GQ deputy editor attends reunion of cousins

Kay Flaska, far right, graciously opened her McCook home for two brothers looking for family roots by visiting their late father, Bob Hainey's hometown Saturday. High school friends, front from left, Stewart "Stew" and wife Jan Karrer of Grand Island joined the reunion. Back from left are Chris Hainey of Chicago, his son, Glen, Michael Hainey of New York and Mark Hainey of Des Moines, Iowa. (Dawn Cribbs/McCook Daily Gazette)

Chris and Michael Hainey were just 8 and 6 years old when their father, Bob Hainey, died unexpectedly in 1970.

Bob, a 1952 graduate of McCook High School, attended Northwestern College in Chicago where his older brother, Dick, worked at the Chicago Tribune. After college, Bob stayed in Chicago, married and started a family. At the time of his death he worked at the Sun Times.

Life went on. The years passed. The boys grew up. Chris stayed in Chicago where he went into banking. Michael, after attending his father's alma mater, eventually ended up in New York City where he now works as deputy editor of GQ magazine. Their connection to Southwest Nebraska was thin at best and seemed entirely broken after their father's death.

But a yearning to know more about their dad proved stronger than that severed cord. Saturday, the two brothers, accompanied by their cousin, Mark Hainey, Dick's son, and Chris's 8-year-old son Glen, accepted the hospitality of their dad's longtime friend Kay Flaska and visited their father's hometown, in search of their roots.

Kay and Bob started kindergarten together and donned cap and gown in 1952. They kept in touch through the years and when the Hainey brothers spoke to their mother about their quest, she remembered Kay from hometown vacations and recommended that they call her.

Kay was happy to oblige and contacted Bob's best friend from high school, Stewart "Stew" Karrer. He and his wife Jan came down from Grand Island to spend the day reminiscing.

A visit to the Museum of the High Plains paid dividends, yielding photographs of Bob's father, C.P. Hainey, who worked for the railroad. A trip up West Second showed that Bob's boyhood home, where he lived with C.P. and his mother, Esther, was little changed.

"No one was home, so we couldn't go in," Mark explained, "but the outside, other than a new garage, looks the same as it did in 1960."

In fact, Mark didn't see many changes to McCook, except for different store names on some of the businesses.

It was a whirlwind trip.

"We knew if we didn't just do it, it may never happen," said Michael. They coordinated flights into Denver International Airport, and drove into McCook late Friday.

The weekend served as a reunion of sorts for the cousins as well. Mark, who now works in Des Moines, Iowa, as a stockbroker, knew Bob quite well. "He was more like an older brother than an uncle," Mark explained. "While he was in school at Northwestern, he was a frequent visitor at my house."

Years later, during a chance encounter with Michael on the Northwestern campus, Mark was sure he'd seen a ghost, Michael so closely resembled his father at the same age.

Though they hope to return someday when they have more time, the brothers were satisfied with what they learned and impressed with the hospitality shown by their father's hometown and old friends.

"It was just such a pleasure to have them here," said Kay.