Funeral Services for Willie Wall

RHoover,    

I am Willie’s oldest daughter, Greta Sawyer. My sister, Sherryl, and I want you to know that our Dad passed away Thursday, June 18 at the Benkelman hospital. The cause was congestive heart failure. Dad was not feeling his best for a few months and had good days and days he was extremely tired. But he was able to live alone until the last week and a half. My sister and I were here to care for him as he grew weaker. He had a really bad night Tuesday and we put him in the hospital Wednesday afternoon. He had medication to keep him comfortable. Sherryl stayed with him until midnight then came back home. The nurse called to tell us he had passed at 3:30 AM Thursday morning. When Sherryl and I went to the hospital he looked very peaceful. He told us he was “ready to go” so it’s a good thing for him even tho it’s sad for us. We will miss his sense of humor and his expressions of love. But we are comforted by knowing he is in a better place.

Services are Friday, June 26, 10:30 AM, MDT, at the Benkelman Methodist Church. There will be a luncheon following.

Greta Wall Sawyer and Sherryl Wall Williams

PIPE RAYMOND WINDMILL ADDED TO HAIGLER MUSEUM GROUNDS

A reconstructed Pipe Raymond Windmill, c. 1918 has been added to the Haigler Museum Grounds.  The Pipe Raymond Windmill was the most frequently seen vaneless mill on the Great Plains in the early 1900's.  Produced by Althouse Wheeler Co., beginning in 1912; the blades face away from the wind and fold back as wind speed increases, enabling the mill to turn at a constant rate.  the mill had red cypress blades dipped in white paint and trimmed in red.

Three years ago, Duane Wall of Cheyenne, Wyoming had a vision of moving his parents (Richard and Laura Pearl Wall) windmill base from the Wall farm to the Haigler Museum Grounds.  A group of volunteers moved the base, but soon thereafter, one of our southwestern wind storms destroyed the structure.  The base was rebuilt by Stan Carlock while Duane Wall and LeRoy Wright of Wray, CO began the process of reconstructing the top of the windmill.  Many of the old Raymond parts had to be researched and rebuilt as there are few Pipe Raymond Windmills still standing today.  Again, with the help of Haigler volunteers and Duane's nephew; the project was completed just before Memorial/Haigler Alumni weekend this year.  The Pipe Raymond Windmill stands just behind the Country Schoolhouse Museum and south of the larger Dempster Windmill on the museum grounds. 

Duane is a 1963 graduate of Haigler High School, lived and farmed for a number of years on the Wall farm west of Haigler.  He has donated this windmill project to the Haigler Museum grounds in memory of his parents, grandparents, and greatgrandparents--with a history of farming and ranching in the Haigler community.