Nappanee Advance-News, Volume 133, Number 7, Nappanee, Elkhart County, 17 February 2011 — Page 2

> Advance News • Thursday, February 17,2011

Page A2

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out die city that previously had parked cars and .other obstacles prohibiting snow removal. Smaller amounts of snow followed periodically in the days following die blizzard but none recorded in such large amounts. These smaller snowfalls resulted in shorter plowing times and milder efforts by residents to dear walkways. WA-NEE STUDENTS ’ AFFECTED Heavy snows started after school hours the first day of the blizzard which resulted in only one Wa-Nee Community Schools, closing on the secpnd. They also had one two-hour delay the following day. In the week which followed temperatures fell below zero with and without windchill factored in, which resulted in two-hour delays Feb. 9 and 10. FINAL LOOK AT 2011 BUZZARD While the 2011 Blizzard didn't parrel down on the city of Nappanee quite as extensive as national news reported happening in worse-hit areas, it did arrive in the area. It did blanket the city. And it did require days of cleanup efforts.

AWflit, cont. from Front

"We might start to learn the names of some offices in March, but this will be a sev-eral-month process. People will not go down to their local post office and it's suddenly closed." Post office workers across Indiana and the country are waiting to see if theirs will survive the federal chopping block. "There is no list that exists right now saying what offices are going to close," Yates said. "There is a study happening and it is a multistep process. Location is going to be very important. If an office doesn't have anything else nearby that customers can use as a substitute, that will weigh heavily on the decision."

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• iiviv wMjf wimpfimfi The 2011 Blizzard hit Feb. 1 and 2, blanketing the entire city and surrounding areas. This home on CR9 shows the effects after high winds blew nearly a foot of snow to settle in giant snow drifts ad over Nappanee.

School children now have something to add into conversations during family gatherings when grandparents discuss the 1978 snow storm that rocked

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Photo by Brunt Glasgow The mural inside the Nappanee post office is one of 1,371 created as part of FDR's New Deal.

Financial losses at individual offices will also be considered, but as of now, offices cannot be closed based on economic reas&ns. Senate Bill 5.3831, currently

row 12 Week Weight Loss Challenge March 2 nd - May 25* 1 hour per week Meets every Wednesday morning 6:30 a.m.-7:30 a.m. Main Street Coffee House Reservations by February 24 ,H would be greatly appreciated, but we won’t turn anyone down even later! tnr/ono pays W 9 to participate. Thtj a ill put jrto i kJtty to tn Orndod unong tht three biggest "losers'during the tl wtU chUhnge! If pu pound OWED f* mi tt pu jennet fifty 1 fm oo$) coflictod to go )o the genoo losing the moot inctmi

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their world. It's an experience today's generation will most likely revel in telling to their own next generation when the time comes.

awaiting debate, would alter the process and make it easier to shut down facilities. Because of ongoing secrecy regarding possible closures, Yates couldn't say if

the Nappanee post office is in trouble. Opened in 1935, the building is a piece of history, down to its inside mural. As part of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt's New Deal to provide jobs and spread hope, 850 artists were commissioned to paint 1,371 murals, most in post offices. The buildings in which they are housed are functional relics from America's escape from the Great Depression. They have been centers of commerce, communication and person-to-person interaction for generations of residents. "In many places, the post •office is the o*ly federal governmental, agency within many miles," Yates said. "At times they are the heart of the community, and everyone wants to keep theirs. These will be tough decisions that won't be taken lightly, and some communities will feel the loss greatly." If the Nappanee post office is closed, outside of the employees themselves, few will feel the pain like local historian and antiques collector/seller Chuck Grimm. "This post office is so neat to a historian because of the type of building it is and the history behind it," Grimm said. "But as for the service, my goodness, I don't know where we'd have to go if we didn't have it here. I sell stuff on eßay, so I'm up there several days a week." The downfall of post offices came quickly, as just five years ago, they put up record numbers. "The mail volumes have just dropped dramatically. In 2006, our peak year for volume, we handled 213 billion pieces of mail. Last year we were down to 170 billion, so you can imagine the loss of revenue that comes with that," Yates said. "Now we have more people, facilities and equipment than we have mail for. That's not a place we saw ourselves in. The Internet has made such a difference with people paying bills on-line and not writing letters. It's all electronic now." In some areas where offices are eventually closed, stand-alone post office boxes might be erected so citizens can still have that option. Some closed offices' box areas could remain open, with just the retail operation shut down. Yates concedes that the upcoming cuts won't be the end of office reduction and consolidation. "It probably won't be the last. I'm sure there will be more adjustments made," Yates said. "The goal here is to save the United States Postal Service, because so many people rely on it every day for medications, checks, anything you can think of."

Keith Eugene Weade Aug. 111925- Feb. 5. 2011 SOUTH BEND Keith Eugene Weade, 85, South Bend, died of natural causes, Feb. 5,2011 at Memorial Hospital of South Bend,

A 1943, graduate of Madison Township High School, married Beatrice Aim (Beadie) Wenger Aug. 21,1948. The son of Raymond Weade and Viola Mae Bliley Weade, he was preceded in death by his parents, brother Darvin and sister Elvertia Barden. He is survived by his wife, Beatrice Ann (Beadie) Wenger; sister, Myrtle Mae Laidig; daughters, Barbara L Weade (Michael Goc) and Sandra J. Krost (Robert); sons, Alan G. (Bonnie)

and Rex L (Michelle); grandchildren: Heidi Krost, Andrew Krost, Whitney Krost Yoder (Adam), Nathan Goc, Rachel Goc, Brenda Weade, Randy Weade, Austin Weade (Emily), and Aleece Weade; and great-grandson, Thayne Yoder. He enlisted in the United States Navy in 1943 and served in Pacific Theater. He was staff of Admiral Chester A. Nimitz and a decorated combat veteran of Guam, Pelileu, Leyte Gulf. He was honorably discharged in 1946. He was a lifelong building contractor and with his wife Beadie, the designer of superinsulated homes and commercial buildings. He was a member of Coalbush United Methodist Church and worked tirelessly in the area of missions, camps and youth programs. He organized and led work groups including family, friends and volunteers from many surrounding churches on more than 100 trips throughout three decades to Red Bird Mission, Ky. to build churches, parsonages and other structures. He organized and led volunteer groups to construct cabins, lodge, parsonage at Camp Lakewood, Kendallville, Ind.; rebuilt the nuns' residence, Ancilla College Earthworks; and led several Habitat for Humanity projects in Indiana and Kentucky. Upon retirement, he started Rustic Creations, designing and building log stools, benches and tables. He found his greatest enjoyment in time spent with his family, especially at the annual Weade Weekend Reunions, beginning in 1987. Memorial contributions may be made to Coalbush United Methodist, Park and Pavilion Fund and United Methodist Camp Lakewood. Visitation was from 2 to 8 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 9 at Rieth-Rohrer-Ehret-Lienhart Funeral Home, 117 W. Waterford St., Wakarusa, and one hour prior to the 11 a.m. service, Thursday, February 10, 2011 at Coalbush United Methodist Church, 15977 Jackson Road, Mishawaka. Rev. James Davidson officiated and burial was in Olive (East) Cemetery. Online condolences may be sent at www.rrefh.com. ■ Charles Edward ‘Ed’ Bragg Feb. 9, 2011 ETNA GREEN Charles Edward "Ed" Bragg, 52, of Etna Green, died at 10:45 p.m. Wednesday, Feb. 9, at St. Joseph Medical Center, Plymouth. He is survived by his wife, Elaine; daughter, Kati (John) Schmucker, of Nappanee; sons: Doug (Stephanie) Bragg of Muncie and Greg and Lee Bragg both of Etna Green; two granddaughters; bis mother, Marjorie (John) Karst of Indianapolis; sister, Tina Strayer of Indianapolis; and stepmother, Vivian Bragg of Huntington. Visitation took place from 2 to 4 and 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday, Feb. 12 and one hour prior to services Sunday at Maranatha Church, 9636 West Hepton Road, Nappanee. Funeral services took place at 2 p.m. Sunday, Feb. 13 at the church. Burial followed at Etna Green Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Ed Bragg Memorial Fund. Thompson-Lengacher & Yoder Funeral Home assisted the family with arrangements. Condolences may be made to the family via the funeral home's website at www.tlyfh.com. Library, cont. from Front director Lissa Krull to evaluate how other institutions have built their programs, choosing facets that will work best for the library. Around 30 active volunteers donate time regularly to the library, with many more working on special occasions, and McCoy says she is excited to work on plugging each of them into an area they enjoy working in. "It's a long process, but it will be so exciting to implement once the structure is in place," McCoy said. "The library will be able to offer so much more to our patrons and community. I am extremely thankful to be part of what the future holds for this library." Starting his library career as a volunteer himself, Devin Graber has worked at the library part-time for nine years. His new full-time position as systems and technology administrator will involve keeping technology systems running smoothly, acting as the contact between library and service providers and serving as "resident geek" in assisting patrons with their own tech devices and offering training. Graber looks forward to implementing new circulation software and access to e-books, redesigning the library's website and maximizing library technology. Transitioning from working over 16 years as the office manager at his family 7 s flooring business, Graber's expertise comes from on-the-job training, an insatiable interest in technology and many online courses in the field. "I love to read, and my family teases me that I will even read a 600-page computer manual," Graber said. Graber takes over many of the duties handled by pervious TT manager Joni Walter, a 20-year library employee who now has a chance to focus on her passion suggesting your next great read. "I love the challenge of matching books to readers," Walter said. "I especially like challenging file reader to allow me to find items they will like outside of their regular reading habits." Walters moves on to a position in technical services and chief reader's advisor. She also looks forward to finding uses for e-Readers, acquiring more databases such as Chilton's and Ancestiy.com, and offering more resources for sight-impaired patrons who are making the switch to audio formats. I can gladly say that we are the most adaptable place on theplanet," Walter said. v v The Nappanee Public Library is located at 157 N. Main St For more information, call 574-773-7919 or go to wwwjiabpanee.lib.in.us.