Pike Township Family Stories
DURWARD MERTON GREEN
Nichols, Iowa Centennial Book 1884-1984, pages 246-247
By Phyllis Green HazenDurward “Red” Green was born in a house south of Nichols, on his mother’s nineteenth birthday. Red went to school in Nichols, West Liberty and Muscatine.
He married Ethel Alberta Hillyer, daughter of John Atwood Hillyer and Mary Jane Howe Hillyer, in Kahoka, Missouri. Red’s sister, Jerry Green, and Ethel’s cousin, Robert Hillyer, were their witnesses (Jerry and Bob were married later). Ethel Hillyer was born in Canaan, Connecticut. Red and Ethel moved to Peru, Illinois, in 1942 and lived with his parents for a while. They also rented a house later with his brother Wayne Green and his family. Before his marriage, Red worked at Maples in Peru as a cook and bartender. Ethel had worked at the laundry. After Red and Ethel were married, Red worked at Seneca Shipyards building ships for about four years.
Red and Ethel Green had four children: Larry LeMoyne Green, born in Peru, Illinois; Gerald Merton Green, born in Peru, Illinois; Phyllis Eileen Green, born in Anchorage, Alaska; and June Marie Green, born and died in 1957 in Anchorage, Alaska.
Durward, Ethel and sons moved to Anchorage, Alaska in 1947. They left Illinois and went to visit in Nichols. Then they left for Trenton, Missouri to visit Red’s sister, Ula Han and her family. From there they left for Seattle, Washington. It took them three days by train to reach Seattle. Then they left Seattle to go to Alaska. They went by S. S. Aleutian steamship. They were on the ship seven days and said that it was beautiful except when hitting rough waters, high tides and getting seasick. The Gulf of Alaska was very rough. They arrived in Seward, Alaska and went by train, which took six hours, to Anchorage, where Red’s brother, Wayne Green and family met them. Wayne and his family had already been living there a while.
Red was a carpenter and a general foreman at the Alaskan railroad. He was also the time keeper.
Red’s father died three months after they had been living in Alaska, and he came back to Nichols for his father’s funeral.
Red and his family went fishing and camping a lot. They had just been on a camping trip before Red died. Their daughter, June, died about nine months before him. Durward Green and his daughter, June Marie Green, are both buried in the Nichols cemetery.
Ethel and her three children, Larry, Gerald and Phyllis, returned to Nichols to make a new home. They came on a Northwest plane. Alaska was still a territory when they left, as it didn’t become a state until Phyllis’ birthday.
Ethel bought a little house one block west of the Catholic church. Ethel’s sister’s husband, Charles Oostendorp, was born in that house on 17 January 1911. Ethel is still living there [1984].
Ethel’s three children had gone to school in Anchorage. Then, after they moved, they went to the Nichols school. Larry graduated from Lone Tree High school and Phyllis also graduated from there. Gerald went to Lone Tree High school until he joined the Army and finished school in the Army. Gerald was stationed in Germany for three years. Larry joined the National Guard.
Durward “Red” Green and Ethel Hillyer Green’s children and grandchildren follow:
Larry LeMoyne Green: his middle name is the same as his uncle, Wayne Green. Larry married Cynthia Ann King, daughter of the Late Lloyd King and Mable King, of Lone Tree, at the Methodist church in Lone Tree. Larry works for Iowa Electric Light and Power company in Muscatine. Larry and his family live in Lone Tree. They went to Anchorage, Alaska a few years ago for a vacation and plan to go again.
Larry and Cynthia Green’s children are: Jill Ann Green, born in Iowa City, and Amy Lynn Green, also born in Iowa City. Jill and Amy both go to school at Lone Tree. Larry enjoys fishing and gardening.
Gerald Merton Green: he has his father’s middle name. Gerald has one son by a former marriage, Bryan Merton Green, who was born in Iowa City. He has his father and grandfather’s middle name.
Gerald married Sharon Kay Morrison, daughter of Eugene Morrison and Shirley Morrison. Gerald’s mother and Sharon’s father were their witnesses.
Gerald and Sharon have one daughter, Stephanie Ann Green. Sharon has three other children: Rick, Samantha and Robert. She also had a daughter who died in infancy.
They lived in Nichols for a few years and are now [1984] living in Muscatine. Gerald works for Doanne Products and Sharon is an LPN, working at the Lutheran Homes in Muscatine. Gerald and his family enjoy fishing, camping and boating.
Phyllis Eileen Green was named by her father after his cousin. Phyllis married Thomas Joseph Hazen at the Catholic church in Nichols. Tom was born in Iowa City, the son of Albert Hazen and Dorothea Polman Hazen.
Tom and Phyllis lived in Muscatine until they moved back to Nichols and lived on Herb Schmitt’s farm. They lived there until they bought a house in town – one block north of the Catholic church. The address is 212 Short street. The house was owned by Samuel Nichols in 1884, one hundred years ago. Relatives of Phyllis have also lived there, also – Joe and Doris Green Heath, aunt and uncle, and Lester and Alice Hillyer, cousins.
Tom works at Muscatine Power and Water company. Tom and Phyllis’ children are: Dawn Marie Hazen, born in Iowa City, and Casey Thomas Hazen, born in Iowa City. Dawn’s middle name was chosen for the middle name of Phyllis’ sister; Casey’s middle name is for his father.
June Marie Green was named for a family friend in Alaska, June Marie Morrow. June Marie was born 9 April 1957 and died 26 September 1957 at the age of five and one-half months.
A few years after the Green family moved back to Nichols, Ethel, Larry Gerald and Phyllis went down to Burlington, Iowa, on a boat cruise. On that trip they met and talked with a lady from Anchorage who had relatives in West Liberty. Her name is Mrs. Wolf. When Ethel’s children went to school in Anchorage, Mrs. Wolf was the school principal.
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Page created December 12, 2010 by Lynn McCleary