So, Who was Fonso?

So, just who was Fonso? Honestly, that name reminds me of the character, Fonzie, from the old TV show, Happy Days!

I've found two photos that are supposed to be of him and then the photo just below that obviously has been done by AI and isn't real.

That level of detail from an 1880 photograph where the animals are in motion? I don't think so. But AI does. 

I found this photo of a painting attributed to Fonso on many sites as I researched the stallion. (Picture from Twinspires.com.)

This earless photo is also Fonso and recently appeared in a recap of all Kentucky Derby winners published in The Courier-Journal, Louisville, Kentucky.

His pedigree is well documented. And one of his great grandsires was Birdcatcher.

The horse that birdcatcher spots were named after. (I did a recent blog post on a horse with birdcatcher spots.) 

Fonso was sold several times and used as a stud for many years. And he was famous enough that his obituary appeared in The New York Times.

I'm actually surprised that I was able to find out as much as I did about Fonso and his people - 1880 was a long time ago. And how I wish that Neil and I had had time to finish our conversation. 

But we didn't, so unless Craig comes up with better genealogical information than I did (which is actually quite possible), then that concludes my quest to learn about Fonso.

Uncle George's Obituary

This is my father's youngest brother. He passed away March 24, 2019.

George E. Martin

March 23, 1942 - May 24, 2019

George E. Martin, 77, of Vero Beach, Florida and formerly of Terre Haute, Indiana passed away peacefully on Friday, May 24, 2019 after a struggle with pulmonary disease. George was born on March 23, 1942 in Terre Haute to Robert C. Martin and Wilma H. Hufker Martin. He is survived by his sister and brother-in-law, W. Jean (Sissy) Martin and Arthur E. Weyman of Wellesley Hills, MA, by his sister-in-law Pat Martin of Atlanta, GA and by eleven nieces and nephews: Steve, Mary, Lynn, Leslie, Dan, Laurie, Jennifer, Robert, Jenny, Shannon, and Elizabeth. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his brother and sister-in-law, Jack C. Martin and Fern Martin of West Lafayette, Indiana, his brother Robert C. Martin, Jr of Vero Beach, Florida and his nephew Bobby Martin of Florida.
George was a graduate of Wiley High School class of 1960. He received his BS degree from Indiana State University where he was a member of Lambda Chi Fraternity. He served in the US Army, and was stationed in Germany. After discharge from the service, he returned to Indiana State where he studied math and computer science, receiving his Master's degree. After graduating from Indiana State he moved to Ft Lauderdale, Florida where he taught high school while pursuing his doctorate in computer science. He then started his own computing and database company WEMARCOBAL with offices in Ft. Lauderdale and Vero Beach, FL which he directed until he retired. George often volunteered his time and computer resources to assist local schools and nonprofit organizations, receiving numerous awards recognizing his service. In his free time, George was an avid tennis player, beginning on the WHS tennis team and continuing his passion for tennis throughout his life.
Visitation will be held from 12:00 Noon-2:00 PM Saturday, June 29, 2019 in Callahan & Hughes Funeral Home, 605 South 25th Street, Terre Haute, IN. Funeral services will follow at 2:00 PM with Mr. Craig Isenbarger officiating. Burial will be in Highland Lawn Cemetery. Funeral information and memorial tributes may be found at:
www.callahanandhughes.com

Published on June 24, 2019

Pat Syoen - Obituary

I taught at Yankee Ridge after this woman retired, but she subbed frequently in the building and so I got to know her. The obituary describes her personality well, especially the words in the first paragraph that are in parenthesis.

She did not like boys and often misinterpreted their actions. (I hope it was misinterpretation.) She claimed once, after subbing in my class, that one of my African American boys had deliberately bumped into her, causing him to receive an in-school suspension.

I wasn't there and did not see it happen, but after talking to him, I do not think he deserved the suspension.

URBANA — Our aunt, sister, sister-in-law, friend Pat Syoen, was a wild and crazy woman. She led her life on her own terms, and she was both loved (and a little bit feared!) by those who knew her. 

Starting her life as the youngest child of Angie and George Syoen, with her sisters Mary Catherine and Barbara, she lived a childhood of not much money but lots of love in Depression-era Chicago. As a young woman, she joined the convent, becoming a Sister of Providence of St. Mary-of-the-Woods. Even then, she combined a deep love of God with a certain, shall we say, irreverence towards the rules involved in the pursuit of that goal. She was educated to become an elementary school teacher, which served her well all her life.

fter leaving the convent, she relocated to Urbana, where her experience, skills and unspoken but undeniable love of the children she served led her to years of teaching third grade in Urbana’s public schools. Yankee Ridge Elementary was her home, its students her beneficiaries.

But describing her life as a single woman who taught third grade all her life is only part of who she was. She was also fiercely devoted towards the goals of social justice. Who else marks her golden years bussing down to the School of the Americas to take part in peaceful protest outside its gates?

She chose her church membership dependent on its being a welcoming community in all senses of the word. The last years of her life she had a close and involved relationship with McKinley Presbyterian, enjoying both its warm, eclectic membership and its adherence to the tenets of love and inclusion that she so highly valued.

Finally, Pat had a wicked sense of humor. Fifteen years before she died, she wrote a letter to her nieces and nephews outlining her wishes for the end of her life. Stating that she didn’t want a memorial service, she said, “If you want to sit around and talk about what a nice person I was, that’s okay. Want refreshments? Buy them yourselves. Don’t charge me or my estate!”

She was a fount of stories about her years in the convent, her many cruises, most with her dear friend Diane Hines, and her favorite (or were they most challenging?) students over the years.

She was loved and respected. She is survived by her sister, Mary Catherine Hustoles; brother-in-law, Edward Hustoles; nephews, Tom Hustoles, wife Carol, and Paul Hustoles, wife Mary Jo; nieces, Mary Beth Hustoles and Barbara Hustoles, husband Don Smith; the community at McKinley Presbyterian, especially close friends, Associate Pastor the Rev. Keith Harris and his wife Amy (Amy’s son Gabe was unofficially declared Pat’s adopted grandson), and countless grandnieces and nephews and former third graders.

We are more in having known her, less in her passing. Pat didn’t leave a request for a charity to accept donations in her name. You choose. Someplace welcoming and inclusive.

“Lord I tried to, to see it through

But it was too much for me.

So now I`m coming home to you.

Yes, I feel like going home.”

— Charlie Rich (whose love child she would have had in a heartbeat)

Stefon's Obituary

Finally, Stefon's obituary has been posted.

CENTRALIA – Stefon DeShaun Baker, 22, of Centralia, formerly of Urbana, passed away unexpectedly on Thursday (Feb. 19, 2015) at St. Mary's Good Samaritan Hospital in Mount Vernon.

Visitation will be from noon to 4 p.m. and 6 to 7 p.m. Friday, Feb. 27, 2015, at the Urbana Lighthouse Church of the Nazarene, 1808 S. Philo Road, Urbana. Funeral services will immediately follow the visitation at 7 p.m. at the church. Graveside services will be at 10:30 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 28, at Eastlawn Burial Park, located on Cunningham Avenue in Urbana. Pastor and close family friend, Wayne Clevenger, will officiate both services.

Stefon was born Aug. 10, 1992, in Joliet to parents, John Louis Baker and Stephanie Tosheka (Maborn) Gray, who will continue to cherish his loving memories.

Also left to cherish his memories are his loving stepmother, Ruth Baker; paternal grandfather, John Baker Sr. (Ruby); and maternal grandfather, Cleva Maborn, all of Illinois. Stefon is also survived by his siblings, Tyrease, Talisha, Lanaiydia, Charlie and Kemora Baker, all of Illinois, Tyra Carey of California, Davina Woods of California, and Amanda and Azia Maborn, both of Illinois. Also surviving are special aunties, Melissa Maborn and Carrie Miles, both of Illinois; special uncle, Antwane Maborn (Tara) of Tennessee; and many other aunts, uncles and cousins.

Stefon was preceded in death by his paternal great-grandparents, Nancy Ann and Nathaniel Baker Sr.; paternal grandmother, Geraldine Baker; and maternal grandmother, Linda Sue Maborn. He was also preceded in death by his uncle, Joel Baker; and cousin, Andrew Baker.

Stefon graduated from Urbana High School in 2010, where he was a star football player. He also played baseball and basketball. Sports were a huge part of his life, and he enjoyed volunteering as a coach and referee for youth teams. Stefon attended MacMurray College in Jacksonville, where he played as an offensive guard on the football team.

Though he was young, Stefon touched many lives through both his leadership in sports and his participation at the Lighthouse Church, where he was a member since the age of 11. He attended youth groups, ushered at services and was an assistant teacher at Vacation Bible School. Stefon loved helping the pastor in every way that he could. Because of the strong influence from the church and his family, Stefon was a loving and caring young man.

Stefon worked two jobs - as a clerk at the Circle K gas station on Philo Road in Urbana and in the mail room of The News-Gazette. He then moved south to begin working as a brownie ingredient mixer at Pinnacle Foods Inc.

Stefon worked hard to earn respect from others and in return respected them as well. He loved his family dearly and held dear the time he spent with his siblings and parents.

Contributions may be made in Stefon's memory to the Urbana Lighthouse Church of the Nazarene. Condolences may be offered online at www.renner-wikoffchapel.com.