40^th Birthday Party

by Shawn Miller

Over 60 members new and old gathered at Gene Perkins Garage on March 17 for a day of reminiscing and revelry. Yvonne Sheek and other volunteers greeted them and offered to sell them long since forgotten Indiana Region car badges for those who didn’t have one. A stunning presentation of goodies was flanked by large vases of forsythia with whole lemons floating in the water in the vases making for a lovely centerpiece. Behind the wonderful buffet table rows of tables filled the center of Gene’s new garage flanked on both sides by Gene’s amazing collection of rolling sculpture. Ragtime music filled the room as Genes restored player piano kept beat effortlessly behind the lovely stained glass insert above the keyboard.

As a late comer I was amazed at the turnout and moreover how easily the large number of guests fit into the garage. For those of you who haven’t seen this garage yet it is more like a museum setting with rows of lovely 100 point cars on both sides of what must be a 100 foot long building. One immediately notices the steel walls and ceiling that gently reflect the sheen of the cars highlighted by innumerable recessed spots from above. The gently sloping floor is exposed pebble aggregate, not merely concrete, and drops almost unnoticeably to a central row of drains which run the length of the building. Large Period Packard signs are strategically placed along the walls, as are those of other marques that Gene collects. At the front of the Garage there is a good-sized kitchen and opposing that a large office (that will eventually become the library) with full-length glass walls and lovely woodwork.

Once everyone got seated and ran through the buffet, John Klein started off the festivities which basically included many founding and long time members sharing their stories of the early days of the club and remembering old friends both here and gone. Every one present was given the opportunity to introduce themselves and share anything they wished after the main speakers were finished. A recurring theme was the feeling by most present that this club is the finest group they have ever been associated with, and that if they had to drop membership in any of the car clubs they are in, this would be the last one dropped.

Charter members present were: Ruth Dougherty, Bob & Edna Fischer (Bob is also the one who named our publication "The Hoosier Horn" and drove his 1941 Packard 7-pass sedan from Evansville to attend), Mr. & Mrs. A. J. (Art) Iles, Jerry Jones, Reverend & Mrs. Bob Miller. Ron Stuckey and Bob Titlow just missed being charter members.

Past members present were: Lou Durkee, Betty Kohlmeyer, Bill & Jane Locke, Mr. & Mrs. Larry Nicklin, John Schaler, and Bill Uteg.

Other members present were: Howard & Kathryn Clark, Charles & Dorothy Clements, Charley Cook and his daughter, Lance & Pat Deer, Bill & Carolyn Greer, Jack & Joyce Hansen, Tom & Paula Hartz, Jeff Henry, Steve Jones, John & Elaine Klein (1937 Packard Formal Sedan), Bill Lurvey, Don & Bev McCallum (1934 Packard), Hugh & Sally McKnight (1941 Lincoln continental Coupe), Bill & Sonya Miller, Shawn Miller (1936 Auburn Sedan), Steve Ortman and guests, Ian Patton, Bob & Maida Pierson, Gene & Sally Perkins, Jim & Pam Ray, Fred Salmon and guests, Phil Schaefer, Dan & Yvonne Sheek (1933 LaSalle Sedan), Jeffrery Shively, Helen Vogel, Andy & Madonna Wolf (1938 Packard Convertible. Sedan), Turner Woodard and guest.

There was much reminiscing about the pictures from the past, as well as the first Hoosier Horns. Some brought laughs and a lot of "remember when"?

After the program members lingered for a long time enjoying each other’s company and sharing stories of the way things were and still are in some cases. Most of us young folk were sorry we weren’t born a little earlier after hearing all the stories of 3000 dollar Duesenbergs and 1200 dollar Packard Dual cowl phaetons. Of course in year 2000 dollars these sums would be quite a bit higher, although I still haven’t seen a Duesie available for anything close to what this would equate to given the normal inflation factoring. As a young member it was good to meet many people I have only heard of and/or read about.