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Patti Yaussi Red Cloud High School Alumni Association

Yaussi is a 1970 graduate of Red Cloud High School and an active member of the Red Cloud High School Alumni Association, overseeing the organization's social media presence and mailings and assisting with the annual banquet. This year's banquet starts at 5pm on Saturday, May 28th in the Red Cloud Community Center.

Yaussi grew up on a wonderful farm next to Indian Creek in Webster County. She attended District #14 country school with her siblings and cousins until 7th grade. Yaussi is a 1970 graduate of RCHS and 1974 graduate of the University of Nebraska School of Journalism. Yaussi has always been a small business owner--Olsten Staffing (1996) Datapeak (2002)--in addition to being a licensed Nebraska Realtor. She has been married to her business partner, Tom Yaussi, for 38 years. Both Yaussis recently retired. Patti and Tom have three children from previous marriages and cherish spending time with them and their three grandchildren.

Always active in the Lincoln NE business community, Yaussi was Vice President of the West O Business Association, part of the Executive Round Table for the Lincoln Chamber of Commerce, board member for the Lincoln/Lancaster Mental Health Foundation, twice nominated for Marketer of the Year for the Lincoln American Marketing Association, Distinguished Sustainer of the year for the Junior League and retired recently as Chairman of the Board for Valley Hope, a drug and alcohol treatment center in Kansas.

What is your favorite thing about Red Cloud?

I moved away from Red Cloud when I started attending college in 1970. I have been gone for a long time, but I will not ever get over the excitement of driving into town for a weekend. I love the pride I feel of being born and raised in this small community. It doesn’t matter if you’re visiting your grandmother at Heritage Care Center or Cherry Corner Estates or hanging out at On the Brix, there’s always the possibility of running into old classmates and friends who live in Red Cloud and classmates who are just visiting relatives like me.

You’ve been involved with the Red Cloud High School Alumni Association since 2002. Why do you feel it’s important to keep Alumni Weekend going? Is there anything you wish people knew about the work that the RCHS Alumni Association does?

My mom Irene Tupper Hansen and her twin sister Ilene Tupper Wulf, 1941 grads, were always involved with the Red Cloud High School Alumni Association. In 2002, I started to help them with their responsibilities. For years, mom kept track of all 1700 (approx.) living alumnus mailing addresses. She had no computer, no search engines, no email, but was constantly making phone calls and using phone books to track down missing mailing addresses for alumni. Over the many years she had lost track of about 250 people. With modern technical capabilities we were able to create a new database to find the missing addresses and add email addresses.

I moved away from Red Cloud when I started attending college in 1970. I have been gone for a long time, but I will not ever get over the excitement of driving into town for a weekend. I love the pride I feel of being born and raised in this small community.

Today, I’m part of the committee that produces the Red Cloud Alumni Banquet each year on the Saturday evening of Memorial Weekend. For the past 10 years, I’ve had the pleasure of working with the super capable Presidents, Red Meyer (RCHS 1980) and Pam Parr Meyer (RCHS 1984). A Scholarship Committee works to award up to $3000 in scholarships each year at this event to graduating RCHS seniors because of the generous contributions of RCHS Alumni.

I feel it’s very important for all RCHS Alumni to show up in Red Cloud on Memorial Weekend. That little community looks forward to the economic boom that is generated by us being there. I also feel that it’s important to show up at the Alumni Banquet on Saturday night. It’s the best place to be if you want to see not only YOUR classmates but those classmates a few years older or younger. The event begins at 5 o’clock with cocktails and ends by 8:15, which provides plenty of time to gather your group for a private party.

Yaussi does a terrific job of making sure Alumni Banquet memories are captured by snapping photographs during the event. Pictured here are Louise Routledge Eldred Mountford (RCHS Class of 1940) and her son David Eldred (RCHS '68).
I feel it’s very important for all RCHS Alumni to show up in Red Cloud on Memorial Weekend. That little community looks forward to the economic boom that is generated by us being there.

What are your favorite places to visit when you come home to Red Cloud?

Just think about our hometown: it features the National Willa Cather Center, the Willa Cather Memorial Prairie, the Red Cloud Opera House and the nation’s largest collection of nationally-designated historic sites dedicated to an American author. Just think about the Hotel Garber, a 26-room boutique hotel being constructed in downtown Red Cloud. Not only will the facility help achieve tourism development and rehab the Potter Block building, but it will be a fabulous place to stay when in Red Cloud for Memorial Weekend.

Think about The Valley Child Development Center, a highly quality center that provides care and education for children 6 weeks to 12 years. And think about the Webster County Historical Museum. There is lots to see and enjoy.

Top to Bottom, L to R: Rendering of the forthcoming Hotel Garber, the Red Cloud Opera House, the National Willa Cather Center, the Webster County Historical Museum, The Valley Child Development Center, and the Willa Cather Memorial Prairie
Top to Bottom, L to R: Rendering of the forthcoming Hotel Garber, the Red Cloud Opera House, the National Willa Cather Center, the Webster County Historical Museum, The Valley Child Development Center, and the Willa Cather Memorial Prairie
Top to Bottom, L to R: Rendering of the forthcoming Hotel Garber, the Red Cloud Opera House, the National Willa Cather Center, the Webster County Historical Museum, The Valley Child Development Center, and the Willa Cather Memorial Prairie

What services and/or experiences do you wish Red Cloud had when you come visit?

When you are visiting Red Cloud there can be the issue of where to stay. There are several wonderful B & B’s, but when you have 250 people attending the Alumni Banquet on that special Saturday, there’s never enough room for everyone. I’m looking forward to the new Garber Hotel. I wish that there was a place to go for a fabulous breakfast and cup of coffee in the morning.

As RCHS Alumni, I feel it’s our responsibility to help keep that unique little community alive, whether you live in Red Cloud, were born in Red Cloud or graduated from Red Cloud High School.
Pam Parr Meyer (RCHS 1984) and Craig "Red" Meyer (RCHS 1980) are the Red Cloud High School Alumni Association Presidents.

Do you have a favorite memory or story about Red Cloud that you’d like to share?

My favorite story about Red Cloud is the story of me growing up as a farm kid. There were lots of chores which created a great work ethic. With my siblings and cousins, we picked lots of fruit from the orchard and tilled soil for the garden and canned the vegetables, chopped cane from the fields, and milked many dairy cows. And yet, there was lots of play time in Indian Creek with the minnows, watercress, and building of dams and swimming. I’ll always respect that healthy environment growing up.

Do you have a favorite TV show?

I watch a little TV, but without missing a week I tune in to This Is Us on Tuesday evenings. During Covid-19 lockdown, Tom and I opened a Netflix account and watched endless Netflix series. I jokingly proclaim that Netflix saved my sanity.

If you could have a superpower what would it be and why?

I would wave a magic wand that would make people happy and content, wherever their life has taken them and excited to start each day.

Do you have any hobbies or interests you’d like to share?

I start each day with an exercise routine, either walking or a trip to the gym. I’m a very novice oil painter and love cooking and baking: bread, pies, cakes and cookies. Tom and I enjoy traveling.

Do you have any pets?

No pets. We always tell our grandkids that the money we would spend on pets (they think we should have a dog) goes toward financing our travel fund.

What would your high school classmates say about you if we asked?

I’m not sure what my classmates would say about me? When you reach 70 years old, it really doesn’t matter anymore. More importantly, you are enjoying each other’s company in retirement when possible, making plans for lunch, and showing up in Red Cloud to see each other as often as possible. I’ll have to say that the RCHS Class of 1970 had a really good time at their 50 Plus Covid Reunion.

Due to COVID-19 related delays, the Class of 1970 celebrated their 50th class reunion in 2021 instead of 2020.

What are you most proud of?

With my husband, I owned two small businesses in the past 25 years. Both businesses were brand new and had no clients, no customers. As the marketing person and with Tom’s help we were able to make both successful companies in the Lincoln, NE community.

Do you have a mantra or mission statement you live by?

Take off the blinders. Live life. Take risks. Learn from your experiences and mistakes. Move forward and never live in the past. Open your heart and wake up thankful each day.

What historical figure or celebrity would you most like to have dinner with? Why?

I was standing near the 18th hole of a golf course in North Carolina once and Michael Jordan walked up and put his ball into the hole. I almost died and went to heaven. He’s very tall. I would have liked to have gone to dinner with him after the putt.

You give back to your hometown—both through your involvement in the RCHS Alumni Association and in your support of Red Cloud Community Fund projects. Why do you think it’s important to give back to your hometown?

Small communities like Red Cloud struggle to survive. There are limited volunteers and I’m guessing that those who live in the community feel “nickeled and dimed” to death trying to support the extras that they need. I’ll always encourage alumni to give back to their hometown. Even the smallest donations are greatly appreciated--or consider giving back by volunteering your time. As RCHS Alumni, I feel it’s our responsibility to help keep that unique little community alive, whether you live in Red Cloud, were born in Red Cloud or graduated from Red Cloud High School.

What is your favorite song and/or recording artist?

I love iTunes and being able to download whatever I want to listen to. Right now, either on my phone or through the sound system in the house, I’m listening to a lot of Whitney Houston, ZZ Top, Big Bad Voodoo Daddy and probably the best of all times, the soundtrack to Phantom of the Opera. Variety is the spice of life.

I’ll always encourage alumni to give back to their hometown. Even the smallest donations are greatly appreciated--or consider giving back by volunteering your time.

What is your dream vacation?

I’ve had many dream vacations. Traveling has always been a priority in our home. I’m thankful for European and Caribbean vacations, Bermuda adventures, New York City and Broadway getaways and fishing in Alaska and Canada. Tom and I own a house in Scottsdale, AZ and spend our winters there.

I would like to see the continuation of renovating downtown Red Cloud, the renovation of historic old homes and the continued cleanup of eyesore structures that need to be demolished.

Who has been the biggest influence in your life? Explain why.

Now that my parents are gone, I recognize how much their common sense, work ethic, volunteerism and financial conservatism has influenced my life. I didn’t always agree with their decisions but they were solid, supporting and there for the best and worst of times.

What would you like to see happen in Red Cloud in the next 5-10 years?

I would like to see the continuation of renovating downtown Red Cloud, the renovation of historic old homes and the continued cleanup of eyesore structures that need to be demolished. I’m also hoping for restaurant choices in addition to the ones already in business. Breakfast please!! The completion of the Hotel Garber should bring all of those positive changes as more people will stay overnight in Red Cloud.

Is there anything else you’d like to share?

Not everyone had a positive high school experience but I’ve attended almost every Alumni Banquet in the past 30 years as has my “not from Red Cloud spouse” One thing that I’ve noticed at the Banquet, those classmates who show up to be honored are now adults and have a great time kibitzing, catching up and sharing their lives with their classmates, now that they are all grown up.

Credits:

Patti Yaussi * Rob Olsen * APMA Architects * Nebraska Tourism Commission