DEWAYNE'S CORNER - OLD CARS

Mention "Marlow" at any truck stop across the states from Texas to Kansas on US-Highway 81 you could hear some trucker from the next table who might turn and say, "You from Marlow? One day I'm going to stop and look at those old cars!" They were referring to a gas station owned by Jerry Boyce and the lot of old cars of his on Highway 81 across from Food Town. Another of my memories but gone now yet still remembered by many.

Jerry moved to California and worked for about 18 years and moved back in 1975 and bought the gas station. He was a Marlow boy, born and raised here by Pete and Lola Boyce, and Marlow was where he thought he should be. Older cars interest the older generation because of the memories they invoke, and the younger generation just can't believe anyone actually drove such cars.

Jerry believed a lot of people stopped to buy gas just to get to wander around and look at his collection. He was a mechanic and when some cars were given to him that didn't work, he fixed every one of them before they were placed on lot. He had intended to sell used cars, but was just too busy pumping gas so he used the lot instead to park his many cars. From Fords, Plymouths and Chevrolets. His preference was coupes of 1930s thru 1940s. In the '50s Chevrolets caught his attention - and mine.

I stopped in many times just to visit Jerry about this or that about my problem with an old '57 Chevy I was driving. I've had four. Jerry bought his first car, a 1946 Chevrolet coupe, at 14 years old. He worked at the White Rock Cafe washing dishes to pay for it.

Jerry didn't care if you just stopped to look at his cars and listen about what he had done to each. They were not show quality but full of car history. The cars around Jerry's station made Marlown unique and were interesting, but no more than the man who collected them. He was an American original.

Love old cars, and I love my hometown, Marlow, Oklahoma, U.S.A.