Real Wheels: COVID-19 claims car friends
Mar. 5—LIMA — COVID-19 wreaked havoc on our nation, state and community. The local car community lost three men in three consecutive months in 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
John Reynolds passed away Oct. 13; Phil Battels passed away Nov. 23; and Jerry Cress passed Dec. 21. These three men were great friends, which included sharing their passion for cars.
"These were his buddies, Phil and John; they would attend car shows and park beside each other," Marilyn Cress said. "They went to breakfast every Wednesday morning at Lulu's. They were best buddies."
The three all owned a version of a Ford product, with Battels owning the lone Mercury. Their cars were different years, makes and models. However, as most car enthusiasts know, that didn't matter. They all shared the same love and respect for all cars.
Reynolds owned a 1986 Ford Thunderbird, Battels owned a 1950 Mercury Coupe, and Cress had a 2007 Ford Mustang GT Convertible that he customized.
Honoring a family member or friend became difficult during the pandemic. One way is to take one last look at these three men's cars.
