1890 photo of the fine Victorian mansion of Peter Deibel and his family located at 253 West Rayen in Youngstown, Ohio.

Deibel children in photograph: Ollie, in yard; Christie, on porch; Peter, Jr.; George, hired hand, Mrs. Caroliine Deibel, Mr. Peter Deibel, Carrie, and Charles, in buggy.

A Family Biography of the Short Life of My Father.
Cyril Paul Deibel
1894 — 1945

By William Thomas “Bill” Deibel
Part One
Childhood & Education

Cy Deibel was born on February 24, 1894 in Youngstown, Ohio to Charles “Charley” Deibel and his wife Stephanie Agnes (Siebold) who chose to be called Agnes. He was the third of three children.

Charley was then a co-owner, with his brother “Christie” Deibel, of Peter Deibel’s Sons Market, the prestige meat market in Youngstown with branch locations in surrounding communities. They were the fifth and sixth children of Peter and Caroline Seiler Deibel.

Peter was born in 1834 in Obermoschel, the oldest chartered city in what is now a unified Germany. He came to the United States about 1852 with five brothers and married Caroline in1856. By coincidence Caroline was also born in 1834 in Niedermoschel, a tiny village not far from Obermoschel. Peter is believed to have had some training as a butcher prior to immigrating and building a very successful business in Youngstown. He died in 1890.

Rayen High School, Youngstown, Ohio.

Charley, born in 1867, grew up with his large family upstairs over the market. He left school after the fourth grade and, in his early teens, he pedaled meat from a one–horse wagon up and down the streets of Youngstown tooting a bugle to announce his presence.

Over time he and his brother Christie learned the butchering trade and took over the markets following their father’s death in 1890. The market owned a farm to supply its livestock and fowl. Cy worked on this farm as a teenager during summers.

Cy’s parents were devout Roman Catholics and they sent Cy to a parochial grade school. There may not have been a parochial high school in Youngstown, but in any event Cy was sent to Rayen High School which was quite unique.

It was a public school with an advanced curriculum for children who could handle it. (Cy’s future mother-in-law even learned to read Greek there in the late 1880s.) Rayen School was tuition free to all students, but a local group of people, by subscription, underwrote the added costs to cover the difference from the traditional high school.

At Rayen, Cy found that he had received a fine education in the three Rs, but was woefully lacking in subjects taught in public elementary schools which were not taught in parochial schools — such things as science and history. This situation was the first thing to start Cy to doubt his Catholic upbringing, soon followed by wondering why Mass was said in Latin which few parishioners, could understand.

Regardless, Cy excelled in his studies at Rayen School. Upon graduation Cy wanted to apply to Cornell University while his father felt college was not necessary, but relented to approving Ohio State.

Cy enrolled at OSU in 1912 and received a Bachelor Degree in “General Engineering” with the Class of 1916. He was the only student with this major. Cy pledged and was initiated into the Chi Phi fraternity and became a member of the OSU Glee Club. He was also a varsity tennis player.

After leaving OSU, Cy worked for his father’s market managing its fleet of trucks (probably Ford Model Ts). And then in1918 Cy enlisted in the army as the US entered WW I.

Cy with his Aunt Carrie in her electric car,
ca 1898.

Cy in his father's 1910 Franklin automobile.

Cy's first automobile, 1912 used Kline Kar.

Cy's home from birth until after his wedding.

Marion Thomas