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Simons Family Tree
Mary Simons (1915-)
Mary Simons was born June 4, 1915, during the time her parents, Thomas Simons and Hilda Jakelin Simons
were living on a farm east of Delhi, Delaware County, Iowa. Mary Simons
attended school in the area. Following her graduation, she attended the
normal School at Cedar Falls, Iowa. With this training she began
teaching in rural schools.
She had met Elmer John McElmeel several years before 1937, but nothing
developed of the acquaintance until she returned from teacher's
training at Cedar Falls, Iowa and began to teach at Stoney Point.
Stoney Point was a small rural school 3 or so miles east of Delhi. On
November 23, 1937, Mary Simons and Elmer John McElmeel were married at
St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Earlville, Iowa. They farmed west of
Delhi on a farm owned by Elmer's mother.
The couple's first child, a daughter -- Joyce Marie, was born in 1940.
A year later their first son, Elmer John McElmeel, Jr. -- Jack, was
born. Two more sons, Jerome Francis and Steven Martin, and two more
daughters, Rosemary and Kathryn Elaine were born. Kathryn died a few
months after her birth, in 1950.
During their marriage Elmer and Mary McElmeel farmed west of Delhi,
Iowa in Hazel Green Township. They kept a herd of dairy cows, and
raised grain crops. Work was exchanged between neighbors. The children
walked over two miles to a county school. Each member of the family had
their chores and worked hard.
Elmer suffered a heart attack in April, 1952. He was in Delaware County
Memorial Hospital in Manchester, Iowa when he passed away on April 15,
1952. He left behind his widow and five young children: Joyce (12),
Jack (10), Rosemary (8), Jerry (5), and Steve (3 1/2).
With the help of neighbors and her family, Mary Simons McElmeel
finished out the crop year, and then sold out her farm machinery and
livestock. She moved her young family to Delhi. Mary's mother, Hilda
Simons -- then a widow, moved in with her to help care for the children
while Mary went to Cedar Rapids to work at Collins Radio. After earning
enough money to finance a summer session at Cedar Falls, she returned
to college to obtain the necessary credentials to teach again.
Returning once again to her family, she taught for more than twenty
years in Oneida, Delaware, Hopkinton, Delhi, and Buck Creek Schools.
For many years, during the summer she supplemented her income by
working at Camp Delhi. She completed her work for a Bachelors of Arts
degree from Upper Iowa University in 1965, the same year her youngest
son graduated from Maquoketa Valley High School. She taught for several
more years before retiring.
In 1977, Mary Simons McElmeel moved to Branson, Missouri. In 1980 she
returned to Iowa, settling in Cedar Rapids, Iowa where she has lived
for more than two decades.
Statistics:
Mary Simons
Born: June 4, 1915
Married: Elmer John McElmeel on November 23, 1937 in St. Joseph's Roman Catholic Church in Earlville, Iowa
Residences:
farm east of Delhi, Iowa (parental home)
farm in Hazel Green Township, Delaware County, Iowa (1940s to 1952)
town of Delhi, Iowa (1952-1977)
Branson, Missouri (1977-1980)
Cedar Rapids, Iowa (1980- )
Degree: B.A. Upper Iowa University, Fayette, Iowa (1965)
Children:
Six children (3 daughters and 3 sons) including:
- Joyce Marie (b. February 2, 1940 in Monticello, Iowa)
Joyce married Ronald Christen (b. February 16, 1937) on December
31, 1960 at the Immaculate Conception Roman Catholic Church in Cedar
Rapids, Iowa. She earned a nursing degree and was for more than three
decades a registered nurse in the maternity ward at Mercy Medical
Center, Cedar Rapids, Iowa. They became parents to four children:
- David John (b. June 30, 1961 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa; married and living in Denver, Colorado - 2000; two children)
- Robert Joseph (b. July 5, 1962 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa; married
Diana, living in Walford, Iowa - 2000; two children: Matthew and Lisa)
- Patrick Jacob (b. March 7, 1964 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa; living in Fairfax, Iowa - 2000)
- Mary Ann (b. July 6, 1966 in Cedar Rapids, Iowa; living in Walford - 2000)
Elmer John, Jr.(b. June 11, 1941 in Monticello, Iowa)
"Jack" married Sharron Leila Hanson (b. September 13, 1942) on
January 12, 1963 at St. John's Roman Catholic Church in Delhi, Iowa. He
served in the United States Air Force from August 1959 to August 1963.
As a member of Local #263, Sheet Metal Workers International
Association he worked for over three decades in the Cedar Rapids - Iowa
City, Iowa area. They are parents to six children: Michael John,
Deborah Lea, Thomas John, Steven John, Matthew John, and Suzanne Lea;
grandparents to six: Michael Joseph (May 28, 1983), Jade Marie
(November 21, 1990), Aubrey Michelle (December 27, 1990), and Elmer
Joseph (September 23, 2000), Kylie Lynn (January 15, 2003), Kaydence
Paige (October 19, 2004).
Rosemary (b. July 31, 1943 at Ryan, Iowa)
Rosemary married Ronald Terrance Clark in Lodi, California on May
7. After living in Wisconsin and Alaska, the couple settled in
Glendale, Arizona. She is a procurement officer with the U.S.
Government -- often responsible for ordering all the equipment, food,
and so forth when large groups of firefighters are fighting fires in
the western part of the United States. They are parents to two sons:
Timothy John (b. December 22, 1964 in California) and James David (b.
February 10, 1966 in Wisconsin).
Jerome Francis (b. May 20, 1946 at Monticello, Iowa)
Jerome married Carolyn Locke (b. February 19) on February 19, 1968
in the Naval Chapel in San Diego, California. After living for a few
years in California the couple returned to Cedar Rapids, Iowa and
eventually Jerry became a member of Local #263, Sheet Metal Workers
International Association and worked in the Cedar Rapids- Iowa City,
Iowa area. They have two sons: Mark Jerome (b. April 25, 1969 in St.
Mary's Hospital, Long Beach, Los Angeles County, California) and Brian
James (b. August 11, 1974, Cedar Rapids, Linn County, Iowa).
Jerry and Carolyn are grandparents to twin grandsons Alex Witte and
Ryan Christopher born July 28, 2005.
Steven Martin (b. September 21, 1948 at Monticello, Iowa)
Steven married Ellen Wilson Jones (b. March 16, 1948) on October
13, 1984. Steven became a member of Local #263, Sheet Metal Workers
International Association and worked in the Cedar Rapids - Iowa City,
Iowa area. Together they raised her daughter, Julie Jones (b. September
19, 1968). Steve and Ellie are grandparents to Taylor.
Kathryn Elaine (b. August 10, 1950 at Dubuque, Iowa; d. September 18, 1950)
Kathryn Elaine lived only a few weeks. She is buried in St. John's
Catholic Cemetery, next to her father, in Delhi, Delaware County, Iowa.
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Last Updated: 01/01/01
