The Shrine of St. Patrick would like to announce Laveta Logsdon as the recipient of the 2025 Historical Preservation Award, which will be awarded at the St. Patrick’s Day Celebration on Sunday, March 16th at 10:00am.
R.C. And Laveta Logsdon purchased a small tract of church land in St. Patrick and opened the R.C. Logsdon General Store in 1929 and continued its operation until Laveta passed away in 1994.
The business sold animal feed, purchased eggs from local farms, sold groceries, sewing supplies, and gasoline. In the basement of the general store was a tavern that was a popular gathering place.
Laveta became the St. Patrick Postmaster in May,1949 and the post office was moved to the general store.
Laveta was the St. Patrick Postmaster for 21 years from May 1949 to November 1970. The greatest volume of March 17th mail arrived during her years as Postmaster. Laveta canceled about 50,000 each year for St. Patrick’s Day. Over the years Laveta recalled several happenings in the post office during her tenure. In 1957, Dadant & Sons, Hamilton, Il., brought 27,000 letters to be shamrocked!
The Shamrock Restaurant, Kansas City, Mo. sent 1,500 letters yearly, as well as Robert J. O’Reilly II of St. Louis, who brought over 3,000 letters yearly to St. Patrick.
If you ask anyone who grew up in St. Patrick from 1950’s – 1960’s, going to “Laveta’s” after Sunday morning mass was the highlight of the week. I remember with only a quarter you could purchase a soda pop, a bag of peanuts to put in your soda pop (that was a thing at that time) and you had enough money left to buy a few pieces of Super Bubble bubble gum! Nothing was better at Christmas time than when parents would bring home Laveta’s Christmas candy for all their kids.
If you would ask anyone who knew Laveta they would tell you that she was such a gracious and generous lady that everyone loved.
