After decades of service, Stranges to move to Colorado

ROBERT PIERCE
• Leader & Times

For many years, Mark and Laura Strange have played several big roles in the development of Liberal. 

At one time, Laura was the director of the Baker Arts Center, and she and Mark have served in several other capacities around the community.

The couple soon will be moving to Colorado, and the community is invited to a reception to say a final farewell to the Stranges this coming Saturday at Baker Arts.

Current Baker Director Toni Smith talked about the roles Mark and Laura have played in their time in Liberal.

“Laura was a director here at the Baker Arts Center and was a worker here for many years even before she became the director,” she said. “Mark has been involved in all sorts of things throughout our community, not only with his hair studio, but as a Pancake Day board member and a past president of the board.”

Smith said with the Stranges being such an intricate part of the Liberal community, it was only right to offer a proper send off.

“We wanted to say farewell to them and thank you,” she said. “Between the Pancake Day board and the churches, First Southern Baptist Church and the Catholic Church, Jury Farrar, where she has worked, and the banks where she has worked, his places of employment, everybody has kind of all come together.

The reception for Mark and Laura will start at 1 p.m. June 30 at Baker Arts and finish around 3 p.m. Smith said the community is invited to the reception, and plans are in place even for those who can’t make it to the event.

“If they can’t make it and they’re wanting to send a note, a card, they can send it to Mark and Laura Strange in care of the Baker Arts Center,” she said. “We will make sure they get it that day.”

Smith said much work is being done to help publicize next weekend’s reception.

“There will be an invitation in the paper for this, and it’s on Facebook,” she said. “It’s on Pancake Day’s Facebook, so it’s going out even through social media. We do want the public to know and would really appreciate the support to show Mark and Laura how appreciative we have been for being such a great part of our community.”