Two of three Lyon County commissioners to seek re-election

By Karen Woodmansee

Appeal Staff Writer

Don Tibbals, who represents District II, said reports of him being on the fence over the election were not accurate - he's in.

"If I can do the taxpayers any good and help them, then that's what I'm going to do," he said.

Another hat in the ring will be Bob Milz, representing District I who some thought would be term-limited out this year, but he said thanks to an opinion by former Attorney General Frankie Sue Del Papa, he can seek his fourth term.

Del Papa gave the opinion that terms commencing after Nov. 27, 1996, would be counted in the term limit law passed by voters on Nov. 2, 1996, since candidates already competed in the primaries and general election when there were no term limits.

Commissioner LeRoy Goodman said regardless of the opinion, he is not running for re-election.

"Twelve years is enough, as far as I'm concerned," he said. "Whether I can run again or not, they will have to resolve."

He said, along with Milz, he expected others would also challenge the term limits law.

"But I don't see how the court will overturn the will of the people," he said.

He doesn't expect to end his public service entirely; he plans to stay on the Commission on Economic Development.

"I plan to stay involved that way," he said. "But my political office days are over."

•••

Sandra Johnson of Fort Garland, Colo., sent along some information on her mother, who was born in Virginia City in 1918.

Margaret Estelle Tannahill Davies died on Jan. 11, 2008, but had a long and interesting life. After marrying a Coast Guard officer she spent her life traveling, ending up in Wiscasset, Maine.

Her time in Virginia City is mentioned in her obituary this way:

"In the mining ghost town of Virginia City in 1918 Margaret Estelle Tannahill was born. A top scholar, she helped out by tutoring some of her Paiute Indian classmates."

Just two lines mentioning the Comstock, but the very long obituary went on to say how she went to University High School in California then obtained a degree in Economics at Berkley, working to help her sister through college and later to support her mother.

She married Ward Davies, a Coast Guard officer, and ended up moving to Alaska, California, Washington, and a half-dozen eastern states.

She raised her children to be good citizens, the obit said, and was always cheery despite the hardship of frequent moves.

She traveled to Europe from Norway to Turkey and Russia, all over the United States, touring by bus, boat, rail, car, taxi and military aircraft.

She is said to have laid in the tail of fueling aircraft to watch fighter planes come in for fuels, flew in fixed and rotary wing aircraft over the glaciers in Alaska and flew in a sailplane.

"In her life there were floods, earthquakes and twice lightning struck within 30 feet of her," the obit reads. "She was a good sport and would go canoe camping or mountain climbing with the family, and to many air shows. She went to rodeos and once with her husband happened onto a site where cattle were being branded. There were circuses, horse races, dog shows, zoos, museums, magic shows, a sail in the antique arctic schooner Bowdoin, and lunch on the Coast Guard's barque "Eagle." Ship launchings and the receptions afterwards, dinner and dancing in the finest hotels, ballets, concerts, were part of her life, plus "Sound of Music" and other such plays. There were famous botanical gardens and, on the rougher side, a tour through a steel mill and even a burlesque (once) and a professional wrestling match (once)."

Margaret leaves behind a husband, two sons and two daughters, 10 grandchildren, and four great-grandchildren, who have a lot to live up to.

• Contact reporter Karen Woodmansee at kwoodmansee@nevadaappeal.com or 881-7351.