ALBIN M. MURAWSKI, 78, of Port Austin, Michigan, passed away
April 20, 1998, at the Huron County Medical Care Facility in Bad
Axe, Michigan. He was born April 9, 1920, near Port Austin,
Michigan.
He was a member of the Thumb Two Cylinder Club, and a past
member of the Saginaw Valley Live Steam Association. He collected
many antique tractors, including nine Rumely Oil Pulls. He showed
the tractors at the Port Hope Show, Caro Show, and was present at
the Buckley Show inl987 and 1988 in the fall in Michigan. He
attended many shows in the country, and had a strong interest in
antique tractors and machinery. He was a farmer, master plumber,
and a son of a blacksmith.
He had a strong family bond.
He is survived by Anna, his wife of 53 years. They had four
daughters, six sons, 21 grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.
He was preceded in death by one son and two sisters.
His legacy is being carried on by his sons and
grandchildren.
Submitted by Walter Murawski and family, Port Austin (Kinde),
Michigan 48467.
RODNEY M. PITTS of Silverton, Oregon, passed away on March 25,
1998 at the age of 83. Rodney spent his working life farming in the
Canby, Oregon, area and doing various other jobs. He held an annual
steam-up on his farm in the early days of the shows during Labor
Day weekend.
He was a prolific writer and a frequent contributor to the
engine magazines of early on. Rod also held various official
positions over a period of years for the Western Steam Friends
Association.
I personally had the pleasure of meeting Rod shortly before he
passed away, and it became apparent very quickly that he was a
walking encyclopedia of knowledge regarding engines anywhere on the
West Coast.
Rod was a true friend of the hobby and a first-class engine-man.
He was the owner of a 12 HP Russell and a 16 HP Advance, both of
which he sold in the mid-1970s to the younger generation to promote
the hobby, taking much less than market price at the time. This was
a prime example of Rod’s generosity and love of the hobby.
Alas, another chapter in the history book of steam, forever
closed. Rest in peace, old friend.
Submitted by Randy E. Schwerin, Rt.2, Box 178, Sumner, Iowa
50674.
LOREN G. BOWMAN, Indiana, age 89, of Hobart, passed away
September 19, 1998.
He was born March 22, 1909 in Porter County, Indiana, to the
late Bill and Carrie Bowman, and was a life-long area resident. He
was a member of the United Dairy Workers of America for 67 years;
Organic Gardening of Valparaiso; and the Northern Indiana Power and
Steam Association.
Loren Bowman provided two early plowing photos for the 1996
May/June issue of Iron Men Album. He always enjoyed visiting with
friends and looking at old iron. He will be remembered saying,
‘If you have any questions, ask me now.’
ARTHUR H. BLOEDE, age 83, of Crown Point, Indiana, passed away
December 13, 1998 in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Mr. Bloede was a member of Trinity Evangelical Lutheran Church;
an Army Veteran of World War II; a member of Crown Point American
Legion Fred Schmidt Post 20; and the V.F.W. Crown Point 6446.
He was a retired building contractor from Bloede & Sons
Construction. Arthur was a member of the Southlake County
Agricultural Historical Society.
Arthur Bloede enjoyed the Iron Men Album and was a big help to
the Falkenberg family. He would help each year in running their
engines at the Crown Point Show. His favorite spot was on the
Falkenberg family’s Keck-Gonnerman. When others were still
sleeping, he could be found getting the engine ready for the
day’s work.
The two preceding memorials were submitted by Mark Corson, 9374
Roosevelt St., Crown Point, Indiana 46307.
TED GOWL, of the Baltimore, Maryland, area, died September 21,
1998 at the age of 88.
He attended or exhibited at steam shows in Maryland, Virginia,
Pennsylvania, Ohio, and North Carolina for many years.
Ted was indeed a self-made man. With only a sixth grade
education, he took correspondence courses in carpentry, plumbing
and electricity. When very young, he became an apprentice in an
antique reproduction furniture shop. He became a skilled carpenter
and became adept at making anything from cabinets and furniture to
building houses. He learned the threshing business while a young
man, and met his wife-to-be at the dinner table on one of his
threshing jobs.
Ted was heavily involved in building his own scale, freelance
steam traction engine, and it soon became a common sight at the
steam shows. While most steam traction engine owners fired their
engines only at the summer shows, Ted used his engine in cold
weather to heat his carpenter shop. A brief write-up on Ted and
pictures of his engine appeared in the July/August 1997 issue of
the Iron Men Album.
Ted endured several handicaps. He could not speak normally for
the past 30 years because of the removal of his ‘voice box,
‘ and he suffered from a loss in hearing ability. Nevertheless,
he cared for his late wife of 60 years when she became an invalid
and was entirely dependent on him.
Ted Gowl is survived by two sons and a daughter. He will be
sorely missed by all who knew him, especially those of us who
exhibited with him at the Mason-Dixon Historical Society, Maryland
Steam Historical Society, the Eastern Shore Thresher-men &
Collectors Association, and the Shenandoah Valley Steam & Gas
Engine Association shows.
Submitted by James B. Romans, 9111 Louis Avenue, Silver
Spring, Maryland 20910.
