Saturday, September 7, 2024
W. McKay Road Opens
Following weeks of construction, W. McKay Road opened late Thursday evening. | photo by JACK BOYCE
County Center Provides Connections for Local Seniors
Helen Hilkene looks forward to Thursdays. This week, the Fairland resident was one of 64 signed up for food and fellowship at the Fairland Senior Center, which celebrates its 10th anniversary this month. Although Hilkene grew up in the Fortville area, she moved here 44 years ago with her husband, the late John Hilkene. Shelby County has remained home.
While waiting on activities to begin, Hilkene listed some of her favorite senior center programs to The Addison Times, such as chair volleyball, euchre and crockpot cooking, the latter part of a Blue River Community Foundation-funded initiative that provides both education and food.
The center, which started with about 25 regulars a decade ago, continues to expand with strong community and business support.
“Many times you feel like you're an ignored population after you get old,” Kathleen “Kathy” Miller, center coordinator, said. “Not in Fairland.”
Stouffer’s lasagna was on the menu this Thursday, and the 10 people participating in the crockpot program received taco ingredients in the Fairland Fire Department meeting room. As attendees arrived, hugs were given and seats offered.
Miller’s involvement with the satellite station of Shelby Senior Services started when former Executive Director Dianna Pandak approached her at the Shelby County Fair and asked if she could oversee the new center one day a week. Miller recalls asking for job responsibilities, to which Pandak said, “Open the door, make coffee and if anybody falls, call 911.”
Given that Miller’s music performance business had slowed and she was serving on occasion as a substitute teacher, the opportunity seemed like a good fit. Fairland was one of three county centers in the works at the time, the others in Morristown and Waldron.
“I told her, ‘I’ll get you started and do it a year,’” Miller recalls before deadpanning, “It’s been 10 years.”
Although locals used to joke about Miller overseeing every aspect of the operation, many hands are now involved. Shelby Senior Services staff members Susan Collins and Abbagail Kirk regularly lead programs and activities ranging from aerobics to line dancing. The attendees also step up. On Thursday, someone brought coffee cake, a volunteer set the tables and another took money.
“It’s no longer a one-man band. It totally is a symphony,” Miller said. “No one has to be asked to to do something.”
Some of the charter members have passed on over the past decade, and life has changed for Miller, too. Her husband, Chuck, died last year. Six weeks later, her son, Jeremy Miller, passed away after battling colorectal cancer for a dozen years.
“These guys have stood in the gap for me,” Miller said of her friends at the center. “God has a purpose, and I think my purpose is here right now. Not just for me to be a blessing, but for me to be blessed, because that's exactly what happens when I walk through the doors of this center every week.”
The Fairland Senior Center will hold its decade celebration with a fundraiser on Sunday, Sept. 22, starting at 4:30 p.m., at the fire station, 400 W. Carey St. Food will be provided until 6:15 p.m., with free will donations accepted.
To Miller, it’s just the latest milestone in a marriage between community and seniors.
“Fairland respects what the seniors’ contribution has been through the years and continues to be for this community,” she said. “The town realizes seniors matter.”
NOTEBOOK:
A driver turning onto W. Franklin St. from N. Miller St. hit a parked car. She said she was focused on not hitting a parked car on the south side of the street and instead hit a parked car on the north side of the street.
A driver attempted to make a U-turn on N. Harrison St. on Public Square and struck a concrete pole, damaging his vehicle.
NATIONAL NEWS: In 2022, the United States had five large oceangoing commercial ships on order, compared to 1,794 such ships in China, 734 in South Korea, 587 in Japan and 319 in Europe. According to the U.S. Navy, China’s shipbuilding capacity is now about 232 times as much as the United States’, and what domestic shipbuilders remain are mostly propped up by the Jones Act, which has all kinds of other issues. The United States has never had a particularly robust commercial shipbuilding industry, and was not really good at converting wartime production into a stable business: Within three years of World War II, ownership of global shipping tonnage was down to 48 percent. Even during the Liberty Ship times of World War II, the American industry wasn’t anywhere near as efficient as Britain’s industry on a labor-hour basis. The United States hasn’t accounted for more than 5 percent of global new ship tonnage since 1960. (Construction Physics/Numlock)
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SHS Courier Archive Highlights:
March 25, 1959, Part I
The Boys’ Glee Club and Singing Stars performed a concert at Paul Cross Gym. Susan Meiks served as student director, with the whole performance overseen by Mr. Francis Chesser. A drum duet by Elizabeth Freas and Tom Martin, and a cornet trio of Steve McGrew, Richard Schoelch and Dave Burgess were features of the program.
A station wagon-train accident in Ohio had killed eight Girl Scouts and two adults, including the daughter, Jeannette (Tucker) Randall (SHS Class of 1937) and granddaughter, Paulnetta, 12, of SHS custodian Harry Tucker. The Courier extended its sympathies to Mr. and Mrs. Tucker.
Rosalie Ash and Judith Tovey, Class of 1958, had received their caps at the Methodist Hospital School of Nursing.
Rev. James Horner was slated to speak at the annual Hi-Y Easter Convocation in Paul Cross Gym. Wendell Drew would offer the prayer and Phil Mings would read scripture selections. Tim Madigan would play a trombone solo. Members of the Hi-Y Worship committee were Danny Ivie, Drew, Mings, Bill Shaner and Dennis Bonner.
Danny Thurston was named the recipient of the 1959 Paul Cross Award. He was also awarded a three-bar letter by Coach Dee Compton for serving three years on the varsity squad. Two-bar letters went to Doug Lackey, Jon Osborne, Bill Reimann, Jerry Smith, Forrest Theobald and Chester Vaughn. Sweaters with one bar letters representing their first year on varsity were given to Dave Barnes, Tom Graham, Phil Lackey, Steve Mohler, State Slaton and senior manager Harold Lawson. Managers who received letters were Gary Moore, George Goff and Fred Eaton. Reserve letters were placed in the hands of B team members by their coach, Vaughn Drake. Recipients were Bob Adams, Steve Totten, Bob Wetnight, Tom Brinson, Dick Cochran, C.M. Kepp, Bill Pittman, Dave Jones, Dick Schoelch, Steve Kuhn, Mick McDuffey, Dave Thompson, Oren Olinger, Larry Epperson and Ernie Engle. Members of the freshman team who received ‘62 numerals from Coach Jim Mallers were Bill Hume, Allan Koehler, Lonnie Walker, Tom Patterson, Dave Spannbauer, Jim Kremer, Steve Atkins, Terry Kohler, Doug Miller, Sonny Schnipple, Don Thompson, Don Collins, Allen Pence, Jay Bramwell, Tom Rogers and team manager Benny Frank.
This Day in Shelby County History
News around Shelbyville and the surrounding area as reported on or about this date in history. Selections are curated from the Shelby County Public Library Genealogy Department.
2014: For the fourth time in six years, the Southwestern tennis team won the Shelby County Tennis Championship. Chris Lakes was the coach. The two doubles teams of Cade Hudson and Bryce Rowe and Jacob Byrd and Caleb Boman and singles players Isaac Bush and Caleb Tennell were all winners.
2004: Trader Baker’s Flea Market opened at 1818 E. State Road 44, in the former home of the Shelbyville IGA. With IGA and Walmart gone from the Rivergate Shopping Center, the flea market appeared to be breathing life back into the area.
1994: Mayor Bob Williams proclaimed it “Neighbors Make a Difference Day.” Kim Klipsch, branch manager of Society Bank’s Public Square office, announced the bank’s five Shelby County offices would close at noon, and their 23 employees would spend the rest of the day working at Shelby Senior Services.
1984: Local pastor Rudy Klare, of the Lighthouse Christian Fellowship Center, appeared on the 700 Club’s syndicated TV station, the Christian Broadcasting Network. The program included an interview with Klare, who was flown to Virginia Beach, Va., for the recording.
1974: Three vehicles were on display at Belaire Center: Bonnie and Clyde’s “bullet-sprayed” getaway car, Joseph Stalin’s Russian limousine and the world’s smallest horse.
1964: Charles Fewell Jr. was hired as a police officer. He was a Shelbyville High School graduate and former Marine. Fewell replaced Roy Anderson, who had retired.
1954: Trophy winners in the state crow championship held in Shelbyville included local man Kay McNamara.
1944: J.W.O. Breck announced Spanish would be offered at Shelbyville High School for the first time. Given the teacher shortage due to the war, only one section would be offered, and students would need at least a 3.0 GPA to enroll. Breck said Spanish was necessary given the U.S.’s expanding relations with Latin and Spanish-American countries following the war.
Pfc. Floyd Oliver, 21, Waldron, was saved in a fantastic mid-air rescue by his tentmate, Pfc. William Lively, 26, Dallas, Tex., during a mass paratroop practice jump in New Guinea. Oliver’s chute had collapsed, and Lively grabbed the silk of Oliver’s paragraph, wrapped it around his legs and arms mid-air and held on until both landed. Lively was uninjured; Oliver suffered a minor back injury. The jump had been made at about 700 feet, and the save was at approximately 300 feet in the air.
1934: Clarence Hawkins, 46, owner of Hook’s Camp, died suddenly while pumping water. The coroner attributed the death to a heart attack.
Walt Haehl moved his restaurant next to Sindlinger Corner, across from the post office. Lunch was 25 cents.
A woman filed a $7,500 lawsuit against another woman who had “enticed and allured” her husband away. The plaintiff alleged she and her husband had a happy marriage for 15 years before the defendant encouraged her husband to leave his family.
1924: The Big Four offered American Legion members free fare to St. Paul, Minn., for the organization’s convention.
1914: Earl Kline broke his arm while cranking his “large Cadillac touring car in the rear of the Big Four livery barn,” The Republican reported.
OBITUARIES
Dale Allen Kessler, 67, of Glenwood, Ind., passed away peacefully at his home. He was born July 4, 1957, in Rushville, Ind., to Raymond and Marjorie (English) Kessler. He married Kay (Weir) Kessler on October 12, 1991, and she survives. Other survivors include sons Tim Kessler of Shelbyville and Josh Kessler, and daughter Tara Hatton of Shelbyville, brothers Randy (Michele) Kessler of Rushville, Larry Kessler of Manilla, Ronnie (Carol) Kessler of Shelbyville, Gene (Kathy) Kessler of Bloomington, Bob Kessler of Manilla, sisters Cheryl Followell of Shelbyville, Jan Alvis of Shelbyville, and Jeralee Carlton of St. Paul, one grandson, and four granddaughters. He was preceded in death by his parents.
Mr. Kessler had lived in the Glenwood area for 30 years, after moving from Laurel, Ind. He was a factory worker for Detroit Steel for over 30 years.
Funeral Services will be held at the Glenn E. George and Son Funeral Home, 437 Amos Road, on Wednesday, September 11, 2024, at 1 p.m., with Rev. David Humphrey officiating. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. until the time of service. Burial will be held at Manilla Cemetery. Memorial donations can be made to the Shelby County Cancer Association in care of the Funeral Home. Online condolences can be shared at glennegeorgeandson.com.
Carol Antle, 88, of Shelbyville, passed away Thursday, September 5, 2024 at The Willows of Shelbyville. She was born December 29, 1935, in Beech Grove, Ind., to Martin Carr and Joan (Weakley) Carr.
Carol enjoyed playing bridge with her bridge club. Her favorite pastime was reading and teaching kids how to read during her 30 years of employment at the Shelby County Library.
Carol is survived by her sons, Steve Antle (wife, Carla) of Franklin, and Tim Antle of Shelbyville; her daughter, Jean Day; her grandchildren, Devon Day, Adlen Antle, and Jyllian Antle, and her brother, Martin “Bud” Carr. She was preceded in death by her parents, her son, Greg Angle, and four great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Wednesday, September 11, 2024 at Murphy-Parks Funeral Service, 703 S. Harrison Street, Shelbyville, IN 46176. A graveside service will follow at 1: 30 p.m. at Forest Hill Cemetery. Funeral Directors Greg Parks, Sheila Parks and Stuart Parks are honored to serve Carol’s family. Memorial contributions honoring Carol may be given to the Shelby County Public Library, 57 W. Broadway Street, Shelbyville, Ind., 46176. Online condolences may be shared at www.murphyparks.com.