Orville Hale
50th Wedding Anniversary Occasions Family Gathering
The fiftieth wedding anniversary of Mr. and Mrs. Orville Hale on Sunday, August 3rd, occasioned a family gathering and they were feted by their children and relatives in honor of the golden event.Three beautifully decorated wedding cakes adorned the dining table and the celebrants were the recipients of many other pleasing gifts.
After a bounteous dinner, the perfect day was spent visiting, playing games and taking family pictures.
Present to share the happy event with Mr. and Mrs. Hale were Mr. and Mrs. Ed Hough and children, Wilma, Kenneth, and Anita, (Sgt. Glenn Hough, their eldest son, is stationed in Korea); Mr. and Mrs. Carl Kaiser and children, Alan, Janet and Lee; Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Hale and children, Vivian, Aleda and Linda; Mr. and Mrs. Ed Stuppy and daughter Patricia; Mr. and Mrs. Everett Erickson and little daughters, Rebecca and Cynthia; Mr. and Mrs. Cordie Ragon, Mr. and Mrs. Howard Ragon and little daughter, Marie Jane, Miss Harriett Clark and Mrs. McMillan.
This undated Star article was found in a scrapbook owned by Town Historian Richard Schmal. The accompanying photo was too brittle and worn to be reproduced here:
35 YEARS ON ORHARD GROVE FARM
Orville and Edith Hale have farmed on the Nine-Mile stretch in the Orchard Grove community since 1918 and they have been farming around Lowell since 1904, two years after they were married.Edith's grandfather, Jerry Kenney, came to Orchard Grove as a boy of 14 in 1836 and later purchased the general store from Deforest Warner that became known, and although it no longer exists, is widely remembered as Kenney's store on Kenney's corner. On the Lowell-Hebron road for years, it was the "jumping off spot" for hunters and fishermen from the direction of Crown Point on their way to the Kankakee. Kenney was also postmaster but upon inauguration of rural free delivery, his office closed and so did the general store after a few years. Edith's mother, Lucinda Kenney, worked in the store before she was married. Edith was born on one of Jerry's farms in 1883, went to the Orchard Grove school and was graduated from Lowell high school in 1902.
Orville's dad was born in Indiana, went to Kansas, married ____ farmed near Yates Center. Orville was born there in 1879, went to school in Nebraska, and came to Lowell at 18. He and Edith, married in 1902, celebrated their 50th anniversary last August.
Daughter Vernice, Mrs. Ed Hough, lives at Hebron; Ruth, Mrs. Carl Kaiser, near Lowell; Rachel, Mrs.Ed Stuppy, at Hammond. Son Floyd, who works at Leroy, has a home near his parents. Milford died in 1950 at the age of 42. Both boys were World War II veterans, Floyd, a sergeant, served at Okinawa and Japan and Milford took part in the European campaign from North Africa, Corsica, France, to Germany. A sergeant at war's end in Europe, he served then at Okinawa.
The Hales have 11 grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
The Hales bought their place 35 years ago from Octavius Clark who had lived there for 45 years. Two peonies planted by "Tave" when he started there still bear two to three hundred flowers.
The organ in the picture, played by Mrs. Hale, has been in her family 80 years.
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