W. CLEDUS STITES of rural Odon, Indiana, passed away October 9,
1999, at home. He was 79 years old and had been in failing health
for three months.
Mr. Stites was born November 30, 1919 in Knox County, to Ezra
and Lela (Utley) Stites. He married Vera A. Prather on December 3,
1939, and she survives.
Mr. Stites was a well-known farmer and community leader. He was
also a former Federal Crop Inspector. He was a member of the
Christian Church of Elnora, where he served as deacon and trustee.
He was widely known as a collector and restorer of antique John
Deere tractors and engines. He was a co-founder, charter member,
and an officer of the White River Valley Antique Association and
was instrumental in the growth of the club’s antique show the
past fifteen years. He enjoyed showing his antique engines at many
other shows.
Surviving are two sons, Carl William Stites, Odon, and Kenneth
Lee Stites, Parker City; a daughter, Rita Jane Melsheimer,
Vincennes; eight grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.
Submitted by Ben Chestnut, RR 2 Box 318A, Odon, Indiana
47562.
CYRIL ‘BARNEY’ E. DUSSEAU of Graytown, Ohio, died
Monday, July 3, 2000. He was born February 11, 1927, to Cletus and
Agnes Dusseau. He is survived by his wife, the former Donna L.
Marsh, whom he married in Oregon, Ohio, January 10, 1948. He is
also survived by sons Robert, Ed, Joe, and Jeff; daughters, Becky
Rose, Renee Dusseau, Anitan Myerholtz, Lisa Hasselbach; sister
Berna Limpf; 36 grandchildren and 11 great-grandchildren.
Barney had an extensive collection of antique tractors which he
sold at auction several years ago. He had several Fordsons and many
other makes with the exception of John Deere. Barney didn’t
like their sound.
He hosted an Antique Plowing Days on his farm near Limestone
during the 1980s. He enjoyed pulling his antiques in
out-of-the-field form. Barney was an active member of the Sandusky
County Restorers of Antique Power (SCRAP) and spent several days
each August transporting his tractors to the show grounds on his
venerable Chevrolet flatbed. He faced his final illness with
characteristic good nature. He will be greatly missed by all of his
associates and acquaintances.
Submitted by Dave Binning, Lindsey, Ohio.
‘For in the day of trouble. He will conceal me in His
tabernacle, in the secret place of His tent. He will hide me: He
will lift me up on a rock.’–-Psalm 27:5
As you read this, summer will be nearly over and the engine
season coming to a close. Ed and I had high hopes for a wonderful
summer traveling about to the shows, but it just wasn’t to
be.
The guy they called ‘Mr. New Way,’ ED GRIMSEY, very
suddenly passed away on June 16, 2000, at the Cool-spring show, his
first show of the season. Over the winter he had made a larger than
ever inventory of New Way parts, and Ed was ready to meet the
demands. He found there was a hunger of sorts for New Way parts,
especially at the Dublin, New Hampshire, show. He had a tough time
keeping up with the shrouds, though, as the West Coast engine men
kept ordering them all winter.
Ed’s last day on earth was a good one for him. Feeling well
and happy, he purchased a 4′ Lunkenheimer steam whistle and set
it proudly on the shelf in his trailer window of whistles. He
enjoyed working and rebuilding, and polishing steam whistles almost
more than he did the engines. He hated to do flywheels.
Lee Pedersen had brought a tiny salesman sample meat grinder
made in Mount Joy many years ago. He thought I’d like it so he
brought it to our camper for me to see as though he needed my
approval. I thought it was so nice and it made him happy to see my
joy with this new present.
Ed sold some New Way parts. His engine parts had become his
trademark. His work was just about flawless, and his reputation for
being a super craftsman was known in many countries, and his
business was growing.
This had become a way of life for Ed -to help others with their
restorations, always willing to go the extra mile to teach others
what he had learned. His God-given abilities always amazed me. Ed
was a private man, in many ways a humble man. He really loved his
engine buddies and would do anything for them. His theory was to
teach so they could rise up and create a beautiful work of art in
an engine.
Over the years there were two men Ed had come to love, Raymond
Scholl and Don Grove. He was proud of them and their achievements
and they became like sons to him.
Ed loved to spend a week of rest now and then at the Wolfe’s
farm in Peru, Indiana. It was a quiet, restful place where the deer
could be seen now and then. It was a place where he and Ken could
talk engines while Wendy and I could run around town shopping for
flowers to plant in the garden. His little Sammy and Suzie loved to
go for rides around the grounds in the golf cart. It was even more
fun than the wagon rides he would give them in their wagon at the
shows. Suzie would then beg for Ed to put her on their wooden swing
and she would act like a queen as he gently pushed the swing for
her. Sammy, on the other hand, continually looked for Kotzlof, the
cat (correct spelling unknown). Someday he was going to get that
cat!
Our last few hours together were so typical. We walked together
while he pulled the dogs in the wagon at Cool-spring. We picked out
a Pennsylvania Railroad can for our son, Eddie, a PRR collector.
After supper, Josie and Dick Shelly stopped by to say goodnight,
and we chatted with many people who walked by our camper.
Then very suddenly, while with Don Grove, Ed left the show
grounds forever. Hopefully he will be remembered when we see a
familiar green and red New Way chugging and sometimes smoking away
at a show.
Ed’s final resting place is at the Fort Indiantown Gap
Military Cemetery where his marker reads, ‘A Hero, Husband
& Father.’
With all my heart I would like to thank the two men camped near
us who tirelessly gave Ed CPR until the ambulance came. They never
gave up. I would also like to thank all of my engine friends and
those who were close by for the love and support they showed to us.
Our son, Eddie, was there very early the next morning. He said
‘I’m surprised at the closeness of the engine people and
how they felt about Dad.’ He thanks all of you for helping him
and Don load up the trailer for the lonely trip down over Nittany
Mountain to Lancaster County.
At the time of writing this, we are planning to take the
inventory of parts and his 8 HP engine to Portland, Indiana. I hope
Eddie will enjoy the show his dad loved the most. Thank you all for
the prayers, flowers, e-mails, cards and expressions of sympathy
extended toward us as we go through this tremendous loss. I was
proud to be the wife of an old gas engine man.
Submitted by Lucille Grimsey, Mount Joy, PA
