In Memoriam

The following notes were written by members of Füsilier Bataillon 272 shortly after his passing, in remembrance and mourning for the passing of John Yendes:

"A fixture at Odessa for many years, John Yendes, a re-enactment vendor of home-made repro hats, propaganda posters and march music, passed away in his sleep June 29/30, 2007 at his home in Lockport, NY. He was the first vendor as you entered the camp past the registration tent. My personal tailor and a good friend, he got me into re-enacting and the 272^nd for the 2001 Odessa Event.

     In the past he had made many custom uniforms and hats for re-enactors and collectors worldwide and of the highest quality. Many of us have shared long in-depth conversations with him as well as some veterans visiting Odessa such as, Hans Nass and the late Sylvester Haase.

     He would also wear various uniforms (that he had made) during the event and his vending hours and stayed open late when the other vendors would shut down for the evening just to please anyone interested in his wares or to just shoot the breeze.

     He came to my auto repair facility for an oil change two days before his passing and mentioned he felt stronger. No indication of any illness, as he had recently been hospitalized at ECMC in Buffalo for a diabetic coma lasting a week and a half after a close friend of his found him on the kitchen floor. I had visited him every day, talking to him, trying to restart his faculties.

     There is no word from the coroner as to cause of death, but he will be cremated and returned to Canada with his daughter as per his wishes.

John Yendes 1949-2007… You will be missed!"

Oskar Mayer
Uffz. 272 Füs. Btl.
Odessa, NY.

   "I'm sorry to say that the re-enacting community has lost a very valuable person to the hobby. John Yendes… was a permanent fixture in the vending area at Odessa for many years. He sold the propaganda posters and handmade hats that were in so much demand.

I will always remember, each year loading John into the Odessa command car, while he was dressed in his impeccable SS Officer's uniform, looking like the consummate SS Officer, and taking him all over the field while the battle was raging.

John was always a gentleman and will always be thought of very high regard in my eyes. I will miss him and I know the rest of the re-enacting community is at a loss."

Respectfully,

Scott Thompson
Odessa Event Coordinator

“To all who have attended the Odessa Tactical Event in the past, or who plan on attending in the future:

It is with great sadness that I must inform the attendees that our good friend, reenactor, and vendor John Yendes passed on a couple nights ago in his sleep. He was one of the first Vendors to attend the Odessa Tactical event, and always wore an immaculate and accurate Axis uniform of one kind or another, and had his white vending tent set up next to our registration tent at the event. He sold a large selection of historical recruiting and other period art posters, cd’s, tapes, and other regalia, but it was his beautifully crafted German hats from the period that I will remember the most. I have two of them he made for me and my kit, and they are top shelf in every way! He made hats no one else did, and at a totally professional quality level. Whether it was a kepi, crusher, or officer’s Schirmutze, you could be sure that if he made you a hat, it would be well worth every penny, and that you would treasure it for years to come.

He was also a great source for historic information on WW2 and uniforms,
gear, and insignia in general from the period.

He was a soft spoken man with a great sense of humor and a pleasure to be around and to have at our event.

He will be surely missed by all who knew him.

Gott mit uns, John Yendes."

Brad
272 Füsiliers