Bio: Bushnell, Carol (100th B-Day - 2011)

Clark County Press, Neillsville, Clark Co., WI

March 9, 2011, Page 9

Contact: Dolores Mohr Kenyon

Neillsville High School graduate turns 100

Carol Bushnell of Owen’s Clark County Health Care Center turned 100 Tuesday, march 8, and will have a celebration this weekend. Bushnell graduated from Neillsville High School in 1930. (Contributed Photo)

Carol Bushnell, a current Clark County Health Care Center resident and Owen resident since 1942, joined an elite club of centenarians Tuesday, March 8, when she celebrated her 100^th birthday.

When it comes to turning 100, Bushnell can’t believe she’s been around this long. Family and work are the most important elements of her life even to this day.

Bushnell was born March 9, 1911, to parents Harmon and Floy (Lawrence) Huntley in the Town of York in Clark County.  She had one sister, Irene (Huntley) Filitz.

Owen resident and Neillsville High School graduate Carol Bushnell (right), who turned 100 Tuesday, March 8, poses with her sister, Irene, during her youth.  (Contributed photo)

The family’s farm was located on what is now Curley Creek Road, located approximately two and one-half miles northwest of the York Center Church.  Carol and her first cousin, Della (Lawrence) Chase, often walked across adjoining 40-acre parcels just to spend time together.  Many relatives made up the Town of York area, such as the Lawrence, Vandeburg, Rowe, Smithers, Turner and Hales families.

Bushnell holds an eighth-grade diploma dated June 1926; she graduated from Neillsville High School in 1930.  In several yearbooks, more than one faculty member described Bushnell as a hard worker. This was a fitting description of her, since it took a year after eighth grade for the family to find some employment for Bushnell, as well as a place to live, because they could not afford high school.

Bushnell did light housekeeping and child care for a Neillsville family for room and board, which allowed her to attend high school and put her in the same class as her dear cousin, Della.

Despite needing to work, Bushnell and her classmates found time for some fun, as is noted in those high school yearbooks, as well.

Bushnell’s father helped her learn to drive; no formal lessons and classes, or even a license, was required during that time. She still displays a picture of a champion Holstein heifer she entered at the Clark County Fair during the 1920’s.

Bushnell poses with a prize heifer in the mid-1920s (Contributed photo)

Carol married Merle Bushnell Aug. 18, 1932, at her parent’s home in the Town of York.  They lived in the Town of Beaver (north of Loyal) until 1942.

Farm jobs and any other odd jobs typically earned then $1 a day, as well as room and board. Carol and Merle had four children - Duane, Mavis, Brian and Priscilla.

In 1942, the Bushnell’s purchased 20 acres approximately one-half mile south of Owen through a sheriff’s sale. Like most farm wives, Carol maintained the home and cared for the kids. She was the primary gardener who canned and preserved food for the family. Carol helped milk cows and complete chores. As the farm wound down, she worked at "odd and odder jobs" (Carol’s words for a class reunion in the 1970’s).  She did cleaning and child care. She worked part-time at Master Package Corporation in Owen and eventually progressed to full-time.  In the summer of 1985, Carol and Merle sold the home on the outskirts of Owen and moved into the city of Owen.

In 2003, Carol moved to the Clark County Health Care Center. To this day, she still talks about enjoying working and wanting to keep busy. Bushnell stays active and busy by participating in any activities available to her, such as sewing, cooking, baking, bus rides around the area and going to local restaurants, where she may see someone she knows.  Bushnell loves to visit and chat with anyone and everyone. Her biggest complaint about the Health Care Center is not having activities on the weekends or holidays, because then she gets bored.

The family of Carol Bushnell; her children, seven grandchildren, six great-grandchildren and two great-great-grandchildren invite everyone to celebrate Carol’s 100^th birthday. An open house celebration will be held at the Clark County Health Care Center multi-purpose room Saturday, March 12, from 1 to 5 p.m. to honor this Owen centenarian.