Hilton community remembers Homer Marple as one of a kind
The one word many people used to describe Homer Marple is “gentleman.” Not just any gentleman, but the kind you rarely find anymore. Marple, a longtime Hilton resident and businessman, died on April 6, 2016 at the age of 92. He left a legacy in his family, his home, the businesses he ran, the music he made and the community services he provided.
Marple was born on June 30, 1923 in McMechan, West Virginia. He entered the University of Michigan as a pre-med student, but left soon after to serve his country. He played tuba in the Armed Forces Band and even had the privilege of playing “My Old Kentucky Home” at the opening ceremony of the Kentucky Derby.
After his discharge, Marple returned to the University of Michigan to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree in music education and a Master of Arts in music therapy and counseling. He played the sousaphone in the University of Michigan Marching Band and joined the jazz band led by Thomas McNall, a fellow student from Albion.
Marple met his wife, Ellen Margaret Wilson, in Ann Arbor while she was working as a registered nurse at the University of Michigan Hospital. The couple married and settled in Victor, which was in close proximity to the Veterans Administration Hospital where they both worked – Homer as a music therapist and Ellen as a registered nurse.
Not long after, McNall asked Marple to join him in his recently inherited furniture and funeral home businesses in Albion. Marple agreed and moved his family to Albion. At a customer’s suggestion, he decided to open a second store in Hilton and settled his family into a home on Wilder Road where he and Ellen raised their family and would live for the next 56 years.
The Main Street store was destroyed in a fire, but Marple quickly reestablished his business at 10 Canning Street while a new McNall’s Furniture store was built on West Ridge Road. “Instead of throwing in the towel … Homer set up shop again and grew his furniture business to include a ‘street of shops’ called Canning Street Square,” remembered Larry Gursslin, former Hilton mayor. Marple also opened stores in Greece, Fairport and Eastview before going out of business in 1988.
“My wife and I did all of our shopping for our first home at his store,” said Rick Lemcke, former Parma Town supervisor. “He always gave you the best deal possible and always stood behind what he sold.”
At the age of 66, when most people are ready to retire, Marple began the process of reinventing himself as a businessman yet again. Homer and Ellen hosted a successful craft fair in the Canning Street building. After the show, he called each crafter asking if he or she would be willing to participate in a Craft Antique Co-op, which opened in 1991.
“The Co-op brought busloads of people from all over, even Canada,” said Walter Horylev, former Village of Hilton trustee and professional photographer. “It made the Village a destination.”
The Co-op was not only a business, but a vehicle for Marple to share his love of music and Charles Dickens’ “A Christmas Carol.” The Dickens Festival Celebration became a tradition and still lives on at The Shops on West Ridge.
“The Hiltones, members of the St. Leo’s Church chorus and Gazebo Band would all come together to provide the music under Homer’s direction,” said Horylev. “He’d give us hats and costumes and was always very welcoming and supportive.”
In the program for his memorial service, his family wrote that to Homer, the crucial message of “The Christmas Carol” was that “Mankind should be our business.”
In 2001, Marple suffered another loss due to fire when the Craft and Antique Co-op burned to the ground. “My son, Justin, saw the smoke and by the time I got there both Homer and Ellen were standing there watching the fire,” said Gursslin. “Ellen had tears in her eyes, but Homer was thinking about the craftspeople, whether they had insurance and what he was going to do the next day to help them.”
After the fire, the Hilton Village Board set up meetings to try to keep the Co-op in Hilton, but the options were out of reach financially and Marple made the difficult decision to re-open the Co-op on West Ridge Road.
Barb Miller, who now owns Interior Expressions by Design, Inc. on Long Pond Road, was a vendor at the Craft Antique Co-op on Ridge Road for several years. “The experience was wonderful. I loved it there and that was because of Homer’s business ethics,” she said. “He treated everyone fairly and always gave sound advice to those who were just starting their business.”
Miller recalls that most of Marple’s salespeople worked for him for many years and followed him from business to business. “That’s a testament to any boss,” she said. According to the Marple family, the community of vendors, about 200 in all that now make up The Shops at West Ridge, were one of Homer’s great joys and he found much happiness working with them.
His customers were equally loyal. “Homer trusted everyone and sealed every deal with a handshake,” said Miller. “If someone couldn’t pay, Homer would allow them to take the piece and pay over time. And they would, because of the level of trust they had been given.”
While Homer was known for his integrity and business acumen, he was also known for his community service. In 1981, Hilton Businessmen Patrick Marlow and Douglas Marple, Homer’s son, founded the Hilton Apple Fest with Homer Marple’s financial backing.
Organized by Carol Gursslin, Larry’s wife, and just a handful of volunteers, the event was held at Canning Street Square with about 75 craft booths and five food booths.
“Homer put Hilton on the map with the Apple Fest,” said Lemcke. “He was calm, cool and collected, and wouldn’t bat an eyelash when asked to do something for his community, and was very good at getting people to rally around something like the Apple Fest.”
“Homer gave a gift that still keeps on giving,” said Gursslin. “The Apple Fest is one of his legacies that many folks may not even be aware of.”
As a result of his commitment to the Hilton community, Marple was named Hilton Citizen of the Year in 1995. The plaque hangs in the Village Board Room next to the podium Marple helped find in his own Co-op for only $75. He and Ellen also have a street named after them – Marple Lane.
“Homer was just of a simpler time,” said Lemcke. “His human nature and concern for his community is hard to come by and filling his shoes will be an even harder order of business.”
Often seen mowing his lawn in a suit jacket and tie, Marple loved his Hilton home and made it clear that is where he wanted to die. His wish was granted. In a 2013 Christmas letter, Marple wrote, “We have just celebrated our 53rd Thanksgiving at Hilton. It has been a wonderful place to spend the majority of our lives. Ellen picked out this home back in 1960 and it has been good to us for many a year.”
