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Gazette columnist continues to find wider audience
Honors continue to roll in for Walt Sehnert, a talented McCook writer with precise memories of life in Nebraska during the past three quarters of a century.
The latest recognition comes from Nebraska Magazine, a publication devoted to news of interest to University of Nebraska Alumni. In the Winter 2005 edition, just off the presses, word comes that two essays by Walt have been selected as award-winners in the alumni's annual writing contest. The first of the stories, called "The Day The Capital City Stood Still," is featured as a two-page spread on pages 22 and 23 of the winter issue. The article was the second place winner in the Nostalgia Division of the contest.
In the Spring 2006 edition, which comes out in March, Nebraska Magazine will unveil Walt's first place winning entry in the Profile Division of the writing contest. He's not certain what the winning article is about, as he sent in several entries.
Walt didn't turn to writing until 1993 following his retirement from the baking business. He started by collecting memories from Ray Search, a long-time McCook resident with crystal-clear memories of McCook's early history.
Walt also started recording memories of his growing up years in Plainview, Neb. The result of his effort were two books: "Growing Up in Plain View" and "Ray Search Remembers McCook."
Walt is now working on a third book about his experiences with an all-black quartermaster company during the Korean War. Walt also devotes considerable time to the production of a weekly column in the Gazette, called "From Days Gone By." It was this column, which appears each Monday on page three, which inspired his entries into the Nebraska Alumni writing contest. "I took past columns and revised them into entries," he said.
Walt's writings are a treasure, as shown by his nostalgic look at the winter of 1948-49. In the essay printed in the Nebraska magazine, he tells about he and his then girlfriend and now wife, Jean (Leisy) Sehnert, skating on O Street in Lincoln during a January ice storm in 1949.
"There was no traffic, and a thick coat of ice made skating everywhere ideal. We skated west, right down the middle of O Street, Lincoln's busiest thoroughfare ... With the light mist, as the sun went down, the sky became absolutely pink in all directions. Then, as darkness closed in, the yellow light from the street lamps bathed everything in a soft, shiny glow, lending a surreal quality to the scene."
Through Walt's eyes, we can see the past. He has a wonderful gift for writing which enriches this community and this state. We're proud of his accomplishments and look forward to reading more of his essays in the weeks and months to come.