residents get

good look at

antique vehicles

By Fritz Busch

Staff Writer

NEW ULM — Oak Hills Living Center residents got a good look at more than a dozen antique cars and a Willys Jeep Saturday.

For Eloise Finstad, it was special rewind into history when a 1931 Ford Model A she was very familiar with as a high school student was among the vehicles parked in front of Oak Hills.

“That was the only car I drove. up the hill to school at DMLC. Sometimes, I had a real load full. I’d take students, professors and who ever could fit in,” said Eloise.

“At first, it was my dad (Roman Bauermeister’s) car,” she said. “We called the car ‘Henry.’ I love my Henry. We’d drive it to the roller skating rink and Madelia. I liked the car. We took pretty good care of it.”

When Eloise was in high school, she wanted to find out how many friends she could get into the Model A at one time.

“We got 11 in the car including me,” she said.

Her son Kevin Finstad keeps the car in a heated shed.

“Grandma Lena and Grandpa Roman drove it to San Francisco, Ca. and back when mom was little,” he said.

“We’ve done some mechanical work on it, but that’s about it. It’s her (Eloise’s) favorite car by far,” said Kevin Finstad, who drove his favorite car car to Oak Hills — a late model stock car on a 1973 Pontiac Bonneville chassis.

“I raced at Arlington and Redwood Falls years ago. I always wanted to build one I could drive on the street, but it was very expensive to build one. Then I found this one that was for sale, so I bought it,” Kevin Finstad said.

Tom Ulrich said his favorite car was a pink and black 1955 Ford convertible.

Eugene Tepley said his favorite was a 1965 Pontiac Bonneville.

“It was my courting car. Yellow with a white top,” Tepley said.

Gardell Kuelbs said his favorite was a 1955 Chevrolet Bel Air, his first car.

Gary Schafer of Gibbon drove his favorite, a 1961 Ford Falcon.

Oak Hills Life Enrichment Coordinator Cindee Krzmarzick said the roll in for residents was something she anticipated for a long time.

“I’m glad we had a day we could come out see everyone who wanted to come out,” Krzmarzick said. “It was a perfect opportunity to enjoy Father’s Day weekend.