Obituary - Adrian "Ace" Waskowitz

Adrian "Ace" Waskowitz, a cherished husband, father, grandfather, and great-grandfather, passed away peacefully at his home in Louisburg, Kansas on February 3, 2026, at the age of 94. Born on January 4, 1932, in Brooklyn, New York, Ace was a man of simple pleasures who embraced life with open arms.

Ace grew up in Brooklyn, New York and was a lifelong fan of the Dodgers. After graduating high school, Ace was drafted into the United States Army and was sent overseas during the Korean War. During this time, Ace served as a Combat Signaler/Radio Op. This job required soldiers to be trained in Morse code, encryption, voice, and teletype communication. Ace was grateful to have survived his time in Korea and he appreciated every day of life.

Ace continued his education in communications and began working for ABC television in New York and was then offered the opportunity to go to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to help open ABC-WTAE TV, Channel 4, on Ardmore Blvd. Ace worked as an engineer for WTAE until he retired at the age of 65. His work ethic and commitment were indicative of the values he held dear throughout his life.

On September 12, 1960, Ace married the love of his life, Laura Reight. Together, they enjoyed a remarkable 62-year marriage filled with love, companionship, and countless memories. One of their favorite pastimes was visiting Timbercreek, where they became familiar faces among fellow patrons.

Ace enjoyed being outside in the sunshine enjoying the natural world around him. He enjoyed going for walks, gardening, and being out in the community. He also loved the ocean and was able to live in Florida for a while with Laura prior to moving to Louisburg, KS.

Ace’s heart was devoted to his family. He is survived by his daughter, Anne (William) Naulty, and son Kenneth Waskowitz. His pride and joy were also reflected in his grandchildren, Amanda (Christopher) Armendariz, Brittany Naulty, Eric Naulty, and Lauren Naulty. He was also a delighted great-grandfather to Zachary, Adrianna, and Michael Armendariz, with another great-grandchild on the way.

Preceding him in death were his beloved wife, Laura Waskowitz, his parents, Nathan Waskowitz and Dorothy Goldstein, his grandmother, Ida Goldstein, and numerous cousins.

Ace leaves behind a legacy of kindness, love, and dedication. His steady and stoic nature showed those around him how to handle adversity with consistency and strength. He will be remembered fondly for his warmth, resilience, genuineness, and the joy he brought to those around him.

Cremation is planned with private family services being held later.

To share your memories of Ace or to send a special condolence message to his family, please visit the Guestbook below.

Butler council moves ahead with several projects

The railroad crossing on west Mill street will be getting a much needed makeover soon as necessary paperwork has been received from MoDot. Final approval for the project likely will be given in the upcoming council session.

With that, Mayor Henry reported that Rice Road had been bladed and dust control had been applied. He thanked Bates County for the  chemical application and is waiting for the snow to clear to see if it worked. On a related note, the city has received paperwork needed for the township to transfer ownership of Rice Road to the city of Butler which hopefully 'smooth out' maintenance issues.

MoDot has also been seen several times lately at the intersection of Fort Scott and Orange, surveying and taking measurements as plans are to widen the turn lane from southbound Orange to west Fort Scott. Increased truck traffic causes a pinch for traffic at certain times necessitating the changes. Mayor Henry has contacted MoDot and is awaiting an update on progress.

Alliance water manager Dustin Sterling went over the December operations report for the  water plant and the wastewater treatment Plant. He mentioned that MIDCO  divers had had inspected and repaired a leaking seam on the east holding tank  at the water treatment plant. The divers also inspected the uptown water tower.

Current Butler CPA Audit firm Trout, Beeman and Company announced that they sold their business to Paul  Hood who is headquartered in Tulsa, Oklahoma. They have approximately 175  employees with offices in Missouri, Kansas, Oklahoma, Texas, and just recently  Tennessee. Mr. Beeman indicated that he would continue to provide audit and tax services to the city. Councilwoman Doncella Liggins asked if the city would need to sign a new contract with the new firm and the Butler city attorney said he would look into it.

Jalyn Watson, Student Council Advisor with Butler High School has scheduled  a mock city council meeting with council for February 26, 2026, at 10:00 am.  Mid America Live plans to cover the event.

A brief discussion was held about the intersection of Fort Scott and Main streets. Due to parking near the corner, sight is limited at times and it was suggested that making the intersection a four way stop would help. More discussion will be held in coming days.

City Clerk Gayle Alexander reviewed costs associated with copy machines at various locations including city hall, the fire department, police department and city shop. She disclosed three bids for new equipment and the council voted unanimously to stay with Lakeland Office Systems which overall was the best deal.

It was noted that when getting notifications to Butler patrons, the Text Caster program appears to be the quickest way to get the word out when information needs to get to the public in short order. While such notifications are placed on the web site and the city of Butler Facebook page, all present agreed that since most everyone has a cell phone, Text Caster is the best bet. For those who would like to sign up, go to this link https://asa.textcaster.com/asa/d4fb7501-a173-487c-99dc-94c24fd2c6a5 or www.cityofbutlermo.com and scroll down until you seek the Text Caster link.

Before closure of the meeting, all present expressed condolences to the Eldon Neely family for their loss as Eldon had been involved with many aspects of the city over the years.

The Butler City Council meets on the first and third Tuesdays, 7 pm, at city hall and the public is highly encouraged to attend.

Wednesday basketball scores

Boys

Sherwood 36
Butler 53

Sheldon 47
Humansville 54

Harrisonville 67
Leeton  35

El Dorado Springs 39
Lockwood 59

Stockton 44
Mt. Vernon 62

Girls 

Sherwood 38
Butler 69

Lamar 36
Cassville 61

Miller 67
El Dorado Springs 33

Sheldon 33
Humansville 41

A wonderful deed, indeed

 

Early Wednesday morning a crew was busy in Montrose MO at the Jason Breshears residence as the home is undergoing a major makeover courtesy of Continental Siding Company. The work is being done gratis of CSD as Jason was a recipient of their Siding For Service Members program and he will soon enjoy a more efficient home that will have a fresh, modern appearance as well.

Mid America Live spoke with a representative with Continental Siding Company and will be providing a follow-up story upon project completion that will include before and after pictures.

Learn more about the Siding For Service Members program here https://continentalsiding.com/siding-for-service-members/

Several Bluejays now advance to FBLA State

Those that will advance to State are: Lainee Swaters--2nd place--digital video production; Lainee Swaters and Zack Hilte-- 2nd place--graphic design; Kelsey Carter--2nd place--website design; (not pictured) Nick Snethen--1st--computer problem solving; 2nd--Networking infrastructure.

Pictured left to right-- front--Zack Hilte, Lainee Swaters, and Kelsey Carter. Back--Skye Goth, Carson Johnson, Dom Blevins, Carson Steward, Macey Tenholder, and Kassody Brownsberger.

Bryler Ford to join Missouri Southern State University Lions

 

Bryler Ford is wrapping up one of the more accomplished athletic careers in Adrian Blackhawks history. This fall he will sport the green and yellow of Missouri Southern State University Lions.

Pictured with Bryler is his mom and dad, Jeff and Amy Ford.

Congrats, Bryler! It's been a pleasure covering you.

-Mike and Michele, Adrian News Leader

Congratulations to Kelsey Carter, NHS National Semifinalist

 

We're excited to share that Montrose High School has an NHS Scholarship Winner

Winner: Kelsey Carter

Award Level: National Semifinalist

Award Amount: $3,200.00

Her dedication to scholarship, service, leadership, and character has earned her this prestigious recognition. Since its inception, the NHS Scholarship program has awarded over $30 million to exceptional student leaders like Kelsey Carter. She was one of 575 individuals who were awarded this scholarship out of over 16,000 applicants. Way to go, Kelsey! We are so proud of this accomplishment! It is an Outstanding day to be a Bluejay!

Two Rich Hill firefighters from Fire Academy

 

Congratulations to two members of the Rich Hill Fire Department

This week, we celebrate CJ and Angel as they officially graduated from the Fire Academy (Harrisonville FA03). Your unwavering determination, countless hours of study, and tireless hands-on work have paid off in a way that inspires us all.

This milestone isn’t just a personal achievement; it’s a testament to your commitment to our community and the safety of those you serve.

CJ, Angel – your dedication shines bright, and your futures as firefighters are brighter still.

Congratulations from the entire Rich Hill Fire Department!

Chief Miller