody. Among the others joining in that effort is Marilyn Jones, who has also taken on a project of community beautification.
Marilyn is originally from the rural community of Dexter, population 278 people. Now, that’s rural. After attending Oklahoma State University, she and her husband, Gary, came to Peabody in 1961. That’s where Gary began a long-time career as an ag teacher. Their son, Mike, and daughter, Lynn, earned degrees from Kansas State University. Marilyn operated a greenhouse business in the area for some 55 years before retiring. Continue reading “Marilyn Jones, Sunflower Theatre”
