"Home of Pioneer Spirit" |
Some songs from 1953
More information and pictures coming...
As I'm searching my database for "eich" I'm being reminded how many pictures and how much information I've scanned from the Eich families over the years.
When I scan old family collections I concentrate on the scanning process and don't have time to "take in" the historical value it has. When I later use some of this data for tributes, I
realize the historical importance of preserving this history which honors those folks who helped build the community we live in now...and even more importantly, all of the
hundreds and thousands of people they interact with who have also helped build the town we call Manning.
A specific example is in the Ann Grau tribute - I hope everyone reads the story about Magda Grau and her experiences going through Ellis Island and how she considered herself "I am a very blessed woman."
Working on all of this history over the decades gives me the tremendous pride I have for our community and helps me realize how much we owe our ancestors and the Pioneers before us - how humble we should be for all of the wonderful things that have been bestowed upon us by so many selfless and physically hard-working citizens before us.
I'm also the only one who knows how to and has the professional computer equipment & software to properly digitize and photograph
and then take the time to archive the background of that item in the Manning Historical Database I've been building for over 50 years.
Below is a picture that Lynn Kruse brought me.
It is grainy and unfortunately no date or location was written on it, other than "Nishnabotna River" that was during a flood...probably 1947 or 1950.
When I zoom in on the high resolution scan, I can see a farm place in the background and 2 bridges. The one is similar to the type of bridges in the county and also a few that were in
Manning, but there is another bridge that looks like it would be a railroad bridge but I don't see any of the tracks going away from it.
Anyway, this is the type of old photo that most
people see no reason to keep and just throw it - NOT me, I want to scan as many old Manning connected pix I can before they are ALL thrown away or destroyed.
Robert Kruse MHS 1940
This is what I'm referring to about saving a copy of a newspaper that has the name of the subscriber.
Something
no one else would think of in preserving our history...
While working on the Patty Valentine tribute, I ran into this Monitor ad that was in Roland Valentine's collection I scanned.
I asked him to send me some information about it
and it is interesting how little businesses started and evolved decades ago.
Here is a perfect example of why I'm always looking for obituaries of former Manningites, and also encourage people/families today to write up obituaries for their loved ones,
even if they requested not to have one - I know that sounds terrible to go against the wishes of a person facing their demise, but obituaries are pretty much the last acknowledgement
of a person's life and last honor they will be given.
I also just noticed that Bill was a Veteran who I did NOT have listed in
my Veteran database, so now I have to try to find more military information and hopefully some pictures to use as a write-up for the Manning Veterans' book.
Dave Kusel
William Rae, son of William J.F. and Minnie (Westphalen) Jensen, was born December 26, 1935, in Manning, Iowa. He was educated in the Manning schools graduating with the class of 1953. He attended DeVry vocational training in Chicago and spent a year in TV repair in Manning.
He and Barbara Blair of Kirkman Were married February 16, 1957. They moved to Gainesville, Florida, where he attended the University of Florida, graduating with a degree in Electrical Engineering.
He enlisted in the United States Army and served two years stationed at Waukesha, Wisconsin.
They went to Wilmington, Delaware, where he was employed by DuPont, and lived there one year, then was transferred to their plant in Los Angeles.
They also lived in Texas a short time, then moving back to the Los Angeles area. He was a partner in Novacap Electronics, manufacturing ceramic chip capacitors, the last two years.
He passed away suddenly on a camping trip at Sonora, California, July 4, 1982, at the age of 46 years, 6 months and 8 days.
He was a member of the First Presbyterian Church all his life.
Survivors include two daughters and a son: Shelli Rae, Mrs. Victor Kelly of West Covina, California, Elizabeth Mason Jensen and William Todd Jensen of Highland, California; a grandson, Mathew Kelly; parents, Mr. and Mrs. William J.F. Jensen, and a sister, Iola, Mrs. Clarence Stammer, Manning.
Mrs. William Jensen and Mr. and Mrs. Clarence Stammer attended the services in San Bernardino. They were guests of Barbara and David Koenig of Highland, while in California.
Notice in Merlene's obituary down below that it doesn't mention he repaired TVs here before moving to Ralston - I'm guessing he helped Joe Horbach...not that every
detail can be in an obituary but thanks to Roland, that little tidbit about Merlene being in the Gambles store first is not lost forever but now recorded in my database.
After Roland told me this story, I remembered I had a picture of Joe working on a TV in the Gambles store...a picture among a collection of around 300 I scanned in 2004
after visiting with Joe's wife, Mildred, one day about some Manning history questions I had.
They had 2 sons, both of whom died before Mil died.
When Mil died in 2008, I tried to find out what happened to her pictures - as far as I have determined - they were
thrown away - like you constantly hear from me about people throwing our history all of the time.
Now many people will say to themselves - who cares about the Horbach pictures - well this first photo by Mil is a VERY VERY VERY historically important and prominent picture among several that Mil took and it was in Manning, Iowa...I wonder how many little towns in the US can lay claim to having this sub in their community?
Joe Horbach working on a TV in Gambles
Joe & Mildred (Mescher) Horbach in Gambles
415 Main Street - located in what is now the north half of Cliff's Place
Wenzel Locker Plant - November 1946 George Wenzel, Joseph Mescher
Joseph was Mildred Horbach’s father
I hope someday a relative of this family will prove me wrong and let me know Mil's pictures weren't thrown away...for one reason, I'd like to rescan them at a higher resolution and there probably were more Mil didn't show me so they weren't scanned.
So when I write about how one family collection after another ends up getting thrown away by the next generation - even though I hear lots of people say - my family
will never thrown their stuff - I have 50 years of examples I can site to prove what I say.
So if you can't see the historical importance of some of Mil's pictures then you really must not care at all about our history, period.
Dave
Preceded in death by daughter, Sheri Lynn Thompson; sisters, Joyce Lathrop and Alys McMunn. Survived by wife, Carol L. Thompson; son, Tomas M. Thompson (Tracy); grandchildren: Jenny Gollehon (Chris), Michael Thompson (Alyson), Erin Pulec (Tyler), and Becca Best; great-grandchildren: Tomas, Andrew, James, Timothy, Brooklynn, and Jay; sister, Virginia Drath; brothers-in-law, Bill Sander (Marge) and Burton Sander (Jean).
Merlene, Tom, Tommy, Senior, Grandpa, and Papa are just a few of the names that Tom would answer to over the
years. Born April 10, 1935, he was raised on a farm in Manning, Iowa, with three older sisters, Virginia, Joyce, and Alys; children of Merlene and
Laura (Steenhusen) Thompson, Sr.
Tom was lucky to be the baby boy of the family and was not lacking motherly love!
His sisters, Virginia and Joyce also doubled as his teachers at country school during his elementary years at Jefferson No. 1 in Crawford County.
When Tom graduated from high school in 1953, he left Manning and headed east to Chicago where he attended DeVry University and from which he graduated two years later. In 1955, Tom moved to Ralston, Nebraska, where he was hired at Radiosmith as a radio and TV technician. Little did he know he would later go on to own Radiosmith and spend the rest of his working years in that very same store.
After starting his new job, he found Carol Sander (the main reason he moved to Nebraska to begin with) and they were married on December 29, 1956. The love he had for Carol was the type of love that everyone dreams of finding - pure, faithful and unconditional. When Tom and Carol were married, Tom also gained something he had never had before…brothers! Carol's brothers Bill (Marge) and Burton (Jean) have been a big part of Tom and Carol's life; whether they were traveling together, golfing together, or just sitting around the dinner table, there was never a shortage of conversation or laughter. Tom and Carol welcomed to the world their son, Tomas, on January 13, 1958 and just a few years later their daughter, Sheri was born on December 12, 1961.
Tom was a loving father who led by example with a life of integrity, honor and humor. Tom felt great heartache when Sheri passed away on October 21, 2013. His love for his family was never doubted as he went out of his way to make each person feel special. This love only grew deeper when his grandchildren Jenny and Mike were born, and then again with the expansion of his family in 2010 when Tom and Tracy were married and Erin (Tyler) and Becca joined the family. He always looked forward to spending time with his great-grandchildren: Tomas, Andrew, James, Timothy, Brooklynn, and Jay. He loved having the kids around-you could just see his eyes light up when they'd find the coins that he had hidden in the couch cushions for them. Tom loved to play golf, spend time with his family, and spice things up every now and then with a practical joke. He was loved and admired by many and will be missed greatly, but we know that he is saving a place for each one of us in Heaven and we will see him again. We will think of you, Grandpa, when we make that tough shot on the golf course or hear a witty joke because we know that you are smiling down on us as we walk through each day of our lives.
Just some "food for thought" before you or someone in your family starts throwing things.
Dave
While these tributes I create to honor the individual who passed away is the main goal, and the pictures and information is generally about the person/family,
so often the collections from those families I scan have lots of pictures of non-family Manningites and this Valentine collection is no exception.
Roland sent me an amazing pictorial history of Manning and its citizens to scan in 2020-21, so please note the various other folks who are featured in this tribute who
will give you an idea of how many other people/families interacted with the Valentine family and who were part of Manning's amazing history.
I want to thank Roland & the Valentine family for taking the time to share with me, and now you, their wonderful collection of Manning history to scan.
I hope
this will encourage more families to work with me on their history to add to the Manning Historical Database.
Thanks,
Dave
While working on these tributes, I have to figure out the family backgrounds so I can search for pictures and information about the extended family members in my database.
Obituaries are one place I start and then I discover I don't have a lot of obits for a family.
So I ask Connie to see what she can find on the various websites, some free, but
others she is a member of and pays for.
Without her work, I would not be able to figure out some of the extended families for these tributes, until she finds obits for me.
I often write about this topic to give credit to Connie and the other "Manning helpers" I have who find obits and other information for me to help figure out more parts of
the Manning puzzle.
I also mention in these discussions that relatives and friends are welcome to grab obits for their own personal use, but they are not allowed to
then take the information from my web pages and add that information to the commercial and other genealogical/historical websites.
I pay for my domain and web pages and my Manning helpers also spend their own money and time with research to help me.
Those commercial websites can spend their own
time and money to find this information - why Manning connected people will give information to those sites and not help me with the Manning database is beyond me...their
right to do what they want, but my research is for Manning and NOT to help companies to make money off of other people's work.
I've added several more old obits to my web page that Connie found recently, and is still looking for more...
Dave
Resize the image
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Microsoft Edge view
I almost want to move to a big city where basically few people know their neighbors and they only know just a few people in their community - when it comes to all of the
Manningites passing away anymore.
I had hoped that since the WWII generation is basically gone,
that the deaths would slow down for a while but everyone else kept getting older and
now we are in the "Baby Boomer" generation which is the largest generation now getting older and the number of deaths seem to be occurring faster now.
Here are two more former Manningites who have recently passed away.
Dale Hinz, and just today Roland Valentine e-mailed me that his sister, Patty, passed away this morning (March 11).
Roland is curious who is still living in the MHS class of 1948...
Merlyn Rostermundt is one member that I know of who is living.
So I'll be working on their tributes, along with Robert Snyder's tribute over the next few days.
I won't have a lot of pictures of Dale Hinz.
His family moved before he graduated - he was a Former MHS 1961 member
Junior High Basketball
Back: Coach Raymond Bechen,
Dennis Maasen, Lenny Carstens, Alan Kusel, Dean Grimm, Wayne "Butch" Jensen, Dave Nelson
Front: Allen Vinke, Jerry Callender, Dave Swank, Dale Hinz, Larry Ruhde
Iowa Attorney General Brenna Bird, Jean Stadtlander, Tim Weible
More pix and information coming - IF I can find some extra time.
We lost another Manningite on March 9th, so another tribute is coming in the next few days...
So if anyone can help - please let me know.
Dave Kusel
If you can help with IDs please
e-mail Dave Kusel
If you didn't see Jon's tribute the first time around or just wasn't interested - I would encourage you to look at all of the wonderful pix & documents Jon sent to me
to scan. It wasn't his ego why he wanted me to digitize his stuff, but his pride in the Manning community he grew up in and to preserve just a little part of that history.
Be sure to click on the "Articles" links - you'll see some amazing newspaper articles I scanned from Jon's collection.
Not many people will take the time to help me with Manning's history, like Jon did...
The store, located at 324 Main, was purchased by Mr. and Mrs. Walt Baker in 1965. To allow for expansion to a growing business, the store was moved to the former Ohde building at 320 Main Street in 1972. After the untimely death of Walter Baker, the store was continued by his wife, Genevieve and son, Ron. They carry a complete line of fresh and frozen foods, staples of all kinds and have an excellent meat department. The clerks at the present time are Fern Ramsey, Minnie Dales, Harold Baker, Charles Laverty and Ralph Grundmeier.
This has been a continuous grocery business since before 1887 and is still a thriving asset to the community.
Note: at the time of the Baker operation - there were 4 different grocery stores in Manning - some food for thought for today!
As I also write about quite often, one of the big reasons why I like to work on and preserve Manning history is because of all of my connections to it...Frank Ehrichs
mentioned in the story above was my great-uncle who lived in Aspinwall...the birth place where my mother grew up.
Then I noticed this article at the top of the page - Nady jumped right out at me...
Below is part of that article about Nady.
I won't post the obits for Gary's parents here as they can be found in my obituary page linked on the left, but I'll show some snippets of information from
my database about the Nady family below.
In November of 1935 the sewing circle was discontinued, and Mrs. Arthur Bock became the new president, Mrs. Melvin Jentsch, vice president and Mrs. Joseph Horbach, secretary-treasurer.
The club meets in the homes every first and third Wednesday of the month, from October through May. It is active in community affairs, principally in its support of the Public Library.
Charter members include Isabel Smith, Florence Bock, Rose Nickum, Helen Kleespies, Mrs. Navin, Louise Jentsch, Flossie Hunter, Anna Enenbach, Alice Wehrmann, Mrs. Brady, Mildred Horbach, Nina Mentzer, Mrs. Butel, Pearl West, Antonia Hinz, Agnes Zerwas, Edna Kuhl, Mrs. Wilfong, Mrs. Claussen, Regina Mohr and Margaret Brady
As I mentioned above, Gary served in the Navy and Connie found this short article about his service.
Hopefully a family member will
find this article and work with me to get some military pictures and information to use in the Manning Veterans' book, but unfortunately both Gary's brother and sister have passed away.
Gary Nady, Manning, In Inaugural Parade
Gary Nady, son of Mr. and Mrs. Xavier C. Nady, marched in the inauguration
parade Tuesday with a navy unit from the Bullis Preparatory School from Silver Springs, Washington.
Bullis is a prep school for the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis. The Manning
youth is a former three-sport star on Manning's athletic teams.
Carroll Daily Times Herald, January 21, 1953
1952 No loss until sub-state finals
Back: Larry Kasperbauer, Claus Bunz, Richard Rix, Russell Spies, Ken Graves,
Lyle Frahm, Roger Vollstedt, Lowell Stribe
Front: Coach Ray Walder, Richard Zerwas, Roger Nielsen, Gene Martens, Gary Nady,
Deanes Rowedder, Head Coach Larry Gillespie
1951
Poem from the Barb Nielsen collection
Down yonder on the basketball floor
Oh, watch our boys just doll up the score
It's a team that's got some steam, it's ten in a row
A basket here a basket there, just watch the team go
More and more, we're cheering more and more
Every time they flip it in, we're sure to win
Down yonder over Mapleton way
They say that they know just how to play
But Nady and Nielsen and Zerwas and Martens and Rowedder,
Oh, how they play.
Daru Ross just e-mailed me the major clue I needed to find N & B Motor Company in my database which was probably where I saw this business name in the past.
I found one entry from the Centennial book which gave me
a year so now I asked another one of my Manning helpers to see if she can find some newspaper articles.
If anyone else has memories of this business - feel free
to e-mail me...
Below is another item I purchased off e-bay - from someone in Des Moines. I paid way more for it than I generally want to,
but it is a very unique item I've never run into before and my mother played for his
funeral...ironically the year of the map is 1923, the year my mother was born.
I often write about why I want to preserve Manning history because so much of it is my family's
history...with so many connections.
The cover of the map measures 2 x 3.5 inches, and the map, when unfolded, measures about 9 x 12 inches.
Here is a cropped out image where Manning is on the map.
It is even downsized some from my original high resolution scan.
I did some digital touch up and repair to
clean up the worst of the marks, scratches, and damage.
Born May 1, 1891 Friedrichskoog, Holstein, Germany
Entered Into Rest September 20, 1965 at home, Manning, Iowa
Age 74 years, 4 months, 19 days
Services Held At Zion Lutheran Church - Manning, Iowa Wednesday, September 22, 1965, 11 A.M.
Clergyman Pastor Edward F. Heinicke
Dorothy Kusel, organist
Interment Arcadia Cemetery
Pallbearers Lee Peters, Elmer Stoffers, Albert Bauer, Lester Peters, Vernon Peters, Henry Stoffers
Son of Mr. and Mrs. Ludwig Bauer, he was born May 1, 1891, in Friedrichskoog, Holstein, Germany. He came to the United States in 1905 and located near Westside, where he worked on various farms. He was married to Marie C. Brockmann in Omaha on September 16, 1914. They farmed near Arcadia and Manning for 10 years. He then operated F.W. Bauer & Company garage with his brother-in-law, Alfred Brockmann, in Manning, and later operated taverns here. He retired 10 years ago.
Mr. Bauer died early Monday, September 20, 1965, at his home in South Manning, following a two-week illness.
He is survived by his wife; a sister, Mrs. Fred (Sophie) Stoffers, Arcadia; two brothers, Adolph Bauer, Auburn, and Louie Bauer, Carroll; and brothers and sisters in Germany.
He was preceded in death by three children in infancy, and several brothers and sisters.
F.D. Ross & Co. Of Manning Sold To Des Moines Firm
Fred D. Ross & Co., Manning Ford dealer, has been sold to Mainline
Motors, Inc. of Des Moines. The company, one of the oldest Ford dealerships
west of the Mississippi, has been operated in Manning for 44 years, beginning business September 1, 1914.
Dwight E. Parkinson has been named manager of the firm. His family will move to Manning following the holidays.
Carroll Times Herald, December 9, 1958
N&B Motor Company
Nick & Barney
Dwight "Parky" Parkinson - hired to manage the business
Parkinson Buys N&B Motors, Inc.
Dwight Parkison, Manning, who has managed N&B Motors, Inc. for a
year and a half, has purchased controlling interest in the firm.
He is now president and general manager of the corporation, a home-owned Ford dealership.
Carroll Times Herald April 25, 1960
F.D. ROSS CO. BUYS LOTS
The Manning Monitor March 27, 1919
A business deal was made yesterday whereby Herman P. Hansen sold his lots just
back of the Rostermundt & Kuhl Hardware Store to the Fred D. Ross Co. at
the consideration of $6,500. These are desirable lots and more than one business
man has had his eyes on them. It is not known what the owners may do with them
but in a year or two erect thereon a big brick building.
Aspinwall Co-Op's Annual Meeting Set At Manning June 22
The annual meeting of the Aspinwall Co-op will be held at Fireman's Hall in Manning June 22 at 8 p.m.
Special programs are planned for both men and women attending the meetings
according to Robert Schilling, manager. Lunch and door prizes will also be offered.
During the past year, the Co-op opened a new store at Gray and this week
purchased the F.D. Ross & Co. Petroleum business in Manning, from August
Ross. The firm had been in business for 39 years.
Orla Peters has been retained by the firm as tank wagon operator, to service customers in Manning and Gray.
Carroll Times Herald, June 19, 1959
Classes in parade: Dear Dave,
Does anyone remember Robert Melick's wife's name?
It never dawned on me that Robert and his wife are still living. I was thinking they would be in the 100 age range but one of my Manning helpers found information that
his wife is Marian Pippitt and they were married in 1957 and last living in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
I'm always looking for obits of former Manningites, including teachers and other folks who once lived here but moved away...they are also a big part of
Manning's history.
Korean War Veterans continues
For those of you who are occasional visitors to the Manning Exchange - please make sure to click on the "archived articles" section where previous featured stories are kept.
"Let it be known that he who wears the military order of the purple heart has given of his blood in the defense of his homeland and
shall forever be revered by his fellow countrymen."
Just as a reminder: the Manning History book committee continues to work on a Manning area Veterans' history book
project. How many small communities do you know have published 5 history books? The first one was the History of
Manning 1898, then the 1981 Manning Centennial book, next the 2006 Manning Quasqui book, and most recently the 2009
Manning School history book. Probably the last book to be published will be the upcoming Manning Veterans' book - unless
someone comes forward in the next generation to take over these projects after I'm gone.
Will you help with the Veterans' history book project? If you are
a Manning connected Veteran or are presently serving and do not submit your military connected pictures and
infomation you probably won't be in this once-in-a-life-time Manning Veterans' history book. With a limited number of
volunteers we can only do so much on our own but will try to get pictures of as many Veterans as we can. There are
over 1000 Manning Veterans so we have a long ways to go before the book can be published.
Manning Veterans are slowly coming forward and below is another example. We hope to eventually get more pictures and
information for Mike to put in the book but for now this is what I have to show to you.
One thing that many Veterans and people who are submitting information have not fully understood is that this next
Manning history book is specifically a Veterans' only book. It won't be like the Centennial or Quasqui history books were,
where there is a Veterans' section along with other community aspects. We are aiming for a 2-volume book (around 1090 total pages) which will really be unique!!! To see what Louis submitted click on the link underneath "Are you a Manning Veteran" shown below.
Note: we also want some family background such as parents and grandparents. All too often you will only see
just the Veteran's name with their basic military information but without the family connections it will be difficult for
future historians and genealogists to know for sure who this person belongs to.
Please e-mail me about your Veteran questions
manningveterans@davidkusel.com
1 Manning citizen served in the War of 1812
29 paid the ultimate price with their lives defending the U.S. Flag
We are starting the Manning Veterans' history book project
If you simply don't want those old family pictures you inherited please don't throw them - send them my way. One thing to keep in mind while you are looking for pictures - if they are glued in old scrap books please do
NOT try to pull them out or cut them out. I can scan the whole page of the scrapbook and crop out the pictures you
want to use in the book. If you attempt to forcibly remove the pictures you will probably damage them and when I
scan them that damage will probably show up. This means I'll either have to use my graphics program to touch up the damage which
can take a lot of time, or if they are badly damaged I just may not even take the time to scan them.
Beautifully decorated -- Merlin Wyatt
Oldest Model -- 1909
Shimmying Ford -- F.D. Ross --- driven by Emil Jensen
Car coming the farthest -- Louie Jam (Jahn?) 375 miles
Car bringing largest family -- Max Steckleberg, Manilla
Car bringing 4 generations -- Jacob Kuhl
Most people in the car -- Charley Ramsey 13
Car with the tallest people -- Jacob Kuhl 5 people
Car with most oldest people -- Harry Ohm 5 average age of 85 (all were Manning settlers)
Homeliest man in parade -- Ed Roggish
Worst looking Ford in parade -- F.D. Ross Co.
The
crowd was entertained after the parade by "The Hamiltons"
and "Arial Woods" acrobats and tumblers.
Dan "Devil" Hart from Florida did daring
tricks while flying over Manning at noon.
Booster clubs from Omaha (30), Carroll (137) and Denison (98) arrived about 1:00 p.m.
2:00 p.m. Industrial parade led by Carroll's band.
Manning Business firms had floats spreading 3 blocks followed by the Denison band.
At the end of parade was the Manning band followed by industrial floats.
Each band later gave a concert.
1st place to Manning
2nd place to Carroll
3rd place to Denison
4:30 p.m. Manning Fire Department answered a call to put out a fire at the north end of Main Street to demonstrate their new truck.
The next event was the presentation of the Fords.
Lucky persons were Laura (Grau) Alwill of Manning and Mr. Conroy of Manilla.
Note: Laura Alwill was Dave Kusel's great-aunt
There was a pavement dance until the dance at the Opera House started.
This was the first celebration Manning has had since the homecoming celebrations of the WWI soldiers.
Click to see the tribute
To friend of Allen,
One of the reasons I post tributes to Manning folks who pass away is for just
this very situation. (message shown down below from an old friend of Allen Dammann
and she has been trying to locate him after many years)
Even with all of the ways people have today to keep in touch, true
communication is almost lost...the ability to visit with people in person
without using some technological device.
While my web pages are part of that technology, I've learned throughout my life
that preserving our history - our stories are what ties us together.
Every person affects almost countless numbers of individuals as they travel
throughout their lives. Most people don't stop to
think of this interaction and most of us aren't even aware how we influence
people around us - some for the good and some bad.
I watched Allen grow up from a young kid to young adult and saw so many ways he
influenced people around him and the video taping he
got involved with me was just one way. He had so many crazy, ingenious, and
unique ideas but also the other students and adults who helped me with the
taping and live programing we provided for this little town of Manning on Channel 2 in the 1980s.
This was way before the Internet, youtube, facebook, twitter, etc. and unfortunately before the
digital age, so the analog videos I have aren't the quality we have today but
very precious and unique so many decades later.
I don't know if you had a chance or were able to open the videos but try to watch the 1987 commencement video.
https://www.davidkusel.com/temp20/dammann/dammann.htm
Allen gave the class introduction and his mannerisms show up so well and his
voice is just like hearing him from so long ago.
While this is analog video converted to digital, it is still great to have even
little snippets of Al's life recorded and documented for all time...
I've had several other of Al's friends find out about his death through my web
pages since his passing, and got them in contact with his family.
Dave Kusel
February 25, 2024
I came across your page while trying to find information about Allen Dammann,
whom I met in New York in 2008 and became good friends with. Eventually, we
both moved, he first going to Maine to be near his sister, but we had always kept in touch.
I had been trying in vain to contact him by email and phone for years now, and
I had been fearing the worst. Yesterday I was thinking again about one of the
numerous walks we took in Manhattan together, and so I decided to try a web
search again. I'm not sure why I hadn't come across
your website before, but I did now. I read it with a heavy heart.
I am grateful to you for maintaining your page and for paying tribute to Allen.
Like you said, he was an ingenious and witty person, one of the brightest and
funniest minds I've met. I am incredibly saddened by
knowing he's no longer with us, and having departed so young.
Do you know what caused his death? And would you know where in NYC his ashes
were scattered? I'd like to pay homage to him next
time I visit the city. Also... would you know what happened to Troubles? I
reckon if she's still alive (I recall feeding her
sometime in the early 2010s while Allen was out of town), she may be living
with his sister. He absolutely loved that cat.
Thank you again for helping me bring closure.
I wish you all the best in all your endeavors!
Thank you for everything, and my best regards to folks in and from Manning!
Friend of Allen Dammann
Dave:
Just happened to see your inquiry regarding Robert & Marian Melick. Lyle & I were very good friends of the Melicks when they lived in Manning and I still correspond with
them at Christmas time. Yes, Bob is 91. Two years ago they moved to a retirement community in Hot Springs Village, Arkansas.
They had three children - David, Gary, and Nancy.
They moved from Manning in 1969, so none of their kids graduated from Manning schools.
So appreciate all you do to keep Manning's history alive, even though I am not a Manning native. Last fall I moved to be closer to my daughter, but I really do miss living in Manning.
It is a special place!
Harriett Gross
His name came up in the Huldeen tribute linked below so I searched for him and his obituary and ran into several Melicks of the approximate age-group and if I
knew his wife's name it might help in determining if I found "our" Robert Melick.
I found a Marian Melick and a Robert Melick both living in Hot Springs Village, Arkansas and she is listed as being born in 1935 and Robert in 1932.
Assuming they were 20 when they were married in 1957, that puts these 2 in the approximate time-frame.
Maybe someone in their family will see this message and confirm my suspicions...
Robert Melick
Nancy Melick, 1970 - I assume this is Bob's daughter.
She would have been a member of the 1981 class.
Dave
He was a Vietnam Veteran and I'd like to get some military information/pix for him to add to the Manning Veterans' book.
For that matter, any teacher at Manning who served that you know of their whereabouts - please let me know.
The list of Manning connected names who served keeps growing almost daily.
There are lots of Manning Veterans of the Korean era with no pictures or information.
Will you be in the Manning Veterans' book???
Unless more post-WWII Veterans come forward there will be a lot of 1946 to present day Manning connected Veterans missing from the book.
Click to read about this important project.
It will help to financially support the Manning Veterans' history book project.
George Washington, August 7, 1782
For those of you who are Veterans or have/had Veterans in your family - will you come forward?
The history book committee will do their best to get as many pictures and information about the 1000+ Manning Veterans
but we can't do it all by ourselves.
This book will be ALL Veterans' information (and the post auxiliaries) - hence it
won't be a "Name, Rank, and Serial Number" only history but we want a complete history for each Veteran.
For instance - below is Louis Boell's picture and the information
that was published in the Veteran section of the 1982 Aspinwall Centennial history book. It has the basic
information but we are looking for more and I spoke to Louie by phone and he sent more pictures
and information - also for his brothers.
We are starting a Manning Veteran history book project and if you don't come forward you may not be included
in the book. NOT because we want to intentionally leave you out but because you didn't come forward.
Same goes for those of you who have Veterans in your family who have passed away. If you don't come forward
and help by submitting Veteran connected pictures and information your Veteran may not be included in this once
in a life-time Manning Veterans' history book.
The United States flag
is proudly displayed here and NO other flag is as IMPORTANT!
104 served in the Civil War
1 served in the Indian War
5 served in the Spanish American War
350+ served during WWI
650+ served during WWII
87+ served in the Korean war era
65+ (more names need to be found) served in the Vietnam era
55+ (many more names need to be found) served from 1975 to present
Are you currently serving and have a Manning connection?
Don't wait until you see "Deadline" or it WILL be too late!!!
Click to read promos for the Veteran book
There are a lot of WWI and some WWII Veterans pictures with no IDs.
please look at these instructions
Click to see the tutorial
A lot of times I can recognize a face or location in those old pix.