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Obituary- Wolverton, Percy 2

Coffee Break
By Betty Murray
The death of a man like Percy Wolverton causes the freedom- loving philosophy of our American heritage to die a little. He was a man with ideas and ideals about our God-given rights. And he expressed this philosophy in a matter-of-fact way that painted a clear picture.

Mr. Wolverton was not only a philosopher, he was an inventor and traveler. This idea man invented free wheeling which he sold to Studebaker corporation, and he was also co-inventor of pre-rotating airplane landing wheels. In fact, his wheel ideas were the subject of a film called “Big Ideas” which was made in New York City in 1956.

He had traveled around the United States and knew of the problems of the different sections of the country. Once when I saw him on a winter day in Rossville, he related a story about a bad winter spent in Nebraska and the Dakotas and the problems in combatting the elements. His eyes twinkled as he related this memory of an experience that was terrible and dangerous at the time.

I couldn’t help thinking of his philosophy about the race problem since this past week of riots and violence. He told me once that years ago when he lived in the South for a time he learned that there are “the colored folk and then there are the Niggers”. He felt this was the same as “the white folk” and the “white trash”. He said it’s the “Niggers” and the “white trash” that are causing all the trouble.

Mr. Wolverton was a jolly fellow. He liked the antiques that he and his wife have collected and was interested and familiar with all the things of the past. Yet he was right up to date on world affairs and current events. I think he liked to be kidded about the small Swedish make, three-cylinder car that he drove around town. He always had a big grin whenever anyone reminded him as he had stopped on Main Street to visit that he had left his “lawn mower” running at the curb.

Shawnee County folk will miss Percy Wolverton, but from time to time as life goes on they will have cause to remember some of his philosophy. People will remember for a long time not only his wheel ideas but his verbal ideals for a good life.

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