The Mail-Journal, Volume 20, Number 23, Milford, Kosciusko County, 22 June 1983 — Page 18

’ 4 -' THE MAIL-JOURNAL—W«L. June 22.1583

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Former WOWO janitior remembers North Webster

By DOUG WALKER One of the more memorable the 1976 Mermaid Festival Parade was the appearance of a 64-year-old custodian from Fort Wayne who attracted perhaps the warmest response of the day from onlookers as the parade made its way up SR 13. His name was Estel R.

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WORLD FAMOUS JANITOR — Fort Wayne resident Estel Bodenhorn, better known as WOWO radio personality “Bodie the World Famous Janitor.” still has fond memories of his appearance in the 1976 Mermaid Festival Parade in North Webster. (Photo by Doug Walker)

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Bodenhorn, and for the past four decades, he had been the chief (and only) sanitation engineer for Fort Wayne radio station WOWO. During the three months leading up to the 1976 Mermaid Parade, Bodenhorn had made an almost meteoric rise from the status of a typical American to that of a genuine Hoosier celebrity. In his radio guise as “Bodie

the World Famous Janitor,” Bodenhorn used his brief nightly appearances on WOWO’s Ron Gregory Show to become a minor cult hero to regular listeners, spouting off his own brand of homespun philosophy, trading quips with disc jockey Gregory and answering fan letters on the air. Bodenhorn’s most ardent fans were a group of Wawasee High School students who first came in contact with the custodian in the spring of 1976, when they encouraged him in a letter to run in that year's presidential election. “That letter took the cake,” recalled Bodenhorn. “It was ridiculous, but all in good fun. I told Ron if 1 was going to run for office. I’d rather start on the lower echelons of go verm ent.” After Bodenhorn had made it clear that he had no intention of entering the political arena, his fans came up with an idea more to his liking; a “Man of the Year” contest that pitted Bodie against a collection of celebrities, including dog food purveyor Lome Green and popular Cuban Desi Arnaz; a handful of Lakeland area residents, and a few of his fellow WOWO employees. That April, after a great deal of on-the-air hoopla and to no one’s real surprise, the fans declared

Motorcycles: efficient but there are dangers

While temparatures are warmer and days are longer, an increasing number of motorists travel our Hoosier highways on two-wheelers. In addition to the fun of riding this type of vehicle, motorcycles are an energy efficient mode of transportation. But there are inherent dangers in motorcycling, at least partially because cyclists are not afforded the external protection provided by other types of vehicles. And many operators of four-wheeled vehicles are not familiar with the capabilities of the lesser-wheeled cycle. Clearly, motorcycling would be safest if all motorists were well-instructed in, and committed to, the development of good driving skills. Superintendent John T. Shettle announced that in recognition of the need for increased awareness of safe driving practices, Governor Robert D. Orr has proclaimed the week of June 19-29 “Motorcycle Safety and Awareness Week” in Indiana. The Indiana State Police Department has committed itself to this effort, along with the motorcycle rider associations of our state and nation and the Motorcycle Safety Foundation, the State Department of Public Instruction, and wk ..jbbi* l&Hn ‘MISS WARSAW* — Karen Granning, r 3 box 40 Warsaw, is sponsored by Jack Ward Chevrolet, Warsaw, as “Miss Warsaw.** in the Mermaid Festival Queen Os Lakes Contest. Miss Granning. a 1982 graduate of Warsaw High School, is the 19-year-old daughter of David and Pat Granning. Warsaw. She has blonde hair, blue eyes, weighs 115 pounds. *s five feet, seven inches tall and enjoys playing the flute, swimming and volleyball. She presently is attending Indiana University. Bloomington, where she is majoring in social work.

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Bodenhorn the 1976 “Man of the Year”. “Here was a guy who had given his all every day of his life, and hadn’t received any real recognition to speak of,” recalled Mark Wagoner, at the time a Wawasee sophomore who helped spearhead the janitor’s victory in the “Man of the Year” contest. “He deserved the honor, and we were glad to be given the opportunity to present him with it.” Since Wagoner and the majority of Bodie's Lakeland fans resided in the North Webster area, it seemed only appropriate that the newly-named “Man of the Year” ride in the community’s Mermaid Festival Parade. Enlisting the aid of Wawasee High School English instructor Phil Fawley, the group made the necessary arrangements for a downtown reception for Bodenhorn on Parade Day and an appearance in a convertible in the parade line. The stage was set for what Bodenhorn would later call “the greatest day of my life”. “1 was a little nervous the day of the parade, because we frankly weren’t sure just what kind of response Bodie would get at the reception and the parade,” recalled Mark Wagoner. “We knew people listened to him on the radio, but we didn’t know if

the Indiana Division of Traffic Safety. The importance of increased awareness and adherence to safe driving practices for motorcyclists is evidenced in ther results of the mandatory helmet law passage which lowered the fatality rate, and its later repeal at which time the rate increased. The reduction in speed limits on our highways also lowered the fatality rate. The death rate per 100.000 registered motorcycles dropped 38.7 per cent in the five years following the adoption of the mandatory helmet law in 1967. After the highway speed limit was reduced to 55 m.p.h. in 1974, deaths per 100,000 motorcycle registrations decreased 18.4 per cent during the three years succeeding this action. Compared with the five years prior to the speed limit reduction, a decrease of 13 per cent in deaths per 1,000 accidents occurred also. The results of the repeal of the mandatory helmet law in 1977 were drastic. In the three years following the repeal, deaths per 1,000 accidents increased by 35.6 per cent. The death rate per 100,000 registered motorcycles climbed 45.7 per cent. As a result of the increased fatality rate among motorcyclists, the Indiana Legislature has enacted new legislation which will require cyclists under the age of 18 to wear helmets. This statute will go into effect January 1,1984.

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they would come out to meet him. As it turned out, we needn’t have worried.” “It was some reception,” said Bodie “They had a couple of big cakes there. I signed autographs and shook a lot of hands. A few mothers had me kneel down and pose beside thier children for pictures. Then 1 gave a speech. (Fellow WOWO employee) Jack Underwood later kidded me that it was the longest speech he ever heard.” Following the reception and presentation of his “Man of the Year” award on the grounds of Camelot Hall, Bodenhorn and representatives of his fan group made their way to their vehicle in the parade lineup. Bodie continued to be beseiged by autograph seekers, and as he reached the auto he was to ride in. was mobbed by members of a high school band. Fawley, who drove the car; Bodie, who was hoisted on top of the convertible’s back seat, and four of the leaders of the fan group pulled out into a position near the front of the parade a few minutes later. Along the parade route, the crowd’s response was warm and loud as they recognized the name of the celebrity printed on the side of the car. “That parade was beyond my

Last year proved to be exceptionally successful in the prevention of accident fatalities, with 1982 s death rate for all accidents lower than any year since 1946. At present, indications for 1983 do not suggest that this year might end as optimistically. MISS SECHRIST LAKE* — Deanna Charlton, r 1 box 225 North Webster, is sponsored by Three-Flags Drive-In, Syracuse, as “Miss Sechrist Lake.” in the Mermaid Festival Queen Os Lakes Contest. Miss Charlton, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. William Charlton. North Webster, is 18 years old with dark brown hair, brown eyes and stands five feet, two inches tall. She enjoys horseback riding and water skiing.

imagination,” said Bodenhorn. “I had people on both sides of the street wanting to see me, so I just put both hands up waving and turned my head from side to side. At one point we came to a stop, and right beside the car was a man who ran a hardware store not far from where I live. It was great seeing him. “Then we drove past the reviewing stand, and up there were Underwood and Ron Gregory. It was one wonderful day.” North Webster resident Mike Ray, an occupant in the car, remembers being overwhelmed by the crowd’s reaction. “1 didn't

know how to react,” he said. “There was a huge crowd that day, something like 40,000 people, and most of them reacted to seeing Bodie. It was a strange sensation" After completing the parade route, the custodian was escorted to a place of honor on the reviewing stand with Gregory and Underwood. The Mermaid Festival appearance started the ball rolling for Bodie, and he continued to make appearances, both in parades and as a celebrity judge in community festival competitions, for the next several years. He retired from WOWO at the close of the eventful summer of 1976. Today Bodenhorn resides in the Fort Wayne suburb of Waynedale, where he remains in good health and active by volunteering his services as night watchman for his nearby church, which he has belonged to for over a half-century. He remains a celebrity of sorts, continuing to appear with Gregory on WOWO a few times each year. Every so often, in a supermarket or gas station, someone will recognize his inimitable voice, and approach him by saying, “Haven’t I heard you somewhere before?” He has remained in touch with his fans over the years. Mark Stiffler of Syracuse met Bodie through Wawasee classmates several years ago, and makes periodic visits to Fort Wayne to chat with the now retired janitor. “He’s a great story teller, and I enjoy hearing his insight of what it was like at a major radio static®,” said Stiffler, presently an intern at an area radio station. “Besides, it’s not everyday you get to talk with someone who's kind of a celebrity.” Seven years after his rise to fame, Bodenhorn still shakes his. head about the entire North Webster experience. “If someone had told me all that was going to happen when 1 started at WOWO in 1937,” he chuckled, “I’d have told them to go sit on a couple of sharp tacks. ”

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CUTIES — Shown above are the 1982 Cutie King and Queen. Jared Young and Tara Rinker. Jared is five and the son of Mr. and Mrs. Andy Young of Leesburg. Tara is six and the daugher of Mr. and Mrs. Phil Rinker of North Webster. A new Cutie King and Queen will be crowned on Wednesday following the Cutie parade. Actvities will be held in the North Webster School gym.

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