HORACE E. (HEZZIE) RIDENOUR departed this life March 13 at the
age of 65. Death came suddenly while he was among his engines at
his home in Modesto, California. A native of Missouri, he moved to
Palmdale in 1935, to Turlock in 1967 then to Modesto in 1971. He
was an engine mechanic for 40 years. He was a member of E.D.G.E.
& T.A. Branch 6 and 13, also W.H.E.A.T. His dedicated interest
missed by many friends. Submitted by Ivan Lowe, 6419 W. Main,
Turlock, California 95380.
PAUL REED (PEDO) HENRY, 66, died October 14, 1979. He had been
in apparent good health and his death was unexpected. He was a
long-time member and exhibitor of the Pioneer Engineers Club,
Rushville, Indiana and he attended other local shows.
Submitted by Zane Prifogle, Connersuille, Indiana
47331.
It is with deep sorrow that I advise you of the death of my
father, JAMES W. CHANDLER. As you might already know, he had been
seriously ill for 18 months, however, his death was unexpected.
On December 18, 1979, he suffered an apparent heart attack while
driving and his car struck a tree. He was hospitalized two weeks
before suffering another massive coronary which resulted in his
death on January 1, 1980 (New Year’s Day) at 10 P.M. in St.
Vincent’s Hospital, Indianapolis.
He was born August 6, 1915, in Switzerland County, Indiana, son
of Charles W. and May Eggleston Chandler. He came to Frankfort in
1930, and lived most of the rest of his life here. He married Edith
R. Guntle on December 4, 1937. They were devoted to each other
until her death on July 15, 1979.
He loved his family dearly, but his second great love was steam
power. …..both steam engines and locomotives. He was considered
by all who knew him to be an authority on steam power.
His father had worked in the Huber Manufacturing plant, and this
is where he first became acquainted with the big engines. Later, he
worked with them first hand: threshing, sawmilling, etc. He was a
former Nickel Plate Railroader (fireman). But he left this job in
the late 1940s when his family came along and he did not want to be
away from home so much.
He then became an operating enginer, working with bulldozers,
cranes, earthmovers, etc. He helped build many large bridges in
central Indiana; and prior to his retirement in May, 1978, he had
worked on most of the interstate systems around Indianapolis. He
was forced to retire due to his heart condition.
During the last 15 years, he had been compiling a book on steam
locomotives. It was very near completion at the time of his death,
and it is the hope of our family that the book will be published as
is.
He will be missed by his many, many friends nationwide,
including fellow members of the Pioneer Engineers Club of Indiana
and the National Threshers Association.
Daddy, I know had kept in touch with the magazine, and I am sure
many people will recognize his name, though they might not have
known him personally. Please note that our family would enjoy
correspondence from his many friends addressed to me.
Submitted by Carolyn S. Adams, daughter of James W.
Chandler, 652 Delphi Avenue, Frankfort, Indiana 46041.
BENJAMIN ‘BEN’ DRAKE, died recently. He was raised in
Humboldt, Nebraska with steam and gas threshing, shelling, saw
mills, etc. He was a very good machinist and was an honest,
hard-working Christian man. I doubt if he had a single enemy in the
world. He was well-known in Nebraska and the Midwest states and to
Iron Men readers. This world could have used Ben to a very good
advantage for another 100 years.
Submitted by Bruce McCourtney, Syracuse, Nebraska
68446.
TONY JUHL, of Brayton, Iowa, died October 25, 1979, near 93
years of age a short week after a customer found him lying on the
floor of his machine shop, the result of a fall some hours
before.
As a bachelor he was an honored and honest person to his
community and country as a machinist in his repair shop.
He and a brother, Charlie, threshed in the ‘old hay
days’ with two separate steam rigs, with the reputation and
know-how of doing the job right. It was known that things worked
with no mechanical breakdowns.
Tony was honored as ‘Thresher-man of The Year’ in 1974
at the Midwest Old Settlers and Threshers Reunion, Mt. Pleasant,
Iowa.
In World War I, he served his country. He was a member of the
American Legion and the American Rifle Association and was an
ardent gunsmith and marksman as well.
May this be a tribute and farewell to this kind of passing
era.
Submitted by Raleigh Woltmann.
ALBERT BUDENSKI, 69, of West Concord, Minnesota, died April 3,
1980. Albert and brothers, Louie, Edward and Robert, formed the
Zumbro Valley Threshermen’s Association back in 1954. It was an
annual event attended by many on their farm until 1971. I’m
sure many Album readers remember the show.
Submitted by Allan Danielson, Kenyon, Minnesota
55946.
