The Tumble – March 2026 (Draft)

Canal Society of Indiana

News and Upcoming Programs

New Members

The following persons joined the Canal Society of Indiana at the $20 membership level or received a gift membership unless otherwise noted. Welcome aboard!

Darrel Barber Washington, IN Gift from Sam & Jo Ligget

Gene A. Paschka

Gene A. Paschka, 71, of Roanoke, Indiana, passed away on Thursday January 22, 2026. at Fort Wayne’s Lutheran Hospital. He was born to the late Theodore and Marcella (Heine) Paschka in Fort Wayne on November 15, 1954. He married Joyce A. Hartman on August 14, 1982 at Our Redeemer Lutheran Church in Kokomo, Indiana.

While growing up Gene was a Boy Scout and achieved the rank of Eagle Scout where he learned about serving others. He continued his service as an usher and a deacon at St. Peter’s Lutheran Church and St. Paul Lutheran Church, both in Fort Wayne; St. John Lutheran Church-Bingen where he and Joyce were members; and, after moving to Roanoke, they became members of Faith Lutheran Church.

Gene also served on the Canal Society of Indiana’s Board of Directors from 1996—2004. He and Joyce attended many CSI canal tours and Gene helped with some of them.

After graduating from Concordia Lutheran High School in 1973, Gene attended a trade school for plumbing and heating and then studied Culinary Arts at Ivy Tech.. He was employed by W.C. Borchelt as a heating and plumbing installer. He became an assistant chef at Goeglein’s Catering, the Fort Wayne Coliseum, and Ceruti’s. He also worked as a produce clerk at Kroger.

Gene spent many cherished hours with his nephews and nieces taking them to Chicago Cubs games and the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo. In his free time he enjoyed ice skating and synchronized skating as a member of the Fort Wayne Ice Skating Club and also found great pleasure in gardening and tending to his flowers. Gene and Joyce ushered for several years at Fort Wayne’s Embassy Theater.

He is survived by Joyce, his wife of 43 years; mother-in-law Opal Hartman of Kokomo, Indiana; Joyce’s sisters, Linda (John) Alley of Rochester, Indiana; Marge Bunn of Kokomo, Indiana, and Patti (Tom) Stout of Kokomo, Indiana; 17 nieces and nephews; and 44 great-nieces and nephews.

He was preceded in death by his brother, Stanley Paschka.

Family and friends were received for 10 am to noon prior to his funeral service at St. John Lutheran Church, Bingen located a 11555 U.S. 27 in Decatur, Indiana, 46733.

Pastors Berett Steffen and Peter Brock officiated at his funeral service, which was held at 12 noon on Wednesday, January 28, 2026, followed by burial in St. John Lutheran Cemetery- Bingen.

Suggest memorials were to St. John Lutheran Church- Bingen, Worship Anew or Turnstone.

Funeral arrangements were made by Zwick and Jahn Funeral Homes of Decatur, Indiana

Gerald (Gerry) Earl Hulslander

Gerald Hulslander, a long-time resident of Ottawa, IL passed away peacefully on Sunday, January 25, 2026, at age 100.

Gerald was born in Geneseo, Illinois, to Earl and Bertha (Petersen) Hulslander on August 12, 1925. His early years were spent in farm country with his older sister Marjorie and younger brother Curtis. Before and after classes at the one-room Hulslander school and Geneseo High School, he worked in the local dairy delivering milk.

As the US entered WWII, he enlisted in the Navy and at the age of 17 trained as a Torpedoman. Much of his service was spent in the Pacific theatre aboard the USS McNair, a Fletcher class destroyer. During the invasion of the Philippines, his ship led the battleship USS West Virginia into Leyte Gulf, a memory that never left him. He later went on an Honor Flight to Washington D. C. for his service.

After the war, Gerald furthered his education at the University of Illinois in Champaign. While pursuing a degree in Agriculture, he met and married the love of his life, Jean (Muntz). He accepted a job as Fieldman with the Farm Bureau Service and they moved to Paw Paw, IL where they started their family of four children. Another move brought them to Ottawa where they joined Trinity Lutheran Church, made life-long friends, and Gerry served there as usher, lector and council member for many years.

His love of story-telling and history led to numerous family camping trips across the US where he stopped at every roadside marker, point of interest and scenic overlook along the highways. He also organized trips with area farmers, taking them via bus or train to learn about farming in other parts of the Midwest and beyond. The story-telling continued when he had a talk show on local radio WCMY with fellow historian Ron Slack discussing county seats, one-room school houses, etc.. He and Jean also spent hours bringing Ag in the Classroom to schools in Chicago, impressing the students with ears of homegrown field corn and popcorn, stalks of rhubarb and rhubarb cakes. Other stories were shared at the Civil War Roundtable, LaSalle County Historical Society Museum and Utica Burgoo Festival.

Jean and Gerald’s home was always open to friends, children of friends, and friends of their own children. Visitors would be told stories and jokes while eating a hot meal or plates of cookies. His quick wit was often greeted with both laughter and groans.

Gerry and Jean were long-time members of the Canal Society of Indiana and attended many of its tours. He helped organize and led canal tours of the Illinois & Michigan Canal (1996, 2009 & 2017) and was instrumental is setting up a tour of the Hennepin Canal (2012). He participated in various canal projects on the I & M Canal that are covered in news paper clippings found at the library in Morris, Illinois. These include his part in restoring the Fox River Aqueduct and his relating the history of the canal to others.

After Jean passed away and Gerry began having health issues he moved to Pleasant View Lutheran Home in Ottawa in 2022. There he found a new audience for his stories and he often entertained the staff and residents with his harmonica. He could always be counted on to help new residents acclimate and assist others with dining.

To celebrate his 100th birthday, his children held an open house on Sunday, August 10. 2025 at Trinity Lutheran Church, in Ottawa. His actual birthday was two days later on August 12.

Gerald was preceded in death by his parents, sister and brother, his wife Jean and eldest daughter Ellen (White). He is survived by his son David (Betsy) Hulslander, daughter Carol Kennedy (Ray Klein), daughter Sarah Hulslander, proxy-daughter Sue Williamson, and Aussie son Barry (Ann-Louise) Richardson. He is further survived by foster children Rob (Sunny) Smeets, Diane Lewis and Roger (Val) Smeets.

Gerry considered himself blessed with eight grandchildren, eight great-grandchildren, and two great-great-grandchildren whom he loved dearly and was extremely proud of.

The family thanks the staff of OSF Hospital and the Hospice Care team for their kindness to Gerald in his last days. They especially thank the staff and 4th Floor care team at Pleasant View for their care, concern, patience and love for him over his years there.

Visitation was at Trinity Lutheran Church 717 Chambers St in Ottawa on Sunday, February 1 at 1:30pm with funeral services following at 3:00pm. Burial was in Grand View Cemetery in Atkinson, Illinois. Arrangements were made by the Mueller Funeral home in Ottawa.