The Cook-Kulhanek House

T.L. Griffin bought this lot from W.J. Logan in1925, and the lot remained vacant until 1941 when Frank N. (1901-1985) and Genevieve (Russell) (1910-2006) Cook purchased the lot and took a mechanic’s lien with John C. Robertson to construct a five-room house with one bathroom for $ 3,800.

Frank was the son of George W. (1877-1966) and Euna Mae (Norman) (1878-1966) Cook, who had brought their family to Olney in 1910 in a covered wagon. Frank graduated from OHS, and he went to work as the clerk and station agent for the GT@W railroad in Jean. In 1924 Frank went to work in the post office when a 2-cent stamp sent first class mail, and a post card was a Penney. He was made assistant postmaster in 1938 and became acting postmaster upon the death of postmaster D.B. Wood. In 1954 the U.S. Senate confirmed Frank as postmaster.

Frank and Gene married in 1932, and Gene was the daughter of “Pop” Russell and his wife, who lived at Morrison Funeral Home in Graham. (This was customary in many funeral homes since there was no EMT in those days and the funeral homes ran the ambulances.) Gene worked for L.C. Boyd at Olney Federal Saving and Loan and no doubt secured a loan from there on the house. The Cooks were members of First Baptist Church, and Gene directed the choir in the late ’30s and ’40s with Viola (McClatchy) Hunt playing the piano and Bonnie (Mrs. Dudley) Myers on the organ.

The Cook’s only child was Russell, and he was in Baylor in the 1950s, and the last I recall, he was in Bartlesville, OK.

In 1992 Gene sold the house to Thurman Mahler and his wife Hazel (Dunaway). Hazel’s father was “Dump” Dunaway, the deputy sheriff, and her mother worked at Horany’s. Hazel was a nurse at Lovett-

Meredith Clinic. Thurman was one of the Mahler triplets—Herman, Thurman and Vernon, born July 13, 1926. Herman married Marjorie Bailey, and Vernon married Reba Manuel. Thurman’s two sons are Mike and Stan, locally the justice of the peace. In 1999 Thurman sold the house to Mike and Vickie

In 1999 Thurman sold the house to Mike and Vickie (Ramsey) Mahler, with Vickie being the daughter of Leo and Bertha Ramsey. Stan is employed as Air Tractor.

In 2007 Mike and Vickie sold the house to Shane P. Kulhanek and wife Kristin B. Kulhanek.

Shane is the son of “Shorty” Kulhanek from Megargel, whose claim to fame is how many wheat harvests run to Canada over the years he has made.

If you have any corrections or additional information to add to this article, contact Clifton Key at 940-564-2979