Category: Trella Diaries

Daily journal of Trella Hemmerly Haldeman Romine from 1933 to her death on February 19, 2013.

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Trella Hemmerly – 1985-09-05

Thursday, September 5, 1985
Star used my story on Rob Rupp on Harding with my byline.

Tragic news of the death of my cousin John Fetter- drowned yesterday in Marseilles Reservoir. So close to where they once lived. Read it in the Star when I got home from Popcorn Festival parade. Called Ruby in Richwood- body still not found. Called Kathi and Mary and Ken had arrived about an hour earlier. Ilene was with him in the boat. He was trying to get a line out of the propeller and the choppy waves pitched him overboard. Ilene couldn’t reach him as he cried “Help me!”. Walt called later- friend had stopped in and said they had found John’s body.

Howard and I dug a peck of onions. Dug into sweet potatoes and found one 8 in long and 4 in thick- we’ll have quite a crop. Cantaloupe are ripe on the vine now.

To Quest Club luncheon then for haircut, shampoo and blow dry. Bought new Timex at Marion Drug- $34.

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Trella Hemmerly – 1985-09-03

Tuesday, September 3, 1985
David in to shop early to write letter Kass asked him to. Employees must accept working shorter hours- go home when work is done! When Karen kids and I went in after cutting grapevines and making wreath I helped him with letter- toned his down some. Lunch at her office then in two cars went to Floy and Fannie Baker’s. Stopped at Jackson Center Cemetery and introduced kids to their Baker and Hemmerly ancestors. Finally found Jacob Hemmerly’s marker not 15 ft from David and Sarah Hemmerly.

The chest with lid that Fanny and Floy are giving me has the top and four sides made of boards 24 in wide. Inside the lid is written John _____- can it have belonged to John Baker? Floy thought Samuel Baker my great-grandfather made it. Floy gave us grapes. I came home through Killdeer and County Line Road enjoying Prairie flowers.