Carters take helm of Superior Pharmacy

The arrival of spring was no the only change to occur in Superior. A longtime Superior business changed ownership on April 1, also known as April Fools Day, though this was not a prank. Lane and Anna Hawley transferred ownership of Superior Pharmacy to Andrew and Penny Carter. The Hawleys had owned and operated the business for more than 20 years. They purchased the business from Mel Menke. Lane had worked with Mel as a pharmacist for 13 years before moving up to ownership of the operation.

Mel Menke had purchased the business from Ed Chard. The original pharmacy business had been established by William Barnard in 1904. Barnard died while working in 1943. Roland Wages purchased the business from the Barnard estate in 1943. In 1944, Wages associated the business with Walgreens as a Walgreens Agency Store. Wages, who was not a pharmacist, sold the business to Woodie Hilsinger, who was a pharmacist, in 1947. Hilsinger moved to Osborne, Kan., in 1948 and sold the pharmacy to Ed Chard. Chard operated the store until selling it to Mel Menke. Chard installed all new fixtures and a new soda fountain in 1952. Menke operated the store in the building which now houses the State Farm Insurance Agency.

The pharmacy soda fountain, along with other soda fountains located at Deuel Drug Store, Preston's Drugs and Knoethe's Drugs as well as other locations were the gathering spots for the younger set after school and Friday and Saturday evenings.

Menke removed Superior's last operating soda fountain in 1974 when he remodeled the store.

Lane Hawley is a Nelson High School graduate. He enrolled in the pre-pharmacy program at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln. After completing two years of study, he was accepted in the doctoral program at the University of Nebraska Medical Center, Omaha. He finished the doctoral program in four years and was awarded a doctorate of pharmacy degree. He and Anna lived in Austin, Texas, for a year while he completed a residency in adult medicine. In 1989, he and Anna returned to Superior where he began to practice with Menke. Lane worked alongside Menke for 13 years before he and Anna purchased the business in 2003.

Menke had moved the store to the former Hested's Variety located next door to the original store. The new location was much larger and allowed for an expanded pharmacy work and customer area as well as a large space for non-health related merchandise such as greeting cards and home decor.

Anna is a Superior High School graduate She is the daughter of Richard and Julene Sullivan. While Anna was in high school, she worked at Menke Drug.

She attended the University of Nebraska-Lincoln where she majored in business administration. Anna continued to work for Mel and Marie Menke at the pharmacy during summer breaks from college. Prior to joining Lane at the pharmacy, Anna was the bookkeeper before joining Lane at the pharmacy.

Lane was active in the scouting community for many years. Anna was the Superior High School drill team coach for 24 years.

The couple have three children. Nick resides with his wife, Becca, at Curtis. Allison (Hawley) Brittenham and Andrew reside in Superior with their two children, Noah and Jonah. Jacob resides in Fargo, North Dakota.

Penny and Andrew Carter met during their first undergraduate class together in 2005 while attending the University of Nebraska-Omaha.

The couple traveled different paths to arrive at the same destination. Andrew was an Air Force brat who was born in Ohio. He graduated from Conestoga High School, Murray, Neb. Andrew enrolled in the pre-med and pre-pharmacy program at the University of Nebraska-Omaha. He selected pharmacy as his career when he was accepted into the doctoral program. He discovered Superior as part of his internship program. In their final year, pharmacy students serve a rotation of four-week internships in the different areas of pharmacy. Superior was Andrew's destination for the community pharmacy stint in 2011.

Lane was faced with an ever increasing workload. Their was a shortage of qualified personnel. He offered Andew a position at Superior upon completion of his studies. Andrew accepted as he liked the appeal of small time living for himself and soon to be wife, Penny.

Penny Carter is a Hastings High School graduate. She enrolled at the University of Nebraska-Omaha where she pursued a degree in biotechnology. A high school baby-sitting job for children whose parents were pharmacists piqued her interest in the field.

After completing her undergraduate degree, Penny applied for and was accepted into the pharmacy doctoral program at the University of Nebraska Medical Center. Unlike Andrew, and Lane before him, Penny would need an additional four years to complete the doctoral program which Andrew and Lane completed in six years. She was awarded her doctor of pharmacy degree in 2013. Both Andrew and Penny were the recipients of several scholarships over the course of their academic careers.

Though the two were separated, with Andrew in Superior and Penny in Omaha, the two were married in 2012.

Andrew and Penny are the parents of four children, Abram, 9, Baxter, 8, Jet, 6, and Wren, 4.

Though Lane and Anna have divested themselves of the pharmacy they are not leaving the store. The pair are staying on to assist the Carters with the transition. Lane will assist in the pharmacy and Anna will see to the business side.