Neil Chase Family  

Neil Chase, son of Lorie and Effie Sarber Chase, was born in Marshall County, On April 1916. Lorie Chase was a dairy farmer and raised chickens and turkeys.

Dorothy Roelke Chase, daughter of James and Cora Brunner Roelke, was born December 1917 in Marshall county at Teegarden. James Roelke, known as J.M., came to Teegarden about 1913 working for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad as an ticket agent and Western Union telegrapher.

Neil has one brother George, and one sister Geraldine.

Neil and Dorothy met in highs school in Tyner. Neil attended Purdue University for one year. Dorothy was graduated from Nannette Beauty College in South Bend. They were married in February 1940, at the Evangelical United Brethren Church in Teegarden. Neil worked for Associates Investment Corporation in South Bend and was working at a branch in Birmingham, Alabama when they were married. Starting salary was $65 per month. August of that year they transferred to Indianapolis where they loved for six months. Early in 1941 they moved to Culver, where Neil owned and operated a rural milk route and took it to Wanzer Dairy in Monterey.

Their first son, Larry, was born February, 1943. Neil was drafted in November 1943. He served with the United States Army in Texas, Colorado, New Hebrides, New Caldonia, Okinawa, and Japan. He joined the 27th division in New Hebrides.

Neil was discharged as Staff Sargent at Camp Atterbury, in February 1946. He went to work for the State Exchange Bank in Culver. After a year there, he went back to hauling milk into Litchfield Plant at Warsaw and a plant in Gary while living in Teegarden. About 1953, farmers started having pipe lines for milk and milk haulers went to tankers for milk pickup. He sold his can milk route in 1955.

They bought their first home in North Township in 1955 at the corner of 6A and Oak Road. In 1955. Neil bought four tractors and four trailers from Ed Harrell in Plymouth. These tractors were leased to a California company and hauled Hawaiian Punch that was canned in Plymouth at the Plymouth Canning Company. In 1964 they moved to Plymouth at 1120 Ferndale Street. In May, 1973 they moved to 30 South Shore, Culver on Lake Maxinkuckee.

In 1964 Larry was graduated from Tri State University of Angola where he received a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Administration with a major in Transportation. Larry was married that same year to Sue Greenlee. They had three children: Barry, Douglas and Mindy. He joined his dad in the leasing business in the fall of 1964.
In December 1949 twin girls were born, Jeanine and Jeanette. They graduated from Plymouth High School in 1966. Two years later Jeanette was graduated from Ball State University with a two year Secretarial Degree. Jeanette was married to Dean Frick the same year and they now have two children: Bradley and Alisha. Jeanine completed her four year degree at Ball State University with a Bachelor of Science in Education. Jeanine was married in 1969 to Jerry Holeread. She taught high school for ten years and completed her Master's Degree in Education from Ball State University. They had two children: Lisa and Mark.

Dan was born in 1955. He is a graduate of Plymouth Highs School and Indiana University where he received a Bachelor of Arts in Accounting. He worked for Touche Ross and Company, a "Big 8" public accounting firm in Atlanta, Georgia, for four years. While in Atlanta, Dan received his Certified Public Account certificate. He returned to Indiana University where he received his Master's Degree in Finance. He went to work for Republic Bank in Dallas, Texas in commercial lending. After one and a half years there, he returned to Plymouth to work with Larry at Chase Leasing Corporation.

They are members of Trinity United Methodist Church in Plymouth. Three of their children were married there. Neil has served as a trustee and Dorothy is past President of Mary-Martha Club and United Methodist Women. - Dorothy Chase.

History of Marshall County Indiana Sesquicentennial 1836 - 1986 -, Taylor Publishing Co., 1986, Publication # 357 of 1422, Marshall County Historical Society pg 119

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PLYMOUTH — Dorothy M. (Roelke) Chase, died at her 625 Oakhill Ave. residence, on Thursday, Dec. 21, 2006 at 6:30 a.m. of natural causes.

A lifelong resident of Marshall County she was born on Dec. 4, 1917, in Teegarden, the daughter of James and Cora Brunner Roelke.

She graduated from Polk Township High School in 1934.

Dorothy and Neil Chase were high school sweethearts. While he was at Purdue, she graduated in 1935 from Nannette Beauty College in South Bend. She worked for a time in Robertson’s Department Store in South Bend as a beautician.

Neil and Dorothy were married on Feb. 21, 1940, in the Evangelical United Brethren Church in Teegarden.

They briefly lived in Alabama and Indianapolis before moving to Culver, Teegarden, Plymouth and then back to Culver, where they enjoyed, with family and friends, the beautiful surroundings of Lake Maxinkuckee. The couple also enjoyed traveling with friends and spent eight winters in the Sebring, Fla. area.

Neil and Dorothy owned and operated a milk route and then started what became Chase Leasing Corporation in 1955. Dorothy, always pleasant, served as secretary/treasurer of the family business for 35 years, retiring in 1990.

Formerly a member of the Teegarden E.U.B. Church, she was a 50-year member of the Plymouth Trinity United Methodist Church where she was past president of Mary-Martha Club and the United Methodist Women.

A past member of the Order of the Eastern Star, she was also a P.E.O, and a Tri Kappa member.

Dorothy is survived by Neil, her devoted husband of nearly 67 years and their two sons and twin daughters.

Their sons and families are: Larry N. and Sue Chase, Valrico, Fla., and Dan and Connie Chase, Euless, Texas. Their daughters and families are: Jeanine I. and Jerry Holderead, Marion and Jeanette E. Frick, of South Bend.
Seven grandchildren survive and their families including five great-grandsons. They are: Barry and Linda Chase with sons; Peter, Graham and Benjamin; Doug and Ginny Chase with sons; Andrew and Ethan; Melinda Chase, Brad and Sabrina Frick; Alisha Frick; Lisa Holderead and Marc Holderead.

A sister, Helen Roelke Buss of Nappanee and two sisters-in-law: Norma Roelke of New Carlisle and Mary Roelke of Plymouth. Several nieces and nephews also survive.

Dorothy was preceded in death by three brothers: Milburn, Paul and Roy Roelke and a brother-in law Russell Buss.

Friends are invited to visit with the family and share their memories of Dorothy during her life as a wonderful wife, mother and friend.

Calling will be from 4 to 8 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 23, 2006, in the Johnson-Danielson Funeral Home, 1100 N. Michigan St., Plymouth.

Funeral services for Dorothy will be held in the Trinity United Methodist Church, 425 S. Michigan St. Plymouth, on Sunday, Dec. 24, 2006, at 2 p.m., with calling one hour prior to services. The Rev. William Kaster, and a cousin, Rev. Paul Nye, will officiate.

Burial will follow in New Oakhill Cemetery, Plymouth.

Memorials in Dorothy’s name may be made to the Trinity United Methodist Church, Center for Hospice and Palliative Care, or the donor’s choice.

Notes of condolence may be sent to the family via the Web site: johnson-danielson.com

Plymouth Pilot

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Chase Leasing Corporation

Neil Chase purchased four tractors and four trailers from Ed Harrell in June, 1955. They were leased to Pacific Hawaiian Products Company in Fulerton, California who operated a branch in Plymouth.

In 1959 PIDCO brought the first new indusry to Plymouth. Early in 1960 we leased tractors and trailers to the Young Door Company of Plymouth. Neil purchased Indiana Leasing Corportation in 1967 and leased vehicles to the Weidner Canning Company which is now Pilgrim Farms.

In 1964 Larry, Neil's oldest son, graduated from Tri-State College and joined his dad. In 1967 Chase Leasing Corportaion was organized with Neil Chase as president, Larry Chase as vice president and Dprothy Chase, Neil's wife, as secretary and treasurer.

In May, 1976 Chase Leasing moved to its present location at 1050 Markley Drive in Plymouth. A garage and office comples was built to provide full service leasing facilities. In 1985 an office addition of 1,400 square feet was made.

In March, 1984 Dan Chase joined the corportation. Neil Chase retired and Larry became president. Dan Chase was elected vice president and Dorothy Chase remained as secretary and treasurer. Dan graduated from Indiana University in 1977 with an accounting degree and in 1982 with a master's in finance.

Today Chase Leasing rents and leases 90 tractors and 110 trailers to 25 different companies in Plymouth and within its 25 mile radius. The vechiles travel throughout the United States and in 1985 traveled over six million miles. - Marhsall County History, 1986

Longtime businessman and community leader, Neil L. Chase, 92, died of natural causes at 10:20 p.m. on Saturday, September 13, 2008, at Saint Joseph Regional Medical Center, Plymouth.

Neil had said that the thing that he was the proudest of in his 92 years was that all of his four kids went to college of their own choosing and all graduated. They were the first in my family to do so.

Neil was born in Marshall County on April 2, 1916. He was the son of Lorie and Effie Sarber Chase. Siblings George Chase and Geraldine Barnes have preceded Neil in death.

A 1934 graduate of Tyner High School, where he lettered in basketball and baseball, he helped his dad on the Polk township farm, raising dairy cattle, chickens and turkeys.

He met his lifelong sweetheart, Dorothy Roelke, in high school. They were married in February of 1940, in the Evangelical United Brethren Church in Teegarden.

Neil's dad sent him to Purdue University to study forestry. He first worked as a typist with Associates Investment Corp., in South Bend. After two years he was transferred to a branch of the company in Birmingham, Ala.

He took along with him, his bride. They stayed for six months before moving to Culver where Neil bought a milk route.

In 1943, he sold the route, became a first-time father and was drafted into the Army and trained as a Medic. He was deployed to New Hebrides where he joined the 27th Division and went on to New Caledonia, Okinawa and Japan. He was part of the occupation troops in Japan before his discharge as a Staff Sergeant in January of 1946.

After 18 months working as a window teller in the State Exchange Bank in Culver, Neil, tired of being inside, found another milk route hauling milk into Warsaw and Gary until 1955.

That year, he sold out and bought four semi-tractors and four trailers and created Neil Chase Trucking which later became Chase Leasing.

Sometimes Neil would drive the loads.

In Culver, they enjoyed, with family and friends, the beautiful surroundings of Lake Maxinkuckee. The couple also loved traveling with friends and spent eight winters in the Sebring, Florida area.

He was a member of the Plymouth-Kilwinning Masonic Lodge No. 149 and the Trinity United Methodist Church in Plymouth, where he had served as a Trustee.

Neil is survived by his two sons and twin daughters.

His sons and families are: Larry N. and Sue Chase, Valrico, Florida and Dan and Connie Chase, Euless, Texas. His daughters and families are: Jeanine I. and Jerry Holderead, Marion, Indiana, and Jeanette E. Frick, of South Bend, Indiana.

Seven grandchildren survive along with their families, including five great-grandsons. They are Barry and Linda Chase with sons: Peter, Graham and Benjamin: Doug and Ginny Chase with sons: Andrew and Ethan: Melinda Chase; Brad and Sabrina Frick: Alisha and John Morgan, Lisa Holderead and Marc and Ashley Holderead.

Neil's beloved wife, Dorothy, died in December of 2006.

Friends are invited to visit with the family and share their memories of Neil from 4 to 8 p.m. on Friday, September 19, 2008, in the Johnson-Danielson Funeral Home, 1100 N. Michigan St., Plymouth, Indiana.

A Masonic memorial rite will be held at 7:30 p.m. Friday in the funeral home.

Funeral services for Neil will be held in the Trinity United Methodist Church, 425 S. Michigan St., Plymouth, at 2 p.m. on Saturday, September 20, 2008, with calling for one hour prior to services. The Rev. Kerry O'Brien, and a cousin, the Rev. Paul Nye, will officiate.

Military graveside honors will be accorded Neil by members of the Plymouth American Legion Post 27 with burial to follow in New Oakhill Cemetery, Plymouth, Indiana.

Memorials in Neil's name may be made to the Trinity United Methodist Church or to a charity of the ; donor's choice