Vol. 37, No. 49
PO Box 603, Wabash, IN 46992 (260) 563-8326
Girls’ Sectional 37 at Manchester High School This Week webTV will broadcast all games involving a Wabash County Team
of Wabash County Inc.
www.thepaperofwabash.com
See page 22 for schedule
February 11, 2015
Proudly Serving Wabash County Since 1977
Beacon to acquire Midwest Ag Finance
‘American Sniper’ has ties to Wabash County Local man is related to one of SEALs featured in book, film
By The Paper staff Beacon Credit Union announced Friday, Feb. 6, it has reached an agreement to acquire Midwest Ag Finance. The agreement has been approved by the board of directors of both financial institutions and includes the purchase of assets and assumption of liabilities. The transaction requires final approval of the Indiana Department of Financial Institutions. “We are very pleased to welcome the team of Midwest Ag Finance and their customers to the Beacon Credit Union Family,” said Kevin Willour, CEO of Beacon Credit Union. “Having developed an outstanding partnership with Midwest Ag Finance for the past 15 years, we recognize that they bring with them a strong reputation in agricultural finance, and we believe our two business models fit very well together. Our similar lending philosophies, along with the knowledgeable, experienced, and adaptive staff from both organizations will provide for a smooth transition. This acquisition will expand Beacon Credit Union’s ability to provide quality agriculturalbased financial products and services to all corners of Indiana.“ With the combined products, services, and experienced staff from both organizations, Beacon Credit Union will take its place as a premier provider of agricultural based loans, equipment leasing, and crop insurance in the state of Indiana. As part of the transaction, Beacon Credit Union will retain the staff of Midwest Ag Finance including current President and Founder Jerry Nickel who will join the BCU Senior Executive Team. “We started Midwest Ag Finance because we recognized that the agricultural community was in need of financial resources that were delivered in a consistent and dependable manner— whether in good times or in bad times,” Nickel said. “To ensure that this legacy continues, it was critical for us to find a partner that was not only a stable, dependable lender, but most importantly, one that was deeply rooted in agriculture and shared this same vision. “We can say with certainty that Beacon Credit Union is that partner. We take great pride in our brand promise of relationships, knowledge, and security of both farm and family, and these ideals will continue to be as common for customers going forward as they are today. Customers will see the (continued on page 6)
By Joseph Slacian jslacian@thepaperofwabash.com
Bill Gerding stands behind the bar at Market Street Grill. A fixture in Wabash for nearly 30 years, Gerding is retiring at the end of February. Photo by Harold Chatlosh
Gerding to retire from Market Street Grill By Joseph Slacian jslacian@thepaperofwabash.com For most of his life, Bill Gerding has been in the food business. He started as a teenager in Fort Wayne and, after close to 10 years working on the railroad, he returned to an area he knows and loves the most. For nearly 30 years, Gerding has been
in Wabash, the majority of the time spent as owner of Market Street Grill, 90 W. Market St. His time in his familiar spot, on a stool at the far end along the east side of the bar, will be coming to an end soon, as he prepares to retire at the end of February. “I’ve been in the restaurant business since I was a sophomore in high school,” (continued on page 6)
Jones retires after 49 years of service to LaFontaine area residents By Emma Rausch emma@thepaperofwabash.com LaFontaine Public Works Utility Superintendent Denny Jones, 67, is retiring after 49 years of town service, but he really wishes he wasn’t being recognized for it. “I’m kind of a low-key, get it done type. I don’t need the hoopla,” Jones said. However, Jones is being celebrated for more than just his service as a public works officer. Since 1966, Jones has In LaFontaine, since 1966, Denny Jones has acted as served LaFontaine as a Synder the town’s “go-to guy.” Among many services, he has Tire & Battery break mechan- cared for the town as the town marshal, fire chief, and assisted with snowplowing. (continued on page 26)
Wabash resident Hal Job knew his second cousin was a member of the U.S. Navy’s SEAL Team Three. He didn’t realize, until just recently, just how extraordinary his cousin, Second Warfare Operator 2nd Class (SO2) Ryan Curtis Job was. As a member of SEAL Team Three, SO2 Job provided cover for fellow SEAL Chris Kyle on a variety of missions in Iraq. Kyle, the deadliest marksman in U.S. military history, is the subject of the book and Academy Award-nominated movie “America Sniper.” SO2 Job is featured prominently in both the book and movie. Hal Job sits at a small, round table at Modoc’s Market, a variety of papers scattered in front of him. The papers all contain information about his cousin, some of which he knew, some of which he learned researching his relative. “He got his pilot’s license when he was 17,” the Wabash resident told The Paper of Wabash County. “His grandfather, my uncle, retired from the Air Force as a lieutenant colonel. “Ryan’s father went into the Navy to be a Navy SEAL, but he didn’t make it as a Navy SEAL. What made Ryan change from flying to becoming a Navy SEAL, I don’t know, but he went into the Navy SEALs and he made it. “He was just an extraordinarily focused individual who wanted to serve his country. He comes from a family of people who have served. “I didn’t realize the part that he played until I saw the movie and read the book.” A tragedy in Iraq A Washington state resident, the younger Ryan Job – nicknamed “Biggles” by his fellow SEALs — completed three years of college at the University of Washington before enlisting in the Navy in 2002. He completed SEAL training in 2004 and was assigned to SEAL Team Three. In 2006, he was deployed to Ramadi, Iraq, as a member of Task United Bruiser. There, he conducted numerous operations, often times paired up with Kyle, as part of the “Awakening of Al Anbar” mission. In August 2006, while providing secu(continued on page 5)