Jump to content
American Road Magazine
Celebrating our two-lane highways of yesteryear…And the joys of driving them today!

Obituaries in the News


RoadDog
 Share

Recommended Posts

It is with a very heavy heart that I write this post.

 

I just learned of the death on June 21 of Robert (Bob) Delgadillo - of Delgadillo's Snow-Cap in Seligman, Arizona on Route 66. We counted ourselves very lucky to call Bob a friend.

 

Bob's obituary may be found on-line at the Prescott, Arizona "Daily Courier" at: http://www.dcourier.com/main.asp?SectionID...SubSectionID=28 :(

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 9 months later...

WALLY BRONNER (1927-2008)

 

Founded Christmas Wonderland in Frankenmuth, Michigan

 

Wally Bronner, 81, died April 1st. He founded what is billed as the World's Largest Christmas Store in 1954 after starting a sign-painting business in his parents' basement. Later, he added float decorating fair booths and store windows to his business.

 

In 1951, he met with merchants from Clare, Mi, who were looking for Christmas lamppost decorations. From there, he started doing the same for other towns.

 

In 1954, he an his wife Irene, opened their first store in downtown Frankenmuth, and then two more buildings were purchased in 1966 and 1971. The three stores became so congested on fall weekends that he had to hire doormen to control the crowds.

 

In 1977. he consolidated the three stores into one big one on 45 acres on Frankenmuth's southside. Today, the store has grown to cover five football fields worth of space.

 

www.bronners.com

 

Quite a rags to riches story. Unfortunately, I have never been to this store. If anyone's been there, tell me about it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

IRVINE ROBBINS, 90 Died May 6th.

 

Co-founded the Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream Empire with brother-in-law.

 

Noted for coming up with different ice cream concoctions. Started in LA after WW II after cashing in a bar mitzvah insurance policy for $6000.

 

1958-- when Dodgers came to LA, came out with Baseball Nut-- with raspberries for umpires.

 

Shall we have 31 days of mourning?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Two Food Innovators

 

 

Neal Baker, 84, founded Baker's Drive-Thru restaurants in California, today a regional 36 store chain. Helped the McDonald Brothers build the first McDonald's store in San Bernardino. Later, he and high school buddy Glen Bell, opened their own hamburger stand on the outskirts of San Bernardino which eventually became Taco Bell (so that's where the Bell comes from).

 

 

Benjamin A. Kramer died June 4th. He and his brother Sidney started a mini-chain of three Pickle Barrels in the Chicago area, with the best-known being at Old Town in Chicago. If memory serves me, they were among the first, if not the first, to put out pickles and peanuts on the tables and you got to throw the shells on the floor. I really thought that was neat.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

I am sad to say that I received an email from David Knudson reporting that his wife, Mary Lou, passed away in her sleep at 2 pm Saturday July 5th at Mountains Community Hospital in Lake Arrowhead. She had been very sick for about 3 weeks.

 

Mary Lou was a very accomplished woman. She was voted into the "Who's Who Of American

Women" when there was only one and it was a great honor.

 

Mary Lou was a professional model, she managed a chain of women's clothing stores, she was

president of the Riverside Women's Club and with her husband David, founded the National

Route 66 Federation. This nonprofit organization spearheaded the Congressional bill which

allocated $10 million for the restoration of properties and communities along the

legendary road.

 

Mary Lou was born at March Air Force Base in Riverside, CA while her father was in the

Air Force.

 

If you want information about the services or would like to send flowers, please let me know and I will provide the details.

 

 

 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am sad to say that I received an email from David Knudson reporting that his wife, Mary Lou, passed away in her sleep at 2 pm Saturday July 5th at Mountains Community Hospital in Lake Arrowhead. She had been very sick for about 3 weeks.

 

Mary Lou was a very accomplished woman. She was voted into the "Who's Who Of American

Women" when there was only one and it was a great honor.

 

Mary Lou was a professional model, she managed a chain of women's clothing stores, she was

president of the Riverside Women's Club and with her husband David, founded the National

Route 66 Federation. This nonprofit organization spearheaded the Congressional bill which

allocated $10 million for the restoration of properties and communities along the

legendary road.

 

Mary Lou was born at March Air Force Base in Riverside, CA while her father was in the

Air Force.

 

If you want information about the services or would like to send flowers, please let me know and I will provide the details.

 

Thanks for posting this, Becky. I just read about it on another forum and was going to post it here as well. Mary Lou was a true gem. I first met her & David in 1996 at the "Run to the Heartland" in Landergin, TX, which was the first big Route 66 get-together. I was there by myself, didn't know a soul, and while sitting at a table waiting for the next event on the schedule, David & Mary Lou were at the table next to me and invited me over to sit with them. It was then David told me all about his newly formed National Historic Route 66 Federation. The work she and David put into the Federation and 66 can't be put into words. Let's all keep David in our prayers.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I am sad to say that I received an email from David Knudson reporting that his wife, Mary Lou, passed away...

I met Mary Lou just a few times but it was enough to really appreciate her. She will certainly be missed.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 month later...

Sorry to see that Jerry Reid, old Cledus "Snowman" Snow has gone to that great highway in the sky.

 

Unfortunately, he was probably better known for his role in Smokey and the Bandit, than his music, which was also impressive with tunes like "When You're Hot, You're Hot," "Amos Moses." and "She Got the GoldMine, I Got the Shaft."

 

Smokey and the Bandit is one of the great roadtrip movies of all time.

 

One of my all-time favorite scenes was after the motorcycle gang beat him up after old Fred's supposed indiscretion. There he is in the cab of his truck looking miserable and battered. Suddenly this big old grin comes across his face and fade to that line of motorcycles parked in front of his rig. You just knew what was going to happen next.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sorry to see that Jerry Reid, old Cledus "Snowman" Snow has gone to that great highway in the sky.

 

Unfortunately, he was probably better known for his role in Smokey and the Bandit, than his music, which was also impressive with tunes like "When You're Hot, You're Hot," "Amos Moses." and "She Got the GoldMine, I Got the Shaft."

 

Smokey and the Bandit is one of the great roadtrip movies of all time.

 

One of my all-time favorite scenes was after the motorcycle gang beat him up after old Fred's supposed indiscretion. There he is in the cab of his truck looking miserable and battered. Suddenly this big old grin comes across his face and fade to that line of motorcycles parked in front of his rig. You just knew what was going to happen next.

 

I just got through watching SATB (special DVD edition which includes doucumentary short "Loaded Up and Truckin'", and it's one movie I can enjoy over and over again.

 

God rest Jerry's soul and may he eternally jam on with Elvis, Chet, and the rest of the gang in "Nashville Heaven".

 

Sincerely,

Steve Williams :)

Atlanta, GA

Blogmaster, "The Georgia Road Geek"

Producer, "ROADGEEK-CAM!!!"

http://www.georgiaroadgeek.com

http://www.roadgeek-cam.com

http://www.blogtalkradio.com/georgiaroadgeek

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Recently recieved word on the Hudson Forum of the passing of John A. Conde. Mr. Conde was employed by American Motors for over 30 years as director of public relations.

 

John was a noted automotive historian recognized for his broad interest in the in the development of the automobile industry. He was the curator of transportation at the Henry Ford Museum in Dearborn and also devoted 32 years as the public relations director at American Motors creating one of the most complete corporate archives in the industry. From 1951 to 1976 he compiled and edited nine different 'Family Albums', which recorded the graphic story with original factory photographs of the development of American Motors and its many predecessor companies.

 

John was a founding member and a director of the Society of Automotive Historians, a longtime member of the Board of Trustees of the National Automotive History Collection of the Detroit Public Library and an active member of many of the car hobby clubs in the United States. His carefully researched articles on auto history have appeared in many automobile magazines, and he has given his popular color slide presentations on automobile subjects to numerous clubs and organizations across the country. His library of original automotive literature and photographs comprises one of the most extensive private collections in existence.

 

John's first book 'The Cars that Hudson Built' was the culmination of over 25 years of research and planning when he was involved in the negotiations that led to the merger of Nash-Kelvinator Corporation and the Hudson Motor Car Company to form American Motors.

 

John was also a member of several car hobby clubs throughout the United States.

 

Mr. Conde was one of the last of a vanishing breed - a true gentleman. I was fortunate to have met him at several Hudson-Essex-Terraplane Club National meets.

 

Hudsonly,

Alex Burr

Memphis, TN

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
 Share

×
×
  • Create New...