10 Years Ago Richard K. Waterson retired after 30 years with the Kosciusko County Sheriff’s Department. He began in 1974 as a reserve officer under Sheriff John Hammersley, and became assistant director of the work release program in 1998. Gus Gigous, 6, kindergarten student at Leesburg Elementary School, won a $100 savings bond from the WSBT “I Love to Read Challenge.” He and his parents read 4,940 minutes. Martin Linares, second-grader from Lincoln, also won. Peg and Chuck Lawrence, owners of Fisherman’s Cove, were named “People of the Year” at the North Webster Chamber of Commerce Banquet. Peg served for many years as town clerk; Chuck drives a school bus. 25 Years Ago Chris Patrick and Brody Shively, Warsaw, took firsts in the Indiana State Wrestling Association open meet held at Plymouth April 1. Four other wrestlers took seconds: Dan Hatch, Joel Holder, Aaron Wilson, Cale Shively. Third-places were taken by Sean Patrick and Travis Hancock. Others competing from Warsaw were Ben Irvine, Geoff Patrick, Greg Patrick, Craige Westover, Anthony McDonald and Chris Neeley. The Rev. Marvin “Hank” Lowman, pastor of Cook’s Chapel Church, Warsaw, returns as a missionary in the villages of the state of Kerala along the Malabar coast of southern India. The Rev. T.S. Simon, an Indian native, attended Grace Seminary in 1973, and was interpreter for Lowman that year and in 1975. 50 Years Ago James Isbell, Syracuse, remembers the old Medusa Cement Plant there. The plant started production between 1902-05 and manufactured cement until about 1920. Drudges would scoop marl from the lake, which was transferred to the plant at the east end of Medusa Street. Samuel Dungan, Leesburg, caught a 19-pound northern pike in Tippecanoe Lake this summer. It was the largest reported in Indiana. Jerry Walther of Sidney High School is the only basketball player in the school’s history to top the 1,000 point mark during his career – 1,102 in three years according to Sidney Coach Bill Patrick. Teammate Henry Whitaker had 893 in four years of action. 75 Years Ago First owners of factory-made automobiles in Warsaw were the late Dr. John W. LeFever, veterinarian, and the late Frank Hafert, retail merchant. They owned White Steamer autos in 1901 that looked like a buggy, minus dashboard, steered with a straight handle by the driver sitting on the right-hand side of the seat. A pilot light touched off the two-cylinder motor after a 15-minute or more wait to generate steam. In the rear was the water tank. They had pneumatic tires somewhat larger than bicycle tires, coal oil head lamps which shed a dim light, wire wheels and a folding buggy top. Rural Mail Carrier Russell LeFever says that his father’s Steamer had a license tag with the number B 81. After many years Russell traded it for a horse and buggy. The car was in possession of mechanic Fred Richmond at Munson’s Garage.
