The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
by Dessa Rodeffer, Quill Publisher/Owner
Monday, August 1, 2016 was a different day in Stronghurst. The fifty-seven year old unique and family-owned business of Rick, Ron, and Roger Schaley was closed as the brothers make ready for retirement.
Their late father, the late Harold "Jack" Schaley, opened the Stronghurst Auto Body in 1959 after working for Davison Motors for ten years as a body repairman, and worked nights in his radiator repair shop that he had started in a one car garage.
It was that year in 1959, that Jack leased a building from R. L. Peasley located on Commercial Street for repairing radiators. Over the years, the business expanded to include a paint room and frame machine.
In March of 1975, Jack purchased the building. Several men had worked for Jack over the years including his sons. Roger started full time in 1967, Ron in 1970 and Rick in 1971. After Jack's retirement, his sons continued the business.
Many cars and trucks and specialty requests have been transformed inside the doors of this shop, always with quality and care and fairness in price, many times under what the insurance adjuster would suggest.
According to a couple, "the insurance company almost always had to raise the boys low estimate on a repair that they were going to pay."
"Their kindness and unique way dealing with customers was passed on to them by their Father and they were a joy to work with."
Closing the doors is never completely easy, and Rick, Ron and Roger want to express how much they have appreciated all the business associates, customers, friends and family that helped make Stronghurst Auto Body a successful business over these 57 years.
The building has been sold to Travis and Alicia Pence, of Biggsville, said Rick, Ron and Roger.
"We're hoping they will enjoy their Stronghurst business and working with the community as much as we have, and we extend our best wishes to Travis and Alicia."