oteuwyer.html

The Mt. Adams Sun, Bingen, WA., May 6, 1965, page 1

T. WYERS DIES; FUNERAL TODAY

Funeral services for Teunis (Tune) Wyers, 89, White Salmon will be held at 2 p.m. today, Thursday, May 6, at Gardner's Chapel, White Salmon. The Rev. George Jefferson of Washougal and Mt. Adams Elks Lodge 1868 of White Salmon will officiate. Burial will be in Goodwill Cemetery.
Mr. Wyers died Tuesday May 4, at Skyline Hospital, 12 days after suffering a severe stroke at his home.
He is survived by two daughters: Mrs. Russell Kreps (Marie) and Mrs. Bernard Pollard (Gertrude), both of White Salmon; five grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren.
An obituary will be available next week.

The Mt. Adams Sun, Bingen, WA., May 13, 1965, page 1
Includes portrait

DEATH OF TEUNIS WYERS RECALLS SAGA OF MAIL SERVICE IN COUNTY

Funeral services for Teunis (Tune) Wyers, 89, were held at 2 p.m. Thursday, May 6, at Gardner's Chapel, White Salmon. The Rev. George Jefferson of Washougal, formerly of White Salmon, officiated. Mt. Adams Elks lodge assisted. Burial was in Goodwill Cemetery.
Bearers were William Manly, Clarence Lewis, Jack Jones, George Hendryx, F.E. Childs and John W. Gilmer.
Mr. Wyers was born on April 15, 1876 in Zavanaar, Holland and came to the U.S. with his parents when he was 15 years old. They leased a farm at Onaga, Kansas for two years before moving to White Salmon in 1891.
Young Tune, 17, got his first job here milking cows twice a day and cleaning barns for J.R. Warner. His pay was $4 a week. When he was 18 he sub-contracted the mail route to Glenwood.
His whole equipment was three cayuses. He obtained one as payment for breaking two horses for Theodor Suksdorf. Indian Sam sold him another for $8. He bartered the third from an old man named Kelly, in exchange for a pig and three boxes of apples.
His first mail trip to Glenwood was made on July 1, 1894. Seventy one years later he was still under contract as a mail messenger when he died Tues., May 4 at Skyline hospital, 12 days after suffering a severe stroke.
During his long and continuous career of carrying the mail, Mr. Wyers established a national record and upheld the motto of the Post Office Department: "Not snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds."
It wasn't easy. The first few years were the hardest - but he never missed a trip.
Mail service to Gilmer, Fulda and Glenwood was three times a week. Houses were few and far between. Snow was sometimes six feet deep. There were no phones. Plowing out roads was unheard of. When Tune's horse gave out, he finished the route on foot.
His mail, stage and freight business grew. At one time he owned about 100 head of horses and had 80 in harness every morning. He was also a sharp horse buyer and trader.
Twice a year he brought 15 to 25 head of wild horses, broke and matched them for sale to city-delivery wagon companies. When the horseless carriage began to take over, Tune kept buying horses & sold them all to the Army for World War I.
Although he started converting from horse-flesh to horse-power, he still kept several good teams to get the mail through when the mud or snow was too deep for trucks.
On March 12, 1902 he was married to Olga Lauterbach, White Salmon's first telephone operator. Mrs. Wyers, who handled the bookkeeping part of the business, died on Jan. 13, 1953.
They are survived by two daughters, Mrs. Russell Kreps (Marie) and Mrs. Bernard Pollard (Gertrude) both of White Salmon.
Also five grandchildren: Mrs. Keith Kayser (Margueite) of Centerville, Mrs. H.P. Shattuck (Mary Lou) of Toppenish; Mrs. M.J. Hecomovich (Olga Jane), Oliver Teunis (Chip) Kreps and Russell Wyers (Bodge) Kreps, all of White Salmon.

The Enterprise, White Salmon, WA., May 6, 1965, page 1
Includes portrait

NOTED PIONEER PASSES
T. Wyers Dies Funeral Today

Funeral services for Teunis (Tune) Wyers, 89, White Salmon, will be held at 2 p.m. today, Thursday, May 6, at Gardner's Chapel, White Salmon. The Rev. George Jefferson of Washougal and Mt. Adams Elks Lodge 1868 of White Salmon will officiate. Burial will be in Goodwill Cemetery.
Mr. Wyers died Tuesday May 4, at Skyline Hospital, 12 days after suffering a severe stroke at his home.
He is survived by his two daughters: Mrs. Russell Kreps (Marie) and Mrs. Bernard Pollard (Gertrude), both of White Salmon; five grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren.
Mr. Wyers was born April 15, 1876 in Zavanaar, Holland.
An obituary will be available next week.

The Enterprise, White Salmon, WA., May 13, 1965, page 1

DEATH CLAIMS TEUNIS WYERS

Funeral services for Teunis (Tune) Wyers, 89, was held at 2 p.m. Thursday, May 6, at Gardner's Chapel, White Salmon. The Rev. George Jefferson of Washougal, formerly of White Salmon, officiated. Mt. Adams Elks Lodge 1868 assisted. Burial was in the Goodwill Cemetery.
Bearers were William Manly, Clarence Lewis, Jack Jones, George Hendryx, F.E. Childs and John W. Gilmer.
An age has passed with the death of Teunis Wyers. He was a vital part of that age and contributed to its development in a personal and practical way. He saw this community grow from cow trail and river boat to city streets with mercury vapor lamps and a highway that will take you to Portland, Oregon in an hour. He often spoke of these marvels and relished the land and its people that made them possible.
He was an immigrant from Europe who made his way in the west and helped to tame it as he tamed wild horses from the Eastern Oregon desert. As a young man he said goodbye to the 19th century and saw more than half of the 20th century as he grew to be an old man. He is the last of his immediate family.
Teunis Wyers was born in Zavanaar, Holland, April 15, 1876 and came to White Salmon in 1891 from Onaga, Kansas where his family, Dutch immigrants, had lived on a leased farm for two years.
When he was 18 years old he gave full reign to the spirit of independence which marked his very fiber and characterized his every act. He went into business for himself and subcontracted the mail route to Glenwood. The first trip, alone and on horseback, was made July 1, 1894. Seventy-one years later he was still under contract as a mail messenger when he died Tuesday, May 4, at Skyline Hospital, 12 days after suffering a severe stroke.
On March 12, 1902 he was married to Olga Lauterbach who died January 13, 1953. It was she who did the bookkeeping, and as their business grew, shared the joy of each renewal of the mail contracts and each addition to the business. She kept an immaculate home which she loved and raised two daughters.
They are survived by two daughters, Mrs. Russell Kreps (Marie) and Mrs. Bernard Pollard (Gertrude) both of White Salmon; five grand-children, Mrs. Keith Kayser (Marguerite), Centerville, Mrs. M.J. Hecomovich (Olga Jane) White Salmon, Mrs. H.P. Shattuck (Mary Lou) Toppenish, Oliver Teunis Kreps, and Russell Wyers Kreps, White Salmon and 14 great grandchildren.

The Goldendale Sentinel, Goldendale, WA., May 6, 1965, page 1
Includes portrait

FUNERAL TODAY FOR TUNE WYERS

Funeral services for Teunis (Tune) Wyers, 89, White Salmon, will be held at 2 p.m. today, Thursday, May 6, at Gardner's Chapel, White Salmon. The Rev. George Jefferson of Washougal and Mt. Adams Elks Lodge 1868 of White Salmon will officiate. Burial will be in Goodwill Cemetery.
Mr. Wyers died Tuesday, May 4, at Skyline Hospital, 12 days after suffering a severe stroke at his home.
He is survived by his two daughters: Mrs. Russell Kreps (Marie) and Mrs. Bernard Pollard (Gertrude), both of White Salmon; five grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren.
An obituary will be available next week.

The Goldendale Sentinel, Goldendale, WA., May 13, 1965, page 5

DEATH OF TEUNIS WYERS RECALLS MAIL LINE SAGA
By Bernard Pollard

Funeral services for Teunis (Tune) Wyers, 88, were held at 2 p.m. Thursday, May 6, at Gardner's Chapel, White Salmon. The Rev. George Jefferson of Washougal, formerly of White Salmon, officiated. Mt. Adams Elks lodge assisted. Burial was in Goodwill Cemetery.
Bearers were William Manly, Clarence Lewis, Jack Jones, George Hendryx, F.E. Childs and John W. Gilmer.
Mr. Wyers was born on April 15, 1876 in Zavanaar, Holland and came to the U.S. with his parents when he was 15 years old. They leased a farm at Onaga, Kansas for two years before moving to White Salmon in 1891.
On March 12, 1902 he was married to Olga Lauterbach, White Salmon's first telephone operator. Mrs. Wyers, who handled the bookkeeping part of the business, died on January 13, 1953.
They are survived by two daughters, Mrs. Russell Kreps (Marie) and Mrs. Bernard Pollard (Gertrude) both of White Salmon.
Also five grandchildren: Mrs. Keith Kayser (Margueite) of Centerville, Mrs. H.P. Shattuck (Mary Lou) of Toppenish; Mrs. M.J. Hecomovich (Olga Jane), Oliver Teunis (Chip) Kreps and Russell Wyers (Bodge) Kreps, all of White Salmon.
Young Tune, 17, got his first job here milking cows twice a day and cleaning barns for J.R. Warner. His pay was $4 a week. When he was 18 he sub-contracted the mail route to Glenwood.
His whole equipment was three cayuses. He obtained one as payment for breaking two horses for Theodor Suksdorf. Indian Sam sold him another for $8. He bartered the third from an old man named Kelly, in exchange for a pig and three boxes of apples.
His first mail trip to Glenwood was made on July 1, 1894. Seventy-one years later he was still under contract as a mail messenger when he died Tuesday, May 4 at Skyline Hospital, 12 days after suffering a severe stroke.
During his long and continuous career of carrying the mail, Mr. Wyers established a national record and upheld the motto of the Post Office Department: "Not snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds."
It wasn't easy. The first few years were the hardest - but he never missed a trip.
Mail service to Gilmer, Fulda and Glenwood was three times a week. Houses were few and far between. Snow was sometimes six feet deep. There were no phones. Plowing out roads was unheard of. When Tune's horse gave out, he finished the route on foot.
His mail, stage and freight business grew. At one time he owned about 100 head of horses and had 80 in harness every morning. He was also a sharp horse buyer and trader.
Twice a year he brought 15 to 25 head of wild horses, broke and matched them for sale to city-delivery wagon companies. When the horseless carriage began to take over, Tune kept buying horses & sold them all to the army for World War I.
Although he was one of the first to convert his stages from horse-flesh to horse-power, he still kept several good teams to get the mail through when the mud or snow was too deep for trucks.