Daviess-Johnson County IN Archives News.....Church Home Grieves at Magician's Death May 1963 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/in/infiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Stephen Stalcup puclats@sbcglobal.net April 14, 2007, 9:58 pm Indianapolis News May 1963 Church Home Grieves at Magician’s Death Oscar P. Hackler followed the philosophy that life’s greatest joys come from making others happy. Little wonder that he was one of the most popular residents at the Indiana Masonic Home at Franklin. Hackler, who was described by a mutual friend as being “one of the great chaps of the home,” died May 21, 1963 at 84. He left behind a monument of gratitude and thanks in the hearts of all his fellow residents there. Hackler was a registered magician who for years thrilled audiences in many cities throughout the Midwest. Indicative of the esteem in which fellow-members of that entertainment field held him, he was honored by the National Associations at its 1961 convention in Michigan. When he cane to the home in January 1959, he did not rest on his laurels as an entertainer. With the unselfish attitude that was characteristic of him, he put those talents to good use, probably their best use – cheering others “He spent all his time making of the home and hospital happy,” said Charles A. Clark, former auditor of The News, who, with Mrs. Clark, lives at the home. Hackler, however, did not limit his entertainment to that institution. He also gave programs at various Masonic Lodges and Eastern Star chapters. His good turns for the home and its patients were not confined to those magic entertainments. He also served as host and guide for the institution’s nursing home. It is easy to understand why his death cast a pall over residents at the home, for they knew they had lost a real friend whose niche probably never be filled. “The man at the funeral home told me that everyone at the home seemed to be broken-hearted,” Clark added. Born in Epsom, Daviess County in 1879 had varied and fascinating career. A Washington, Indiana, newspaper’s account of his death said he had been a farmer, goat raiser and newspaper editor. One highlight was that in World War I he raised 700 acres of form which he husked by hand. Hackler was one of Indiana’s first rural free delivery (RFD) mail carriers, being also the first president of the seventh of the Indiana Rural Letter Carriers Association. Before going to the Masonic home he had lived 17 years in Plainville where he made a reputation as a magician and novelty shop owner. His devout interest in Methodism went back to the old Tolbert Chapel near Epsom, in which church circuit riders used to preach. At the time of his he had been for many years a member of the Plainville Methodist Church. He belonged to the Plainville Masonic Lodge; to the three York Rite bodies in Washington, Daviess County seat, and to Hadi Shrine Temple, Evansville. Fellow members of the Plainville Masonic Lodge had charge of the Masonic funeral at the Poindexter Chapel in Washington, Indiana on Saturday, May 25, 1963. Source: Indianapolis News Column: Ringside in Hoosierland - by Wayne Guthrie May 1963 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/in/daviess/newspapers/churchho2nnw.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/infiles/ File size: 3.5 Kb