Posted: 8/17/04
Bob Meisch: a ëpeople personí and Outstanding Senior
Why Bob was chosen Some of Bob Meischís volunteer activities listed on the nomination form by Selma Voight of Caledonia, are listed below. ï Caledonia Lions Club: Meisch has a long history of work with the Caledonia Lions. He works with their Turkey Raffle, Breakfast with Santa, blood pressure screening and cholesterol checks, Camp Winnebago Friendship Wagon Train. Heís been president and board member, hearing committee chairman, and membership chairman. He was named Hearing Research Fellow in 2001, received the Melvin Jones Award from the Lions in 1999, and was Caledonia ìLion of the Yearî in 1997. ï Knights of Columbus Council 1198: Meisch was Grand Knight for 18 years, and financial secretary for five years. ï Minnesota Ambulance Association: Meisch was director for four years., and was named EMS Manager of the Year in 1992. ï Farm Bureau First Care Safety Program: Meisch worked with farm safety with this program for 10 years. ï Sewing machine servicing: Meisch repairs and overhauls sewing machines for churches and other groups. |
By David Heiller
Argus News Editor
Bob Meisch of Caledonia and Marjorie Sather of Houston have been chosen 2004 Outstanding Senior Citizens by the Houston County Fair Board.
They will be honored in a program at the Houston County Fair this Thursday at 1 p.m. (That day happens to be the 58th wedding anniversary for Bob Meisch and his wife, Leona!)
This week The Argus is doing a feature story on Bob. (Last week we featured Mrs. Sather.)
Bob Meisch, 79, has a long list of civic activity. Itís easy to see why he was chosen Houston County Senior Citizen of the Year.
But he says what underlies all those accomplishments is the fact that he likes people, and he is proud of Caledonia.
He worked a wide variety of jobs from 1955, when he moved here from Plainview, until 1965. He sold Watkins products for five years, worked for the stave mill in rural Eitzen, then was a mechanic at Caledonia Implement from 1959-1965.
A heart attack in 1965 forced him to go in a different direction. He started helping his wife, Leona, do upholstery work then. He also managed the Caledonia Ambulance for about 25 years, first for Al Haugen, then for the city when it took over in 1969. That job ended in 1991 when he officially retired.
He and Leona have five children: Arnold, Prior Lake, Minnesota; Linda (Dadko), Mount Prospect, Illinois; Lora, Caledonia; Kenny, Caledonia; and Holly (Klankowski), Caledonia. They have nine grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. ìAnd two more on the way,î Bob added.
Holly does most of the upholstery work now. Bob is proud that they have done upholstery work for every state in the country.
Meisch said he has enjoyed his work with the Lions, and on the Caledonia ambulance service the most.
He also has enjoyed working with the Friendship Wagon Train for Camp Winnebago. He was raised on a farm in Minnieska, so he likes horses. He liked working with the Appaloosa horse show in Caledonia for many years.
One thing that Meisch is known for is his sewing machine repair. Selma Voight, who nominated Meisch for Senior Citizen of the Year, called this ìvery beneficial to senior citizens.î Meisch figured he should learn it after he had to call in a repairman from Minneapolis many years ago who charged $10 an hour from the time he left Minneapolis.
One time an 80-foot-long tent at the fairgrounds was torn in a windstorm. Bob and Leona put a sewing machine on the back of a pick-up and Leona sewed it while Bob drove the pickup backward.
He got a large pair of pants for his efforts saying ìOld Boss Hog,î a reference to the character in the Dukes of Hazzard television show that was popular at the time. ìThereís always something comical that makes your day,î Bob said.
The Melvin Jones Award is Bobís proudest achievement. ìIím proud to be a Lion,î he said.
He enjoys volunteering. ìThereís things that you should be proud of. I think thereís a lot of people in town that should be more proud of Caledonia. I think thereís people that have been here their whole lives who are not proud of their city,î he said.
Bob still does sewing machine repairs, and he is working on restoring a 1933 Ford fire truck. He is also anxious to get his right knee repaired.
A scanner crackled in the background as we visited. That prompted Bob to remark, ìI think Caledonia has an ambulance second to none of any city of its size and some of them bigger.î
Getting along with people is the key to success, Bob feels. It has served him well all his life, from selling Watkins products in the good old days to working with people and cities on the ambulance service.
Be diplomatic, he said. ìWhen you go out and tell somebody how much heís going to buy or what heís going to do, thatís the quickest way for you to be going down the road.î
He recalls some advice that Dr. Lawrence Poston gave him when Bob was on the ambulance crew: Imagine you are leaving a house, then lock your troubles on the other side of the door. ìLeave them there,î Bob said. ìTheyíll be there tomorrow.î
And just how do you do that? ìYouíve got to really work at it,î he admitted. The main thing is to be dedicated to what you are doing.
And how does he feel about being named Houston County Senior Citizen of the Year? ìI feel honored, very honored,î he replied. A little undeserving too, but like he said throughout our interview, he tries to be gracious and accommodating to people.
Caledonia Argus
314 West Lincoln St.
P.O. Box 227
Caledonia, MN 55921-0227
507/724-3475
E-Mail: editor.argus@ecm-inc.com