Leaving Neosho More Neosho

In a small town like Neosho, there is a certain sense of community not often found in larger cities, a connection to people and when a member of the local community is lost, the effects ripple through the town. Sometimes it is someone that everyone knew, someone who was a newsmaker or a "mover and shaker". Their passing makes a larger splash in the collective waters but there are those who live among us, who work quietly, who make a positive difference and draw more admiration than they might have known. When one of the latter citizens leaves us, we all feel it.
Neosho lost one of these residents last week when Dan Corporon passed away. Although I can't claim to have known Dan well, our paths crossed in that small town way over the years many times. I first knew Dan when he came to Neosho and coached my younger brother's baseball team, sponsored by Bank of Neosho. That was either the summer of 1979 or 1980 and I was a college student.
At that time, Dan worked for KBTN Radio. Fast forward in my life just a few years and I went to work at KBTN after college in January of 1984. By then, Dan was at The Neosho Daily News and although it was not for many years, I too now have an association with the Daily.
At that time, working in one of the few local media outlets, we sometimes crossed paths in simple everyday routines, nothing spectacular or special, just small town living.
After I married, I began substitute teaching again, something I had done just out of college. That year I subbed almost exclusively at the old Intermediate School, then in its' last year as a school. During the course of the year, I once again met Dan's wife, Phyllis, and I remembered - even if she may not have - how she had encouraged me as a young college kid to continue with college. She had urged me to make the leap from Crowder to Missouri Southern, to enjoy the full campus life (everything from living in the dorms to attending any campus events that I could) and I followed her advice.
When my daughters began their three-year stint at the Neosho Middle School, Mrs. Corporon was the art teacher. My daughter Emily has an artistic flair and as she navigated through both Art I and Art II, Mrs. Corporon became one of Emily's all time favorite teachers. As my daughter continues pursuing her art, whether it becomes a career or simply a lifelong passion, she will remember Mrs. Corporon with that special fondness we all reserve for our favorite educators.
Over the years since that long ago baseball season and the present, I have occasionally picked up one of Dan's advertising papers or seen him around town. He was one of many folks who I know but not well enough to call friend. However, I always retained a positive impression of the man, always remained glad that he and his wife chose to call Neosho home.
Small towns with their interconnecting circles, their shared fabric of life are like patchwork quilts. With Dan's passing, a small rip appeared in the quilt of Neosho. It is a fresh tear right now but in time, it will be mended but not forgotten.
So it goes with the circle of life. People are born, people move, people die but are not forgotten. Neosho is just a little bit more Neosho because of Dan Corporon and always will be.