Wayne Meier to lead 150th parade
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Ashkum Sesquicentennial Kaela Nourie crowned queen

By Jo McCord
jmccord@daily-journal.com
815-432-3685

The first feature you notice about Wayne Meier is his extremely kind, expressive eyes.

Meier was honored at the kickoff of the Ashkum Sesquicentennial Friday for his lifetime of community service. He'll be the grand marshal of the sesquicentennial parade at 11 a.m. Saturday.

"He's done a lot for the community," said Mayor Paul Heideman.

Meier has lived in Ashkum all but about four of his 83 years -- when he was in the Army infantry during and after World War II.

He and his father, Harry, started the Meier Oil Service in 1937. He ran Meier Brothers Tire Service with his brother Marvin, who is deceased.

Wayne was township clerk for 20 years, fire chief for 22 years and has been in the American Legion for 60 years.

In World War II he fought in France, in the Battle of the Bulge in Belgium and at the Rhine Crossing. He says he's not 100 percent in accordance with the war in Iraq. "We're loosing some boys. It's hard to loose boys," he said. "We lost more in one day during World War II than have been lost, but it's still hard. World War II was bloodier, entirely different."

Meier helps people -- from an artist to whom he gave beautiful wood to ailing people who he encourages and helps through his connections at Mayo Clinic and through his faith, said Sharon and Bob Vondrak. Sharon chaired the committee to select the grand marshal.

Wayne is an active member of Assumption Blessed Virgin Mary Church in Ashkum.

Queen Kaela

Following the kickoff ceremony, Kaela Nourie, 15, daughter of Paul and Julie Nourie, was chosen Miss Ashkum in a pageant emceed by Jackie Meier, Wayne's daughter-in-law.

Kaela works at the Loft restaurant in Ashkum. She likes to sing, dance, play piano and flute and swim. She's active in music and is an honor roll student at Central High School. She wants to study for a career in the medical field and also minor in music.

In answer to her pop question: What is your greatest accomplishment and how has it changed your life, she cited trying out for show choir when she was in sixth grade. "I used to be so quiet, and now I'm not afraid to stand up and sing my heart out," Kaela said.

In her essay on the topic, "I knew I loved living in Ashkum when ..." she talked of the time when her father had a chance to take a job in Texas. She was so happy when he decided against it.

"It's such a blessing to me, the town and the people," she said. She couldn't imagine leaving everything that had meant so much to her, including sitting in the park.

The other two contestants, Megan Brinkman, 20, and Meredith Weber, 15, also mentioned the park, which is magnificent, where the contest was set among tall trees. The park is a square block on Main Street and the carnival and food and game booths line two sides of it.

Through Sunday the park, Main Street and the Coliseum downtown, are the site of the sesquicentennial celebration, which also is the Lions Club's 42nd Ashkum Homecoming.

Among those who have come home are Pamela Koets, Fort Meyers, Fla., and Tracy Lauterbach, Orlando, Fla., who came back in part to root for their cousin Megan.

Koets manages a Ruby Tuesday. She moved away from Ashkum only a few years ago. Lauterbach is a beauty advisor for Belk, a department store chain in the South. She moved away 17 years ago when her parents, Tim and Lori, moved there to work for Disney World.