May & Ronald Hempy
I have a photo of Ronald and May that I would be more than happy to scan and send it to anyone who would like a copy. Or if someone can tell me how to attach one here.My email is [email protected]
Steve
Abby Mae Smith was born May 4, 1899 in Appanoose County, Iowa, the youngest child of Nancy Jane and Abner Smith, She had five older brothers and one older sister, Elizabeth, who died in childbirth of her fifth child. Her brothers were John, Bert, Ray, Frank and Elmer.Frank died as a young man of diabetes.
This is a letter written to my aunt Beverly (Smith) Padget from Ruby Hempy (Juenke) I also have photos of Curtis and Ruby Juenke and Debbie and Becky when they were children taken around 1965
Abby married Ronald Hamilton Hempy December 20, 1922. They lived in Montour, Iowa near Ronald’s grandmother. Ronald hauled wood for a living and did a little farming. They moved to Clutier, Iowa in 1940. They bought 360 acres where they raised hogs and cattle to sale as well as used for food for the family. They raised corn, oats and alfalfa all to use to feed the livestock. A large garden was cared for by Mae and the children. Everyone family member worked in the fields, did chores and gardening. During harvest time Abby Mae cooked large meals of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, and gravy, fresh vegetables, and fruits with fresh pies and a lot of drinks, coffee and cold drinks for the workers. Farmers helped each other with the harvest. These workers were all served a morning lunch and afternoon lunch of sandwiches and sodas taken to the field.
Ronald and Abby Mae had four children, Lena born October 14, 1923, Lucille born July 4, 1926, Merlyn born February 25, 1929 and Ruby born January 3, 1936. The children attended a country school. Lena and Lucille graduated the eighth grade there. Merlyn graduated the eighth grade and then to Clutier to attend four years of high school where he graduated.Ruby went to the country school to the second grade and then to Clutier to the third through the first semester of the tenth grade. She graduated from Sharyland High school in Mission, Texas in 1954. Lucille and Lena worked for many families helping them care for their children. In 1952 we moved to Mission, Texas because of my fathers health. He became a truck farmer, there on South Glasscock Road. He bought 25 acres there with a grove. In 1951 before we moved to Texas all of the trees were frozen in a big freeze. Mom and dad bought this property on a trip to Texas before the move. He replaced trees up around the house about five or ten acres andthe rest he planted, cabbage, lettuce, radishes, carrots, cantaloupes,
Sugar baby watermelons, peppers, cucumbers, squash, beans, black eyed peas. He also farmed other peoples land. These vegetables were sold to the grocery stores in the area. We gathered all these crops daily and prepared them them to be taken to the stores the next day. Merlyn, went into the army before our family moved to Texas, when he returned home he married Lela (Vogel), October 18, 1953 and lived on one of the farms dad farmed, and worked with dad with cotton and vegetables. Lena and Lucille, again worked for families in the Mission area. Lena worked only a while, she had arthritis quite badly and could not continue.
After graduation I moved to Katy, Texas with my aunt and uncle, James Elmer and Nellie (Harl) Smith and worked at the telephone company. I returned to Mission and worked at Southwestern Bell for about six months and then got a job with Curtis Juenke, who worked for the Internal Revenue. We married September 16, 1956, moved to McAllen, Texas. We have three children, Debbie born 1957, Becky born 1959, and Ronnie born 1962.Merlyn and Lena moved to Mercedes where he farmed and worked for the water district. In the seventies they moved with their family Dolores, David, Diana and Gene and Jane (Twins) to Rosharon, Texas where Merlyn got a job with the Texas Prison System as a guard.
Our father Ronald, died November 26, 1962. Mother Abby Mae, died September 5, 1972. Lucille passed away May 15, 1985 and Lena passed away July 22, 1998.
Our mother, Lena and Lucille moved from the farm in Sharyland to a home in Mission that also had three rentals after our father died. After Lucille passed away Lena moved to a nursing home. The property in Mission was then sold.
Merlyn and Lena live in Angleton, Texas. He is retired, but enjoys his yard and helps others with theirs. They are active in their church. Dolores and Ken Norton and sons Christopher and Timmy live in Houston, Diana and Glen Neimann and daughter Mary Kay live in WI. Jane and Mitch Dill and son Jonathan live in North Zulch, Texas and Gene Hempy lives in Dallas.
I have been a substituteteacher for 26 years and still working. Curtis is now retired from the IRS. Our children are all in Texas. Debbie and Jim Polito are both teachers and live in the Woodlands, Texas with their children Megan and Nicholas. Becky and Bobby Slovak live in Bryan, Texas both are teachers and have two children, Christopher and Rachel. Ronnie and Norma Juenke live in Pearland, Texas. Ronnie works for and oil and gas company in Houston. They have two children Mitchell and Cody. Curtis and I both enjoy working in our church, doing our yard work and enjoying our grandchildren. My hobby is baking. I’ve also enjoyed making quilts, during the Summer for my family, with a group of friends in our church.
Bev (Beverly (Smith) Padget) I do hope this helps you with information about our family. I'm like you, we just didn’t talk about some of this as much as we should have.
Love you,
Ruby (Ruby (Hempy) Juenke