Wykoff, Milton Ladrue

Milton L. Wykoff
3 April 1910 – 24 January 2005

Milton L. Wykoff, formerly of New Richmond, Pa., Corry, Pa., North East, Pa., and Port Charlotte, Fla., died early Monday morning, January 24, 2005 in the hospital at Westfield, NY, apparently due to a recent bout with pneumonia, and heart failure. He was born in Corry on April 3, 1910. For the past five years, he had received primary care from his devoted daughter, Mrs. Roberta Freeman, near Sherman, NY. He is survived by his daughter, Roberta, his son, Bill (Milton William Wykoff, PhD.) of Ithaca, NY, three grandchildren, and five great grandchildren. His three grandchildren, Scott Freeman, Brenda Golubski, and Aaron Wykoff are living in Saratoga, NY, Silver Creek, NY, and Torrance, California.
Milton spent much of his childhood (in the horse and buggy days) on the farm of his maternal grandparents, Wilbur and Nellie Fosburgh near New Richmond, Pa. He suffered from an illness then diagnosed as meningitis, missing a whole year of school, but finished the course of study at the local academy on schedule; then moved into Meadville to live with his mother, Bertha Wykoff and sister Reva. He graduated from Meadville High School in the class of 1928. It was noted in his high school yearbook that he received good grades and was of good humor. If scholarships had been widely available then, he could have been an excellent student at Allegheny College, just a few blocks away from his home. However, he had no such choice. Having restored a new roof on the garage of a neighbor with such alacrity and aplomb, Milton was awarded with a job by that neighbor, Mr. Brownley, a foreman on the mobile bridge and trestle crew of the Erie Railroad. Milton was a well-paid high school graduate at 48 cents per hour. At that time, the local section crew members made only 35 cents/hour; and a farm hand made only 50 cents a day. Milton then spent several years working on the Allegheny section of the Erie RR, extending from Meadville eastward to Hornell, NY. He would go as far east for emergency repairs as Susquehanna, Pa. He related recently that he still dreamed of the steam-powered behemoths of those times, but at that time he was more fascinated by the early automobiles that had frightened the horses, such as the Chandler, and the Stanley Steamer. The Essex and the Hudson had even been sold in colors other than black. Milton saved his money to purchase the sporty Model A roadster right in the middle of the great depression. With seven gallons of gas to be had for $1.00, it was hardly conspicuous consumption. In 1933, at Stateline, N.Y. (between North East, Pa. and Ripley, N.Y.) Milton married Ruth Dingfelder of Corry, whom he had been meeting and dating on weekends at dancehalls in Corry and Riceville, Pa. Milton and Ruth soon started a family.
All was going well until one day in Salamanca, N.Y. Milton was accidentally knocked off the roof of a railroad roundhouse by a careless co-worker and fell two stories onto the track. After 17 weeks in the Salamanca hospital and a long recovery from the badly broken hip, Milton was left partially disabled and became a cook on a camp car for the railroad crew. In 1937, jobs were scarce everywhere but with family life in mind, Milton was fortunate to find employment in the maintenance department of Raymond Manufacturing Company in Corry. From his first day on the job, he never missed a day of work because of illness. His diligence and intelligence were rewarded. While, still in his twenties, he was selected to head the maintenance department, chosen by his foreman and the factory manager to supervise about 25 men, many of them senior to him. Being of good character, never didactic nor overbearing, he taught all by example. Although small in stature, others commented that he could do the work of two or three men. Some would say that he was a workaholic. He built a new brick home outside Corry in his spare time, but also managed the time to sing in the Corry Elks men's choir. Although he earned the top salary of $3.75 per hour, working overtime hours during World War II, overlapping two of three work shifts, and constantly running the length of a three-story factory--all proved physically stressful and quite painful on his injured hip. Although stoic, laconic, and uncomplaining by nature, Milton decided in 1947, that the time had come for him to fulfill his dream of owning a farm of his own.
Milton and Ruth purchased a small combination fruit and dairy farm on the escarpment above the Lake Erie plain, only a few miles from where they were married at the Stateline. NY church. A new tractor and machinery were purchased. A new vineyard and cherry orchard appeared. The house was completely remodelled, after work hours. Soon the barn took on a new roof and fresh red paint. Milton and Ruth founded the 4-H Club of South Ripley, NY. Milton became Chaplain and then Master of the South Ripley Grange. He was active in the Farm Bureau and persuaded many a grape farmer in the North East, Pa. growing area to join the organization and reap the benefits from their advisory bulletins. During the winter months, Milton became the maintenance foreman at Sunshine Packing Company in North East, Pa. As soon as it closed its doors, he was employed at Planters fruit processing plant, and then at Mogun David winery in Westfield, NY until he retired in the 1970s. Before he retired he had one of the early hip replacement operations that finally relieved him of some pain. After another decade and a half, he wore out the first replacement and had it replaced. (He also had an artificial knee implanted after retiring to Florida). While in emergency surgery for gall bladder removal in 1992, his wife of almost 60 years died of heart failure. Then, only five years ago, he fell on the other hip which also required surgical replacement. Yet, he never complained.
For many years before retiring to Florida in the late 1970s, Milton and Ruth served on several committees as members of St. Peters Lutheran Church of North East, Pa. As a father, Milton gave his son and daughter the things he wished he could have had as a youth; both had horses of their own.
Milton L. Wykoff was a man of awesome humility and selfless love; a man whose actions always spoke louder than words.
Last rites will be administered by Rev. Mary Krahn, former Lutheran Pastor in Mayville, NY, now Chaplain to Chautauqua County Hospicare. The funeral service at 2 p.m., Friday, 28 January, 2005 will be preceded by an hour of visitation at the Freay Funeral Home in Mayville. Burial will be at the Sherman Cemetery.

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M. William Wykoff