This is a Blog site created by Bob Reed (in Florida) for folks who live--or used to live--in Marcus, Iowa. Its purpose is to exchange notes, news, remembrances, and thoughts about life in and about Marcus, or news about one's family, friends or acquaintances.
I thought the city wide garage sales were pretty good this year. There were no maps like last year but this town is small enough to walk around and find some sales going on. I can't wait for Family Night in June.
Here are the last two comments from the previous thread, posted May 4:
Marvin L. Ebert StoryLeave A TributePosted: Sunday, May 03, 2009 MARCUS, Iowa -- Marvin L. Ebert, 78, of Marcus passed away Friday, May 1, 2009, at Heartland Care Center in Marcus.
Services will be 10 a.m. Monday at Peace Lutheran Church in Marcus, with the Rev. James L. Gruber officiating. Interment will be in Marcus-Amherst Cemetery at Marcus, with military respects provided by F.I. Goodburn Post 517. Visitation will be 2 to 8 p.m. today, with a prayer service at 7:30 p.m., at Earnest-Johnson Funeral Home in Marcus. Visitation will continue one hour prior to services Monday at the church.
Marvin Lee Ebert was born on the family farm near Cleghorn, Iowa, on Dec. 11, 1930, the third child of Irena Sophia Katharina (Schuknecht) and Emil Hans John Ebert. He graduated in 1950 from Marcus High School. Marvin entered into active duty in the U.S. Army on Feb. 12, 1952, from Omaha, Neb., and served his country during the Korean War. After completing his duties during this conflict, Marvin was honorably discharged from the Army on Nov. 11, 1953, from Camp Carson, Colo.
Marvin met Lorna Joyce Zellmer, the love of his life and his future wife, at an area dance. The couple were united in marriage on July 20, 1958, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Moville, Iowa. Marvin and Lorna became the proud and busy parents of two sons and a daughter.
Marvin lived and worked the greatest share of his life in the Marcus area. After years of learning the intricate details of carpentry, Marvin fulfilled his dream, and Ebert Construction Ltd. became a reality. He was well-known as an accomplished builder. One of the many homes, businesses and construction projects Marvin's company built in his career was Heartland Care Center in Marcus, which was extremely near and dear to his heart. His company completed this large project in 1994 and Marvin's mother, Irena became the first resident of the new facility. In 1995, Ebert Construction accepted the opportunity to build the new Alzheimer's unit at Happy Siesta in Remsen, Iowa.
Marvin was a member of Peace Lutheran Church, a life member of American Legion, F.I. Goodburn Post 517 and a member of the Men's Bowling Association, where he enjoyed serving as an officer and sharing many a fun time on numerous leagues. Marvin was a 25-year member of the Marcus Fire Department and was also a passionate golfer.
Some of Marvin's other interests and hobbies included dancing, fishing, especially for catfish, playing casino games of chance, checking out the area construction job sites, coffee drinking with friends, singing in the church choir and cheering for the "Packers or the Hawkeyes." Marvin delighted in attending the activities of his children and his grandchildren, family holidays and gatherings and feasting on Lorna's good home-cooked meals and baked goods. Marvin is described as an easy-going and friendly guy who was very devoted to his family. He will be dearly missed by all who knew him.
Marvin is survived by his wife of 50 years, Lorna Ebert of Marcus; his two sons, Conrad and Deb Ebert of Marcus, and Keith and Paula Ebert of Omaha; his daughter, Cathy and Kim Carlson of Marcus; his sister, Marlis Donner of Moline, Ill.; and his two brothers, Vernon and Dorothy Ebert of Green Valley, Ariz., and Bernell Ebert of Mason City, Iowa. He will also be dearly cherished by his seven grandchildren, Danielle and Alex Ebert, Lindsay and Patrick Ebert and Gina, Christy and Eric Carlson; and numerous nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends.
Preceding Marvin in death were his parents, Emil and Irena Ebert; his two sisters, Delores Means and Bernita Means; and his two brothers, Leon and Orlan Ebert.
Condolences, stories and expressions of sympathy may be sent to the family on the mauerjohnsonfh.com Web site.
Irene C. Meylor StoryLeave A TributePosted: Monday, April 27, 2009 MARCUS, Iowa -- Irene C. Meylor, 78, of Marcus passed away on Saturday, April 25, 2009, at the Heartland Care Center in Marcus.
Services will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Holy Name Catholic Church in Marcus, with the Rev. Eugene Murray officiating. Burial will be in Holy Name Cemetery at Marcus. Visitation will begin 2 p.m. today, with a 3 p.m. rosary service led by Catholic Daughters of the Americas, and a Scriptural prayer service at 7 p.m., at the church. Visitation will resume one hour prior to services Tuesday at the church. The Earnest-Johnson Funeral Home of Marcus is in charge of arrangements. Stories, memories and expressions of sympathy may be directed through www.mauerjohnsonfh.com
Irene Catherine Meylor was born on May 31, 1930, in Hospers, Iowa, to Adolph and Mary (Friedrich) Fischer. When her mother passed away in 1933, her father married Mary Reichle, who had seven children. The family moved to a farm near Granville, where she graduated from Spalding High School in 1948.
On June 29, 1949, Irene and Gerald Meylor were united in marriage at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Granville. The couple farmed near Maryhill and then moved to a farm north of Marcus where they farmed until 1993, when they moved to Marcus.
Irene was a faithful member of Holy Name Catholic Church and active in the Catholic Daughters of the Americas, St. Ann's Guild and sang in the choir. Over many years she volunteered as a Girl Scout leader, Cub Scout leader and a CCD teacher. She enjoyed Hobby Club, square dancing and Marcus High School sports. She loved playing pinochle and 500 in long-time card clubs and working in her vegetable and flower gardens. After moving to town, Irene worked at the Heartland Care Center kitchen until she began a long battle against lymphoma.
Survivors include her husband, Gerald of Marcus; seven children, Jean and her husband, Alan Peterson of Ft. Pierre, S.D., Mary and her husband, Ken Haselhoff of Quimby, Iowa, Julia and her husband, Bill Simpson of East Providence, R.I., Nancy and her husband, Larry Sinnwell of West Des Moines, Kenneth and his wife, Chris of Sioux Falls, S.D., Michael of Milford, Iowa, and Robert and his wife, Sandra of Sioux Falls; 19 grandchildren and their spouses, Adam Peterson, Kristine (Haselhoff) and Brian Granville, Sharon Haselhoff, Janet (Haselhoff) Geoff Gibbons, Brian and Andrea Haselhoff, Mallory and Emily Simpson, Laura and Tim Sinnwell, Shelbie and Coltin Meylor, Dustin and Nia Weise, Vanessa (Johnson) and Tom Jorgensen, Nikki (Johnson) and Santos Beal, Matthew, Madalyn and Kaitlyn Meylor, and Mitchell and Eddie Meylor; nine great-grandchildren, Joshua Granville, Clare and Ella Haselhoff, John and Jalen Weise, Dylan and Jillian Jorgensen, and Nevaeh and Ashton Beal; a brother, Robert and
his wife, Lorraine Fischer of Granville, Iowa; two sisters, Florence Pottebaum of Alton, Iowa, and Lorraine Becker of Granville; and two stepsisters, Catherine Pohlen of Hospers, Iowa, and Bertie Full of Canby, Minn.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her stepmother; parents-in-law; her son, Eddie; her grandson, Eric Peterson; daughter-in-law, Cindy Meylor; brother, Clarence Fischer; sister, Lillian Von Arb; two stepsisters, Angie Grady and Delia Alsup; and three stepbrothers, John, Harold and Lawrence Reichle.
Gray Matters: Record breakers Margaret Dorr Wednesday, May 13, 2009
I haven't done any serious research on the matter, but I expect high school sports records come and go at varying rates over the years. Still, I do believe that one standing for a whole generation is something of a rarity. That situation just occurred here in Marcus. The record for the Discus Throw was set at 141'3" in 1978 by Kenneth Meylor and it stood until it was broken by MMC senior, Alex Roseen, on April 20, 2009, at the Knight Relays in Orange City, with a toss of 145'3".
The bad news was that a West Lyon thrower surpassed that mark by a few inches, so though he broke the school record, Roseen did not win the meet title. The good news is that the bar for the discus event has been set a bit higher on the MMC gym wall. Of additional interest, is the fact that record-setter, Alex Roseen, is the son of Doug and Linda Lehnoff Roseen, and that Linda Lehnoff was a 1978 classmate of Kenny Meylor.
Young Roseen has participated in both track and football for four years. He plays trumpet in band and jazz band, and has been asked to sound Taps for various services. He is a member of both the Student Council and Leadership Team as well as National Honor Society. To put a true "crown" on all of this, he was elected 2009 Homecoming King this past fall.
This year's graduating class has thirty-four members while the class in which his mother and Kenneth Meylor graduated, a generation ago, was twice that size. Meylor was involved in all sports, but I am not aware of his activity record beyond that. However, due to the size of the Class of 1978, I expect the distribution of honors was not quite so concentrated.
Carpentry is one interest which the two record breakers might have in common. Meylor is engaged in the building trades in the Sioux Falls area and, when time allows, Roseen has been working with his dad, one of our county's most respected builders. Throwing the discus is probably good training for wielding a hammer!
Kenneth and his siblings returned to their hometown a few weeks ago for their mother's funeral. Irene Meylor had succumbed after a long courageous battle with lymphoma. While speaking with the family at the visitation, I was re-introduced to Kenneth whom I hadn't seen in many years. Realizing who he was, I asked if he had heard that his long-standing record had been broken. As he hadn't, I then told him about it. Hearing this, some of his siblings immediately insisted that a picture of the two record breakers should be taken. Meylor demurred, but when his father, Gerald, who was standing nearby, heard the suggestion, he was adamant. He definitely wanted a photograph of his son "with that beard shaved off." I hadn't realized that the clean-cut son with whom I was speaking had taken some extra measures out of respect for his mom.
I'm told that, due to scheduling conflicts, that photo was not taken. But even without the picture, I wanted you to have this story which I think is certain proof that dads will be dads, and sons will be sons, whether they are record holders or just ordinary guys! Too, I wanted to remind you that a generation-standing discus record has been replaced at the Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn High School!
Tomorrow, Saturday, is a memorial service for Bill Seggerman - a graveside service 11:00 at Memorial Gardens in Cherokee. Do you remember this great guy? He worked for years for Charlie Addy's DX Station.
He was a handsome, charming man with a smile on his face. He also seemed to be a quiet man just going about every day life. For many years his life revolved around his wife Jerry and his only child Nancy. He worked long hours and looked forward to coming home to his family who loved him dearly. He went to church faithfully every week. Sounds like a typical, ordinary man from Marcus, doesn't it?
But Bill was special. He welcomed others into his life as if they were his own. Behind the scenes he became a father in two other people's eyes when they needed it the most - a boy who moved to Marcus in 1969 because his mother and brother were tragically killed in an accident - a girl whose father died in 1970 so unexpectedly. They both considered him a father and they both had the most upmost respect and love for him through the years.
Our lives never know where they will lead, but some special people stay in your memories forever because they made a difference and maybe they didn't even realize it. Bill made a difference.
You can read his full obituary in the newspaper, but you won't read about the special kindness of this man and the difference he made in two other lives many years ago.
Nancy, your father was a good man. Both Roger and I loved him also. Our thoughts are with you. May he rest in peace.
The post re Bill Seggerman is right on. Bill was a super guy and as kind as they come.
There was no place better than the DX gas station wtih Charlie Addy at the helm, with Bill Seggerman, Edgar Hagey, and Larry Slaghter all working there as well.
I use to clean the gas station after school for $1 or $2 per job. Loved the candy counter behind the register and the BING candy bars along with the pop machine in the room between the front room and the car bay area.
Would love to pump gas for cars there as well and clean the wind shields. Would always race Larry for the chance to take care of the customers.
The tire room on the west end along with the barrels of special oils and such just added to the station.
Charlie was usually working in his office and had his bookkeeper adjacenat to him in her office. Forget the ladies name but she sure could smoke. When Charlie could he would be right out front making the customers fill like a million bucks.
The DX gang was a special group of men and Bill Seggerman was a wonderful part of those guys and my life for some wonderful junior high years!
BTW, my dad found out that I actually "BORROWED" a candy bar from the station without paying and made me take it back and tell Charlie what I did. Telling Charlie with my dad on my side was the hardest thing I ever had to do up to that point in my life. Really let Charlie down but he did forgive me. Class act! Had to work for a week or so without pay to learn my lesson.
Charlie was really cool about that. Just wished my dad was the as cool but it definitely taught me a lesson.
Nancy, if you are reading this blog know many of us loved your dad as he was one nice man!
The last two blogs about Bill are "right on!" But I still wish you bloggers would sign your names. Many of us are straining our aging memories to remember who you must be ! Margaret Dorr
Thank you for your article, Margaret. Dad and I saw Linda and Doug Roseen at Marv Ebert's visitation and congratulated them on Alex's new record. I didn't realize how long the record had stood until I was in school a few years ago and happened to see the record board. Ken never said much about it. Although, like Alex, I think Ken's record was overshadowed rather quickly by other atheletes from other schools back in 1978.
I was a senior when Ken was a freshman, who was the oldest of my three brothers. So I never got to watch them play many sports. But my mother did, and, as we learned from the stories that were told while we were home: She was a quiet lady but loved to watch her sons play sports -- and sometimes voiced her opinions a decible too loudly.
Anyway, I loved the connections that Margaret found between the two -- wielding a hammer and the class of 1978. Although my dad probably did miss some time in the field because his sons were playing sports in high school instead of planting or harvesting, I'm sure he got a kick out of watching them too.
Today, Ken runs his construction company in Sioux Falls, and my brother, Bob, works with him. I got a chance to see one of their homes going up on Lake Okiboji while I was home. Building something with your hands -- ones that once threw a discus or slam-dunked a basketball or smacked a homerun -- is taken for granted, but it, too, is an amazing thing.
Good luck to Alex, and the Class of 2009, as they graduate from high school this weekend.
The anonymous "Tribute to a Fine Man" was written by myself - Bill made a difference for Roger Webb (Neva Witter's grandson) and myself. Yes, Bill Seggerman will always have a special place in our hearts.
The bookkeeper at the DX station who could really smoke was probably Dora Wilkens as she worked there for many years. She was the wife of my uncle Fritzie Wilkens, and yes, she could really smoke! She would have had a rough time in our present world to continue her smoking in the workplace!
Thank you, Judy Wilkens. I remembered about Roger Webb, but I had forgotten your dad died when you were still so young. Thank you, too, for your April blog about trains. That was SO good! Margaret Dorr
Dora Wilkens is correct. Her name escaped me and yes she was a chain smoking machine.
The DX gas station and McKernan's grocery store were both great places to experience growing up in Marcus.
Anyboyd remember when Wiberisch's (spelling) ran the variety store on Main Street. Mr. and Mrs.Wiberisch were such kind people and as a kid I loved that store. While we are on subject what about Ab Smith and his popcorn stand on Main Street next to the Dew Drop Inn. Ab with his wonderful son Danny were always fun to visit with.
Sent by a friend of mine - enjoy this trip down memory lane - what a great town we grew up in......
Gosh, today’s discussion was the DX gas station, McKernans, and the Variety store. The variety store..where I used to take my nickel, buy baseball cards with small slab of horrible bubble gum.
Might as well go down the list:
McKernans….with the big toy rack in the back….with all the junky little toys that we used to beg for.
Johnny Clarkson…..McKernan’s competitor at the IGA store…(we didn’t shop there much and I don’t know why).
Fred Knox’s place….soda fountain, ceiling fans, and teen and movie mags in the spinning racks in the middle of the place.
And then, of course, we had Mr. Grauer and his tv store on main street.
And Wilbur Shefstad and his leather / canvas shop.
Of course there was Harold’s Rexall drug store.
And Dr. Joynt’s office above Fred’s Place.
And we had two jewelry stores…..Niemans and Hogues. I got my first pair of eye glasses at Niemans, as did almost everybody else.
Lowell Nelson sold furniture on main street.
The Gambles store was there too.
And remember when the cafe on the corner on the west side of main street burned down…I think it was about 1966 or ’67. Mom even took us into town on a Friday night to watch the fire.
Jimmy Smith sold insurance and so did Lou Fitzgerald.
We had Nagles selling clothes and on the other side of the street was Boots’.
And remember Farmers State bank before they built the new one? I can barely remember going in there once…my cousin Gayle worked there.
I also won first prize for my age one year in the Halloween costume parade. Gayle was one of the judges.
Oh, and of course the Jorgensen brothers were down at the north end of the street. We always stopped in there when we went up town on Saturday night.
Remember Saturday nights on main street? Everybody was there…..and we all waited to see who won the money before we went home.
And remember where the old post office was? And wasn’t the Marcus News in the basement of that building?
And, of course, next to McKernan’s was Wagler’s Ford Dealership.
In the early ‘60’s we had it all……and we almost had double of everything…
We had two grocery stores, two jewelry stores, two car dealers, two doctors (Joynt and Hayden). Hayden had a corvette! Way cool.
We had the CO-OP, we had Texaco, D-X, Fred Hoover’s Conoco station, and we had the gas station at the intersection south of town…..the intersection with the curved roads.
We also had a dentist office above the bank…I fell asleep in that dentist chair once….(or so I was told afterwards).
We had more than a few bars…(including Flanagan’s Place, which became Ernie’s Place, which became Snyder’s Tap, which became the Hawkeye.
And we had a liquor store.
We had two or three cafes most of the time.
And didn’t we have two lumber companies? Leavitt’s and one on the north side of the tracks? Or am I just old and confused?
And wasn’t the veterinarian’s office on main street too?
And we had the dry cleaners store.
Oh…and we can’t forget Merle Mead and Jack Shea cutting hair! Sometimes we called it Jack’s butcher shop.
Oh, and we had the locker where we kept our frozen meats, and occasionally butchered a hog.
And we had the hatchery…where I remember lots of baby chicks…wasn’t it next to the locker?
And how many movies did you see at the Marland? Every Frankie and Annette movie, every Disney movie including the Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit, and every Elvis movie?
The nuns even marched us all to the Marland one afternoon for a matinee of Charlton Heston in Ben Hur….I sat on the front row and will always remember the chariot race scenes.
And remember Saturday matinees in December when Santa Claus was waiting in the back with your bag of candy when you left?
And how many times did you go to the library in the municipal building and see the autographed picture of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans?
And we still have the same bowling alley…just with more lanes and a bar!
And I never even mentioned Kid’s Korner…. 25 cent taverns and 30 cent malts……mmmmmm good. It was next to the Marland for awhile, before it was moved under the water tower.
And what about that mysterious Masonic Lodge building that we never knew anything about?
And I thunk up all of this on my own….just from the mention of the D-X gas station!
Your list is absolutely wonderful but one business you left off is/was Claude Grey's garage just south of the current city hall building.
Claude's mechanic shop was a great place to experience as a young boy growing up in Marcus and likewise Claude himself was a quiet man but a very kind man.
Mr. Grauer was Wendell Grauer and his daughter probably drew more customers to his store than his TV's.
Oh, Anonymous, except for your name, you did a fine job of remembering. Without venturing too far from the vintage of the stage you set, I am reminded of Addy's Electric in the old Steck's Grocery Store. Then there was Dingy Wilberding's seed building. Chuck Nielsen's Electric or Hdw Store between the furniture store and the bakery. Two more names for the Pool Hall would be The Bird House and Ewald's, and of course The Golden Slipper is still going strong but with a different name. Yes across the track was the Rock Island Lumber or Klingborg Building Supply depenging on your age.
Someone clever should design a Monopoly type board game using those Marcus names of the past who cherished those spots on Main Street. At least if would be fun for us old timers. Irv Deichmann
Hi everybody. I am doing a little bit of research on my house and I was wondering if you had any information on these people: Karl and Stella Hahn Henry and Marie Schroeder Rhoda L. Gibson any information would be great. We like to know the history of the house and property and stuff like that. If you could give me the year they were born and died.
Heads up! The Marcus Fair schedule and other Marcus Fair information is now posted on the Marcus web-site. The Marcus Fair is August 13th-16th, 2009. (There will still be a few changes with some of the event rules, but we'll try to keep this information as current as we possibly can.) Thanks Paul
Irvin, speaking of pool halls, remember Gene's Pool Hall in the basement of Fred Knox's soda bar, and next door to that was a barber shop run by Chelse Metcaff. I frequented both establishments daily to deliver the Des Moines Register. Did we mention the laundromat where the fire station stands today? Oh, and there was the bowling alley under some feed store where the lumber yard is today. And the West Iowa Telephone Co had a shop on the north/west side of Main where you could watch ladies plugging and unpluging "wires" so residents could make local calls. Denny Peavey
Joe Broblek and Sammy Woodall had a Kaiser/Fraiser dealership on north main for a few years along with an Army Surplus store....and even though he wasn't on main street we can't forget Art Neilsen....that wonderful man could fix anything!!!
Hey, why hasn't anyone mentioned the hottest car shop in the history of Marcus, Iowa at the south end of Main Street.
Rocky Fey could customize cars with the best in the country. That maroon 40 something model Chevy or Ford was as sweet as they come and Rocky built that car right there on the south end of Main Street in his mom and dad's garage!
Schlenger boys, Tim Johnson and others were good but in my estimation Rocky's garage will always be part of the legacy of Marcus.
Nothing like a nice summer night hearing the cars blasting through the quarter mile at Kohn's corner and those big slicks whining away as they were burning rubber.
The cops could never keep up and once they got out there the races were over.
Tim Johnson's black Chevy Nova and Rocky's maroon street rod and to think they both were part of the legacy of the class of 1972 if I am not mistaken.
I would give anything to hear those tires squealing away and those engines blasting away and to think that Mark Johnson his Nova with a short block engine.....AMAZING!
To each generation, their special sounds. Yes, I'd hear a train now and then through an open window in summertime. Also, the sound of semis on 143. But what I could pick out miles away and, sometimes, right up the road, were the sounds of rebuilt car engines whining and racing, fat tires spinning, gravel flying. No matter how dangerous or foolish, they were the sounds of the country.
Congrats to the Hansen boy for winning first at state in the hurdles.
Has Marcus had any other STATE CHAMPS in track in the history of the town besides this young man and most likely the fastest Marcus man ever.....Gary Sanow?
On this Memorial Day, I can’t help but think of our veterans. We honor them with the Avenue of Flags that stretches one mile out of town. I hope there’s a service at the cemetery and little flags at each veterans grave.
And across the country we pause at 3:00 p.m. to grace a sliver of silence in their honor. It’s called the National Moment of Remembrance.
But Memorial Day is not celebrated as it once was. It was called Decoration Day and began in 1868 to honor the veterans of the Civil War. That designation (which was named for the flowers that were placed on veterans’ graves) was continued in my youth.
The town gathered at the school yard for ceremonies that included a speech, a song, an American Legion firing squad (we kids scrambled for the shells afterward), and “Taps.” It was almost a holy day—not just a holiday.
“Taps” is still a major part of such ceremonies. But there is shortage of buglers now. And so the military and the veteras’ organizations have resorted to using make-believe musicians for the playing of taps. Ordinary guys and gals carry an electronic bugle and with the press of a button, a rendition of “Taps” is broadcast. It’s played without valve work and the only indication is a small red light that shines when it is activated.
Marcus has no such problem. Thanks to Jerry Pallesen and his daughter June, “Taps” is rendered in the traditional way. They wet their lips, address the mouthpiece, and render the mournful and honorable tune with emotion, bringing a touch of human compassion to the playing of the night-is-falling melody.
They belong to the 6,200-member “Bugles Across America,” who perform the tune at veterans’ graveside rites, on Veterans Day (once called Armistice Day, November 11), and Memorial Day. May they continue to blow.
There are more than a million men and women who have served in the Armed Forces and who have died. And each year, another half million join their ranks. Their sacrifices for us need to be honored at all times, but particularly on this day. And with “Taps.”
When my dad passed away a few months ago, our family was truly touched when we received a phone call from Jerry asking if he could play taps at the gravesite ceremony for dad. Our family quickly responded with yes, but we told him the gravesite ceremony is 150 miles from Marcus. Jerry did not let the distance influence his decision to ask to play. Having "Taps" played made our family proud , having someone from you home town play, is an honor.
Bob: A greatblog about "Taps!" Due to Bugles Across America they don't have to depend on those recording devices anymore. A fine picture of Jerry Pallesen sounding taps at LeMars yesterday is featured on the front page of today's S.C. Journal! I also wanted to report that Marcus has a next-generation bugler. Alex Roseen, son of Doug and Linda blew Taps for ceremonies at both Marcus-Amherst and Trinity ceremonies yesterday. Margaret Dorr
CONGRATS ELSIE! Neat to see Valerie and Trudy got to be part of this induction ceremony. Too bad that Larry wasn't still with you/us to witness this neat honor you received as well.
You could BOWL and Larry could flat out pitch the softball unlike none other that I recall besides Bob Brady.
Trust you will glow for many years to come as a result of receiving this great honor that you truly deserve.
Marcus Woman inducted into Iowa's Women's Bowling Hall of Fame Thursday, May 28, 2009 By Dan Whitney, Staff Writer
A Hall of Famer, for sure - Marcus' Elsie Slaughter poses by her winning scorecard from a "Big Bowl" match in the early 1960s. Photo submitted.
Elsie Slagter of Marcus was recently inducted into the Iowa State United States Bowling Congress Women's Bowling Association (ISUSBCWBA) Hall of Fame in Cedar Rapids, an honor which many felt was long overdue. Elsie, 77, a graduate of Grand Meadow High School, began bowling at around the same time she moved to Marcus in 1950.
It didn't take too long for bowling to "kind of get in (Elsie's) blood," to use her own words, and just a few short years after she started her kegling career, Elsie qualified for the "Big Bowl" television show in the winter of 1961-62. This was a show which, some of you may remember, was televised on Channel 9 - whose call letters were KVTV back then - on winter Sundays at noon, and was hosted by the late Siouxland Sports sportscasting icon, Gene Sherman.
Elsie beat out 32 other women to qualify for the show that year, bowling a 195-195-192-206 (788) series to qualify. She won her first televised match that year, but lost in the second round.
Undaunted, Elsie tried again in 1962-63, and led the field of 43 entries that year, bowling an 820 series (198-234-184-204) to qualify. In that winter's televised competition, Elsie made it all the way to the finals before losing the final match by just three pins, 554-551, when her opponent picked up the 6-7-10 split twice in the last game. For the nine lines in the tournament, Elsie knocked down 1674 pins to the champion's 1675.
Elsie has never bowled a 300 game in her long career, but has reached her high score of 279 on several occasions. From 1984 to 1986, she maintained a 181 average in a league in LeMars.
Though she has done her bowling primarily at her hometown Marcus Lanes, Elsie also bowled in a Mixed League at the Cherokee Bowl several years ago, and has bowled in LeMars leagues as well.
Gary Husman, the owner of Marcus Lanes, saw some of Slagter's scores from over the years and forwarded her name to the Iowa State USBC Women's Bowling Association for consideration for their Hall of Fame, and the rest, as they say, is history. Although she initially thought that the call from the ISUBCWBA in March of this year was a joke, or a telemarketer, Elsie was soon convinced that it was no joke, and that her performances on the bowling lanes had earned her this honor.
The Hall of Fame induction took place on April 4 in Cedar Rapids, with the other two 2009 inductees being Cynthia Cottrell of Dubuque and Susan Strasburger of Solon. Accompanying Elsie to Cedar Rapids for the induction were her proud daughters, Trudy and Valerie.
Elsie sums up decision to choose bowling as her preferred form of recreation very succintly:
"If you go out to golf, you have to wait until the people ahead of you are done. You wait and wait. When I want to bowl, I go down and I know the lane is waiting for me," Slagter said.
Congratulations, Elsie. May your lane be waiting for you for many years to come.
I thought the city wide garage sales were pretty good this year. There were no maps like last year but this town is small enough to walk around and find some sales going on. I can't wait for Family Night in June.
ReplyDeleteHere are the last two comments from the previous thread, posted May 4:
ReplyDeleteMarvin L. Ebert
StoryLeave A TributePosted: Sunday, May 03, 2009
MARCUS, Iowa -- Marvin L. Ebert, 78, of Marcus passed away Friday, May 1, 2009, at Heartland Care Center in Marcus.
Services will be 10 a.m. Monday at Peace Lutheran Church in Marcus, with the Rev. James L. Gruber officiating. Interment will be in Marcus-Amherst Cemetery at Marcus, with military respects provided by F.I. Goodburn Post 517. Visitation will be 2 to 8 p.m. today, with a prayer service at 7:30 p.m., at Earnest-Johnson Funeral Home in Marcus. Visitation will continue one hour prior to services Monday at the church.
Marvin Lee Ebert was born on the family farm near Cleghorn, Iowa, on Dec. 11, 1930, the third child of Irena Sophia Katharina (Schuknecht) and Emil Hans John Ebert. He graduated in 1950 from Marcus High School. Marvin entered into active duty in the U.S. Army on Feb. 12, 1952, from Omaha, Neb., and served his country during the Korean War. After completing his duties during this conflict, Marvin was honorably discharged from the Army on Nov. 11, 1953, from Camp Carson, Colo.
Marvin met Lorna Joyce Zellmer, the love of his life and his future wife, at an area dance. The couple were united in marriage on July 20, 1958, at Trinity Lutheran Church in Moville, Iowa. Marvin and Lorna became the proud and busy parents of two sons and a daughter.
Marvin lived and worked the greatest share of his life in the Marcus area. After years of learning the intricate details of carpentry, Marvin fulfilled his dream, and Ebert Construction Ltd. became a reality. He was well-known as an accomplished builder. One of the many homes, businesses and construction projects Marvin's company built in his career was Heartland Care Center in Marcus, which was extremely near and dear to his heart. His company completed this large project in 1994 and Marvin's mother, Irena became the first resident of the new facility. In 1995, Ebert Construction accepted the opportunity to build the new Alzheimer's unit at Happy Siesta in Remsen, Iowa.
Marvin was a member of Peace Lutheran Church, a life member of American Legion, F.I. Goodburn Post 517 and a member of the Men's Bowling Association, where he enjoyed serving as an officer and sharing many a fun time on numerous leagues. Marvin was a 25-year member of the Marcus Fire Department and was also a passionate golfer.
Some of Marvin's other interests and hobbies included dancing, fishing, especially for catfish, playing casino games of chance, checking out the area construction job sites, coffee drinking with friends, singing in the church choir and cheering for the "Packers or the Hawkeyes." Marvin delighted in attending the activities of his children and his grandchildren, family holidays and gatherings and feasting on Lorna's good home-cooked meals and baked goods. Marvin is described as an easy-going and friendly guy who was very devoted to his family. He will be dearly missed by all who knew him.
Marvin is survived by his wife of 50 years, Lorna Ebert of Marcus; his two sons, Conrad and Deb Ebert of Marcus, and Keith and Paula Ebert of Omaha; his daughter, Cathy and Kim Carlson of Marcus; his sister, Marlis Donner of Moline, Ill.; and his two brothers, Vernon and Dorothy Ebert of Green Valley, Ariz., and Bernell Ebert of Mason City, Iowa. He will also be dearly cherished by his seven grandchildren, Danielle and Alex Ebert, Lindsay and Patrick Ebert and Gina, Christy and Eric Carlson; and numerous nieces, nephews and other relatives and friends.
Preceding Marvin in death were his parents, Emil and Irena Ebert; his two sisters, Delores Means and Bernita Means; and his two brothers, Leon and Orlan Ebert.
Condolences, stories and expressions of sympathy may be sent to the family on the mauerjohnsonfh.com Web site.
Irene C. Meylor
StoryLeave A TributePosted: Monday, April 27, 2009
MARCUS, Iowa -- Irene C. Meylor, 78, of Marcus passed away on Saturday, April 25, 2009, at the Heartland Care Center in Marcus.
Services will be 10:30 a.m. Tuesday at Holy Name Catholic Church in Marcus, with the Rev. Eugene Murray officiating. Burial will be in Holy Name Cemetery at Marcus. Visitation will begin 2 p.m. today, with a 3 p.m. rosary service led by Catholic Daughters of the Americas, and a Scriptural prayer service at 7 p.m., at the church. Visitation will resume one hour prior to services Tuesday at the church. The Earnest-Johnson Funeral Home of Marcus is in charge of arrangements. Stories, memories and expressions of sympathy may be directed through www.mauerjohnsonfh.com
Irene Catherine Meylor was born on May 31, 1930, in Hospers, Iowa, to Adolph and Mary (Friedrich) Fischer. When her mother passed away in 1933, her father married Mary Reichle, who had seven children. The family moved to a farm near Granville, where she graduated from Spalding High School in 1948.
On June 29, 1949, Irene and Gerald Meylor were united in marriage at St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Granville. The couple farmed near Maryhill and then moved to a farm north of Marcus where they farmed until 1993, when they moved to Marcus.
Irene was a faithful member of Holy Name Catholic Church and active in the Catholic Daughters of the Americas, St. Ann's Guild and sang in the choir. Over many years she volunteered as a Girl Scout leader, Cub Scout leader and a CCD teacher. She enjoyed Hobby Club, square dancing and Marcus High School sports. She loved playing pinochle and 500 in long-time card clubs and working in her vegetable and flower gardens. After moving to town, Irene worked at the Heartland Care Center kitchen until she began a long battle against lymphoma.
Survivors include her husband, Gerald of Marcus; seven children, Jean and her husband, Alan Peterson of Ft. Pierre, S.D., Mary and her husband, Ken Haselhoff of Quimby, Iowa, Julia and her husband, Bill Simpson of East Providence, R.I., Nancy and her husband, Larry Sinnwell of West Des Moines, Kenneth and his wife, Chris of Sioux Falls, S.D., Michael of Milford, Iowa, and Robert and his wife, Sandra of Sioux Falls; 19 grandchildren and their spouses, Adam Peterson, Kristine (Haselhoff) and Brian Granville, Sharon Haselhoff, Janet (Haselhoff) Geoff Gibbons, Brian and Andrea Haselhoff, Mallory and Emily Simpson, Laura and Tim Sinnwell, Shelbie and Coltin Meylor, Dustin and Nia Weise, Vanessa (Johnson) and Tom Jorgensen, Nikki (Johnson) and Santos Beal, Matthew, Madalyn and Kaitlyn Meylor, and Mitchell and Eddie Meylor; nine great-grandchildren, Joshua Granville, Clare and Ella Haselhoff, John and Jalen Weise, Dylan and Jillian Jorgensen, and Nevaeh and Ashton Beal; a brother, Robert and
his wife, Lorraine Fischer of Granville, Iowa; two sisters, Florence Pottebaum of Alton, Iowa, and Lorraine Becker of Granville; and two stepsisters, Catherine Pohlen of Hospers, Iowa, and Bertie Full of Canby, Minn.
She was preceded in death by her parents; her stepmother; parents-in-law; her son, Eddie; her grandson, Eric Peterson; daughter-in-law, Cindy Meylor; brother, Clarence Fischer; sister, Lillian Von Arb; two stepsisters, Angie Grady and Delia Alsup; and three stepbrothers, John, Harold and Lawrence Reichle.
Train travel from a simpler time
ReplyDeleteTrain TravelKurt Dorr
Julie
ReplyDeleteIs this your brother reference below?
Gray Matters: Record breakers
Margaret Dorr
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
I haven't done any serious research on the matter, but I expect high school sports records come and go at varying rates over the years. Still, I do believe that one standing for a whole generation is something of a rarity.
That situation just occurred here in Marcus. The record for the Discus Throw was set at 141'3" in 1978 by Kenneth Meylor and it stood until it was broken by MMC senior, Alex Roseen, on April 20, 2009, at the Knight Relays in Orange City, with a toss of 145'3".
The bad news was that a West Lyon thrower surpassed that mark by a few inches, so though he broke the school record, Roseen did not win the meet title. The good news is that the bar for the discus event has been set a bit higher on the MMC gym wall. Of additional interest, is the fact that record-setter, Alex Roseen, is the son of Doug and Linda Lehnoff Roseen, and that Linda Lehnoff was a 1978 classmate of Kenny Meylor.
Young Roseen has participated in both track and football for four years. He plays trumpet in band and jazz band, and has been asked to sound Taps for various services. He is a member of both the Student Council and Leadership Team as well as National Honor Society. To put a true "crown" on all of this, he was elected 2009 Homecoming King this past fall.
This year's graduating class has thirty-four members while the class in which his mother and Kenneth Meylor graduated, a generation ago, was twice that size. Meylor was involved in all sports, but I am not aware of his activity record beyond that. However, due to the size of the Class of 1978, I expect the distribution of honors was not quite so concentrated.
Carpentry is one interest which the two record breakers might have in common. Meylor is engaged in the building trades in the Sioux Falls area and, when time allows, Roseen has been working with his dad, one of our county's most respected builders. Throwing the discus is probably good training for wielding a hammer!
Kenneth and his siblings returned to their hometown a few weeks ago for their mother's funeral. Irene Meylor had succumbed after a long courageous battle with lymphoma. While speaking with the family at the visitation, I was re-introduced to Kenneth whom I hadn't seen in many years. Realizing who he was, I asked if he had heard that his long-standing record had been broken. As he hadn't, I then told him about it. Hearing this, some of his siblings immediately insisted that a picture of the two record breakers should be taken. Meylor demurred, but when his father, Gerald, who was standing nearby, heard the suggestion, he was adamant. He definitely wanted a photograph of his son "with that beard shaved off." I hadn't realized that the clean-cut son with whom I was speaking had taken some extra measures out of respect for his mom.
I'm told that, due to scheduling conflicts, that photo was not taken. But even without the picture, I wanted you to have this story which I think is certain proof that dads will be dads, and sons will be sons, whether they are record holders or just ordinary guys! Too, I wanted to remind you that a generation-standing discus record has been replaced at the Marcus-Meriden-Cleghorn High School!
Yes, that is Julie's brother, Lurch as I recall his classmates called him.
ReplyDeleteTribute to a Fine Man
ReplyDeleteTomorrow, Saturday, is a memorial service for Bill Seggerman - a graveside service 11:00 at Memorial Gardens in Cherokee. Do you remember this great guy? He worked for years for Charlie Addy's DX Station.
He was a handsome, charming man with a smile on his face. He also seemed to be a quiet man just going about every day life. For many years his life revolved around his wife Jerry and his only child Nancy. He worked long hours and looked forward to coming home to his family who loved him dearly.
He went to church faithfully every week. Sounds like a typical, ordinary man from Marcus, doesn't it?
But Bill was special. He welcomed others into his life as if they were his own. Behind the scenes he became a father in two other people's eyes when they needed it the most - a boy who moved to Marcus in 1969 because his mother and brother were tragically killed in an accident - a girl whose father died in 1970 so unexpectedly. They both considered him a father and they both had the most upmost respect and love for him through the years.
Our lives never know where they will lead, but some special people stay in your memories forever because they made a difference and maybe they didn't even realize it.
Bill made a difference.
You can read his full obituary in the newspaper, but you won't read about the special kindness of this man and the difference he made in two other lives many years ago.
Nancy, your father was a good man.
Both Roger and I loved him also. Our thoughts are with you. May he rest in peace.
The post re Bill Seggerman is right on. Bill was a super guy and as kind as they come.
ReplyDeleteThere was no place better than the DX gas station wtih Charlie Addy at the helm, with Bill Seggerman, Edgar Hagey, and Larry Slaghter all working there as well.
I use to clean the gas station after school for $1 or $2 per job. Loved the candy counter behind the register and the BING candy bars along with the pop machine in the room between the front room and the car bay area.
Would love to pump gas for cars there as well and clean the wind shields. Would always race Larry for the chance to take care of the customers.
The tire room on the west end along with the barrels of special oils and such just added to the station.
Charlie was usually working in his office and had his bookkeeper adjacenat to him in her office. Forget the ladies name but she sure could smoke. When Charlie could he would be right out front making the customers fill like a million bucks.
The DX gang was a special group of men and Bill Seggerman was a wonderful part of those guys and my life for some wonderful junior high years!
BTW, my dad found out that I actually "BORROWED" a candy bar from the station without paying and made me take it back and tell Charlie what I did. Telling Charlie with my dad on my side was the hardest thing I ever had to do up to that point in my life. Really let Charlie down but he did forgive me. Class act! Had to work for a week or so without pay to learn my lesson.
Charlie was really cool about that. Just wished my dad was the as cool but it definitely taught me a lesson.
Nancy, if you are reading this blog know many of us loved your dad as he was one nice man!
The last two blogs about Bill are "right on!" But I still wish you bloggers would sign your names. Many of us are straining our aging memories to remember who you must be ! Margaret Dorr
ReplyDeleteThank you for your article, Margaret. Dad and I saw Linda and Doug Roseen at Marv Ebert's visitation and congratulated them on Alex's new record. I didn't realize how long the record had stood until I was in school a few years ago and happened to see the record board. Ken never said much about it. Although, like Alex, I think Ken's record was overshadowed rather quickly by other atheletes from other schools back in 1978.
ReplyDeleteI was a senior when Ken was a freshman, who was the oldest of my three brothers. So I never got to watch them play many sports. But my mother did, and, as we learned from the stories that were told while we were home: She was a quiet lady but loved to watch her sons play sports -- and sometimes voiced her opinions a decible too loudly.
Anyway, I loved the connections that Margaret found between the two -- wielding a hammer and the class of 1978. Although my dad probably did miss some time in the field because his sons were playing sports in high school instead of planting or harvesting, I'm sure he got a kick out of watching them too.
Today, Ken runs his construction company in Sioux Falls, and my brother, Bob, works with him. I got a chance to see one of their homes going up on Lake Okiboji while I was home. Building something with your hands -- ones that once threw a discus or slam-dunked a basketball or smacked a homerun -- is taken for granted, but it, too, is an amazing thing.
Good luck to Alex, and the Class of 2009, as they graduate from high school this weekend.
Margaret,
ReplyDeleteThe anonymous "Tribute to a Fine Man" was written by myself - Bill made a difference for Roger Webb (Neva Witter's grandson) and myself. Yes, Bill Seggerman will always have a special place in our hearts.
The bookkeeper at the DX station who could really smoke was probably Dora Wilkens as she worked there for many years. She was the wife of my uncle Fritzie Wilkens, and yes, she could really smoke! She would have had a rough time in our present world to continue her smoking in the workplace!
Was the DX the one by McKernan's grocery store back then?
ReplyDeleteYes, DX was across the street from McKernan's Grocery Store.
ReplyDeleteRemember those wooden floors and the great meat counter?
Thank you, Judy Wilkens. I remembered about Roger Webb, but I had forgotten your dad died when you were still so young. Thank you, too, for your April blog about trains. That was SO good!
ReplyDeleteMargaret Dorr
Dora Wilkens is correct. Her name escaped me and yes she was a chain smoking machine.
ReplyDeleteThe DX gas station and McKernan's grocery store were both great places to experience growing up in Marcus.
Anyboyd remember when Wiberisch's (spelling) ran the variety store on Main Street. Mr. and Mrs.Wiberisch were such kind people and as a kid I loved that store. While we are on subject what about Ab Smith and his popcorn stand on Main Street next to the Dew Drop Inn. Ab with his wonderful son Danny were always fun to visit with.
Sent by a friend of mine - enjoy this trip down memory lane - what a great town we grew up in......
ReplyDeleteGosh, today’s discussion was the DX gas station, McKernans, and the Variety store. The variety store..where I used to take my nickel, buy baseball cards with small slab of horrible bubble gum.
Might as well go down the list:
McKernans….with the big toy rack in the back….with all the junky little toys that we used to beg for.
Johnny Clarkson…..McKernan’s competitor at the IGA store…(we didn’t shop there much and I don’t know why).
Fred Knox’s place….soda fountain, ceiling fans, and teen and movie mags in the spinning racks in the middle of the place.
And then, of course, we had Mr. Grauer and his tv store on main street.
And Wilbur Shefstad and his leather / canvas shop.
Of course there was Harold’s Rexall drug store.
And Dr. Joynt’s office above Fred’s Place.
And we had two jewelry stores…..Niemans and Hogues. I got my first pair of eye glasses at Niemans, as did almost everybody else.
Lowell Nelson sold furniture on main street.
The Gambles store was there too.
And remember when the cafe on the corner on the west side of main street burned down…I think it was about 1966 or ’67. Mom even took us into town on a Friday night to watch the fire.
Jimmy Smith sold insurance and so did Lou Fitzgerald.
We had Nagles selling clothes and on the other side of the street was Boots’.
And remember Farmers State bank before they built the new one? I can barely remember going in there once…my cousin Gayle worked there.
I also won first prize for my age one year in the Halloween costume parade. Gayle was one of the judges.
Oh, and of course the Jorgensen brothers were down at the north end of the street. We always stopped in there when we went up town on Saturday night.
Remember Saturday nights on main street? Everybody was there…..and we all waited to see who won the money before we went home.
And remember where the old post office was? And wasn’t the Marcus News in the basement of that building?
And, of course, next to McKernan’s was Wagler’s Ford Dealership.
In the early ‘60’s we had it all……and we almost had double of everything…
We had two grocery stores, two jewelry stores, two car dealers, two doctors (Joynt and Hayden). Hayden had a corvette! Way cool.
We had the CO-OP, we had Texaco, D-X, Fred Hoover’s Conoco station, and we had the gas station at the intersection south of town…..the intersection with the curved roads.
We also had a dentist office above the bank…I fell asleep in that dentist chair once….(or so I was told afterwards).
We had more than a few bars…(including Flanagan’s Place, which became Ernie’s Place, which became Snyder’s Tap, which became the Hawkeye.
And we had a liquor store.
We had two or three cafes most of the time.
And didn’t we have two lumber companies? Leavitt’s and one on the north side of the tracks? Or am I just old and confused?
And wasn’t the veterinarian’s office on main street too?
And we had the dry cleaners store.
Oh…and we can’t forget Merle Mead and Jack Shea cutting hair! Sometimes we called it Jack’s butcher shop.
Oh, and we had the locker where we kept our frozen meats, and occasionally butchered a hog.
And we had the hatchery…where I remember lots of baby chicks…wasn’t it next to the locker?
And how many movies did you see at the Marland? Every Frankie and Annette movie, every Disney movie including the Horse in the Gray Flannel Suit, and every Elvis movie?
The nuns even marched us all to the Marland one afternoon for a matinee of Charlton Heston in Ben Hur….I sat on the front row and will always remember the chariot race scenes.
And remember Saturday matinees in December when Santa Claus was waiting in the back with your bag of candy when you left?
And how many times did you go to the library in the municipal building and see the autographed picture of Roy Rogers and Dale Evans?
And we still have the same bowling alley…just with more lanes and a bar!
And I never even mentioned Kid’s Korner…. 25 cent taverns and 30 cent malts……mmmmmm good. It was next to the Marland for awhile, before it was moved under the water tower.
And what about that mysterious Masonic Lodge building that we never knew anything about?
And I thunk up all of this on my own….just from the mention of the D-X gas station!
Your list is absolutely wonderful but one business you left off is/was Claude Grey's garage just south of the current city hall building.
ReplyDeleteClaude's mechanic shop was a great place to experience as a young boy growing up in Marcus and likewise Claude himself was a quiet man but a very kind man.
Mr. Grauer was Wendell Grauer and his daughter probably drew more customers to his store than his TV's.
Oh, Anonymous, except for your name, you did a fine job of remembering. Without venturing too far from the vintage of the stage you set, I am reminded of Addy's Electric in the old Steck's Grocery Store. Then there was Dingy Wilberding's seed building. Chuck Nielsen's Electric or Hdw Store between the furniture store and the bakery. Two more names for the Pool Hall would be The Bird House and Ewald's, and of course The Golden Slipper is still going strong but with a different name. Yes across the track was the Rock Island Lumber or Klingborg Building Supply depenging on your age.
ReplyDeleteSomeone clever should design a Monopoly type board game using those Marcus names of the past who cherished those spots on Main Street. At least if would be fun for us old timers. Irv Deichmann
When did the Marcus Hotel, at the south end of Main Street go out of business?
ReplyDeleteFred
Hi everybody. I am doing a little bit of research on my house and I was wondering if you had any information on these people:
ReplyDeleteKarl and Stella Hahn
Henry and Marie Schroeder
Rhoda L. Gibson
any information would be great. We like to know the history of the house and property and stuff like that. If you could give me the year they were born and died.
Heads up!
ReplyDeleteThe Marcus Fair schedule and other Marcus Fair information is now posted on the Marcus web-site. The Marcus Fair is August 13th-16th, 2009. (There will still be a few changes with some of the event rules, but we'll try to keep this information as current as we possibly can.)
Thanks Paul
Paul:
ReplyDeleteThanks for the heads up. Appreciate it.
http://www.marcusiowa.com/
ReplyDeleteIrvin, speaking of pool halls, remember Gene's Pool Hall in the basement of Fred Knox's soda bar, and next door to that was a barber shop run by Chelse Metcaff. I frequented both establishments daily to deliver the Des Moines Register. Did we mention the laundromat where the fire station stands today? Oh, and there was the bowling alley under some feed store where the lumber yard is today. And the West Iowa Telephone Co had a shop on the north/west side of Main where you could watch ladies plugging and unpluging "wires" so residents could make local calls.
ReplyDeleteDenny Peavey
Joe Broblek and Sammy Woodall had a Kaiser/Fraiser dealership on north main for a few years along with an Army Surplus store....and even though he wasn't on main street we can't forget Art Neilsen....that wonderful man could fix anything!!!
ReplyDeleteHey, why hasn't anyone mentioned the hottest car shop in the history of Marcus, Iowa at the south end of Main Street.
ReplyDeleteRocky Fey could customize cars with the best in the country. That maroon 40 something model Chevy or Ford was as sweet as they come and Rocky built that car right there on the south end of Main Street in his mom and dad's garage!
Schlenger boys, Tim Johnson and others were good but in my estimation Rocky's garage will always be part of the legacy of Marcus.
Nothing like a nice summer night hearing the cars blasting through the quarter mile at Kohn's corner and those big slicks whining away as they were burning rubber.
The cops could never keep up and once they got out there the races were over.
Tim Johnson's black Chevy Nova and Rocky's maroon street rod and to think they both were part of the legacy of the class of 1972 if I am not mistaken.
I would give anything to hear those tires squealing away and those engines blasting away and to think that Mark Johnson his Nova with a short block engine.....AMAZING!
To each generation, their special sounds. Yes, I'd hear a train now and then through an open window in summertime. Also, the sound of semis on 143. But what I could pick out miles away and, sometimes, right up the road, were the sounds of rebuilt car engines whining and racing, fat tires spinning, gravel flying. No matter how dangerous or foolish, they were the sounds of the country.
ReplyDeleteCongrats to the Hansen boy for winning first at state in the hurdles.
ReplyDeleteHas Marcus had any other STATE CHAMPS in track in the history of the town besides this young man and most likely the fastest Marcus man ever.....Gary Sanow?
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteI'll try again.
ReplyDeleteI hope we get to hear the story of the WWII veterans from Marcus who are traveling to Wash DC. Blessings to all veterans today.
from Bob Reed
ReplyDeleteTHE FALLEN HEROS
On this Memorial Day, I can’t help but think of our veterans. We honor them with the Avenue of Flags that stretches one mile out of town. I hope there’s a service at the cemetery and little flags at each veterans grave.
And across the country we pause at 3:00 p.m. to grace a sliver of silence in their honor. It’s called the National Moment of Remembrance.
But Memorial Day is not celebrated as it once was. It was called Decoration Day and began in 1868 to honor the veterans of the Civil War. That designation (which was named for the flowers that were placed on veterans’ graves) was continued in my youth.
The town gathered at the school yard for ceremonies that included a speech, a song, an American Legion firing squad (we kids scrambled for the shells afterward), and “Taps.” It was almost a holy day—not just a holiday.
“Taps” is still a major part of such ceremonies. But there is shortage of buglers now. And so the military and the veteras’ organizations have resorted to using make-believe musicians for the playing of taps. Ordinary guys and gals carry an electronic bugle and with the press of a button, a rendition of “Taps” is broadcast. It’s played without valve work and the only indication is a small red light that shines when it is activated.
Marcus has no such problem. Thanks to Jerry Pallesen and his daughter June, “Taps” is rendered in the traditional way. They wet their lips, address the mouthpiece, and render the mournful and honorable tune with emotion, bringing a touch of human compassion to the playing of the night-is-falling melody.
They belong to the 6,200-member “Bugles Across America,” who perform the tune at veterans’ graveside rites, on Veterans Day (once called Armistice Day, November 11), and Memorial Day. May they continue to blow.
There are more than a million men and women who have served in the Armed Forces and who have died. And each year, another half million join their ranks. Their sacrifices for us need to be honored at all times, but particularly on this day. And with “Taps.”
Bob Reed
When my dad passed away a few months ago, our family was truly touched when we received a phone call from Jerry asking if he could play taps at the gravesite ceremony for dad. Our family quickly responded with yes, but we told him the gravesite ceremony is 150 miles from Marcus. Jerry did not let the distance influence his decision to ask to play. Having "Taps" played made our family proud , having someone from you home town play, is an honor.
ReplyDeleteKim Ames
Bob: A greatblog about "Taps!" Due to Bugles Across America they don't have to depend on those recording devices anymore. A fine picture of Jerry Pallesen sounding taps at LeMars yesterday is featured on the front page of today's S.C. Journal! I also wanted to report that Marcus has a next-generation bugler. Alex Roseen, son of Doug and Linda
ReplyDeleteblew Taps for ceremonies at both Marcus-Amherst and Trinity ceremonies yesterday.
Margaret Dorr
New book coming out next year by Marcus native Will Irwin, or as many around Marcus know him, Wyman Irwin.
ReplyDeleteKurt Dorr
Abundance of Valor
CONGRATS ELSIE!
ReplyDeleteNeat to see Valerie and Trudy got to be part of this induction ceremony. Too bad that Larry wasn't still with you/us to witness this neat honor you received as well.
You could BOWL and Larry could flat out pitch the softball unlike none other that I recall besides Bob Brady.
Trust you will glow for many years to come as a result of receiving this great honor that you truly deserve.
Marcus Woman inducted into Iowa's Women's Bowling Hall of Fame
Thursday, May 28, 2009
By Dan Whitney, Staff Writer
A Hall of Famer, for sure - Marcus' Elsie Slaughter poses by her winning scorecard from a "Big Bowl" match in the early 1960s. Photo submitted.
Elsie Slagter of Marcus was recently inducted into the Iowa State United States Bowling Congress Women's Bowling Association (ISUSBCWBA) Hall of Fame in Cedar Rapids, an honor which many felt was long overdue.
Elsie, 77, a graduate of Grand Meadow High School, began bowling at around the same time she moved to Marcus in 1950.
It didn't take too long for bowling to "kind of get in (Elsie's) blood," to use her own words, and just a few short years after she started her kegling career, Elsie qualified for the "Big Bowl" television show in the winter of 1961-62. This was a show which, some of you may remember, was televised on Channel 9 - whose call letters were KVTV back then - on winter Sundays at noon, and was hosted by the late Siouxland Sports sportscasting icon, Gene Sherman.
Elsie beat out 32 other women to qualify for the show that year, bowling a 195-195-192-206 (788) series to qualify. She won her first televised match that year, but lost in the second round.
Undaunted, Elsie tried again in 1962-63, and led the field of 43 entries that year, bowling an 820 series (198-234-184-204) to qualify. In that winter's televised competition, Elsie made it all the way to the finals before losing the final match by just three pins, 554-551, when her opponent picked up the 6-7-10 split twice in the last game. For the nine lines in the tournament, Elsie knocked down 1674 pins to the champion's 1675.
Elsie has never bowled a 300 game in her long career, but has reached her high score of 279 on several occasions. From 1984 to 1986, she maintained a 181 average in a league in LeMars.
Though she has done her bowling primarily at her hometown Marcus Lanes, Elsie also bowled in a Mixed League at the Cherokee Bowl several years ago, and has bowled in LeMars leagues as well.
Gary Husman, the owner of Marcus Lanes, saw some of Slagter's scores from over the years and forwarded her name to the Iowa State USBC Women's Bowling Association for consideration for their Hall of Fame, and the rest, as they say, is history. Although she initially thought that the call from the ISUBCWBA in March of this year was a joke, or a telemarketer, Elsie was soon convinced that it was no joke, and that her performances on the bowling lanes had earned her this honor.
The Hall of Fame induction took place on April 4 in Cedar Rapids, with the other two 2009 inductees being Cynthia Cottrell of Dubuque and Susan Strasburger of Solon. Accompanying Elsie to Cedar Rapids for the induction were her proud daughters, Trudy and Valerie.
Elsie sums up decision to choose bowling as her preferred form of recreation very succintly:
"If you go out to golf, you have to wait until the people ahead of you are done. You wait and wait. When I want to bowl, I go down and I know the lane is waiting for me," Slagter said.
Congratulations, Elsie. May your lane be waiting for you for many years to come.
Below is a link to the actual story with the picture.
ReplyDeleteKurt Dorr
Elsie Slagter
Can anyone tell me why the bathrooms are not open by the basketball court in Marcus. School is out and the basketball court is a busy place.
ReplyDeleteINCOMPETENCY PERHAPS
ReplyDeleteWhoa, attitude! Should they be open just because you're playing basketball?
ReplyDeleteAnd why don't you just ask someone in town instead of using this forum to request an open bathroom? Makes no sense!
ReplyDelete