It must have been about 1969 when I took a trip through Wisconsin for personal visits with a good many of the Newton Manufacturing sales force. While visiting in the home of a salesman in Milwaukee, I noticed a unique clock sitting on his TV set with 12 silver 1964 coins buried in the wood grain face in place of the numerals. Half dollars were at 6 and 12, silver quarters at 3 and 9 and silver dimes in the other 8 spaces. I was super impressed and wrote the name “Marion Kay clocks” down to explore further at the office.
Sure enough, according to Catherine Kennedy, our line coordinator, we had a sample submitted by the supplier a few months before, and it was turned down by our ever knowledgeable line committee. I was apparently away from the office at the time, and perhaps the only one on our line committee that was keenly aware of the big play throughout our country on the no longer minted pure silver coins. They were last minted in 1964. Coin collectors, dealers and the general public were hoarding them like crazy.
Following our established procedure, if someone on our selection committee believed strongly in a new product, they had the freedom to pursue it on a personal basis with vim, vigor and vitality. But, it was their “baby” and proper follow-up and promotion was their responsibility. I grabbed the reins and called Bill Summers in Brownstown, Ind., head of this company, that day with some questions. How was it selling? Would sufficient stock be available? What support would they give us? Bill and I struck up an acquaintance that lasted until he died in 1984. He was one of the most unique individuals I ever met.
It was only later that I found the coin clocks were just a hobby, with Bill making a few in the workshop of his basement for friends. One thing led to another and he currently was taking a good bit of time from his nationwide spice business to pursue this fascinating hobby. He was in his early 60s at the time and figured he deserved a little breather from his business of marketing pure Marion-Kay vanilla extract and other spices way back in 1922 when he was only 16 years old. He had traveled the world buying spices in exotic countries in the Orient and Asia. He sent my wife Mary some pure vanilla extract, which she loved.
That year, this limited edition #72 coin clock was the top seller in our entire gift line. Not only that, but we developed the #CC-I Coin-Clock-Ball Pen — buy 300 at 29 cents each and get a free $39 coin clock. That promotion blew the lid off, and we shipped several thousand orders in record time. My friend Bill Summers was delighted with our success and began developing a couple exclusive styles for the Newton sales force. He guaranteed that, as his largest customer, we would have no problem with supplies of clocks or uncirculated silver coins. We had private meetings during our national shows in Chicago to develop further ideas.
One of my personal brainstorms was what I called the Golden Memories Calendar Clock, which also held a personal picture of a family or loved one. I kick myself for having given mine away years ago, and also one of the first #72 coin clocks developed. It would be nice to have them as memories if nothing else.
One fascinating thing I discovered was the close, personal friendship between Bill and the famous Harlan Sanders, founder of the original Kentucky Fried Chicken. Bill agreed to custom-blend the secret special chicken seasoning for Sanders, and bulk shipments were made to their restaurants throughout the U.S. and the world for years. Bill and Colonel Sanders traveled together, and their friendship continued to grow until Sanders’ death on Dec. 16, 1980. Just four years later, Bill died on July 12, 1984, leaving his wife Minnette in charge until their daughter Madelyn and her husband Bill Reid purchased the business in 1986.
On my wall today is a large limited edition walnut clock (serial #1902) with uncirculated silver dollars that Bill sent me as a Christmas gift in 1972. Another prized possession is a book of Bill’s poetry sent to me by his wife shortly after Bill passed away. It includes a poem dedicated to his friend, Colonel Sanders, and many of his special Christmas verses written when they spent the month of November in Hawaii for years on end. Bill also enjoyed writing poems for special occasions and special people. Minnette said Bill many times wrote late at night when he couldn’t sleep. He had a great way with poetic verses.
In this life, we all have indelible memories of special people that come our way. This one-of-a-kind gentleman will never be forgotten. Nor will those years when we shipped thousands of those special edition coin clocks with the last uncirculated coins all over the U.S.