It was an empire at one time...stores from here to Ft. Scott, Kansas. Oklahoma throughout Southwest Missouri. You could hardly toss a stone, without hitting a Consumers Markets. Remember the jingle? "Consumers, Consumers, the BEST supermarket under the Ozarks skies." Well, thank God I just type on here, and not sing...everyone in the blog sphere would be trying to get me to go away again! Anyway, the Consumers empire ended years ago, but Clarence & Edna Wheeler kept their profile low, and their check books open wide to area organizations. Sadly, Edna passed away Saturday, March 31st. She was a true lady in every sense of the word. Strange...death always seems to go in 3's...Edna Wheeler, John Stone...and I've not found the last one yet.
Back to my story...I remember going over to the Wheeler's home many times as a kid. You wouldn't KNOW they had money...until you got to their home. HUGE! Long brick, built in two different wings in Southern Hills. The Wheeler's had a poodle named Bubbles. Actually, I think there were several "Bubbles" in my lifetime. Long story short, not only did they give of their hearts to this community, rub elbows with the most influential of our town, they were perfectly great to a little boy, who was amazed at their kindness, and their reality, and to this day, I have never forgotten them.
Consumers empire is finally gone...and there will never again be two people like Clarence & Edna Wheeler...and it's a damned shame.
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