Clifton Leroy Backhaus, 75, of Dunnigan, died in Grass Valley at a tractor meet on Sunday June 3, 2007. Services were held at Mc Nary’s Chapel in Woodland, California on Saturday June 9 at 10:00AM, with burial at Mary’s Cemetery in Yolo, California. A tractor procession in Mr. Backhaus’ memory followed the service from the Chapel to Mary’s Cemetery. A memorial luncheon was held at the Woodland Lion’s Clubhouse on Lincoln Avenue, Woodland. Cliff is survived by his wife of fifty three years, Adella,his daughter Sherry and her husband Mike Carrere, sons Steven and wife Valerie, Gregory , and Spencer and fiancé Carnation and 4 grandchildren
I’m reminded of the old Johnny Cash song with lyrics of
“I long for a trip, I need no grip, I’m takin’
one more ride.”
Long time branch 13 member Jack Garrison lost his battle with
cancer and passed away peacefully at his home in Granite Bay on
July 10, 2006. He is survived by his wife Mary, sons Dave, Ronnie,
Jerry, Danny, and daughter Cindy.
After completing his Navy service aboard the U.S.S. Essex, Jack’s
occupations included beekeeping and truck driving but he was truly
a Jack-of-all-trades. His hobbies included sailing, restoring
and showing his vehicles and farm equipment, flying, skiing, and
volunteer at the Folsom Railroad Museum. Jack was an active member
of branch 13 and exhibited his tractors and engines at most of
our shows.
Jack was born February 23, 1937 in French Camp, CA and married
Mary in 1982. They became guardians of his brother's children
Jerry, Cindy, and Danny. They hosted international ex- change
students and teachers and their home was a haven for their family
and many friends. Jack was always willing to help someone from
our engine and tractor club, to loan his tools and equipment,
and tell a good story. He will be missed by many.
Tom Garamendi was born October 12, 1943, he was the child of
Ray Garamendi and Mary Jane McSorley Garamendi. Tom passed away
at his home September 24, 2005. Tom was the oldest of 7 children,
and was raised on a ranch in Chili Gulch near Mokelumne Hill,
California.
Tom graduated from Mokelumne Hill Elementary School, Calaveras
High School and Sacramento State College. Tom also attended Sierra
College, UNR and Sacramento City J.C. During his days at Sacramento
City College Tom met his wife Evan Anne Emslie. Tom and Evan were
married in 1967 and soon after made their home near Mokelumne
Hill where they raised two children, Megan and Michael. They now
have three grandchildren.
Tom worked in the Health Departments of Amador and Calaveras Counties
for many years and then for the State Department of Corrections
where he retired in 2004. Tom was involved in many community activities
which included being a Director of the Calaveras County Fair,
an active member of the Calaveras County Chamber of Commerce and
the Calaveras Quarterback Club.
For those of you that have visited the Amador County Fair, you
may have noticed that Tom was never at his engine most of the
day on Sunday, and that was because he donated his time to the
youth of Amador County by being a ring man at the Junior Livestock
auction every year. He enjoyed volunteering for the same job in
his home county at the Calaveras County Frog Jump.
Tom’s interest in old gas engines started in the winter of
1976 when he found a 5 HP Samson at the Rough Diamond mine on
the Garamendi family ranch. With help from his younger brother
Bob he took the engine to their barn and started tinkering with
it. Bob says at the moment when that old Samson started backfiring,
bellowing smoke, started up and ran away, Tom knew two things,
one he would have to fix the governor on the engine, and two he
wanted to find another engine! Bob said Tom’s life changed
at that point. Tom was never the same after that; he had found
the hobby that gave him nearly 30 years of enjoyment. Tom has
been a member of Branch 13 for the past 25 years. Tom was one
of the main founders and contributed heavily to the construction
and operation of the Pokerville Gold Mining display at the Amador
County Fair. His hard work and love for this project will be greatly
missed. Tom’s Son, Michael, will be showing his father’s
engines in the near future.
Frank DeYoung passed away October 4, 2004 after a short battle
with leukemia at the age of 70 years.
Frank was born in Stockton, California in 1934. He grew up and attended school in Calaveras County. He graduated from Calaveras High School in 1952. He served in the United States Navy in the mid 1950’s. When he returned home, he moved to the Sacramento area and worked in the computer business. Frank married his wife, Janet, 44 years ago. In 1988, they moved back to Calaveras County. Frank retired in 1998.
Frank joined Branch 13 over 30 years ago. He was an active exhibitor
at most Gas-Ups. Many will
remember him as the chief cook for the stove people. Frank also
showed for 29 consecutive years at the Valley Springs Pow-Wow.
The Pow-Wow will be dedicated in memory of Frank this year and
there will be a special memorial ceremony in his honor.
He leaves behind his wife Janet and his brother, Duane, also a
Chugger. Frank was a great brother and my best friend.
by Gale Nored
Jim Nicholas was born May 6th, 1932, in Reedley, California,
to Jimmy and Josephine Nicholas. He was the oldest of five children.
He was raised on the family ranch, where hard work was a way of
life. When he was old enough to drive, he hauled produce to Oakland.
He helped with the planting, pruning, harvesting and shipping
of grapes, watermelons, and pomegranates. He graduated from Reedley
High School and soon after was drafted into the Army, where he
became a medic in the Korean War. He enjoyed being a medic, except
when it
came to delivering babies. He said, “That’s where I
draw the line.” After he was discharged from the Army, he
returned back home to work on the ranch once again.
Jim always liked pretty things. So, naturally his first love became
his 1954 Mercury. It was jet black with lots of chrome. He lowered
it and had a continental kit put on it. It was the sharpest car
in the county.
It wasn’t too long after this that he really lost his
heart. This time it wasn’t to a car, but to the pretty little
redhead who sold tickets at the local theater, by the name of
Bertie. On April 17th, 1957, Jim and Bertie joined hearts and
souls through their vows of holy matrimony to love and honor one
another, until death did they part.
Together Jim and Bertie raised a family of two children, Jimmy
and Karen. In 1964 Jim moved his family to Carmichael, California.
There in Carmichael is where the family continued to grow. In
1985, Karen married Scott Migel. A couple of years later Jim and
Bertie were blessed with their first grandchild, Nicholas. Four
years later came their second, Loran.
Jim joined the Early Day Gas Engine and Tractor Association in
1980. He enjoyed showing his collection almost as much as he loved
to restore the engines and make them shine. You could always tell
Jim’s engines, because they all had either a chrome or copper
exhaust pipe. If you ever wondered how he came about what colors
to paint the engines, well that he left up to Bertie. Jim even
had a Hercules on his trailer that was
used to pump water on his father’s ranch.
When Jim wasn’t working on engines, he was working around
the yard. There are over 160 different types of roses in their
yard. In 1998 they even hosted a rose tour at their place.
I feel very fortunate to have known Jim. I first met him when
my husband and I went to see his collection and we talked him
out of one of his beautiful engines. We became more than just
engine buddies, Jim and Bertie became part of our family. Whenever
we were able to lend a helping hand to Jim, he would always repay
us with a wonderful surprise. One time he made me a flower box
for my antique grocery cart. Once I came home to find a wheelbarrow
full of flowers in our yard, which he and Bertie had left. He
even nursed my sick rose bush back to life. Our children nicknamed
Jim “little bird”, for the fluff of hair on the top
of his head. His favorite saying was, “Amazing, just amazing,”
then he would whistle between his teeth. And let’s not forget
that every time we would see him, he would tell us it was his
birthday.
While at home, with Bertie by his side, Jim lost his courageous
battle with cancer on July 10th, 2001. Services were held at Our
Lady of the Assumption Catholic Church in Carmichael. The reception
was held at their home in his beautiful rose garden. Jim has left
us all with wonderful memories. So, if you happen to run across
a beautiful shiny engine with a chrome exhaust pipe at a show,
chances are it once belonged to Jim Nicholas.
by John Boehm
William "Bill" Baker, a charter member of both Branch
13 and Branch 111, was born on November 26, 1934 in Nevada City,
California. He is a fourth generation Californian. All of his
school vacations were spent working on his grandparent's farm
in French Corral, Nevada County, doing farm chores such as haying,
cutting wood, and helping with the cows and chickens. They used.
a 3 hp Sattley to run the buzz saw which his Grandpa received
in trade for a store bill owed to him. Bill had lived on the family
property in French Corral since his retirement and was still using
this outfit to cut wood for heating the home. His grandmother
was the phone operator in French Corral, which was also the first
long distance line in the country. During the war years, 1941
to 1945, Bill worked with his Grandpa in the gold mines. He helped
work a hydraulic monitor, run a sluice box, and helped sell the
gold.
Bill has been fixing engines of all sorts forever. Besides fixing
the buzz saw on the farm, he haunted junkyards for motors of all
sorts including motor scooters and motorcycles. Bill smugly stated
sometimes they worked, other times they didn't. He went into the
Army in 1957. The first year was spent in Nuremberg, Germany in
the Army Ordnance testing army tanks. After they had been tested
for 30 miles, they were driven to the Russian border. The next
three years were spent traveling all over Germany on the I.G.
team, the inspection branch of the Army, testing vehicles of all
sorts. When Bill got out of the Army in 1960, he went to work
for Continental Motors, repairing sports cars-Alfa Romeos, Fiats,
and Lancias. He joined Montgomery Wards service department in
1965 and retired from there in 1990.
Bill has been married to Nani since 1982. He has two children
from a previous marriage and two stepchildren. He had a variety
of collections. He collected antique model airplane engines, had
about 20 vintage outboard motors, 25 vintage inboard motors, several
gas engines, various steam powered toys, a large collection of
spark plugs, two antique motorcycles, and, most recently, several
garden tractors.
Bill passed away on June 8, 2001 after a brief battle with prostate
cancer. Brief services were held in French Corral on June 16,
2001. In honor of Bill, his Mighty Mite garden tractor was featured
on this year’s Grass Valley show button. We just wish that
Bill could still have been present with us at the show.
On a personal note, I first met Bill around 1977, back when
he still lived in Carmichael. I had just started to get a few
engines and hadn’t even heard of Branch 13 yet. I needed
some help repairing the governor on one engine and had no idea
how to go about the simple job of brazing some parts together
and making them work right. Bill told me to bring the parts over,
fixed them for me, and showed me how it was done. He didn’t
make a big deal out it, didn’t want anything in return, just
was happy to help. I’m sure many of you have had similar
experiences with Bill over the years. Beneath the gruff appearing
exterior was a kind, gentle man and I’m proud to be counted
among his friends.
by Ken Green
Ernest Henry Goddard passed away December 21, 2000 at the age
of 79. Ernie was a Charter Member of Branch 13 and served as Branch
President in 1982. He served on the Branch Board of Directors
for several years. Over the years he had more than 50 engines
and was considered an expert in the history and characteristics
of old engines. He was widely known for his expertise in machining
model engines and built about 54 of them. The skills he had with
his hands are displayed at nearly every show in the west. He attended
shows all over the country, but particularly enjoyed showing his
model engines at the State Fair for many years. He was an expert
magneto repairman and, combined with his machinist skills, could
fix just about any of them.
After his retirement, Ernie enjoyed working in his shop, building
and repairing engines, and manufacturing parts for both himself
and other enthusiasts around the country. Always a gentleman,
he could be relied upon to provide sound advice, share his extensive
knowledge, and provide help to everyone needing assistance.
Born Oct 17, 1921, he was proud to be a native Californian, and
grew up in what was then a rural area of Sacramento. He attended
Arcade Elementary school, San Juan High School, and graduated
from Grant High School in 1939. After graduation, Ernie moved
to San Diego to work as an aircraft electrician helper at North
Island Naval Air Station. After a few years he enlisted in the
Navy. He served as an aircraft electrician, assigned to the Naval
Air Transport Command in Hawaii, until his discharge on December
7, 1945. He returned to San Diego and worked at North Island for
another year.
Ernie then returned to Sacramento where he became a chicken rancher!
After two years he couldn't stand to look at another chicken and
returned to his first love, his job as an aircraft electrician.
He went to work at McClellan Air Force Base in 1948 and remained
there until his retirement in 1974.
Ernie was a Life Member of the Benevolent and Protective Order
of Elks, and donated 10 gallons of blood to the Sacramento Blood
Bank. He is survived by his wife Oleta, 4 daughters, 7 Grandchildren
and 7 Great Grandchildren.
He was born in 1911 in Alabama, the second
child of a family of five children. His parents were sharecroppers
until they were able to own their own farm. They started training
their children to plow at a young age. Each one had a mule and
a plow. Bud was seven years old when he was put behind his mule.
When the Depression hit, his parents knew they had to make some changes. They sold their possessions and piled the kids into a Model T truck and headed west. His parents had relatives living in Las Cruces, New Mexico. They made it that far and they helped them find a farm to work on shares. They just broke even and did not try another year, moving back to Deming New Mexico.
Bud left home when he was nineteen, taking a job on a 50,000 acre cattle ranch. He tired of that and went to work on a dairy. The pay wasn’t much, but it was regular and he had a place to stay and an old Buick stripped down homemade truck to go to town on Saturdays.
Bud’s father traded an old cook stove for a calf and had Bud deliver the stove seven miles out of town and pick up the calf. This is where he met June. When deer season came, he got permission to go hunting over the weekend. When he returned to the dairy, he had a young two legged deer and a very angry new father-in-law. It was quite a while before things got patched up.
Soon after, the big rancher contacted Bud and he went back to work for him. This is where he got his first real experience with old gas engines and windmills. He traveled from ranch to ranch servicing and repairing them. Bud worked for the rancher on and off for six years. In the meantime, they bought a small adobe house on ten acres for the taxes and had three healthy kids. He started a small trucking business hauling for farmers in the area.
In 1943, Bud and June and their family moved to California. Bud did all sorts of different things, mostly trading and selling. You name it, he did it. Finally when Norman and his brother Bob were old enough to help he got into the lumber business and stayed with it for the next thirty years. His daughter Betty stayed home to help June.
Over the years, he still couldn’t get the gas engines or windmills out of his system. He would pick one up now and then and tinker with them. Bud joined Branch 13 along with his son Norman shortly after it was formed in the early 70’s. That was one of the best things he ever did. The first engine show he went to was at Mike Gianni’s in Manteca. He enjoyed meeting with and talking to his friends in the club.
Bud and Norman bought their first big engine from the Adams Ranch on Liberty Road in Galt in 1965. It is a 25 hp hot head Fairbanks-Morse Diesel. From then on, they were addicted and there seemed to be no cure.
In 1978, the Taunton family hosted the first of the Fall Gas-Ups at their ranch in Galt. The shows are still going strong after twenty years. Bud did not make it in person this year for the 21st Taunton Fall Gas-Up, but his spirit was there as he watched from up above.
Thanks to all members for being important Chugger
friends with Bud.
—The Taunton Family