My father, Willard Elwin Shinkle, was born September 5, 1905 in Cadmus. Linn, Kansas. There were
no hospitals in the area. He was the youngest of the children. He worked hard on their farm and in their
local small grocery store. He was the only one of the children who went to college. He attended Baker
University in Baldwin, Kansas where he met my mother Maymie R.K. (Sally) Crissman.
They were married during the great depression and bought a car with borrowed money. They didn’t like owing money so they ate beans, rice and no meat or extra foods so they could pay off the debt quickly. They started teaching school in a small town in Kansas and saved their money.
With the saved money he opened a grocery store in Wellsville, KS., and because it was still the depression many customers couldn’t always pay for what they bought but he allowed them to take what they needed. He also opened a small truck line and during the 2nd World War gas was rationed so he would take groceries out to the country for people who couldn’t drive into town. He hired a local man to be the driver and they bought a home across the street from us in Wellsville. Also with this truck line he hauled local cattle and pigs to Kansas City where they could be butchered and sold.
When the 2nd World War started he soon volunteered to serve in the army, but he was discharged early because my mother couldn’t handle all the responsibilities and was about to have a breakdown. I have his Honorable Discharge paper showing he was 37 years old, had blue eyes, gray hair, and light complexion and was 5 ft. 11 and 1⁄2 inches. He returned to Wellsville to run the grocery store and the truck line until he bought a John Deere dealership in Liberty, MO.
We bought a home in Kansas City very close to where my Grandfather Crissman lived. He ran the John Deere dealership for many years and was very successful. He hired a black man as his head mechanic and locals were angry when my Dad wouldn’t fire him, so they broke the window of his large facility. He made many friends there as he had in Wellsvile because he was generous and kind. He was asked to run for mayor but he declined to be that involved in things outside his own business.
He had a very good singing voice and would sing when my mother played the piano. He was always a
very loving and kind father. We didn’t get to see a lot of him with the business about 40 miles from our
home. He would go to church on Sundays with the family when we were in town, but we often went
down into Kansas to visit his family on that day since that was the only day his business was closed.
In the mid 1950’s he became very depressed and in that era there were no anti‐depressent meds and so he eventually committed suicide. I was in Europe at the time and when I learned about his tragic death I couldn’t eat for several days. The funeral service was beautiful. There were many people there from Wellsville, Fontana and all his siblings with their families. He was buried in a cemetery in Garnett, Kansas close to his parents and other family members. The graveside service was perfect.
I am so grateful he was/is my father and look forward to seeing him again in the next life.
Joanna Shinkle Nicklin
They were married during the great depression and bought a car with borrowed money. They didn’t like owing money so they ate beans, rice and no meat or extra foods so they could pay off the debt quickly. They started teaching school in a small town in Kansas and saved their money.
With the saved money he opened a grocery store in Wellsville, KS., and because it was still the depression many customers couldn’t always pay for what they bought but he allowed them to take what they needed. He also opened a small truck line and during the 2nd World War gas was rationed so he would take groceries out to the country for people who couldn’t drive into town. He hired a local man to be the driver and they bought a home across the street from us in Wellsville. Also with this truck line he hauled local cattle and pigs to Kansas City where they could be butchered and sold.
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| Elwin Shinkle is second from the left. He is pictured here with his brothers, brothers-in-law and grandfather John J. Shinkle. |
When the 2nd World War started he soon volunteered to serve in the army, but he was discharged early because my mother couldn’t handle all the responsibilities and was about to have a breakdown. I have his Honorable Discharge paper showing he was 37 years old, had blue eyes, gray hair, and light complexion and was 5 ft. 11 and 1⁄2 inches. He returned to Wellsville to run the grocery store and the truck line until he bought a John Deere dealership in Liberty, MO.
We bought a home in Kansas City very close to where my Grandfather Crissman lived. He ran the John Deere dealership for many years and was very successful. He hired a black man as his head mechanic and locals were angry when my Dad wouldn’t fire him, so they broke the window of his large facility. He made many friends there as he had in Wellsvile because he was generous and kind. He was asked to run for mayor but he declined to be that involved in things outside his own business.
In the mid 1950’s he became very depressed and in that era there were no anti‐depressent meds and so he eventually committed suicide. I was in Europe at the time and when I learned about his tragic death I couldn’t eat for several days. The funeral service was beautiful. There were many people there from Wellsville, Fontana and all his siblings with their families. He was buried in a cemetery in Garnett, Kansas close to his parents and other family members. The graveside service was perfect.
I am so grateful he was/is my father and look forward to seeing him again in the next life.
Joanna Shinkle Nicklin
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| Willard Elwin Shinkle with daughter, Joanna Claire Shinkle ( bride) Mary Rebecca Shinkle ( Becky) and Helen Virginia Shinkle and other bride's maid is sister in law to Joanna. This was Joanna's wedding to the infamous Mr. Brown. |
