Subdivision named for Imel

Twenty-five years ago this week, Portland was honoring one of its own.

The Sept. 10, 1996, edition of The Commercial Review featured coverage of Jack Imel returning to his hometown for the dedication of a new housing subdivision and street named in his honor.

Imel, a 1950 Portland High School graduate, went on to a career as a fixture playing the marimba and tap-dancing on “The Lawrence Welk Show” for 25 years. Jack Imel Drive and the Imel Subdivision, branching east off of Charles Street on the west side of Portland, were dedicated in his honor.

The housing project was headed by BEAM, a local group of investors that included Portland banker Barry Hudson and his wife Elizabeth.

Imel thanked his hometown and the project group for the honor.

“The entire Imel family would like to thank you,” he said. “Thank you for naming the (subdivision) after me, and God bless you.”

And, as always, he was an entertainer.

“Is this a one-way street, or can you get out?” he joked.

The subdivision was projected to include 15 homes, with one lot already sold at the time of dedication.

Imel, who was also an associate producer of the Welk show, was visiting Portland from his home in California. He also spent a few months a year performing and helping Welk run a show in Branson, Missouri.

He spent some of his time in Portland visiting with friends, including Ward Weisel, one of his classmates from PHS.

“We relived the old days,” Weisel said. “We enjoy when Jack comes back and just relive the past a little.”