Dash Between: Henry Schriver, 96, the "Farmer Philosopher"

Henry Schriver, Farmer Philosopher

Henry Schriver, who died March 27, 2011, gave presentations on farming and the benefits of cooperatives with the zeal of an evangelist and the humor of a stand-up comedian to farmers, youth groups and community organizations across the United States as well as in Canada, Taiwan and Russia.

One of his talks was filmed and shown to farming communities around the world by the State Department.

Schriver, who delivered his speeches in rhyme and injected amusing phrases and anecdotes that one would expect from a lifelong farmer, served in the Ohio House of Representatives for one term and on the former Belden School Board for many years.

He and his wife, Dot, raised strawberries, Holstein cattle and 11 children on their dairy and fruit farm.

"One of my favorite things that Dad did in his later years, at Mom's encouragement, was write down notes of things that interested him during his life," said his daughter Carol Schriver Carpenter. "One day in the summer of 2005, he gave me a thick (3/4"-1") stack of papers and said, 'You'll know what to do with this.' "

She organized the material, put it in booklet form and distributed it to the family.

"I'd like to encourage anyone who has vivid memories of their past to do as he did--even if it requires pretending to have a nagging spouse to keep one on target!" his daughter said. "Write down those precious memories!"

As a result of Schriver's diligence, his family had no problem sharing stories from his life for "The Dash Between" obituary feature that was published in the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram on April 24, 2001.

Due to a technical glitch, the many photos his family provided were not posted with his story online. Click here to view the photos and read the captions, which are loaded with even more information about Schriver.

Henry Schriver and his wife, Dot

Dash Between: Damon Hill, 82, delivered mail in Oberlin during a bygone era

Damon Hill, Oberlin postman

Damon Hill began delivering mail on foot in Oberlin, Ohio, in the mid-1950s, when the price of a postage stamp was 3 cents and zip codes did not exist.

He took a disability retirement in 1983, shortly before 5-digits-plus-4 zips were introduced.

Click here to read his Dash Between in the April 10, 2011, edition of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram.

Dash Between: Martha Thiele Pierce, 96, philanthropist, showgirl

Martha Pierce and her sister Hilda Thiele

Martha Pierce and her late sister, Hilda Thiele, established a scholarship fund in memory of their late parents many years ago. Over the years, they awarded thousands of dollars in scholarship funds to students at Buckeye High School.

Martha also contributed generously toward the school's Thiele-Pierce Track and Soccer Field House.

When I wrote Martha's Dash Between for the April 4, 2011, edition of the Medina County Gazette, I shared more about her life as a showgirl in the 1930s and '40s.

Martha Thiele and Johnny Weismuller

Martha worked with Johnny Weismuller, a multiple Olympic Gold Medal winner and star of a dozen Tarzan movies.

She met Cecil B. DeMille, the famous movie producer whose credits include The Ten Commandments.

The showgirl also met several Big Band leaders - like Glenn Miller, Tommy Dorsey - and even mobster Al Capone, whom she described as "a little short guy."

Click here to read all about it.

Dash Between: Clarence Talcott, barber, bowler, baseball fan



Clarence A. Talcott once owned a barbershop called Clip 'n Snip in Sheffield, Ohio, across from St. Teresa Catholic Church at Colorado Ave. and Abbe Rd.

He plied his trade at several haircutting venues in Lorain, Cuyahoga and Erie counties.

In his spare time, he bowled at numerous lanes in the same areas, as well as at tournaments in and outside Ohio.

When his eyesight failed, he could no longer cut hair, but he continue making strikes with a blind bowling league.

Click here to read about Talcott's "Dash Between" his birth in Cleveland on July 30, 1921, and his death March 1, 2011, at age 89, which is published in the March 13, 2011, edition of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram.



Clarence Talcott, Cleveland Indians fan and season ticket holder, shows his "brick" at Jacobs Field.



Dash Between: Dorothy Spencer, 86, retired chief deputy of Medina County's auto title department

Spencer family, early 1950s, from left: Jack Jr., Jack Sr., Cheryl, Sandra and Dorothy. (Photo courtesy of the family.)

Dorothy Spencer served the Medina County Clerk of Courts in the auto title office in the 1960s, '70s and '80s.

Co-workers say she was dedicated to her job and to her family. When she left work each day, she went to check on her mother before going home to take care of her own household.

Toward the end of her 86 years, her passion was going out to eat and playing bingo, her family said.

Click here to read the Medina County Gazette story from March 7, 2011, about "The Dash Between" May 3, 1924, when Dorothy Spencer she was born Dorothy Ada Kreiger in what is now Westfield Center, Ohio, and Jan. 20, 2011, when she died at age 86.

Dash Between: Avery H. Wilcox Sr., 83, Christmas tree farmer

Avery Wilcox and his second wife, Betty, gathered pine branches for making pine roping and wreathes to sell in the gift shop of their Christmas tree farm in LaGrange Township, Ohio. (Photo courtesy of the family.)

Avery H. Wilcox Sr. had the intelligence, resources and passion to pursue any number of careers.

The lifelong LaGrange Township resident's brother became a NASA engineer. His sister was a dietitian. His grandparents also were college-educated and held "professional" positions in Cleveland at the end of the 19th century before returning to the family homestead in 1909.

But Avery followed the same career path as his father. He loved farming.

When asked what Avery did for fun, his son, Avery II, who carries on the family tradition, said, "He farmed for fun."

The elder Avery had raised sheep and chickens, but his chief crop since the early 1960s was Christmas trees.

Click here to read about "The Dash Between" March 5, 1927, when Avery Sr. was born on the family farm, and Jan. 22, 2011, when he died at age 83. The story appears in the Feb. 27, 2011, edition of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram.

Avery Wilcox Sr., the fellow with the rock-a-billy hair at the far right, his son, Avery II (back left) and daughter-in-law, Donna (left, wife of his son, Greg), watch Avery's first wife, Stella, beam as she holds grandbaby, Melissa, in 1976. Stella died in 1980. (Photo courtesy of the family.)

Dash Between: Pat Ziroli, 64, Italian-born English teacher, honored soccer coach

Pasquale Ziroli and his sister, Bice, in Italy.

Pat Ziroli learned to speak English after coming to America at age 12. As an adult, he spoke the language without an accent and taught English at high schools in Lorain, Ohio.

He also coached high school soccer and was named Erie Shore Conference Boys Soccer Coach of the Year for 1992, '93 and '94.

Elizabeth and Pat Ziroli visit Rome.

Click here to read Ziroli's "Dash Between" in the Feb. 13, 2011, edition of the Elyria Chronicle-Telegram.