For the family of Raymond Peltier and Zelma Paulus

Raymond Henry Peltier was born on 31 August 1891 in Russia, Shelby County, Ohio.  He was the son of Joseph H. Peltier and Louise M. Miller.   The family had lived in Loramie Township for most of their life.  We know that they also attended St. Remy Catholic Church in Russia, documented by Raymond's certificate of Remembrance of First Holy Communion.

Zelma M. Paulus was born on 09 December 1890 in Russia, Shelby County, Ohio.  She was the daughter of Charles Paulus and Rosalie Voisard.  They too lived in Loramie Township for most of their family's lives.  Perhaps they met at church or school, but they did meet.  And eventually they did marry on 11 October 1916.  I do not have a marriage certificate, but it probably took place in Shelby County, possibly even at St. Remy's.   Not too long after they were married, Raymond was required to register for the draft for World War I.   And he did register on June 5, 1917.  He was employed at the time as a laborer and carpenter by Henry Francis of Russia. 

By 1920, they were living in their own home in Loramie Township.    Zelma his wife is listed, as is their first son Leroy, age 2 years and 2 months.  Also living with them is Zelma's father Charles Paulus.  Raymond is listed as a mechanic in an auto repair shop.   Their daughter Marie wrote that after Raymond worked for Francis Garage, he built one of his own. He was a mechanic and sold cars.   A picture of his garage is shown on their main page.   He was called "the peanut man".  When the kids came home from school, they would stop by the garage and he would give them pennies.  Then the kids would line up and spend their pennies on peanuts out of a glass dispenser.  In those days, you got peanuts, not candy.

By 1930 they were living in the village of Russia, in Loramie Township.  Ray is listed as owning his own home, which was worth about $1400.  At the time, they were living at their house on Lynn Street in Russia Ohio.  According to their daughter Marie, they had lived at their house on Lynn Street their entire life.  And they had their own radio set, which only about half the homes in that area had.  In the home are Zelma his wife and 3 sons and 3 daughters.  Ray's occupation is again listed as mechanic in a garage.

By 1939, their oldest son Leroy was working with Raymond at his garage.  But one day he was involved in a car accident a few blocks from home.   Raymond heard about it and rushed over and just as he got there, Leroy died in his arms.  It was a very sad time for the family.

In 1942, their oldest daughter Marie married George Raterman.  He had enlisted as an officer in WW2.  For the three years while he was in the service, Marie and their new baby lived with Raymond and Zelma in Russia.

Zelma did not like to cook, so Ray did most of the cooking.   On the recipe page, you will note a few of his recipes.  He was a very likeable person.  He would always do more stuff with the kids than Zelma.   Nelly Bell was the name of his car.  It was a big black Mercury.  He would see how fast he could go from Russia to Sidney.  He read western comic books and always slept in a green recliner.  Raymond's draft registration card indicates that he was of medium height, medium build, gray eyes and brown hair, although later in life, he was mostly bald (as you can tell by the pictures).  He always had a big cigar.  He never smoked them, but chewed them.   His granddaughter said that he had done that as long as she could remember.   When they went through his house after he had died, she picked up the last partially chewed cigar and saved it for a long time.

One Thanksgiving, Marie and George Raterman and their children were at Raymond and Zelma's house.   The oldest granddaughter relates the following story:  "I was sitting right across from Raymond, and they were all getting ready to eat a piece of pumpkin pie.  Zelma had bought whip cream in an aerosol can (we never had one of those at home).  Well, I made the mistake of pointing the nozzle of the can directly across from me, right into Raymond's face.  I sprayed the can and whipped cream went all over Grandpa's face, even  under his glasses.  Need I remind you being the only granddaughter for so many years, my grandpa spoiled me rotten.  He didn't say a word, just wiped off his face and started to laugh.  But he would have been upset had anybody else done that to him."

Raymond was involved in many social activities.  He and Zelma both belonged to the St. Remy Church in Russia.  But also he took part in the Knight of Columbus, the Eagles Lodge in Minster and the St. Joseph Holy Name Society.  For many years he was a member of the Democratic Central Committee.  His granddaughter says that because Raymond's father was a democratic county commission, Raymond also was a very staunch democrat.

They celebrated their 45th wedding anniversary in January 1957.   On 08 December 1961, Raymond went to see his doctor for a regular check up.  The doctor said that he was fine and there were no problems and that he would be going strong for many more years.  Ray drove back home to Russia, put his hat and coat down and fell down dead on the floor of a heart attack.  He was 70 years old.   Both his father and his son died of heart attacks, so this seems to be a Peltier family genetic problem.

After his death, Zelma continued to live in their house on Lynn Street.  In her later years, all of her kids took turns staying with her at night.  One night it was Marie's (Raterman)  turn.  Marie had made her meat loaf (which Zelma just loved).  Well, Marie made the mistake of putting the meatloaf on top of the car before she got in.  When they arrived at Russia, she couldn't find her meatloaf.  She had forgotten all about it and it had slid off the roof of the car.  We always teased Marie that some animal really had a good meal that night.  Zelma loved candy.  Her oldest granddaughter relates the following story:  "I will always remember the Christmas before she passed away in January.  I had given her some bowls for Christmas, when she was opening them, she told me, "Oh I hope it is candy".  Needless to say, I went out the next day and bought her some candy to put in them bowls."

But she did eventually pass away on 15 January 1984 of a heart attack at her home.  At the time of her death, she was the oldest member of the St. Remy Catholic Church in Russia and was also a member of the St. Ann Ladies Sodality.   Both Zelma and Raymond are buried in the St. Remy Cemetery in Russia, Ohio.

They had 8 known children, all surnamed Peltier: