This being my last newsletter as president, I was planning on writing about all
my summer and fall trade shows which were many. Starting with the Cloquet,
MN show in July, the NABA show in Toledo, OH, the BCCA show in Dallas,
Stubefest In New Ulm, and the Guzzle and Twirl and were all fun in their
unique way. I decided to write about a fellow Border Batcher who many of you
probably didn't even know, Terry Walraven. My first encounter with Terry was
many years ago at an auction in Albert Lea, MN which is 20 miles West of
Austin. The auction listed a 5 foot Hamm's Bear. I got to the auction early to
view the bear and then I went into the garage to get my bidding number and
that is when I saw tacked to the wall a Schell's Bock sign. This Bock sign is
one I have never seen before and I have seen a lot of the Border Batchers
collections. I asked if this sign was on the auction and the lady said no, but if I
wanted to talk to the owner he was in the house. Well, I went to the house
and he had just stepped out. I went back outside to look for him and I saw him
leaving the garage with a guy following him carrying that Schell's Bock sign.
My first reaction was to dislike this stranger because not only I missed out on
the Schell's sign but I also lost out on the Hamm's bear.
My next encounter with Terry was at another auction in Albert Lea. The only
thing of interest was a pair of Fleckenstein postcards. The postcards were in a
box of junk but that junk must of been valuable to this lady who paid an
ungodly amount for it. I was sure she didn't buy the box for the postcards so I
went over to her to see if she would sell me the postcards. I located the lady
but that stranger had beaten me again to the prize. I was standing next to
them and Terry bought both cards from her for $8.00. Terry looks up to me
with this big grin and to my surprise he asked me if I wanted to buy a postcard
for $ 4.00. OK, maybe this guy is a decent person after all.
You might guess by now that the next time I meet Terry was again at an
auction in Albert Lea. This time I spotted him early and kept one eye on him
and the other on the auction. The only item of interest was a Hamm's
cardboard box full of knitting stuff. Three ladies were in a bidding war for the
box. The lady that won the box of course was standing next to Terry. Here we
go again with Terry beating me to it but I decide to go over to the lady anyway.
Terry was standing there with the Hamm's box in hand and I asked what he
had to give her for the box. Terry said she just gave it to him and I thought you
lucky schmuck. Then out of the blue he ask me if I wanted it and I said yes
how much do you want for it. Terry said I could have it because he mainly
collected New Ulm brewerianna. Terry said he once lived and worked in New
Ulm and thats why he collected anything New Ulm. With that being said, this
was the beginning of a long friendship. He invited me over to view his
collection but his pride and joy was a Diamond T truck he was restoring.
Many years have passed since that 3rd meeting in Albert Lea, and at trade
shows I always look forward to visit with Terry and his lovely wife Donna. This
passed August I held a chapter meeting at my house and I mentioned that I
had not seen Terry all year. Judy T. said she received a call from Donna
stating the Terry passed away last November from a very aggressive cancer.
This was a total shock to me as Terry was only in his mid 50's. If it was not for
our great hobby of brewerianna collecting, I would not have had the privilege
of knowing what a wonderful person Mr. Walraven was. Lately when I'm
downstairs looking at my collection from New Ulm, I'm thinking of Terry and
that big grin of his.
Mur
Brewings is the official Brewsletter
of the Schell s Border Batch,
Chapter #83 of the Brewery
Collectibles Club of America.
Published quarterly for chapter
members to keep up with chapter
events and news. All materials in
Border Batch Brewings are written
by members of the Schell s Border
Batch Chapter, unless otherwise
credited. No reimbursement is
made for submissions. This
publication is not copyrighted and
material may be reprinted, provided
credit is given to the author. The
Schell s Border Batch Chapter
cannot be responsible for any
errors which may occur. If you
have anything you would like to
contribute please send your
newsletter article to:
Schell s Border Batch
Tom Terwilliger
1501 180th Street
LuVerne, Iowa 50560
Or
send
it
e-mail
to
[email protected] Any
and all newsletter articles will be
considered for publication in the
Border Batch Brewings.
Chapter Officers
President - Murray Srock #
9678
Vice President - Dan
Stueber #34421
Vice President Elect Treasurer - Tom Terwilliger
#28855
Secretary - Judy Terwilliger
#F32049
Chaplin - Father Furray
Srock #9678
Artist - Barry Travis
#30938
Sgt At Arms - Mark
Stueber
Supply Sergeant - Lori
Johnson
Newsletter Editor - Tom
Terwilliger #28855
Webmaster - Tom
Terwilliger #28855
Past President - Stevan
Miner #12803
Dues are $10 per year or $15 for
couples and due on Dec, 31 each
year. Dues can be sent to Tom
Terwilliger, 1501 180th Street,
LuVerne, IA 50560
Page 2