The Mayor of CHEESEVILLE as ‘Blue Bear’ in Children’s book by Kip Cosson

By Che’usa

(From Post I wrote in April 2017 after Eb began Hospice Care)

First a note to say that Eb and I sooooooo appreciate all the support during this latest chapter in our lives, which began in March, 2017 when Eb went into Hospice Care here at our little Frederick St. home in Etna.

Words cannot express our gratitude to his Hospice nurses Judith and Gladys, and all the Hospice Staff who are such a Blessing for us.

Eb is doing well for someone who hasn’t eaten solid foods for 5 weeks.

I can’t go one day without solid food!

The only thing I can figure out is that growing up during the Depression, his mind and body got the message that if there is only a small amount of food available, then ‘be satisfied with that amount ‘.

He alternates between watermelon, jello, niece Sherma’s fabulous custard, cantaloupe and water.

Eb has not lost his sense of humor and each day we learn that the more open and sharing we are about the situation, our emotions, our fears and the incredible 17 years we have had together, the stronger we become and the more confident we are to place one foot in front of the other as we move forward to his goal of ‘Leaving for the Mountains ‘.

There have been remarkable little snippets of stories and situations surface that involved him and many others in the valley.

It doesn’t take long to realize what a powerful ‘community ‘ of friends there were in the times of his growing up and work life . . . part of the Fabric of their lives.

Even though I grew up in Ohio a generation later, we too had that same powerful ‘community ‘ surrounding us in our rural farming community.

And it seems that the more stories told, the more you can feel that ones who also had that ‘community sense ‘ in their past KNOW of what we speak, and those who were not fortunate enough to know of it, realize what a Gift they have missed.

Perhaps in some way, this event in our lives will rekindle, or even ignite that powerful and necessary Bond in others lives that seems to have gotten lost along the way in recent times.

I realized I had not written to Kip in New York of this phase of Eb’s life.

For many new to this story, here is a summary of how our communication with Kip began:

On 6/24/2012 at 8:58 PM, we got this email:
If I wanted to contact Mayor Eb Whipple of Cheeseville, how would I get in contact with him?
Thanks, Kip Cosson

I wrote back saying . . . Kip, Simply send the message and I will be sure ‘The Mayor ‘ will read it.

And within a few hours, I got this email:

Dear Mayor Eb Whipple,

I live in New York City as an artist who writes and illustrates children’s books. My newest book, is called, Meece For Mayor of NYC. The book is about a mouse named Meece who decides to run for Mayor. Who better to review my children’s picture book than a Mayor.

I am hoping to get a few Mayors to take a moment and look at my children’s picture book and give me their feedback and thoughts. If you are interested in seeing my new book, I would be happy to send you a signed copy to review.

If you do school visits in Cheeseville, my children’s book is a great teaching tool that can be read to children in a fun and educational way. What better way for a child to learn about our voting system than through a book about a Mayor, read by an actual Mayor!

My new book is a proud moment in my life that I hope to share with you.

Best Regards,
Kip Cosson
www.KipKids.com

“A Vote For Meece is A Vote For Peace”

We also asked HOW in the world he found ‘The Mayor of Cheeseville’ and Kip wrote this back . . .

I am contacting Mayors throughout the country to review my book.
I even found a Mayor with the last name Katz!!

For the fun of it, I typed in “Mayor of Cheeseville” in my google search,
(not really expecting to find a Mayor.)

I plan to create a lot of PR with my “Mayor’s Review”
and being able to have the Mayor of Cheeseville review my book will add to fun 🙂

Kip

To which we replied:

We are both still laughing of you typing in ‘Mayor of Cheeseville‘ and found us!

Cheeseville is more an historic area now………. only one road long, which parallels our main highway (which is a country 2 lane road).

We are in rural far-northern California below the Oregon border.

If you look at a map and go clear to the top of California on Interstate 5 and find Yreka, then find Hwy 3 to the west…… we are 26 miles west of Yreka. Cheeseville still shows on some old maps. There are about 10 families who live in Cheeseville.

In the late 1860’s Eb’s pioneer ancestors settled in what became known as Cheeseville and started a Creamery in 1880.

He had no idea of that when he bought property in the mid 1960’s (100 years later)!

It was only through our Pioneer trips that we discovered his ancestors had settled ‘Cheeseville’!

Maybe your next book will have Meece on an Adventure coming west to meet the real Mayor of Cheeseville. No cheese though, as the cheese factory is long gone!!!!!!

He would be thrilled to review the book. He doesn’t make school visits, but we can donate the book to our Etna Library Children’s Reading Program!

Eb was thrilled to get the book and said he loves it so much because of the little animals . . . he used to enjoy watching the animal cartoons on TV (obviously not when he was young, as they hadn’t invented TV back then) for enjoyment when his two boys were young!!!!!!!!

Here is what he wrote back to Meece and Kip:

Thus began our email friendship with Kip.

Years passed and in March, 2017 the phone rang and it was Kip calling with the exciting news he was working on a new book that would be published in the Autumn which would include the Mayor of Cheeseville as a Blue Bear and wanted to be sure it was OK with Eb to do that. It was then we broke the news to Kip that Eb just entered Hospice Care and he probably would not get to hold the finished book in his hands.

That evening this email arrived along with copies of a few of the pages Kip had already completed . . .

Che’usa
Thank you so much for letting me know about Eb!
Your news brought sadness to my heart but also made me ref lect on how we came to know each other.

It is a story I share with people over and over. I will always be thankful for that!

I am working on a new children’s book, called – The New York Cow Pow Wow. It is about dairy cows that go on a milk strike. Of course Mayor Eb Whipple is in the book. He goes to NYC to meet with Mayor Meece Mouse about his cheese concerns.

(My note: check out the initials on the briefcase:
M. E. W. = Mayor Eb Whipple!)

While the cows are on a milk strike some of them are in Paris wearing the latest Cow Couture, others are in London having tea parties, some are in Rio wearing their moo-moos on the beach.

After meeting with Mayor Eb Whipple, Mayor Meece Mouse decides to have a Cow Pow Wow in New York to resolve the milk strike. Dairy cows from all around the world come to NYC. Some by submarine, some by bus, train, some even fly on a special airline, called the Dairy Air Express.

I hope Eb will be okay with being a blue bear in the book!!

He may be leaving us soon, but please let him know, he will live on in a children’s book for many years to come. I hope he is still awake for you to share this with him, if not please whisper it in his ear for me!!

I am 3/4 done with the new book and had planned to send the Mayor Eb Whipple page of the book to y’all in May as I got closer to finishing the book. As I wanted to make sure y’all were okay with me adding Mayor Eb Whipple to my new book. Of course you will get a signed copy of the book in Oct. when it comes out.

I am in Norway right now, but please tell my dear friend, Eb, I love him and thank him for touching my life. He will live on in my heart and mind as I share our great story of how we came to know each other for many years to come.

Much Love, Kip

That email could not have come at a more auspicious time, as Eb just happened to be wearing his ‘Meece for Mayor ‘ T-Shirt that Kip sent him back in 2012!

Do us a favor????

Send Kip an email ( [email protected] ) and tell him you know Mayor Eb
Whipple and are excited about the new book coming out that includes
‘OUR Valley’s Cheeseville Mayor ‘ in the story!
Che’usa – Posted 2017

* * * *

Fast forward to July 28, 2025 . . . I received an email from friend Wendy in New York with a newspaper writeup that Kip was publishing his latest book and in the article Kip mentioned his book ‘Meece for Mayor’ and how in contacting Mayors across the U.S. he found Eb Whipple, the Mayor of Cheeseville!

Well, as many of you know . . . over the years . . . The Ending of one Story is usually the Beginning of the NEXT Story . . .

It could very well have been THAT Book being created which kept Eb perking along until the evening of February 1, 2020 when he quietly and peacefully ‘Left for The Mountains’ as was his Plan back in Spring of 2017!

AND, AM SURE what I am about to share with you, also had something to do with ‘extending his Time with us’ . . .

I don’t recall the date in 2017, but our dear friend Gladys popped in for a visit one afternoon.

She came bearing ‘Gifts’ we discovered . . .

She said “Eb, I cooked something special for you, I hope you will like.”

As I type, I can just hear the two of them talking!

Eb: “Oh honey, I don’t think I can eat anything cooked’.

Gladys: “Well, I found some Buck Steak in the freezer and I cooked it special for you with Mashed Potatoes and Gravy”.

Eb: After a moment of Silence . . . . “Buck Steak, Mashed Potatoes, Gravy . . . Hmmmmm” (as his Blue Eyes lit up).

Eb: “LaChusa (as he sometimes called me) . . . as he wagged his index finger toward me and said, “Take that into the kitchen and put that Buck Steak into that little machine you have that whirrrrrs thing up and makes them smaller . . . and I will try it”.

So I did. Then heated everything up, and fixed a plate for him. Gladys and I watched as he took the first bite, both of us knowing full well what the result would be!

Those Blue Eyes sparkled like Stars!

Gladys: “Sooo, what do you think, will you be able to eat it?”

Eb: “Might as well . . . this ‘Other’ isn’t working’ . . .

Gladys and I had to stifle our ‘KNOWING’ . . . that ‘His Plan’ all along had been to barely eat, thinking THAT would ‘Take him to the Mountains’ sooner’!

As the months moved along and Eb got a little stronger, but not strong enough to leave his Hospital Bed in the living room, we knew the publication date for the Book was coming closer.

One day Eb said . . . ‘Find out how much it would cost to fly Kip out here so we can meet him’.

I did and talked to Kip about the idea. As it worked out, the best time would be during the Veteran’s Day Parade that happens every year down the one block of ‘Main Street downtown Etna’.

The Idea morphed into a Fund-Raiser for the Children’s Reading Program at the Etna and Ft. Jones Libraries.

Kip brought boxes of the newly published Book and personally signed all that were purchased. Some even asked if they could come by the house and have ‘The Mayor of Cheeseville’ sign their Book also, which he did.

It was great fun and a powerful expression of a ‘Community Gathering’.

Sweet Memories . . . of our Mayor . . . Gentle, Humble, yet full of Mischief!

Che’usa

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