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The Worline and Bonfoey Milk Station at #203 S. Andrews was started in 1920 by Mel Worline and Carl Bonfoey. In 1928 Worline sold out to Earl Tice. Steve entered the business with his father in 1936. Steve and wife Hester were owners until 1967 when they sold to Ray Miller, distributor for Dean Dairy Products. Miller purchased City Dairy in Sturgis in 1968.
The Gleason, Beal and Ely dairy farms were some suppliers of milk to Bonfoey’s. Everette Ely worked in the dairy with 7-9 other employees in white suits pasteurizing the raw milk, bottling and placing it in coolers for the next delivery. Howard Ely was one of the deliverymen. Bonfoey’s Dairy was truly “a family business” taking care of families.
Milk was delivered to customers porches in the 1920’s by wagon pulled by the famous horse, “Brandy” who knew the route as good as the milkman. In 1936 trucks replaced the horse power. Early in the business large blocks of ice from local ice plants kept everything cold. Milk was delivered to porches where insulated metal boxes kept things safe and cold. Some winter days, the milk would freeze and the cream would push the cap off the bottle.
Bonfoey is the French Huguenot name for “very faithful” and they showed this through the business and for the community in general. Carl’s wife, Elsie was involved with the Pythian Sisters for many years. Hester, Steve’s wife (as president of the Three Rivers Woman’s Club 1960-63) oversaw the establishment of a Family Service Center which grew into the Mental Health Board of St. Joseph Co. She also helped save the “old Carnegie Library” building from being torn down. It is now the Carnegie Center for the Arts. Steve was on the City Planning Commission in the 1960’s. They had four children: Steven C. Jr., Douglas, Christine and Richard. They were members of the First United Methodist Church and served it faithfully.
Three Rivers embraced ice cream. 1922 shows D. F. Withers and H. B. Neighbours as owners of Quality Ice Cream Wholesale and Retail, Store at #26 N. Main and Factory at #110-120 N. Constantine St. 1922 lists 4 “confectioners” stores (ice cream, candy, fruit, etc.). 1947 shows Miller Dairy Farms Store at 27 N. Main and in 1968 at 20 N. Main, Marie Fitch, Mgr.
Over the years we remember others including Rocky River Ice Cream Co., Goldies, Hudson Drug, Sunshine Dairy, Wittenberg’s, Rivera Soda Grill, Parkside on E. Mich. Ave.,TR. Dairy Bar, Next time: So. Hooker Ave.
Submitted by Anna Smith, a Three Rivers history and mystery lover.
