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| Carole Van Brocklin, right, daughter of Benita “Slo Freight Ben” Sankey is comforted by other members of her family as she lays her mother’s ashes to rest at the Hobo Cemetery in Britt News-Tribune photo by Mary Loden |
Hobos pay tribute to seven westbound riders
By Mary Loden, Of the News-Tribune
The memorial service at the Hobo Cemetery in Britt Friday was especially poignant, with seven of the great ones, the “old timers” being laid to rest, physically or in memory.
A separate service at the cemetery was held Thursday afternoon to honor Jerry “Liberty” Justice.
“Another comrade has gone to report to the Commander and Chief of us all,” said VFW Commander, Jerry Christensen, who presided over the military service.
Liberty Justice founded the organization H.O.B.O. (Help Our Brothers Overcome) while in the Air Force. After his term of duty he spent the next 25 years of his life writing and performing hobo songs after meeting the hobo patriarch, Steamtrain Maury Graham.
Musicians, Diana and Bob Suckiel sang a tribute song to Liberty Justice. They had first met and performed with him in the 1970s and their paths crossed often. Several times the Sukiels and Liberty Justice collaborated with another hobo friend, singer/songwriter Bruce “Utah Phillips” Phillips, who was also laid to rest Friday.
“Why does God create a human being to just live for 11 hours or for just 71 years. He doesn't, he creates them to live forever. Liberty just isn't living here with us,” said Britt Mayor Jim Nelson, who considered Liberty a good friend.
“In the early 1980s he found the hobo community. It changed his life. He found something he'd been looking for,” said John Justice, Liberty's brother.
Brenda Justice, Liberty's wife of 52 years, also a long time member of the hobo community, was comforted by family and friends.
On Friday morning the portion of Evergreen Cemetery dedicated to the hobos was overflowing with well-wishers and those who enjoy watching a true celebration of life.
Carol Van Brocklin, daughter of Benita “Slo Freight Ben” Sankey gave the tribute to her mother. Many of Benita's relatives, including her 96-year-old sister from Allison, came to pay final tribunte to her.
While Benita was working as a nurse/companion she and her charge would amuse themselves by attending Hobo Days in Britt. However, Benita fell in love with the hobo family because she felt their unconditional acceptance said her daughter Carole.
Even when she could no longer drive Benita, now dubbed “Slo Freight Ben” found a way to get to the convention each year even is she had to hitchhike.
Slo Freight held several titles over the years, including Grand Duchess, three-time National Hobo Queen, Keeper of the Unknown Hobo Grave, Queen Mum and Hobo Queen for Life.
Carole began escorting her mother to the conventions in 1990. “I've come to understand why my mother loved coming so much,” she said.
Paying tribute to Lawrence “Gas Can Paddy” Meierhoff was Connecticut Shorty, who fondly remembers his many trips to Britt. He received his hobo moniker because wherever he traveled he carried all his belongings in a gas can. Shorty laughed as she said Gas Can figured that if someone saw him carrying a gas can they would be more likely to pick him up faster.
Adolpf “Hobo Whittler” Vandertie was paid tribute by Connecticut Tootsie who first met him when she interviewed him for a children's book she was writing. Hob Whittler was the keeper of over 4,000 pieces of whittlers art, including some of his own. He earned a place in the Guiness Book of World Records for carving the longest longest wooden chain out of a solid piece of wood. The chain contains 2,821 links and weighs under 2-pounds. Adolpf and his wife were dubbed Grand Duke and Duchess in 1981.
Minneapolis Jewell, lived not to far away from Jack “Jungle Jack” Van Sise, and always included him in her “King” parties. Jewel said he was such a quiet, unassuming man. “He had so many talents, but you wouldn't know it til you got to know him,” Jewel said. She also marveled that at age 91 he still did more situps and pushups than anyone she knew.
Mary, age 92 and his companion of 25 years, attended the memorial service.
Milwaukee Mike spoke for John “Sidedoor Pullman Kid” O'Connor. He and a few other hobo friends attended the actual funeral service held in Phoenix, Ariz..
“He rode in boxcars in search of work and adventure. He preferred the open road to a settled life,” Mike said. Sidedoor did eventually marry and settle down, but when his wife died in 1985 he resumed his hobo life, ocassionly hopping a train or two. He activly rode the rails until age 82.
Bob Sukiel, also known as “C&E” spoke of his friend and mentor Bruce “Utah Phillips.” “He believed in the dignity of all work, from ditch digging to telling stories and teaching classes” Sukiel said. “He told stories of those who have been marginalized in the history of the United Sates and stories of tramps and hobos,” he said.
“He always talked about possibilities - the possibility of change and communication between people and what it can do for our culture and society.”
After the tributes the hobos carried on the time-honored tradition of saluting westbound hobos by walking around their markers and tapping the stones.
To commemorate the occasion Amy Krause, Iowa State University Hobo Studios student, built a kinectic sculpture as part of her senior project.
Krause said she wanted to honor the hobo way and she came up with an inexpensive version of some of the expansive projects she and her fellow students were working on.
Knowing how much the hobo loves to roam and hopes to continue in heaven, she created a 4-foot by 5-foot wooden frame, half the size of a box car doorway, with aluminum discs suspended from the frame. Each of the 105 discs represents a hobo who caught the westbound. Seven more discs were added after the memorial service. This sculpture will be a permanent part of the cemetery.
Story created Aug 12, 2008 - 11:53:41 CDT.
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