| In 1944 Joe Hohn went in to the U.S. Army. Joe was from northern Minnesota and could speak German. His first tour was to Germany. When he returned, he went to Camp Carson in Colorado Springs where Marie and Joe met through the USO. From there Joe was sent to Korea. When he returned, he went to Camp Atterbury in Indiana. Marie had remained working at her job in Colorado Springs until their wedding in May of 1952. She then joined him in Indiana. In 1953, Joe received orders to go to Nuremberg, which was still bombed out and there were few quarters for dependants. Joe eventually found an apartment and Marie sailed over to join him. After they were issued government quarters, Marie went to work for the Special Activities of the Army. Marie worked for the motion picture division, which was housed in the famous Palace of Justice where the Nazi trials were held! In 1954 they took a leave to Luxemburg. Marie had promised her dad she would visit the home where his dad was born. Marie's family had all come to the states and sold the property to the people next door. It was a farm house where they stored hay and grain. The woman took them through the house and said if there was anything they wanted, to "take it; it's yours." The woman pointed out an old clock. She said, "that clock was hanging there when we bought the place. You have to take it." It was a Gustav Becker. Becker was a very prolific clockmaker. His company was bombed out in WWI and never rebuilt. Joe put the clock in the trunk of the car and forgot about it. He decided to go golfing one day and when he went to put his clubs in the trunk, it started to rain. But there was the clock. He had forgotten about it and decided right then that he would do something with it. Joe learned from an old German clockmaker in exchange for helping him. He would say to Joe, "I tell you ONE TIME." When Joe needed parts or advice, he would go to the clockmaker. But Joe had a talent for making things work; he was a self-taught man. In 1956,Marie and Joe returned to the U.S. to Ohio. Joe got orders again for Korea and was gone a year. In 1959, Marie and Joe were sent to Ford Ord in Monterey, California. In 1963, Joe got orders to go to Heidelberg. When Marie and Joe returned to the United States, they brought back 16 grandfather clocks which gave them a great starting point for sales and service! Marie and Joe had visited Lodi often as Marie had cousins living here so they felt it was a great place to settle. The repair work started in their home where Marie did not have a place to hang a picture on the wall! They found the house at 304 W. Lodi Avenue, where "The House of Clocks" was born. After several locations and close to 37 years in business, we invite you to visit us at our two locations; 311 Lincoln Center, Stockton, and 208 S. School Street, Lodi where our wonderful piece of history still hangs on the wall; the Gustav Becker clock! Sadly Joe is no longer with us. Marie continues daily in the Lodi store along with their son, Steve. Their son, Chuck runs the Stockton store with his wife, Sandy taking care of the books and splitting time between stores. Gary Duane has joined the family in helping with repair work. Please stop by any time. We welcome you! |
Lodi Location
Stockton Location
The Tale of Our Clock