Style and nostalgia
Classic car show rolls into adult day center
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| Rick Graefe photo/ This 1934 Packard, owned by Ballwin native Tom Roberson, drew lots of attention at the classic car show Aug. 28 on the parking lot of the Family Partners Adult Day Center. |
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The day center provides supervision for adults ages 50 and older, particularly those with memory loss due to dementia or Alzheimer's disease, with stimulating activities in a home-like setting.
From 3 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Aug. 28, members of the Classic Car Club and the Model T Ford Club of St. Louis exhibited style - a style that made its mark in previous decades.The car show, which included classic cars like a 1947 Jaguar from England, an original 1957 Mercury Montclair, Model T Fords, a 1961 Lincoln Continental convertible and a 1965 Pontiac Grand Prix, sparked memories of childhood dreams, not only for participants of the day center but the owners of the cars as well.
Standing in between his 1925 Ford Model T and his 1961 Lincoln Continental convertible, Steven Thum of Webster Groves said, "I miss him," in reference to his late father. "I promised my dad it (the Model T) goes to one of my kids. He died two years later. It was part of my inheritance."
Like Thum's father, the members of the car clubs collect cars not only for show but to drive as everyday vehicles. The cars are bought via the Internet from other collectors, or passed on through a family from generation to generation.
Steve Dodson of Oakville owns three 1957 Mercury Montclairs, along with a 1968 Buick convertible and a 1973 Cadillac DeVille.
His favorite Mercury, decked out in pink and white trim, has been deemed a "chick magnet" by his wife. Dodson said he drives one of the cars at least once every two weeks, but he is not allowed to drive the "chick magnet" too often without the company of his wife.
Chesterfield duo Jim and Lisa Hendrix often cause quite a stir in their 1947 Jaguar with right-side drive. They have owned the Jag, which was originally from England, since 1990.
"People wonder when I'm reading a book what's going on," Lisa said, as she recalls how the right-side drive confuses onlookers. "We drive it all over the place, which is what should be done with these cars. To just let them sit is no good."
Some cars brought back history of emperors, kings, queens and monarchs.
Tom Roberson of Ballwin said cars like his 1934 Packard were cars of royalty and exclusive clientele. Roberson compared the Packard in its heyday to the Bentleys and Rolls-Royces of today. In 1934, a brand new Packard would cost nearly $3,400.
When acquired from a museum owner in Maryland, the Packard was black and yellow, unacceptable colors for a Packard, Roberson said. The now gray- and red-accented Packard, nicknamed "Penny," has been fully restored to its original condition and has even appeared in a 1998 NBC television series, "A Will of Their Own," which was filmed in St. Louis.
"The neatest part about owning a car like this is it brings smiles to everybody's face," Roberson said. "Kids on the school bus wave and give me the thumbs-up, cars on the streets give me the thumbs-up; that's what is fun."
Barth Holohan, managing principal of the Family Partners Adult Day Center, said the purpose of such events is to bring back positive memories of cars from the center participants' childhoods or create some type of nostalgia. A classic car show to most, but to the participants at the center, they were cars that sparked memories of grandmas and grandpas, cars that the average person does not see everyday, cars that helped them regain a little piece of childhood.
For 77-year-old Joseph Eades, it was a tough decision which car was his favorite. He liked them all and could not pick just one, although the 1947 Jaguar was at the top of his list.
"I remember when people had cars like this when we were younger," Eades said. "It means a lot to me to see this."
You can contact Jameka Merriweather at jmerriweather@yourjournal.com.
