Tuesday, May 30, 2023

Shelby County Stops to Honor Fallen Soldiers

ABOVE: Rev. Josh and Hope Kiner and their children, Josh, Joseph and Darren, watch yesterday’s Memorial Day program on the Shelby County Courthouse lawn. | photo by KRISTIAAN RAWLINGS

Local war veteran service organizations continued Shelby County’s annual tradition of honoring its 149 fallen soldiers yesterday with a Memorial Day program in front of the courthouse, set against the backdrop of a nearly cloudless sky. 

Over 200 people gathered for the ceremony, receiving printed programs and poppies from American Legion and Veterans of Foreign Wars post volunteers, with early arrivals setting up lawn chairs in the shade to hear the Shelby County Community Band and Blue River Community Choir before the official program. The band, in its 50th year and directed by Angelo Anton, opened with John Philip Sousa’s “Sesquicentennial Exposition” and incorporated narration by Triton Central High School teacher Jeff Wilson. The choir, directed by Frances Jackson, also performed patriotic songs, with the crowd joining in a rendition of “I’m Proud to be an American.” The band later played the service songs while those attending who served in each military branch stood.

Kevin Williams, with the local American Legion post, was master of ceremonies and Bryan Hartung delivered the invocation. Jerri Callahan-Turner, who shared local memories of those who gave their lives in war, read her poem, “Remembrance.” Chaplain Simon Jackson, a 2005 graduate of Waldron High School who has been deployed overseas and currently serves at Fort Carson, Colo., spoke about “communalizing grief.”

“Knocking on the doors of families to let them know their loved one had passed, physically holding up a new widow to hear the words she never wanted to hear, has changed me and many in my profession,” Jackson said.

He called the 149 crosses on the courthouse lawn a “lasting tribute,” noting, “You can’t purchase one of these crosses, each must be earned.”

Following Jackson’s address, Joey Merriman (American Legion) and Troy King (Veterans of Foreign Wars) read the names of each soldier represented on the lawn, a wreath was laid by auxiliary post members and a firing squad gave a salute while standing on the sidewalk facing the crosses. 

Before Williams offered the benediction, trumpeter Garry Lauziere played “Taps,” with vehicles on South Harrison Street stopping in both directions until its conclusion.

ABOVE: Frances Jackson leads the Blue River Community Choir at yesterday’s Memorial Day program. | photo by KRISTIAAN RAWLINGS

ABOVE: Jerri Callahan-Turner reads her poem “Remembrance” as part of yesterday’s Memorial Day program. | photo by KRISTIAAN RAWLINGS

ABOVE: A nighttime view of the memorial crosses on the Shelby County Courthouse lawn. | photo by JACK BOYCE

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This Week in Shelby County History

2018: Shelbyville High School’s 3,200 relay team of seniors Collin Scott and Alexis De Jesus and sophomores Matt Baker and Joe Lux won the regional, earning a ticket to the IHSAA State Finals.

Shelbyville softball seniors TeAnn Bringle and Katie Lux and freshman Addisenn Weaver were named All-Hoosier Heritage Conference players. Freshmen Katie Mathies and Madison Campton and sophomores Izzy and Morgan Stieneker were named honorable mention.

2013: Shelbyville senior Isaiah Smith and freshman DeShaun French both broke Steve Browning’s hurdles record that had stood for 20 years. Browning, a 1993 graduate, had since become the Golden Bears’ track coach.

2008: Morristown won its first baseball sectional title since 1998 with Tyler Middleton pitching six innings and senior Pete Schmith scoring what proved to be the winning run.

Shelbyville freshman Patrick Ellis was seeded 10th in long jump for the state track and field finals.

2003: Shelbyville junior Bryce New and the Golden Bears’ 1,600-meter relay team - comprised of New, Michael Brown, Troy Megerle and Clinton Coffey - qualified for state track and field finals.

Triton Central won the Shelby County baseball tournament. Members of the team were John Craig, Jarrett Mahurin, Randy Wittman, Nick Roberts, Brandon Roberts, Andy Sterrett, Ross Stackhouse, J.D. Green, Brad Grant, Kyle McCarty, Jay Broughton and David Early. Rob Robertson was head coach and Brad Streeval and Nick Roudebush were assistant coaches.

1998: Recipients of Shelbyville High School senior academic awards included Elissa Reece, Jessica Simmons, Sarah Morin, Jennifer Milhoan, Robin Teater, Adrianne Goforth, Abby Ross, Katie Davis, Amber Ross, Andrea Goldyn, Andrea Jones, Natalie Campbell, Megan Joseph, Melanie Beglin, Cassie Sponsel, Dan Kuroiwa, J.C. Parmley, Adam Scott, Isaac Price, Gary Rainey, Scott Mullen, Jonathon Barbee, Ryan Carroll, Tim Hancock, Christopher Bunch, Christopher Wetnight, Scott Headlee, Matthew Fox, Dayn Browning and Jacob Shively.

1993: Recipients of Shelbyville High School’s top senior awards were Tracey Jacobs, Michelle Walton, Stephanie King, Emily Ramsey, Tom Stafford, Ben Jackson, Lori Reed, Jennifer Scott, Megan Emerick, Andy Whitfield, Chuck Thomas, Mandy Dickmann, Joe Anspaugh and Nichole Huber.

Carol Finkel was named recipient of the Shelbyville Rotary Club’s Arts and Humanities Award. She was selected by a committee headed by John Grigsby and John Bremer.

Leroy Whitcher was named president of the board of directors of SCUFFY, succeeding outgoing president Michael Vaught. Russell Sanders, Betsy Stephen, Mike Leland, Tom Crouch, Mary Ann Beaty and Dan Compton were also named to officer positions.

1988: Jim Williams, who had been Shelby County Republican Party chairman for eight years, was unanimously voted in to return. Marilyn Hendrick was elected vice-chairperson, succeeding Harriet Arland, who had held that position for 25 years, the last few serving for Chairman J. Lee McNeely. Other GOP central committee officers included Pam Linder and Sheldon “Bo” Keith.

1983: Shelbyville senior Gary Nolley became the first local runner to qualify for state in the 1,600 and 3,200 since Dan Hayes more than a decade prior.

1978: A newspaper photo showed a busy Porter Pool on a 90-degree day. Jeff Conway, 18, was diving off the diving board and Bobby Cassidy, 11, was climbing out of the pool in the picture. Pool manager Shirley Oeffinger said the pool would average between 400 and 450 customers a day when it was hot and sunny.

1973: Two veteran Shelby Eastern educators retired, totaling nearly 90 years of service between them. Leola Moore of Morristown and Ralph Mull, Waldron, received special plaques in honor of their service. Mrs. Moore had been a second-grade teacher at Morristown for 41 years and also taught at the Union Township school. Mull had been a social studies teacher at Waldron, former athletic director and coach of every sport at that school. He had been a teacher for 45 years at Waldron and the former Blue Ridge Elementary.

1968: Morristown’s baseball team drew the sectional bye. Members of the team were Jack Skillman, Dan Lee, Mike Addison, Brad Brown, Dennis Hamilton, Paul Sutton, Phil Talbert, Craig Brown, Greg Meiser, Rick Robertson, Greg Wilson, Chuck Spencer and Rick Wood. Harold Hardin was coach.

1963: The Pearson PTA presented William Henderson, retiring custodian, with a gift. David Craig, master of ceremonies, introduced John Hartnett, manager of WSVL, to be the program speaker. Principal Herman Royer gave special recogonition to the sixth grade class and presented the following awards: Excellence in spelling, Jerry Mays (school spelling champion), Tony Brown, Carol Bird, Bruce Campbell, David Craig, Sandra Cuzzort, Sandra Cowin, Kenneth Goff, Jimmie Fox, Theresa James, Candice Kaster, Gary Knight, Glorida Mann, Betty Mason, Tony Pettit, Carolyn Small, Danny Steven, James Toll, Ricky Walton, Tina Weingarth, Doris Macklin, Sheryl Martin, Beverly Murphy, Gary Schonfeld, Donna Stanley, Gary Tucker and Dennis Zimmerman. Safety patrol awards were presented, and Dennis Zimmerman was selected patrol man of the year. Also, Mrs. Melvin Worland was installed as president of the Lora B. Pearson Parent-Teacher Association. Other officers installed were Mrs. Karl Yarling, Mrs. Jack Small, Mrs. Emory Hobbs, Mrs. Cecil Shadley, Mrs. Paul Schonfeld, Mrs. William Fair, Mrs. Wayne Wilson, Mrs. Frances Toon, Mrs. Marjorie Smith and Herman Royer (principal).

Members of the Junior Chamber of Commerce applied the finishing touches to one of two dugouts constructed at the new ballpark for the Knothole League, located near Kennedy Car Liner just off Hodell St. In the photo were Don Taylor, Karl Yarling, John Wetnight, Ron Lummis and Mike Yarling.

1958: A new scholarship, sponsored by the Hardin Oil Company, was presented to Shelbyville High School’s Elaine Long, who also won the DAR Good Citizen award and the Kappa Kappa Sigma award. Gene Dellekamp presented the award. Diana Page was named class valedictorian.

1953: Nearly 60 members of the Shelbyville school safety patrol went on an outing to the Riverside Amusement Park in Indianapolis. Three buses were used for the trip. Participants included: Larry Reed, Jimmy Sleeth, Dennis Bonner, Steven Mohler, Bobby Nugent, Hal Rohm, Jon McClain, Michael Kettler, William Lovitt, Philip Tinney, Dennis McCarty, Michael Dover, Dick Schoelch, John Davis, DePrez Ewing, Duane Garlitch, Larry Waterman, Stephan Totten, Mike Moyer and Paul Ross (Major); Ralph Amos, John Bass, John Brant, Billy Cavaness, Dickie Ennis, Jimmy Frank, Larry Heck, Tommy Martin, Leo Mays, Bobby Metz, Billy Moss, Gary Pettit, Morris Robertson, Tommy Row, Wayne Tucker, Ronnie Weakley, Gary Wells, Bobby Sexton and Lewis Leffler (Colescott); and Charles Loveless, Jerry Smith, Jeff Six, Phil Renforth, Charles Barnett, Larry Owens, Doyle Chaney, George Landwerlen, Paul Allen DePrez, Jon Osborne, Dean Seneman, Charles Kysar, Steve Moberly, Gregory Fowl, Phil Mings, Bob House, Steve Wells and Don Hogan (Hendricks).

1948: Raymond Ewick captured the Golden Bears’ high point track plaque. Hal Eckstein won the Shelby baseball batting championship plaque for the second straight season. The awards were presented by coaches Arthur Barnett and J.M. McKeand.

1943: A newspaper photo showed a photo of Shelbyville’s “colored selective service registrants” who were inducted into the Army and left the Big Four station for Indianapolis. They were Robert Dunn, Morris Givens and Frederic Brantford.

1938: A banquet was held at the Strand Alcazar for members of the Shelbyville High School band and orchestra. The event was organized by Frank Moore, James Hedges, and B.M. Gibson.

Lothair, the last child of Mr. and Mrs. George Small, of South Tomkins Street, graduated from high school. A child of theirs had been enrolled in local schools for 35 consecutive years, with their oldest, August, entering first grade here in 1903. The Smalls had 12 living children.

1933: A review of the recently collected dog taxes showed that dogs were most destructive in Hendricks Township, with damages there nearly doubling that of second-place Marion Township.

1928: Winfred Scott was named valedictorian of the Shelbyville graduating class. The senior class also gave a play at The Strand Theatre, directed by instructor Georgia Moore. Dorothy Amos had the lead role.

1923: The local American Legion and Veterans of Foreign War held a march to Forest Hill Cemetery, where Memorial Day services were held. In the afternoon, the Civil War veterans held a program at City Cemetery.

Gladys McDonald was the overall winner of the Shelbyville Junior High School girls track meet, held at the new high school track.