Mr. & Mrs. L. R. Welker will observe their Sixtieth Wedding Anniversary on June 29, 1968. They have lived their entire life in Clarke County.

Ray's father, Sulvester Welker, was born on March 6, 1846, in Coshocton County, Ohio. On his 21st birthday he rode a train to Eddyville, Iowa, which at that time was the end of the railroad. There he bought a horse and rode to Winterset, Iowa, where he stayed for a time with friends. He later came to the John Gaumer farm south of Murray now occupied by Loren Gaumer. After working with them for some time he was united in arriage to Barbara Emery, to which four girls and one boy were born. The son died in infancy and the oldest daughter died in early childhood. The other three girls married as follows; Mary Ellen to Wilbert German; Belle Irene to Hiram J. Woods; and Alta to Fred Havard. They lived their entire lives in Clarke County.

After the illness and death of his first wife he was married to Miss Joanna Root who cared for his three daughters. Also to this union was born two sons, Frank, now of Fresno, California, and Ray of Murray, Iowa.

Ray was born on April 15, 1886, and grew to manhood on a farm east of Hopeville. After teaching school for a short time, he entered

the Railway mail service and was later appointed rural mail carrier out of Murray. He continued
this service for 31 years until his retirement in 1946.

On June 29, 1908 he was united in marriage to Ethel Moffitt. She was born March 11, 1888, the daughter of Mr. & Mrs.Henry Moffitt. They are the parents of three children; Mildred, the wife of W. G. Gonseth of Murray; Milan, whose wife is Marie Wetzel Welker of Murray; and Margaret, wife of Dwight B. Browning of Pekin, Illinois. Their grandchildren are; William R. Gonseth and wife Deleth Woodard Gonseth; Leo L. Gonseth and wife Phyllis Lee Gonseth, both of Murray; Twyla J. Gonseth Kleindienst and husband, Alfred Kleindienst of Jefferson City, Missouri; Dwaine D. Welker; Delores J, Welker Robins and husband Gary G. Robins, both of Murray; and Judith Browning Fletcher and husband, Charles Fletcher of Rockford, Illinois.

Their great-grandchildren axe; Cindy, Becky and Andy, children of Mr. & Mrs. Wm. Gonseth; Steven, Michael and Douglas sons of Mr. and Mrs. Leo Gonseth; Martin, Ricky, Christie and Raydean, children of Mr. & Mrs. Gary Robins; and Krista, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. Charles Fletcher.