Before I explain why John Kelsey of Camdenton, Mo., deserves a special salute, maybe some background information about this former Albert Lea resident would be logical.

In the June 21 and June 28 issues of the Tribune’s Lifestyles Sections there were articles about John’s father, Paul Kelsey, and his antique automobile museum that originated here in Albert Lea back in 1949. The first site of this museum was in the building now occupied by the Ad-Art firm southeast of the city on U.S. Highway 65.

Paul decided to move his family and 35 antique vehicles to Camdenton in 1953 and set up a new museum in 1953. Camdenton, incidentally, is a community of just over 3,000 people to the south of Lake of the Ozarks and the city of Osage Beach, Mo., and about 60 miles north of Branson on U.S. Highway 54. By 1954 the move was complete for Paul and his wife, May, and son, John.

As I mentioned in one of those articles, John was born in Rochester and attended St. Theodore’s Catholic School before the move to Missouri.

During the creation of those two articles last June, I had the opportunity to have a telephone conversation with John. He said his mother died in 1994 and the museum closed that same year. His father died in 1998. John also confirmed that he was in the tire business and the antique vehicles were now in storage.

After the articles were published, I sent copies to John, plus copies of several postcards and news articles from the late 1940s and early 1950s given to me by Kevin Savick that were based on his father’s museum here in Albert Lea.

Now, let’s switch the focus from the past to the future and explain the reason for this special salute.

About two weeks ago I received a letter from Janice Kelsey of Camdenton. She’s John’s wife. Janice sent me a copy of a news article from the Osage Beach Lake Sun newspaper, plus information from a Knights of Columbus newsletter. And the special salute is based on the news that John Kelsey is to be inducted into the Tire Industry Association’s Hall of Fame on Nov. 9, 2009, at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas, Nev.

John started Kelsey Tire Inc. of Camdenton in the late 1960s. His firm specializes in replica Goodyear brand classic, vintage and muscle car tires from the past.

The Osage Beach Lake Sun reported, “It’s hard work that has earned him a worthy reputation among car enthusiasts as the sole distributor of classic Goodyear tires from the 1930s-1970s.”

What’s now known as the Tire Industry Association resulted from a merger of the International Tire and Rubber Association and the Tire Association of North America in July 2002. Their Hall of Fame includes inductees like Harvey Freestone, Charles Goodyear, Andrew Michelin and John Dunlop. Thus, John is joining a group of famous tire pioneers.

The Knights of Columbus newsletter Janice sent me had this explanation about this new honor for her husband: “The purpose of the Hall of Fame is to honor, preserve and perpetuate the names and outstanding accomplishments of personalities who brought lasting fame to the tire and transportation industries.”

I might add right here that John’s wife worked very quietly and efficiently for about a year to make this special recognition possible.

And as a part of this special salute, a salvo certainly goes to Janice Kelsey for bringing this particular topic to our attention to be passed along to our fine readers.

Now, here’s an update on a question asked in last week’s column. Arnold Levisen of Albert Lea called and said Paul “Gunnar” Norris was originally from Alden and first sergeant of Albert Lea’s Company G of the 135th Infantry Regiment, 34th “Red Bull” Division during World War II. Arnold said the last he knew of Gunnar is that he was living in Florida.

Ed Shannon’s column has been appearing in the Tribune every Friday since December 1984.