Caskey, Darwin Lee {I602} (b. 12 MAR 1972)

Source: (Birth)
Title: Person
Abbreviation: Person
Author: (?) (UNKNOWN)

Page: Barbara Jean Bergy

Birth: 12 MAR 1972 Butterworth Hospital, Grand Rapids, Michigan

Reference: 602

Source: (Birth)
Title: Person
Abbreviation: Person
Author: (?) (UNKNOWN)

Page: Barbara Jean Bergy

Source: (Individual)
Title: Verbal Record of Dennis Caskey
Abbreviation: Dennis Caskey

Birth: 25 MAR 1976 Butterworth Hospital, Grand Rapids, Michigan

Graduation: Date: 05 AUG 2000
Place: Central Michigan University, Mount Pleasant, Michigan

Reference: 603

Note: When growing up there wasn't very much money to spend or even
to purchase what we thought were necessities. We had plenty to
eat because of being on the farm. We had plenty of milk, eggs,
meat and a garden that gave us lots of vegetables. Canning was
a way of preserving our food. No food lockers in town or a
deep freeze, so canning was how we preserved food for winter
use. However, when we were in our late teens food lockers came
into existence. We also would get fruit to can. A treat was
peaches topped with real whipped cream. We always had homemade
bread.

When we needed flour for baking, wheat was taken to the grain
elevator and exchanged for flour. We had an ice box in place of
a refrigerator. The men cut ice on the lakes and stored it in a
building packed with sawdust around the blocks of ice. That
would keep for a long time in the winter and then sometimes in
the summer we had to buy some.

Cutting wood was a necessity, since we had a heating stove in
the living room and a cook stove in the kitchen. Sometimes if
there was enough money a little coal was bought to burn at
night so the fire would last until morning. It was not easy to
get up in the morning when the house was so cold. On the side
of the kitchen stove was a reservoir that we kept water in so
it would be hot for washing dishes or to take a bath in the
wash tub. Yes, a wash tub.

The weekly wash water was heated in a boiler on top of the wood
stove. Then put in the washing machine that had a gasoline
motor. Clothes were hung outside on a line to dry (a solar
dryer). Before we had electricity we had what we called flat
irons. We sat them on top of the stove to get hot and then we
ironed the clothes. The iron needed to be reheated several
times until all of the ironing was done. There was no such
thing as polyester or any other fabric that needed "no" or
"very little" ironing.

Our dishes were washed in a dish pan and not sinks, using the
water from the reservoir. Sometimes we even had homemade soap.
That was not very good dish soap and not very sudsy. Hard on
the hands too. Never helped to make the soap, nor know what it
was made of.

We didn't have a lot of social life. What we did have was built
around church, school and family activities. Mostly we visited
with family and friends. We were entertained by radio and not
television, as it wasn't in existance then. The radio was
operated by a battery until we had electricity. Believe it or
not there was some good programs. Sitcoms are what they call
them today. There was Amos N Andy, Fibber McGee and Molly, as
well as the daytime "sob stories". Never listened to them. Jack
Armstrong the All American Boy was probably for the athletic
kids. The music was good, too (at least we thought so). It was
mostly ballads. We lived with what we had, including outdoor
toilets. That was probably the worst thing of growing up. It
was cold in the winter and smelly in the summer.

Keith's Story: Since I was always the bread winner and master
of the household (with lots of your mothers help) I will take
the lead and tell you all about my family and the first few
years of my life. On June 28, 1927, probably a warm day, I was
born in the farmhouse at what is now (1997) known as 7352 100th
Street near Caledonia, Michigan, to Eugene and Audra (
Farnharn) Bergy. In 1986 the farm house was replaced with a
new home built by my oldest brother, Howard, and wife Marie .
Prior to my arrival a sister and two brothers had arrived:
Bernice, Howard and Clifford. So I had plenty of care from
everyone. Bernice must have sort of liked me as I remember her
telling me things and she always wanted me to be ever so clean.
She was always after me to wash my ears with a wash cloth. So I
was obedient and did as I was told, if I didn't she did. We had
some good times together, but when she got married I felt as
though she had deserted me. I was nine years old then. I wanted
her to be very happy, but I sure missed her, especially on
Sunday evenings as that was a lonely time for me. I guess I
never got over this lonely Sunday night thing, as I sometimes
still feel this way if we are not doing something.

But I must tell you about my parents and family. My parents
were Eugene Levi and Audra ( no middle name or ini tial ) (
Farnham) Bergy. They were very good parents to me and all of
the family, even though they had some struggles in their
married life. The "Great Depression", a house fire and dad's
farm accident. The house fire happened two or three years
before I was born. The depression, or crash of the stock
market, happened two years after I was born. The hardships it
created lasted for many years. Dad's accident happened when I
was about eleven. My parents married on March 18, 1913. I don't
know where they lived when they were first married, but it was
in the Fenville area. Soon they moved to the Caledonia area
where they spent the rest of their lives. My sister Bernice was
the first to arrive in the family on December 7, 1915. I've
told how she looked after me in my early years and that she got
married, when I was quite young, to Harry Botruff. They were
married in Caledonia on August 22, 1936. They had a family of
four: Geraldine, Lucille, David and Gloria. I'm sure you
remember going to their home in Ionia and having good times
with Dave and Gloria since they were near your age. My brother
Howard was born on August 15, 1920. He married Marie Graham
from Alto on August 15, 1942. Soon after that Howard was
drafted into the army. I really missed him when he went away.
After he returned from the service they lived in Grand Rapids
until they built their home on the farm in 1986. They have a
son Dean and a daughter Gail. Cliff was born on August 29,
1923. He married Shirley Bytwork from Grand Rapids, on August
29, 1950. They lived in Caledonia a short time and then in
Dutton. Their family was Nancy, Roger, Marcia and Linda. Roger
died on August 16, 1975 and Cliff died on June 20, 1986.

Although we didn't do much for recreation, but sometimes play
ball, we did do some other fun things. On Wednesday and
Saturday nights in the summer there were free outdoor movies in
Caledonia that dad took us to when we got the work done. The
movies were shown on the side of the building that is now
occupied by the barbershop. There was a vacant lot at that time
where the Post Office building and restaurant was. The Post
Office building is vacant now and the restaurant changed to a
dollar store. Well in this vacant lot we sat on benches and
watched the movies - a real treat. Another thing the family did
was go to Alto to the Bergy Brothers Elevator on Saturday
nights in the winter. We had a model T Ford car and I always
rode in the back seat and it seemed to me that I was always
squeezed in between two others of the family. Oh well, I made
it.

Work was a necessity for us since dad was hurt in a farm
accident, as I said, I was eleven when this happened. As he was
buzzing wood (cutting logs into short pieces to be used for
firewood) the belt came off the pulley of the tractor and it
wrapped around his left leg. It broke his leg and really
mangled other things like the muscle and cartilage in the knee.
He spent a lot of time in the Grand Rapids hospital and then in
Ann Arbor at the University Hospital. They set his broken leg,
but didn't do anything for the rest of the things that were
torn and out of place. As the result of these things not being
taken care of he had a stiff knee the rest of his life. I don't
remember how long a time this was, but maybe about a year and a
half. Part of this time he did spend at home and used a wheel
chair, but was never able to do any work. Mother was gone a lot
of the time to the hospital, so to help out I sometimes would
bake chocolate cakes. When one was gone I'd bake another one.
Now I wonder what kind of a recipe I used. Us boys had to do
all of the farming so you can understand why there was not much
time for recreation. I had to milk six cows every night and
morning. We didn't have a milking machine until some years
later. Milking was never a favorite thing of mine. A lot of the
time I had to take care of the chickens, feed them and see that
they had plenty of water. Also clean the chicken coop. There
were chores to do that were a necessity but not always pleasant
to do. There were also pigs to feed and the horses to care for
after they had done their work for the day. Horses were used to
do all the fieldwork until, I think, about 1942 when we got a
10-20 McCormick Deering tractor. It wasn't a new tractor, but I
thought that was really a great thing to have even though Cliff
was the one who got to use it. We still had to use the horses
to do a lot of the work. Then in 1946 after I was in the army,
dad and Cliff bought a Farmall H tractor which was a new one. I
never got to use that when it was new because of the time I
spent in service. However, before I went to service I had
worked for our neighbor, Ed Herman and he had a Farmall H, I
thought that was really something to be able to use it. Lots of
times I'd cultivate the corn in the morning when the dew was on
and then after it dried off I'd take off the cultivator and
then worked in the hay, raking and getting ready to put the hay
in the barn. Next morning I'd put the cultivator on again and
do the same thing that day and several more days until the
cultivating and hay making w-as all done .

Before the days of combines we had to cut wheat and oats with a
grain binder. The binder cut and tied the grain in bundles.
Then we had to put the bundles in shocks so the grain heads
would dry and then could be thrashed. Bill Schroder had a grain
separator (thrashing machine) and powered by a steam engine. He
went from farm to farm and thrashed for the farmers. Neighbors
would come with team and wagon to haul the grain from the field
to the machine, which was always near the barn so the straw
could be blown in a stack and then the straw was used to bed
the cows in the winter. For us we always put the grain in the
barn and then waited until September to do the thrashing after
everyone else was done. Ours was dry because we always had it
in the barn and the neighbors was in the field. I always looked
forward to going to the neighbors with the team and wagon to
help. The steam engine always fascinated me.

One of the big events of the year was making maple syrup each
spring. We had our sugar shanty in the woods then instead of
near the house as we had in the later years. We always used the
horses to do the gathering as we didn't have a tractor. It was
always so muddy, as it al- ways is at that time of the year. We
didn't boil it down enough to can, but we brought it to the
house in milk cans and then mother would boil it to the right
weight for selling and then can it in quart jars for our use or
put in tin cans for selling. Every year we had a sugar party
and invited Uncle Floyd, Uncle Walt and Aunt Rene their spouses
and families. We'd have taffy and put it on snow if there was
snow and we would stir some into sugar. It was always a fun
time. When you are a kid there are some things that you don't
want to do.

When dad was in the hospital Howard seemed to have a lot of
responsibility and was telling Cliff and I what we should do.
Well this one time we had burnt some brush at the back of the
farm and at chore time Howard was going to send me back to
check to see that everything was all right. Well I didn't want
to go and so I didn't and went to the house where mother told
me I didn't have to do that. Well, maybe I should have.

One of my chores was to keep the wood box full of wood for the
living room stove and the cook stove. The folks never had a
furnace until after I left home.
It was my duty to be the "go fer" kid! Anytime something was
needed when we were working I was sent to get it, a wrench, a
part or whatever. Sometimes we were a long way from the barn
and if I didn't get the right thing I had to make another trip.
Seemed like an awful chore at that time. All of this took place
when I was working with dad before his accident and then with
Howard. I always went to school in Caledonia. First in the old
building that no longer is there. In 1940 we moved into the new
building, which is now the building nearest to Johnson Street,
and in 1941 another building was built north of this one, which
was anew high school. It was nice to have new buildings, but I
never had much love for school. Maybe part of that was because
we never got much encouragement as we were needed to work on
the farm. We were needed especially after dad's farm accident.
It is interesting that when I was in elementary school some of
those who taught were still teaching when you were in school.
They were Miss Miller, Mrs. Doornbos and Mrs. Therrien. And in
high school Mr. Therrien.

I guess people aren't supposed to be successful without a high
school diploma, but I consider I have been. I always enjoyed
delivering feed
when I worked at Bergy Brothers. I enjoyed delivering fuel and
considered the people not just a customer, but a friend. We
were always able to pay our bills, even though at times it was
a struggle. We always had a good place to live. We have a great
family to enjoy. What more do we need to be successful? At
times through my life I guess I have wished I had finished
school, but it isn't something I lay awake nights and think
about. Irma Snavely (one of our former pastors wife) once said
that 20 years of life is equal to a college education. Most
people might not agree, but she was a college graduate. Many
prominent successful people haven't, for one reason or another,
finished their education. If this sounds like an apology for
not having finished school, it isn't meant to be. I'm for
education and I'm sure you know that. It just didn't work out
that way for me.
As I grew up we did not have electricity. This meant that in
the wintertime we took a lantern to the barn. However, we tried
to do some of the chores before dark if we could. We would get
the hay out of the mow for the cows and horses, as well as the
silage out of the silo. But we needed the lantern when i t was
time to milk because by then it was dark. In the house we had
to carry a lamp from room to room. Even up stairs when we went
to bed. I don I t remember exactly when we did get electricity,
but I think it was in 1940 or 1941 when I was 13 or 14.
Without electricity, our facilities were of course out back.
The folks probably got a bathroom in the early '50's.
I recall another incident. Cliff was in his bed and my bed was
by the light switch and I decided one night that I'd turn the
light switch off and then try to get into bed before the light
was out. Of course this was a foolish idea. I turned the switch
and then jumped into bed.
Well, I lit hard and the slats of the bed broke and I landed on
the floor with a bang. Dad called up to us and wanted to know
what was going on. I had to confess what I did. The folks
weren't very happy about this.
I must tell you about what I got one year for Christmas. There
never was much money to buy any gifts or any thing. Money was
scarce. Well I wanted a wagon so I ask the folks if they could
send in the catalog and get the wheels and axle. I had been
looking at that catalog and had them picked out. I'd make the
box if I could just get those wheels. Well, Christmas morning
arrived and my gift was those wheels I had ask for. I was
really happy. I did make the box and really enjoyed my wagon.
As a kid my mind seemed to turn to some mode of transportation.
After the wagon I wanted something bigger to ride around in our
driveway and yard. Well, there was an old buggy that was no
longer used. It was in good running order, however I never
remember it being used. I took the box off of it and used the
frame. Put a board across on the springs to use for a seat.
Then used a rope that I fastened to the front axle to steer
this thing. What kind of a vehicle it could be called was
beyond me. Maybe it was a "contraption", I don't know, but
riding around our place sure was fun. Would you believe this
"contraption" thing is now down in the gully where other things
have been disposed of.
This was used until I could get a bicycle. There wasn't any
money for a bike. But, one day the neighbor lady gave me a lamb
to raise. I don't know why she gave it to us but I enjoyed
raising that lamb. It was bottle fed for a long time. When it
was big enough we sold it and I got to buy a bicycle. A dream
come true, even if it wasn't a new one, but a good used one. I
got it from a lad I went to school with. It cost $12.00. How
proud I was to have a bike. First the wagon, a contraption, a
bicycle and then a car. Probably I got it in the summer of
1944, not two long before your mother and I started dating. A
used car, of course, a black 1933 Plymouth. I thought that was
really great to have a car of my own. There wasn't a car
anywhere that got washed any more than that did. I worked on
the farm at home all of my younger years. Then I worked some
with Ed Herman on his farm, ( it is now Finkbeiners farm) and
also at the grain elevator in Alto. I worked in the mill some,
but mostly delivered feed to farmers and brought back eggs that
farmers sold to the elevator. It was when I was doing this
that I met your mother and we started dating.
Jean's story: Billy Graham's wife wrote a book titled "It's My
Turn". That's the way with me, now it's my turn to relate to
you about myself before I met and married your father. I was
born on February 23, 1926 to Roy Jennings and Ruth ( no middle
name or initial) (Winey) McRoberts. I was born in a lag house.
Not like the modern day lag homes, but the logs had been shaped
into square logs and mortar between them. The inside of the
house was finished and wall- papered and painted. I was third
in line of a family of six. Howard is the oldest and was
born on April 5, 1920. He married Betty Grubb from New York
state and they have lived their married life in that state.
They had a family of three: David, Carolyn and James. Olive is
my older sister who was born on January 5, 1922. She married
Ralph Sells from Muskegon and they lived there. They had a son
Robert and a daughter Karen. Ralph died in 1970 and some years
later she married Gordon Petyanus who died shortly after they
were married. Later she married Don Collier from Sunfield and
they live on his farm. My younger sister Marie, born August 14,
1927, married Duane Deardorff and they live in Lake Odessa and
have most of their married life. Their family is Jan (Janice),
Kim and Dawne. Roy Junior, always known as Bud, was born
October 17, 1929. He married Vera Lee from Ohio. They lived in
Pennsylvania for a couple of years and then moved to Ohio.
Their fam- ily is Rose Ann and Terry. Daniel Joseph, called Joe
by us and Dan at his work, was born September 3, 1940. He lived
in Traverse City for several years and now in Dutton.
We always had a good time as a family. I guess the most popular
game we played was chinese checkers. All the marbles would end
up in the middle of the board and not much place to move. But
we always worked our way out. We use to play ball too, and
sometimes with some of the neighbor kids. A fun time for me was
Sunday nights when the young people of the church got together.
We didn't have a lot of time for recreation as work took up a
lot of our time, chores, housework and such. During the time
we lived in the log house, which is on what now is called Darby
road just off of M 50, west of Lake Odessa, us kids raised
lambs. Only one at a time as they were given to us by some
people that
lived on another road east of us. Raising them was an
experience because some of us (girls) were afraid of them.
Sometimes they would try to bunt us as we were on our way to or
from our outside privy. Yes, I said an outside toilet. It was
oh so cold in the winter. But in warmer weather any one of us
girls might have lingered there a while to delay the chore of
doing dishes. Doesn't that sound like kids philosophy, putting
off some- thing we know we have to do?
We always enjoyed strawberry season. Mother would make a large
biscuit shortcake and bake it in a round cake pan. Then cut it
in two pieces like a layer cake, then put strawberries on the
bottom and then cover it with the top piece and more berries.
It was yum yum.
Our father was a minister in the Church of the Brethren, and of
course we went to Sunday School and church every Sunday. I
always enjoyed it and participated in the activities. I never
felt that church was a chore or that it was something I wished
I didn't have to attend. I always had the desire to be there
and to learn more about living a Christian life in the way
Christ wants us to live.
When I was twelve I was baptised and joined the church. The
Thornapple church didn't have a baptistery so baptisms were
held at the creek just a little ways west of the church. Some
times the folks would take us to other churches when dad was
helping with a service there. The folks took each of us at
least one time to our churches Annual Conference. Although
Howard has no recollection of going to conference. District
Conference we attended with the folks as much as we could. We
went to the Thornapple Church, which was located at the corner
of what is now called Darby road and Campbell road. It was not
a very large congregation. It was a country church as many of
the Church of the Brethren congregations were. When I was a
teenager we had young peoples meetings on Sunday evenings, but
during the week we didn't have very much in church activities.
Your grandpa was the pastor there for twenty-five years. In
1942 the church secured a summer pastor and then they had
someone else after the summer was over. It was in 1947 that
your grandpa accepted the call to the Marilla church and was
there pastor for twenty five years. He was in the Free
Ministry, which means that a minister makes his living at some
other occupation and receives a small amount for his time on
Sundays and the visiting one does in the congregation and
visiting the sick. At the time of his ministry this was very
common. However, by the time he left Thornapple the paid
ministry was coming into being (but not at the Marilla church).
Farming was what dad did for a living for the family. Later in
his life he drove truck. Farming was done with horses and I
remember when I was probably Junior High age I drove one of the
teams once in a while. I wasn't very fond of doing that
because the team had been known to run away. I was fortunate,
they never did when I drove them. It wasn't because of my skill
but just that it never happened. I didn't like driving them
when we were making hay because of the snakes or mice that
might come up with the hay as the hay loader brought it up onto
the wagon. I also milked cows in the summer time when Howard
and dad were helping with the thrashing of grain for the
neighbors and also our grain.
We moved from the log house in the winter of 1936 to Campbell
road about a mile east of the Thornapple church. I really don't
remember too much about the move except we did a lot of moving
with the horses and the sleigh. We did have to change schools
during the year even though we moved only about two miles, but
into another school district. That was quite an adjustment for
me.
Electricity came to our community sometime in the early 40' s.
Dad was renting the farm on which we lived and the land owner
chose not to wire the house and buildings for electricity, so
that meant we still used the kerosene lamps in the house and
gas lanterns that we took to the barn for light. I guess we
were a bit jealous as we looked out at night and seen all of
the neighbors yard lights. During my high school years the
folks moved to another place and that place had electricity and
when I went to live with my grandparents to finish high school,
they had electricity. What a nice thing that was.
I went to country school through the 8th grade. What is a
country school? I guess all the one-room schools were in the
country rather than in towns so, "country school". One teacher
for all eight grades. I really liked school. Besides the usual
studies we sometimes did some fun things, like arithmetic
(you'd call it math) contests. This was with addition and
subtraction. I always liked arithmetic and I did well in those
contests. If you'll let me brag a bit, one time when I was in
the fifth grade I beat an eighth grader. We had spelling bee's
too. That was fun
and I was looking forward to contests with other schools, but
about the time I was old enough to participate, the contest was
changed to a reading contest and I was not a good enough reader
to participate in that contest. Oh well, we can't get through
life without some disappointments. One year while I was in
"country school" I received a certificate for neither being
tarty nor absent for six months. Another year I received a
certificate for neither being tarty nor absent for the entire
school year. Small tokens, but I was very proud.
Then came high school. What a change for someone who had been
in country school. No such thing as a tour to introduce us to
how things would be as we entered this new world. Most of our
freshman class lived in Lake Odessa where the high school was
and they all knew one another because of going through the
grades together. This was a very hard adjustment for me. But
somehow I made it. I was in the band and played the clarinet.
We played at the basketball home games, which I enjoyed very
much. Of course we had concerts and played at other events.
Always at the Memorial Day parade and the Fourth of July
celebration. I received a letter in band. We had three band
teachers during my four years in high school. Three of those
years were during World War II and many of the teachers were
drafted.
Besides the required subjects I took all the math I could also
took shorthand, bookkeeping and typing., History and chemistry
were okay, but I wondered why I needed chemistry. World history
was very hard to understand and English definitely was not my
favorite subject. The teacher was very good and knew her
subject, but it was very hard for me. Math, shorthand,
bookkeeping and typing was my favorites and I did well in these
subjects. I did all right in all subjects, but had to work
harder at some than I I did in others.
During my last three years in high school I stayed with my
grandparents, Elmer and Anna Winey. The folks had moved and I
didn't want to change schools so I stayed with them. They lived
on M 50 west of Lake Odessa about five miles. Then came
graduation time with our Baccalaureate in the Methodist church
in Lake Odessa on Sunday evening prior to our Thursday night
graduation in the high school gym. Our caps and gowns were blue
with a white tassel. Graduation was on June 1, 1944. I did get
an award that night, which was the Citizenship Award, I was
really surprised that I received it, but proud too. At that
time there was no such thing as an open house for friends and
relatives. We just graduated and some close relatives came and
maybe some friends. And now like all other graduates, out into
the real world to find out if what we learned could be applied.
I always spent weekends and summers at home, but after
graduation I went home to live with the rest of the clan.
Although some had already left home. Olive had married Ralph
and Howard had gone to New York state into Alternative service.
There he tested milk and from the results would plan a diet for
the cows. Even the animals seem to need a diet. Of course, this
was for better milk production.
Now that school was over I needed to get a job, which I found
at Bergy Brothers Grain Elevator in Alto, grading eggs for size
and quality. It was while I was working there that I met my
"knight in shining armor". Well I met your father. He also
worked there driving truck making deliveries of feed to
farmers. We started dating in September 1944. Often we would go
to the movies, usually in Lowell. Since I lived near Alto,
Lowell was the closest. Tickets to the movies were 35 cents
each. This of course was in 1944-45. We usually stopped at a
gas station on our way home to have a dish of ice cream. I
guess they had a restaurant along with the station, but it
definitely was not a convenient store like we now have. His
car was a 1933 Plymouth, his pride and joy even though he had
to stop periodically and pour some brake fluid in so the brakes
would work. Why not put a master cylinder on and have it fixed?
Lack of money, of course. We dated until November 11, 1945 when
we were married.

Keith and Jean's Story: (Mother) Our wedding was at my
parents home on Pratt Lake Road southeast of Alto. Our parents,
brothers and sisters were present. Also Geraldine, Lucille and
David (just a baby) Botruff. Marie Bergy was there, but Howard
was still in service, so he was unable to attend, as well as my
brother Howard as he was in New York state in alternative
service. My father married us. Sometime later the folks had a
reception for us inviting the church and some friends. Most
weddings at that time were small weddings with the parents
having a reception some time later. Ralph and Olive made our
wedding cake, which was an angel food cake that your father
requested because he liked it so well. We probably had ice
cream too, but I don't remember that. We didn't have a
honeymoon, didn't have money for that as well as we needed to
work to have grocery money and other necessities. We lived with
my folks for two or three weeks until we got an apartment in
Alto.
(Dad) In January, about two months after we were married, I
went into the army. During the time your mother and- I had been
dating, World War II ended. That was a very joyous time for
everyone. Gas had been rationed but when people heard the news
of the end of the war, a lot of people drove around honking
horns and rejoicing. It is very sad that countries can't settle
their differences through talks and negotiations instead of the
loss of so many lives. There are many scars today even though
the war has been over for more than 50 years. The war was over
but men were still being drafted. Although I didn't have to
serve during the war, I still served almost two years after the
war was over. I reported to the induction center in Detroit and
from there I went to Little Rock, Arkansas. We had Quainset
huts for barracks. The weather was very cold, rainy and damp
all of the time I was there. It snowed some, too. The weather
reminded me of sugar making time. I was there until late in
March when I finished Basic Training, after which I had a ten
day furlough. Oh, was I ever glad to get home. Army life was
never for me, but I still had almost two years to be there.
When I had to report back Howard, Marie, the folks and your
mother took me to the train station in Chicago. I had to report
to Blackstone, Virginia. Got there about the first week in
April and was there for about three weeks. They had intended to
send us over seas, but since most of us were drafted and had
less than two years to serve, we weren't sent. So we were
shipped from Virginia to Fort Lewis, Washington, clear across
the states. It took us a whole week to get there. We spent a
lot of time on the siding, as troop trains were not a priority
as the freight and passenger trains were. Freight went mostly
by rail and not truck as it does now, and a lot of people
traveled by train. As I remember we got to Fort Lewis about the
first or second week of May. What I liked best there was the
newer brick barracks. Well, I got settled in and did some
training. I was placed in the Second Infantry Division in the
heavy weapons company.
(Mother) During the time your dad was in Arkansas I continued
working at the elevator and lived in the apartment in Alto.
Sometime after his 10-day furlough I quit the elevator and went
to Muskegon and lived with Olive and Ralph and worked in a
sewing factory. My job was making flaps for pockets for
jackets.
(Dad) When I came home in July on a 30-day furlough we planned
that your mother would go back with me. We'd drive our 1941
Chevy coupe that we had purchased soon after we were married.
(Dad and Mother ) It was about the first of August when we
headed for Washington State. We had the car loaded with a few
belongings and took some food to eat so we didn't have to stop
all of the time as well as it was less expensive.
Your Uncle Bud, who was 16 at the time, went with us. On our
way out we all rode in the front seat. Bud spent a lot of time
leaning over the seat to reach the food in the back. Seemed he
was always hungry and still today claims we never stopped to
buy anything to eat. However, we did. After we got to Tacoma,
our destination, we got a motel. Seems we must have thought
there was only one and we needed to take the first one we saw.
It was not a very nice one. It had and odor and was dark and
dingy. Next day we found a much nicer one. Bud stayed about
three days and took a train home. I think he enjoyed the trip
with us and a train ride home.
Our intent was to find a more permanent place to live and then
I (mother) would find a job. We were very fortunate and found
the combination of the two. We answered an ad in the paper for
a person to take care of a 2 and 4 year old boy and girl. The
ad stated that a young couple would be considered. We were the
first of many to answer the ad and he chose us for the care of
his two children. We lived with the father and two children
with no expenses of rent, lights or groceries. Each week he'd
give me (mother) $25.00 to buy groceries. At that time $25.00
would buy a LOT of groceries. We thought we were really living
it up. It wasn't a real beautiful home, but it was very
convenient and very nice for a couple of country kids that
never had the convenience of indoor plumbing and a sink instead
of a dish pan to wash dishes in. We really had it very nice.
(Dad) Each morning of the week I was up at 4:45 to report to
camp. Our days were spent on the rifle range or some other kind
of training. I felt we never did do anything important. In
November of 1946 I went on maneuvers. We left camp and went to
Seattle and left there by boat, went down to San Diego,
California. Our purpose was to land on the beach with our heavy
weapons, mortors, machine guns and rifles. It was a practice
landing with some difficulties. We were there for a month
practicing different things and returned to Seattle and back to
Fort Lewis. Glad that was over. During the time I was in Tacoma
I lived off the base and it was pretty much like anyone that
goes to their job each morning and returns at the end of the
work day.
(Dad and Mother) It was Christmas away from home this year. We
only remember that we wished we could have been home. Can't
even remember who we spent the day with, but probably with the
two children, their father and same of their friends. Drive In
movies and drive thru fast food places were becoming the "in
thing". So movies and food was a big part of our recreation.
The weather in that part of Washington state is far more mild
than in Michigan or even the eastern part of that state. They
have very little snow but of course the year that we were there
we had 12" of very wet snow. It didn't last long, melted very
soon. Not many knew how to drive in snow. It rains a lot in
the winter. In the summer when the temperature got to 87
degrees they thought that was very hot. The year round weather
there is very nice.
On April 21, 1947 Bob was born in Madigan General Hospital on
the army base. A well and healthy baby. (Dad) I had reported at
camp that morning and didn't know that some of our friends had
taken your mother to the hospital. When I came in from the
rifle range I got the message that we had a son. I guess all
the guys in the barracks thou9-ht I should be turning
cartwheels or something. But I have a more quiet way of
expressing my happiness. I sat down and cleaned my rifle and
when I was dismissed I went to the hospital to see mother and
baby.
(Mother) I was in the hospital for a week, that was the usual
length of time that a mother and new born stayed. I was home
for just a few days when I got infection and had to return to
the hospital. The big question was what can we do with Bob?
(Dad) I went to talk to my 1st Sergeant to ask if I could have
time to find someone to take care of Bob. Well, the answer was
right there. He called his wife and ask if she would look after
him and she gladly said yes. She gave him good care and was
very capable as they had a family of five. Your mother was in
the hospital a few days and then home again. I was scheduled
to go on maneuvers at Yakima Valley, which is about in the
center of the state of Washington. The troops had left before I
had gotten your mother out of the hospital, so I had permission
to drive there. The maneuvers lasted for about two weeks and
finished on a Friday. We would be there for the weekend before
returning to Fort Lewis on the next Mon- day. Some times I do
have some luck. The 1st Sergeant came to me and ask if I would
like to leave and take another officer, back to camp as it was
the officers anniversary. Well of course I'd be happy to do
just that. I didn't have to spend the weekend with the troops,
but was home with Bob and your mother. I guess when there isn't
any war and it's peacetime some of the army personnel are not
so strict. I was in the army until August 1947. Officially
being discharged on August 19th. However, having furlough time
coming I was able to be released in late July.
(Dad and Mother) Bob was three months old when we started our
trek home from Washington. That little club coupe was as FULL
as anyone could get it. We had a basket for Bob and we had it
in the back seat with all the other things needed on a trip.
And we just put things in the trunk loose, no room for boxes or
anything like that. Bob could sleep in his basket or I could
lean over the seat and get him out and hold him. No seat belts
then to interfere with moving around.
We planned to go south into California and see some sights,
maybe even as far south as San Francisco. We traveled along the
coast and saw the rocky coast line of the Pacific. That
surprised us as we thought it would be sandy beach all the way,
but it wasn't and was very rocky. We went through the Redwood
forest, what tall trees and one tree hollowed out so cars could
drive through it, and of course we drove through it. We didn't
make it to San Francisco, we suddenly decided we wanted to go
home, so we headed east. Went through Reno, Nevada, which at
that time was the big gambling place. Of course we didn't
choose to do any of that. Might not have had the money to get
home if we had been losers. Wouldn't have gambled anyway.
Nevada was the most desolate place in the world it seemed to
us. But then there was the beautiful corn fields father east.
The east seems so much more beautiful, than parts of the west.
We got home on the 7th of August. A funny thing happened the
last few miles coming home. We got lost between Grand Rapids
and the folk's farm. Seems laughable now, but it wasn't then.
We were tired from traveling and to be that near home and get
lost was quite disgusting. I (mother) had never been from Grand
Rapids to the farm and I (dad) didn't recognize changes in some
of the roads, but we finally got there.
(Dad) Very soon after we were home I started working in the
grain elevator in Alto again. I think we got home late in the
week and I started working the next Monday. We rented a house
across the road from the elevator. It was very handy for work.
I 9~ess all my life I have lived very close to work and never
drove over two miles to a job. At the elevator we started at
7:00 AM and. worked until 6:00 PM six days a week. I drove
truck most of the time delivering feed to farmers and picking
up eggs that the farmers sold to the elevator. The elevator
sold eggs and chickens to a market in Detroit and some times I
drove the truck there, but that trip was not my favorite thing
to do. Although I didn't really dread going on that trip. My
wages were $24.00 a week. We managed okay paying our heating,
electric, rent and groceries, although it was sometimes a
struggle. We lived with what we had. Little by little wages
went up and eventually I was making $45.00 a week. In September
1948 I had appendicitis surgery, and was off work for awhile
but recovered on schedule and was back to work.
While we lived in Alto Betty was born on February 1, 1949 in
Blodgett hospital in Grand Rapids. A healthy and happy baby.
Our second bundle of joy. Cliff and your grandpa Bergy were
farming, but Cliff wanted to do something else rather than to
farm. He went to work for the Caledonia elevator in Dutton. I
started farming with my dad at that time. When I quit the
elevator in Alto and started farming we moved to a house a
little west of the farm. I only did that for a year and went to
work for the elevator in Caledonia. Howard, Cliff and I did the
farming for the folks, mostly in the evenings after our day I
work where we were employed. I was at the elevator about a year
when George Statsick offered me a job of delivering fuel to
farmers and home heating oil with the Standard Oil Company.
After pondering that a while I decided to do that and you know
that I vas in that business for nearly 41 years. I worked with
Russ Taylor as a Driver salesman 23 years and then 18 years as
owner of Caledonia Oil Company. Russ retired when Amoco (or
Standard Oil) decided to sell their Bulk Plants, and that was
September 1, 1976 vhen we purchased it.
(Dad and Mother) After I (dad) started working for the elevator
we moved to Caledonia and lived in the house that was my (dad)
grandparents (Farnham) house at 213 Weat Main Street. Soon
after we moved there we purchased the house. We lived there
for 21 years, until 1973 when we built our house on the north
west corner of my (dad) parents farm. I believe you two were 3
and 5 years old when we moved to Caledonia. It was very
convenient to live close to school. When you were in high
school it was always convenient for your friends who lived out
of town to be invited by you to spend their time after school,
until a ballgame or other school activity, to our home. That
was why on game nights we always had either Hot Dogs, Bar-B-Q's
or hamburgers. There was enough no matter how many had been
invited. Did you realize that was always our menu on Friday
nights? I think we all have fond memories of the years we lived
there. The Buer family next door, the Scott's across the
street, having Eva as our exchange student and many other
events. It was also a good place to watch a parade, as they
always started up at the school.
(Mother) In 1957 I took a part time job at the Caledonia
Elementary school cafeteria. I worked part time for 8 years and
then full time for 6 years. It was very convenient to work at
school as we were close and I walked to work, as well as when
you were home, I was too. I quit at the end of the school year
in 1971. I enjoyed being home for about a year and a half, and
then took a part time job at the Food Locker. I worked there
until we purchased the oil company on September 1, 1976. Then
it was office work and bookkeeping, which I enjoyed very much.
(Dad and Mother) You both were very small when we went to the
Thornapple Church of the Brethren. Carl Welch was the pastor
there at that time, but your grand father McRoberts had been
the pastor of that congregation for 25 years. When we moved to
Caledonia, I (mother) took you to the Methodist church, but
Thornapple was where we preferred to go. In 1953 the
neighboring church, Elmdale Church of the Brethren, burned and
our congregation invited that congregation to worship with us.
Since both congregations were small, the two decided to merge
and chose the name of "Hope" for this newly formed
congregation. At that time it was decided to build a new
building. Stephen Weaver (Duane Deardorff's uncle) donated the
land where the Hope church and parsonage were built. It is at
the Kent and Ionia counties line on M 50. Duane's grandfather,
Charles Deardorff, was the Church of the Brethren
Denominational architect at that time, so he was the person who
drew up the plans for the church. A contractor was hired, but a
lot of the labor was donated by the members and friends of the
congregation. A short time before the building was completed
the Thornapple building burned.
Sunday morning worship services were held in the basement until
the building was completed. The Easter Sunrise Service on April
10, 1955 was the first service in the Sanctuary. Betty you
were baptized in 1960, as well as some others. And Bob and I
(dad) was baptized in 1961 and some others were at that time
too. Ronnie Moore was the pastor when all of these joined the
church.
(Dad) I was never taken to church or Sunday school when I was
young. When your mother and I started dating was when I first
went anywhere to church. I always had the impression that my
folks never went to church until later in their lives, but I
found out (I think Bernice told us) that my mother went to the
Gaines United Brethren church west of Caledonia before her and
dad got married. I don't know about my dad, but after they were
married they went to church (the building is not there now)
somewhere northeast of Caledonia. Then there was a period of
time , when I was growing up they didn't go. Later they went to
East Caledonia Methodist until services were no longer held
there, then they joined the Parrnalee Methodist.
(Dad and Mother) We as parents tried to be responsible to take
you to church and we tried (and are still trying) to be good
examples to you as well as all we come in contact with through
life. We admit we have failed many times, but the secret is
never to give up. Just keep on keeping on. We never as a family
made a practice of reading from the Bible each day as we now
do. We let you down in this way, but we hope you are now
practicing this very valuable daily instruction from God's word
with your family. What we learn from God's word and how we
apply it to our everyday life is the important thing. We are
who we are, but only by God's direction and patience with us.
We have made our share of mistakes, but hopefully we have
influenced you in some right directions.

Source: (Birth)
Title: Person
Abbreviation: Person
Author: (?) (UNKNOWN)

Page: Barbara Jean Bergy

Birth: 28 JUN 1927 In parents' home on 100th Street, Kent Co, Michigan

Event: Type: Milit-Beg
Date: JAN 1946-19 AUG 1947
Note: Served in the Army after World War II had ended.

Reference: 604

Note: Forty nine years ago Keith and I started our married life
together. We were married at my parents home on Sunday evening
with our immediate families present. Our wedding bake was
Angel Food Cake, baked and decorated by Olive. Keith was very
fond of Angel Food cake so that is why we chose that kind,
which is of course very different than the usual. We were
married by my father.
Two months later, about January 6, 1946, Keith was drafted and
went into the army for nearly two years. He was in Arkansas,
Virginia and then to Tacoma, Washington where he was for about
16 months. I spent one year of that time out there with him.
Bob was born there on April 21, 1947. I guess you could call
him a Washingtonian, but I doubt if he considers himself that.
After we returned to Michigan in August 1947 we lived in Alto
where Keith worked at the Grain Elevator. Betty was born
February 1, 1949, so she is a true Michigander. Then we
purchased and moved to Grandma Winey's house sometime later,
but we don't remember when. Then in 1952 (we think) we moved
to Caledonia. Keith started working for the Standard Oil
Company in 1953 delivering home heating oil and fuel for
farmers. He continued this employment until we retired in
1990. Then in 1994 we sold our business and was completely out
of the petroleum business after 40 years. During all of these
years I worked in our school cafeteria for 14 years, 3 years in
the Caledonia Meat Market and then nearly 18 years as a
bookkeeper in the office of our business. However some of the
time I was a full time Mother and housewife.
In 1990 we purchased a mobile home in Florida. We are now
enjoying our family, our seven grandchildren and one in-law
(Lori's husband) and winters in Florida. We continue being
active in the work of the church as we have been throughout the
years.

Source: (Birth)
Title: Person
Abbreviation: Person
Author: (?) (UNKNOWN)

Page: Barbara Jean Bergy

Birth: 23 FEB 1926 In parents' home on Mote Road, Ionia Co, Michigan

Reference: 605

Note: I was born on April 21, 1947 at Fort Lewis, in the state of
Washington while my dad was in the service. I came to Michigan
in August of 1947. I attended and graduated from Caledonia
Community Schools in May, 1965 where I was active in the FFA.
During high school, I worked summers for Robert Finkbeiner on
the farm. I joined the National Guard in 1966 until 1972. On
June 10, 1972 I married Cheryl Finkbeiner of Middleville. In
1973 we bought my parents' home on Main Street in Caledonia.
Four daughters were born to us. Lori on November 5, 1972,
Carolyn on June 29, 1975, Sarah on November 7, 1982, and Shari
on June 5, 1985. During this time, I was employed by Caledonia
Tractor (September of 1969 to March 1993). In October of 1985
we moved into our present home on 100th St. (Grandpa Bergy's
Farm). I now presently work for Carleton Equipment Company as
General Manager of their Grand Rapids branch. Two of our
daughters have graduated from Caledonia High School - Lori in
1991 and Carolyn in 1994. Sarah and Shari are attending
Caledonia Schools. Our oldest daughter, Lori, was married to
Mike Helder on September 10, 1994.

Source: (Birth)
Title: Person
Abbreviation: Person
Author: (?) (UNKNOWN)

Page: Barbara Jean Bergy

Birth: 21 APR 1947 Madigan General Hospital, Tacoma, Washington

Reference: 606

Note: Died of uremic poisoning

Source: (Birth)
Title: 1900 Michigan Census
Abbreviation: 1900 Michigan Census

Page: DOB listed as Oct. 1897

Source: (Social Security Number)
Title: Social Security Death Index
Abbreviation: Social Security Death Index

Source: (Individual)
Title: Grand Rapids Press Obit
Abbreviation: Grand Rapids Press Obit

Birth: 14 OCT 1897 Odessa Twp, Ionia Co, Michigan

Education: Went to Alma Wesleyan College for two weeks.

Education: Graduated from the Lake Odessa High School

Event: Type: Obituary
Date: 14 FEB 1980
Place: Grand Rapids Press, Grand Rapids, Kent, Michigan

Occupation: Pastor of Marilla Church of the Brethren
Date: BETWEEN 1946 AND 1972
Place: Michigan

Occupation: Pastor of Thornapple Church of the Brethren for 25 years. Roy
was elected into the ministry and installed December 1919. He
was ordained into the eldership in October 1927. Many of the
years he served this church without renumeration, which was
common in those days. In 1942, Roy resigned as pastor.
Date: MAY 1919- 1942
Place: Michigan

Occupation: For one and a half years, Roy was part-time pastor of Elmdale
Church of the Brethren.
Place: Michigan

Religion: Was elected elder-in-charge, Church of the Brethren
Date: 11 APR 1943

Death: 13 FEB 1980 Hospital, Traverse City, Michigan

Burial: 16 FEB 1980 Lake Odessa Lakeside Cemetary

Reference: 607

Note: No middle name

Note: No death record in Ionia County per the county clerk

Source: (Birth)
Title: 1900 Michigan Census
Abbreviation: 1900 Michigan Census

Source: (Social Security Number)
Title: Social Security Death Index
Abbreviation: Social Security Death Index

Source: (Individual)
Title: Grand Rapids Press Obit
Abbreviation: Grand Rapids Press Obit

Birth: 02 OCT 1898 Campbell Twp, Ionia Co, Michigan

Event: Type: Obituary
Date: 16 MAR 1987
Place: Grand Rapids Press, Grand Rapids, Kent, Michigan

Death: 14 MAR 1987

Burial: AFT 14 MAR 1987 Lake Odessa Lakeside Cemetary

Reference: 608

Birth: 05 APR 1920

Reference: 609

Note: I Olive Helen McRoberts, born January 5, 1922, lived with my
parents Roy and Ruth and my brother Howard in the log house on
Grandpa Winey's farm 4 1/2 miles west of Lake Odessa on Mote
road. I attended Darby School, going through the 8th grade.
During the 8th grade, I stayed with Grandpa and Grandma Winey
because the folks had moved over on the Tasker farm and I
wanted to finish that grade at the Darby School. I remember
going to Grandpa and Grandma McRoberts' and spending a week
each summer. We slept upstairs, the house had a metal roof and
when it rained it was very noisey and sometimes very scarey.
Grandpa and Grandma didn't have a car and wherever we went we
walked.
Another thing I remember was the Winey reunions we had each
year just down the lane and across the road at Elmer and Anna
(Grandpa and Grandma Wineys). Uncle Will Winey always brought
licorice chewing gum for us. Aunt Bell always made homemade
noodles and we had chicken and noodles.
I went to Lake Odessa High School and graduated in 1940. Part
of the time I rode the school bus but part of the time I rode
with Howard, as he worked at the farmers gas station. Part of
the time I did house work at Ernsbergers and stayed there.
Faye and Arden Weygandt and family lived just down the road
from us and her brother Ralph Sells lived with them. One fall
Mother sent me down to help them make apple butter and that is
when I met Ralph which was the beginning of our courtship.
I remember my 16th birthday, Grandpa McRoberts gave me a cedar
chest (hope chest).
It was in 1938 or 39 that Ralph got a job in Muskegon at the
Continental Motors Factory and moved up there with his brother
Ray and Pearl Sells. He came down about every weekend to see
me, and once in a while we went up there.
On September 27, 1940 we were married at home by Dad. Those
present were the Weygandt family, Ray and Pearl, Grandpa and
Grandma Winey and Grandpa McRoberts and our family. We had
fall flowers, mostly mums. Mothers girlfriend who I was named
after, Olive Henderson, made our wedding cake. We drove to
Indiana and visited some of Ralphs relatives for our honeymoon.
Pearl had sewed Ralph's pajama legs shut so he couldn't get
into them. We moved into a three room apartment on W. Webster
Ave in Muskegon. The first weekened we were there, Mother, Dad
and Joe came and we went to the Church of the Brethren, which
was being held in the Muskegon Township Hall. The people there
thought Joe was my baby.
We became very active in the church there and helped to build
the church. We were elected as lifetime Deacon and Deaconess
in our early years there. Ralph also served as Church
treasurer for the District of Michigan for several years. I
also worked several summers at our church Camp Brethren
Heights. We also enjoyed working with the Muskegon Council of
Churches and I also served as President of the Muskegon Church
Women United. We also served a few years as District Youth
Counselors for the Church of the Brethren.
Bob (Robert Mark) was born January 26, 1955 and was a ward of
the Childrens Home and lived with Lillian Wilkinson. It was in
the summer of 1956 that he came to live with us. And January
17, 1958 we adopted him. We boarded five other babies from the
Children's Home. Karen Annette was born March 24, 1958 and she
came to live with us when she was eleven days old, and we
adopted her November 27, 1959. So we were kept busy with a
family.
Some highlights of our family were attending the District
Conference of the Church of the Brethren each year. One year
we flew out to Denver to visit Ralph's brother Chlore and wife
Dimple. They took us out into the mountains each day to see
the beautiful sights. One day we made snowballs, this was in
August. We also made some trips to Maryland visiting the
Weygandts and visited Washington D.C.
It was sometime in 1966 that Ralph and I decided that I should
get a job because I would need to work for awhile after Ralph
retired. I had kept up my typing skills all these years by
doing bulletins for the church, etc. So I soon got a job as
Clerk Typist at the Universal Camshaft Factory in Muskegon
Heights where I worked for over 5 years.
Ralph continued working at Continental Motors until September
of 1969 when he became ill. He spent time in the hospital and
then was able to come home. He didn't improve but continued to
go downhill and went back to the hospital sometime in January
and on February 22, 1970 he died of carcenoma of the pancreas
which was discovered from the autopsy.
Sometime after Ralph's death, I took the Nurses Aid course at
Muskegon Community College and then got a job working at the
Medical Care Facility, and worked 4 months there before going
into the License Practical Nursing course. In December of 1973
I graduated as an LPN. I took a job in DeBoer's Nursing Home
as a charge nurse and worked for 14 years there. This was very
interesting work and I enjoyed it.
Bob graduated from high school in 1973 and then took a course
in Auto Mechanics at Muskegon Community College. He worked for
awhile in Muskegon but then took off to see the world. He now
lives on St. John's USVI with his family.
Karen graduated from high school in 1977. She was married to
Sheldon Douglas September 20, 1980. She just received an award
for 10 years of work at DeBoer's Nursing home as a Nurse's
Aide.
Gordon Petyanus and his first wife, Lillian Wilkinson, who I
talked about earlier, had been real good friends of Ralph and
mine since before they were married. In fact, Ralph and I
stoof up with them at their wedding. Lillian had told Gordon
and she also told me that he could marry me when she died. She
died early in 1982. We invited Gordon for Karen's birthday
dinner in March of 1982 and on June 19, 1982 Gordon and I were
married. Gordon was a postal clerk at the Muskegon Post
Office. We took a trip to Santa Fe, New Mexico to visit his
sister. On the way home he lost his wedding ring in one of the
rest areas. We turned around and went back looking for it but
no luck. It was on December 17, 1982 that he died of a heart
attack.
I continued my work at DeBoer's. In June of 1984, my sister
Jean and I went by Amtrack to Carbondale, Illinois to the
Church of the Brethren Annual Conference. It was in the fall
of 1985 that I went to the 'Small Church Conference' at Boyne
Mountain where I got acquainted with Donald Collier. I had
known him for many years as someone from the Sundielf Church
who came to District Conference. We were both interested in
doing volunteer work and the program of 'Brethren Volunteer
Service' of our church. Don had been a farmer, factory worker,
and Park Ranger for the DNR. His wife, Ruth, had died in 1984.
We were married February 14, 1986. Don moved up to Muskegon as
he was retired and I continued to work. We signed up for BVS.
I retired from my job in January 1987. Karen gave me a very
nice retirement party. We went to Chicago and took our
training and were assigned to Camp Brethren Heights, our church
camp at Rodney, Michigan, on Jehnsen Lake. Don worked very
hard on the moving. He did it while I was still working so I
couldn't help. Sheldon helped him some. Just ask him how much
fun it is to move someone who has lived in the same place for
38 years. We spent 2 years there and enjoyed it very much.
Then there was the move from the camp down to Don's farm home
at 9287 Clinton Trail.
Don and I have worked at several disaster sights. Don directed
the project on Culebra Island where Hurricane Hugo devastated
things. We spent a month there and then flew over to visit Bob
and family before coming home. We also worked 2 weeks at
Coophee, South Carolina. We also worked for 1 week in
Homestead, Florida where hurricane Andrew went through. We
were rear-ended there and Don got a bad whiplash which still
bothers him alot. In 1993, we went to New Windsor, Maryland
and worked at the Brethren Service Center for 6 weeks.
We are signed up for the Sudan Accompaniment Program, have had
some training, have passports, will travel, but the program is
on hold now due to the unsettles situation there.

Source: (Birth)
Title: Person
Abbreviation: Person
Author: (?) (UNKNOWN)

Page: Olive Helen Collier

Birth: 05 JAN 1922 Ionia Co, Michigan

Reference: 610

Note: We never really were introduced, Duane went to the Elmdale
Church of the Brethren and I went to the Thornapple Church of
the Brethren, so since we were kids we grew up knowing each
other. Our dating started when we went to youth meetings at
church. We were married at Duane's parents home by Logan Lake.
Waiva (Duane's sister) and Dean Lehman were our attendants. My
dad married us and Ellen Hartzier, a family friend, sang.
Olive made our wedding cake. The first year we lived with
Duane's folks, we were in partnership with them in farming.
Janice Marie was born Dec 24, 1950 at Pennock Hospital in
Hastings, MI. In the fall of 1952, we decided to go to
Manchester College in Indiana where Duane would get his
teaching degree. He took classes during the day and worked 4
hours every night in a factory. The plus of working there was
his foreman took him 'under his wing' and we became close
friends of him and his wife and spent lots of fun times when
their family. I did students' laundry and typed term papers to
help out financially. Kim Alan was born June 3, 1954 at
Wabash, Indiana. We came back to the farm and Duane taught and
was Principal at Freeport High School for 2 years. He then
took a job at Lake Odessa High School in the fall of 1958. In
1962, I went to Woodland School as a kindergarten aide. The
next year I became the secretary of the Woodland Kindergarten -
8th grades. We moved to Lake Odessa in the summer of 1964.
That was a hard move for Duane, he was still a 'farmer at
heart'. On January 25, 1967, Dawne Michelle was born at
Pennock Hospital in Hastings, MI. We moved to our new house we
had built on 6th Ave. in Lake Odessa on January 1, 1968. I
retired in September of 1985 because of health reasons. My
goal was to retire when Duane did, but it wasn't meant to be.
I was at Woodland for 23 years. Duane retired in January of
1989, after 33 1/2 years of teaching. Three days later we left
for our first winter in California. As I am writing this we
are preparing for our seventh winter there. We celebrated our
46th anniversary in December 1994. Alot has happened in these
years to make them 'happy ones'.

Source: (Birth)
Title: Person
Abbreviation: Person
Author: (?) (UNKNOWN)

Page: Marie Annetta Deardorff

Birth: 14 AUG 1927 at parents' home, Lake Odessa, Michigan

Reference: 611

Note: We were married in Alto, Michigan on March 26, 1950. We farmed
near Lancaster, Pennsylvania for three years. Then moved to
Ohio in 1953. Roy worked at 'Alcoa' in Richmond, Indiana for 38
years, 9 months, then retired and we are now enjoying
retirement, but keeping busy.

Source: (Birth)
Title: Person
Abbreviation: Person
Author: (?) (UNKNOWN)

Page: Roy Junior McRoberts (Uncle Bud)

Birth: 17 OCT 1929 Pennock Hospital, Hastings, Michigan

Reference: 612

Note: It all started at 5:45am Tuesday, September 3, 1940 and has
been going strong ever since, and hopefully will continue for
many more yeaqrs. I was born in Lake Odessa, Michigan, and
lived in that area until I was six years old when we moved to
Marilla, which is a Copemish, Michigan address.
I remember many things from my growing up days, such as before
I had my piano, walking up the hill to the church to practice,
being in the band and marching in the different festivals and
parades, but always the Cherry Festival, milking cows (can you
believe it), and of course taking care of the chickens. I had
to come home from school on Thursdays and we would have to
'dress' (I never understood and still don't understand that
term, since we tood the feathers off) upwards of 75 chickens.
Dad would chop their heads off with the ax and the chickens
would flop around on the ground, or else later on we used to
hand them by their feet on the clothes line and cut their heads
off with a butcher knife. Then came the scaulding, picking,
sienging, dressing and putting them in cold water for the
night. We had a wel that was over 200 feet deep with the
coldest and best water there ever was. I guess that is why
today I don't like any water that is not chilled and iced.
Then, on Fridays, sometimes Saturday, when I could go along, we
went on our egg route and delivered eggs and chickens. We also
had layers which would produce some 90 dozen eggs a week, which
would have to be gathered, cleaned, candled and packaged before
we could elave. Needless to say, if we didn't do this daily we
could get really far behind.
Then I remember typing the bulleting for Sunday. Most of the
time this happened on Saturday, but there were several times
that Sunday morning seemed like the only time left to get it
done. Usually this was always the time when the mimeograph
machine decided to either not work or else put too much ink on
the screen and of course when there was too much on the screen,
there was always too much on me, and I was usually already
dressed for church.
I remember other times when brothers and sisters with their
children would come for a weekend and we would have lots of
fun. When it was time to go to bed, there was always lots of
noise and confusion and Mom was always yelling up the stairs to
go to sleep and be quiet. After several times of this and no
results, Dad came to the stairs and said 'you want me to come
up there?' Well, he never came up, but we always got quiet and
went to sleep.
I graduated from Mesick High School, attended Manchester
College. I spent some time in Florida, married, divorced, and
moved back to Michigan to the Traverse City area in 1964. For
the next several years I worked for Bill Thomas' Restaurant,
changed to the hotel side of the service business, and worked
at the Fox Haus Motor Lodge. Leaving Traverse City in 1979, I
moved to Grand Rapids area where I now live. I am presently
working for the Crowne Plaza of Grand Rapids and do volunteer
work for Hope Network in one of their residential homes. I am
very involved in the church and its work at Hope Church of the
Brethren as well as in the District and right now also the
Denominational level. Some of the things I enjoy doing are
traveling, reading, concerts, and plays. Don't always have the
time, but enjoy them when I do.

Birth: 03 SEP 1940 Lake Odessa Hospital, Lake Odessa, Michigan

Nickname: Joe//

Reference: 613

Note: Born in Lake Odessa according to Homer McRoberts and Ionia
County records. Born in Six Corners, Michigan according to Roy
Jennings McRoberts.)

The Shiawassee County Courthouse doesn't have a birth record on
file for Alexander. Maybe we should try Ionia County???

Note: Was at the hospital for 3 years, five months, 21 days. Died at
age 87 at 5:45pm. Died of chronic myocarditis and cancer of
the lip.

Source: (Name)
Title: Marriage Returns
Abbreviation: Marriage Returns

Page: Ruth Winey and Roy McRoberts

Source: (Birth)
Title: 1900 Michigan Census
Abbreviation: 1900 Michigan Census

Page: Lists DOB as November 1869

Source: (Birth)
Title: Obituary
Abbreviation: Obituary

Page: Alex McRoberts

Source: (Burial)
Title: Cemetery Records
Abbreviation: Cemetery Records

Source: (Individual)
Title: Obituary
Abbreviation: Obituary

Birth: 10 NOV 1869 A Native of Six Corners, Owosso County, Michigan

Nickname: Alex//

Event: Type: Obituary
Date: 26 JUL 1957
Place: Ionia County News
Note: Funeral services were held at the Terwilleger Funeral Home at
Kaleva on Sunday and at the East Odessa Wesleyan Methodist
Church on Monday. Rev. Delores Lobdell officiated.

Occupation: Farmer and hauled milk
Date: ABT 1894

Religion: Joined the East Odessa Wesleyan Methodist Church at an early
age and attended as long as his health permitted.

Death: 19 JUL 1957 Traverse City State Hospital, Traverse City, Michigan

Burial: 22 JUL 1957 Lakewood Lakeside Cemetary, section 34 on Cemetary Rd. in Lake Odessa

Reference: 614

Note: Died at age 64 years, 8 months, 23 days.

Source: (Name)
Title: Marriage Returns
Abbreviation: Marriage Returns

Page: Ruth Winey and Roy McRoberts

Source: (Birth)
Title: 1900 Michigan Census
Abbreviation: 1900 Michigan Census

Page: DOB listed as Feb. 1874

Source: (Birth)
Title: Death Record
Abbreviation: Death Record

Page: Altha E. McRoberts

Source: (Death)
Title: Obituary
Abbreviation: Obituary

Page: Altha Etta Carr

Source: (Burial)
Title: Cemetery Records
Abbreviation: Cemetery Records

Source: (Individual)
Title: Obituary
Abbreviation: Obituary

Source: (Individual)
Title: Death Record
Abbreviation: Death Record

Birth: 28 FEB 1874 Odessa Twp, Ionia Co, Michigan

Event: Type: Obituary
Date: 24 NOV 1938
Place: The Lake Odessa-Wave Times
Note: The funeral was held Wednesday afternoon at the home of her
son, R.J. McRoberts and at the Carr church.

Event: Type: Death RTN
Place: Campbell Twp, Ionia Co, Michigan
Note: Died of Mitral Stenosis Chronic Myocarditis

Occupation: For many years she was a correspondent for the Lake Odessa
Wave-Times.

Religion: belonged to the Wesleyan Methodist church

Death: 21 NOV 1938 Lake Odessa, Michigan

Burial: 23 NOV 1938 Lakewood Lakeside Cemetary, section 34 on Cemetary Rd. in Lake Odessa

Reference: 615

Source: (Burial)
Title: Cemetery Records
Abbreviation: Cemetery Records

Birth: 11 DEC 1894

Death: 11 DEC 1894

Burial: 12 DEC 1894 Lakewood Lakeside Cemetary, section 34 on Cemetary Rd. in Lake Odessa

Reference: 616

Note: According to Ionia Co Records, he died March 7, 1903 at 10:45pm
at 1 month 20 days. Died of pnemonia. Contributory cause was
whooping cough. Doctor Charles M. Snyder, Lake Odessa,
Michigan. Undertaker George A. Weed, Lake Odessa, Michigan.

Source: (Burial)
Title: Cemetery Records
Abbreviation: Cemetery Records

Birth: 15 JAN 1903

Death: 06 MAR 1903

Burial: 08 MAR 1903 Lakewood Lakeside Cemetary, section 34 on Cemetary Rd. in Lake Odessa

Reference: 617

Note: Indiana was listed as birthplace in 1880, 1900, and 1920
Michigan Censuses

Source: (Name)
Title: Marriage Returns
Abbreviation: Marriage Returns

Page: Ruth Winey and Roy McRoberts

Source: (Birth)
Title: Marriage Returns
Abbreviation: Marriage Returns

Source: (Birth)
Title: 1900 Michigan Census
Abbreviation: 1900 Michigan Census

Source: (Birth)
Title: Death Record
Abbreviation: Death Record

Page: Elmer E. Winey

Source: (Death)
Title: Obituary
Abbreviation: Obituary

Page: Elmer Winey

Source: (Burial)
Title: Cemetery Records
Abbreviation: Cemetery Records

Page: Internet

Source: (Individual)
Title: Obituary
Abbreviation: Obituary

Source: (Individual)
Title: Death Record
Abbreviation: Death Record

Birth: 08 AUG 1862 Bandilf, Indiana, USA

Event: Type: Obituary
Date: 30 NOV 1950
Place: The Ionia County News
Note: Funeral services were held at the home and at the Thornapple
Brethren Church.

Event: Type: Death RTN
Place: Campbell Twp, Ionia Co, Michigan
Note: Died of uremia

Occupation: Farmer and Director of the Edwin Nash State Bank.

Religion: Attended the Thornapple Church of the Brethren

Death: 25 NOV 1950

Burial: 28 NOV 1950 Clarksville Cemetary, Campbell Twp., Located on Nash Rd. Michigan

Reference: 618

Note: Died from a bowel obstruction. Funeral services were held at
the Hope Church of the Brethren.

Source: (Name)
Title: Marriage Returns
Abbreviation: Marriage Returns

Page: Ruth Winey and Roy McRoberts

Source: (Birth)
Title: Marriage Returns
Abbreviation: Marriage Returns

Source: (Birth)
Title: 1900 Michigan Census
Abbreviation: 1900 Michigan Census

Source: (Birth)
Title: Obituary
Abbreviation: Obituary

Page: Anna Tobias

Source: (Death)
Title: Obituary
Abbreviation: Obituary

Page: Anna Winey

Source: (Burial)
Title: Cemetery Records
Abbreviation: Cemetery Records

Source: (Individual)
Title: Obituary
Abbreviation: Obituary

Birth: 07 OCT 1868 Darke Co, Ohio

Event: Type: Obituary
Date: 28 JUL 1956
Place: The Muskegon Chronicle, Muskegon, Michigan

Event: Type: Obituary
Date: 02 AUG 1956
Place: The Ionia County News

Religion: Was a member of the Thornapple Brethren Church.

Religion: Was a member of the Hope Church of the Brethren.

Death: 28 JUL 1956 Osteopathic Hospital, Muskegon, Michigan

Burial: 30 JUL 1956 Clarksville Cemetary, Campbell Twp., Located on Nash Rd. Michigan

Reference: 619

Note: Was a consciencious objector during World War I.

Source: (Name)
Title: Obituary
Abbreviation: Obituary

Page: Elmer Winey

Source: (Birth)
Title: 1900 Michigan Census
Abbreviation: 1900 Michigan Census

Source: (Burial)
Title: Cemetery Records
Abbreviation: Cemetery Records

Birth: 02 NOV 1887 Michigan, USA

Death: 02 FEB 1970 Grand Rapids, Kent Co, Michigan

Burial: 05 FEB 1970 Lakewood Lakeside Cemetary, section 34 on Cemetary Rd. in Lake Odessa

Reference: 620

Note: Near the corner of 76th St. and Freeport Rd.

Source: (Name)
Title: Obituary
Abbreviation: Obituary

Page: Elmer Winey

Source: (Birth)
Title: 1900 Michigan Census
Abbreviation: 1900 Michigan Census

Birth: 22 APR 1900 Michigan

Death: 30 DEC 1989

Burial: 02 JAN 1990 Bowne Mennonite Cemetery, Bowne Twp, Kent Co, Michigan

Reference: 621