Donald William & Bernice Fey

FEY THOMPSON ASHLEY

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 8/27/2010 at 22:57:21

History of Woodbury County, Iowa 1984

Donald William and Bernice Ashley Fey
By Mrs Bernice Fey

Donald William Fey was born in Omaha, Nebraska, on June 14, 1910, the only son of Ethel Thompson Fey and William Fey. A sister, Dorothy was born on September 18, 1911. The Fey family, of German heritage, farmed in eastern Iowa on the Toronto, Stanwood, and Wheatland area before coming to Anthon where Mr Fey operated a dredgeline. Donald attended rural schools in eastern Iowa and rural schools in the Anthon area, where he came at the age of nine. He farmed with his father until his marriage to Miss Bernice Ashley, daughter of Charles and Mary Ashley, on May 30, 1936.

Donald and Bernice rented a farm owned by Joe Chaussee in Wolfcreek Township, Section 24. On January 22, 1941, they bought the adjoining eighty acres, section 24, which had reverted back to Land Bank ownership during the depression years. At the time that Mr and Mrs Fey bought these eighty acres there had been no one living there for many years. There were no buildings, fences, wells or any of the other necessities to begin farming. On February 28, 1945, Mr and Mrs Fey moved with two of their children to the farm. Since its purchase, Mr Fey has improved the land with a well, buildings, fences and improved farming methods.

Mr and Mrs Fey are the parents of three children: Marjorie Mary, born June 17, 1937; William Ashley, born December 5, 1941; and Bruce Charles, born February 15, 1950. Marjorie married Joseph E Farris, Jr, of West Virginia and they and their daughter, Ashely Wilson Farris, live in Richmond, Kentucky. William married the former Kathleen Schaefer of Minnesota. They are the parents of three chidlren: Kammy Jo, Brett Warren, and Boyd William. Mr and Mrs William Fey are presently living in New Braunfels, Texas where Mr Fey is employed by Ozark airlines. Bruce married the former Sue Ann Paulsen, daughter of Mr and Mrs Norman Paulsen. They are the parents of Beau Ashley, Megan Leigh and Josie Anne. They live in Sioux City, where Mr Fey is associated with St Luke’s Medical Center and Mrs Fey is a nurse.

Donald Fey has been a Farm Bureau member for many years, a member of the Rock Branch and Anthon Methodist Church, a member and officer of Cerulean Lodge, No. 550 in Anthon, a member and officer of the Order of the Eastern Star in Anthon, and a member of the Scottish Rites. An avid pilot of small aircraft in the late forties and fifties, Mr Fey is presently a member of the Lawton Flying Club where he enjoys the company of other pilots.

Bernice Ashley Fey has lived her entire life in the Anthon area with the exception of one year during which she moved with her parents to California. Mr Fey taught in several one-room rural schools prior to her marriage in 1936. In 1954 she resumed teaching in the Anthon rural schools and when those schools were closed and consolidated with the Anthon Public School system, she began teaching in the Anthon elementary schools. She taught in both the Oto and Anthon elementary centers. When she retired from teaching in 1975 she had taught a total of twenty-eight years. She has also been a member of the Farm Bureau where she served as County Schools Chairman, a member and officer of Thonna Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star, and a member of the Rock Branch and Anthon Methodist Churches, where she served in various capacities in the church and in the Women’s Society of Christian Service.