BioA: Hales, Mr. and Mrs. George (62nd - 1973)

Contact: Dolores (Mohr) Kenyon
E-mail: dolores@wiclarkcountyhistory.org 

Surnames: Hales, Krejci, Burrows, Hainz, Hiett, Bergemann, Pietenpol, Korth, Back, Eibergen, Dahl, Rowe

----Source: Clark County Press (Neillsville, Clark Co, WI) /1973

Hales, Mr. and Mrs. George (62nd - 29 March 1973)

For Mr. and Mrs. George Hales, who observed their 62nd wedding anniversary March 29, life has centered in the Town of York.

Both were born in the Town of York, educated there, married there, and have lived on the same dairy farm northwest of Granton throughout their married years. The Merry Vale School, which they attended, was built in 1889 and is still standing, used now (together with a new addition) for storage by the Granton School system.

The March 29 date has additional meaning, for it also marked Mr. Hales’ 86th birthday. Mrs. Hales’ birthday is a day with a double meaning as well, for it falls on December 25.

George Hales and the former Mary Krejci, were married March 29, 1911, at the Town of York home of her parents. The Rev. William T. Burrows, a Methodist clergyman from Neillsville, officiated. Attendants were her sister, Emma Krejci, and his brother, Loren Hales. Both are now deceased. Mrs. Hales and her sister, Miss Estelle Krejci of Neillsville, are the remaining members of a family of six, and Mr. Hales and his brother, Harry of Wisconsin Rapids, are the last of their family of eight.

They are parents of two daughters, Mrs. Lawrence (Verona) Hainz of Milwaukee and Mrs. John (Marian) Hiett. The Hietts, who made their home in Davenport, La., are now retired and have been traveling about the country before taking up permanent residence again. They spent the past summer in a mobile home adjacent to her parents’ home. George and Mary Hales are grandparents of six and great-grandparents of 10.

Mr. and Mrs. Hales have been active in York Center community life and are charter members of the York Center Community club. They are also active members of the York Center United Methodist Church.

Among other positions held during his lifetime, George Hales was secretary and treasurer of the York Dairy Company from February of 1924 up to the time the company was sold in September of 1926. (Although not the original purchaser, the firm is now a part of the Bletsoe Dairy). Mr. Hales recalls that the dairy’s list of patrons included, in addition to those now deceased, Gust Bergemann, now of Memorial Home, Bernard Pietenpol of Neillsville, Floyd Pietenpol of rural Granton, Emil Korth of Lake Mills, Harry Hales of Wisconsin Rapids and Carl Back and Munce Eibergen of Marshfield.

The Hales’ wedding anniversary and his birthday were marked Sunday with a family dinner at the home of a sister-in-law, Mrs. Verla Hales, in Granton. Guests also included Alvin Dahl, Mr. and Mrs. Milford Rowe and William Eibergen. The afternoon was spent socially.