Shipe had stored it in a roadside fruit stand in southern Ohio along with several other organs.
I spent three years completely restoring the organ: new leather, new finish ( the second owners, the church, painted the console to make it look like it was oak), reattaching the cable (cut at both ends) etc. Made every attempt to keep it as Wurlitzer had built it.
Bought a house in Brecksville ( a suburb of Cleveland, Ohio) and installed it there. It was GORGEOUS! It shook the walls. The neighbors called the police. I was the neighborhood weirdo. It was neat!
Since I don't play, it didn't get used much and I lost interest in it. Besides, I was getting married and a down payment on a new house was more important.
In the summer of 1980, I sold the organ to Doug Powers of Cleveland, Ohio. I was told the organ briefly played in his home and then was later parted out. Much sadness at this thought.