Written by Thelma Churchill

 

I was born in Neligh, Nebraska Feb. 21, 1924. I came to Idaho in 1936 with my folks and 3 sisters, Mable, Ida and Betty and 2 brothers Donald and Arthur. We had to work our way to Idaho. When we got to Wilder, Idaho we just had 50 cents left. We found a job the same day and went to work in the spud field. We all worked but the little ones.

As time went on, Dad was able to get 5 lots in Homedale, Idaho, there we built a small house. This was not anything nice, but it was the best Dad could do with what money he had to do with. Every year we all worked in the beets, spud fields or something. As I got older, I worked in the packing sheds.

As time went on, Dad got 50 acres out of Homedale, this had to be cleared off, it had sagebrush on it. We saved the big brush to burn in the stove. Dad again had to build us something to live in. We had no well water or no power for several years. We hauled water from town.

In 1942 I got married to Thomas E. Churchill, better known as Pete. In July 1944 we had a baby girl, Ettia Mae. Then in December of 1944 Pete was called to war, so I moved back home. I had to work part time as I had a car payments to make. Mamma was left to care for Ettia Mae.

In 1946 Pete got home and we bought 1 acre from Dad to start us a home. My folks sold out and move to Dallas, Oregon with my two little sisters. After some years we sold and got us a 50 acre farm out of Homedale. Pete still had to work out, he worked at sheet metal.

After 2 or 3 years we sold and moved to Nampa, Idaho where we got about 1 acre with a basement house. We started to build on top of it (May of 1957). Pete was still working at sheet metal. We worked on the house at night, I did what I could during the day. On the weekends, Doyle, Ida and Art came to help us, as they could. We all tried to help each other. It took us about a year and a half, we still had a few things to do but we could now enjoy our house.

In 1962 Ettia Mae got married, Ida made her wedding cake. In 1963, Ettia and Lonnie had a baby girl, Cheryl. She was the joy of our life. Ettia went to work and I got to keep baby Cheryl. In 1965 I think, they moved to Bend, Oregon. But we still tried to keep Cheryl all we could. But, all good things had to come to an end. Then in 1969 Ettia and Lonnie had a baby girl Mari. We would go to Bend to see them all. As time went on in 1980 or 1981 we took Cheryl and Mari to the Redwoods and the coast for about a week. I had to get back to go to work.

On February 16, 1977 Pete had a bad heart attack so was never able to go back to work. On July 7, 1977 I went to work at Sun Ring, where they made onion rings. I worked there until Nov. 1977. Then I went to work at Metalbestos, where we made stove pipe elbows, fittings, etc. I worked there in the daytime and Sun Ring at night for about 4 months, then I quit Sun Ring and just worked at Metalbestos. In Feb. of 1982 they had a layoff of 150 people and I was one of those to be laid off.

On September 16, 1982 Pete died in the early morning. I called to my dad who was there and he called Doyle and Ida, so they were at my side again to help me. My sister Mable, had just moved to California, she came back and stayed with me till November then her and dad left, I was all alone for the winter. Dad came back in early spring, he helped me put in new pipe in the ditch so I could water.

I took my dad and went to Oregon coast 2 or 3 times, we enjoyed it much.

I’m all alone now and trying to do all that gets done. We have had this place for 42 years (this April 27, 1999).

February 19, 2000 I moved to Bend, Oregon where I bought a 3 year old house.

On April 27, 2000 I got my house sold at Nampa, Idaho. It was sure a worry till I got it sold. I had to go back to the house, it was sure hard to do.

I sure do miss my family in Idaho, and my friends too. My family here in Bend are very good to me, Ettia Mae tells me to go and do anything I want to, she will take care of my place. But it is no fun to go alone, to be alone is a lonely life for me.