ROY H. JOHNSON of Chagrin Falls, Ohio passed away November
18, 1988 following a long history of heart problems.
Roy was born into a Winnipeg, Manitoba railroad family. He was
always interested in model building and steam engines–two
interests he brought together in a life long hobby of building
model steam engines.
Roy’s first model locomotives were 0-gauge electric trains.
At the time of his death, Roy was building a ?’ 4-4-0 American
‘Virginia’. His most well known achievement was his ?’
live steam model of the ‘Timken,’ the 4-8-4 American
Locomotive Co. Engine originally built in 1930. The McKinley Museum
in Canton, Ohio now has the model of ‘The Four Aces’, as
she is better known, on permanent display.
Roy Johnson was the man who first introduced me to steam engines
as well as the machine shop arts when I was a teenager.
He was always around to help anyone with a steam engine problem,
be it tips on how to make a part, how to time an engine, or
whatever.
Roy is survived by his wife Nouritza of Chagrin Falls and by
numerous family members and friends in the U.S. and Canada.
Steamers everywhere mourn his passing.
Submitted by Ralph Najarian, 35 Pueblitos Rd., Belen, NM
87002.
VINCENT E. ‘PETE’ Peterson, of Peoria,1 Illinois died
November 30, after a brief illness. Pete was 80, and his interest
in steam engines went back more than 40. As a child, I attended the
Mount Pleasant, Iowa and Pontiac, Illinois steam shows with him.
Since his retirement in 1976, he had been very active with our
local steam engine and collector, Dick Herm.
Submitted by his son, David Peterson, 727 Eleanor Place,
Peoria, IL 61604.
BETTY J. WILLIAMS, a member of the Maine Antique Gas Engine
Association of Maine, New York passed away suddenly on November 28,
1988 at age 61.
She was a very active member in our club and always there to
lend a helping hand wherever needed. She had such a bubbly spirit
that she was an inspiration for all of us.
She leaves behind her husband, Carl and their two sons, and
many, many close friends everywhere. The Williams attended many
shows everywhere.
She will be sorely missed for a long time by all of us, and
especially at our shows, where she was so active, along with her
husband, Carl. I submit this verse from her memorial, which seems
appropriate:
God hath not promised skies always blue
Flower strewn pathways all our lives through
God hath not promised sun without rain
Joy without sorrow, peace without pain.
But God hath promised strength for the day
Rest for the labor, light for the way
Grace for the trials, help from above
Unfailing sympathy, undying love.
Submitted by her close friend and fellow club member, Ernest
Pease, R.D. #2, Box 160, Harpersuille, NY 13787.
GILBERT VAESSEN, Sublette, Illinois passed away on Thanksgiving
Day. He was born on Memorial Day in 1906 and ‘cut his
teeth’ on a Waterloo Boy tractor back in the early teens and
twenties.
The family first had a Little Bull and then got a Big Bull
tractor back in the teens. They got an Ottawa corn sheller and the
Bull tractor was ‘no good’ and could not handle it, so they
bought a Waterloo Boy and they were so well pleased they got
another one. I remember one time when Gilbert changed a crankshaft
in a Waterloo Boy, starting early in the morning, and by noon he
had it together and running and plowed all afternoon with no
problems or trouble. Those boys were mechanics.
Gilbert Vaessen was a nice fellow all his life, and I knew him
since the early twenties. He told me once that they wanted to buy a
Hart-Parr tractor back in the mid 1920’s, but they had an uncle
who had a Hart-Parr ’30’ and no way could they have the
same thing he had, so they bought another Waterloo Boy ‘N’
with auto steering. The next time they got a new tractor their
father gave the 5 boys a vote. Three of them wanted a
McCormick-Deering 15-30 and two of them wanted a Hart-Parr 18-36,
so they got the 15-30. Later on they got their Hart-Parr anyhow in
spite of that uncle.
Submitted by Everett G. Althaus, 706 Pennsylvania Ave.,
Mendota, Illinois 61342.
WILLIAM ‘BILL’ HUMPHREVILLE, age 87, passed to the
‘Land of the Golden Whistles’ on October 15, 1988 after a
long illness. He was born on November 25, 1901 and is survived by
his wife, Agnes, whom he married in 1924 and one son. (One son
preceeded him in death.) Bill was retired from the Y. & O. Coal
Company.
Bill was a charter member of the Stump town Steam Threshers and
was on the board for directors of 12 years. In 1973, he was
selected as the ‘Thresherman of the Year’. Bill exhibited
his 1921 16 HP Russell as long as he was able and the last couple
of years he powered the corn meal machine at the show.
He was a wizard in putting in flues. He was a small man in size
and could get into the smoke box to cut out the old flues and
install the new ones without any problems.
Bill will be missed by his family and many friends.
Submitted by William Flowers, Sec, Stump town Steam
Threshers, Inc., Rt. 1, Box 332, Adena, Ohio 43901.
STEVEN E. SHEFFIELD of Paris, Missouri answered the call of the
‘Golden Whistle’ November 12, 1988 at the age of 18
years.
Steve was very active in the steam world. He was a faithful
exhibitor and was an excellent engineer. He was an active worker
and exhibitor at the Paris Show, and at Midwest Old Threshers Show
at Mount Pleasant, Iowa.
To us old engineers who knew him, he was more like a son than a
friend, and will be sadly missed. Steve had devoted much of his
time on his hobby, always doing his best. In school he had been
active in basketball, football and track. His good friend, Mr.
Ralph Leving died before him on Sept. 1, 1988. May our sympathy be
with their families.
Submitted by Bob Hart, Box 207, Perry, Missouri
63462.
