Earl Stober

Mr. and Mrs. Earl Stober moved to the Holgate community in June, 1951, with their son Jeffrey Lynn, from Bluffton, Ohio.

Earl Stober was born on a farm in Hardin County near Ada, Ohio, May 29, 1922, the son of Nate J. Stober and Ilo (Wollam), farmers active in Grange.

Jean (Krofft) Stober was born in Allen County, Ohio, March 15, 1924; the daughter of Lloyd A. Krofft and Olive (Holmes), farmers in the Ada- Lafayette community. Both Earl and Jean grew up on farms, and they both graduated from Ada High School.

Earl entered the service in February, 1943, and spent 38 months in the Navy. He was an aviation machinist mate 1st class when he received his honorable discharge at Norfolk, Va., in April, 1946.

They were married June 28, 1946, and lived in Bluffton, Ohio, where Earl was employed at the Massey-Harris dealership. In February, 1951, Earl and his father-in-law, Lloyd Krofft, purchased the Rettig Sales and Service from the widow of Clint Rettig, and both families have resided in Holgate since then. Mr. Krofft retired in 1963.

The Stobers have three sons: Jeffrey Lynn (born Aug. 4, 1947), Thomas Lee (born Sept. 1, 1952), and Mark Alan (born Dec. 14, 1956).

Jeffrey and Judy (Stacy), daughter of Ralph and Alice (Essel) Stacy, Columbus, Ohio, were married June 7, 1969, in Columbus, Ohio (the same day they both graduated from Ohio State University). Jeff and his family returned to the Holgate community in August, 1974, after serving five years in the U.S. Air Force as a navigator on a B-52 bomber. He was honorably discharged as a captain in the Strategic Air Command.

He is engaged in the business with his father, and they have two children: Jeremy Alan, born Sept. 27, 1970; and Jennifer Lynn, born March 5, 1974.

Thomas and Natalie (Wolf) daughter of Jerald and Rozena (Carter) Wolf were married Aug. 31, 1974. They live in St. Paul, Minnesota, where Tom is completing graduate studies in administrative science at the University of Minnesota. Natalie graduated in June, 1975, from the university in horticulture.

Mark Alan lives at home with his parents and will enter Ohio State University this fall.

Submitted by Mrs. Earl Stober