Ridin' with Bones - Blog

12/11/24
Hole 16: Birdie

Bones never stopped fighting his battle with prostate cancer, continuing with check-ups and treatments for years. After several years of treatment and 17 long years of check ups, his doctor finally gave him the good news—he probably didn't need to return for regular visits anymore, as the cancer was no longer a threat! 

During that time, Bones found new ways to stay active and involved. He became a regular substitute teacher at Hutchinson High School, where his grandsons were attending. A few times a week, he’d be in the classroom, staying connected with the school and its students.

But that wasn’t all. Randy Drieling, the head football coach, asked Bones to come in on Thursday nights to lead motivational talks for the team. Bones embraced this role wholeheartedly, serving as the team chaplain for several years. His talks, centered on Faith, Family, and Football, and especially his message of "Who Packed Your Parachute," resonated deeply with the players. He inspired many young athletes, helping them not just on the field but in life.

Bones made lasting friendships and left a positive mark on countless students and athletes in Hutchinson. He loved being around the game, but more importantly, he cherished the chance to give back and work with the next generation of kids. Hole 16 is a birdie! 

12/7/24
Hole 15: Double Bogey

Bones had embraced his retirement in Hutchinson. He spent his days enjoying leisurely rounds of golf and his Sundays leading services at Chapel on the Green, a role he cherished deeply. Life was quiet, fulfilling, and rich with the simplicity of routine. For a couple of years, everything seemed to fall into place—until the day everything changed.

A routine check-up turned into a life-altering moment when Bones was diagnosed with prostate cancer. The news hit hard, but what followed was even more unsettling. The cancer had already spread beyond his prostate, attacking his tailbone, and the doctors' outlook was grim. They gave him only a 10 percent chance of surviving another two years, expressing deep concern over the aggressive nature of the cancer's spread. For a man who had lived his life with purpose and faith, this news felt like an insurmountable mountain.

But Bones wasn't one to give up easily. He was determined to fight. His doctors recommended an aggressive treatment plan, starting with surgery followed by radiation. After the surgery, he began a regimen of radiation therapy to target the spread of the cancer, but it was the experimental drug that would prove to be his turning point. He was enrolled in a clinical trial, a last-resort treatment that held promise but no guarantees. Bones never once wanted people to feel sorry for him, and his fun loving personality would never lead anyone to believe anything was even wrong with him. 

Against all odds, the drug began to work. Slowly but surely, the cancer markers in his body began to drop. Over time, his condition improved. After 17 years of regular check-ups, countless tests, and treatments, there was no sign of cancer. He had defied the odds, and his perseverance had paid off. What was once a dire prognosis had turned into a triumphant story of survival, strength, and hope. 

Throughout it all, Bones remained deeply rooted in his faith, continuing to lead the Chapel on the Green and sharing his experience with others. He became an inspiration not only to those who knew him personally, but to everyone who heard his story of resilience in the face of overwhelming odds. After being diagnosed with cancer and given a couple of years to live, hole 15 is a double bogey. 

11/13/24
Hole 14: Birdie

After retiring from athletics at Dodge City Community College, Bones moved to Hutchinson to be closer to his grandsons. He settled in a small golf course community north of Hutchinson called The Highlands, where they lived just off the sixth green. It was here that Bones developed a passion for golf, playing almost every day with a group of friends. In this peaceful setting, he also took the opportunity to teach his grandsons how to play, letting them drive the cart and enjoy a few holes with him.

During his first year in Hutchinson, Bones spent some time looking for a church community where he felt he truly belonged. One thing he quickly noticed was that his golfing buddies would play every Sunday morning, which made him think about how he could blend his faith and his new routine. Taking a leap of faith, Bones decided to start a small Bible study group at his home on Sunday mornings.

What started as a handful of people quickly grew as more couples joined in each week. After the Bible study, the men would head out for a round of golf, while the women would gather at the country club for a card game. Bones eventually gave his Sunday gatherings a name: The Chapel on the Green. What began as a small, informal Bible study grew into a weekly tradition, with 20 to 30 people attending to hear the message Bones had prepared. Bones woud share the message with scriptures, his wife Norene would play some of the music, and families would sign up to bring coffee and goodies each week! 

Through this, Bones was not only sharing the gospel but also introducing people to Jesus in a way that was natural and inviting. His simple yet heartfelt gatherings brought people together, strengthened their faith, and helped build a sense of community, both spiritually and socially, in a way that only Bones could. Hole 14 is a birdie!

11/9/24
Hole 13: Par

After spending several years directing the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Bones was presented with a new opportunity to become the Athletic Director at Dodge City Community College. It was during his time in this role that he worked alongside Brad Underwood, who was the head basketball coach at DCCC. Underwood, who would later make a name for himself in the world of college basketball, was building his program at DCCC during these years.

This period also marked a special chapter in Bones' personal life. While serving as Athletic Director, Bones' grandsons were being raised in Hutchinson, and he found himself spending more time with them during their early years. Many weekends and holidays were spent in Dodge City, where the boys would enjoy exploring the historic Boot Hill Museum, learning about the Wild West, and riding around the Dodge City Country Club on the golf cart. These moments became cherished family memories, blending Bones' professional life with the joys of watching his grandsons grow up in the heart of Kansas. Hole 13 is another par! 

9/11/24
Hole 12: Par

After a few years at St. Marys of the Plains College, Bones was offered the role of Director for the Fellowship of Christian Athletes in Kansas. Unsure about leaving college athletics, he sought guidance through prayer. He felt a strong reminder of the valuable connections he had forged with players and coaches across the state. Deciding to embrace the new opportunity, Bones took the FCA position and dedicated the next eight years to organizing huddles statewide. During this time, he collaborated closely with numerous coaches and players, and frequently participated in conferences at Rock Springs. Bones built many new relationships and friendships that would last the rest of his life. Hole 12 results in a par! 

8/20/24
Hole 11: Birdie

Bones had finally achieved his dream of working in major college athletics, but his world came crashing down when he was let go after just a few years. Jobless and determined to stay in the field, he found himself with no offers and was on the brink of accepting a position outside of athletics. One day, while playing golf with a pastor friend, Bones was asked why he hadn’t yet committed to joining the church and becoming a Christian. Though he kept saying he was about to make a commitment, he couldn’t pinpoint why he was still hesitating. That night, he prayed and decided to give his life to Christ at 48. Bones asked God to keep him in athletics, and shortly after, just as he was about to accept the outside job, he received a call from St. Mary’s of the Plains College in Dodge City. They offered him the position of Athletic Director. He and his family packed up and headed west. Bones' faith was renewed, and he even scored a birdie on hole 11!

7/31/24
Hole 10: Double Bogey

Bones had a pretty solid front nine despite the twists and turns life threw at him. He started off with the challenge of being put up for adoption but was fortunate to be welcomed into a loving family. He faced struggles with dyslexia in school and made a few blunders during his first year of college. Yet, he persevered through these hurdles and eventually built a successful career teaching and coaching, and raised a loving family of his own. 

7/25/24
Happy Heavenly Birthday, Bones! He would have been 94 today!

Hole 9: Eagle
 
After 4 years in El Dorado as the Butler County CC football coach and athletic director, Bones received the call he had long awaited. When he returned to school to pursue his dream of becoming a teacher and coach, his ultimate ambition was to reach a major university and engage in university-level athletics. In 1977, the opportunity finally arrived when he was invited to join Kansas State University as an assistant athletic director. Packing up their lives in El Dorado, they moved back to Manhattan.

Bones worked closely with the athletic departmant and was also the liaison for other activities, like the band. He would work with the band director to help them coordinate their travel to away games and plan for halftime shows. 

Bones had achieved his goal of working at a major university, no less as the assistant athletic director at his alma mater! Everything seemed perfect. Yet, much like golf, just when you feel everything is going smoothly, a bad shot could be waiting around the corner! But for now, we celebrate the accomplishment! Hole 9 is an eagle! 

7/22/24
Hole 8: Par

Bones graduated from Kansas State University in 1957 and began his career in St. Francis, KS. There, he taught five different subjects while also serving as the head coach for Football, Basketball, and Track. After three years in St. Francis, he moved to Ness City for another three years before spending four years at Russell High School. Following his time in Russell, he briefly worked as the Activities Director in Hutchinson, a newly established position. Missing football coaching, he accepted an offer to become the Head Football Coach and Athletic Director at Butler County Community College in El Dorado after his year in Hutchinson. Things were going pretty good for Bones! He was doing what he loved, teaching and coaching, and was about to get the phone call he had been dreaming about! Hole 8 results in a par!

7/17/24
Hole 7: Par

After completing his service in the Marine Corps, Merle and his family returned to Kansas. This time, they settled in Manhattan, where Merle enrolled at Kansas State University to pursue a degree in Education and Coaching. He became part of the athletic training team under the guidance of the renowned K State trainer, Porky Morgan. Tex Winter was also the basketball coach at the time, and helped manage a small apartment complex that Merles grandfather ran in Manhattan. They lived in the athletic dorms located on the east side of the campus's old stadium, allowing Merle to be close to his work in athletics. Meanwhile, Norene secured a job as a legal assistant for a local attorney. During their time in Manhattan, they were blessed with two children: a daughter first, followed by a son a few years later.

This is also where Merle received a nickname that would stay with him for life. While enrolled in a class with several basketball players whom he trained, Merle missed a day of class. During his absence, Jack Parr and Bob Boozer took the skeleton from the back of the classroom, placed it in a desk, and taped a sign saying "Bones is Here" to it. Standing at about 6 feet 4 inches and weighing just 175 pounds soaking wet, Merle was notably tall and slender. From that day on, the nickname "Bones" stuck with him. His time at Kansas State University set him up for a career in athletics and he built a lot of great relationships that he will connect with throughout the rest of his life! Hole 7 results in a par. 

7/12/24
Hole 6: Birdie

At a pivotal juncture in his life, Merle faced crucial decisions. Within weeks, he found himself aboard a train bound for San Diego in the year 1950, having enlisted in the Marine Corps at the age of 19. Merle often joked about the Corps' unique way of doing things, something he hadn't been used to in the last year! During his service, he crossed paths with the love of his life. In 1952, while on a brief leave back in Wichita, Merle's old high school friend, now married, arranged for him to meet Norene Prock, a charming visitor from Ava, Missouri, staying with her sister in Wichita. To say that Merle and Norene hit it off right away would be an understatement! Before returning to San Diego after just ten days, Merle proposed. Within four months, they planned a wedding in Wichita and were married, marking the beginning of their enduring journey together! Hole 6 results in a birdie!

7/10/24
Hole 5: Double Bogey

Bones headed up to Northwestern University on scholarship. That fall, he caught a train from Wichita up to Evanston, Illinois, right outside Chicago. He joined a fraternity when school started and admits that he had a lot of fun. One thing he didn’t realize upon starting college, was that he needed to go to class everyday! Merle had been under the strict thumb of his parents his whole life, and didn’t know how to prioritize his time with all of the freedom. He ends up failing two semesters and loses his scholarship. Devastated, he realizes he has to go home and face his parents.

When he arrives back in Wichita, his mother sat him down and suggested that it’s time he joins the service and get his life straightened out. Merle just rolled his eyes at the thought of joining the military. Now he’s at a crossroads in his life, and trying to figure out what to do next. Hole 5 is a tough one to swallow after failing out and losing a scholarship, and results in a double bogey.

7/7/24
Hole 4: Birdie

I believe there were two key factors that helped him navigate and overcome these challenges as he went through school: his fun loving personality along with his positive outlook on things, and being involved in extracurricular activities. Upon starting high school at Wichita North and he quickly befriended everyone. He remembered walking into school every morning and spending a little bit of time talking to all of the different clicks of people, connecting and building relationships with lots of them. The man didn’t know a stranger! His ability to befriend everyone and build relationships culminated in him becoming his senior class president. 

In addition to his sociable nature, Merle also started to get into extracurricular activities. He loved playing football, basketball, and running track, but wasn’t great at any of them. Alongside his best friend, he wrote and produced a successful play and were able to pack the house two nights in a row. They even created all of the props! He also played the saxophone in the band, and thrived on the debate and forensics team. After winning State in debate his senior year, he got to go to the National High School Institute at Northwestern University and compete for a scholarship to that school. Remarkably, he ended up earning a scholarship to Northwestern University the following year. Now think about that, the dumb kid from elementary school, was headed to Chicago, Illinois to Northwestern University on a scholarship! Thanks to his positive personality and getting involved in so many activities, hole 4 results in a birdie!



7/5/24
Hole 3: Bogey

Things were going pretty good for young Merle, until he got to elementary school.  He endured countless parent-teacher conferences where he was labeled as the "dumb kid," his struggles in school highlighted as a cause for concern. He struggled with reading and spelling, transposing letters and numbers. And you can imagine how math went! In the 4th grade, his teachers delivered the devastating news to his parents that he would be held back, citing his inability to learn like his peers. This judgment weighed heavily on Merle, leaving him frustrated and confused. It wasn't until later that he discovered he had dyslexia—a revelation that sparked a mixture of relief and anger. Determined to prove his detractors wrong, Merle channeled his frustration into a fierce determination to succeed academically and athletically. Armed with newfound understanding and support, he embarked on a journey to overcome his challenges, striving to excel in school despite the obstacles in his path. Struggling in school and being labeled as the dumb kid, hole 3 was a bogey. 

7/4/24 
Hole 2: Birdie

The uncertainties and unknowns did not last very long for the newborn. David was born on the morning of July 25th, 1930 in the Wichita hospital. That afternoon he found his forever home with Harold and Helen Nay, a loving couple who had longed for a child of their own. Helen, unable to conceive, had always dreamed of motherhood, and when the opportunity to adopt arose, their hearts overflowed with happiness. They eagerly wrote a check for $13, marking the beginning of their journey as a family. If you asked Bones, he would tell you that this could only mean two things. One, he must’ve been an ugly baby for his birth parents to leave him there, and two, he was cheap! Bones had a great sense of humor, which will be one of his greatest attributes to staying positive! 

The Nay’s decided to name him Merle Orlen Nay. Merle was very blessed to have been adopted by these two. Harold was an Electrical Engineer, graduating from Kansas State Agricultural College in 1922 and worked for Kansas Gas and Electric Company. Helen was a lovely stay at home mother, but was often in poor health. Merle would remain an only child, but had a great start to his early years as a child! He loved spending time with his cousins and staying at his grandmother’s farm just outside of Zeandale, KS as a little boy. Bones was able to bounce back after a rough start and hole two resulted in a birdie!

7/2/24
Bobby Jones once said “Golf is the closest game to the game we call life. You get bad breaks from good shots; you get good break’s from bad shots - but you have to play the ball where it lies.” Just like life, golf can be a rollercoaster. Over the next "18 Holes", I will showcase the rollercoaster of life that Bones expereinced and since became the inspiration for Bones Nay Golf and the Be Like BONES motto! 

Hole 1: Triple Bogey

Bones’ story starts in the heart of western Kansas, under the vast skies that stretched endlessly over the plains. A young woman found herself in a whirlwind of emotions.  As a teenager, she was moved from Dodge City, KS to Wichita, KS by her parents, who had recently discovered her pregnancy. Her life had turned upside down in a matter of weeks, from carefree teenage days to facing the daunting responsibility of motherhood far from home. Her parents put her in an unwed mothers home in Wichita until she had the baby. 

Enter Bones! Or David Leroy Plumber at birth. On July 25th, 1930 little David was born in Wichita, KS. His teenage mother immediately put him up for adoption and moved back to Dodge City.  This could be considered a rough start for David, being put up for adoption right after birth. Would he be placed in foster care or would he be adopted? If he was adopted, what would his parents be like? Would they be able to support and love him? It could have gone a number of different ways. 

The start of a round of golf mirrors the mixture of excitement and uncertainty that comes with the beginning of a baby's life, albeit with a unique twist when the baby is put up for adoption—a challenging start akin to a rough beginning to a golf round. As golfers gather at the first tee, there's a buzz of anticipation similar to the nervous energy in a delivery room. Each player eyes the fairway with hope and trepidation, much like the mix of emotions felt by birth parents facing the difficult decision of adoption. The first swing of the club becomes a metaphor for the uncertain path ahead, where each shot represents the ups and downs of life's journey. Just as a golfer navigates hazards and bunkers, adoptees face obstacles in their search for identity and belonging. Despite the tough start, both journeys hold the promise of growth, resilience, and the possibility of finding a fulfilling path forward. Bones had a rough first hole, full of uncertainties and unknowns. Hole 1 results in a triple bogey!