The History of the Real Warda Witch: Joyce Bise

If you mention the “Warda Witch” to anyone that grew up in the area or has lived here a long time, you are most certain to get some raised eyebrows.

Some people think the witch was the ghost of a young woman that was killed many years ago while she was checking her mail on Hwy. 77.

Others think the witch was the ghost of a woman that was rumored to have been killed at the old roadside park in Warda.

While I cannot say for certain if either of the above mentioned women ever came back to visit Warda as a ghost, I can tell you that neither of them was the Warda Witch.

The real Warda Witch made her first appearance in the early 1960s. The church in Warda decorated an old house for Halloween for many years and area youth groups and families were invited to tour the “haunted” house. “Each room was fixed up and very scary,” according to a local resident who remembers visiting the haunted house. “There were six or seven rooms and scary closets with things jumping out everywhere,” recalls one guest. After several years, the old house was torn down, as it had fallen into disrepair, and the Warda roadside park (now closed) became the “official” Warda Witch Spot.

One might stop at the roadside park to rest or nap, and you just might have had a tap on your window, only to awaken and to see the sight of a witch standing there, dressed in all black, complete with a pointy witch hat, witchy fingers, long hair and a green face.

I’ve been told by some folks that the roadside park was a hot spot to go “parking” for local young people that were dating, and on more than one occasion, the Warda Witch interrupted a heated moment between two passionate youths. “The Warda Witch was probably birth control for more than a few people,” remarked one person who grew up remembering the Warda Witch.

Truckers pulling over to get some shut eye at the roadside park may have had their own first-hand encounter with the Warda Witch. In the days before cell phones, people recall hearing stories of the Warda Witch being told (and embellished) over truckers’ CB radios.

You would hear a trucker on their CB saying, “I just drove through Warda and suddenly the Witch was sitting on the hood of my rig.” “The Witch just flew by my truck as I went through Warda,” was another trucker’s claim shared over the CB.

There is no doubt that the story of the Warda Witch was embellished over the years, and every few years the story would be revived by students. Halloween, of course, helped keep the Warda Witch alive year after year.

So, who was this Warda Witch? None other than Joyce Bise herself. I’ve been told that there were several individuals claiming “witch rights,” however, there was only one real Warda Witch.

Warda Farm Bureau

The Warda Farm Bureau will meet on Oct. 15 at 6:30 p.m. at the church picnic grounds.

Holy Cross Services

Holy Cross Lutheran Church will host its annual Mission Festival on Sunday, Oct. 11. They will welcome Pastor J. Brown from Concordia University. There will also be pre-service singing at 8:30 a.m.

Services at Holy Cross Lutheran are Sundays at 9 a.m. Bible Class and Sunday school follows the morning service.

Midweek communion service is held on the first Wednesday of every month at 9 a.m.

Sermon links/streaming videos and additional information is on the website at www.holycrosswarda.com.

Faith Lutheran High School

Faith Lutheran High School will be hosing a drive-through Octoberfest meal. More details will be included in next week’s column.

Classes at FLHS are officially in session. Everyone is welcome to join their weekly Chapel Worship service held every Wednesday morning at 10:30 a.m. You can also follow them on Facebook or check out what’s happening at faithlutheranhighschool.com.

Bible Study

Bible Study at Holy Cross has resumed on Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. The study is on the book of Psalms. Contact Cyndy Zoch at cyndy.zoch@gmail.com or (979) 966-3166 for more information.

Prayer Requests

Rachel McDonald, Alfred and Ruby Bohot, Amy Wagner, Wesley Cervenka, Bethany Behrens, Lara and Margaret Sladecek Fitchette.

Special prayers for those in the nursing home: Helen Kaiser, Joyce Kingsberry and Jimmy Zoch.

Special prayers for those in assisted living centers: Evelyn Kasper and Bernell Teinert.

Birthdays

Birthday wishes are extended to the following celebrants: Paul Schramm - Oct. 14; Thomas Jurk - 16; and Aaron Tonn - 17.

Anniversaries

Anniversary wishes are extended to the following couples: Tucker and Leann Briscoe - Oct. 12; and Wayne and Jane Chapman - 18.

Have News?

If you have news items to share with readers of the Warda news, contact Lisa Gay at (979) 218-6000 or Wardanews78960@gmail.com.