JEAN GREEN age 58, of Scott Road, Jamestown, Pennsylvania, died
December 23.
She was a member of the Pioneer Steam and Gas Engine Society of
Northwestern Pennsylvania, and for twelve years served as their
secretary. She and husband Wilbert have dairy farmed for 35 years.
Wilbert and son Bert show their 20-40 Oil Pull at the annual
Jean will be missed by her family and many friends who knew her
at the shows.
Submitted by Blake Malkamaki, RD3, 10839 Girdled Rd.,
Concord, Ohio 44077.
At age 92, PAUL A. KUSNEFSKY departed this life December 1,1987,
at his home in Florence, Kansas.
Paul was a true steam man and he made several model engines. He
still owned his 65 HP Case that he bought in 1920. Besides being a
thresherman and farmer, Paul was also an expert gunsmith.
His wife, Marie, survives.
Submitted by John R. Younkman, Newton, Kansas.
On October 11, PAUL BRYANT, 71 of Braymer, Missouri passed
away.
Paul had a blacksmith & machine shop in and around Braymer
all his adult life.
He had a Minneapolis steam engine and was one of the first
founders of North Missouri Steam and Gas Assn. Paul was always
willing to show and tell a young person how to operate and care for
a steam engine.
He will be missed by many, young and old.
Submitted by Stanley Mallery,2 North Missouri Steam &
Gas Assn., Rt. #1, Dawn, Missouri, 64638.
IVAN RIDDLE, age 89, of Friendship, died Monday October 19, at
Medco Center, Owensboro, Kentucky.
Mr. Riddle was a retired blacksmith, custom thresherman and
sawmill operator. Over the years he had owned and operated several
different traction engines. He continued to power his sawmill with
a steam engine until failing health forced him to retire in
1961.
Mr. Riddle will be remembered as an excellent blacksmith and an
excellent steam engineer. He is sadly missed by all of us who were
priviledged to have known him.
Submitted by Thomas G. Lee, Route 3, Box 61, Calhoun,
Kentucky, 42327.
WARREN R. BOMBERGER of Sargent, Nebraska passed away December
20, at the age of 93. He was a long time farmer and businessman in
the Sargent-Merna area, and his hobby and love were steam
engines.
I became acquainted with Warren about 10 years ago in Sargent,
Nebraska. He was at a local doings running his 9HP Case engine.
From that day on I got to visit with him many times as we drove
through Sargent on the way to my wife’s family home in
Ainsworth.
The next to the last time I saw Warren, he was in the hospital
at Sargent. My wife and land two sons were on our way to a parade
at Atkinson, Nebraska and we stopped to see him. I had my -scale
Case engine with me and it was in view from Warren’s hospital
room. We had a nice visit and about the time I got ready to go he
said, ‘Oh, don’t leave’, to this day I don’t know
if he was talking to me or the engine.
Warren bought and sold many steam engines during his life and
those of us who were priviledged to know him have lost a wonderful
friend and engineer.
We will deeply miss him.
Submitted by Robert L. Matheny, Rt. 2, Kearney,
Nebraska.
A retired businessman and longtime civic leader, O. E.
‘DAN’ PENCE, 73, of Fort Scott, Kansas, died Thursday,
December 3, at his home.
He was a member of the Pioneer Harvest Fiesta and the Early Day
Gas Engine & Tractor Association, Branch #17, Fort Scott,
Kansas. Dan was in charge of the main gate.
Dan will be missed by his family and Association members.
Submitted by Marjorie Sevart, Secretary, Pioneer Harvest
Fiesta, Fort Scott, Kansas.
NEAL Mc CLURE, of R.R. #1, Colchester, IL, passed away November
10, 1987, at his home at the age of 83. He was born October 18,
1904 at Colchester, the son of Ralph and Annie (Neal) McClure. He
married Marie S. Randall February 9, 1932. She survives, along with
a daughter, Helen (Mrs. John) Broad head, and a son, Leroy McClure,
both of Colchester, and six grandchildren. Neal was an active
member of Midwest Old Threshers Association, Mt. Pleasant, IA from
the time Old Threshers started in 1950, exhibiting some of his
lifelong collection of steam traction engines. He was also a member
of Western Illinois Threshers Association of Hamilton, IL. He had
his own threshing run in his early years and has held a threshing
show at his farm every summer since 1952. He had been in failing
health since a stroke in 1982, but still enjoyed going to several
steam shows in Illinois, Iowa, and Missouri until his health would
not permit him to this past year. He will be missed and remembered
by many friends and acquaintances.
Submitted by Mr. and Mrs. Leroy McClure, R.R. #1,
Colchester, Illinois 62326.
MILO W. MATHEWS passed away December 16, 1987. The last
surviving founder of the Midwest Old Threshers, he served on the
board from its inception for 31 years, 25 years as treasurer. He
was awarded the first ‘Director Emeritus’ ever presented in
1979 on his retirement from the board. He was an avid collector of
antique farm machinery and steam engines, all of which were
displayed each year, and was one of the founders of Midwest Central
Railroad, the first full size steam railroad ever to operate at an
American steam show. Because of health problems, he had to leave
the steam scene but it was always very close to him.
He was one of the greatest teachers of all time on the whys and
why nots of steam operation, an excellent mechanic and a great
exponent of the large stationary steam exhibit at Old Threshers; he
worked for years to make Old Threshers the biggest and best in the
world.
He was truly an ‘Old Thresher’ and will be remembered by
all who knew him as one of the last of the breed, one that knew
what steam is all about.
Submitted by Stan Mathews, c/o Midwest Central RR, Box 102,
Mount Pleasant, Iowa 52641.
