Della Marian GILLIS^{[1, 2]}

1920 - 2017  (97 years)

• Name	Della Marian GILLIS  [3, 4]
  Born	29 Jan 1920	Tracy, Lyon, Minnesota, USA   [3, 4, 5]
  Gender	Female
  Address	Della Marian Gillis
  	Address: 17444 NE 116th Redmond, WA 98052 USA
  Phone	(206) 885-1510
  Phone	(206) 885-1510
  _UID	8466B696074547AA868562C91961775EF8B6
  Died	9 Jun 2017	Redmond, King, Washington, United States Of America
  Person ID	I27	tag3
  Last Modified	8 Jul 2018

  
  

  Father	Ernest Benjamin GILLIS,   b. 11 Jul 1888, South Royalton, Windsor, Vermont, USA ,   d. 13 Mar 1976, Redmond, King, Washington, United States Of America  (Age 87 years)
  Mother	Della Mae EDWARDS,   b. 23 Oct 1895, Sioux City, Woodbury, Iowa, USA ,   d. 1 May 1983, Snohomish, Snohomish, Washington, United States Of America  (Age 87 years)
  Married	16 Jul 1914	Walnut Grove, Redwood, Minnesota, USA   [3, 4, 5]
  	Ernest Benjamin Gillis was born on 11 Jul 1888 in South Royalton, Vermont. He died on 13 Mar 1976 in Kirkland, Washington. Ernest was the son of the Reverend William McNab Gillis and Mary Elizabeth Codville. He was one of five children ?   two boys (Ernest and William Hillery) and three girls (Winifred Martha, May Gertrude, and Edith Mabel). Photo of Ernest Ernest as a young boy At age of 3, his family moved from Vermont to Minnesota, where they lived in the town of Plainview for 5 years, then Pine Island 6 years, Fairmont 2 years, and Rushmore 1 year. The family moved often because Ernest's father, William McNab Gillis, was a Methodist Episcopal minister, and as such, would be assigned different churches. Photo of Ernest Ernest as a young adult Ernest began attending Worthington High School when he was a junior and graduated from there. All his life, he loved the land and working with soil, tending crops and growing things. Ernest enrolled in the University of Minnesota Farm School to became a farmer. After graduation, in the spring of 1908, he rented and farmed the old Andrew Clay Farm northeast of Amiret, Minnesota. Photo of Ernest Della and Ernest shortly after their wedding In the spring of 1911, Ernest moved south of Amiret to a half-section that he farmed as a bachelor until he married Della May Edwards. Della was helping in a store in Amiret at the time. They married in 1914 on July 16th, and the ceremony was performed by Ernest's father, William, in Walnut Grove, Minnesota, in William's home. Photo of Ernest Ernie and Della's first farm Della was born on 23 Oct 1895 in Sioux City, Iowa, and died at her youngest daughter's home 01 May 1983 in Snohomish, Washington. Della was the daughter of Edward Edwards, a teamster, and Agnes Elizabeth Jardine. Photo of Ernest Grace and Neil in front of new house In the spring of 1924, Ernest and Della moved to a farm south of Tracy, MN. That fall they moved to the Kyle Farm, north of Tracy. In the spring of 1925, they rented the Curtis Farm. Later in March 1926, they moved to Balaton, Minnesota, where they remained the next 17 years. Photo of Ernest Ernest holding Grace Then in the fall of 1942, Ernest moved to Washington State, making a major change in his life and that of Della and the remaining children at home. He successfully found work out West thanks in part to the War effort and the many jobs in the Seattle area (such as the Boeing plant - aircraft construction etc.); and while there, he right away bought 5 acres of land in the town of Alderwood Manor, Washington, some 15 miles north of Seattle off Highway 99. He (of course) started fruit orchards, gardens, and began some farming while building a new home for his family. By this time, Ernest and Della had had 11 wonderful children, four of whom were still living at home and in July 1943, Della and their four girls who were still at home joined him via a long train trip. Once they arrived together in Alderwood Manor, the family lived in a cabin until the new home was ready for them to occupy. Photo of Ernest Ernest and Della, in MN Later on, in 1966 at age 78, Ernest completed a second home on the Alderwood Manor property, adjacent to the first home. He and Della moved into it and rented out the first one. This accomplishment of building a home at a somewhat advanced age -- much of it by his own hands -- speaks to the industriousness and tenacity of Ernest and his work ethic. Photo of Ernest Ernest and Della's 25th Anniversary House in Balaton, MN Over the years, Ernest and Della's home was often the site of many large family picnics and parties. Several of their younger childrens' weddings were held in their home. Many of their numerous grandchildren - some 56 total - can vividly recall spending days and days in the fields, climbing trees and eating fruit from the trees growing all over on the land. Their home was a wonderful place of gathering and family, a tradition not lost on their descendants. When Ernest was unable to keep up the land and home by himself in the 1970s, both the homes and land were sold, and he and Della then lived with family members. While Ernest eventually had to be cared for in a nursing home until his death in 1976, Della was fortunate in being able to live with her daughters in the Seattle area until her death in 1983. Both Ernest and Della are still missed to this day and are fondly remembered by all. [4, 5]
  Family ID	F4	Group Sheet  |  Family Chart

  
  

• Notes

  After finishing high school in 1939, Della Marian Gillis (known by Marian) attended Mankato State College for two years.  She then taught at Judson, Amiret, and Waunita.    She taught 4th graders for four years. Marian married Von William Curry in 1945.  They established a home on several acres in Redmond, Washington, where they almost always had livestock, poultry, and a lot of crops.  They built a second home near the first on the same land.  Later, her daughter Sharon and family lived in the first home. Marian remembers her high school days during the Great Depression of the '30s , saying she "had fun with plays, picnics, banquets and proms" during high school. Marian and Von were noted by their large extended family as ones who generously hosted many family picnics and parties, both indoors and out.  They had a large barbecue below the house and Von spent many hours grilling for guests. Marian's interests include golf, bowling, dancing, and traveling. [3, 4]

  
  

• Sources

  [S92] . [S112] . [S2] . [S68] . [S89] .