Evelyn Ryan worked hard helping her husband, Leo, provide for their struggling family.  Evelyn and Leo married in 1936 and had ten children together.  Since 1943, Leo had been employed by the Defiance Screw Machine Products, but his salary usually failed to meet the needs of such a large family.  Leo purportedly turned to alcohol to quell the stresses of their financial struggles which only worsened the situation.  Evelyn had too many household obligations to take on a job which required her to be away from home, but she needed a way to earn money.  By the early 1950s, Evelyn and Leo’s older children were nearing their teenage years, and the family’s financial struggles along with Leo’s drinking was getting worse.  One day in September 1953, Evelyn took a momentary break from her endless chores to read the newspaper when she saw an advertisement for a Western Auto Bike Contest. 

 

Evelyn had a background in writing.  While in junior high, her step-grandmother, Josephine Etchie, who was the editor of the Sherwood Chronicle, got Evelyn an after-school job as a typesetter for the newspaper.  In 1931, Evelyn was the valedictorian of Sherwood High School.  Soon after graduation, she became a columnist at the newspaper.  She worked at the newspaper until she quit to take care of her growing family.  

 

She read the Western Auto Bike Contest information again and learned that she could enter by completing the phrase in 25 words or less, “I like the all-new ‘X-53 Super’ Western Flyer bicycle because…”  The ad announced that the “winner’s family gets all this: $5,000 cash and bike for child, plus 15-h.p. outboard motor for dad, plus automatic washer and dryer for mom!”  While Evelyn returned to her endless household chores, she mulled over her entry.  Finally, she completed the phrase on the entry form, “brand new ideas about safety, service, sleekness, combined with Western Flyer’s old reliable construction, make ‘X-53 Super’ a standout in ANY bike rack.”  

 

The Wester Auto Bike Contest was just the first of many writing contests that Evelyn won.  In 1961, she won a 1961 Triumph TR3 sports car, a Seeburg jukebox, and a trip for two to New York City to appear on Merv Griffin’s Saturday Prom television show.  She quickly sold the car and jukebox to pay bills, but she and her son Bruce enjoyed their trip to New York.  Evelyn won about one in every four contests she entered.  She won kitchen appliances, TVs, watches, sports equipment, and a host of other items.  She won so many contests that she earned the nickname the Contest Queen.  

 

At first glance, it appeared that the Ryans were rolling in money, but the large family remained impoverished.  In 1965, unbeknownst to Evelyn, Leo took out a second mortgage on their house at 801Washington Avenue in Defiance, Ohio.  Evelyn learned about the second mortgage when she received a final notice from the bank.  Unless they could come up with $3500, they would be homeless.  Evelyn read about a contest held by Dr. Pepper in which contestants were asked to complete the following limerick: “With Dr. Pepper, the flavor that’s in.  It’s distinctive and bright.  It’s lively and light.”  Evelyn completed the form with, “There’s no time like NOW to begin!”  Out of 250,000 entries, Evelyn won the grand prize, which was a two-week trip for two to Switzerland, a new Ford Mustang, his-and-hers gold Longines wristwatches, and $3500 in cash.  Evelyn received the cash payment on the day before they were to be evicted from their home.