one last glimpse

After he sold Indiana Motor Bus Company, my great-grandpa started a car dealership, Jeffirs Motor Company. Once Gramps got old enough, he went to work for his dad. Here's how he describes it in his obituary, which he wrote himself:

In 1950, Mike began working part time at Jeffirs Motor Company, his father's car agency. After high school graduation, he continued working there while attending the South Bend College of Commerce. In late 1953, Mike volunteered for the draft at the age 19. He served active duty from January 1954 to January 1956. Back home in 1956, he returned to work at Jeffirs Motor Company, working at every position from car washer to president for a total of 23 years.

Grandpa Jeff died in 1976 (when I was two years old), and the following year, Gramps decided it was time to part ways with the car dealership. Again, his own words:

In early 1977, Mike decided he had seen all the cars he ever needed to see and sold the agency.

I'm not sure exactly what happened to the car dealership business after 1977, but the building itself remained, on Jefferson Street near Dairy Queen in Plymouth. Until today, that is. Today they started demolition on the building, and in the process we discovered something wonderful: The new owners, back in 1977, decided to cover the building with an aluminum facade instead of repainting the exterior. So when they took down the facade today and started the demolition, we got to see the original signage one last time.

I drove the boys over there after school to show them, and Henry was sad at the half-torn-down building until I reminded him how special it is to have this unexpected and firsthand glimpse into our history. It touched me deeply to see it, and I know it brought back all kinds of memories for my mom and her brothers and sisters. What a gift.