STEVEN DEAN DAVIS, 81, of Fair Grove, Missouri passed away on
July 17, 1991. Mr. Davis was a retired welder and steam fitter and
had worked mainly in the construction trade.
He is survived by Marie, his wife of 60 years, and several
children. Born in Helena, Montana, he was the son of the late
Stephen A. and Maude Auk Davis.
Mr. Davis grew up in several north central states on farms and
ranches where gas engines were the source of power. He began to
collect and restore gas engines in the early 1980s and the long
hours he spent with his hobby were a great pleasure to him. He was
a member of Branch 16 at Ash Grove, Missouri and was an avid show
attender. His presence will be sorely missed by everyone who knew
him. Submitted by Branch 16 of Ash Grove, Missouri.
LOU CHAPO of Sacramento, California, passed away on January 18,
1992. Lou was National President of EDGE&TA for three years in
the late seventies. He was one of the people who took over the
National and got it going again after the turmoil in the early
seventies, and was also founder and charter member of Branch 13.
Lou made many friends across the United States and will be missed.
Our sympathy and prayers are extended to his family. Submitted by
Charley Stark, National Pres. EDGE&TA, Inc., Rt. 2, Box 167A,
Republic, Missouri 65738.
FRANK HAMATA of Schuyler, Nebraska died December 21, 1991 at the
age of 82. A native of Schuyler, he had owned and operated a garage
and gas station at Agnew, Nebraska before WW II. During the war he
served in the U. S. Army.
He moved back to Schuyler in 1945 and in 1946 he co-founded
Hamata Bros., an Oliver and Pontiac dealership, where he was a
mechanic until his retirement in 1989.
Survivors include his wife Ella, a son, two daughters, four
grandchildren, one great-granddaughter, and a brother.
Frank attended many shows. His knowledge, patience, keen memory
and sense of humor will be missed by all of us. Submitted by Pat
O’Hara, Rt. 3, North Bend, Nebraska 68649, and by Edwin H.
Bredemeier, Rt 1, Box 13, Steinauer, Nebraska 68441.
ARLAN R. SEIDEL, 67, of Mertztown, Pennsylvania died December
22, 1991. He is survived by his wife, three sons, three daughters,
and five brothers and sisters. He was a farmer in the Mertztown
area most of his life. He was director of Agway, Inc., and Keystone
Farm Credit Assoc. He was a charter member and director of the
Antique Engine Tractor & Toy Club, and a founder and board
member of the Old Time Plow Boys of Mertztown.
Arlan was a great enthusiast of antique International and
Farmall tractors and related equipment. His farm was a favorite
place for the local antique plowing contests and
demonstrations.
Arlan’s smiling face and quiet personality will be missed by
his family and all the friends he had at the various events.
Submitted by Mr. Franklin T. Pfeifly, R.D. 2, Box 2870, New
Tripoli, Pa. 18066.
IVAN WEAKS, 7216 Co. Road C, Delta, Ohio died at age 62 on
November 30, 1991. Ivan was a historian of the farm tractor era. A
collector of International Harvester tractors, he owned the oldest
known Farmall tractor. He was very proud of his collection, which
gave him years of pleasure. Ivan helped compile the book 150 Years
of International Harvester. Many people from all over the country
called for information on the IHC tractor history. Ivan enjoyed
these times.
He had been ill for the past two years, but he looked forward to
the summer and the tractor shows so he could meet with his friends.
He will be missed for the contributions he made to the lives of
many people. Submitted by Mrs. Ivan Weaks ,7216 Co. Road C, Delta,
Ohio43515.
LESTER TOOLE, 73, retired mechanic and sawyer, died December 21,
1991. A life-long resident of Harrison County, Ohio, he had been in
failing health for about a year. He is survived by his wife, Melba,
two daughters, one grandson, four step-grandchildren and four great
grandchildren.
Lester was a WW II veteran, U.S. Army, and was awarded the
Purple Heart and the Bronze Star. He was a member of the Stumptown
Steam Threshers, the Tuscarawas Valley Pioneer Power Assoc, and the
Ohio Valley Flywheels. Lester served as secretary for the Stumptown
Steam Threshers for three years and was on the Board of Directors
for twelve years.
Lester had been in on the creation of all three shows. He was
also the sawyer at the Stumptown show, and was selected Thresherman
of the Year in 1982. He owned and operated his own custom
sawmilling hobby/business for several years. He exhibited his Brown
wall gas engine at the shows, and also his Case tractor.
During the early 1930s, Lester worked for McFadden Bros. Sawmill
when they sawed the huge timbers for the (Old Ironsides) U.S.
Constitution’s main beam and shipped it to the Boston Naval
yards.
Lester will be sadly missed by his family and many friends.
Submitted by William Flowers, Sec. for the Stumptown Steam
Threshers, and by Larry Sloan, Rt2, Box 95A, Dover, Ohio 44622.
WILLIAM G. STOCKER, JR., 67, of Danville, Kentucky, passed away
December 27, 1991.
He was the proud father of four children and husband of Alice K.
Stocker. He also is survived by a step daughter, a step-grandmother
and seven grandchildren.
The family had a 6 HP Fairbanks, pulling a 12′ William Stone
grist mill. We still have a 1? HP New Way and a 1? HP Bohan made in
Mercer County, Kentucky, where Dad was born and spent many years of
his life. About two years ago, he got a 3 HP Thermal Diesel. I can
safely say that he loved his family and old gas engines very
much.
He retired in 1976 from Corning Glass Works in Danville, was on
the board of directors of the Bluegrass and Steam Engine Assn., in
Portland, Indiana, Jessamine County Gas Engine Assn., and was proud
to be a Kentucky Colonel. The gas engine shows won’t be the
same now that Dad is gone but we will have the great memories
forever. Submitted by Tommy Stocker, 320 Gwinn Island Rd.,
Danville, Ky. 40422.
DAVID J. McDONALD of Georgetown, Pa., died January 4, 1992 at
the age of 90 years. He celebrated his ninetieth birthday on
February 23, 1991 at which time his family held a party in the
social rooms at the Geriatric Center.
A farmer, Dave threshed and baled all over the central part of
Beaver County, Pennsylvania, and into the panhandle of West
Virginia, so he was widely known. He used steam power in his early
days and knew lots about it but went to Oil Pull tractors many
years ago and they were his first love in machinery for the rest of
his days. He had two good ones, an old style and a lightweight in
the latter years when I knew him, and they were both immaculate and
ran like new.
None of the problems that detractors like to blame on the Oil
Pull bothered Dave. He knew all the ins and outs of the machine,
and how to make them perform on demand. He often fired them on
ground oil or crude, so he could make nice smoke rings for the
crowd. He learned from experience that if he had decent help
shoving straw to him, he could make the boys tying the wire keep
dancing to put wires around the parts of that continuous stream of
straw.
The old style 16-30 Oil Pull had found a good home with his son
Jim, who has it out to some shows now and then.
Dave’s help and fellowship will be greatly missed at show
time and all year long by hundreds of friends and family. Submitted
by Thomas G. Downing, Pres., Northwest Pa. Steam Engine and Old
Equipment Assn. Inc., R.D. 1, Box 149A, Ellwood City, Pa.
16117.
DORSIE DAVIS, 70, of Alba, Missouri, died January 19, 1992, of
an apparent heart attack while traveling near Tallahassee,
Florida.
He was born June 30, 1921 in Alba and lived in the area most of
his life. He was a retired diesel mechanic and a veteran of World
War II.
Survivors include his wife, Esther Dale Davis, two sons, a
daughter, one brother, one sister and four grandchildren.
Dorsie never met a stranger and will be missed by the many
friends that he met at gas engine shows across the country.
Submitted by Jack Chandler (MAGNEEDERS), Rt.5, Box 505, Carthage,
Missouri 64836.
WILLIAM N. STARKEY, of Adamstown, Maryland, died January 15,
1992, following a long illness. He was the husband of Donna M.
Starkey. Besides his wife, he is survived by two sons, William N.
Starkey II, Michael M. Starkey; one daughter, Judith S. Harding,
and 10 grandchildren.
Bill was retired from the Department of Agriculture, Foreign
Agriculture Service. He was chief of the Commodity Analysis Branch
of the Grain and Feed Division, U.S. Delegate for the International
Wheat Agreement, and one of the earliest USDA travelers to remote
grain producing regions of the USSR.
Bill had been an active engine collector for years, and
following his retirement from USDA, co-founded Starbolt Engine
Supplies. He was a member of many engine clubs, including Maryland
Steam Historical Society, Shenandoah Valley Steam-Gas Engine
Association, Williams Grove Engine Association, Rough 6k Tumble
Engineers Historical Association, New York Steam Engine
Association, Tri-State Gas Engine & Tractor Association,
Granite State Gas 6k Steam Engine Association, Tuck-ahoe Steam 6k
Gas Association.
Bill was always willing to help, sharing his experience and
knowledge with anyone, from a young boy buying his first engine, to
contributing research material to various publications including
C.H. Wendel’s book, American Gas Engines. He also produced
numerous gas engine literature reprints that have contributed
significantly to the growth of the engine hobby.
Bill will be missed by his family and many friends who have
known him throughout the years.
His son Bill II, who has been associated with Starbolt for a
number of years, will be continuing operation of Starbolt Engine
Supply. Submitted by William DeBolt, DeBolt Machine, Inc., 812 C
West Patapsco Ave., Baltimore, Maryland 21230.
