HAROLD RAFFERTY, 70, of LaRue, Ohio passed away unexpectedly
January 20, 1989.
He was a collector of gas engines and a member of Marion County
Steam and Gas Engine Club.
He is survived by his wife of 50 years, Dorothy, of LaRue, Ohio,
3 sons and 3 daughters and 10 grandchildren.
Harold will be missed by family and many good engine
friends.
Submitted by good friends Charles and Dorothy Belford of
Centerburg, Ohio.
CAL SUSONG, 63, a life-long resident of the Ellet area of Akron,
Ohio was born November 3, 1924 and passed away October 8, 1988. Cal
was a respected businessman in the metropolitan Akron area. A WWII
veteran having served in the European Theater, established East End
Welding, Inc. in 1948 shortly after his discharge from military
service.
Having started collecting gas engines in 1975 his collection
soon comprised many historically significant and mechanically
interesting engines of outstanding quality.
Having retired and sold his business in 1983, Cal devoted more
time to his collection. The following year, 1984, he established
the Antique Power Museum of Akron, Ohio and planned for the
preservation of his collection so that others could enjoy it. In
his retirement years he made the museum available to groups and
individuals and took great pride in making all visitors feel
welcome and in guiding most visitors through the museum
personally.
He also supported other museums by loaning engines from his
collections for display and demonstration. The Coolspring Power
Museum, Coolspring, Pennsylvania; Owls Head Transportation Museum,
Owls Head, Maine and Hale Farm in Bath, Ohio (Western Reserve
Historical Society) were recipients of his loans. Cal and his wife,
Mary Ellen, and their motor homes were well-known show visitors
throughout much of the eastern seaboard and midwest. In his last
years of collecting, he expanded into old model airplane engines
and antique model race cars.
The outstanding collection of the Antique Power Museum is
maintained and displayed in Cal’s memory by his wife, Mary
Ellen and son, Rick. Cal was a strong proponent of the gas engine
collecting hobby and worked hard to promote the preservation of
internal combustion engines and to educate the public about their
historical significance. With the death of CalSusong, many
collectors have lost a good friend.
Submitted by Preston Foster, President, Coolspring Power
Museum, Warren, Ohio.
HERMAN PICKENS, 76, of Logansport, Indiana passed away March 23,
1989.
He retired in 1974 from Logansport Machine Company after 34
years of service. He also was a retired farmer.
Herman was a life-member of the Battle Ground Historical
Corporation, Fulton County Historical Society, and Tippecanoe
Historical Association.
At one time he owned and operated a 1923 23-90 Baker steam
engine. Herman loved to go to steam shows and antique auctions.
A good friend was lost when Her man passed away.
Submitted by Allen Hanawalt, R 4, Box 40 A, Logansport,
Indiana 46947.
It is with great sadness that I inform you of the unexpected
death of CLAYTON WALKER on April 7, 1989 at the age of 64
years.
Clayton had submitted an article titled ‘Homemade
Mini-Tractor’ which GEM so graciously published in the February
1989 issue, page 32. Clayton was very happy and appreciative that
it was published. He received several letters from interested
parties and was in the process of forming a mini-tractor club so
ideas could be exchanged.
Clayton was a gas engine enthusiast and attended several shows
in this area each year. He was always ready to help someone out and
loved to get those ‘unsolvable’ problems.
He will be missed by all who knew him.
Submitted by Roy E. Davison, 4518 N. Kenosha, Tulsa,
Oklahoma 74106.
DOUGLAS J. ZILLMER, SR., 53, of Algoma, Wisconsin, passed away
February 12th of a massive heart attack. He was a member and former
president of the Central Wisconsin Antique Pullers Association.
He was born September 15, 1935, on the farm where he lived and
farmed his entire life. Although he had a very large collection of
tractors, he was better known for his reproduction signs. He and I
started collecting old tractors in the mid-seventies, our first
being an old 21-32 Twin City. This tractor was special because his
father owned it until 1943. After we started collecting he began to
specialize in Hart-Parr and Oliver. We always kept some of every
brand though. At the time of his passing, we owned around 300
tractors, 60 of which were restored.
He is survived by his wife, Linda, three sisters, a daughter,
two sons and four grandchildren.
He will be sadly missed by his family, tractor buddies and a
host of friends.
Submitted by his son, Doug Zillmer, Jr., E7437 Kennedy Road,
Algoma, Wisconsin 54201.
JOHN L. (BIG JOHN) CRICHTON, 72, of Flanagan, Illinois and
formerly Wilmington, Illinois, died of March 26, 1989 at St. Johns
Medical Center in Springfield, Illinois following a sudden
illness.
Mr. Crichton was born June 26, 1916 near Livingston, Montana. He
was a WWII Navy veteran. He had also been employed as a coal miner
in the Wilmington area for nineteen years and as a self-employed
carpenter for twenty years.
John was a long time collector of gas engines and many other
antiques that he exhibited at shows in many states. He was a former
member of several of these gas engine clubs.
John is survived by his wife, Arlene, one son, four
grandchildren, one brother and one sister. He was preceded in death
by his first wife, Marie, and one brother.
Submitted by long-time friend, Otto Veigelt, 22040 Weiske
Ln., Custer Park, Illinois 60481.
