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Home My WebLink AboutTimes Advocate, 1993-02-17, Page 8Page 8 Times -Advocate, February 17, 1993 CQMMIJN Everett Hai t: A century worth of memories By Kellie Ercoli T -A Staff ZURICH - / was born all naked and bare; A helpless creature without any hair. This is the beginning of a poem composed by Everett Haist on the occasion of his 99th birthday. That was last year. "Look at me now! I'm 100 -years - old and I still have hair—white hair," joked Heist at his birthday celebration at the Blue Water Rest Home last Wednesday afternoon. On February 10, Haist ushered in his 100th birthday with a celebra- tion held in his honour at the rest home. More than 60 residents and friend gathered with his family to offer best wishes to the ce: arian. Haist's daughter Eunice ravelled from Saskatchewan to help cele- brate her father's landmark birth- day. His son Stanley, of Dashwood was also present for the afternoon festivities. The tribute to Haist began with the recitation of four memory- invokin • poems: Little Red School House; Saturday Night Bath; The Old Country Store; and The Old Fashioned Car, read by residents and a staff .member of the rest home. Resident 'Beatrice Rader delight- ed the crowd with a selection of or- gan•.music and the residents joined in singing songs from days gone by: Old Spinning Wheel in the Par- lour; Let the Rest of the World go by; and Meirwries, followed by xappyBirthday. Just before the serving of the cake, Haist thanked everyone for celebrating the occasion with him. "I sure take' real pleasure in get- ting up here and thanking everyone. I always think that I'm so lucky to have been born in 1893. I have seen so much that people born later will never see .and I often wished that I had told more because I know more," he said. Born a htntdred _years ago, Haist is a man who has had the privilege of witnessing many changes in the world, the country, .and .Huron county. - Ten years ago, Haist wrote a book, Pioneer Days, which chroni- cals his life and observations in such locales as Crediton, Zurich, Hensall and Dashwood were he lived, worked and raised his family. Born near Crediton, Heist was the third oldest of the eight off- spring of Frederick and Magdalena Haist. From a young age he and his siblings worked around the fam- ily farm, and tile and brick yard. In his book, Heist describes boyhood memories of gathering berries in small pails and riding a heavy steel bicycle with his brother in the early 1900's. When he was 17 -years -old, Haist's parents sent him to Chatham Business College where he studied bookkeeping for seven months. Upon completion of his courses he found brief employment as a shipping clerk at a creamery in De- troit. In the spring of 1911 he en- tered partnership with another young man and manufactured ice blankets. They sold these house to house and enjoyed great success during the summer months. Over the next few years he held such positions as elevator operator, and stock clerk with the B.F. Goo- drich Rubber Company. He ithen returned home and took over the family brick and tile business with his brother while maintaining the farm. On December 22, 1917 Haist married Sophia Schroeder of Dash- wood who was two years his sen- ior. "She thought that she should be boss because she was older. I told her, 'okay, you're the boss inside the house, but I'm the boss out- side'," Haist joked. Shortly after the end of the First World War, the brothers dissolved their partnership and Haist bought a grocery store in Hensall which he quickly converted into a bakeshop and store. He worked for two weeks at Currie's bakeshop in Goderich to leam the business and purchase complete bakeshop equip- ment. Haist and his wife worked very hard and became successful in -the-Mk-business. They supplied bread locally and shipped it by train to Kippen, Bruccfield, Varna, Exet- er, Centralia, Crediton and Zurich. Aftcr three years they sold the business and Haist bought an elec- Exeter Drop- in rop- in .Centre February 15 Carpet bowling • 3 games June Hodgson, 3 wins, score 28 • Lawrence Russell, 2 wins, score 19 Marshall Dearing, 2 wins, score 25 Myrtle Gusso. 2 wins, score 22. Cribbage High - Marshall Dearing Low - Lawrence Russell Don't forget the poor boy lunch- eon next Monday, February 22. Phone Tammy at 235.0258 if you .are coming to the luncheon. trical supply business in Detroit1943, he moved his family to Exet- which he operated until 1926. In ler, then back to Dashwood five 1925, their daughter Eunice was born. Upon selling the business, Haist worked as a stock clerk for another electric company for al- most three years. In 1929 the Heists returned to Huron county where they bought a house and operated a bakeshop in Zurich for two years until they relo- cated. A fire in August 1933 dev- astated the business and Heist was forced to bake in London until his Zurich business was rebuilt in De- cember of that year. By that time, he had two trucks delivering bread and pastry daily to stores and farm- ers in the district through the sum- mer and the winter. In the fall of 1936, Heist once again sold his bake business and he, Sophia and Eunice took a trip to California. Shortly after their re- turn, Stanley was bom into the small family. The Haists lived in Dashwood for close to a year be- fore moving to Sarepta Corners. Haist took on the Texaco Gasoline and Oil Distributing for the district which he operated until 1948. In - years later. At that point, Haist purchased some property in Bayfield and built two houses which were sold and moved off the land. A doctor from Detroit who was interested in build- ing a summer home bought the land from him. After selling the Bay- field property Haist sold fire -proof vaults and safes for a Brantford company until 1965. Everett and Sophia Haist cele- brated 72 years of marriage. So- phia died in June 1990,just months before their 73rd anniversary. It was shortly after her death that Haist left his Dashwood home, where he resided with his son Stan- ley, and came to the Blue Water Rest Home. Asked if he has any secrets to a long and happy life, he replied: "Be honest about yourself and everyone -else. Don't try to cheat and beat everyone. Don't be back- ward—be forward! There's no make up about me. I've told the truth all my life and the Lord has been with me," he offered. Earn _ 9 1/2% compoundlid effective yield R.R.S.P. LOANS prime -1/4 no payment required until June 1, T$$$ R.R.S.P. HOURS Sat. Feb. 27, 9 a.m. -1 p.m. Mon. March 1, 9 a.m. - 8 p.m. R.R.S.P. Deposits are used to boost the local economy Clinton Community CREDIT UNION 118 Main St. North, Exeter 235-0640 icenm_H IDOLTEMCD1W Bill Becker (right) of Dashwobd, presents Everett -Heist with a plaque from the town of Dashwood; where HaiSt was a long- time ongtime resident, in recognition of his 100th birthday. HURON COUNTY DISTRICT HEALTH COUNCIL STEERING COMMITTEE INFORMATION REQUESTS Information presentations, meetings and dis- cussion groups can be arranged for February and March. (Nominations for members of the Steering Committee have been closed. The 70 names will be reviewed during February). FOR FURTHER INFORMATION, please call. leave a message. fax or write Paul Carroll. Chair, at (5 19) 527-1860 or P.O. Box 938. Seaforth, Ontario, NOK 1WO TRIANGLE DISC 0 UNTILn 433 Main St., Exeter Decongestant tablets 48's or Non -Drowsy Caplets 32's Dristan Effective February 15 to 28. 993 Jhirmack, 300 ml. Shampoos or Conditioners Fast chocolate shakes, 530 g. or Fruit Juice Mix 520 9. 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