Washington Evening Journal
111 North Marion Avenue
Washington, IA 52353
319-653-2191
Yesterday in Wayland
May. 18, 2023 8:53 pm
25 years ago — May 21, 1998
Wayland Fire Department assists in Washington disaster:
At 5:25 p.m., 11 men responded to a mutual aid call to assist at the scene of the tornado in Washington. They assisted in shutting off gas mains and shuttled injured to the hospital. They returned to the Wayland station at 9:50 p.m.
At 5:22 p.m. Sunday, May 17, they responded to a call at the Ernie Messer farm, when a four-wheeler being driven by Randy Messer overturned on him. Henry County assisted at the scene and Messer was taken to Washington County Hospital where he was treated and released. Thirteen men responded to the call.
All that remains of a paint and finish building of TSB Company on East Railroad Street, Wayland, is twisted metal. The building was destroyed by fire in a call received by the Wayland Fire Department at 12:47 a.m., Friday, May 15, 1998. Nineteen men responded to the call, using 18,000 gallons of water to extinguish the fire. According to State Fire Inspector Mike Hiles, and Fire Chief Dick Schlatter, the fire was caused by an electrical short. TSB made urns for shipment to Chicago. The previous day, owner Terry Wagler had just loaded finished urns in a trailer for delivery to Chicago. The building was declared a total loss. After having lost his contract with a Chicago-based company Wagler has put the business up for sale.
Phil Slabaugh, Pastor at Bethel Mennonite Church, Wayland, was ordained to the ministry by the Iowa-Nebraska Conference at a service at Bethel on May 3, 1998. Phil and wife, Brenda, and their two sons, Andy and Jordan, moved to Wayland after Phil graduated from the Pastoral Ministries Program at Hesston College, Hesston, KS in May, 1996.
Those taking part in the ordination service were the Church elders, Joe Hochstetler, Don Miller and Kevin Leichty; Marilyn Hershberger led the congregational singing and the Mark Yutzy family provided special music. Eldon King, a former Conference Minister of the Ohio Conference8 (Mennonite Church), where the Slabaughs are originally from, gave the message. Gilbert Gingerich, Wellman, representing the Iowa-Nebraska Leadership Board, and Royce Vogt, Phil’s college friend and Pastor at Harper Mennonite Chirch, Harper, KS, also had a part in the service. The ordination vows were given by Noah Kolb, Iowa-Nebraska Conference Minister. Other guests and members of Bethel shared during the congregational sharing time, which was open to anyone. Phil’s parents from Ohio, as well as Phil’s brother and sister, both from Pennsylvania, were her for the Ordination Service.