Friends and family were saddened by the death of JOHIE O. LEE,
of Irene, South Dakota, on October 6, 1986, at the age of 83. He
was a really great fellow, had many things going for him, and was
very interested in steam and gas engines. He will be missed by
all.
Submitted by his wife, Mrs. Johie Lee, Box 112, Irene, SD
57037.
Glenn Hill, Mrs. Hill, and Edwin Fiscus in front of the 1912 20
HP Farquhar owned by the two men. The photo was taken on Sept. 14
at the Fiscus farm in Bethel, Ohio, and was the last time Mr. Hill
got to see a steam engine operate.
GLEN HILL of Bethel, Ohio, died on November 12, 1986, at the age
of 101 years.
Mr. Hill had been a member of the Miami Valley Steam Threshers
Association and was a life member of Ohio Valley Antique Machinery
of Georgetown, Ohio.
Mr. Hill had worked as a school teacher, a fireman on the C
& O Railroad, and as a maintenance technician for the Bethel
Electrical Power Plant. He also held a First Class Stationary
Engineering License in the State of Ohio.
One of his great loves was working with a traction steam engine.
He had threshed and sawmilled back in the 1920s and 1930s. He had
owned over a dozen different makes of steam engines during his
lifetime. His favorite engines were Case and Huber. He was still
operating a steam engine when he was 95 years old.
He will be greatly missed by all who knew him.
Submitted by his friend Edwin L. Fiscus, 2466 Bethel Maple
Road, Bethel, Ohio 45106.
ABE MENGEL of Freedom, Pennsylvania, died on December 4, 1986.
Western Pennsylvania, including the Northwestern Pennsylvania Steam
Engine show at Portersville, lost one of its most colorful helpers
and dedicated horsemen with the passing of Abe Mengel.
He had been a horseman all his life and recently had kept a
stable of mules which were certainly beautiful if that adjective
can ever be used for that breed of animal. They undoubtedly added
much to the steam engine shows when pulling a wagon or reaper
through the parades or operating the horse baler or the mule
powered sorghum press. More recently they had become popular as
motive power for the bride and groom at many weddings in the Beaver
Valley. They or horses were always present along with the steam
engines in the old days before the tractor and who will add this
dimension to our shows when the likes of Abe are gone?
Submitted by Thomas Downing, R.D. 1, Box 149A, Ellwood City,
PA 16117, for the Northwestern Pennsylvania Steam Engine and Old
Equipment Association, Inc.
MARY PENCE, 69, lifelong Ft. Scott resident, passed away on
December 28, 1986. She is survived by her husband Dan, two
daughters, one son and six grandchildren.
Mary and Dan Pence are members of the Pioneer Harvest Fiesta and
the Early Day Gas Engine & Tractor Association, Branch #17, Ft.
Scott, Kansas. The Pences were always willing to help, besides
being in charge of the main gate.
Mary will be missed by her family and the members.
Submitted by George Jackson, President, Pioneer Harvest
Fiesta, Ft. Scott, KS.
It is with much regret that we report the death of JOHN J. HOLP,
as he was a motivating force in our hobby since its inception as
well as a wonderful friend to those who were fortunate enough to
know him.
John passed away at his home near Lewisburg, Ohio, on Sunday
morning, January 4,1987. He was 65 years old.
Both John’s grandfather, John W. Holp, and his father,
Homer, were threshermen before him and he ran with both of them. He
still owned his father’s first engine, a 16 HP Advance and his
grandfather’s 21-75 Baker is still in the community. John
restored many of the engines he owned and did restoration for
others. Like his father, he did a meticulous job and was a stickler
for authenticity. There was no magic in John’s position in our
hobbyit was achieved by his alertness, energy, effort, and much
sacrifice. It was John’s enthusiasm that propelled him and it
was contagious. The concentration of steam traction engine
hobbyists in west-central Ohio is due in no small part to John. He
never saw an engine he didn’t like but, like most of us, he
liked some more than others. His favorites were the Baker, Advance,
and Gaar-Scott and he was an authority on all three.
He served as president of the Darke County Steam Threshers for
seven years. He was with the 730 Railroad Battalion during W.W. II
and was overseas with this outfit 32 months. He worked for the
Pennsylvania Railroad for 29 years ending his service there as a
passenger conductor.
He is survived by his wife, Norma; daughter, Penny; sons John
Jr. and Scott; three grandchildren; his mother; two brothers and
two sisters; as well as a host of friends.
Submitted by Sam Myers, 5170 Monroe-Concord Rd., West
Milton, OH 45383, and Lyle J. Hoffmaster, 1845 Marion Road,
Bucyrus, OH 44820.
The many relatives, friends, and gas engine enthusiasts will be
saddened to learn of the death of BRAD EISNER, on Saturday, January
17, after a brief illness. He was 71 years old.
Brad was well recognized as a collector and authority on a
variety of steam and gasoline engines, but most especially for his
knowledge and models of hot air engines. He, along with his wife
Louise, had attended literally hundreds of meets, from Lebanon, New
Hampshire, to Zolfo Springs, Florida.
Among his many memberships, he had belonged to the Central
Massachusetts Steam, Gas, & Machinery Association; the Rough
and Tumble Engineers Historical Association in Pennsylvania; the
Straw Hollow Engine Works, Inc., of Boylston, Massachusetts; and
the Florida Antique Fly wheelers Association. A true preserver and
hobby enthusiast, he was always more than willing to share his
knowledge, whether in making a part, a pattern, or mold he seemed
delighted to be helpful. One of his more famous exhibits, I
remember, was the year he displayed his engines (working models) he
had built for his grandchildren, and of course in the past few
years, he seemed to delight in the model of his hot air engine.
Brad and his wife would have celebrated their 50th wedding
anniversary in September. He is survived by her, a daughter and a
son, two brothers and two sisters, and five grandchildren.
Submitted by Walter F. Bayliss, Jr., 122 Princeton
Boulevard, Lowell, MA 01851.
GRAYNARD M. QUICK, 89, of Espyville, Pennsylvania passed away on
January 29, 1987 at the Miller Memorial Nursing Home in Andover,
Ohio. He was born in Espyville on August 25,1897. He was the owner
and operator of Quick’s Welding and Repair, fixing farm
machinery and steam engines in the Espyville area. Graynard was
always willing to help farmers and steam engine people in the
Northwest Pennsylvania and Northeast Ohio areas.
He was a member of the Pioneer Steam and Gas Engine Society of
Northwestern Pennsylvania and owned a 1913 50 HP Case and a 16 HP
Baker roller, as well as a Case model which he built.
Submitted by Blake Malkamaki, 10839 Girdled Road,
Painesville, OH 44077.
OTTO F. LANZENDORF, Rural Paynette, Wisconsin, was born in the
township of Leeds, Columbia County, Wisconsin on April 16, 1894. He
passed away on February 17, 1987. The past months, he was a
resident of the Columbus Care Center. Prior to that he resided on
the family farm where he was born, farmed and retired.
Otto was a charter member of the Badger Steam and Gas Club,
Bara-boo, Wisconsin and a member of the Dodge County Steam Club,
Beaver Dam, Wisconsin. It was at their shows that he proudly
operated and demonstrated his 60 HP Case steam engine.
He and his wife, Leona, observed their 70th wedding anniversary
on February 14, 1987. Survivors in addition to his wife are four
daughters, one son, nine grandchildren, and fourteen
great-grandchildren.
Submitted by his daughter, Delores, Haupt, RR 1, Box 472,
Poynette, Wisconsin 53955.
