James Frederick Schussler, 86, passed away Sunday, December 5, 2010 in Brethren Care Village in Ashland, Ohio.
He was born February 23, 1924 in New Philadelphia, Ohio to the late Frederick Andrew and Lena (nee Longenecker) Schussler.
Known as Jim to his friends, he grew up during the Great Depression which had a lasting effect on his life, and, as for many in his generation, gave him a deep appreciation for a "waste not, want not" way of life.
From childhood, he understood the satisfaction of a job well done and was interested in photography and in all things mechanical. As a young teenager he was employed first at Demuth's truck garden at 5 cents an hour and then at Dutton Photo Studio in New Philadelphia, where he learned photo finishing, saving everything he made to buy his first camera.
While a senior at New Philadelphia High School, Jim served as the Delphian staff photographer and worked at the H & A Drug Store. After graduation in 1941 he worked for W. W. Landis Carpet Shop as an installer.
World War II changed the course of his life. He enrolled in a machinist training program which was held nightly from midnight to 6 a.m., riding his bike into town every night from Old Town Valley south of New Philadelphia up to Dover to attend the training program. Following the training, he was hired by Shenango-Penn Mold in Dover, Ohio, as a machine operator.
In February of 1943, at the age of 18, he joined the Navy and attended the Great Lakes Machinist Mate Training School. Jim was assigned to a two-year tour of duty on the U.S.S. Trevor D.M.S. 16, a WWI Destroyer converted to a destroyer mine sweeper. He finished his service aboard the light cruiser U.S.S. Houston and was honorably discharged in March of 1946.
The same year, Jim enrolled at Heidelberg University under the G.I. bill. While there he worked as a waiter at the Shawhan Hotel and at the Brihl Photography Studio. In the middle of his second year, he transferred to the Art Institute of Pittsburgh where his interest in photography was transformed into his lifetime career as a commercial artist.
He married Sarah Louise (Sally) Patterson on January 29, 1948. Upon his graduation from the Art Institute in 1949. the couple moved to Ashland where Jim found employment with Gapstur Advertising Studio for 20 years, specializing in airbrush, photo retouching, and mechanical illustration. He left Gapstur Advertising in 1969 to work as a freelance artist until his retirement.
Jim's love of antique cars was well known in the Ashland community. He drove his cars in countless parades and was a familiar figure in many local automobile-related events. He was a long-time member of the Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA) Canton chapter, the Model T Ford Club International, and the National Corvette Restorers Society. Jim and Sally enjoyed many automobile tours with their friends in the Canton chapter.
He also greatly enjoyed playing the music of his era on his clarinet, and both Jim and Sally were long-time members of the church choir at First Christian Church.
An involved and committed member of that church for over sixty years, Jim served as a Board Chairman, Elder, Deacon, and on many committees. He also was a member of the Ashland Noon Lions Club since 1968, the National Rifle Association, the American Legion, (and as a youth, Sons of the American Legion, as well as Boy Scouts of America), and maintained a vigorous interest in conservative politics.
Jim is survived by his wife of 62 years, Sally (Patterson) Schussler, who resides in Brethren Care Village, Ashland; two daughters, Melanie (Bud) Winn of New Philadelphia and Emily (Douglas) Brown of Ashland; two sons, Eric Schussler of New York, NY and Curt (Hellie) Schussler of Ashland; five grandchildren, two step-grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; five step great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
In addition to his parents, Jim was preceded in death by his brother, Dale Melvin Schussler.
He was born February 23, 1924 in New Philadelphia, Ohio to the late Frederick Andrew and Lena (nee Longenecker) Schussler.
Known as Jim to his friends, he grew up during the Great Depression which had a lasting effect on his life, and, as for many in his generation, gave him a deep appreciation for a "waste not, want not" way of life.
From childhood, he understood the satisfaction of a job well done and was interested in photography and in all things mechanical. As a young teenager he was employed first at Demuth's truck garden at 5 cents an hour and then at Dutton Photo Studio in New Philadelphia, where he learned photo finishing, saving everything he made to buy his first camera.
While a senior at New Philadelphia High School, Jim served as the Delphian staff photographer and worked at the H & A Drug Store. After graduation in 1941 he worked for W. W. Landis Carpet Shop as an installer.
World War II changed the course of his life. He enrolled in a machinist training program which was held nightly from midnight to 6 a.m., riding his bike into town every night from Old Town Valley south of New Philadelphia up to Dover to attend the training program. Following the training, he was hired by Shenango-Penn Mold in Dover, Ohio, as a machine operator.
In February of 1943, at the age of 18, he joined the Navy and attended the Great Lakes Machinist Mate Training School. Jim was assigned to a two-year tour of duty on the U.S.S. Trevor D.M.S. 16, a WWI Destroyer converted to a destroyer mine sweeper. He finished his service aboard the light cruiser U.S.S. Houston and was honorably discharged in March of 1946.
The same year, Jim enrolled at Heidelberg University under the G.I. bill. While there he worked as a waiter at the Shawhan Hotel and at the Brihl Photography Studio. In the middle of his second year, he transferred to the Art Institute of Pittsburgh where his interest in photography was transformed into his lifetime career as a commercial artist.
He married Sarah Louise (Sally) Patterson on January 29, 1948. Upon his graduation from the Art Institute in 1949. the couple moved to Ashland where Jim found employment with Gapstur Advertising Studio for 20 years, specializing in airbrush, photo retouching, and mechanical illustration. He left Gapstur Advertising in 1969 to work as a freelance artist until his retirement.
Jim's love of antique cars was well known in the Ashland community. He drove his cars in countless parades and was a familiar figure in many local automobile-related events. He was a long-time member of the Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA) Canton chapter, the Model T Ford Club International, and the National Corvette Restorers Society. Jim and Sally enjoyed many automobile tours with their friends in the Canton chapter.
He also greatly enjoyed playing the music of his era on his clarinet, and both Jim and Sally were long-time members of the church choir at First Christian Church.
An involved and committed member of that church for over sixty years, Jim served as a Board Chairman, Elder, Deacon, and on many committees. He also was a member of the Ashland Noon Lions Club since 1968, the National Rifle Association, the American Legion, (and as a youth, Sons of the American Legion, as well as Boy Scouts of America), and maintained a vigorous interest in conservative politics.
Jim is survived by his wife of 62 years, Sally (Patterson) Schussler, who resides in Brethren Care Village, Ashland; two daughters, Melanie (Bud) Winn of New Philadelphia and Emily (Douglas) Brown of Ashland; two sons, Eric Schussler of New York, NY and Curt (Hellie) Schussler of Ashland; five grandchildren, two step-grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; five step great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
In addition to his parents, Jim was preceded in death by his brother, Dale Melvin Schussler.
James Frederick Schussler, 86, passed away Sunday, December 5, 2010 in Brethren Care Village in Ashland, Ohio.
He was born February 23, 1924 in New Philadelphia, Ohio to the late Frederick Andrew and Lena (nee Longenecker) Schussler.
Known as Jim to his friends, he grew up during the Great Depression which had a lasting effect on his life, and, as for many in his generation, gave him a deep appreciation for a "waste not, want not" way of life.
From childhood, he understood the satisfaction of a job well done and was interested in photography and in all things mechanical. As a young teenager he was employed first at Demuth's truck garden at 5 cents an hour and then at Dutton Photo Studio in New Philadelphia, where he learned photo finishing, saving everything he made to buy his first camera.
While a senior at New Philadelphia High School, Jim served as the Delphian staff photographer and worked at the H & A Drug Store. After graduation in 1941 he worked for W. W. Landis Carpet Shop as an installer.
World War II changed the course of his life. He enrolled in a machinist training program which was held nightly from midnight to 6 a.m., riding his bike into town every night from Old Town Valley south of New Philadelphia up to Dover to attend the training program. Following the training, he was hired by Shenango-Penn Mold in Dover, Ohio, as a machine operator.
In February of 1943, at the age of 18, he joined the Navy and attended the Great Lakes Machinist Mate Training School. Jim was assigned to a two-year tour of duty on the U.S.S. Trevor D.M.S. 16, a WWI Destroyer converted to a destroyer mine sweeper. He finished his service aboard the light cruiser U.S.S. Houston and was honorably discharged in March of 1946.
The same year, Jim enrolled at Heidelberg University under the G.I. bill. While there he worked as a waiter at the Shawhan Hotel and at the Brihl Photography Studio. In the middle of his second year, he transferred to the Art Institute of Pittsburgh where his interest in photography was transformed into his lifetime career as a commercial artist.
He married Sarah Louise (Sally) Patterson on January 29, 1948. Upon his graduation from the Art Institute in 1949. the couple moved to Ashland where Jim found employment with Gapstur Advertising Studio for 20 years, specializing in airbrush, photo retouching, and mechanical illustration. He left Gapstur Advertising in 1969 to work as a freelance artist until his retirement.
Jim's love of antique cars was well known in the Ashland community. He drove his cars in countless parades and was a familiar figure in many local automobile-related events. He was a long-time member of the Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA) Canton chapter, the Model T Ford Club International, and the National Corvette Restorers Society. Jim and Sally enjoyed many automobile tours with their friends in the Canton chapter.
He also greatly enjoyed playing the music of his era on his clarinet, and both Jim and Sally were long-time members of the church choir at First Christian Church.
An involved and committed member of that church for over sixty years, Jim served as a Board Chairman, Elder, Deacon, and on many committees. He also was a member of the Ashland Noon Lions Club since 1968, the National Rifle Association, the American Legion, (and as a youth, Sons of the American Legion, as well as Boy Scouts of America), and maintained a vigorous interest in conservative politics.
Jim is survived by his wife of 62 years, Sally (Patterson) Schussler, who resides in Brethren Care Village, Ashland; two daughters, Melanie (Bud) Winn of New Philadelphia and Emily (Douglas) Brown of Ashland; two sons, Eric Schussler of New York, NY and Curt (Hellie) Schussler of Ashland; five grandchildren, two step-grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; five step great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
In addition to his parents, Jim was preceded in death by his brother, Dale Melvin Schussler.
He was born February 23, 1924 in New Philadelphia, Ohio to the late Frederick Andrew and Lena (nee Longenecker) Schussler.
Known as Jim to his friends, he grew up during the Great Depression which had a lasting effect on his life, and, as for many in his generation, gave him a deep appreciation for a "waste not, want not" way of life.
From childhood, he understood the satisfaction of a job well done and was interested in photography and in all things mechanical. As a young teenager he was employed first at Demuth's truck garden at 5 cents an hour and then at Dutton Photo Studio in New Philadelphia, where he learned photo finishing, saving everything he made to buy his first camera.
While a senior at New Philadelphia High School, Jim served as the Delphian staff photographer and worked at the H & A Drug Store. After graduation in 1941 he worked for W. W. Landis Carpet Shop as an installer.
World War II changed the course of his life. He enrolled in a machinist training program which was held nightly from midnight to 6 a.m., riding his bike into town every night from Old Town Valley south of New Philadelphia up to Dover to attend the training program. Following the training, he was hired by Shenango-Penn Mold in Dover, Ohio, as a machine operator.
In February of 1943, at the age of 18, he joined the Navy and attended the Great Lakes Machinist Mate Training School. Jim was assigned to a two-year tour of duty on the U.S.S. Trevor D.M.S. 16, a WWI Destroyer converted to a destroyer mine sweeper. He finished his service aboard the light cruiser U.S.S. Houston and was honorably discharged in March of 1946.
The same year, Jim enrolled at Heidelberg University under the G.I. bill. While there he worked as a waiter at the Shawhan Hotel and at the Brihl Photography Studio. In the middle of his second year, he transferred to the Art Institute of Pittsburgh where his interest in photography was transformed into his lifetime career as a commercial artist.
He married Sarah Louise (Sally) Patterson on January 29, 1948. Upon his graduation from the Art Institute in 1949. the couple moved to Ashland where Jim found employment with Gapstur Advertising Studio for 20 years, specializing in airbrush, photo retouching, and mechanical illustration. He left Gapstur Advertising in 1969 to work as a freelance artist until his retirement.
Jim's love of antique cars was well known in the Ashland community. He drove his cars in countless parades and was a familiar figure in many local automobile-related events. He was a long-time member of the Antique Automobile Club of America (AACA) Canton chapter, the Model T Ford Club International, and the National Corvette Restorers Society. Jim and Sally enjoyed many automobile tours with their friends in the Canton chapter.
He also greatly enjoyed playing the music of his era on his clarinet, and both Jim and Sally were long-time members of the church choir at First Christian Church.
An involved and committed member of that church for over sixty years, Jim served as a Board Chairman, Elder, Deacon, and on many committees. He also was a member of the Ashland Noon Lions Club since 1968, the National Rifle Association, the American Legion, (and as a youth, Sons of the American Legion, as well as Boy Scouts of America), and maintained a vigorous interest in conservative politics.
Jim is survived by his wife of 62 years, Sally (Patterson) Schussler, who resides in Brethren Care Village, Ashland; two daughters, Melanie (Bud) Winn of New Philadelphia and Emily (Douglas) Brown of Ashland; two sons, Eric Schussler of New York, NY and Curt (Hellie) Schussler of Ashland; five grandchildren, two step-grandchildren; three great-grandchildren; five step great-grandchildren; and numerous nieces and nephews.
In addition to his parents, Jim was preceded in death by his brother, Dale Melvin Schussler.
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