40 years ago

july 5, 1978

To make Marion’s directional signs as fresh and colorful as the city they point to, Troy Bridges, son of Mr. and Mrs. James Bridges, is painting the sign at the intersection of South Third Street and US-50. Bridges says he will paint ten signs in bright red, white, blue, and black.

The subject of this week’s “Personality Profile” is Grace (Nienstedt) Richmond, employee at St. Luke Hospital since 1957.

Oelschlager Furniture and Carpeting has become The County Seat. Walt Oelschlager turned over the keys to his business last week to Brad and Jeannie Wildin and Steve Widler. The Oelschlagers plan to move to Sun City, Arizona.

After four years absence, a real drugstore malt (or shake) has returned to Marion Professional Pharmacy. Pictured is Ray Longhofer as he anticipates the first cool mouthful while Debbie Regier whips the ice cream, malt, and flavoring into his malt.

Two Marion churches, whose beginnings reach back to the early days of Marion Centre joined for a holiday celebration in Central Park Sunday morning. Approximately 150 Valley United Methodists and Presbyterians worshiped and picnicked together for the third consecutive year, a renewal of friendship between two congregations that had their birthdays in the early 1870s. Several at the picnic are descendants of charter members of the churches.