I regret to announce the loss of my grandfather, HOWARD E. VAN
DRIEST, of Concord Township, Painesville, Ohio on January 26, 1989.
He was born July 13, 1910 in Euclid, Ohio.
Mr. van Driest began working for the Cleveland Tractor Company
in the 1930’s and eventually became Experimental Engineer. He
was influential in the development of most of the models of
Cletracs and, later, Oliver crawlers. (Oliver bought Cletrac in
1946.) He spent many hours in the dynamometer room, and made many
trips to Hercules in Canton developing engines for the tractors. He
also traveled all over North America, trouble-shooting and
correcting problems nobody else could figure out. After Oliver
Corporation shut down the Cleve-land Plant in 1961, he went into
the excavating business with his son Howard.
Mr. van Driest collected many antique engines and tractors,
including many Cletracs and a 28-50 Hart Parr. He also owned a 1930
Model A Ford coupe and a 20 HP Buffalo-Pitts steam traction engine,
which he displayed at many shows in Ohio and Pennsylvania until
last summer.
He was a director of the Pioneer Steam and Gas Engine Society of
Northwestern Pennsylvania, and of the Historical Engine Society in
Kirtland, Ohio. He was a member of the Ashtabula County Antique
Engine Club, Penn-Ohio Model A Ford Club, U.S.D.A. Stabilization
Ser-vice, and a life member of the National Rifle Association.
He is survived by his wife, Olive, one brother, Edward, in
California, son Howard, daughter Gayle Malkamaki, four
grandchildren, including myself, and two great-grandchildren.
Gramps and I were best friends and were almost always together
since I was born. He taught me about everything I know about
mechanics. Together, we restored a General tractor when I was ten.
We got into this antique engine hobby in 1975. He always said that
he ‘brung me up’ and I know he did it right.
Submitted by Blake Malkamaki, 19839 Girdled Road, Concord
Twp., Painesville, Ohio 44077.
My father, ANTHONY J. MOOR-MAN, 84, RR #11, Greensburg, Indiana
was well known in the Midwest for pioneering in organizing the
steam shows in the country. He was the last founding member of the
Pioneer Engineers Club of Indiana.
He passed away on Sunday, December 4, 1988 after a lengthy
illness. Anthony was a charter member of the Pioneer Engineers Club
of Indiana, at Rushville. He served as treasurer of the club for 25
years. He also operated the sawmill every year until his health
began failing him. He owned and operated a steam powered sawmill
for many years. His last sawmill engine was a 75 HP J. I. Case, now
owned by Bill Clem of Manassas, Virginia. Over the years he owned
many different makes of engines, and never found one he didn’t
like. He was a firm believer in using the steam engine as it was
meant to be and not for stunts that could cause damage to people or
the engine. Safety was always on his mind!
The last engine he owned was a 20 HP Advance Rumely that his
neighbor bought new in 1922. He purchased it in 1948 and acquired
all of the original documents with this engine. This was his pride
and joy, and after his health failed him, he still enjoyed showing
pictures of his engine to his friends. Every year he would fire it
up to demonstrate for the elementary children from Rose-mund School
in Greensburg. The engine is now owned by a son, Jerry Moorman, of
Bloomington, Indiana.
Anthony is survived by his wife, Frances. They celebrated their
60th wedding anniversary last May. He also leaves 3 sons and 3
daughters, 21 grandchildren, and 5 great-grandchildren. He was a
life long member of St. Maurice Catholic Church.
The Pioneer Engineers Club has lost a faithful member and
friend! He will be sorely missed at next year’s show.
Submitted by Jerry Moorman, 2222 E. Third St., Bloomington,
Indiana 47401.
JAMES FISHER, age 80, entered into the land of the Golden
Whistles, December 23, 1988. He is survived by a son and daughter
and three grandchildren.
Jim spent his entire life in the Jewett and Scio area where he
farmed, owned and operated a saw-mill, served as a township trustee
for 24 years, and was active in the Moose Lodge and Carrollton
Eagles.
He was a director of the Stump-town Steam Threshers for 18 years
and was the sawmill operator at the show for several years. He was
a devoted ‘Russell’ man, never owning one but operated his
father’s and later on, Charles Harrison’s 20 HP
Russell.
He will be sadly missed by his family and many friends.
Submitted by William Flowers, Sec, Stumptown Steam Threshers
Association, Inc., Route 1, Box 332, Adena, Ohio 43901.
CAPTAIN JEFFREY S. GILES was killed in a plane crash at
Wurt-smith Air Force Base in Michigan on October, 11, 1988. He was
the son of Paul and Janita Giles of Bunker Hill, West Virginia.
He had attended and participated in steam and gas shows with his
family since the mid-60’s. He was Valedictorian of Musselman
High School Class of 1979, and graduated from the United States Air
Force Academy in 1983. He recently had married Lorraine
‘Pete’ Fair in Abilene, Texas.
He had missed only one or two steam shows because of his
military duty and always called home on Sunday night to ‘see
how the show went.’ The show was Berryville, Virginia’s
Shenandoah Valley Steam and Gas Engine Association.
He was skilled at handling his dad’s 1923 Frick steam
traction engine, and also liked to drive the 1922 Model T truck he
had helped rebuild when he was home on leave.
Jeff enjoyed camping out at the show with family and friends.
From their first overnight visit to a show at Kinzers, Pennsylvania
in 1965, annual treks to Eastern Shore’s Show at Federalsburg,
Maryland, to the Mt. Pleasant, Iowa Show in 1969, he was always
along on the family vacations and ‘looking for an old tractors
along the road.’
When he was stationed at Dyess Air Force Base in Abilene, Texas
for several years, he found long time family friends, the Bakers of
Mineral Wells, and attended a show with them.
He is survived by his wife, parents, brother Steven, sisters
Karen Angus and Linda Custer, two nieces, and his maternal
grandmother. He is sadly missed by family, friends, and all who
knew him.
Submitted by Paul, Janita and Steve Giles, Rt. 1, Box 122,
Bunker Hill, West Virginia 25413.
