John - The Painter

            Working as a teacher leaves two months off in the summer. John was not one to sit around for that length of time. He did a lot of things during the summer… and one of them was painting-painting houses.

            Typical of John, he was very organized to his task. He first would buy all the necessary items paint brushes, masking tape, paint thinner, and remover, nine brushes and tapes.

            Over the course of many years he painted many houses in Endicott. Memory does not serve me that well if he did paint 1701. Recollection has Marty painting that.

            Over the years he became an excellent painter. One painting job is remembered with great clarity.

            John heard Mrs. Voelkle, Annette’s mother, mentioned that she needed her house at 205 Prospect Street painted.

            John volunteered to do the job. Memory of the job is so clear because I was with him on that job.

            Where he was neat and meticulous his brother was nasty and sloppy. When he was high aloft on a ladder, painting the upper parts of the house, his brother could be seen throwing paint on the lower part of the house.

            The most memorable recollection from that painting job was the look on Mrs. Voelkle’s face as she came out of her house. She looked straight up and caught the sight of John high on a ladder on the third floor reaching out to paint the overhang I will never forget the sight.

            The sight of Mrs. Voelkle coming out of her house and seeing John on his ladder some 35 feet above ground leaning out, holding on with one hand and painting with the other was a sight indeed. The overhang was quite large, extending some 3 feet from the side of the house. And there he was with his brush, painting the part farthest away from him.

            She was stunned. She was afraid to say a word lest it startle him. She quickly went back inside the house. Let it be added the painting job was completed without incident. Actually the house had not been painted for many years so John ended up having to give most areas a second coat of paint.

            There was something about John and challenges, something about him and accomplishing things. When I hear of the remarkable achievements of his sons and daughters I am not surprised.