2017: F.G. Weary III
Mr. F.G. Weary III. 2017 David Whitmer Community Service Award winner was born in Richmond in 1924. His family owned the Farris Theater and a Variety Store, so he was an active Richmondite from the start. He married Sarah Denning in 1944, before going overseas to fight in the Battle of the Bulge under Patton. He graduated from MU in 1948 and then returned to Richmond. F.G. and Sarah built the Henrietta Drive-In and Hwy 13 Bowl, so they kept up the family legacy. In the 1960s, F.G. stared in the Kiwanis Theatre Guild productions on the stage of the Farris and was active in the Richmond Kiwanis Club. F.G. passed way in 2017.
2018: Linda Emley
Linda was the site manager of Ray County Museum & Genealogical Library, and so much more. Linda loved history. Her interest in local history, myths, folk lore and legends, led her to conduct research on Ray County’s rich history. From community founders, to Capt. William “Bloody Bill” Anderson, to Jesse James, Civil War history, and the area’s extensive Mormon history, Linda was your go-to person.
Linda was a very active community member and belonged to many service organizations, such as Richmond Rotary Club, Kiwanis Club of Richmond, The Allen-Morton-Watkins Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR), of which she was the regent and Ray County Historical Society. Linda was on the board of Hickory Grove Baptist Cemetery and served on a number of committees with the Richmond Area Chamber of Commerce.