Pictures of 1939 Eureka in service

Tom Hoczyk

Tom Hoczyk

PCS Past President
I used my ’39 Eureka LaSalle as part of the funeral of John Martin Smith and his wife Bobbie yesterday in Auburn Indiana. John was one of the founders of the Auburn Cord Duesenberg Museum way back in the early '70's. The funeral too place at the Museum, which many of you will remember having seen when the PCS International Meet was in Fort Wayne. It's an incredibly beautiful Art-Deco building, filled with fabulous cars. Feller Funeral Home also used their beautiful 1960 Superior crown combination.

It was a long day with 9:30 AM setup, 10-12 viewing, 12-2 PM service (yes, a long one), then an hour slowly driving through the NATMUS Museum (which John also helped found) and the drive to the cemetery.

There were quite a few well known people at the ceremony. I was able to talk with auctioneer Dean Kruse and his son Mitchell, who is now an ordained minister and did the service. I also spoke at length with former Auburn mayor Bert Dickman, who is an avid car collector. Mitchell Kruse did a wonderful sermon. I had tears streaming down my face, though, when a young grand daughter took the podium and said a short prayer that she had written: “Dear God, Would you please tell my grandparents that I love them? I know they are up there with you somewhere. Please find them and tell them."

The 1960 Crown Superior was used for wife Bobbie, and we side-loaded John into the LaSalle. As seems typical, people (including the funeral directors) were quite intrigued with this process. I must admit to having a bit of anxiety manually pushing and pulling the casket table when loaded, hoping it wouldn’t catch on something and take away from the dignity of the service. But despite doing this several times on different funerals, it hasn’t really happened yet.

All in all, a very beautiful and dignified ceremony. I hope you enjoy the pictures. Tom
 

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Tom

Great story and pictures. Something you will never forget.

That '60 looks like the one that was parked on the lawn of the museum during the '95 PCS meet.

Thanks for sharing,
Darren
 
Wow Tom, that is beautiful and what a set up. The funeral director in charge certainly knew what they were doing. You look just like a funeral director Tom.
 
*smiling* I have lots of friends who, over the years, coached me on how to put on a good show, Richard. I had quite a few people fully buffaloed. You would have been proud of me.

An interesting little tidbit, gleaned from the ceremony, is that the husband was born in '39, and married the wife in '60...... exact same years as the cars carrying them.

Tom
 
Thanks very much for posting these, Tom. I only heard about this tragedy from Len Langlois earlier today. I remember the `60 Superior from the 1995 meet. Glad to hear the three-way performed flawlessly. After all, it is a Eureka! - Walt
 
Beautiful coach Tom and a fabulous honor both to you and to collecting professional cars. Think about it, if not for someone saving and restoring these magnificent cars, they would not have been there, or you either. And I am sure that these beautiful professional cars made a horrible day, just a little more bearable too.

By the way, I believe that 1960 Superior was at the museum next door to the ACD Museum, back in '95, wasn't it? It sure is a beauty! I love those Sixties Superiors!
 
1960 Superior

You are all correct about the '60 Superior. Mr. Graffis of Graffis FH bought the car new, and when Ron Feller bought into the business, it became his. It's stll in the firm, and gets used pretty often, due to the large number of antique car buffs in the area. It's not for sale, for those thinking it might be.

I hadn't seen the car since 1995, although I knew of the car long before that, when one of Mr. Feller's assistants used to exhibit it at car shows. Truth is, though, that I didn't remember it being in as good a condition as it really is. It's all original, including the paint, and the interior is flawless too. Shows like 48,000 miles on it. A truly great combination car.

You're correct, Bill, about the cars helping to lighten the burden of the family. The use of an old car was pre-arranged, but of course who knew that both would be killed at the same time? So with a few phone calls they reached me and I'm on vacation this week, so I was able to do it. The family really seemed to love it, as did many of the car-collecting friends who showed up to the service. Many very nice people came up to talk with me during the viewing. Tom
 
getting to use the 39 was nice but anyone else wounder what the pair of 60s would have looked like back in service? that would have been neat to. understand there was a set of dates the the years of the cars matched and all that and that you were were filling a request not anyone else's desires. but still how often do you get to see a matched pair working.
 
Ed, I was working at my building in Bippus, standing about 6 feet from my green '60 Eureka when the initial call from the funeral home came through. Using the '60 was the first thing that came to my mind. But the family wanted as old a car as possible, so they chose the '39. That was ok, as it was already at the house, and close to Auburn, so it worked out.

Thanks, Scott, for posting the link. Tom

www.bippusautostorage.com/cars
 
besides why show up the funeral home with a real car. the 39 is far enough from the crown that it's wow factor is just understood. but getting to use it again it does make the work that went into redoing the car worth it.
 
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