My Siblings

(Hemsley Family 1945)

Mom and Dad always called us their five "June Bugs," as we were all born in June: Ellis (June 3), Beth (June 5), Nada (June 16), Dan (June 17), and Ruth (June 23).

As I mentioned, my sisters and brother were much older than I. Beth, 12 years older, seemed like my second mom.

(Ruth and Beth)

When Grandma Silvester was so sick, before she died of cancer, Beth and Ruth carried on with the garden, canning, and meals, while mom was in Rexburg with Grandma Silvester.

(Ruth Hemsley)

Ruth was so great at entertaining us. Because she only had the use of one hand, she read a lot to us, and would retell so many stories to Dan and I.

She was the peacemaker of the family. Ruth taught me a lot about relationships with other people. She was very sensitive to others, and seemed to know every answer.

Ruth inspired in me a love of reading. Before she left on her mission, she gave me the book "Editha's Burglar" (1888).

She had found it in a used book store, and I treasured this book all my life. The pictures were old fashioned, and I love old things. Ruth always wrote me letters from her mission, which I still have today. She was so good to me.

Ellis was either working with Dad on the farm, or building pens for his animals. It seemed he always came up with new things to build. He also liked to train animals. He had a horse, Trigger, that he trained to do tricks. He had Trigger bow to everyone who came to see us.

Beth was a super homemaker, and taught me so many things. Whenever I had a question, I called Beth. She always sounded so happy that I would ask her my many questions. She was always so willing to stop anything and sit and visit with me. 

Her talent for canning and sewing always amazed me. Not a lot rubbed off on me, but I was never afraid to try, as Beth and Mom were always a telephone call away. 

I visited Beth and Reed often while they lived in Rexburg, after they were married. Then they moved to Wilford. While there, one day they asked me to go across the road and get a gallon of milk from the neighbor. I was a scared-y-cat, so Reed let me take his pocket knife in my pocket to protect me from the scary ghosts and goblins. After that, I never feared going to the neighbors.

As a pre-teen, Dan was busy mowing lawns for us and neighbors. Before automatic pin-setters at the bowling ally, Dan used to send the bowling ball back to the player, then set the pins back up so they could play again. He was an excellent baseball pitcher in high school! So between baseball, ️and the bowling job, and lawn jobs, I didn't see him much. We got along well, as we were the only ones home after Ruth and Ellis were on their missions and Beth was married and lived in Colorado.

(Hemsley Family 1960)

I had such intelligent sisters and family members. They encouraged me and never let me feel I had a bad idea. I always received encouragement and praise from them all.

Leaving The Farm

(Hemsley Family 1950)

1950 must have been a hard year for my parents. Dad sold the 40 acre farm in Plano to Moroni Steel for $20,000. Dad had been Bishop Steel's counselor in the bishopric for many years. After he sold the farm, my sister Ruth and my brother Ellis could then go on their missions.

I received my patriarchal blessing on May 16, 1950 just before I turned 12. It was given to me by our good friend and neighbor, Ernest Blaser. There was a very special spirit in their home. I helped Sister Blaser doing house cleaning, and my parents had a very close relationship with their family.

After I turned 12 in June of 1950, I graduated from Primary and went to Mutual with my big brother Ellis. Afterward, he took me to Evan's Ice Cream Parlor in Rexburg and bought me my first banana split. I felt like a queen. Ellis always made me feel very special.

(Ruth and Ellis Hemsley)

Ruth and Ellis both left on their missions in 1950. Ruth went to the Eastern States (the same mission where my father served), and Ellis served in the Central States. My parents always said we had double blessings throughout those years.

(Nada's long hair)

Before I turned 13 I had let my hair grow long like my Grandma Silvester, who had long hair that was below her fingertips. Most every time I would get to stay overnight, she would let me brush it. Then I thought I would look more like a teenager if I cut it short. But when I got it cut and looked in the mirror, I was so unhappy and cried buckets of tears.

(Job and Jennie Hemsley 1950)

We moved into a small two bedroom house near the Edmunds School, where dad was hired as a custodian, and mom was hired as the first cook to serve hot lunches at the school. She started out with just soup and sandwiches and milk, then a year later the District hired another assistant and they started to serve a variety of meals. She cooked on a coal stove with only one hot plate. I was in the 6th grade and Dan was in 2nd grade.

(Nada and Dan 1950)

(Nada 7th Grade 1951)

In 8th grade there were two boys and six girls in our class. 

All six of us girls wanted to be cheerleaders, so we all made green skirts with white blouses. Three would lead a cheer, then the other three would take a turn. 

(Nada 8th Grade Cheerleader 1952)

We all got along great! The two boys had to play with younger boys.

(Nada and her friends 1952)

(Nada next to Edmunds School 1952)

(Nada 8th Grade Graduation 1952)

After Ruth and Ellis came home from their missions in 1952, we bought two houses in Rexburg for $30,000. The first home on 71 S. 1st W. had running water, our first indoor bathroom with a tub, an electric washer and dryer, and an electric kitchen stove. I even got my own bedroom. It also had a swing on the front porch that would hold four kids or three adults! We thought we were in real style!

(Hemsley Family 1952)

The second home dad purchased was across the street on 50 S. 1st W. and was used as a rental property for 20 years. Then mom and dad moved into it and sold the first home to finance their three missions.

When Ellis returned from his mission, he joined the service and married Sharon Bird. Ruth started teaching 6th grade in St. Anthony.

(Ruth 1952)

High School Days

It was an exciting year for me as I began high school in 1952. I had gone to Sugar Salem High for one year before we moved to Rexburg, so I had to transfer schools. It was hard for me, but it was an adventure to meet new friends, and very exciting to walk a block to Madison High, where my dad was the custodian.

(Madison High School)

I also met many new friends in St. Anthony, as Ruth would invite me up on weekends. She treated me like a queen and made me feel so important.

(Ruth, Nada, and Dan)

I received my first church calling as the 10-year-old "Gay Note" teacher in Primary. How I loved those girls! 

(Nada 1954)

(Nada in front of her Rexburg home)

My high school days were full of many activities. I was the secretary of the choir, student director of plays and musicals, in the Pepper Club, and the Thespian (Drama) Club.

(Nada and the Thespian Club)

After school I had a nanny job. Every night for two hours I would go to the Beattie home and was greeted by five little people under 6! After we played a few games, I would get them all bathed and in their pajamas, then read stories until their Mom would call them for dinner. I would then get my homework done after I checked in and told my Mom about school.

(Jennie Hemsley 1954)

Mom started working at J.C. Penny in the sewing department and got home at 6:00, same as I did. So I would do homework while she got dinner. Then Dan and I would do dishes. Dan would help my Dad after school, as Dad was the Madison High School Custodian. If he went to work early, I always did dishes, as there were no automatic dishwashers.

I had many friends and loved the styles of the 50's: full skirts with many petticoats, saddle shoes, pony tails, and neck scarves. I enjoyed the school dances and Proms. We usually did group dating and had great friendships. We rented the basement of our home to college boys, which was exciting because they were like big brothers. I don't remember ever missing a prom. If a high school friend didn't ask me, one of my "big brothers" would take me.

My Grandpa Silvester had been living with Aunt Zelda for 10 years after Grandma passed away. He always carried half of a sandwich home for us grandkids to eat, after walking five miles from working at the Rexburg Cemetery. He passed away in 1954. I sure loved him. I especially loved hearing him play his harmonica.

(Nada 1955)

My Junior year was exciting, as I worked in the potato fields for Lee White and gave all my earnings ($50) to Dad. He then matched my $50 and bought our first television! It was black and white picture with a green-toned screen, but how exciting it was to watch "I Love Lucy" and "Lawrence Welk" on our new T.V.

In June, Ruth met and married Laurn Beutler. I was busy being a bridesmaid and serving in the kitchen. It was so exciting to have a nice home to have their reception there.

(Ruth 1955)

(Ruth and Laurn Beutler: June 1955)

(Jennie, Beth, Ruth, and Nada)

Garry Bowen

(Nada December 1955)

When I was a senior in high school, I kept seeing a beautiful red and white 1950 Chevy that would pass my corner every day on the way to school. After Christmas, I saw it parked at our neighbor's that lived around the corner from us. My curiosity was growing ever so much!

It was a Sunday afternoon on February 26th, 1956, when my best friend, Kay Fullmer, came and woke me up to say, "You know that red chevy you have been drooling over? Garry Bowen is the one who owns it, and he is sitting out there wanting to meet you." When I went to the door and looked out, I just about fainted! There was the red and white car! Wow! I was excited! He took us for a spin, and we all went to a Stake Fireside that night. I was on Cloud #9! That day began our life time of love and courtship. 

(Nada and Garry)

After the Fireside, there were many more dates and trips to Driggs to meet his folks! Even rides on the big sleigh, as I rode on hay bales while Garry fed the cattle along the snow banks and across the snow covered fields out in Bates. 

(Nada and Garry: First Formal Dance 1956)

I graduated from Madison High School in May 1956. After graduation, I escorted two younger girls back to Arizona. My friend, Maureen Romney, had been in our home each summer for two years studying music at Ricks College, so as my graduation present my folks gave me the week long trip to Tucson, Arizona, where Maureen and I had a great time. 

(Nada's High School Yearbook Picture)

I sure was glad to get back to Idaho, as my good looking Driggs man was there to greet me. Garry was very busy up at Ricks College. He was on the tumbling team and President of the Alpha Delta Club.

(Garry Bowen)

There was a contest to choose a name for the Ricks College Marching Team, and Garry won $5 for naming them "The Vikadettes" (which they still go by after 60+ years).

(Nada 1956)

I entered Ricks College in June 1956 and was historian of the Omega Club my first year, and Pledging Vice President the second year. I also had a summer job on the painting crew. We painted many classrooms and the girls dorm on College Avenue. What fun we had!

(Nada and Garry)

(Nada and Garry 1956)

(Garry and Nada with Ruth and Laurn 1956)

Garry and I were engaged on December 25, 1956 and decided to get married in March, as a mission wasn't stressed like it is now. So I had my engagement picture and announcement in the paper, and bought my material for my wedding dress.

Our parents were very unhappy when Garry decided not to go on a mission, but they said, "If you will seek the counsel of Patriarch Larson, we'll accept what he advises." So we went over and brought him to our home (as he was blind, and our parents wanted to be present), and he told us to GET MARRIED! We thought he would say, "Mission first!"

But as the wedding got closer, we didn't feel like the time was right. The spirit said, "Mission first." Garry then told me, before his mom died when he was nine, she had asked him to promise her he would go on a mission. Plus, a friend of his got married without going, and had regretted it. He said, "Garry, I'm sure Nada will wait for you. Then you will have both your mission and marriage."

We took our endowments out the same day on October 30, 1957 in the Idaho Falls Temple.

(Nada and Garry on their endowment day: October 30, 1957)

Then Garry left on his mission to the Central States in November. What choice experiences he shared with me!

(Garry Bowen 1957)