Homer Perry White, 91, a former resident of
Elkins, W.Va., and for the last several years of Lahmansville,
W.Va., died at the Veterans Hospital in Martinsburg on March 14,
2005, where he had been admitted since Jan. 31, 2005.
Homer was born Aug. 18, 1914, in Monrose, W.Va. He was married
to Katherine (Hartman) White who he married in 1950. She preceded
him in death Nov. 29, 1994, and along with one daughter, Ruth Ann
Oliver. His sons, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and
great-great-grandchildren survive him.
Homer was a veteran of World War II. He is buried at the Mt.
State Memorial Gardens in Gilman, W.Va.
He enjoyed going to gas engine shows and working on gas engines.
He would talk for hours about them if he ran across anyone that
enjoyed them as much as he did. In 2001 he started restoring a 1912
3 HP Witte hit-and-miss. He had everything for it but a
magneto.
He will always be remembered by all who knew him as being one of
the last old timers of the gasoline engine era.
Submitted by Bradley George, Petersburg, W.Va.
William Henry Debolt, 76, of Zanesville, Ohio
passed away June 29, 2005, at Willow Haven Care Center.
Born July 20, 1928, in Waynesburg, Pa., to Ethel P. (Davis) and
Paul N. Debolt. William was a loving father, grandfather and
great-grandfather.
In his early years, he developed a passion for mechanical
devices, how they worked and how they were made. As the years
passed, his interest changed from mechanics to manufacturing to
woodworking. After a brief pursuit of mechanical engineering, he
changed his major and earned a Bachelor of Science in Education.
During this period he served in the Army National Guard and married
Janice D. Riggle in 1951.
As his teaching career began, vocational education became the
primary focus. He taught math, industrial arts and auto mechanics
while continuing his education in counseling and guidance. As a
guidance counselor, he developed and was granted a patent for a
mechanical dexterity and coordination testing system. He then
became a state-level administrator (specialist in state planning
and development). Later, he became a division director of
transportation technologies at a community college in
Pennsylvania.
He was active in many professional associations and was also a
member of the Tri-State Gas Engine Assn.
His interests included coaching high school wrestling,
participating in the Centennial Civil War reenactments and
collecting and rebuilding antique gas engines. For many years he
traveled around the country to many gas engine shows.
After retirement from teaching, he became involved in building
hit-and-miss gas engine models with his son Paul. He spent a great
deal of this time with his grandchildren, and was a diverse
individual with a passion for life and family. He will be greatly
missed by everyone who knew him.
Survivors include his sister Helen Krause; his son, Paul W. and
wife, Lori, of Zanesville; two daughters: Sheryl, Zanesville, and
Kimberly, Galveston, Texas; 11 grandchildren and four
great-grandchildren.
My father’s passing will not change the day to day operation of
Debolt Machine Inc. He was the public face of the company from the
beginning.
We’d like to thank everyone who has expressed their concerns and
condolences.
– Submitted by Paul W. Debolt, Zanesville, Ohio.