Waldo

Dr. Arthur R. “Doc” Ebert – Fort Morrow Volunteer Fire Department – Line of Duty Death, 1997

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Dr. Arthur R. Ebert
12/12/1933-1/14/1997
Arthur Ebert was born December 12 ,1933, in Marion Ohio, to Homer and Ida (Heimlich) Ebert. On June 23,1957, he married Carol L. (Longanbach), in Columbus Ohio.
Arthur graduated from The Ohio State University School Veterinary Medicine, in early June of 1957. After the marriage to Carol, they lived in Glasgow Kentucky, where Dr. Ebert practiced Veterinary Medicine, at the Glasgow Veterinary Clinic. In 1959, Dr. Ebert moved to Waldo, to work at the Waldo Animal Clinic.
Dr. Ebert was a person who wanted to help people. It ranged from 4-H to helping at the county fair with kids’ animals that they were showing and with his Church. He also had a passion in helping people through the fire service. He volunteered at Fort Morrow Fire Department since 1959, until his death.

On January 1, 1997, at 6:30 Pm, Fort Morrow Fire Department responded to a fire at 7262 Brundage Rd Waldo, Ohio. The fire started in an attached garage and then spread to the house. Upon the arrival of the fire department, the garage was fully involved. As members began to attack the fire, Dr. Ebert, who was staffing the pump, collapsed in cardiac arrest. He was rendered aid by other members of the fire department and transported to Marion General Hospital, where he was pronounced deceased. This was the second fire the department was on that evening.
Dr. Ebert was survived by his wife Carol, a son John Ebert, three daughters, Kate Brown, Sarah Hancock and Ruth Ebert, a brother Edward Ebert and nine grandchildren.
He was laid to rest in Waldo Cemetery, Waldo Ohio.
Article researched and contributed by Marion County Firefighter Memorial

Colonel T. E. Andrews – Spanish American War Veteran, World War One Veteran & Former Mayor of Marion, Ohio.

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A young Capt. Thomas E. Andrews circa 1900

Thomas E. Andrews was born 5 July 1875, in Union County, Ohio. His parents were Marion A. Andrews of Delaware, & Angeline (Leonhardt) Andrews of Union County.
T. E. Andrews was listed on 30 May 1893, as a private with Co. G, 14th Infantry, Marion, Ohio. On 1 September 1893, he would be promoted to Corporal; to sergeant on 2 February 1894; and he would serve as first sergeant beginning 1 July 1896. T. E. Andrews would begin his career as an officer on 27 April 1898, as a second lieutenant. While G Company was serving with the 4th O. V. I., he would receive his promotion to First Lieutenant on 21 August 1899. He would become a Captain on 7 August 1900.
T. E. Andrews would see active service on 6 – 9 June 1894, during the Wheeling Creek Strikes and in August of 1900, during the Akron Riots. He would serve with G Company, 4th O. V. I. during the War with Spain, seeing action 5 August and 8 August of 1898. While in Puerto Rico, he would also lead Musician Harry Love and Private Shaffer in capturing a Spanish flag. On 7 – 23 October 1898, he would be assigned special duty with K Company. He would be mustered out on 20 January 1899.
His service would continue with the Ohio National Guard up to and beyond the First World War. He would again be commissioned a first lieutenant in World War One. He would return after World War One to hold office as Mayor of Marion, Ohio. He would resign this post to accept the appointment as Assistant Adjutant General on the staff of Governor Harry L. Davis with the commission of lieutenant colonel. He would train recruits at Camp Perry and serve on the administrative staff of the Ohio National Guard until his retirement in 1938.
He also served a superintendent of the The Ohio Soldiers’ and Sailors’ Orphans’ Home in Xenia and for four years as mayor of Waldo, Ohio.
He married Gertrude Michel Andrews on 9 March 1941. He would died on 27 April 1960.
He is buried in the Waldo, Cemetery, Waldo, Ohio.

T. E. Andrews, Retired Guard
Officer and Ex-Mayor, Dies
Col. T. E Andrews, retired National Guard career soldier, and former mayor of the city, died Wednesday at 8:30 p.m. in the Willits Convalescent Home. He had been ill five years.
Col. Andrews served as a second lieutenant in Company G of the 4th Ohio Volunteer Infantry of Marion during the Spanish American War and as a first lieutenant in World War I,
After Word War I, he returned to Marion in 1919 to be elected mayor. Short before his term expired he was appointed assistant adjutant general on the staff of Gov. Harry L. Davis with the commission of lieutenant colonel. He was a trainer of recruits at Camp Perry and on the administrative staff of the Ohio National Guard until his retirement at the age of 64 in 1938.
He also served a superintendent of the Soldiers and Sailors Home in Xenia and as mayor of Waldo for four years. He was a member of the American Legion.
He was born July 5, 1875, in Union County to Marion A. Andrews of Delaware and Angeline Leonhardt Andrews of Union County.
His wife, Gertrude Michel Andrews, whom he married March 9, 1941 in Waldo, survives.
He was a member of the Christ Methodist Church in St. Petersburg, Fla., and Marion Lodge 70 F&AM.
Funeral services will be conducted Saturday at 3 p.m. in the Schaffner-Denzer Funeral Home. The Rev. Harry G. Myers of the Waldo Methodist Church and the Rev. A. A. Turner of the Waldo church, will officiate. Burial will be in the Waldo Cemetery. Friends may call at the funeral home after 7:30 tonight.
Note: Willits Convalescent Home was on North Prospect Street, Marion, Ohio

From The Marion Star dated 4-28-1960 pg. 12

Pvt. Gerald E. Baxter – Vietnam Era Casualty

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Gerald Eugene Baxter was born in Marion, Ohio, on 10 January 1948. He was the son of Kenneth & Virginia Baxter. Gerald grew up with his older brother, Ron, in Waldo Ohio. Gerald was known by his friends and family as Jerry.

Jerry & Brother, Ron

Jerry (Gerald) was a 1966 graduate of River Valley High School. Gerald would volunteer as a firefighter with the Waldo Fire Dept. prior to entering service. Gerald would be drafted into service in 1967. Ron Baxter, Jerry’s older brother, said that they were close brothers as they not only shared a bedroom, but also a small bed. He laughed when he told of how there was an imaginary line down the middle of the bed, and if even a finger or toe crossed it; one got hit. But Ron said that as brothers, they were very close.

Jerry & Ron
Jerry (Gerald) Baxter

Ron said that prior to State Route 23 bypassing Waldo, Jerry and he would play wiffleball with the neighborhood kids on the old S. R. 23 which went through the center of Waldo.
Ron remembers Jerry owning a motorcycle and enjoying riding it. He also said that he remembered a time when Jerry owned a Pontiac convertible. Ron said that one time on State Route 98 just north of Waldo, Jerry and two friends were in an accident in which they rolled the car over. Ron said that they had the top down and amazingly, no one was injured.


Gerald E. Baxter

Ron also related the events that surrounded Gerald’s tragic death. Ron said that he and his wife, Karen, were married on Saturday, November of 1967. Gerald would stand with Ron as his best man. Ron and Karen would delay their honeymoon, so Ron could take Jerry to the GreyHound bus station on the following Wednesday. On Wednesday Jerry would board the bus with other draftees and head to Fort Jackson, South Carolina. Gerald would be assigned to a detail the next day, after processing in for basic training. On this detail Gerald, at 6ft. 3in. and 220lbs., would be riding in a deuce-n-half truck. It was raining and as the truck was about to stop, Gerald had dropped his rain poncho. He then jumped down from the slow moving truck, but he had turned and the momentum of his feet would slam his head into the pavement. He thought he was OK, but the commander seeing how hard he hit his head said he was calling for help. Sadly Gerald would die shortly thereafter from a skull fracture.
The family was shocked to hear of his death and wonder what could have caused such an injury. They would be informed on the details by another soldier who had witnessed the terrible accident.
Ron said that Gerald had no problem in answering the call to serve his country, even in time of war.
Pvt. Gerald E. Baxter is buried near his parents at the Waldo Cemetery, Waldo, Ohio.
Gerald E. Baxter is remembered on the Honor Roll, at the Veterans Memorial Park in Marion, Ohio and the Waldo Township Veterans Memorial, located in front of the Waldo Village & Township Hall.

(Thank You, to Ron Baxter for sharing memories and photos of your brother, Gerald.)