Some years ago we had a gentleman that walked the Grabill Fair parade, and also walked downtown portraying the legendary Johnny Appleseed. He looked more like Johnny Appleseed, then Johnny himself, except for his overalls sticking out underneath his gunny sack. (Toga.)
I ran across a picture of him recently and memories flooded back of years ago. He has passed now, but I still remember what a gentle man he was. He would come to town in his little pickup truck, with his cute little dog and just sat on the tailgate and watch the world go by.
He must have come to town quite often and I must have gone downtown quite often because I saw him quite a bit. He came to several Grabill Fairs and it was striking how he looked like Johnny. His given name was also John. When he was dressed up as Johnny Appleseed he was always barefoot.
This was quite a feat, because the parade was over a mile long, and he walked around barefoot all day. One day I asked him if he would come home and meet my mother-in-law Ruth. He stopped everything he was doing and came. You can imagine Ruth was quite excited and they talked for quite a long time.
My mother-in-law lived to be 96 and was sharp as a tack until the day she died. I never understood how she knew everything about everything. I called her the lady with eyes in back of her head. My wife would spend hours explaining things to her, and she wanted to know about everything.
I shall never forget how they talked about everything under the sun. I learned where John lived and stopped to visit him several times. The last time I saw him, the kitchen floor was covered with newspaper and the place had a bad smell.
John’s dog was sick and was in the last days of his life. It wasn’t long after that John’s dog passed and it wasn’t but a few days later John had passed, although he had looked well when I saw him. Every time I look at the picture of he and my mother-in-law Ruth I remember the day they met and talked just like they were old friends. I can see her curious eyes.
A kind lady, and a kind man met and talked like they had known each other their entire life. A legend of a man that has spent his entire life spreading the gospel, bringing living water to all he met, and apples to feed his fellow man. A strong Christian lady, a blessing to all she met.
—James Neuhouser
