Not lost in the dust

Emil Weyerts great grandfather came to Nebraska in 1886, settling in on land east of Gurley. The Weyerts family, who were farmers, opened one of the town's first stores.

Weyerts grew up on the farm during what he refers to as the “dirty 30s”--the difficult era of depression and the Dust Bowl. He watched wind carry farm and ranchland away.

“The dust was so bad in grade school you couldn’t see your paper,” he recalled. “It got so dark the clouds of dust would hang over your head you couldn’t see anything. My mother would pack wash cloths and wet towel along the window sill so the dust wouldn’t come in.”

His family endured the routine day after day during the worst of the dust bowl. And they had other concerns.

“It wasn’t just another dust storm going by,” he said. “The grain didn’t grow very much and the shifty dirt was loosened up. With no rain it was just like talcum powder. It was rough for small children and babies. I think that’s where they lost a lot of them. Nebraska was bad you couldn’t see the sun for days.”

The dust provided him with time to work on a few hobbies. While in grade school, Weyerts started repairing watches and clocks. His father was a blacksmith and carpenter and the young man picked up skill with tools and a solid work effort while helping with both carpentry and the forge.

“We built kitchen cabinets and stuff like that for a dollar a day—that’s not an dollar an hour that’s a day,” he explained. “A lot of people worked for fifty cents or a dollar a day.”

Starting a mechanical shop by age 20 Weyerts overhauled cars and trucks. He eventually opened an auto body shop in the farm.

In 1953 Weyerts met his wife E’Laine.

“We lived on the farm for one year then in 1954 we moved to Gurley. We bought four lots and then bought and moved a house from South, East of the Weyert’s church to Gurley for our home. We then built a new auto body shop here in Gurley,” he said.

Weyerts has two children, Eli and Edith Ann, five grandchildren and three great grand children. He goes dancing every Saturday night, some Sunday afternoons.

His devotion to the community of Gurley is clear. He has served on the fire and rescue unit, as assistant Fire Chief and 14 years as mayor.

His hobbies include antique cars, engines and rebuilding Maytag Wringer washers.

“At present I’m one of the National Maytag Collectors Club board of directors for the Western states. We helped to start the Trailblazers Antique Car Club in 1962, I am the only chartered member left,” Weyerts said.

Despite his mechanical talent and knowledge, Weyerts finished eighth grade but never continued on to high school.

“I am a self taught businessman and not ashamed about my eighth grade education,” he acknowledged. “I had a very good education. I was good in school and today some of these kids can’t hold a pencil.”

Growing up in the dirty 30s, living through World War Two and the Korean War, watching changes flow by, such as the telephone, television and Internet, he appreciates the passage of time and progress—even with his devotion to old time washing machines.

“I think it’s great,” he said of the world today. “I don’t know how happy people are but I’m pleased with it.”