EDWARD F. EVANS of Cheswold, Delaware died of heart failure, at
age 82.
Mr. Evans was a life-long farmer in the Cheswold area. He
retired as president of Farm Credit Association.
He was the founder of the Delaware Agricultural Museum. Mr.
Evans was the first president of the Museum Association and served
on the Museum’s Board of Directors from the time of the
museum’s inception until his death. He also was active in other
community activities and endeavors.
He had a collection of antique equipment that included steam
engines, gas engines, gas tractors, threshers, cars, and other
pieces of equipment. Several pieces of his equipment are on display
at the Delaware Agricultural Museum.
Mr. Evans was an exhibitor at the Antique Machinery Show held in
conjunction with the Delaware State Fair each July. He displayed
and operated various pieces of his antique equipment at this event
every year.
He attended the Eastern Shore Threshermen and Collector’s
Association Show at Federalsburg, Md., and the Rough and Tumble
Engineer’s Historical Association Show at Kinzers, Pa.
During the early to mid 1960’s Mr. Evans held old fashioned
wheat threshing demonstrations at his farm, using his 1915 9? x 10
Frick steam traction engine and Huber thresher. Those threshings
drew good crowds and all of us who attended . The Frick engine and
Huber thresher are now at the Delaware Agricultural Museum.
Mr. Evans will be missed by his family and many friends. His
contributions to the local community and to the preservation of
agricultural history deserve the highest of commendation.
Submitted by a friend, Mr. Bert Bryant Young, RR #1, Box 704,
Dover, DE 19901.
HAZEL ANN SMITH, ‘Mrs. John Deere’, 43, of St.
Mary’s, Ontario passed away suddenly on October 10, 1990. She
was employed by Campbell Soup Company for the past 14 years.
She travelled to all the shows with her husband Aleck and helped
him set up and operate his John Deere gas engine display.
Hazel’s doll, ‘Little John’, dressed as a John Deere
boy, stood behind Aleck’s scale model engine and was admired by
all.
As an avid collector, Hazel would often be seen searching the
flea markets looking for a new addition to her extensive collection
of over 800 salt and pepper shakers, Campbell Soup, Elvis Presley
and Coca Cola memorabilia.
Hazel was a member of the Tri-County Heritage Club, Ildeton,
Mitchell Pioneer & Hobby Association, Huron Pioneer Threshers,
Blyth, and First Ontario Two-Cylinder Club.
Being a friendly, chatty lady, Hazel had many friends who will
certainly miss her happy disposition and willingness to help.
Hazel is survived by her husband, Aleck; daughter, Gwen; son,
Aleck Jr., and grandson, Shawn.
Submitted by Fred & Sharon Mardlin, R.R. #2, Denfield,
Ontario, Canada NOM 1P0.
ARVENE W. HORNUNG of Hub-bard, Iowa, passed away on May 10, 1990
after a long fight with cancer. Mr. Hornung was born September
18,1915, and lived his entire life in the Hubbard area, except for
five years during which time he worked as machinist for Northrop
Aircraft while living in In-Glenwood, California.
He farmed in the Hubbard area for 33 years until his retirement
in 1978. During his entire life he enjoyed working with his hands
on mechanical equipment, especially with his sons in later life.
The last several years he gained much satisfaction and pleasure
working with his hobby of collecting and restoring gas engines. He
had the mechanical ability to take apart and restore gas engines
and equipment that seemed to be beyond repair and make them look
like new. He got great pleasure in hearing a gas engine or tractor
run for the first time after he finished restoring it.
He thoroughly enjoyed attending the Waukee Swap Meet and Old
Threshers Reunion at Mt. Pleasant each year. He would spend several
days at each, watching shows and talking at length with other
collectors.
Mr. Hornung is survived by his wife, Marjorie, three sons, five
grandchildren, and one great-grandchild. He is greatly missed by
his many friends and family.
Submitted by his son, Richard Hornung, of Madrid, Iowa.
The end of 1990 has been a sad one for the Old Timers Club,
Inc., Clifton, Ohio. In November came the news of the passing of
our member CHARLES ‘SLIM’ HULL, JR. In addition to being an
Old Timer, Slim was a veteran of WWII, a member of VFW Post #2402,
and a member of the Ledbetter Road Church of God.
December brought the news of the passing of two more of our
members, RICHARD WRIGHT and IMOGENE HARLOW.
Richard Wright was a teacher for eleven years for the Xenia City
Schools, a U.S, Navy veteran serving in WW II, a member of American
Legion Post #544 of Cedarville, and a member of Cedarville
Presbyterian Church, in addition to being an Old Timer.
Imogene Harlow formerly worked for the Xenia School Board. She
was a member of VFW Post #2402 Auxiliary, a member of Amvets post
#14, a member of the Alpha VFW Auxiliary Order of the Cooty, as
well as being a member of the Old Timers Club.
New Years Day again brought sad news with the passing of LESTER
DAVIS, Chaplain of the Old Timer Club. Lester had been Chaplain for
the past six years. He was an Honorary Lifetime Member of the Club
and one of its Charter Members. A farmer for 18 years, Lester drove
a school bus for the Fairborn City schools, was a volunteer for the
Fairborn Fire Department for over 20 years and was an advisor for
the Huskey Hustlers 4-H Club.
Each of these members was very dear to us and we will always
remember them and the fine example they set.
Submitted by Betty Lou Barron, Sec., Old Timers Club, Inc.
Clifton, Ohio.
ROBERT L. UNRUH was born June 22, 1934 in Hillsboro, Kansas. He
was raised on a farm near Durham, Kansas and moved to Hillsboro
after marriage. He worked at G & R Implement as a mechanic for
many years.
Bob passed away January 25th, 1991 following a courageous 12
year battle with his illness. During this time he faithfully
followed his antique engine and tractor hobby as a member of the
Wheat Heritage Engine and Threshing Co. of Goessel, Kansas.
At the August, 1990 show Bob was ground foreman and separator
man in charge of threshing. Despite his health he was always active
with club, hobby, friends, family and church.
He restored many engines and built several live steam models.
Bob was one of the founding fathers of the W.H.E.A.T. Co. and the
Goessel, Kansas annual Threshing Days.
His absence will leave a large void in our lives but his
presence made a difference while he lived.
He is survived by his wife, Edith; daughter, Nancy; sons Tim and
David and friends too numerous to list.
Submitted by Russ Hamm, Pres. Wheat Heritage Engine &
Threshing Co., Rt. 1, Box 106, Canton, Kansas 67428.
WILLIAM THELL was born in Omaha, Nebraska, where he lived,
laughed, and loved at 60th and Dayton Street. He was from a family
of nine brothers and sisters. He fed sheep and cattle on the same
homestead all his life. Bill told stories of driving sheep into the
south Omaha stock yards with his father and brothers.
Bill’s hobby was collecting engines and tractors. His
favorite tractors were the Rumelys, but he collected other
‘pets’ too. He had every issue of GEM, and he attended Mt.
Pleasant from 1966 through 1987 or 88. Bill also enjoyed restoring
magnetos and oilers along with the engines and tractors.
Bill displayed his collection at the Papio Valley Thresher’s
Show in Omaha, Nebraska. Bill, in his uniform of red cap and bib
overalls, will be missed at the swap meets and shows.
William Thell is survived by his wife of 50 years, Eve; two
daughters, a son, and two grandsons.
Submitted by G.M. DuRee, 12815 Rainwood Rd., Omaha, Nebraska
68142.
DANIEL H. STEINHOFF, 81, of Beach Hill, New Ashford,
Massachusetts died September 20, 1990.
During WW II, he served in the Army Corps of Engineers in France
and Germany for four years, as captain.
Returning to New Ashford after the war, he continued with the
Corps of Engineers as resident engineer for such projects as
Westover, Barnes and Bradley airfields and the Littlefield and
Colebrook, Connecticut dams.
He was a selectman for the town for 11 years beginning in 1951
and also a charter member of the Mount Grey lock Reservation
Advisory Council.
Dan was the founder of the Berkshire Gas and Steam Engine
Association Inc. in 1969. It started out with a handful of
interested people and now has over 100 members.
He had in his collection, engines of all sizes, wagons, buggies,
sleighs and threshers. His most treasured possessions were his many
Caterpillar tractors. His lastest purchase (just three months prior
to his death) was a 10-ton Caterpillar with V-plow and wings, just
like the one he used to drive while plowing snow from Williamstown,
Mass., to Pownal, Vt. when he was a young man. His many other
tractors included an 8-16 Avery.
He is survived by his wife, whom he married in 1947; a son, a
daughter, and three grandchildren. He will be greatly missed by his
many friends.
Submitted by Merle Bottum, Beach Hill Rd., New Ashford,
Massachusetts 01237.
CARL L. HERTHA 77, of Berthoud, Colorado, died January 16: He
was born September 21, 1913, in Berthoud to Lewis and Jennie Pohl
Hertha. He married Maxine Terven in 1943 .
A farmer in the Berthoud area mbst of his life, he also worked
for the Great Western Sugar Company in Johnstown for 19 years. He
served in the U.S. Army Air Corps from 1941 to 1945.
He was a member of the Front Range Antique Power Association. He
enjoyed collecting and restoring gasoline engines.
He is survived by his wife of Berthoud; a daughter, Sharon, a
brother, two sisters, a grandson, and several nieces and
nephews.
Submitted by Maxine Hertha, 2604 W. County Rd. 8, Berthoud,
Colorado 80513.
WILLIAM T. (BID) DEAN, of La-Place, Illinois, passed from this
life February 5, 1991 after a five month illness. He was 62. He
could be seen with his wife, Mable, and a load of engines at
Arcola, Pablo, Jacksonville and Pinckneyville, Illinois shows each
summer, ready to talk, trade or buy engines and parts, or just swap
tales. He was a Korean War veteran, a member of Cerra Gordo VFW,
Caterpillar retirees, and Central Illinois Vintage Car Club.
He will be sadly missed by all who knew him.
Submitted by his brother and sister-in-law.
EARL G. MARHANKA, 72, of Dowagiac, Michigan passed away after a
short illness in December 1990. He was born January 14, 1918. He is
survived by his wife, Helen; two sons and two daughters.
Earl Marhankas was a Dowagiac businessman and an antique tractor
collector, favoring the Rumely Oil Pulls. His father was employed
at the Rumely Oil Pull plant at LaPorte, Indiana. Earl was an army
veteran of WW II.
He will be missed by his family and friends.
Submitted by W. O. Krumwiede, Voltoire, North Dakota 58792.
