The Bluegrass Steam and Gas Engine Association regrets to announce the passing of one of its most important members, Mr. Ruel Yates. He passed away August 8, 1983 after suffering two heart attacks. Ruel was known far and wide as the Engine Doc. Our Club will miss him as will the many others who knew him. I will personally miss him because he was my friend.
Submitted by Carroll Tracy, Secretary, Bluegrass Steam & Gas Engine Association.
ALTON M. WANGEN died October 24, 1983, at the age of 53. Death was due to natural causes, but very unexpected, as he had driven his school bus route and died shortly after. He was born on July 25, 1930, in the town of Christiana, Vernon County, Wisconsin. He married Sylvia Davidson on October 12, 1949.
Wangen was a farmer and had been a milk hauler for the Westby Co-op Creamery for the past 14 years. He also was a bus driver for the Westby School District. He was a faithful member of the Coulee Antique Engine Club and a collector of engines.
Submitted by Wilmer Homstad, Sec-Treas Coulee Antique Engine Club.
OLE S. RUDSER, 65, Viroqua, Wisconsin, died August 20 at his home, He was a farmer in the town of Harmony until 1972 when he moved to Viroqua, and for many years displayed his expertly-restored model A Ford and engines.
Submitted by Wilmer Homstad, Secretary, Coulee Antique Engine Club.
TOM SHOUSE, 57, of Taylorsville, Kentucky, died August 16,1983 after a short illness. He loved his antique tractors especially his 1938 WK40 and McCormick Deering threshers. He looked forward to his Gas Engine Magazines and never destroyed a copy! He will be sadly missed by his family and all who knew him.
Submitted by Clara Shouse, Box 113, Taylorsville, Kentucky 40071.
GERALD JACOBSON (Buckwheat) 78, of Marshfield, Wisconsin, passed away September 6, 1983 at St. Joseph’s Hospital after a recent illness. He worked as a machinist before operating a welding and machine shop. He was fascinated by engines (any wheel that would turn) from the time he was five years old.
During the war he worked as a civilian in defense work, operating diesel lights in Newfoundland and Alaska. Afterwards he farmed and later worked on steam engines.
He donated his time and talent in refurbishing the clock in Marshfield’s City Hall Tower in 1976.
He attended shows with his wife, Jeanette, for the last 25 years and was a member of North Central Wisconsin Steam and Gas Engine Club at Edgar.
Buckwheat always made sure there was plenty of buckwheat flour to prepare buckwheat pancakes for show days. At one time he had a mill, grinding wheat into flour and selling the ground flour.
Everyone will miss him. He always gave his opinion.
Submitted by Isaac Martyn, Secretary, N.C.W.S. & G.C.
