BioA: Learn, Mr./Mrs. Howard (60th – 5 Nov 1974)

Transcriber: stan@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Learn, Pierce, Williams, White, Shufelt

----Source: THORP COURIER (Thorp, Clark County, Wis.) 31 Jan 1974

Learn, Mr./Mrs. Howard (60th – 5 Nov 1974)

Mr. and Mrs. Howard Learn celebrated their 60th wedding Anniversary November 24, 1973 with an open house reception at the Hannibal Gym. Approximately 125 guests and relatives attended.

The couple were presented with many nice gifts and cash.

Miss Hazel Pierce and Mrs. Learn were married at Osterdock November 5, 1913. They have three children, Velma, Mrs. Clarence Shufelt of Hannibal; Emmet of Manhatten, Montana and Howard of Colesburg, Iowa; six grandchildren and 13 great-grandchildren.

They lived on a farm until they moved here to Hannibal in 1933, where they began farming, and are still farming with a few black angus cattle.

The Learns have been an asset to the community. He furnished wood for the people in town, put up ice for the business people and plowed their gardens. They have been active in church work. Mrs. Learn was pianist and served on the church board as trustee for a number of years. She taught Sunday School for 40 years, was Superintendent of Sunday School for 18 years, a member of Ladies Aid for 40 years, and a member of Work Basket for 25 years; and with the help of Mrs. Franklin Williams and Mrs. Ray White, organized a community club; with the help of town chairman Mr. Clark and the men around, made the town park. The ladies bought a picnic table, fireplace and swings. She was a 4-H leader for 10 years and the club made a lawn at the church, grubbed stumps and planted trees. She was a cook at the Hannibal School for 11 years, served as Justice of the Peace for 2 terms; has been Health Officer for 16 years and was correspondent for the Star News and Thorp Courier for a number of years.

They are the oldest couple in Hannibal.

Guests attended from Hannibal, Watertown, South Dakota, Waukesha, Wis., Colesburg, Iowa, Dubuque, Lamont, Charles City and Gutenberg, Iowa; Medford, Gilman, Jump River and Perkinstown, Wis.

The Learns read a letter of congratulations from Senator Obey and from the White House.