Hutchins Family Home No. ONE
For Irwin and Lois Hutchins at SW corner of 1st St. and Maple St. in Fennville, Michigan
Irwin Hutchins was born and raised in Fennville, MI. A long time friend of Irwin's worked at Consumers, Dutch Atkins as well as his brother Ike Hutchins. Dutch's future wife worked in the office, Ruth Bale. It wasn't long before Irwin was being touted by Dutch to ask Lois out for a date and if you don't ask her, we'll do it for you. Red did ask for a date and they married on April 19, 1946. The wedding was held out at the lake at the "Sheckler's", her parent's house.
They moved into this house, their 1st Fennville home, the large house on the SW corner 1st St. and Maple St., right behind the Fennville City Hall.
LaVerne was in the FIFTH GRADE at this time and was first to be able to move in with the new couple. He moved in just in time to be scared out of his wits. His grandfather had arranged a shivery one night and borrowed the schools big base drum and came drumming up to the front door at about 2:00 a.m.. Arleen moved in soon with a room set up for her. The couple soon met their first tragedy, head on. One Friday when Red brought his paycheck home, in cash, he laid it on the kitchen table along with the mail. After the mail was reviewed, Lois threw the pile of paper in the kitchen stove, a wood burner. Yup! The cash was gone.
The house sits on two
lots where 4 trees
are arranged in
a square.
The trees, but one
were still there.
We held a Circus
within those trees,
tying a rope around
the area with the
trees as support.
My mom, Lois Marie Sheckler Bouwman, met
Irwin (RED) Hutchins
while she was working at the Post Office.
After the World War II had ended,
she was no longer needed in the
war machine producing companies
in Grand Rapids.
Soon after Irwin's "RED's" discharge
from the army where
he in the WWII battles in Europe,
went to work for
Consumers Powers. See image left.
He used his experience in operating trucks
and their winches while he drove across
Africa and from France to Germany
for his resume. He had also worked at
Blood Brothers in Allegan.
She then moved to Fennville to be closer
to we kids. She found a room to rent
at the Keith and Bee Hutchins home
located behind the Shell Gas Station.
She had gotten the job at the Post Office.
War working persons were 1st in line
to acquire work at the Post Office.
Guess what, RED's brother was Keith Hutchins.
This HOME and Post Office are marked on image below.
This 2017 aerial image displays that our 1st home still stands. Actually, every home we lived in, still stands. Where the Doctor's Office is behind the hardware, there was in 1946, a house shown faintly as #1. that is where the Daleiden's lived. I understand Don Dickinson was born in that house. the house marked #2 is where the Scarlett's lived in 1946. That house was later torn down and a large Implement shop was built.
Lois, while living with Red's brother Keith and Bee Hutchins, and in keeping her kids together as often as she could, took them horse back riding out east of Fennville at Bushee's. Her son LaVerne and daughter Arleen were still living with their grandparents out at the lake. Her daughter Jean was living with a step Aunt Edie and Uncle Frank on 46th St., north of Bloomingdale.
They only lived here one year but LaVerne and Arleen did have fun here. With the four trees in the yard, arranged in a square and their two friends, Patty Scarlett and Norman Sanford, they tied a rope from tree to tree and spread blankets over the rope. These tents became the neighborhood circus.
Mom did not like being so near the jail, in the back of the fire hall, plus the rent was a little high so they moved to a good sized house on Walter St., just west of Consumers. They lived there three years.
Arleen
Bouwman
by the
Storage
House