Floyd Belle was born September 10, 1911 to John and Lottie Belle in Nance County on a farm near Belgrade, Nebraska, where they resided till March 1930 when they moved to Central City.
Soon after moving there he met me, Edna Fullington, daughter of Joe and Hattie Fullington. After three years of courtship we were married January 4, 1933. We worked for Heber Hord for a few years and we lived in the apartment over their garage. Our son, Carrol, was born there October 30, 1937.
In September 1940 we moved to Hamburg, Iowa and worked at the Butler Dairy for thirteen years.
We lived between the Missouri and Nishnabotna Rivers. We experienced many floods and had to move from our home several times. They had to deliver some of the milk in a boat. Then take the rest to the milk truck that was parked on higher ground. After the new dikes were built it didn’t flood very often.
Hamburg was a nice, friendly town to live in and we liked it very much. Our daughter, Connie Jo, was born there September 5, 1947.
After we left the dairy we farmed for several years. One of our early crops was growing peas for the canning factory in Nebraska City. It was quite an interesting project. After we quit farming we moved to town. Floyd worked in a locker plant.
I worked in the school cafeteria seventeen years. It was very interesting work. Both of our children graduated from the Hamburg High School.
Carrol Belle and Ruth Darlene Wise were married, June 20, 1959, at the Church of Christ Hamburg, Iowa. They had four daughters, Deborah Marie, born November 1 1, 1960, Tamara Jo, born July 16, 1963, Teressa Ann, born October l, 1965 and Angela Rae, born January 31, 1969. Angela died February 2, 1969.
Connie Jo Belle and Frederick Schenk, Jr. were married, August 2, 1969, at the First Christian Church at Central City, Nebraska. They have two children, Michael Frederick, born August 2, 1971, and Kimberly Kay, born July 23, 1973.
We have enjoyed several vacations to Colorado, Wyoming, Idaho, Salt Lake City, Yellowstone and many more points of interest. We always went as a family.
We enjoyed taking active part in the church work of the Presbyterian Church which we were members of.
In 1966 Floyd sold his share of the locker and started working as Over-all Foreman for the city.
He worked until August 15, 1973, when he was killed instantly in a tractor accident while mowing weeds for the city. It was a shock to the family and community. He was a steady and faithful worker. The city had the flag half mast for him fifteen days.
After Floyd’s death I sold our home in Hamburg and moved back to Central City, where I was born and raised, so I could be close to my daughter, Mrs. Fred Schenk, Jr., and family, also my sisters and other relatives.
Our son, Carrol, and family live in Clackamas, Oregon. I took my first air flight to visit them and see my oldest granddaughter, Deborah, graduate from high school.
By Mrs. Floyd Belle
Source: Merrick County Historical Society, History of Merrick County, Nebraska (1981), Volume I, Dallas, Texas : Taylor Publishing Company, 1981.