STORY TELLERS … (Left to Right) Collen Rufenacht, Jason Ferguson, Anita Van Zile, Eloise Wyse, Don Allison, and Richard Ferris.
By: Renea Kessler
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
renea@thevillagereporter.com
The Bean Creek Valley History Center hosted its 9th Annual Lantern Tour at the Pleasant View Union Cemetery in Fayette on October 2, 2025, bringing local history to life through a series of portrayals and storytelling.
The evening program invited community members to walk the grounds of the cemetery while hearing about notable figures who once called Fayette home. Admission was five dollars, and refreshments were provided following the tour.
Jason Ferguson opened the event by portraying Edwin Patterson Ewers, remembered for helping found the Fayette Normal Music and Business College in the 1880s. Ewers, who died in 1899, left a legacy of education and progress in the community.
Richard Ferris then portrayed Dr. Glen Nobel, a Fayette veterinarian who received his Doctor of Veterinary Medicine degree from Michigan State University in 1934.
Nobel served the area faithfully until he died in 1987, and his story highlighted the important role he played in local agriculture and animal care.
The life of Leonard Lucas was shared by Collen Rufenacht and Eloise Wyse, Lucas’ daughter. Known for his skill on the drums and his involvement in the traveling Ginnivan Tent Shows, Lucas brought music and entertainment to many before his passing in 1999.
Anita Van Zile stepped into the role of Mary McCrilles Kendall, the wife of Dr. Amos Kendall. Dr. Kendall was one of Fayette’s earliest settlers, serving as postmaster and justice of the peace for sixteen years. Mary’s story reflected the resilience of pioneer women who built family and community in the early days of the town.
The tour concluded with Don Allison portraying Colonel J.H. Wickizer, a lawyer originally from Bloomington, Illinois.
Wickizer became infamous for shooting Dr. Luce, whom he accused of being too close to his wife. He later joined the Union Army in 1862 during the Civil War and died in 1889.
Sponsored by the Normal Memorial Library and Pleasant View Union Cemetery, the event once again offered an engaging way for residents to connect with the community’s past.