Eastlake Celebrates Its Seniors--Bob Janos--December 2010

Robert Frank Janos has lived on Hulett Avenue in Eastlake since he was six months old. He was born in Cleveland, Ohio, on October 1, 1923 to Frank Joseph and Estelle (Hull) Janos. He has been a lifelong friend of Don Bard, whose biography appeared in the November 2010 issue of the Eastlake Gazette. The two enjoy meeting at Anthony's Restaurant for good food and good conversation. Bob and his two brothers, Richard and Clifford, grew up on Hulett Avenue. Bob built his own house on Hulett from the bottom up following the style of the Shakers. He also likes dabbling in silversmith work and lapidary design. Lapidary
involves grinding stones into jewelry. Most of his knowledge involving these talents he has gained through reading books and belonging to clubs that
indulge in such craft.

Robert graduated from Willoughby Union High School in 1941. A bus was provided to take the children to school. It was driven by a man named Mickey, who owned the airport where Eastlake Middle School is today. Mickey owned the bus and subcontracted it out. The problem with riding the bus was
that Bob and his friends could walk home faster than the bus could deliver them to their home. The bus had to cover a huge area and this took a lot of time. At Christmas time the driver always passed out candy bars. The bus was extra full during these times, including students who lived close enough to walk to school.

Bob remembers that a strike at Ohio Rubber was going on during these school days. Bullets were sometimes being fired by the Mayfield Gang of Racketeers. They would fire at strike breakers. They had no regard that children were in the area.

As a youngster Bob sometimes made money picking produce from Mr. Jennison's fields. These fields encompassed the area where K-Mart was once located. The area adjacent to Longfellow Elementary School also contained some fields. They would pick blackberries, strawberries, beans and such. When the children turned in what they had picked, Mr. Jennison would always weigh the quart containers, because the kids would fluff them up to make them look fuller than they were. Mr. Jennison paid 2 cents a quart for berries and then sold them for 15 cents a quart at a stand located on Vine Street. One time Bob's brother Richard picked all day and only made 2 cents. But when he went home, he had big berry stain located all around his mouth. Back then many mothers participated in the process of canning fruit.

Bob's father, Frank Janos, used to run a barbershop that had a few different locations on Vine Street; one was by Conway's Tavern, one was at the corner of Vine Street and Waverly Road, and he also had a location next to the Eastlake Tavern. He later operated a deli on the corner of 332nd Street and Vine called Janos' Market.

At Christmas the Janos family always had a tree because his father also sold them at the barbershop. It wasn't always the best looking tree, but it was a tree. Presents were wrapped in red and white tissue paper, not with the detailed prints of today. Bob remembers that one Christmas he received a jackknife. This was a grand present because the fashion of the day consisted of boots with a sleeve in the side in which to store the jackknife.

Sometimes for a special treat Mr. Janos would take his three sons to the Eastlake airport to watch the planes land. This would often be followed with a stop for an ice cream cone.

Bob recanted about an A&P store located on Vine St. by 332nd Street. He remembers the store being small with very high shelves. One told the clerk what they wanted to purchase and the clerk would fetch it for the customer, sometimes using a long stick with a grabber on the end to help retrieve the high items. There were huge barrels of butter and peanut butter. The clerk would scoop out a small tub to sell. Coffee beans were dumped into an electric grinder and freshly ground right in the store while you waited. Sometimes the owner would let you have a free piece of candy.

Another nice man that he remembered was Joe McDonald. He only had one good arm but delivered the ice blocks. If he didn't have any shavings to give the children he would chip some off of the block to share.

Don Bard introduced Bob to his future wife, Mary Ellen Farrell. The couple married July 12, 1947, at the parish house for Immaculate Conception Church in Willoughby. Since Bob was not Catholic the couple could not be married in the church sanctuary. They have three daughters who are all married and live in other area: Peggy Ruple, Sandra Harley and Nancy Ross.

Bob Janos was a tank gunner in the 3rd Army during World War II. He served in the European Theater Operation. He fought at the Battle of the Bulge and was with one of the first groups to cross the Rhine River over the Remagen Bridge. He was shot out of the tank twice and received two Purple Hearts.
He also received two Presidential Unit Citations. His injuries were minor except for the fact that he loss part of his hearing. Bob's brother Richard was killed serving in the war, two weeks before it ended. Sadly, a grandson recently lost his life when returning home on leave. He was taken in
an accident ten miles before he reached his home.

Bob is a member of the VFW located on Vine Street. He was instrumental in helping to name the flagpoles for the Boulevard of Flags. He also suggested that the Eastlake swimming pool be named after two soldiers: Houston and Fisher. He is now retired but for 38 years he worked as a foreman in a repair shop for MQN Electric Motor Service, located by Route 615 and Route 20 in Mentor.

EASTLAKE CELEBRATES ITS SENIORS