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Sounds like he subscribed to that slogan, neither wind nor sleet......
Was that Steve Gerkin's grandpa?
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I remember that Joe had a "blacksmith shop, done mechanical work, etc." across the street from Garner Chevrolet when I was growing up. It was a small building and was covered with brown asphalt shingles. He had 2 boys and a girl. The girl married Delbert Knapp, the oldest son married a girl from Hamilton and they had a grocery store where Lila's is now. Later Shorty and Lorene Wade had a store there. The younger boy helped Guy Vaughn with the mortuary. I believe that boy's name was Charles. I think the girl was Dorothy, but can't remember what Steve's Dad's name was.
Marcia wasn't there a lady by the name of Bland that also was a carrier out of Piedmont?
Myrna
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My 59 year old memory is failing me, but there was a man we all called Pop Bland that I thought had something to do with the mail and that Hobe Scott took over after he died. Since I didn't live in the community very long I can't be sure of this. Maybe Pop did something else. He had a daughter, Ramona, in school while I was there.
The Gerkin that was in the grocery store was Paul Gerkin, his wife was Dorothy and their daughter's name was Dorthea. I believe Ramona Bland carried the mail for awhile--don't know what route as even though we lived close to Piedmont, our mail has always come out on the Howard Routes.
mlw
When would Ramona have carried the mail? She graduated in 1949, became a teacher, lived in the Topeka area for years until they bought and built northwest of Piedmont. Her name was and may still be Carpenter. Marcia, don't you have the rural route carriers for Piedmont? You said there were 2 routes that were combined after Gherkin died. Who carried the other route?
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The Ramona Bland I mentioned is Ramona Carpenter.
mlw
Ramona was still alive at the time of the alumni reunion last spring. She didn't have any children. As far as I know she still lives out northwest of Piedmont where she and her husband built a new house before their divorce. I am thinking now that I had confused Pop Bland with Mr. Campbell. Naomi Campbell was in my class, Ramona was a year behind us and they both lived in the south end of Piedmont. I am thinking that Ramona was living in Topeka in the early 1960's or 70's. I know my husband and I were in Topeka for a meeting of some kind and went to see her while we were there.
Kate Rader sees Ramona at church and will ask her tomorrow about the mail routes. Kate started at the post office in Piedmont in 1969 and Ramona was living in the Topeka area then.
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I stand corrected.
mlw
Now, I am wondering where I got the idea that Bland was connected with the post office. If Ramona says they weren't, no one would know better than she.