From the early 1990's on Don Whetsel helped to make the

Wheat Ridge Historical Society events memorable. When we celebrated the

completion of the 6 year long restoration of the 1913 1st Wheat Ridge

Post Office, Don manned the soddy stove and turned out a delicious

pancake & sausage breakfast for all the visitors. He had just made a

wonderful chopping block counter with pot rack & hooks for the soddy

kitchen. For apple cider day he turned an old tin sink into a table for

washing apples before cranking. The magnificent team of horses he

arranged to have brought to the Baugh House gave us a memorable autumn

ploughing day. His stories of growing up in South Dakota entertained us

at many a historical society meeting. But I guess my most favorite store

of memories were the years he and Charlotte bundled up and went bravely

down to the ice cold soddy to start the stove in order to have it warmed

up for our Christmas party that night. I came with my big homemade

chicken pot pie and cranberry sauce and we enjoyed dinner together.

Charlotte had washed the oil lamp chimneys and the soddy was aglow.