The Partial Observer by Tabetha Rathbone

Local Boy Who Made Good

John Schallert was born and raised on Bissell Road, here in the Town of Otsego. Along with his seven siblings, he grew up on the family farm and attended Cooperstown Central School.

John is the quintessential “local boy who made good.” He founded and operated his own business, providing very well for himself and his family. He moved a few miles away from the family homestead to Wileytown Road, where he raised his family: one son and two daughters. Over the years, he added onto his property on and around Wileytown Road.

John has always been very involved in, and generous to, our community. He has served as an Otsego Town Board member and as Otsego town highway supervisor. He has regularly donated his hours, equipment, money, and expertise to many of the organizations in and around Fly Creek. Years ago, the fire department was not housed in the modern building that it is today. John played an integral role in that. When the Fly Creek Historical Society needed to add bathrooms to its Grange building to make it more useful and viable as a community gathering place, they called John. John helped stabilize and repair the foundation at the Fly Creek Methodist Church.

John has also been involved with the Fly Creek Valley Cemetery Association and was elected as the board president this week. John was elected as president due to his history with both the community and the cemetery. When John was in his teens (more than 60 years ago!), one of his paid jobs was to dig graves by hand. His respect for the detail and work that goes into operating a cemetery is rooted in this experience.

John has many relatives buried in this cemetery, including his mother and father. His mother was Violet “Buster” Weir and a musical prodigy. She was an accomplished fiddler in a family of musicians and held a professional position at the Board of Elections at a time when mothers did not typically work outside the home. His father, John Schallert Sr., was also born and raised in the area. John Sr.’s family owned and operated the Toddsville Store and John served in World War II. John was a logger and a farmer, and his children grew up with his strong work ethic.

Cemeteries serve as a sacred space for the final resting place of loved ones. They are a space which brings comfort to families after a loved one’s death. They are historic landmarks that represent a perspective of a community’s past. They can help us understand our roots by connecting us to our ancestry and community. They offer a sense of continuity, belonging, and pride and place in the world.

On Sunday, July 13, many community members, plot owners and past and current FCVCA board members gathered at the Fly Creek Valley Cemetery to celebrate its 150th anniversary. Also, the many efforts that went into having the gate archway restored were acknowledged. Sherlee Rathbone, John’s sister and a board member of the cemetery for more than 20 years, applied for a grant from the Community Foundation of Otsego County to do this work. When the CFOC generously awarded the cemetery a $5,000.00 grant, the board tag-teamed to administer the grant, commission the work, and plan this past weekend’s event. Special recognition was given to Christine Olsen, who has served as board president for the past two years. Past board member Walter Dusenbery and his wife, Irene, were also acknowledged, as they compiled a “Notable Burials” handout and marked the graves listed to allow for a self-guided tour.

The current board is a true community and bipartisan board. New board member Dave Hribar quipped, “We are all going to end up here, regardless of our political affiliation.”

Looking forward, John and the cemetery board have ideas and goals to assure the cemetery’s longevity and relevance. One of their first projects will be to solicit community and plot owner feedback and involvement. If anyone has suggestions or wishes to request information, please contact one of the board members, Sexton Wes Ciampo or e-mail flycreekcemetery@gmail.com.

Tabetha Rathbone is a local resident who lives, works and is involved in the Fly Creek community. John Schallert is her uncle.