At the time the property belonged to "Bob" Hodges. He built the
round stone plant in the foreground in 1984 for Dean 'Skip' Smith. He would 'quack' to bring the duck in
and they would in turn 'quack' him on to and off of the lake. He even taught some very expensive talking
parrots to quack" much to the chargin of their owner - Dean 'Skip' Smith
He enjoyed going down to Hansen's and drinking coffee, telling yarn's of Culver's
yesterdays here he is on a Saint Patrick's day - and yes the hat was fitting as his great-grandparent's Thomas were from Ireland transplanted into Scotland.
and being with his fishing buddies telling tales
Another incident was the time daughter Susie ice skated out to middle
of the lake to ask for money - only a couple of dollars but by the time
she left with the help of other fisherman nearby anteing up the amount
she made off like a bandit - among them were Rod Martindale, - Dale Sensibaugh
and many others. Telling dad that she deserved more than the couple of
dollars that she had asked for as she had skated all the way out there and
would have to skate all the way back in. Of course mom was accused of
telling her where dad was - but had not.
Another incident was during ice fishing when a certain party - shot of a
fire work over David's head on the frozen lake, the noise vibrating over the
lake - it shook the house - even on Main Street rattling items on the
Knick-Knack shelf.
David died at home - unoffically -
419 South Main St. - where he wanted to
the way he wanted to - He was working down at Robert Kreuzbergers - and come
home for lunch and then wnet back to work and drove him self back home having
the heart attack by what his workers explained to me - WHY did he not stop or
go to Eunice's on Long Point where she was living at the time - WHY because he
did not want to - he wanted be be home - he wanted to died at home if that was
going to happen where he had lived the last 46 years 5 months of his life - HOME -
not any where else - he did not want to go to a nursing home - his pat phrase for
that was: "Go get a new rope and I'll hang myself" Yes legally it was the hospital
Then their was sometime during the early summer of 1990 when Rod Martindale - threw a beer to David and he could not get a full good catch with the fishing net from a
sitting position - so he stood up and was standing on his pants hems -
details omitted - but needless to say he got a standing ovation from all
around and it was during one of the regatta's and of course no one had
a camera!
He left his imprint on the lake too through the retaining walls, sea walls
both stone & cement, cement and a few just stone & dirt. He left his
imprint on the cottages also and their surrounding landscape. He was
an all round mason - brick, stone, cement, tile and stucco. No job was
to small nor too big; when challenged that circular staircase of stone
could not be built - he done it. No area of the lake or the Academy
was left untouched by his handy work while he was alive it is believed
through the years.
Once and awhile on a job of repairing or rebuilding an old crumbling
wall, one could come up on him from behind and hear him muttering under
his breath, giving the former builder all the what too he could for building
a nearly indestructible wall - saying if he only knew who built it - -
then silence would fall as he stumbled upon the signature of the builder,
no more being said as he had found the builder - HIMSELF! He always signed
his work in some manner.
When asked as to when he would be on the job - the reply was: "I'll be
there Tuesday" or just "be there Tuesday"; with a laugh or chuckle. Much
to the chagrin of those wanting the work done.
He was knowledgeable about the lake, the town and the academy and the
history of the area. The Oral history he use to be able to tell everyone
was miraculous. But sadly tho no one was able to get him to sit own
and record what he knew fully on paper or by voice. So much of his knowledge
of the area is lost forever. Some one should of chained and shackled
him to the nearest lamp post in the park overlooking the lake and made
him recorded what he knew!
He retired from the Culver Military Academy; only to go to work for himself
till the day he died. If he was not working at one of the cottages around
the lake - he was out fishing on the lake somewhere - and if not on the
lake then he could be found in one of the restaurants around town having coffee
spinning his tales of yesterday's of Culver and it's history or that wild
fishing story of the big one that got away!
Before his retirement from Culver Academy he was working around the lake and done it full time from spring to late fall - he loved that work - he gave many a job when they were without - or extra employment after hours so that they could support their families - or during the strike period of the union at McGills again so that they could support their families.
Mel Walters was working with David until the last month and had worked for him on and off over the years. Many worked for David - for us over years - Mickey McFarland, 'Russ' Russel J. Salyers (he also worked with him at the Academy and took over David's position there when he retired) now deceased, Frank Maulky now deceased, Paul Kelly, Rodney Kemple, Steve Brasch, Gary Bbrasch, 'Murph' Murphy Wynn, David M. Burns, Rickey Burns, David M. Burns Jr., Joe Jimenez (I believe one year for a while), Scott Croy, Gary Yeazel, ? Boyne, ? Mc Vicker just to name a few there were many who came and went over the years and of course David even used some of Bennett's employees over the years in a pinch. Other names may or will eventually come to mind. Others were just one day help when cement had to be wheel barrowed from a distance to the lake front to pour a seawall - that required at least 3-4 just maning wheel barrows and with David and at least 2-3 others manning the area of the seawall pouring - it was quite an operation to see a seawall prepared for forming, the forming of it and then the actual pouring then the removing of the forms and finish coat to the seawall. The days of cemetn pours were long and continuous hours until the pour was completed - it meant getting sandwiches and drinks to David and the boys so they could eat their noon meal on the run - while pouring cement.
There was the 'after hours' of David and I running back to the job site to check on it whenever cement was poured in any form or shape.
There was the time he came in with a wide band of grease mark on his one upper arm and bruised - he and been pinned between the loader bucket and an object - which could of resulted in his arm being severed off; the only near accident that I know of ever occuring from his work.
His famous saying - "I'll be there Tuesday" to put off those whose jobs he had promised to do - during the evening hours and week-ends when not working he would escape to the middle of the lkae to fish to avoid the phone calls to leave me to handle them.
With this thought shortly after David died I began digging into the lake
history - rather - I call it a Genealogy of the lake - this is what I
had started and hope to continue to add too if possible. Trying to put
down some of the things one heard David talk of around town and to document
his stories if possible.
Has it been nineteen years? It don't seem possible...
