Edwin & Willys Morey

MOREY SCHULZE HOPKINS

Posted By: Connie Swearingen (email)
Date: 9/7/2010 at 00:30:26

History of Woodbury County, Iowa 1984

Edwin and Willys Morey
By Jeanenne Leedom

Edwin is the fourth child of Harry and Martha (Schulze) Morey and was born on February 18, 1915, in Primghar, O’Brien County, Iowa. When he was young, the family moved quite often as his father farmed on many different places. On April 1, 1940 Edwin married Willys Iva Hopkins. Willys ia the daughter of Willis and Iva (Morey) Hopkins, and was born August 7, 1914, in Stafford, Holt County, Nebraska. Atone time Stafford was a thriving community about half way between Ewing and Inman, Nebraska, but now there is nothing there but one little shack.

As a young man, Edwin was a farmer and followed the harvest fields into South Dakota, North Dakota, and Minnesota. He also worked on the construction crew for the railroad.

During World War II, Edwin served in the U S Army from October 1944 until the end of the war. He was captured and held prisoner for the last five and a half months. After the war, Edwin came back to Iowa and farmed in Plymouth County before selling out and moving to Sioux City, Woodbury County.

Once back in Sioux City, Edwin began working for Swift’s Packing House. He was working there the year there was an explosion, but as he hadn’t gone to work yet that afternoon, he was not injured. He went to the site when he heard about the accident and offered his help to those who needed it. A few years later, Edwin was employed by the Sioux City Public School Board for a short time. After this he worked for Steel Structures before working for a concrete vault company for a while. In 1959, he began worked for them for seventeen years before being forced to retire because of ill health. During these years, Willys stayed at home and raised their four children: Marilynn Jeanenne, Jimmy Alan, Danny Lee, and Nancy Ruth. She also worked on many different handicraft items as she has always liked to embroider, crochet, and sew. She also worked a lot in her flower garden.

On June 19, 1976, Edwin died after suffering form cancer for a short time. He is at rest in Logan Park Cemetery in Sioux City. Willys continued living on their acreage in Plymouth County, and not too long ago she renewed an old friendship with William Polly. Bill is the son of Rose (Hickman) Polly, an old friend of Willy’s mother, Iva. Willys and Bill were married on September 24, 1983, in a small ceremony at the Methodist Church in Adaville, Iowa. Only their children and their grandchildren were present. They are living in the country on the acreage just down the road from her son, Danny, and his family.