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EVEN AT 60, THIS OLD GRANNY CAN STILL EAT POPCORN

HAPPY 60TH BIRTHDAY ON SEPTEMBER 26, 2008, DONNA RILEY! 

LOVE, YOUR DAUGHTER, AMY

Vivian writes, "Thank you for your prayers, cards and thoughts for Dad."

Former Rockford Resident Celebrates 99^th Birthday

Gale Butcher, former Rockford resident, who now resides at the Swiss Village retirement community in Berne (7 years), recently celebrated his 99^th birthday. Surrounded by his children, their spouses, grandchildren, great-grandchildren, great-great grandchildren and their extended family, Gale celebrated at the home of his youngest daughter, Deb Schumm and her husband Mike in Rockford. 

Gale was born on May 26, 1909 in Indiana and grew up in the New Corydon and Chattanooga areas.  He graduated from the Jefferson School in Indiana where he enjoyed sports as well as academics. In fact, sports seems to transcend the times for Gale. Several years ago, he learned that an article in a local Berne paper, had mentioned his name as being the player on his high school basketball team who scored more points than the opposing team ~ 15  points.  The article was about Gale’s old high school basketball coach. Gale fondly remembers his love of basketball and having to sweep snow off the court to play!

Baseball was another of his  sports activities in school, but once he was out, his lifetime hobby was dartball. He played on a league at St. Paul’s Liberty Lutheran near Chattanooga where he is a member. His team competed all around the area and were considered one of the best.

He married Wilma Alt, and they have 5 children: Dallas (Marie) Fernando Beach, Florida; Jack (Lois) of Ft. Wayne, IN and Florida; Jim (Donetta) Dayton, OH; Sheryl (Jerry) Clay of Mendon, OH; Deb (Mike) Schumm of Rockford. There are also 13 grand, 24 great-grandchildren  and 3 great-great-grandchildren.

Wilma sadly passed away in November 1996.  They were married 63 years.

Gale worked at the Foundry in Decatur for many years, Maurer’s Hatchery, and later went to work at The Rockford Press where he operated presses and cutters.  He enjoyed playing Euchre at work during morning and afternoon breaks with Larry and Gary Baltzell, Dick Winter, and the late Vince Westgerdes.

Gale remembers the Great Depression and gasoline at 10 cents a gallon. He never took a driver’s test in his life but drove all his life with a valid license. When he first got it, there was no test. He had an old hand-crank car in those days, too.

In the early years of his married life, Gale earned extra money as a referee. The schools played 3 basketball games a night (1 girls and 2 boys games), and he remembers when they had a jump ball after each basket and only one referee per game. “When you’re the only ref, you know who they’re yelling at,” joked Gale. He was never in the military because the wars were never when he was able to serve. At first he was too young and later he was a father raising children. He fondly remembers community socials when the girls fixed lunch boxes of all their favorite recipes. The organizers “auctioned” off the boxes of delicious food, and when you got the bid, you also got to share it with the girl who made the food ~ just like in the musical Oklahoma.

Gale is in great health and lives in an Independent Living apartment at Swiss Village. He attends exercise class where sitting and stretching is the work of the sessions. He occasionally plays Euchre and eats meal with the friends he has made there.

If you would like to surprise him with a card, send it to: Swiss Village Retirement Center, c/o Gale Butcher, 1340 West Main St., # 316, Berne, IN  46711

Birthday Celebrated

Phyllis Rutledge celebrated her 70 birthday recently with a family dinner and show at Bear Creek Farms in Indiana.  Phyllis and Jack have been married over 50 years and have 5 children, Rhonda, Kim, Jeanene, Rick and Rob, and 11 grandchildren and great-grandchildren, too. Phyllis worked at the bank in Rockford until her retirement.

Her address is 5737 Fast Road, Celina, OH  45822 if you’d like to send a card.

Dwight "Hoolie" Custer Celebrates 94th Birthday on May 22, 2008

At left, Hoolie served in the South Pacific (Philippines) during WWII

Click Here to read about his lifetime adventures, see a picture of his pet crow and more, written by great-nephew Clayton Custer

Hoolie with his nephew Tom Custer. An annual birthday celebration is planned for the 94th.

But, Hoolie is looking forward to the 100th PARTY!

Greg Slusher Turns 37 Today!

April 22, 2008

They were a patient group, as each one sat still for the applications and then, dressed in their party outfits, went to Gabrielle's home for a treat of ice cream and a three-tiered cake made by Gloria Fisher. Fuscia and lime green balloons and matching flowers in an arrangement decorated the table, set with china and place cards.

The girls played games at her home followed by the opening of gifts. They colored pictures of princesses, played a shopping game, hot potato, musical statues and took turns cracking a piñata full of candy.

Attending were members of Gabrielle's play group.

Brenda can be reached at 419-363-3805  to help you plan a spa-party.

Click on the smaller thumbnail pictures to enlarge them.
 

Brenda curls long hair.	She picked her own toenail polish from Raeh.	The girls choose lip gloss.	Sitting patiently for her nails to dry.	This one enjoyed mom's lap the most.
Story-telling: Cindrella	"Pretend" make-up for little girls.	Hair glitter and a magic wand.	Singing songs.	Princesses for the day.

Gertrude Thompson of Rockford Celebrates Ninetieth Birthday

Gertrude Thompson of Rockford recently celebrated her ninetieth birthday.  Gertrude Marcele McBride was born to Bert and Gwena(Stemen) McBride in a house on Turner Avenue in Ada  on December 4, 1917.   Mrs. Thompson, who likes to be called “Trudy,” was named for her beloved Aunt Gertrude, a sister of her mother. 

She was the third of ten children, including Elizabeth, Ruth, Robert, Nelson, Andrew, Leota, and Howard.  The youngest two, Helen and Lowell (Scotty), died in infancy. 

When Gertrude was small, the family spent a year in Saginaw, Michigan.  They returned to Ohio and lived just west of Elida.  Because of the one and three-fourths mile walk to the one-room school, Honey Run, Gertrude’s mother kept her home until she was almost seven.  Mrs. McBride, a former teacher, advised that Gertrude start in first grade, but she was soon advanced to second.  A relative, Katie Cremean, was her teacher.  When the McBrides moved a short distance, the children attended East Camel Back, also a one-room school, with teacher Clara Diller.

The family then moved to Ada.  They lived in homes on Grand Avenue, West Montford, and Main Street before buying a house on Union Street.  Gertrude attended Ada Exempted Village Schools, grades four through six at the North Building and grades seven through twelve at Ada High School.  She was valedictorian of the class of 1935, the first to graduate from the new high school.

Gertrude continued her education at Ohio Northern University, her father’s employer and a short walk from her home.    She was a tennis enthusiast, joining friends on the court whenever she had time.  She also played intramural volleyball, was an active member of the YWCA, and was sometimes seen doing handstands.

 At the top of her class, she completed a Bachelor of Arts Degree in 1939 and was awarded the Departmental Honor in English upon graduation.  She earned an additional Bachelor of Science in Education in 1940.  While a student, she met her future husband, Ernest Thompson of Adena, Harrison County.

As a college sophomore, Gertrude placed her faith in Christ while attending special services in Findlay with a Rev. Dunham.  Her spiritual life was influenced in part by Ruby Wertheimer, her Sunday School teacher at the Ada Baptist Church.  Gertrude is a long-time member of Rockford United Methodist Church, where she taught an adult Sunday School class for a number of years.

Miss McBride taught high school French and English in Cardington, Morrow County, during the 1940 to 41 school year.  She lived in the home of coach Jim Morrison and wife, Virginia.

On August 31, 1941, Gertrude married Ernest, who was now a high school teacher in Rockford.  The wedding took place on North Walnut Street in Van Wert at the home of the Rev. A.J. Stemen, a retired United Brethren in Christ minister and grandfather of the bride.  Attendants were college friends, Paul De Lamater and Bina-May Crosser.  The marriage continued for 53 years until Ernest passed away in 1995.

The Thompsons’ first home was a second-floor apartment on Main Street in Rockford.  In 1945, they moved to Gertrude’s present home on East Second.  She did some substitute teaching during the early years.  She was much help to Ernest, grading papers and helping to produce the school yearbook, The Almega.

The couple’s five chidren are Robert(Gail), Rockford; Steven(Marcia), Rockford; Paul(Kathryn),

Gallup, New Mexico; Ann(Gary)Brown, Akron; and Philip, Rockford. There are ten grandchildren and nine great-grandchildren.

For 17 years, Ernest’s father, Jasper Thompson, made his home with the family.  He was blind much of that time. 

Gertrude has been an enthusiastic homemaker, whose specialty is sewing.  Flour sacks and Ernest’s old suits were recycled into clothing for the children.  She also sewed sports coats that Ernest wore while teaching school.  She did some crochet and needlepoint and produced a large braided rug.  She says that she loved painting and refinishing furniture.  She continues to work in her home and do a few outside chores.

In the 60’s, Gertrude, who always enjoyed reading and writing, became Rockford correspondent to the Lima News, and Ernest was recruited to be local reporter to the Van Wert Times Bulletin.  He contributed photography to both papers, and together, they wrote school, church, and community news, farm features, and human interest stories.  They also called in obituaries to the Lima News for the Ketcham and Ripley Funeral Home.

Gertrude has just begun her sixty-first year of keeping a diary, which she began  in 1948.  She wrote poetry and did a little public speaking, mainly for special occasions at church.  She enjoys crossword puzzles, and her dictionary is always handy in the kitchen.   She coached her children to prepare them for spelling bees.

Gertrude comments that the greatest changes she has observed in American life over the years are moral decline and advances in technology.  She remembers enjoying broadcasts over the McBrides’ telephone radio.

The birthday was celebrated with a family party on December 2, 2007