Worthwhile in Wilson Creek
Worthwhile in Wilson Creek
Love moved Roger Blackman to Wilson Creek about 15 years ago.
He moved to town from Moses Lake when he met his wife, Lola. She wanted someone to make kill-cones for chickens for her at the Big Bend Turkey Farm.
"It turned to love when she walked through the door," Blackman recalled. "I finally convinced her that she also needed me."
Blackman doesn't agree with those people who say love at first sight doesn't exist.
"When you see the right person, you know it," he said. "I moved out here on account of her, period, and I figured I'd be all right. I was. God takes care of all of it."
Lola died of cancer about 10 years ago, but Blackman remained.
"They're going to bury me here, right next to her," he said. "There's nothing I don't like about (Wilson Creek). The town is a friendly town. It's just a good, quiet place to live. The people are good, the place is good, there's enough for me to make a living out here. I think if you have good friends, good food and good rest, you can't ask for much more."
Blackman re-married almost two years ago. He called his wife Donna a sweetheart, too, when she locked herself out of her car and she asked him if he knew how to get in a car without a key.
In Moses Lake, Blackman owned Superior Welding. There wasn't necessarily a need for his business in Wilson Creek, he said, but there wasn't any competition either. He opened Wilson Creek Machine when he made the move.
"I've had my best business in Wilson Creek actually, my best years, but I've had my lowest in Wilson Creek also," he said. "It all evens out."
Blackman does the majority of work himself, although Donna occasionally helps out.
"It's some place that I'll probably work until I kick the bucket," he said. "I like what I do and I like the people I deal with. That makes it all worthwhile."
Blackman's favorite part of the job is when a new challenge arises.
"I just like building things," he said. "I started with a little piece of equipment and ended up with a lot. Just kept adding to it. Probably buy some more some day, you know."
The majority of Blackman's work is farm-related, including making gears, supplies and fabrication. He works for Moses Lake factories as well, he said.
"I make parts or repair parts," he explained. "This is a fix-it shop."
He also does labor for the Port of Wilson Creek.
As winter approaches, Blackman's business is entering what he called a slack time. The spring makes up for it though.
"But it doesn't cost much to live out here," he said. "I'm almost 65, so I'm on kind of a permanent vacation."
To keep himself busy, Blackman has winter projects. He's building what he calls his version of a 1922 Bugatti from the ground up. He plans on having the vehicle inspected and licensed.
"I'm making the body on it now," he said. "Then I'll take it apart, paint it, adjust what needs to be adjusted and put it together for good. I think that'll look real good for my wife to sport around town in."
Also on his shop property is a P-40 Tomahawk plane Blackman built after Lola died to keep his mind off of her. It is also operational.
He says he'd like to see the Wilson Creek airport become a park of sorts for aircraft groups to picnic and gather, creating recreation for the area.
"Hopefully somebody will like the place enough to build a business there," he said. "I don't know of any airport really tuned in for recreation, picnicking and families. It'd be nice if Wilson Creek were first on something."
Wilson Creek Machine is open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. and located at 303 Railroad Street.
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