AMOS B. STAUFFER died suddenly on the morning of November 10,
1979. He was President of the Rough & Tumble Engineers
Historical Association, Kinzer, Pa., until two weeks earlier when
he stepped down. He will be remembered for his quiet, but effective
manner and also for leaving the organization financially sound,
with little indebtedness. He was also president of Stauffer Diesel
area.
In the afternoon of November 9 he had two guests from Holland
who wanted information concerning horse farming. He took them to
the farm of an Amish friend, Elias Byler. When they left Amos waved
a cheery goodbye. In the evening, it being his wedding anniversary,
he and Mrs. Stauffer attended church. He died the following morning
at 1:05 A.M. He will be missed.
Submitted by Wilmer J. Eshleman, Lancaster, Pennsylvania
17602.
JOE DEAN, 53, of Mason, Michigan died suddenly September 2,
1979. Joe was a banker by trade, but steam was dear to his heart
and he waited all year long to take off that coat and tie and put
on that denim engineer’s cap. He never missed a steam show
within reach, going year after year to Wauseon, Ohio; Montpelier,
and all those in Michigan. And how happy he was when our hometown
of Mason began hosting the Michigan Steam Engine and Thresher’s
show. Grinning from ear to ear, he lived out there those few happy
days of July.
Our little Lark was a familiar sight on the back fence row every
year at Wauseon. A builder of unfinished steam engines and a
dreamer of those beautiful days of steam gone by, Joe deeply
mourned the passing of the steam engine and the steam locomotive
which he considered the most beautiful machine and the most
universally appealing piece of machinery ever invented by man. He
knew and loved them all. And I, his wife . . . this city girl . . .
was lovingly taught over our 29 years together to know and love
them with him. As I pore over his 29 years worth of buttons,
magazines (Iron-Men Albums), pictures, and memories I think what a
wonderful thing is this steam world of yours . . . a hobby a man
and his wife can share. You shall be missed.
Joe was a faithful subscriber of yours for all our married life.
The arrival of the Iron-Men made for an extra special lunch-hour
for him. And so I wanted to place this loving tribute to my own
dearest steam buff, my Joe.
Submitted by Beverly Dean, 204 Mark Street, Mason, Michigan
48854.
MARSHALL C. WISKOW of Roseau County, Minnesota died July 26,
1979. His father, Fred, and uncle, Frank, owned and operated a
steam threshing rig and as Marshall grew older he sat on the engine
watching for hours. His family moved to this area in 1904 and his
father bought another steam threshing rig and was threshing for the
whole community. Marshall was along firing. In 1912 his mother
became ill and his father had to stay home so Marshall took over
the operation until 1917 when he was called into the service of
World War I. When he came home he again resumed the operation of
the steam threshing rig as well as used the steamer for power on a
sawmill. He also did a lot of stump pulling and breaking. In 1936
he replaced the steamer with a Waterloo Boy gas engine and the old
steamer stood idle until 1959 when his grandchildren wanted to see
it run. So Marshall reflued it and threshed a few loads of bundles.
Relatives and many neighbors came to watch and thus started the
Northland Steam Threshing Bee.
Submitted by Viona Wiskow.
JOHN H. NAHRWOLD, 60, of New Haven, Indiana, died October 29. He
was a charter member of the Ft. Wayne and New Haven Threshers which
was later renamed the Maumee Valley Thresher and Steam Engine
Association.
Submitted by Mr. & Mrs. W. E. Schrage, New Haven,
Indiana 46774.
DENNIS ZOCK of Jefferson Center, Pennsylvania died at the age of
34 on October 16, 1979. He was a regular for the past few years to
the shows of the Pioneer Steam and Gas Engine Society, Meadville,
Northwestern Pennsylvania Steam and Old Equipment Association,
Portersville and the Tri-State Historical Steam Engine Association,
Hookstown.
Submitted by Carmen Tazzani.
ADOLPH KIRSCH of Oconto Falls, Wisconsin passed away September
14, 1979, at the age of 65. He was a farmer, thresherman and truck
driver. He was an active member of Wisconsin Steam Antique Engine
Club and a member and treasurer of the Northern Wisconsin Antique
Steam and Gas Club.
Submitted by Ray Aprill, Oconto Falls, Wisconsin
54154.
CLARENCE (SLIM) WITHERS, Palmyra, Missouri passed away at his
home of a heart attack on November 9. He was 74 years of age.
He was a member of the Montgomery County Old Threshers
Association where he was serving on the Board of Directors.
He owned an Aultman-Taylor engine and enjoyed going to steam
shows some of which were: Missouri River Valley Steam and Gas Show,
Boonville; Pioneer Harvest Fiesta, Fort Scott, Kansas; Lincoln
County Old Threshers Association, Elsberry; Midwest Old Settlers
and Threshers Association, Mt. Pleasant, Iowa; Mark Twain Old
Threshers Association, Paris; Western Illinois Theshers Inc.,
Hamilton.
He always enjoyed helping his friends and acquaintances with
these steam engines.
Submitted by Mrs. Clarence Withers, R.R. 1, Palmyra,
Missouri 63461.
BEN COLE, 90 years of age, died January 18,1979, in Albany,
Oregon. He was a lover of steam threshing and steam powered
machinery. He started threshing at age 14. He later owned a sawmill
and also worked in the seed cleaning industry.
Submitted by Mary E. Cole, Albany, Oregon 97321.
HARVEY HUSTON, Winnetka, Illinois was not a member of any
particular steam club that I know of, but he was author of two very
good books about railroad logging in Northern Wisconsin in the
early 1900s: ‘Thunder Lake Narrow Gauge’ and ‘The
Roddis Line.’ Harvey died June 12, 1979 while playing golf.
Submitted by Walt Thayer.
S. A. DeWEES, affectionately known as ‘Shelly’ to his
many friends passed away after a short illness on April 12, 1979.
He and his brother, Hugh, started a trucking business in June 1932
and operated the firm known as Hawkeye Motor Express, Inc., until
1967 when they sold out and retired. Shelly was a long-time
subscriber to the Iron Men Album and was a member of the Midwest
Old Threshers since 1952. He never missed a reunion.
Submitted by T. H. DeWees, Yuma, Arizona 85364.
