Here's a photo that has us scratching our heads. Is it a Bluffton police officer, and if it is, could it be Wade Bechtel? It resembles Wade, but we're aren't completely convinced. Icon viewers help us with this one. Paul Diller took the photo and it was provided by Jim Diller.
Note from Darlene Hey: I looked at the photo, but I know that it isn't my dad, Wade Bechtel. I'm not sure who it is. I can remember seeing him , but I can't give you any names. Sorry!
Here's a photograph of the Missionary Church remodeling dedication, which took place in the mid-1960s. On the left is Rev. Warren, pastor at the time. In the center is John Klay. Any other viewers who can identify others in the photo please do so. Paul Diller took this photo. It is from the collection of Jim Diller.
Denny Morrison provide The Icon with this black and white snapshot. It is of Denny's father-in-law, Allan McCluer and Denny's wife Donna McCluer Morrison (sitting on the tractor). Also in the picture is Mr. Hardwick, operator of the Marathon station, which was located at the corner of Elm and Main. Today it is the A to Z Portion Meats buildling. Denny say he still has the can of oil that is being given to Al.
What's on at the Carma Theater? Looks like the laugh riot of the year. Which leads to the question, what is the year. Based upon the yellow and black license plates, the year is 1971. The photo is taken from the steps of the Bluffton post office. Hey, is that Joe's Pizza on the west side of the street? Paul Diller took this photo. It is from the Jim Diller collection.
Raise your hand if you remember Bluffton Fire Department number 3 tanker. Was it an early 1950-era Chevrolet? Paul Diller took this photo. (From the Jim Diller collection)
Carol Koontz Heath sent this photo to The Icon recently. Imagine for a moment that a Sinclair service station is at the corner of College and Main (specifically in the front lawn of the Bluffton Public Library). If you can imagine such a scene in December in the 1950s, this is what you'd see. The Koontz brothers - Joe and Jack - operated the station. This was the Christmas decoration on the top of the station. Gas was, oh, 30 cents a gallon. For more details, see Mary Koontz at the senior citizen center.
