Chinese Lanterns by Margie Hiermer
Chances are if you lived in the Georgesville, Ohio area in the mid 1970's, you may have heard of the irascible, one-of-a-kind, Leona "Loany" Rice.
Even if you didn't spend time in this little community where the Little Darby and Big Darby Creeks meet, you can read about her colorful life in this memoir written by her grand niece, author Margie Hiermer.
And what a life it was. This rags to riches story (and back to rags) is told with warmth and humor by someone who knew Loany well. Additional anecdotes from extensive research, are peppered throughout the book, passed down over the years from friends and relatives, revealing a strong, vibrant lady.
Loany's escapades included buried slot machines near Paradise Alley, the home she shared with Okie, the forbidden love of her life whom she refused to deny. Chapter after chapter describe in detail her life as a bookie (oh, how she loved the racetrack), a suspected murder (never proven), a penchant for the sparkling beauty and mystery of fireworks (thus the book's cover), and the crude, rude language that somehow made her all that more endearing. Maybe that's because people recognized the kinder, softer side of Loany. When her beloved son died, her grief was agonizing. When she worked with her "tickies", the mentally challenged individuals she supported and loved, she beamed with pride. When friends were down and out, she reached into her own pocket to help. Yes, there were two sides to Loany.
There's an audience for this debut book written by an author who finally saw her labor of love come to fruition. Written with tenderness from the heart, it must have been quite the experience to have known the exuberant Loany Rice.
Chances are if you lived in the Georgesville, Ohio area in the mid 1970's, you may have heard of the irascible, one-of-a-kind, Leona "Loany" Rice.
Even if you didn't spend time in this little community where the Little Darby and Big Darby Creeks meet, you can read about her colorful life in this memoir written by her grand niece, author Margie Hiermer.
And what a life it was. This rags to riches story (and back to rags) is told with warmth and humor by someone who knew Loany well. Additional anecdotes from extensive research, are peppered throughout the book, passed down over the years from friends and relatives, revealing a strong, vibrant lady.
Loany's escapades included buried slot machines near Paradise Alley, the home she shared with Okie, the forbidden love of her life whom she refused to deny. Chapter after chapter describe in detail her life as a bookie (oh, how she loved the racetrack), a suspected murder (never proven), a penchant for the sparkling beauty and mystery of fireworks (thus the book's cover), and the crude, rude language that somehow made her all that more endearing. Maybe that's because people recognized the kinder, softer side of Loany. When her beloved son died, her grief was agonizing. When she worked with her "tickies", the mentally challenged individuals she supported and loved, she beamed with pride. When friends were down and out, she reached into her own pocket to help. Yes, there were two sides to Loany.
There's an audience for this debut book written by an author who finally saw her labor of love come to fruition. Written with tenderness from the heart, it must have been quite the experience to have known the exuberant Loany Rice.
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