Greencastle Business With DePauw Roots Celebrates 100th Anniversary

October 18, 2008

October 18, 2008, Greencastle, Ind. - A Greencastle business with DePauw ties is celebrating its 100th anniversary this weekend, notes the Banner-Graphic. "In 1908, Greencastle was a bustling town filled with opportunity for the entrepreneur," writes Maribeth Ward. "That was the year John Jacob Eitel, Ken Eitel's great-grandfather, began growing and selling flowers, which were raised in the family's greenhouses on Melrose Ave. and shipped to stores in Indianapolis."

The story details the history of Eitel's Flowers & Gifts, and the leadership of Kenneth Eitel Sr. -- John Jacob's grandson and a member of DePauw's Class of 1937 -- who joined the business in 1945 upon returning from serving in the Pacific in World War II. As a DePauw student, Ken Eitel Sr. traveled to Germany for an exchange program to study the language, business, and horticulture under the guidance of Professor Hans Grueniger. Eitel served DePauw as a director of the national Alumni Association . His wife was the former Elizabeth "Tibby" Spear '40, who took over operation of the business after her husband died in 1981.

"Our resilience stands on the shoulders of those who took risks and had a vision for a better life and community," says Ken Eitel Jr. He and his sister, Joanna Eitel Batchelor, were recently honored by Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels (seen in photo at right) for Eitel's Flowers' 100 years of success. "In today's business climate, encouragement can be gathered from the many challenges faced by our ancestors," Eitel adds.

The histories of DePauw and Eitel's are intertwined. "I can't estimate the 1,000's of occasions and events we have helped DePauw students, administration, parents, faculty, and alumni celebrate in our century of service to DePauw," says Eitel Jr., great grandson of the founder and current owner. "For as long as I remember each May we have decorated the stages for commencement ceremonies, and it would take some serious calculating to estimate the numbers of DePauw graduates that have crossed them."

Eitel's is hosting an anniversary party, "100 Years of Celebrations," which began at the store yesterday and continues today.

Access the complete article at the newspaper's Web site.

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