DUANE ‘CHIP’ KING PORT, of Fremont, Nebraska, age 71,
died January 11, 1999. Chip was a gas engine collector for over 25
years and exhibited and attended shows in Nebraska, Iowa, South
Dakota, Minnesota and Arizona. He had been an IHC truck salesman
for 27 years and had eight IHC gas engines, besides other ones. He
also had three model engines.
He is survived by his wife, Jean; two daughters and seven
grandchildren.
Submitted by his wife Jean Kingport.
GAY WILLARD WRIGHT, 93, of Wapello, Iowa, and formerly of
Morning Sun, died March 30, 1999.
Mr. Wright was born October 19, 1905, in rural Morning Sun, the
son of Ed and Susie B. Paisley Wright. He married Mildred
Springsteen on November 26, 1930. She died May 1,1986. He later
married Mary Walsinger of Wapello in 1990; She died in 1997.
He farmed with his dad, and at age 14 started running a Russell
threshing machine. He continued with engines his entire life. He
owned and operated a field tile ditching and Caterpillar business.
He continued his interest in steam engines by putting in many hours
at the Midweast Old Threshers Reunion in Mt. Pleasant, devoting a
month before to working on engines in preparation for the Labor Day
weekend. He also served on the board of directors and would conduct
school tours in April and May. He had entered every town parade of
the county and surrounding towns with his homemade lawnmower
machines pulling a miniature steam engine, with reindeer cut out of
wood with its feet moving and a man sawing. Family members were
drafted to ride bicycles he designed out of parts of bikes remade.
He had built eight campers from scratch. For many years, he took an
engine and trailer to Denmark where he provided rides for children
at the town’s three-day celebration. He also ran a steam engine
in West Point to cook corn for its Corn Festival. In 1943, he
purchased a tent roller rink, starting many years of roller skating
by all ages from the area on four different rinks he
constructed–three in Morning Sun and one in Columbus Junction.
He sold all businesses and worked at J. I. Case Company in
Burlington and the Burlington Medical Center until retiring in
1978. He remained active repairing lawnmowers, mowing yards and
went dancing in Oakville, joining other senior citizens until age
92.
Survivors include three daughters, Phyllis L. Stineman of
Grandview; Karen S. Hollingsworth of Mediapolis and Ruth M. Oetken
of St. Mary’s, Pennsylvania; one son, Edward L. of Morning Sun;
11 grandchildren; 18 great-grandchildren; three
great-greatgrandchildren; two sisters, Frances Thomas of Morning
Sun, and Jane Jones, of Iowa City.
Submitted by Midwest Old Threshers.
