Virgil enlisted 13 July 1918 in the United States Marine Corps during World War I in company K, 13th Regiment, at Paris Island, South Carolina from 14 July 1918 to 30 August, then Quantico, Virginia from 1 September until he was transported to France on 13 September 1918. He was stationed at Camp Pontinazen, Brest, France from 26 September to 13 November, two days following the Armistice.
Through the winter he continued in the Marines in France at Camp St. Sulpice; Usine Drulle, Nantes; and in July at St. Nazaire and Camp Pontinzen , Brest. He was transported by ship to the Hampton Rds., Virginia, United States where he was discharged honorably on 13 August 1919, having served thirteen months.
Virgil often said thirteen was his lucky number and spoke about the frequency of the number thirteen in his military career, and indeed beyond. Perhaps that is why he married Lottie on day thirteen of May.
Virgil worked as a dairyman, and as a salesman in dairy work and other fields while Lottie cooked, cleaned, sewed, washed, canned fruit and vegetables and birthed babies. They resided in Royal Oak, Troy, Addison, Litchfield, Coldwater, Sturgis and Battle Creek Michigan, usually moving to better life for their growing family. Finally Virgil achieved his ambition to own his own business in Battle Creek where together they owned, managed, and worked in the Battle Creek Dairy in Battle Creek, Michigan.
In December 1950, just after expanding into a new dairy building complete with store, Virgil suffered a crushing injury to his left tibia (shin bone) which side-lined him for about six months. In spite of the fact that by summer he again delivered milk and drove a stand-up milk truck with his leg in a walking cast, it was necessary for him to hire a teen-age boy to "run the stops" and help stack the crates of heavy milk bottles which he had formerly done unaided. The milk-plant and business faltered at the hands of other men. Eventually finances made it neccessary to eliminate the processing end of the business. He continued as an independent distributer of another dairy's products, a move that surely broke his heart.
By the early 1960s, the old-fashioned "milk man" was to fade into obscurity. Better pasturization and refrigeration enabled milk to stay fresh for a week or more. Working wives preferred to buy their milk at the supermarket with the rest of their groceries rather than leave a key with the milk-man (at one time Virgil had a huge ring of keys belonging to customers who trusted him to enter their kitchens). Gone was the familiar sound of the Divco truck brakes' squeal as the driver stopped out front.
Virgil and Lottie then began to remodel and rent older homes in Battle Creek. Most of the cleaning, painting, and rent collecting was done jointly by the couple. Finally they sold the dairy route and became full-time landlords, joining the Battle Creek Landlord Association to better their knowledge of the business.
Virgil and Lottie were active in the Methodist church throughout their lives together. In Battle Creek, Michigan, their last residence, they belonged at different times, to three United Methodist Churches: First, Washington Heights, and Maple. He served as director of United Methodist Men in the Albion District 1969-1970. He was a member of Gideons International and was church assignment secretary for the Gideons' state conference in Battle Creek about 1970. He was active in the Battle Creek Area Council of Churches and from 1973-1975 was the president of the Home Ownership Division of that organization. About the same time, he served on the Housing Committee of the Community Action Agency in Battle Creek, in an effort to secure low income housing for mentally handicapped. From 1982 to 1984 Virgil was chairman of the Trustees at Maple United Methodist Church.
Virgil was a member of the American Legion Post #54. With Lottie, he was a member of the Battle Creek Camera Club. In 1957 he was a member of Toastmasters International. In 1988, his 90th year, he joined Toastmasters for the second time.
Through the winter he continued in the Marines in France at Camp St. Sulpice; Usine Drulle, Nantes; and in July at St. Nazaire and Camp Pontinzen , Brest. He was transported by ship to the Hampton Rds., Virginia, United States where he was discharged honorably on 13 August 1919, having served thirteen months.
Virgil often said thirteen was his lucky number and spoke about the frequency of the number thirteen in his military career, and indeed beyond. Perhaps that is why he married Lottie on day thirteen of May.
Virgil worked as a dairyman, and as a salesman in dairy work and other fields while Lottie cooked, cleaned, sewed, washed, canned fruit and vegetables and birthed babies. They resided in Royal Oak, Troy, Addison, Litchfield, Coldwater, Sturgis and Battle Creek Michigan, usually moving to better life for their growing family. Finally Virgil achieved his ambition to own his own business in Battle Creek where together they owned, managed, and worked in the Battle Creek Dairy in Battle Creek, Michigan.
In December 1950, just after expanding into a new dairy building complete with store, Virgil suffered a crushing injury to his left tibia (shin bone) which side-lined him for about six months. In spite of the fact that by summer he again delivered milk and drove a stand-up milk truck with his leg in a walking cast, it was necessary for him to hire a teen-age boy to "run the stops" and help stack the crates of heavy milk bottles which he had formerly done unaided. The milk-plant and business faltered at the hands of other men. Eventually finances made it neccessary to eliminate the processing end of the business. He continued as an independent distributer of another dairy's products, a move that surely broke his heart.
By the early 1960s, the old-fashioned "milk man" was to fade into obscurity. Better pasturization and refrigeration enabled milk to stay fresh for a week or more. Working wives preferred to buy their milk at the supermarket with the rest of their groceries rather than leave a key with the milk-man (at one time Virgil had a huge ring of keys belonging to customers who trusted him to enter their kitchens). Gone was the familiar sound of the Divco truck brakes' squeal as the driver stopped out front.
Virgil and Lottie then began to remodel and rent older homes in Battle Creek. Most of the cleaning, painting, and rent collecting was done jointly by the couple. Finally they sold the dairy route and became full-time landlords, joining the Battle Creek Landlord Association to better their knowledge of the business.
Virgil and Lottie were active in the Methodist church throughout their lives together. In Battle Creek, Michigan, their last residence, they belonged at different times, to three United Methodist Churches: First, Washington Heights, and Maple. He served as director of United Methodist Men in the Albion District 1969-1970. He was a member of Gideons International and was church assignment secretary for the Gideons' state conference in Battle Creek about 1970. He was active in the Battle Creek Area Council of Churches and from 1973-1975 was the president of the Home Ownership Division of that organization. About the same time, he served on the Housing Committee of the Community Action Agency in Battle Creek, in an effort to secure low income housing for mentally handicapped. From 1982 to 1984 Virgil was chairman of the Trustees at Maple United Methodist Church.
Virgil was a member of the American Legion Post #54. With Lottie, he was a member of the Battle Creek Camera Club. In 1957 he was a member of Toastmasters International. In 1988, his 90th year, he joined Toastmasters for the second time.
Virgil enlisted 13 July 1918 in the United States Marine Corps during World War I in company K, 13th Regiment, at Paris Island, South Carolina from 14 July 1918 to 30 August, then Quantico, Virginia from 1 September until he was transported to France on 13 September 1918. He was stationed at Camp Pontinazen, Brest, France from 26 September to 13 November, two days following the Armistice.
Through the winter he continued in the Marines in France at Camp St. Sulpice; Usine Drulle, Nantes; and in July at St. Nazaire and Camp Pontinzen , Brest. He was transported by ship to the Hampton Rds., Virginia, United States where he was discharged honorably on 13 August 1919, having served thirteen months.
Virgil often said thirteen was his lucky number and spoke about the frequency of the number thirteen in his military career, and indeed beyond. Perhaps that is why he married Lottie on day thirteen of May.
Virgil worked as a dairyman, and as a salesman in dairy work and other fields while Lottie cooked, cleaned, sewed, washed, canned fruit and vegetables and birthed babies. They resided in Royal Oak, Troy, Addison, Litchfield, Coldwater, Sturgis and Battle Creek Michigan, usually moving to better life for their growing family. Finally Virgil achieved his ambition to own his own business in Battle Creek where together they owned, managed, and worked in the Battle Creek Dairy in Battle Creek, Michigan.
In December 1950, just after expanding into a new dairy building complete with store, Virgil suffered a crushing injury to his left tibia (shin bone) which side-lined him for about six months. In spite of the fact that by summer he again delivered milk and drove a stand-up milk truck with his leg in a walking cast, it was necessary for him to hire a teen-age boy to "run the stops" and help stack the crates of heavy milk bottles which he had formerly done unaided. The milk-plant and business faltered at the hands of other men. Eventually finances made it neccessary to eliminate the processing end of the business. He continued as an independent distributer of another dairy's products, a move that surely broke his heart.
By the early 1960s, the old-fashioned "milk man" was to fade into obscurity. Better pasturization and refrigeration enabled milk to stay fresh for a week or more. Working wives preferred to buy their milk at the supermarket with the rest of their groceries rather than leave a key with the milk-man (at one time Virgil had a huge ring of keys belonging to customers who trusted him to enter their kitchens). Gone was the familiar sound of the Divco truck brakes' squeal as the driver stopped out front.
Virgil and Lottie then began to remodel and rent older homes in Battle Creek. Most of the cleaning, painting, and rent collecting was done jointly by the couple. Finally they sold the dairy route and became full-time landlords, joining the Battle Creek Landlord Association to better their knowledge of the business.
Virgil and Lottie were active in the Methodist church throughout their lives together. In Battle Creek, Michigan, their last residence, they belonged at different times, to three United Methodist Churches: First, Washington Heights, and Maple. He served as director of United Methodist Men in the Albion District 1969-1970. He was a member of Gideons International and was church assignment secretary for the Gideons' state conference in Battle Creek about 1970. He was active in the Battle Creek Area Council of Churches and from 1973-1975 was the president of the Home Ownership Division of that organization. About the same time, he served on the Housing Committee of the Community Action Agency in Battle Creek, in an effort to secure low income housing for mentally handicapped. From 1982 to 1984 Virgil was chairman of the Trustees at Maple United Methodist Church.
Virgil was a member of the American Legion Post #54. With Lottie, he was a member of the Battle Creek Camera Club. In 1957 he was a member of Toastmasters International. In 1988, his 90th year, he joined Toastmasters for the second time.
Through the winter he continued in the Marines in France at Camp St. Sulpice; Usine Drulle, Nantes; and in July at St. Nazaire and Camp Pontinzen , Brest. He was transported by ship to the Hampton Rds., Virginia, United States where he was discharged honorably on 13 August 1919, having served thirteen months.
Virgil often said thirteen was his lucky number and spoke about the frequency of the number thirteen in his military career, and indeed beyond. Perhaps that is why he married Lottie on day thirteen of May.
Virgil worked as a dairyman, and as a salesman in dairy work and other fields while Lottie cooked, cleaned, sewed, washed, canned fruit and vegetables and birthed babies. They resided in Royal Oak, Troy, Addison, Litchfield, Coldwater, Sturgis and Battle Creek Michigan, usually moving to better life for their growing family. Finally Virgil achieved his ambition to own his own business in Battle Creek where together they owned, managed, and worked in the Battle Creek Dairy in Battle Creek, Michigan.
In December 1950, just after expanding into a new dairy building complete with store, Virgil suffered a crushing injury to his left tibia (shin bone) which side-lined him for about six months. In spite of the fact that by summer he again delivered milk and drove a stand-up milk truck with his leg in a walking cast, it was necessary for him to hire a teen-age boy to "run the stops" and help stack the crates of heavy milk bottles which he had formerly done unaided. The milk-plant and business faltered at the hands of other men. Eventually finances made it neccessary to eliminate the processing end of the business. He continued as an independent distributer of another dairy's products, a move that surely broke his heart.
By the early 1960s, the old-fashioned "milk man" was to fade into obscurity. Better pasturization and refrigeration enabled milk to stay fresh for a week or more. Working wives preferred to buy their milk at the supermarket with the rest of their groceries rather than leave a key with the milk-man (at one time Virgil had a huge ring of keys belonging to customers who trusted him to enter their kitchens). Gone was the familiar sound of the Divco truck brakes' squeal as the driver stopped out front.
Virgil and Lottie then began to remodel and rent older homes in Battle Creek. Most of the cleaning, painting, and rent collecting was done jointly by the couple. Finally they sold the dairy route and became full-time landlords, joining the Battle Creek Landlord Association to better their knowledge of the business.
Virgil and Lottie were active in the Methodist church throughout their lives together. In Battle Creek, Michigan, their last residence, they belonged at different times, to three United Methodist Churches: First, Washington Heights, and Maple. He served as director of United Methodist Men in the Albion District 1969-1970. He was a member of Gideons International and was church assignment secretary for the Gideons' state conference in Battle Creek about 1970. He was active in the Battle Creek Area Council of Churches and from 1973-1975 was the president of the Home Ownership Division of that organization. About the same time, he served on the Housing Committee of the Community Action Agency in Battle Creek, in an effort to secure low income housing for mentally handicapped. From 1982 to 1984 Virgil was chairman of the Trustees at Maple United Methodist Church.
Virgil was a member of the American Legion Post #54. With Lottie, he was a member of the Battle Creek Camera Club. In 1957 he was a member of Toastmasters International. In 1988, his 90th year, he joined Toastmasters for the second time.
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