Betty’s Column

LOCAL HISTORY

Kenneth Obendor f g rew up in farm country, shelling corn

Editor’s Note: The following is a portion of a tribute given by Steve O b e n d o r f a b o u t h i s d a d K e n n e t h Obendorf.

One year ago this month, my f a t h e r , K e n n e t h C h a r l e s Obendorf passed away at the age of 90. At his wake, my mother was given a framed picture featuring the names of their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

You can find the “W” image on today’s reflection guide as he was a big Cubs fan. The line at the bottom said: “The House That Kenny Built – 1930 to 2021.”

My father grew up in farm country and lived his entire life in the same area with most of it on the same farm.

He was a corn sheller just like his father who started the business in 1930 and he knew every farmer in the area.

He would travel around to area farms and use his machine to extract the corn from the large barn and cribs used to store and dry the corn until it was ready to send to market. A series of conveyors was laid out and the cribs were opened up to let the corn flow into the drag system.

The ears of corn would flow up into the machine and the separation process would begin. Kernels of corn would come out one “arm” and drop into a waiting wagon or truck to be driven to the local grain elevator.

Corn cobs would come out another “arm” and drop into a wagon where the farmer would use it for bedding for his livestock. The husks would be ejected by a large blower shoot where it could also be collected and used as bedding. I am sure that the corn sheller was quite the labor-saving invention of its day.

My father would tell the story about the worker who accidentally dropped his wallet into the machine one day. He was distraught when they found it with the corn cobs, but the cash was missing. My father promptly walked around to the other side and found that the money had been sucked out of the wallet and deposited with the husks. Problem solved!

Corn shelling was a noisy, dusty and tiring process that could easily be featured on the show Dirty Jobs. As a young boy, I would tag along on occasion and mostly assist the farm dogs as they chased down the mice and rats that came scurrying out of the cribs.

The business of corn shelling was made obsolete in the 1970s once enough farmers had the resources to purchase a combine. Later in life, my father was fortunate to move up the grain processing food chain as he co-owned and operated a grain elevator.

Fortunately, my brother and I did not pursue the family business, but my father would say that he helped put four children and his wife through college by charging 2 cents a bushel to shell corn. That math would not work today!

I was the third of the four children. Growing up, we lived next door to my grandmother with my aunt and uncle a short walk away. Our house started as a few rooms transported from a neighbor’s property and placed on a r e b u i l t f o u n d a t i o n . S o m e h o w t h e house did not end up collapsed in the basement. My father added on rooms from there as the family grew.

We were probably considered middle to lower middle class, but we had the necessities of life with both friends and family a big part of our life.

Based on his family’s medical history, my father did not expect to live past 70 but he nearly made it to 91. It takes a certain level of toughness and resilience to be a corn sheller and labor each day and that toughness helped my father fight through many injuries including those incurred in the later years of his life.

When COVID hit in early 2020, we like many others had the challenge of protecting our elderly parents while not isolating them completely. By this time, my dad had dodged death a few times and we knew he did not have much time left.

Visiting them and still protecting them became difficult. His 90th birthday bash in May 2020 turned into a car parade of local friends with one guy jumping out of his car to deliver his gift using a fishing pole. Such is life in small town America!

I was blessed to deliver part of my father’s eulogy last April. It was a short reflection that I titled “Footwasher”.

My dad was simple man and a foot washer. He did not go to college, have a prestigious job, or earn a lot of money but he knew how to love his neighbor. He was a people person who enjoyed spending time with his friends and family, and he seemed to know everyone, everywhere.

He understood the importance of serving his community as he did many of the simple, volunteer jobs that make a small community like Polo so special. Whether it was driving friends to appointments or card games, mowing the grass for the Polo Historical Society, or just visiting someone in the hospital or their home, he wanted to help in any way possible.

And trying to wrestle the dinner bill away from him was always a challenge.

While he did not invent the concept of “paying it forward,” he truly lived the idea.

POLO HISTORY Betty Obendorf

Betty and Kenneth on their wedding day.

• Betty Obendorf, a retired teacher and a volunteer for the Polo Historical Society, was married to Kenneth for 70 years.

OBITUARIES

OMER LYLE DEETS

Born: March 15, 1927 in Milledgeville, Illinois Died: April 21, 2022 in Milledgeville, Illinois

Omer Lyle Deets Born in Carroll County to Glenn and Avis (Buxton) Deets. Graduated from Milledgeville High School in 1945 and was the last surviving member of his class. Long time member of Harvest Time Bible Church. Omer married Joyce Rogene Zier in 1951 at the First Brethren Church in Milledgeville, IL.

He is survived by his wife, Joyce, and Sister-in-Law Opal (Paul) Deets; Daughter Leanne Deets Reecher of Jacksonville, FL and Son Norman O.L (Marti) Deets of Milledgeville; Special granddaughter Lindsey (Andy) Pfister and great grandsons, Ben and Jack of Plymouth, WI.;

Special grandson Tim (Erin) Deets and great grandchildren, twins Liliana and Cillian, Cian and Lorelai of Winnebago, IL.

Farming more than 70 years was his joy in life. Omer enjoyed many winters in BareFoot Bay, FL playing golf and softball. He relished attending his grandchildren’s school and sports activities.

A private burial took place at the South Elkhorn cemetery in Milledgeville.

A memorial service will be held at the Polo Senior Center in Polo, IL May 7, 2022 at 10:30 AM with a meal afterward.

In lieu of flowers memorial funds are established for the Polo Senior Center and the Milledgeville Fire Department.

Condolences may be sent to www.schillingfuneralhome.com

MARION BACHMAN

Born: October 30, 1931 in Grant Park, Illinois Died: April 29, 2022 in Freeport, Illinois

Marion Bachman, 90, of Forreston, passed away, Friday April 29, 2022, at FHN Memorial Hospital. Marion was born in Grant Park, Illinois, the daughter of John and Mary (Teggelaar) Prium. Marion married John Garrity in Rome, Italy. After Mr. Garrity passed away, she married Kenneth Bachman on August 5, 2005. Marion traveled the country extensively. She learned the game of golf at the age of 77 and enjoyed playing. Surviving is the love of her life, husband, Kenneth Bachman; two daughters, Joy (John) Eklund of Mason, Ohio and Karen ( Dr. Keith) Ruter of Forreston; four grandchildren, Dr. Aaron (Brittney) Ruter, Margo (Jason) Hawk, Karl (Anais) Eklund, and Benjamin Eklund; stepson, Kenneth “Buck” Bachman; stepdaughter, Dawn (Kurt) Arndt; sister, Sophie Jongsma of Orland Park. Also surviving are four great-grandchildren. Marion was preceded in death by her parents. Visitation will be 10:30-11:30 a.m. Wednesday May 4, 2022 at Forreston Reformed Church, 501 3rd Ave, Forreston, IL. The funeral service will begin at 11:30 a.m. with Pastor Lyle Zumdahl officiating. Burial will be in White Oak Cemetery. A memorial has been established in Marion’s memory.