IKEY DIED SUNDAY
If a majority of the older citizens of Marion were told that Achilas Karathanos had died, they might stop for a minute to think who had died. But, if they were told that “Ikey, the Greek” had died there would be a surge of sadness.
Ikey was affectionately known by almost everyone. A few months ago he and his partners sold the Gem Café and he has been in semi-retirement since. Ikey was known and loved because he made himself one of the community.
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Eugene Ernest Weber was born on a farm about 4 miles east of Marion on April 3, 1890 to Adolph Daniel Weber and Josephine Katherine Uhl. His father, Adolph, had migrated from St. Clair County in Illinois with his wife and their first three surviving children, Robert, Martin & Ella to a farm east of Marion in 1884. Adolph, along with other German families were responsible for the formation of the Zion United Church of Christ in Marion, where they could worship in their native tongue. He became known as an excellent sausage maker and butcher and in 1901 moved his family into town and opened up a meat market on W. Main Street and later opened a meat market on N. Market Street. In 1912, he began a partnership with Louis Fluck, his son-in-law, who married his daughter Ella Weber. The partnership lasted until Adolph’s retirement in 1921. The Fluck family continued operating a meat market grocery store on N. Market Street for decades.
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Adolph Edwin Fluck was born in Marion on March 11, 1908, the son of Louis Fluck and Ella Weber. Adolph’s mother, Ella Weber, was the daughter of Adolph Weber, son of a German immigrant schoolteacher. Adolph migrated from St. Clair County to a farm east of Marion in 1884. He was involved with other German farmers in the area who started a church where they could worship in their own tongue and helped create what is now the Zion United Church of Christ in Marion on W. Cherry Street. Weber became well known for his sausage making and butchering skills and in 1901 moved his family into town and opened a meat market on Main Street. In 1903, he opened a meat market in the 200 block of N. Market with all five of his sons working in the store. In 1912, Adolph’s father, Louis, formed a partnership with Adolph Weber at 300 N. Market. This partnership lasted until Weber retired in 1921.
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The Williamson County Historical Society has recently released a publication that should be of interest to Marion residents with a taste for learning local history. The booklet entitled, “Historic Downtown Marion Walking Tour” is now available for sale. The publication includes a walking tour map that starts out at the corner of N. Market and W. Jackson Streets at the corner of the old First Christian Church building which is now the Market Street Music Conservatory.
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Lester Harold Farner was born on a farm in Southern Township on December 7, 1911 to Charles Farner and Lillie Huffstutler. He first appears in the 1920 federal census with his parents at the age of 8 on a rented farm in Southern Township. His father Charles was a 38 year-old farmer, his mother Lillian was 26 and he had one sister Emma E. aged 4.
By the 1930 census, his family was living in West Marion Township in a rented home while his father worked as a coal miner. Rent on the home was $5 per month, yet the family owned a radio set. Harold was 18 and had two sisters in the home, Emma E. 14 and Lillian M. aged 9.
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