Those who attend the opening performance of “The Diary of Anne Frank” will be the first to use the new Thomas H. Bowlus Fine Arts Center parking lot. City workmen removed the service station on the corner lot across the street from the Center this week and were busy today rolling gravel which had been spread on the lot. The lot was owned by Mr. Bowlus and was given to the public along with the Arts Center with the stipulation that it be used in conjunction with the building.
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City commissioners voted yesterday to annex properties on the west side of North State Street. Involved are the REA building, the Lowell James Implement building, the American Legion building, Bud Redfern’s service station, the Pet Milk Co. building and homes owned by Blackie Spears and Walt Miller. Action was taken following presentation of a request by the American Legion to be brought into the city.
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Fritz Womack, owner and operator of Fritz Auto Supply on the west side of the square, started in the automobile business in 1916 as an employee of Slick and Abts as a mechanics helper and chauffeur. Womack worked for Abts until 1945 when he opened his own parts business in the Masonic building on the west side of the square. He now has 8,000 feet of shelf space for parts and seven full time employees.
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Thomas I. Christy, 88, one-time chief of police in Iola, died this morning at Sterling Heights Manor. He was born in a log cabin in Geneva Township in 1878 and lived in Allen County all his life. He worked at the Funston farm and United Iron Works before joining the police department in 1909. He became chief in 1914 and held that position until 1926 and worked elsewhere until returning to the department as chief in 1928. In 1932 another change in city administration interrupted his career again. In 1940 Christy was back in uniform as a special officer at Riverside Park, he transferred to the street department where he worked in various capacities until retiring for good in 1952. Three daughters and three sons survive.
