LaPorte, Indiana by Jason Bitner

Know any current or former LaPorteans? Spread the word!

If you know any LaPorteans, we'd be psyched if you sent them links to the LaPorte, Indiana website or to our LaPorte, Indiana MySpace site.  One of our favorite parts of the project has been hearing stories about the people in these portraits-- and the more people know about the book and see these photos, the more likely we'll get to hear about the backgrounds of folks in the book.

Here's one funny reminiscence from a story written by Gretchen Kalwinski in the Northwest Indiana Times:

Bitner has spoken with several of the subjects of Pease's photos, including Hugh and Kathy Tonagel, whose somber engagement photograph is at the forefront of the book. "Hugh told me that Pease was trying to impress upon them that this was a really weighty moment. Like, 'You guys are getting married, and this is the photo that is going to represent that forever. This is a really important moment and I want you to be here and present and understand what it is you're sitting for.'"

And now we know... spread the word!

Release Party at B&Js with South Bend Tribune!

We had a great time in LaPorte last week!  The release party at B&J's American Cafe was packed and ready to celebrate; even LaPorte mayor Leigh Morris dropped by for some well-wishing.  Sharon Dettmer from the South Bend Tribune was also on-hand to report about the many, many happy faces. 

So, here are a few pictures of the festivities.  Thanks again, LaPorte - you sure know how to keep us coming back!!

Jason Bitner and Jari Garton-Gift, the maternal granddaughter of LaPorte, Indiana photographer Frank Pease, share some smiles at B&J's American Cafe.

Bitner joins Billie and John Pappas, owners of the B&J American Cafe.  The Pappases rescued the Pease portraits when they bought the property at 607 Lincolnway.  In front of them are just a few of the 18,000 Pease portrait photographs.

Pat Orzech of DeMotte, IN, poses while holding a childhood portrait that Pease had taken of her years ago.

It's all smiles at B&J's American Cafe!

From the Chicago Trib

Hey hey folks!  Here's a few pictures that ran with the Chicago Tribune article--check out these LaPorteans with their Pease photos!

                                 

Where Are They Now Photo Gallery!

As most of you diligent LaPorte, Indiana fans have noticed by now, the LaPorte Herald-Argus has helped take the book to another level. The Herald-Argus has been running weekly features where they show portraits from the book and challenge Herald-Argus readers to identify these faces. So far, almost everyone has been identified! This speaks volumes about the kind of community that LaPorte maintains. We're so excited about the Herald-Argus' on-going ID project that we've set up this gallery to match the names with the faces. Whenever there are new identifications, we'll update the gallery. Enjoy!

Austin Johnson, who now lives in Osceola, IN.



Bob and Betty Day, posing on their wedding day.

Kathy Hugh Tonagel's engagement photo. Bitner says, "Hugh told me that Pease was trying to impress upon them that this was a really weighty moment. Like, 'You guys are getting married, and this is the photo that is going to represent that forever... I want you to be here and present and understand what it is you're sitting for.'" The Tonagels are still married and have four children, great basketball players, we hear.  Hugh works at the 4-H, while Kathy works at the local hospital and is a great cook.

Pease captures this LaPortean's cosmopolitan style, somewhere between a flight attendant and a Bond Girl. . . Dale Lehner, nee Horn, graduated from LaPorte High School in 1971. Her father was the late Kermit Horn, manager of the JC Penneystore in LaPorte. Reader Penny Huth says of Dale that she was "a very good student and a very happy, friendly, kind classmate." She now lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

David VanSchoyck, pictured as a toddler. Dewayne, his brother, said that David died at age 9. "We used to have our photos taken every year," says Dewayne.

Eloise McGee, who went to Lincoln Elementary School and Central Junior High School in LaPorte.

Matching outfits sometimes aren't a great idea, but these twins pull off the look in a warm and charming fashion. There's something so sweet about older twins who still match. Reader Ethel Boerema identifies the two women as her father's twin cousins, Lily Baker and Rose Scherer (both nee Ahlgrim), who both lived on Weller Avenue. Lily had one son, Billy, and Rose had one daughter, Jeanette.

Carol and Merle Huhnke, with their children, Karl and Linda.

Robert Charles Ewald graduated from LaPorte High School in 1952, where he was a member of the band, and from the phone messages received from readers, it seems he formed a band called the Bobby Charles Band. He now lives in Minnesota.

Susan Sherwood nee Kalsow, posing for Frank Pease.

Patty Sallwasser still lives in LaPorte and works as a mortgage officer  Upon seeing her photo, she exclaimed, "That's my purple polka-dot dress, that's me!  My mom cut my hair; she made the dress.  I remember that I chose the fabric.

Garry Lenard lives and works in LaPorte as a dental supply salesman.  His signature buzzcut earned him the nickname "Burrhead," which he still answers to around town.  "I've always had short hair.  Maybe in college [it was longer].  I think all of us went through a phase with the Beatles.  That was the big thing.  And now if you look at the Beatles, they never even really had long hair."  He is now married with three kids.

And where are they now ... Round 2!

As we mentioned earlier, readers of LaPorte's Herald-Argus have been identifying some of the unknown faces in LaPorte, Indiana.  Well, the readers aren't done!  Readers have made a few more positive IDs from the portraits included in the LaPorte, Indiana story in the Herald-Argus on February 24th.  Among them (from Sandra Provan's new  story, today, March 6th) :

- The wedding day couple is Bob and Betty Day.

- The smiling gymnast/baton girl is Susan Heiden, who graduated from Union Mills High School in 1958.

- The child in the bow tie was David VanSchoyck, who died at age 9.  Said his brother, Dewayne, "We used to have our photos taken every year."

- The austere young woman with her hair middle-parted is Susan Sherwood nee Kalsow.

And many more.  Thank you, Herald-Argus, for giving some LaPorteans a chance to see and reconnect with these pictures!

And where are they now?

The LaPorte Herald-Argus has been running some great pieces on the LaPorte, Indiana book recently.  The first story, written by Colleen Mair on February 10th, was a great introduction of the book to the people of LaPorte. The feature includes seven of Pease's portraits which also appear in the book, none of which were captioned with names.  That's cool ... and it gets cooler. 

Over the next week, the emails and phone calls poured in with people contacting the Herald-Argus to identify the people in these seven portraits-- a week after the story, five of the seven portraits had been identified. 

There was Robert Charles Ewald, who went on to form the Bobby Charles Band; Dale Lehner nee Horn, who now lives in Grand Rapids, Michigan; the Huhnke family, with parents Merle and Carol, and children Karl and Linda; the brother-sister combo of Jean and Ray Huhnke; and Austin Johnson, who now resides in Osceola, Indiana. 

We're really hoping that people will reconnect with some long-lost friends and family, it's like a family reunion or something... GOOD TIMES.