–by Mary Helen Darah
PUBLICATION DATE: May 20, 2020

Courtney Bushea has spent a lifetime wondering what was in a time capsule, actually a metal sealed box, that was left to her by her great-grandfather Robert Wilson Asendorf. The patriarch of the family left clear instructions engraved on the box that it be left to the oldest grandchild of Sheila and Robert Asendorf. “My great-grandpa Paul welded the box in 1970 and gave it to my grandfather, Robert Asendorf. The first grandchild was to open the box passed on by my grandparents, Sheila and Robert Asendorf,” recalled Bushea. “I will be 28 this June. I have had this box in my house since I was five.” The box has traveled with the young woman wherever she went, including a move to California and then back to Sylvania Township.
The box has sat unopened in Bushea’s possession until May 6, 2020. “I would have opened it earlier in 2020 but I didn’t know how,” recalled Bushea. “It wasn’t until I realized that my brother-in-law had the proper welding tools that we were able to open it. My kids (ages 5 and 9) were so excited when their Uncle Mike came to open the box.”

Inside the treasured box was a photo of Bushea’s grandmother, Sheila Asendorf’s senior picture, but sadly not a photo of her grandfather. “There were a lot of wheat pennies, stamps, two Kent cigarettes, two toffee candies, a Japanese five dollar bill and a German piece of paper, which I think may be a $10,000 note but I’m not sure of its value,” stated Bushea. “There are three Mint Presidential Inauguration pins, silver coins, individually wrapped coins and a Gillette Platinum razor blade which my grandfather said was the best shave he ever had. He could get 20 shaves out of one razor. There were some earrings that my great-grandmother made in 1961 that say ‘BA’ on them for Betty Asendorf and a pair of cuff-links with an ‘A’ on them. There was a man on the moon glass but unfortunately it was not wrapped properly-or caused by me constantly shaking the box-it is broken.”
The letter from her great-grandfather instructs his first grandchild to disperse things wisely. “It also says if I have siblings I am to split everything equally with them. Thankfully I’m an only child,” joked Bushea. “I am keeping some things in the box at his request. My grandfather requested that I fill the box, seal it and have it opened in 2070 by the person of my choosing. I am hoping to do the same thing for my first great-grandchild, which will be a long time away.”
Bushea feels the best part of receiving the time capsule box was the anticipation of what was inside. “I had waited for so long,” she said. “I cried when I saw the cuff-links. Honestly, I have shaken it since I was little and made guesses as to its contents. After waiting for years, it was awesome. The letter was incredible. My parents were not born when this box was sealed. There was also a newspaper article in the box from about a basketball team. He requested that I seek out the players in the article to show them.”
The letter from Bushea’s grandfather will be framed and a copy of it will be placed in the box with mementos from its recipient. “I’m so excited to carry on this tradition and have the box be opened by the next generation in 2070,” stated Bushea. “Passing on the excitement of anticipation and pieces of our family history is the gift that will continue to give.”