What was your Dad like when you were a child?
by Jim Stamp on January 06, 2022.
MY DAD
August 7, 1920 to January 24, 2017
Elmer Richard Stamp was born August 7, 1920, at home in Winona, Ohio, the firstborn to John Richard and Leora Hoopes Stamp, and the first Grandson to James W. and Laura BuckStamp and Joshua W and Catherine Knoedler Hoopes. Home was the house on the hill on Whinnery Rd that later became the home of James and Clara Rhodes.
Richard Stamp and Sam Bennett were both salesmen for the Stamp Home Store in Salem and the families were very close friends. Consequently, their sons, Elmer and Glenn Bennett bonded very early and were best friends until Glenn’s death in WWII. Before Glenn left for the Army, they double dated frequently.
Another early “friendship” that was very influential to the evolution of our family was one that may have started in Church, but, blossomed in the first grade. Elmer claimed Fae Andre as his “girlfriend” from Grade One until her death June 28, 1982. The only time they were apart was when Fae attended Kent State University for 2 years after high school. Elmer married Fae Lucelia Andre (daughter of Leroy and Nova Andre) August 14, 1941 at the Winona Methodist Church. Elmer was a member of that church for 96 years where he served as a Sunday School teacher, member of many committees, and Church Treasurer.
As a youth, Elmer was active in the Church youth activities, LTL, Flax Scutching Festival at Stewart’s Grove, and 4-H Live Wires. He was very active in 4-H activities for more than 10 years: gardening, flower gardening, wood work, rope work, dairy, pig and electrical engineering. In addition to being an active 4-H member, from age 15 to age 20 he was the 4-H advisor for the Winona Boosters. In 1920, he represented Columbiana County at the State Fair and was selected by the American Legion be their delegate to the National 4-H Congress in Chicago.
On November 11, 1925, widower Joshua W Hoopes was robbed at gunpoint in his home on the Salem-Winona Rd (Rt 9). His daughter, Leora, and his son-in-law, Richard, decided that it was not safe for him to live alone and moved from their home on Whinnery Rd to Joshua’s home on Rt 9.
During high school, Elmer was severely injured during physical education class. As a result of this injury, he spent 6 ½ months in a body cast from his ankles to his armpits. His body filled with infection and the doctors drilled into his hips like they were tapping a Maple tree to drain the infection. The doctors told his parents, Richard and Leora, that he would probably never walk again or regain the use of his legs. They also said that if he recovered, he would not live to be 35. From that point on, Elmer was in pain every day of his life. But, he was determined to express a positive attitude and an easy smile. Very few people ever knew of the pain he endured.
He missed a year of school, but, graduated from Salem High School and Salem Trades Extension.
He was employed by Salem Engineering Co – which later became Salem-Brosius.
Elmer married Fae Lucelia Andre at the Winona Methodist Church on August 14, 1941. They purchased a home in Winona on the north side of Winona Rd, 4th building from the intersection. That was our home until his father-in-law, Leroy Andre died on October 30, 1946. Shortly afterward, Nova Andre moved to our home in Winona, and Dad and Mom purchased the farm from her. From then on, Elmer pursued farming as an avocation but continued to earn his living as a mechanical engineer. For the first couple years of farming, he borrowed Mr Hawthorne’s Belgian horses to plow and work the fields. He put me up on one of the horses while he plowed- no seatbelts
or helmets for us!
Elmer joined the Winona Farm Council, the Farmer’s Institute, the Farm Bureau, and was elected to the Board of Directors of Salona Supply, serving as President. He was President of the Home and School Circle for the Winona and Highland Schools. In 1949, while serving the Home and School Circle, he declared his candidacy for the new United Local School Board. He was elected to the United Local School Board for the next 20 years when he ran for the Columbiana County School Board where he served for the next 34 years. For 28 years, he was the President of the County Board. For a 2 year period, he served concurrently as a member of the County Joint Vocational Board. Dr. Paul Hood, former Columbiana County Superintendent stated that it was Elmer’s vision of a school campus and the consolidation of services (Cafeteria, busing, janitorial, etc) that made it possible for United Local Schools to operate in the black for 28 consecutive years…something that no other school district in Ohio has attained.
Elmer was a Charter member of the Winona Ruritan Club (1956) and received the National Ruritan Federation Tom Downing Fellow Award (2004) and received a certification in December, 2010 from the National Ruritan president for 54 years of service. Elmer had perfect attendance for 59 years. He worked at every Ruritan Pancake & Sausage breakfast held at Willow Grove Grange until 2014 and was the Master Pancake Batter Mixer for decades.
Not only did Elmer endure constant pain, but, he had incredible work ethic. He would get up, get dressed and go to the barn to milk cows. Come in, get cleaned up, get dressed, eat breakfast, and go to work in Salem. Then he would come home, change clothes, go to the barn and milk cows. Come in, eat supper, get cleaned up, change clothes and go to a meeting. Many of the Board of Education meetings ran until 2 to 2:30AM. Many times he would come home, change clothes, and go out an plow a field in the dark, guided by the tractor lights – Lay down for a couple of hours and do it all over again.
In 2002, Elmer was inducted into the United Local Wall of Fame. On December 9, 2010, he was awarded the first Honorary Diploma from United Local Schools for service and dedication to the school that was his passion. When the United Local Schools opened, most of the area one room schools were sold. Elmer purchased the school bell from the New Garden school and guarded it in his garage for the next 60 years when he donated it to the United Local High School as a Victory Bell located at the football field. He participated in the United Local Minstrel from 1955 and participated in every Minstrel from then on.
He was involved in the construction of the Glenn Bennett Memorial Playground, donated by Sam and Pearl Bennett to honor all those who served in WWII. Elmer knew where there was a stone that would be perfect for the monument and he drug the stone almost a mile away. He ordered the bronze plaque and chiseled the flat surface where the plaque would be mounted.
On April 3, 1942, Elmer’s name was printed in the Salem News with the list of Army inductees. His number was 1678-1035. However, when he reported to the induction center, they turned him down due to his medical history.
He was instrumental in the resurrection of the Winona Flax Scutching Festival which had been suspended during WWII. He served as Treasurer of the Winona Flax Scutching Association from 1978 until January 24, 2017. He was also a member of the Winona Area Historical Society and served as Treasurer until a couple of years ago. He was involved in the construction of Hall Park in Winona. While doing this he was a Hospice of the Valley volunteer.
For someone who was not supposed to walk again and who was in constant pain, he enjoyed square dancing and was a member of the Minerva Burlesques and Salem Square Wheels square dance clubs. He was a 54 year member of the Salem United Commercial Travelers Club #590, and, a member of the Columbiana County Chapter of the Ohio Genealogical Society
Elmer finished his Mechanical Engineering career at Electric Furnace in Salem. He tried to have a normal retirement but they kept calling him back. They needed him to design furnaces with his slide-rule and T square. The younger guys thought he was a relic with his primitive tools…but, if the designs weren’t in a computer program or on CAD, they had no idea where to start. He finally told them he was done – at 82 years old.
We are grateful to our Mother for choosing such a remarkable man to be our father. They raised three sons: James Allen, Elmer Lee, Jay Leroy; and daughter, Sharon Ann. They had 10 grandchildren and 14 great-grandchildren.
He lived his life serving his family, his church, and the community he loved. His heart never strayed from his Winona roots, his family, his farm, or his beloved United Local Schools.Jim Stamp, January 06, 2022