Barbie's Funeral

In loving memory,

Barbara Jean (Alton) Shellhammer, 62 of Mineola, Iowa formerly of Omaha, Nebraska entered into rest on December 14, 2015 in Omaha. She was born on November 3, 1953 in Pisgah, Iowa to Richard and Hazel (Holsapple) Alton. Barbara was raised in Pisgah, Iowa. She was united in marriage to James Arlin Shellhammer on July 19, 1986 in Omaha, Nebraska. In 1996 they decided to move to the country near Mineola, Iowa. 

Barbara was employed as a paralegal for Kutak Rock Law Firm until her retirement. She was a prolific reader and loyal Husker Fan. Barbara was a member of the St. Paul’s Evangelical Country Church. She will be missed by all who knew and loved her. 

Barbara was preceded in passing by her father. Survivors include her husband, Jim Shellhammer of Mineola, Iowa; children, Julie Jean (Roy) Golka of Omaha, Nebraska; Jeffrey Watts of Bennington, Nebraska; Sony (Matt) Williams of Omaha, Nebraska; mother, Hazel Alton of Pisgah, Iowa; 5 grandchildren; 2 great-grandchildren; brother, Gary (Caren) Alton of Woodbine, Iowa; sister, Gina (Jeff) Leckron of Fairmont, Indiana; several nieces, nephews, extended relatives and many friends. 

Just prior to leaving for Arkansas, we got the word that Barbie, my brother's wife had passed and had went to be with our Lord. It was a sad but happy day for friends and family. 

Christmas is in Arkansas

New England starts in Michigan

After we returned from Florida, Connie thought that there might have been a leak in the roof of the trailer. While sitting beneath the trees during rainstorms, we heard a definite drip around the refrigerator.

Since we were at home and it was warm now, I decided to replace the seal around the sewer pipe because it looked bad. Then we decided to replace the seals around the windows because they look bad. Then we decided to wash and wax the trailer because it looked bad. And while we were at it we needed to repack the bearings. May was a working month.

May 30 We left for Michigan with trailer in tow. But the first thing we did was stop for breakfast at Waffle House in Wapakanetta. To our delight, we ran into the Shofstalls. It was good to catch up on news about kids. Ryan, their son, graduated with Phil, our son.

The trip to MI was to fish the infamous AuSable river. Checked in to the local tackle shop to get flies, advice, and a license. Plan was to be on the water the next morning, so we drove around and scoped out the sites I would be fishing. 

The next morning it was pouring. So we went to a local fishing shack for lunch, right beside the famous AuSable river. But, they did not serve fish. Go figure. 

We were on a timetable. So we had to leave for Canada the next morning. Fishing the AuSable would have to wait. 

The entrance into Canada was without incident, except I fumbled all the questions, had trouble finding our passports in the glove compartment. I thought for sure we are going to get picked up for our contraband apples in the trailer. I think the lady customs agent profiled us as dumb tourists. 

Traveling through Canada is almost exactly like traveling through New York. The only difference was the speed limit signs. 

Our camping site that night was adequate even though the area had more rain then they could drain. It was a little wet.  Connie took this picture but we don't have a picture of the site. 

The campground was a waterpark with an attached trailer park. No one was there because the season had not started. We left the trailer attached so we could leave early.

If you don't believe we were in Canada, Connie took this picture to prove our travels.

We entered the US on the east side of Lake Ontario. The pass through customs was no big deal although I got a nosebleed driving over the bridge into the US. It was a little high. We knew where our passports were and I did not say anything about the apples. 

We stayed at a campground near Chateaugay NY. Pretty site. No pics. Guess I was tired. Not many campers. Again it was before the season started. I would like to return with time to fish. 

If you don't recognize the town, it was visited by two famous prison escapees short time after we were there. Story goes that they slept in the same site where we camped. Story goes...

Arrival in New Hampshire. Back Home.

Our next stop was New Hampshire. Where we reacquainted ourselves to friends, old hangouts, and work places. We lived in NH from 1977 thru 1985. We got a campsite in Weare, not far from friends and old stomping grounds. 

It is not often you get a real stone fire pit at a campground. 

Went back to the old church where we were baptized and attended. Nothing remains the same. A parsonage was started behind the church. Rooms were modified and made up-to-date. But the sign over the front door remained intact. "You are now entering the mission field."

June 3, 1970 Connie and I were married in Kentucky. June 3, 2015, we chose to celebrate with Alan Beaulieu, Dick and Bonnie Phaup. (Good times with friends go with good food.)

The next morning I was invited to go fishing with Dick. I could not refuse. Connie drove me to meet the guys. She headed back to the trailer to knit. Someone has to sacrifice in order to fish. Thanks Con. 

Dick's fishing buddy was a good friend with a unique history. He had lived a very independent life before coming to know the Lord. (If you know the people of New England, you recognize independence.) But after he accepted the Lord, he became outspoken for the Lord. 

We drove what seemed forever to a little lake near Maine. We put the boat in and motored to 'the spot'. By the time we got there he was rigged up and had in his first cast. Realize he did the driving. I, on the other hand, had yet to put on a hook. 

Bam!!!  He had his first fish. He had his limit before I caught my first one. 

We all caught our limits, although I am not sure I actually caught mine. We returned home tired and happy after a great day. We cleaned 15 rainbows and threw them in the freezer. 

The next day we left for Maine.

We lived in Maine for 5 years, so it also is considered home. Forgive me if I show some pictures that remind us of those years. 

Many, many years ago we visited a lake in Central Maine with the Beaulieu's. Phil caught a string of bass on that lake while we were there. We camped in tents and enjoyed roughing it. Now the Beaulieu's own two beautiful homes where there used to be the campers. We no longer use the tent. And Phil has children of his own to fish with. Dawn and Allen have asked us to meet them there for a little reunion.

We originally were going to camp onsite. I drove the camper down to their property but did not find a place to park. Their house is down there somewhere. 

Instead, we chose a campground that was not too far away from the lake. 

Not sure if this is same dock we launched from 35 years ago, (I doubt it.) but it is located at the same place. 

We had a great time with the Beaulieu's, all the Beaulieu's. There had to be a house of 10-15 families there. Dad and Mom's, Grandma and Grandpa Manter, sisters, brothers, kids, their spouses and kids. We really enjoyed visiting friends more than the scenery. And got a chance to build a ramp to boot.

So why don't we have pictures of our friends?  I have to correct this. 

The Maine reunion was over and we leave for Acadia tomorrow. 

Acadia National Park after 40 Years

We lived in Maine from 1972-77. We lived in New Hampshire from 1977-85. And we never got to Acadia. We traveled and camped all over New England, just not in that neck of the woods.

Acadia NP was not far from our last campground. We were probably setting up by noon. 

After setting up, we checked with the owners about visiting the park. We arrived in beautiful sunny weather. We were advised to travel the loop to acclimate ourselves to the area. We did as suggested and marveled at the beauty of the Atlantic seashore.  

Bar Harbor can be seen in the distance. We ate in the building in the center of the picture. 

The seashore was beautiful with islands and inlets all around the loop. 

We enjoyed a small surprise. As we traveled the loop, the traffic slowed to a crawl and stopped. Now the speed was only 20mph and the number of cars were few. So why the stop?

Apparently, this little critter knew he was in a protected habitat and did not need to hide. 

We looked forward to getting up the next morning and hiking the shore to Thunder Canyon. We awoke to a typical, cold, wet, damp, misty, rainy, windy, spring day in Maine. But we were not daunted, we went on the hike anyway. 

There are some mansions on the coast. 

Got a chance to see a lobster boat checking his traps. 

And watched Thunder Canyon explode. 

We even stopped in and purchased tourist stuff at the shop.

We also stopped to take pictures of ourselves. 

Doesn't she take a nice picture when she smiles?  Yes, she is smiling. 

The plan was to take the narrow ascent road to the top of Caddilac Mountain in the park. But the wind was so strong, I could not convince Connie to get out of the car. Instead, we decided to weave our way back to the trailer. 

The next day the weather was no different. We got up late and dressed warm. We were going to Bar Harbor. 

Bar Harbor and Acadia NP used to be the summer playground for the elite and affluent during the 20's and 30's. But in 1947, a series of wildfires destroyed much of Acadia and almost all of Bar Harbor. Only the downtown business district remained unscathed. 

We wanted to visit the old part of town and the harbor. There we found a nice quiet restaurant by the bay and ordered our Maine lobster rolls. Something we could not leave without.

 Beautiful setting for a great afternoon and a little frivolity. 

Topped the day off with shopping through the shops for knickknacks. 

The trip up Caddilac Mountain will have to wait.

So the Acadia trip came to an end and we needed to return to New Hampshire. The plan was to go fishing with Dick while Con went shopping with Bonnie. But we wanted to bring Maine lobster back with us to cook and eat at the Phaups.  And we just had to stop at L.L. Bean for old time sake. (We lived in Freeport during the mid 70's.)

So after parking the trailer, lunch-time called and we stopped at a local restaurant. Our waitress was brand-new. We were her first customers. To break the ice, I asked if she was from Freeport. She was and was back from college. I asked if her mom and dad wanted to buy lobster, where would they go? She simply stated they would ask their friends to bring some back from checking their traps. That won't work. "So where would they go if that failed?" "I guess the next best place, Is Bow Street market."

If you haven't been to Freeport Maine in the last forty years, there has been a few changes. The town is no longer a small village, but has grown into an outlet mall. The town is an outlet mall. Just to give you the idea we snapped a couple of pictures from the car. Bear with us. 

Those buildings used to be a small drugstore, a shoe store or a small restaurant. 

But the Bow Street market is still a village market, modern but not part of an outlet mall. The tourists don't visit there.

I pulled our rig into the small parking lot and let Connie out to get lobsters, while I parked the trailer.

Connie went in to the meat market and saw that the lobster tank was empty. "Do you have any lobsters? "

"Well..." He said in his natural down-east drawl. "We let them go home on Wednesdays. But they will be back tomorrow."  Then he laughed. 

It could not have been a more pleasant experience. He fixed up the styrofoam cooler with ice and salt water soaked newspaper, layering the lobster within. Then he made us promise to cook within a day. The price was almost 1/2 of what it would cost up in the center of town. 

What a great trip to Maine.