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In
fond memory of John William Proebsting (1935-2002) It is with great sadness that we note the passing of John Proebsting, president of the Soo Line Historical and Technical Society, on December 5, 2002. John had been an SLHTS convention volunteer, editor, and a catalyst for many of the projects the SLHTS has accomplished over the past decade. John was a lifelong railfan, primarily interested in the Soo Line. He was a member of the National Model Railroad Association and, for many years, of the Wauconda Model Railroad Club where John became adept at model video photography. He worked with the 1994 SLHTS convention contest committee, photographing the winning entries to show at the banquet later that night. At that convention, he was elected to the SLHTS board of directors. Soon afterward, the board of directors elected him vice president of the society and accepted John’s offer to cover the newly-vacant position of editor of the SOO, along with my offer to handle the magazine production. As editor, John worked tirelessly, typically over 30 hours per week in addition to running his own business, Kelsey-Proebsting Advertising in Batavia, Illinois. He made it a priority to recruit authors and associate editors, and to make the magazine the very best it could possibly be. One of his first projects was a survey of member interests to use as a baseline for determining the magazine content. He was a team player, regularly consulting his assistants to ensure that the magazine served the interests of the membership, and not as a reflection of his personal preferences. John promised to direct the magazine for one year, but delivered nearly two, from the fall 1994 issue through spring 1996, when the SLHTS contracted with Mike Schafer as editor. Soon afterward, John became president of the society. In this capacity, John really shone. His enthusiasm was contagious. His ability to work with and invigorate people helped make things happen that would have seemed a pipe dream a decade earlier. He formed an association of presidents of Midwestern railroad historical societies, where they could discuss challenges and their solutions to them. His open-minded, forward-thinking approach paved the way for the introduction of accurate scale models, such as the 7-post boxcar and our recent brass coach kits, as well as other models not yet available. Many commercial models based on the Soo Line also came about because of much help from John. If there were a worthy restoration cause, John would find innovative fund-raising projects such as videos that themselves embodied preservation of Soo Line history. In the early 1990s, John began, with the help of several close friends, construction of a model railroad based on the Soo Line in Neenah, Waupaca, and Stevens Point. The track plan was carefully designed to be as true to the prototype as possible, based on many maps and photos of the area. John’s skill at hand-laying track and impeccable craftsmanship in replicating every imaginable detail made the layout a real gem. His layout was the cover story of the 2002 issue of Great Model Railroads by Kalmbach Publishing Co., and many of us got our first glimpse of his railroad at the frequent clinics John gave on his techniques for achieving realism and authenticity in HO scale. John’s photos occasionally appeared in Classic Trains magazine, and are likely to appear there again in the future. As I got to know John, it became apparent what a kind, caring, honest
person he was. He was religious, dedicated, and had a fantastic sense
of humor. It was his nature to offer people help with their situations
before being asked. I’m sure I’m only one of a great many
people who consider themselves blessed for having known John. John was always asking, “Why? Why can’t we do this? Why couldn’t
the Society get involved in that?” Now I find myself asking why
such a vibrant life was cut short so unexpectedly. I only hope that John
has found a place where he can walk down to the depot and watch No.1 come
in behind steam any time he wants, and perhaps some day I’ll meet
him there again. John undertook every task with great enthusiasm and commitment. Whether
it was intercollegiate swimming, recent triathlon training, photography,
work with the SLHTS, or building one of the finest of model railroads,
John went about it with a passion, always seeking ways to improve. His
energy, dedication, and openness to new ideas were contagious. Family
and friends will miss his friendship, leadership, and talent a great deal,
but so will we of the SLHTS and those who share our hobby of model railroading.
May your tracks be clear and the signals be green, John! |
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