News3

by BOB HAYS, President
Kiowa Historical Society
Estella (Mrs. Jim) Snead will be 102 years young Wednesday Feb. 1. Her father was Edward Strohmeier and her mother was Lucy (Brannon) Strohmeier, she had a brother Roy, and sisters Kathryn, and Edna Mae.
Her father was a leather crafter who made saddles, harness etc., first working for L.B. Hill Mercantile Co. who had come to Kiowa from Missouri in 1899, and then opened his own shop. Estelle shares a few thoughts about her life with us to day.
“I WAS born in Kiowa and attended the Kiowa school system, graduating in the spring of 1928. My father didn’t want me to be a nurse, so I attended a Business College in Wichita, and after graduating there I returned to Kiowa and started working at the First National Bank, and in the depth of the depression when the Banks closed, it then opened as the First State Bank, because we could loan farmers more money with less collateral.
My mother and sisters moved to California but I stayed in Kiowa, and then on August 2, 1937 I married Jim Snead, my childhood sweetheart, and we moved to California. I needed to find a job there, but jobs were scarce during those years, but someone told me to try the tax office. I made an appointment and met the manager and he told me they weren’t hiring at that time, but I was welcome to fill out an application, which I did and he hired me that day. The girls later told me he hired me because he could read my writing. When I left Kiowa I was making $90.00 per month, and my first monthly check was $367.00. There was gold in California.
We returned to Kiowa in 1945, and found the confectionary closed and felt it should be open again for the young folks, as we had such good times there, so we purchased it and operated it in 1945 and 1946, and sold it to Walt Hobbs. On September 13, 1947, I opened “Estella’s Beauty Shop and Ladies and Infant’s Apparel Store”. We later moved back to California, where I continued working and Jim worked in the electrical utilities field until we retired and returned to Kiowa.
My husband Jim passed away March 22,1996, at age 89. We lost our daughter in 2003 and our son Dennis lives in California. My life today is somewhat limited as I don’t drive but I still play the piano, let me tell you about the piano.
I had seen a piano in a window of one of the stores and wanted to be able to play, and I kept asking for a piano. My father was a harness maker and he would go to the farms and ranches to measure the horses, even though they were teams, very few were exactly the same size individually. They were work horses, not parade horses, and if they rubbed a sore they couldn’t work them until they healed. A man in Alva had a piano, so my father traded a set of harness for the piano, however no one wanted to give me lessons as I was only 4 or 5 years old at the time, finally a lady said send her over and if I think she shows any talent for it, I’ll give her lessons. I took piano lessons continuously for 13 years, a very enjoyable time in my life.”
Estella still lives in her home with some assistance, and I’m sure she would enjoy hearing from friends.
Jean Heath will be 102 years young on February 3, 2012. Her father was Raymond F. Edwards, her mother was Alma Francis (Rentfrow) Edwards. She raised three children, John Delos Heath, Deanna Bea ( Heath) Roudybush, and Heather Jean ( Heath) Williams.
Jean is a living “Pioneer”, one of those special people that we read about, and talk about, but with all of our modern conveniences have no clue what life was really like for her as a child, the opportunity to have an education, (Jean was the Valedictorian of her senior class) then college and a teaching degree. The following is a brief history of one who has been there, done that, and much more, as we honor her today, Jean recalls some of the events in her life.
“I WAS born in Hazelton Ks.. We moved to various towns because of my father’s business in my early years. My mother had TB and past away when I was eight years old. I then moved in with my father’s parents in Hazelton, and lived there while going to school, graduating from Hazelton High School in 1927.
I attended Emporia Teachers College in Emporia Ks. My first teaching job was a one room country school house south of Hazelton. It was during this time that I met Dea Heath, who was farming near by. After my second year in college, I taught in Attica Ks., and living with an aunt and uncle there. In those days I was able to take a year of college, then work a year at teaching to earn enough money to go back to college. After one year we could get a three year teaching certificate for the state of Kansas, and after a second year, we could get a “Lifetime Certificate” for which I acquired. (Times have greatly changed). My college and teaching days are as follows: College, 1927-1928, taught 1928-1929, college, 1929-1930, taught 1930-1931.
In 1931 Dea and I were married, and we lived on the land that he was farming between Hazelton and Kiowa. Both Dea and I lost our parents at an early age, and were essentially raised by aunts and uncles. Dea came from Missouri to live with relatives near Kiowa.
I gave up teaching to become a farmer’s wife and mother. We had three children, one boy, and two girls. We were a 4-H family, involved with livestock, cooking and sewing projects, it was a wonderful time. Dea passed away in 1981, and I remained on the farm continuing with my gardening and canning produce. I participated in many quilting projects which was a favorite of mine to do. The Hardtner Fair was always a highlight of every summer.
In 1999, I purchased a home in Kiowa and moved from the farm. The many family get togethers with my children and grandchildren on the farm, will forever be cherished in my memory.”
Jean still lives at home with the help of family and friends, she would enjoy hearing from you, send her a card and write her a note, her address is 520 Holmes St. Kiowa Ks. 67070