Millard Clark Gatchell

Millard Clark Gatchell my grandfather as pictured in his youth.

My grandmother, Catherine Louise Ryan who married Millard told me stories of grandpa having very curly hair. You can see some of those curls in this photo.

Millard Clark Gatchell in Navy

Here's another great photo of my grandfather, Millard Clark Gatchell in his Navy uniform. I didn't realize until I began writing this blog that there were so many pictures of my grandfather--and alot of them in his Navy uniform.

I need to do some research to see if I can see what ships he served on and what campaigns he participated in during World War II. Not many stories have been passed down to me about his military experience.

My father recently shared a story with me about when my grandfather worked for the railroad he would at times bring home cases of Kelloggs cereal when a box car would bust open. I'd never thought of this happening but it makes sense. As a kid we'd always stop when we found something in the road.

One of the found items I can recall from my childhood is finding a large racoon hit on the road. My Dad picked it up and skinned it, took it to town and got $20 for the skin.

Catherine Gatchell & Millard Gatchell

Here's a nice old photo of my grandparents Catherine Louise Ryan & Millard Clark Gatchell. They both look quite young so much have been around the time of their marriage.

Grandma & Grandpa had been married for 36 years at the time of his death in 1982.

Millard Clark Gatchell

Here's a festive picture of my grandfather, Millard Clark Gatchell. This was not his normal hat attire but he actually looks pretty good in it! Notice the Red, White & Blue on the coffee table. In my memories of grandpa this beverage was never very far from hand.

Steven Wisniewski & Millard Gatchell

This is a early picture of Steven Wisniewski (my Great Uncle) & Millard Clark Gatchell (my Grandfather) with Uncle Steve's two daughters. Note Millard must have been visiting home from the Navy has he wears his uniform.

Millard Gatchell & Catherine Ryan

Pictured here we have my grandparents Millard Clark Gatchell & Catherine Louise Ryan.

This picture reminds of my early childhood when we'd all pack in the car and make the fairly long trip from Nashville, Michigan to Hoagland, Indiana where Grandma & Grandpa lived. They had a mulberry tree in the front yard which provided me hours of entertainment picking and eating until my hands were stained purple in color.

Millard Clark Gatchell in Navy

Millard Clark Gatchell is pictured in the top row, far right. He's pictured with unknown fellow sailors. I'm guessing that this was at his graduation from naval school based on other photographs I've seen of him at the time. He'd be about 18 years old at the time of this picture.

Anna Maie (Clark) Gatchell

My great-grandmother Anna Maie Gatchell was born in 1896 is pictured here with one of her childern (unknown which one). Anna Maie had three daughters & one son.

The daughters:

Wanda Caroline Gatchell
Helen Marie Gatchell
Marjorie Matilda Gatchell

And one son:

Millard Clark Gatchell

Millard Clark Gatchell on the Railroad

Millard Clark Gatchell known more commonly as Mick was an engineer on the railroad (see Wikipedia's entry for Rail Transport for a complete history). Mick's father Ralph Millard Gatchell was also employed by the railroad as well as many of his uncles and extended family.

Millard Clark Gatchell's Navy issue

This small card showing the basic naval issue of equipment was found in Millard Clark Gatchell's possession when he passed away. The bag layout must have been part of his naval training that he attended at the US Naval Training Station, Great Lakes, Illinois.

Catherine Louise (Ryan) Gatchell

Here's my grandmother Catherine Louise (Ryan) Gatchell having some youthful fun. This was about seven years before she married my grandfather Millard Clark Gatchell. The family story is someone had purchased this new 1939 Ford and told her to go sit on it so they could take her picture.

Millard Clark Gatchell

This picture was the favorite picture of Mick's bride Catherine Louise after his death in 1982. I think this picture was taken at the Old Fort Wayne.

Looking at this picture brings to my memory Grandpa Gatchell's preference to drive from Fort Wayne, Indiana to visit us in Nashville, Michigan on the rural roads so he could enjoy the ride and the view. He passed away from the cause of an enlarged heart. Grandma thought this was because of all the long hard work he did for so many years.

Millard Clark Gatchell in Navy

We find here Mick Gatchell in his Navy cap sawing a log with a primitive wood bow saw.

Someone must have said 'Smile!' as this certainly isn't a smiling task!

Catherine Gatchell & Millard Gatchell

This photo was taken on the wedding day of Catherine Louise Ryan & Millard Clark Gatchell on 9 Aug 1946. They were married in Angola, Michigan.

Pictured from left to right: Elmer Geise, Millard Clark Gatchell, Catherine Louise Ryan, Agnes Louise (Middleton) Geise.

Agnes is Catherine's mother and Elmer is Catherine's step-father.

Millard Clark Gatchell in Navy

My grandfather Millard Clark Gatchell (on left) is pictured here with an unidentified shipmate during his Navy service days. He was is reported to have shot down a Japanese Zero during World War II.

The story that has been passed down to me is grandpa was living with an uncle of his that was very mean to him (both his parents passed away quite early in his life) and as soon as he was old enough to leave home he jointed the Navy.

I was only 12 years old when grandpa passed away so I don't have that many memories as they lived in Fort Wayne, Indiana and we lived in Nashville, Michigan which only allowed us to see them on occasion.

Grandpa Gatchell is part of the Greatest Generation which was coined by journalist Tom Brokaw.

Millard Gatchell & Catherine Ryan

Millard Clark Gatchell & Catherine Louise Ryan were married on 9 Aug 1946 in Angola, Stueben County, Indiana. Grandma was fond of telling the story of when they were married by a minister by the name of John Humpreys in a little tiny chapel in Angola.