Plans further developed for visit by Vivian Vance's sister
Montgomery County Chronicle, September 4, 2008

Plans are being finalized for the arrival of Lou Ann Graham, the youngest sister of television actress Vivian Vance, on Saturday, Sept. 13.

Graham, an Albuquerque, N.M., resident, will be visiting Cherryvale along with Wanda Clark of Tulsa, who was the personal secretary of TV icon Lucille Ball prior to Ball's death in 1986.

The Cherryvale Chamber of Commerce is planning an event at noon Saturday, Sept. 13, for local family members to reunite Lou Ann Graham. The family-only event will be held at the Big Hill Lodge.

At 6 p.m., Saturday, Sept. 13, the Cherryvale Chamber of Commerce will host a reception for Graham and Clark at the Cherryvale Middle-High School Commons Area.

Local residents will have the opportunity to meet Graham and Clark and learn about their about their relationship with Vance.

Admission is $2.00 for children (age 5-18) and $3.00 for adults (children under the age of 5 are free) and will include a chicken noodle dinner.

Following the dinner and presentations by Graham and Clark, guests will view various episodes of the "I Love Lucy" series that featured Vance.

Vance, who was born in Cherryvale in 1909, was best known for her role as Ethel Mertz on the "I Love Lucy" television series of the 1950s.

Vance later appeared as Vivian Bagley on the subsequent sequels, including "Here's Lucy" and "The Lucille Ball Show."

Vance, who died in 1979, was the second child to Robert and Euphemia Mae Jones of Cherryvale when the Jones family resided in Cherryvale in the early 1900s and 1910s. Graham was the youngest of the Jones children and was born after the family moved away from Cherryvale.

Last week's Montgomery County Chronicle erroneously reported that Graham was the sole surviving member of the Jones family. In fact, Graham has two siblings, including sister Dorothy and a brother Robert, both of whom continue to reside in Albuquerque.

For more information contact the Cherryvale Chamber of Commerce at 620-891-0072.

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