X. Life after Leaving Sandridge Farm

Entering college 35 years after graduating from high school was quite a challenge, but I got along very well with the students and faculty.

In September I was employed to teach the upper grades at Mound School on South 12th Street. As Wilmer was employed by the Rouse Roofing Company in Quincy we drove to work together. Later he worked for the Terry Brothers in Ursa, and for Harvey's Furniture in Quincy. After teaching at Mound School for two years the school was closed; and the pupils were transferred to Monroe School south of Quincy on Payson Road.

I was then hired by Unit 4, Mendon, Illinois, to teach the fourth grade at the Ursa Grade School. We moved to the Leroy Grimes pony farm north of Ursa. Wilmer drove a school bus and became a custodian at the school.

While living here Larry entered Culver Stockton College in Canton, Missouri. Larry was on the football team, so we attended as many games as we could.

When the new elementary school building was built north of Ursa and in Mendon both Wilmer and I were employed at Greenfield, the new school building built between Ursa and Marcelline. While living on the Grimes place Mother lived with us for a couple of years.

Later we moved west of Marcelline to the Eshom home; Wilmer had started to help Bill with his farming interests.

While living on the Esham home, on June 15, 1963, Larry and Sara Finke were married at St. Peters Church in Quincy. They left to attend Southern University in Carbondale, Illinois.

After Bill bought the Diamond Motel on North 12th Street, he asked us to move there and help run the motel. That was a learning experience!

I continued teaching, and for a short period taught in the upper grades at Mendon, Illinois. Later I was transferred back to Greenfield to teach Remedial Reading.

After we bought our home in Quincy (1968), at 2504 Lind and I had retired from public school teaching. I taught in one of the third grade rooms at St. Peter's School in Quincy.

Five years later, on September 10, 1973, three months before our fiftieth wedding anniversary, Wilmer passed away. His last employment was selling apples for William Chatten.

I had thought it to be foolish when the children planned celebrations for our fortieth and forty-fifth wedding anniversaries, but I thought differently about it when we didn't get to celebrate our fiftieth.

Nine days after Wilmer's death, our youngest grandson was born in Macomb, Illinois, to Larry and Sara.

Since retiring I have taken several trips, have done volunteer and church work, and have worked for Alpha Delta Kappa, a teacher's sorority. I am thankful for good health.

Before I close I must tell you about the ring I lost while living south of Ursa. While doing my household tasks I would take off my diamond engagement ring, leaving it on the dresser. When papering was being done, the ring disappeared. We felt that it must have been brushed accidentally onto the floor and put into the furnace with old pieces of wall paper. Wilmer looked through the ashes but found no ring. The next spring when crossing the driveway Jerry spied something glitter in the road where some of the ashes had been spread. It was the ring; the gold had melted but the diamond was all right! We had it put into another ring. Later when the band wore thin, I had the diamond engagement ring and the wedding ring welded together.

One morning this spring I discovered that the diamond set from my ring was missing. I was about to order another set to replace it, when I saw something glitter on the carpet beside my bed. It was the diamond. How glad I was that I had not used the vacuum ,sweeper that morning! I decided I must be doing something right in my life.

Now I am enjoying the two courses I am taking from John Woods Community College - "Water Color" and "Writing Your Memoirs".