Tingley's annual Halloween Fun Night was special this year, as the 50th anniversary of the celebration was observed.

Many former Tingleyites from around the country came back to share in the fun with a large crowd Saturday night. The weather cooperated with a chilly but dry night for the parade and the parties which followed.

Among those back for the special celebration were Keith Van Sickle, one of the boys who suffered severe injuries in a Halloween accident in 1945 that brought the first of the safe celebrations.

Also honored as parade marshalls were Donald Grout, chairman of the first event 50 years ago, and Wayne Overholtzer, who was treasurer for the event for many years.

As well as riding in the parade, which had many more floats this year than in the recent past, the three [?] marshalls were interviewed for the crowd Saturday night.

Winners were named in the various divisons of the parade, which went through the main street of Tingley. As well as the Mount Ayr Community junior high and high school marching bands, a kazoo band and a family band featuring kazoo instruments particiated in the parade in Halloween attire.

Parade winners included:

Children's singles, third grade and under: 1. Mummy, Christina England; 2. Cowgirl, Cheyenne Kurth; 3. Dracula, Scott Greene.

Children's single, fourth through eighth grade: 1. Who Tipped My Little House On The Prairie, Kayla Miller; 2. Cruising Through Tingley, Oakel Pettinger; 3. Princess, Stephanie Todd.

Children's Doubles: 1. Kansas and Rescue Squad, Heather Robison and Jessica Roth; 2. Mr. and Mrs. Medicare, Pam England and Jacque Worthington; 3. Everyone Came to Tingley for Halloween, Jordon and Joel Miller.

Adult singles: 1. With Having A Bad Day, Patty Stark; 2. Bunny, Marvin Grout; 3. ____, Jenesse Tull.

[right side of next two paragraphs clipped away] Adult doubles: 1. Wea___con, Denise Golliday and ____Wilkey; 2. Pot Patrol: Elo__ and Marilyn Wilkey; 3. Out____gley Costumes, Polly Har___ and Diane Miller.

Groups of three or more: 1. Shooting for Another 50 years, Sue, Wesley and Kyle Mc___ and Joanne and Mary Sue Pr____; 2. Hershey Hugs and Kisses, Brandon Werner and Jan and ____ Ford; 3. Reigning Tingley ____, Aston Banta, Nancy Riggs and ____ Owens. [remainder of article missing]

Des Moines Register
Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa
[date clipped, November of 1996]

It is Halloween, and there's probably not another community in Iowa that celebrates it any bigger and better than the south-central Iowa town of Tingley (pop. 179).

In fact the 50th annual "Tingley Halloween Fun Night," which would ordinarily be held tonight, has been moved to Saturday to make it easier for all the people who want to return to their ol' hometown for this special anniverary of the celebration.

Meanwhile, most yards and porches in town are already decorated. So tonight Tingley is having hayrides past all the homes, followed by a wiener roast and hot chocolate.

For the big celebration on Saturday, there will be the traditional Halloween parade at 7 p.m., led by the Mount Ayr High School and Junior High marching bands.

Organizers expect 100 to 200 people of all ages to march in elaborate Halloween costumes, vying for cash prizes. Some families are building their own floats. There maybe another 500 to 600 people along the streets watching, including alumni from as far as Texas and Colorado.

Then everybody will head to six different parties for different age groups -- from preschoolers through senior citizens.

The most elaborate party, as always, will be for the junior high and high school students, the ones townsfolk have always worried most about when it comes to Halloween safety.

It was an accident in 1945 involving teen-age boys out on Halloween pranks that inspired the town to organize safer celebrations for all ages. And it became [missing] over the area for a half century.

"Back in those days we were always dragging a piece of old farm machinery, or maybe a cow, into town on Halloween," said Roger Morrison, a retired farmer in Tingley who was 17 in 1945.

His buddy then, Keith Van Sickle, now retired as a Maytag factory worker in Newton, said, "Sometimes we'd put a piece of machinery up on somebody's building, or maybe move some outdoor toilets around."

They both recalled being in a group of teens out for some mischief on that Halloween night in '45.

"There were eight of us that got on two tractors and headed out to a farm to pick up some hay trailers that we were going to haul other stuff around on," Van Sickle said.

One of the tractors went out of control, down into a ditch, rolled and landed on Van Sickle and Richard Minnick. Minnick wasn't hurt badly, but Van Sickle now recalls he "had seven major ruptures, a broken pelvis, my bladder burst and I was black and blue all over.

"At first the doctor said I probably wouldn't live. Then they said I'd live but I'd never walk again. I was up and around again, after about a year. And after two years, I was playing basketball again."

The late Edith McIntosh, wife of the town doctor then, decided there had to be a better, safer way for Halloween fun.

A Girl Scout leader, she awa a story in a Scout newsletter about a town that had Halloween parties. Then when she was traveling in the East with her husband, they visited a town that had Halloween parades.

By Halloween 1946, she persuaded the American Legion Auxiliary to try organizing similar activities in Tingley, and the churches and other organization joined the effort.

And it's been happening ever since.

"Tingley has always been know as a town where, when the people set their mind to do something, they work together and really do it big," said Mary Sue McIntosh, 57, a grocer and daughter-in-law of the Halloween celebration founder.

Aaron Wilkey, 36, the local chiropractor, has been doing Halloween in Tingley since he was growing up in neighboring Ellston, and he is this year's chairman.

He and the committee are having trouble keeping up with the demand for commemorative T-shirts showing a big pumpkin with bats flying around it and a slogan, "Tingley Halloween Fun Night -- 50 Years of Community Spirit."

And Van Sickle, now 66, and ever grateful to be alive, will be back Saturday as one of the parade grand marshals.

Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, October 13, 2016, Pages 1 & 9

According to an article written by Edith McIntosh in 1981, the idea for a fun and safe way to celebrate Halloween was developed by McIntosh and other community stalwarts after some young boys were injured in a Halloween prank involving a tractor in the mid-1940s.

McIntosh, who was [the] mother-in-law of current longtime Tingley resident Mary Sue McIntosh, came up with the idea for a Tingley Halloween "Fun Nite" after hearing about a successful "Fun Nite" and parade in Hagerstown, MD.

"Wouldn't that be wonderful if we could do something like that in Tingley?" she asked.

This turned into a community project for her that 70 years later is still celebrated as a bona fide community celebration.

McIntosh's idea came to fruition with the help of the American Legion Auxiliary, which was active in Tingley at the time. She was president of the Auxiliary. She involved Tingley town officials, representatives of the local schools and other community and civic organizations. The meeting and planning began in the fall of 1946.

"The plan was presented and all became enthusiastic and interested," McIntosh said. "The first thing discussed was could we raise enough money to put the project over, and how much would be needed?"

A decision was made to have school children paint the windows of uptown businesses to raise money needed to help pull off the project. The window painting continues to this day.

She credits the late Wayne Overholtzer for helping to get the celebration off the ground. Overholtzer served as treasurer and chairman of the Finance Committee for the first celebration.

He raised over $300 in that first year, which went a long way toward making the Halloween celebration a reality.

"Our stores were a great help, as they solicited their suppliers and their wholesalers who were very generous with their products either free or at a discount," she wrote.

Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, October 20, 2016, Page 9

By Mike Avitt

I took this picture ten years ago and hopefully you can see the ghost hanging on the light pole in front. Tingley has held its annual Halloween Celebration for 70 years now, so let's look at the history.

It started on Halloween in 1945. Keith Van Sickle and Richard Minnick were injured in a tractor accident while on their way [to] perform a few pranks. Minnick escaped with a couple of broken ribs, but Van Sickle was hurt more seriously. He had suffered a broken pelvis and internal injuries and was driven by ambulance to Iowa City for emergency surgery.

Edith McIntosh, wife of Dr. J. A. McIntosh, witnessed some of the treatment of the boys' injuries and felt the need to take action. As president of the Tingley American Legion Auxiliary, she proposed a plan for a safe and fun Halloween celebration to the auxiliary. The plan was accepted and many other groups, such as the Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts, and Parent Teachers Association, joined in the effort.

A committee was formed with Donald Grout as chairman, Wayne Overholtzer as treasurer, and Edith McIntosh as secretary. Money was raised and activities were planned. Groups and individuals got to work and the first Tingley Halloween Fun Nite was held October 3, 1946.

A parade started at Richards Oil Station and ended at the baseball park. The parade included floats, bicycles, costumed groups, and individuals. At the ballpark, a first place prize was awarded to Tingley Superintendent Gladys Kiburz for her portrayal of an elderly woman as, "The Old Woman in the Shoe." After more prizes were awarded the other activities for the evening began.

Games, contests, fortune telling, and dancing were held in several locations including the high school gymnasium and the Christian Church. A great time was had by all and the celebration was declared a grand success.

The official sponsor of the event was the Tingley American Legion Auxiliary and the Tingley Businessmen raised most of the money.

So congratulations to the Tingley community for seventy years of "Halloween Fun Nite" and may your tradition continue for decades to come. This year's party will be held the 29th of October.

Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, October 27, 2016, Page 12

Tingley Halloween Bash set for this weekend

A full day of ghosts, ghouls, and good times is planned at Tingley Saturday, October 29 as they hold their 70th annual Halloween Bash.

Activities get underway with a party for 0-12 year olds from 11 a.m. - 1 p.m. to be held at Tingley Housing.

There's to be a tractor/car show and shine from 12 to 4, also a vendor show at the fire hall from 12 to 4. A police dog demonstration will take place at the tennis courts at 1 p.m.

The Tingley Lion's Club will hold a free will soup supper to benefit the Lion's club from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at the community building. The Tingley Toppers 4-H Club will also hold a bake sale at the same time and place. Lion's Club raffle tickets will also be on sale for the drawing.

There will be a parade down Main Street at 7 p.m. Parade entries need to be at the ball field by 6:30 to be judged and lined up. Entries after 6:45 will not be considered in the judging. Parade categories this year are: Third grade and under, singles; Fourth grade through eighth grade, doubles; adult, singles; adult doubles; groups of three or more; pets, bikes, etc.; small motorized vehicles; floats; and a new class, best dressed tractor. The Mount Ayr high school marching band will be performing in the parade this year. All children in the parade will receive something.

Parade winners, raffle ticket drawing winners, and decorated yard winners will be announced following the parade.

Several parties and activities are planned following the parade.

Following the parade, the Tingley Fire Department is sponsoring a free will hog roast to benefit the fireman, serving from the fire station.

There will be a junior high/high school party uptown Main Street with a variety of activities.

Ringgold Outdoor Alliance is sponsoring a haunted hay ride.

There is to be an adult dance at Uptown Main Street and bingo at the Wagon Wheel Cafe.

Free pumpkins are still available at the community building for the pumpkin decorating contest. They will be taken to the post office where they will be displayed through Halloween.

It should be a day and evening full of fun for all. As you can see, there is something for everyone.

Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, November 03, 2016, Page 1

Mount Ayr Record-News
Mount Ayr, Ringgold County, Iowa
Thursday, November 03, 2016, Pages 12 & 17

Tingley Halloween winners announced

Tingley had a great 70th Halloween Bash Saturday, October 29 with lots of goblins, ghouls and others attending all the fun events.

The following are the parade winners:

Singles: 3rd grade and under: 1) Wonder Woman, Raelyn Throgmartin  2) Clown, Serenity Throgmartin  3) Super girl, Emma Reynolds

4th - 8th grade: 10 Tingley's Coolest Grandma, Anna Greenland  2) Mad Hatter, Lauren Conklin  3) Rosie Witch, Rosie Leonard

Children's Doubles: 1) U.P.S., Carl Jerome Kids

Adult Singles: 1) Miss Congeniality, Nancy Jarred  2) Pumpkin Farmer, Rose Campbell  3) Cop, Logan Conklin

Adult Doubles: 1) Chilling out 70 year fun, Brenda Woody and Shelly James  2) Jokers are Wild, Jan Ford and Marilyn Werner  3) Bride and Groom, Mary Schakel and Eric Anderson

Groups of 3 or more: 1) Wizard of Oz, Kacy Klommhaus, Zoey Larsen, Katie Shields, Mallory Weehler  2) Still tu tu fun, the Skarda family  3) Cowboy UP, the Weeda family/Karen Pettinger

Small Motorized Vehicle: 1) Ruker Henson, Levi Henry  2) Thing 1, 2, 3, Johnson family  3) Austin Greenland

Floats: 1) Hy-Vee, 70 year ghosts and ghouls  2) Ibbotson family, Minions  3) Hoover Angus  4) Generation Strong

Best Dressed Tractor: 1) Rose Campbell  2) John Campbell and Isaac Shelton  3) Turk Allen tractor, Jeremy Phelps

The Lion's Club had a cash drawing and cash winners included $100, Deb Trullinger; $50, Jaiya Frost: $25, Marie Sickels, Lywanda Case, Aaylah England Hinz and Elaina Goff.

The best decorated yard winners as announced are: 1) George Hosfield, Linsey Akers and Howard Tull.

Photographs courtesy of Mount Ayr Record-News
Transcription by Sharon R. Becker, May of 2017