Dona Reynolds, ST JOSEPH MO

St Joseph is known for its quality of beautiful mansions.

In 1920, Houston Wyeth built the Georgian design mansion for his family.

The general exterior features stucco with red clay tile roof, separate guardhouse, cabana and a small barn.

Solarium's include tile floors and circle head windows with domed plaster ceilings.

In 1984 a local investment group purchased the Houston Wyeth Mansion, transforming the property to a professional office building. The front portion of the grounds is St Joseph's finest professional office business parks with 9 freestanding individually owned buildings with the Georgian design.

The guardhouse a perfect individual professional office building.

Completely secluded among the mature trees at the rear portion of the acreage, perfectly designed is the "Antilles" of 15 upscale Town homes.

** The following story was featured in Life Stories of the St Joseph News Press last week, and felt it should be shared here with fellow Realtors. Please take time to read Johnny's Story and purchase one of his books if at all possible.

**Johnny's mom, Jane is a fellow Realtor at my office.

Memoir recounts surviving brain cancer - twice by Erin Wisdom
Thursday, February 5, 2009

Photo by Jessica Stewart

St. Joseph native Johnny Cathcart has written a book titled ‘Hotpants: A Memoir.' The Central High School alumnus started the autobiography when he was 17.

Johnny Cathcart knows a thing or two about endurance.

The 23-year-old St. Joseph native showed himself way back in fourth grade to be a distance runner. And he kept running, even through all the headaches he had in sixth grade.

But two weeks into his seventh grade cross country season, the headaches became too bad to ignore. He began experiencing double vision, and his dad, a doctor, grew concerned enough to have him undergo an MRI - one that revealed a gigantic tumor. Left alone, it could have killed him within days.

Johnny underwent surgery the next day to remove the tumor. Thus began a battle with brain cancer he fought not once but twice, first at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital in Memphis, Tenn., during seventh grade and then again at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in New York City three years later, after a routine MRI showed a recurrence.

The recurrence came as a shock, not only because St. Jude's had a 90 percent cure rate for Johnny's kind of brain cancer, but also because at the time the news of it came, he didn't have any symptoms. He seemed healthy. He was a normal kid attending school rather than doing his coursework by correspondence in a hospital. He was running again.

Even with a second aggressive brain surgery, the chances of Johnny surviving one year were only one in 100, doctors said. The only option for increasing his chances was a high-risk, high-dose chemotherapy treatment at Memorial Sloan-Kettering - one that had a four-in-five chance of killing him in the process of killing the cancer.

"He was extremely sick in the hospital, sicker than anyone I'd ever seen in all my years as a doctor," Johnny's dad, Dr. Rocky Cathcart, said. "His immune system shut down, he had a fever and he couldn't eat - all things we knew to expect during the chemotherapy, but also what you see in people right before they're terminal."

But about two weeks into his monthlong hospital stay, Johnny turned a corner - and he didn't look back. He also reached a turning point in his faith.

"In New York, I was at my lowest point," he said. "When you're in a hospital room, so alone, you have to reach for God."

After another stint at St. Jude's for radiation following his chemotherapy treatment in New York, Johnny returned to Central High School, where he was now a sophomore. He returned to running and picked up right where he'd left off with the nickname - Hotpants - he'd earned in eighth grade due to the short, hot pink Umbros he'd borrowed one cross country practice when he'd forgotten to bring shorts of his own.

Throughout his second cancer treatment, his teammates had worn "Johnny Hotpants" patches on their uniforms. They rallied around him in support when he returned from treatment, too - and they weren't the only ones. Absolutely everyone knew who Johnny was. Everyone was his friend, and as much as he appreciated the support, it was also a reminder of how he stood out during a time when what he wanted most was to fit in.

But he did have friends who knew him outside the context of being the "kid with cancer," including Cory Brooks. They'd met as 13-year-olds at Wyatt Park Baptist Church, where they'd go to the church's gymnastics room after Sunday worship services and use the mats for wrestling matches.

"I never saw him as different or fragile," Cory said. "He was the same ol' scrapper John, and if he set a goal, he was going to go after it."

And his endeavors weren't limited to the classroom or the cross country team. At 17, Johnny began writing "Hotpants: A Memoir" about not only his cancer, but also his life in light of it: his battle with God and his struggle to be accepted as a normal high school athlete.

He wrote most of the book, which he describes as "comedy meets philosophy meets cancer," while studying film production at Webster University in St. Louis. A book release and signing party will take place from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. Sunday at Gallery 7, Seventh and Francis streets, and more information about the book is available at www.johnnyhp.com.

This project finished, Johnny is focusing his attention on a documentary film about - what else? - cross country runners. He's come a long way from the boy sick in a hospital bed with all the odds against him, and his dad thinks he knows why Johnny became such an unlikely survivor.

"In looking at the kind of kid he's become and what he's accomplished already, I just think he hadn't finished."

Purchase Johnny's Memoir

East Hills Shopping Center is located at St Joseph's busiest intersections Frederick Avenue and Belt Highway just off I-29.

The East Hills Story began with a commitment to the community of St. Joseph, Missouri.

East Hills was originally constructed in 1965 with 416,000 sq ft., JC Penny and Montgomery Ward as anchors.

Since the original opening it has undergone many changes, including a major renovation and expansion in 1988. With the addition of the Dillard's and Sears Department Stores and 34 new storefronts, the size of East Hills increased to 676,000 sq ft.

The new design is seeking to create a modern, clean look, with clean cut lines, glass exterior canopies, new mall entry towers, more than $1 million in new lighting, and a huge fireplace in a new "sunporch café" eating and lounging environment.

Today, as shopping trends continue to change, East Hills continues to serve as St. Joseph's community gathering place while providing a top shopping, dining and entertainment experience that meets today's standards.

East Hill's department stores include JC Penny, Dillard's, Sears and Home Style Furniture.

Additional information about shopping can be located at East Hills

Since construction broke ground last spring, approximately 80 percent of the interior renovation is complete, 75 percent of the exterior facades and lifestyle shops are complete and 85 percent of the site work is complete.

April is the projected completion of the East Hills Shopping Center.

St. Joseph is rich in urban resources including exquisite historic architecture; continuous 26-mile parkway system with picturesque landscapes, vast wooded areas, hike and bike trails, and family oriented parks.

St. Joseph's educational opportunities are many including a four-year state university, a two-year private community college, and a privately operated post-secondary vocational/technical school. The City also has a well-regarded public school system and many fine private and parochial elementary, middle and high schools.

Click the link below for a previous post on one of America's best schools, in St Joseph.

One of America's best schools ~ Benton High School~St Joseph Missouri

St. Joseph came out third in Missouri in the "Best Places in America to Raise Kids" ranking by Business Week. The article may be found here.

Missouri boasts the fifth most diversified economy in the nation, meaning that the economic environment is both robust and resilient. 

Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc.,  a leading supplier of animal health products for livestock producers and veterinarians, announced a major expansion in St Joseph, you can read the story here

                                    Market Report January 2009-City Buchanan County-St Joseph

Reading the chart:

Total Active  List Price Volume $44,475,049

         Active Listings   466

Total Pending Sales $4,839,640

          Pending Sales   44

Sold Total Volume $2,700,136

         Sold Units   31

Average Days on Market Sold  112.25

About the author:

Dona Reynolds is a St Joseph Real Estate Broker-Sales, Certified Residential Specialists, e-certified who can assist you with the purchase and or sale of real estate in the St Joseph Missouri Area.  If you're relocating to or from any other area of the country,  Dona connects you with a member of her team of relocation professionals in your destination, at no cost to you. 

Dona Reynolds-Prudential Summers Realtors-800-279-2235

Disclaimer:  All information provided by this author is strictly an opinion, is not guaranteed, may be based on information collected from several sources, which may or may not be deemed reliable at the time of researching this article and may be time sensitive.

Home searching in the St Joseph Missouri area starts here!

additional maps/history

Dates and times are subject to change: please call ahead.

Springfield Feb 1-28 Hearts for the Arts - Creamery Arts Center - 417-862-2787

Branson - Feb 4-7 -13^thAnnual Branson Tri-Lakes - Building & Home Show - Branson Convention Center- 417-334-5401

Joplin - Feb 6 - Sugar Snow! - Walter Woods Conservation Area - 417-629-3423

Jefferson City - Feb 6-8 - United Bow Hunters of Missouri Anniversary Festival - Truman Hotel 573-243-7113

Springfield - Feb 6-8 - Auto Fest - Ozark Empire Fairgrounds - 417-833-2660

Osage Beach - Feb 7 - Bonk Hard Chill - Adventure Race - Lake of the Ozarks State Park - 816-582-3102

Blue Springs - Feb 7 - Discover Nature Families: Birding for Beginners - Burr Oak Woods Conservation Nature Center - 816-228-3766

Jefferson City - Feb 7 - A History of Valentine's Day - Missouri State Museum- -573-751-4127

Lake St Louis - Feb 7 - Polar Bear Plunge (Benefiting Special Olympics) Lake St Louis Community - Association Clubhouse 314-961-7755

Sedalia - Feb 7 - A Taste of Soul, A Musical Extravaganza - Liberty Center - 660-827-3228

Columbia - Feb 7 - Mid Winter Mopar Madness - All Chrysler Swap Meet - Boone County Fairgrounds 573-291-0999

Cole Camp - Feb 7-8 - Spring Gun & Knife Show - Legion Hall - 660-287-7430

Winona - Feb 8 - Spinning and Weaving - Twin Pines Education Center - 573-325-1381

St Louis - Feb 12-15 - Festival of African & African-American Music - 314-652-6800

Sedalia - Feb 13-14 - Mid Missouri Ag Expo - Missouri State Fairgrounds - 660-826-2932

Chillicothe - Feb 13-15 - Gun & Knife Sports Show - Elks Lodge - 660-646-0062

St Charles - Feb 13-15 - Wide Open Motorcycle Show - 660-221-2298

Lake Ozark - Feb 14-15 - 8^th Annual Lake Area - Chamber Home & Garden Expo - 573-964-1008

St Louis - Feb 14-15 - Wide Open Bike Show - 800-792-9029

Chillicothe - Feb 14-15 - North Missouri Outdoor Classic - 660-752-8010

St Joseph - Feb 19 - Grow Native Landscaping Workshop - NW Regional Conservation Office 816-271-3100

Jefferson City - Feb 19 - Nature's Needlers - 573-526-5544

Sedalia - Feb 20-21 - NFPB Championship Bull Riding - 417-924-3591

Columbia - Feb 21 - Mid Missouri Farm Toy Show - 573-814-0434

Adrian - Feb 27-March 1 - Gun & Knife Show - Community Building - 816-297-4290

Kansas City - Feb 27-March 1 - 49^thAnnual Carquest World of Wheels - Custom Hot Rod Show 248-373-1700

Salem - Feb 28 - Chapter Rock Mountain - Elk Foundation 14^th Annual Banquet Fundraiser

Platte City - Feb 28 - 6^th Annual Monopoly Tournament - 816-858-4362

Osage Beach -Feb 28 - Polar Bear Plunge/5K strut (Benefiting Special Olympics) Lake of the Ozarks State Park Public Beach #2 - 573-635-1660

Marceline - Feb 28 - 2^nd Annual Energy Fair Walsworth Community Center - 660-734-2195