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!

Ignatious Wisniewski & Catherine Domick

We have pictured here Ignatious Wisniewski and Catherine (Domick) Wisniewski. Date and location of the photo is unknown but they are the parents of Stephen Wisniewski.
Uncle Steve's parents were from Poland and he was raised speaking polish at home.

Although I never met them they look like hardworking folks. If you look carefully Ignatious is hold eggs which I'm sure he collected himself from their own hen house.

Kathy Lynn (Rucki) Gatchell's Obituary

Here's a copy of my mother's obituary. Her grandmother, mother, sister and step-brothers have all now since passed away. I was almost 10 years old when she died. My brother was 4 years old.

She is interred in Memorial Park Cemetery, Calhoun County, Michigan.

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.

Anna Maie (Clark) Gatchell's Obituary

Maie Gatchell's obituary as published in The Fort Wayne Journal-Gazetter 10 Nov 1924; Page 2, Column 3.

Mrs. Maie Gatchell, wife of Ralph M. Gatchell , 2102 Drexel Blvd. died last night at 8:25 o'clock at the Methodist hospital following an illness of two weeks of complications. Surviving besides the husband are three daughters and one son, and the parents, Mr. and Mrs. Charles Clark of Akron, O. She was a member of the O.E.S . and the L.A. to B. of __(maybe Eastern Star?). Funeral announcements will be made later.

Anna Maie (Clark) Gatchell

Anna Maie (Clark) Gatchell is my Great-grand mother. She is interred in Lindenwood Cemetery, Fort Wayne, Allen County, Indiana.

Marriage of Ralph Gatchell & Mae Clark

My Great-grandfather Ralph M. Gatchell married my great-grandmother Mae Clark on 25 Sep 1917 in Fort Wayne, Allen County, Indiana. I've included a copy of their marriage license.

At this time Ralph was 25 years old and Mae was 21 years old. Ralph reports his occupation as Engineer. He worked on the railroad. It's also reported that his father Grant Gatchell was a 'railroader' obviously also employed by the railroad. No occupation is given for Mae but her father is reported to me a "Messenger."

The two witnesses to the marriage are Solly Frankenstein and Louis Pietz. Solly was a good friend of Ralph's that help administer the estate of Ralph & Mae after their death during the time their children were still minor age.

Steven Wisniewski

Steven Wisniewski was my Great-Uncle or sometime termed Grand-Uncle. He was born 18 Aug 1913 in Fort Wayne, Allen County, Indiana to Ignatious Wisniewski & Catherine Domick. Uncle Steve died on 10 Mar 1993 in the same city that he was born in.

Uncle Steve married Helen Marie Gatchell on 26 Oct 1938 in Fort Wayne, Indiana.

He worked and retired from Harvester International in Fort Wayne. Uncle Steve always had a large and bountiful garden. I can remember visiting them several times when I was young as he raised pigeons in the back of his garage. He butchered and ate them too which seems rather foreign to me at the time but I have come to appreciate this more in my later years as Uncle Steve grew up in the Great Depression in which food was scarce.