The 2023 Pioneer King and Queen are Mike Willis and Ruthie Traver Winget. Mike was born at the Epworth Hospital in Liberal July 15, 1947 to Warren G. and Betty L. Willis. He was the second child, with Lynetta being his older sister. His mom always said he cut his teeth on a D John Deere Tractor because he was always riding along with his dad at a very young age.
Mike is a fourth generation Stevens County resident, and a lifetime farmer and rancher. He rented his first quarter of farm ground at 14 years old. His first tractor was a G John Deere. He was in the Hugoton High School graduating Class of 1966.
After high school, he attended Wichita WTI technical school, graduating with an electronics degree in 1968. Mike then enlisted in the Army reserves and served for six years.
He had a shop for about 10 years, selling and servicing TV’s. He met and married Kathy in 1973, they were married for 43 years and had three children, Warren, Jenny and Lisa. Mike has eight wonderful GRAND- children.
He took over his dad’s farm operation in 1983. Kathy and Mike operated a seed business for 41 years. Over the last few years, he turned over most of the farming operation to his son Warren.
Mike is semi-retired, but he would like to slow down even more. He is a member of the First Christian Church, and has previously served as deacon and member of the board.
Other community involvement includes serving on the Co-op board, member of the JC’s, member of the Fair Board, served on the Soil Conservation Board, the ASCS board, and Extension Council Board. Mike also taught Hunter’s Safety for many years.
His hobbies and interests outside of working are bowling, hunting, fishing, old cars, collecting arrowheads and Indian Artifacts, small scale tractors, his cattle herd, going to car shows with his friends, and most importantly, spending time with his family and grandkids.
Mike is thankful to have lived in a nice community and blessed to live in a free country.
Ruthie was born March 29, 1941 in the family home in West Stevens County to William M. “Bill” and Ferne A. Traver. She is the oldest child and has one brother Roger Traver, and two sisters, the late Vicki (Traver) Micheau and Beth (Traver) Stipe.
Ruthie’s early years, she lived with her family in the rural Moscow area, until the family moved to Hugoton when she was in the sixth grade. Ruthie loved riding her horse Daisy, (every kid in town wanted to ride Daisy) and enjoyed 4-H and helping her mom and sisters around the house.
In September of her senior year Ruthie got married and then graduated from Hugoton High School in 1959. Ruthie has three children, Jimmie, Kent and Lori. She has seven wonderful grandchildren.
After her kids were in school, Ruthie went to work at the Hugoton Post Office as a letter carrier and worked there for 35 years. She retired in 2004, and went to work at The Hugoton Hermes news- paper that same year and is still there! She has lived in Stevens County all of her life except a couple of years in Missouri.
Ruthie is a member of the First Christian Church. Her hobbies are waterskiing in her younger days and she continues to love reading, camping, traveling and spending time with her family and her grandkids.
Ruthie is very blessed to live in such a caring and warm-hearted community.
