Families
 
 

 

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Bob and Judy (Tool) Dunaway were married on October 11, 1963 in Monroe, Iowa at the home of Lea and Margery Tool, Judy's parents.  Bob and Judy were high school sweethearts and got married during Bob's second year at Iowa State University.  After the wedding the couple lived in Ames and then in Altoona. 


Bob and Marvel - October 7, 1994

 

Marvel and Bob Dunaway

Bob and Marvel (Young) Dunaway, also knew each other from Monroe High School.  They were married at the Monroe United Methodist Church on October 7, 1994.  Following their wedding, they have lived in their hometown of Monroe. 

 

Brad and Lisa Dunaway

 

Lisa and Brad

The family didn't have long to wait for another wedding.  Brad and Lisa (Shapley) Dunaway were married one week after Bob and Marvel, on October 14, 1994 in Portland, Oregon.  Both Iowa natives, Brad and Lisa met in Des Moines and moved to Portland in the early 90s.  After their wedding they made their home in the Portland area.  Jenni enjoyed the opportunity to stand up as a witness for her big brother and new sister-in-law. 


Lynne and Gary Thornton

Lynne and Gary Thornton

Lynne (Dunaway) and Gary Thornton were married on Labor Day weekend, 2004 in a small family wedding and football-themed reception.   Gary grew up in Des Moines, and Lynne in Prairie City.  Gary proposed to Lynne at a baseball diamond, appropriate for a couple who truly loves sports of all kinds.  Gary and Lynne enjoyed a honeymoon cruise to Alaska and have since made their home in Ankeny, Iowa. 


Bob's Parents
Norman Dunaway (b. 8/29/13) and Ellen Horman (b. 8/10/18) were married on February 19, 1936. They were married by Justice of the Peace Maxon R. Stouder, Sr. in Newton. Ellen's father, Edward Horman was one of two witnesses. The story goes that, on their way to Newton to be married, they drove between snow drifts that were quite a bit  higher than the car. The winter of 1936 was especially cold with a lot of snow. Many people in Iowa still talk about the "winter of '36" as probably the worst one ever.
 
Their children were: James Marvin (b. 12/20/36), Mary Ellen (b. 12/1/38), Norma Jean (b. 2/3/40) and Robert Martin (b. 5/3/44).
 
Norman farmed and worked in the strip coal mines early in their marriage. He used to tell how he worked for 50 cents to $1 per day. Later, he farmed and did carpenter work. Ellen raised her family, helped with the milking, planting and harvesting and other farm chores. For many years, she would buy about 500 baby chicks, feed them to about 4 pounds and sell them. Most of them, she dressed herself. For those who are not farm folk, dressing chickens means preparing them to eat by removing feathers, innards and cutting them into pieces. If you have never had "home grown" chickens, you have missed one of the best meals ever!
 
In his early 40's Norman learned he had a severe case of diabetes. In his 50's his health deteriorated and he died on May 20, 1973, a few months short of age 60. Ellen continues to live in her own home in Monroe and is in her 27th year of cooking for the Monroe Kiwanis Club - up at 3 a.m. nearly every Tuesday morning (she can make 40 at about age 100). Her and Norman's descendents include 10 grandchildren and 14 great grandchildren.

 

Camilla and Monte
Monte and Camilla (Mason) Grandgeorge - 1967Camilla and Monte were married Labor Day Weekend 1967.  They met in 1963, during a High School Social Studies class, Monte having observed that Camilla had "nice legs."  They stayed connected over the next four years, Monte having joined the U.S. Army and Camilla attending Stephens College and Iowa State University. 

In 1966, they got engaged in Great Falls, Montana.  Monte met Camilla there while Camilla, her mother Genevieve, and brother Steve were working in a Montana logging camp for the summer. 

After the wedding, the couple moved to Iowa City (immediately!) where Monte attended the University of Iowa. They stayed in Iowa City until moving to Algona in 1976. 

 

Camilla's Parents
Genevieve Underwood Mason - Fort Dodge, Iowa - 2006 PhotoDonald Mason and Genevieve Underwood were married in 1942.  As Grandma relates it, she met Don while cooking for a threshing party. 

After the attack on Pearl Harbor, Don joined the U.S. Army.  He served in the Pacific Theatre during WWII.  After the War, he stayed with the Occupation Army and Genevieve joined him in Austria.  They lived in Salzburg area while Don flew missions into the divided city of Vienna.  They traveled extensively, especially enjoying Berchtesgarden, Hitler's alpine retreat. 

Camilla was born stateside in 1945.  Her brother Steve was born in Austria. 

The family returned to the U.S. in 1947.  On the way home, Camilla and Genevieve contracted polio.  Both were paralyzed, but after several months recovered.  They then lived in Fort Lewis, Washington Genevieve shares her sunglasses with Emma - Mother's Day 2004!(surviving an earthquake and tsunami) and Salt Lake City, Utah.  In 1950, Don was recalled from his National Guard training position to active duty for the Korean War.  Shortly after reporting for duty in Fort Ord, California, Don died of a heart attack. 

Genevieve brought her children home to Iowa.  She then left to attend Nurse-Anesthetist school in Chicago.  Upon graduation, she returned to Iowa and began work in Fort Dodge.  She raised Camilla and Steve in Fort Dodge. 

Upon her retirement, she visited Steve and his family in Japan for nine months.  She has returned several times since, making many friends and keeping up with Steve's boys. 

Genevieve still enjoys traveling.  She has, by her own account, has slowed down recently.  This seems to consist of going to London only once a year. She plans a trip to Hawaii in the Fall of 2005. 

Several years ago, she spent nearly two months circling the Pacific, with extended stays in Australia, Japan and Hawaii.  She's also a regular visitor to Des Moines, where she takes in the city life and occasionally dines with Jenni and Peter. 

 

Monte's Parents

Francis "Hodie" Grandgeorge and Ione Knudsen

Francis "Hodie" Grandgeorge and Ione Knutson were married in 1940 in Trenton, Missouri.

Jack, Hodie and Ione's first son, was born in 1941.  Shortly after, Hodie reported to the Army Air Corps.  He served in the C.B.I. (China-Burma-India) Theatre during WWII, flying supplies over the Himalayas.  After the War, he returned to Iowa and began managing grain elevators. 

Ione was busy too, having had Baby Monte in 1945.  Brothers Joe, Mike and Steve came along too and, finally, Christine was born in 1962. 

Hodie and Ione were married 48 years at the time of Hodie's death in 1988.  Ione joined him the next year.  Each year, the Grandgeorge Family returns to Okoboji, their long-time vacation and retirement spot, to celebrate Christmas. 

More history is available here

Hodies and Ione’s Grandchildren - Grandgeorge Christmas 2003 - Okoboji, Iowa

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