Emery reflects on family business history

Pictured at the 25-year celebration are, from left, Leon Emery, Betty Emery, Mona McDowell, Don McCoy, Talya Elkinton, Rita McCoy, Kenna Clements, Halley Elkinton, Aaron Emery, Sam Klumpp, David Klumpp, Joni Klumpp, Caden Klumpp, Aubrey Elkinton, Ryden Elkinton, and Jenny Emery. Submitted photo

Nevada Daily Mail

Leon Emery has seen a number of changes during his years in the gas station business, a pursuit that he has combined with farming.

"I was born and raised in Deerfield, in a house that's still standing, in 1934. We still do farming. We've been on the farm since 1958."

Enjoying the bounce house at the Emery Station's anniversary are Hadley Fletchall, Lailee Chadd, Cailyn Hollands, Jennifer Aguiliar, and Talya Elkinton. Submitted photo

That in itself is a milestone. His other work is also marking a milestone. Emery's station in Deerfield is celebrating 25 years in operation.

Yet, like farming, his family ties to the business began even earlier.

"My dad Kal Emery came to Deerfield in 1929 and opened a station," Leon recalled. "It was a Phillips station until the highway bypassed Deerfield. We had the oldest Phillips 66 station in Phillips history.

"When my father started his filling station, he had a garage. He worked on automobiles, and that was the life I wanted to pursue.

"In 1946, we went into the propane business, and it broke my heart that we wouldn't be working on cars. I soon got over that. We had enough vehicles of our own to work on by then.

"We sold the propane business in 2000.

"As a kid, I can remember the people that came in, and my father worked on their cars that were pretty well broke down.

"I would always listen to the stories the customers had about weather, farming and what was going on in life. I remember a guy telling me, 'One of these days a loaf of bread will cost you a dollar.' I could go up to the grocery store, and I could buy a loaf of bread for a dime. I couldn't visualize it, but it came to pass."

The transition to the current gas station has had its own unique memories.

"I decided I would go down to the corner of our farm property and build a new station in 1989," Leon said. "My daughter Kenna Clements has managed it from day one.

"It took a year to build the gas station, and we built it all in-house. We got the rock from a rock fence on the Kansas line. It was an enjoyment to me.

"The day we opened the station, the temperature was 35 below, and I wondered if anybody would stop. Well, in the parking lot, you couldn't put another truck in it because they had all gelled up in the cold weather and the fuel wouldn't run. I have memories of going to Fort Scott and getting 55 gallon barrels of kerosene. We blended it in the trucks so they could get started. I was outside the whole time. The restaurant wasn't officially opened, but it was chock full of people."

Yet changes in the highway system have been challenging, he said.

"When the highway goes around little towns, it just kills them. I hope the station is a contribution to a lot of people. Business is good; there seem to be patrons. If there weren't some kind of little facility there, the little town would have just dried up. Deerfield would have been a marker on the map.

Now we're going to have an elevator built across the road from it."

Reflecting on his station's anniversary, he noted, "I didn't know how the turnout would be on our 25 years but it was terrific. I think we served 240 sandwiches.

"We had giveaways and bouncy houses. I think everybody left there with a prize."

So what is Leon's view for the next 25 years?

"Our plans for the future are to keep trying to have a business that will serve the public. And we will continue to be proud the public wants to use it."