Alumni

          Evelyn Marie Kaasch                             Clifford Preston McGuffin
                                                  SHS CLASS OF 1929

Alumni Connections Newsletter

Clifford Preston McGuffin was born in 1908, the fourth child of John and Edna McGuffin in Rocky Ford,
Colorado. They moved to Scottsbluff in 1912, where the last of their two children were born. The
McGuffin clan attended SB high school where they are all active in athletics; Glen, Gladys, Edith, Cliff,
Lowell (Dodes), Everett (Barney), and Bernice.
Evelyn Marie Kaasch was the only child of Archie and Julia Kaasch. She was born on the family farm in
1911, but they relocated into town by the time Evelyn was a teenager, when her father started working
for the Farmers Union Exchange.
The family story holds that Cliff only ever had eyes for Evie, much to the consternation of her mother.
Julia, a proud teetotaler, who did not approve of the rowdy ways of the McGuffin clan. Evie’s parents
sent her away to the University of Nebraska in hopes of squashing the union. But alas, Evie returned
after graduation and swiftly eloped with her beloved in April of 1935.
Cliff and Evie spent time in Oregon and California, where their first two daughters, Sandi and Sue, were
born. They were lured back to Scottsbluff, when Evie’s parents purchased the Acme Dry Cleaners for
them to run. Their third daughter Nancy was born in Scottsbluff in 1941.
Unfortunately, their love story did not have a happy ending. In a few short years, in May of 1946, Cliff
died a mysterious death while working in their dry-cleaning store. The official cause was listed as
accidental ingestion of poison. Evie was left a widow at age 35, with three young daughters. Sandi, Sue,
and Nancy aka “The McGuffin Girls” were very active and popular, sharing many memories of their high
school years with their children. By the time their mother died in 1964, the McGuffin girls had all moved
with their husbands to California. Nancy (Ramsey Arnn) died in 1978 in Los Angeles, Sue (Gilmore) died
in 2003 in Sacramento, and Sandi (Otte) died in 2020 in Philadelphia, PA.
We—the daughters of Sandi McGuffin Otte—dedicate these pavers to the happy memories of our
mother, aunts, and grandparents. We are also happy to report we have learned our “rowdy McGuffin
clan” that great-grandma Julia so disliked, has illustrious family branches that arrived in the American
Colonies in the mid-1600s with links back to English royalty. We aren’t sure if even that would make a
difference to our great-grandmother!  Submitted by grand daughter, Mickey Herr.

Did you miss the chance to purchase an engraved paver at the Bearcat Pride Plaza? Don’t worry! Sales will reopen once a year, during reunion season. You and your family can still be part of the legacy! Your purchase helps to continue and grow Career Academy education at SHS.

Two options are available, bricks start at $100.  Follow us on Facebook for sales dates.  Email foundation@sbps.net for more information.