Thursday, February 23, 2023
LOCAL HISTORY
The above uncaptioned photograph from the files of Doug Linne shows construction of the original Major Hospital on West Washington Street in 1923.
NOTEBOOK:
Moral Township has signed an agreement to purchase a new fire truck and is looking for funds to equip it. “We have the money to pay for that fire truck, but it’s going to drain us,” Township Trustee Lyle Lepper told members of the Shelby County Council on Tuesday. The Moral Township Volunteer Fire Department is busier than ever, with runs increasing over the past three years from 300 in 2020 to 385 in 2021 and 410 last year. Lepper said recent development in the area has necessitated the extra truck. Since Sunbeam, an incoming development, committed approximately $300,000 to be used at the county’s discretion for needs in the area, money may become available within a few months, council members said. There are other possible funding sources through the state, they added. The cost to equip the truck is approximately $70,000 to $90,000. No action was taken on the matter this week.
The Shelby County Council also received an update on the Shelby County Youth Assistance Program (YAP) from program executive director Melissa O’Connor. Since the program’s inception in 2016, over 800 youth have been referred. YAP currently serves 128 students with a variety of services, including mentoring and tutoring. The program has also distributed scholarships for athletics and extracurriculars to over 50 youth over the past year.
The following couples applied for marriage licenses at the Shelby County Clerk’s office last week: Joseph R. Melek, 68, and Victoria L. Melek, 67; Katherine Rush, 38, and Juston Massing, 45; Erick S. Ash, 27, and Brooke A. Sorrell, 28; Eugene Jones, 52, and Quiana Clady, 43; Christopher S. McDonald, 31, and Eleni R. Hobbs, 27.
CR S 275 W will be closed between S. Smithland Road and W 450 S on Monday, Feb. 27, to replace a culvert. The last address accessible from the north is 3927 S 275 W and there are no addresses between the culvert being replaced and W 450 S. Also, depending on weather conditions, the culvert on Edinburgh Road that has been closed since December 20 should be open for traffic by the end of the day Friday this week.
The next Shelby County Democrats meeting will feature guest speaker Patricia Price, who will share historic stories of Black-owned businesses that helped shape our community. The meeting is open to the public and held at the Shelby County Public Library annex, Room A, Tuesday, Feb. 28, 7 p.m.
Jeremiah “JT” Sipes was approved by Shelby County Commissioners on Tuesday to be the new Shelby County 911 Dispatch Center director. Sipes is currently a shift leader with the department.
HOOSIER NEWS: Many highways in Indiana set speed limits of 70 miles per hour for cars and 65 for large heavy vehicles like semi-trucks. A majority of Indiana Senators passed Senate Bill 13 Monday to set a uniform speed limit of 70, despite some uncertainty over whether that’s the safest course of action. SB 13’s author Sen. Jim Tomes (R-Wadesville) and other supporters of eliminating lower truck speed limits say the state’s existing system of separate limits on certain highways increases the risk of crashes. Tomes, who was a truck driver for over 30 years, said trucks that are in fleets usually have mechanisms that prevent them from going over the speed limit. (Indiana Public Radio)
NATIONAL NEWS: Major League Baseball is rolling out a number of changes to the game this year, one of which is a bigger base. The traditional base is a square with 15-inch sides, and the new base is now 18 inches along the side, which not only means more base to grab but also means that the distance between the bases is slightly less. The intention of league officials is to reduce injuries and increase stolen bases, an element of the game that has been decimated amid the analytics revolution. In 2012, there were 4,365 attempts to steal a base, a figure that was down to 3,297 attempts last year. (The Associated Press)
SHELBY COUNTY PEOPLE & PLACES: HENRETTA ROHDE
Editor’s note: In the mid- to late 1940s, The Shelbyville Republican published a series of articles by Ave Lewis and Hortense Montgomery covering community people and places. Below is one of those features.
This is to introduce a new-in-town "person worth mentioning" with whom many Shelby county women soon will become acquainted: Miss Henretta Rohde. Miss Rohde has begun a three-to-six-month "apprenticeship" as Assistant County Home demonstration Agent under Miss Ambie V. Peters. Employing assistant demonstration agents for apprenticeship training is a new innovation with the state Home Economics department and Shelby County is the first to have an assistant assigned to the regular agent. Previously, young women trained for such a position have been sent into the field without necessarily having had practical experience.
The attractive blonde girl, who soon will be presenting lessons and otherwise assisting Miss Peters at meetings of the various county clubs is city born and reared but always has liked the thoughts of life in the country. And she is pleased and a little surprised at finding herself one month after graduation from college with a job which will afford her the opportunity of spending the greater part of her working hours in the country.
Miss Rohde's home is in Indianapolis, where her family consists of her father and two brothers - and she will commute here each day. She graduated from Arsenal Tech High School, attended Purdue for one year and graduated from the Butler University School of Home Economics in January. She learned of the assistant agent program, and it was through the Marion county demonstration agents at Purdue that she was assigned to the position in Shelby County.
Prior to her college years, Miss Rohde was a member of Camp Fire Girls for an eight-year period, and through their various camping trips gratified her desire to be "in the open." She served as the first president of Horizon Clubs, a general organization for Camp Fire groups in Indianapolis. Her college sorority was Zeta Tau Alpha at Butler. In talking of the current basketball tourneys, Miss Rohde refuses to predict a state winner but says, a bit wistfully, that she would like to see an Indianapolis team hold a championship sometime, preferably Tech of course.
This Week in Shelby County" works by George L. Stubbs Sr. are owned by the Shelby County Historical Society (Grover Center) and used with permission.
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.
20 YEARS AGO: 2003
Shelbyville Police Officer Clifford Coffman pulled over a 19-year-old local man who was driving 94 miles per hour on East State Road 44, which was covered in ice.
30 YEARS AGO: 1993
A priceless - and uninsured - collection of antique motorcycles and farm tractors was lost when a storage building near Fountaintown burned to the ground. “Bridgford - or what’s left of it,” said owner Rex Bridgford, answering the phone when The Shelbyville News called. The fire could be seen as far away as Morristown, 10 miles away. An estimated half-million dollars of antiques were lost, including 18 antique Harley-Davidson motorcycles, one dating back to 1937, and two antique Co-op farm tractors manufactured in Shelbyville. Bridgford was former owner of a Harley-Davidson dealership.
40 YEARS AGO: 1983
Two new 175,000 bushel, 44x148-foot silos were completed at Morristown Grain Company. Supt. Warren Tribby said the company would be able to fill a 65-car train with grain.
50 YEARS AGO: 1973
Open House was held at the new Shelbyville Day Care Center on West McKay Road. A radio was given as a door prize.
60 YEARS AGO: 1963
Karen Cover won the Shelbyville Junior High spelling contest. Janie Adams was the alternate.
Dennis Bird was named “Baby of the Month” by Chafee Studio.
Judy Coulston and Mark Young were crowned Queen and King of the Southwestern Sweetheart Dance. Chaperones were Mr. and Mrs. Norman Carr, Mr. and Mrs. Roland Nay, Margaret Mardis and Jan Malloy. Betty DeRoy, Theresa Brown, Stephanie Parks and Kathy Hamilton decorated the gym.
70 YEARS AGO: 1953
D.A.R. members observed Washington’s birthday with a meeting at the Elks Club. Local Explorer post members, including William Brown and John Brokaw, performed a Native American dance. Donald Kyger, local Boy Scout executive, and Mrs. Ralph Adams, regent of the local chapter of the D.A.R., also presented at the program.
80 YEARS AGO: 1943
Donald Shannon, former resident of Shelbyville who had moved to Los Angeles, Calif., signed a term motion picture contract with Warner Bros. studio. He would appear in the dance sequences in the forthcoming pictures, “This is the Army,” The Republican said. He had attended St. Joseph High School and was a pupil of the Shelbyville School of Music and Dancing, where he was taught by Mrs. Nell Anderson.
90 YEARS AGO: 1933
The Shelbyville Republican urged every woman to purchase a new Easter outfit to “cause a boom which would make the recent lean years seem a nightmare.”
100 YEARS AGO: 1923
Although some local pastors had refused money from the Ku Klux Klan, newspapers reported that churches in Columbus were accepting the funds brought in by “strangers” during services.
INCIDENTS
Thefts were reported in the 200 block of W. South St. and 900 block of Hale Road, Shelbyville.
JAIL BOOK-INS: Dustin J. Green, 32, court order probation violation; Bradon K. Dunham, 39, unknown hearing, hold for another jurisdiction; Bradley A. Pope, 26, HTV.
OBITUARIES
Kathleen Ann “Kathy” DeMoss, 67, of Shelbyville, passed away Tuesday, February 21, 2023, at Indiana University Health Methodist Hospital. She was born January 24, 1956, in Shelbyville, the loving daughter of William J. “Bill” and Jenny Sue (Nedderman) Dugan. On April 8, 1983, she married her husband of nearly 40 years, Jay L. DeMoss, and he survives. In addition to Jay, Kathy is survived by her daughters, Emily Keller and husband, Steven, of Needham, and Jenny DeMoss of Shelbyville; grandchildren, Brayden Ronan of Shelbyville, Ellianna Keller of Needham, and Gwendolyn Seelye of Shelbyville; nieces, Natalie Browning and husband, Kenny, and Michelle Rupert and husband, Justin, both of Shelbyville; nephew, Joe Dugan of Shelbyville; and several great-nieces and great-nephews. Kathy was preceded in death by her parents; and brothers, Michael Jay “Mike” Dugan and James Allen “Jamie” Dugan.
She graduated in 1974 from Shelbyville High School, and attended Kansas State University. Kathy attended First Church of the Nazarene. The Dugan family established The Fiddlers Three in 1971, and later added Maxim Events, then retiring in January of 2021. Kathy had a very strong leadership role in the family business.
Kathy was a CASA advocate for children and she also devoted her time to Celebrate Recovery. She volunteered for the Salvation Army and the Bridge to Hope Ministries. Kathy and Jay were very dedicated supporters of SCUFFY.
Kathy was a wonderful daughter, wife, mother, grandmother and aunt. She was very dedicated to her family and was known to be the family caretaker. She also leaves behind her cat, Kumquat.
Visitation will be from 2 to 6 p.m. Sunday, February 26, 2023, at Freeman Family Funeral Homes and Crematory, 819 S. Harrison St. in Shelbyville. Funeral services will be at 10 a.m. Monday, February 27, 2023, at the funeral home, with Rev. Dr. Steve Bohall officiating. Interment will be at Forest Hill Cemetery in Shelbyville. Memorial contributions may be made to Our Hospice of South Central Indiana, 2626 S. 17th St., Columbus, Indiana 47201, or The Bridge to Hope, 1504 S. Harrison St., Shelbyville, Indiana 46176. Online condolences may be shared with Kathy’s family at www.freemanfamilyfuneralhomes.com.
Linda J. Borneman, 81, of Fairland passed away Tuesday, February 21, 2023 at Morristown Manor. She was born April 29, 1941 in Shelbyville, IN to James Ross Stanley, Jr. and Catherine (Spurlin) Price.
Linda graduated magna cum laude from Shelbyville High School in 1959. She worked at KCL in the office, but most of her life she worked at Mallory Industry as a secretary. Linda was known by the nickname G$, which she was given to her by her grandson, Justin. She always had a smile on her face. She loved traveling to Florida where she enjoyed walking along the beach and collecting shells. Linda loved her family and made friends everywhere she went. She also loved and enjoyed her cats very much.
Linda is survived by her son, Robert A. Borneman (wife, Kimberly) of Shelbyville; grandson Justin Robert Borneman of Florida; sister, Barbara Braunagel (husband, Joe), Theresia McKenney of Cumberland; brothers, Dennis Price (wife, Beate) of Germany, Larry Price (wife, Joellen) of Zionsville; several nieces, nephews, and cousins. She was preceded in death by her husband, parents, and son, Bryan E. Borneman.
Visitation will be Sunday, February 26, 2023 from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m. at Murphy-Parks Funeral Services, 703 S. Harrison St., Shelbyville, IN 46176. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m., Monday, February 27, 2023 at the funeral home. Burial will be in Fairland Cemetery, 4430 N 400 W, Fairland, IN. Funeral Directors Greg Parks, Sheila Parks, Stuart Parks, and Darin Schutt are honored to serve Linda’s family. Online condolences may be shared at www.murphyparks.com.
Anna Louise “Annie” Mohr, 98, of Shelbyville, passed away Wednesday, February 22, 2023, at Heritage House of Shelbyville. She was born June 2, 1924, in Shselbyville, the daughter of Michael Wertz and Cecil (Gillespie) Wertz Montgomery. On December 2, 1944, she married Carson Mohr, and he preceded her in death on October 13, 2003. Annie is survived by her daughters, Kathy Clark and husband, John, of Shelbyville, and Suzanne Pauszek and husband, Michael, of Franklin; sons, Kit Mohr and wife, Debbie, of Franklin, and Mark Mohr and wife, Kathy, of Greensburg; grandchildren, Darcy Muldoon and husband, Neal, T. J. Clark and wife, Kim, Jason Mohr and wife, Charity, Megan Schornick and husband, Doug, Heather Schulz, Jarrod Law, Nicole Stone and husband, Paul, Doug Mohr, Kim Peters and husband, Brandon, Chris Pauszek, Leigh Pauszek, Robyn Pauszek and Mattie Bush and husband, Isaac; 21 great-grandchildren; one great-great-grandchild; and several nieces and nephews. In addition to Carson, Annie was preceded in death by her parents; and brothers, Kenneth Wertz and Don Wertz.
Annie graduated in 1942 from Flat Rock High School. She was a member of West Street United Methodist Church and attended Flat Rock United Methodist Church. Annie was formerly a cook at Southwestern Elementary, retiring with over 20 years of service. She enjoyed genealogy, playing dominos, working jigsaw puzzles and tending to her flower gardens. Annie was an avid Indiana University basketball fan and enjoyed attending the games. She loved her family, especially her grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Annie loved to pick out Christmas ornaments for each of her great-grandchildren.
Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Friday, February 24, 2023, at Freeman Family Funeral Homes and Crematory, 819 S. Harrison St. in Shelbyville. Funeral services will be at 1 p.m. Friday, at the funeral home, with Rev. Les Fix officiating. Interment will be at St. George Lutheran Cemetery in Shelby County. Memorial contributions may be made to the Alzheimer’s Association, Greater Indiana Chapter, 50 E. 91st St., Suite 100, Indianapolis, Indiana 46240 or West St. United Methodist Church, 629 S. West St., Shelbyville, Indiana 46176. Online condolences may be shared with Annie’s family at www.freemanfamilyfuneralhomes.com.