BROOKS, LAWRENCE AND MABEL (WOOD)

Dean (Wick) Wood married Ethel Merle King January 14, 1916, and Wick, April 16 took out 280 acres of homestead land. To this union a daughter, Mabel Jane was born November 7, 1916 and son Orrin Cecil March 6, 1918. April 1920, Merlin Dean was born at Kilgore, Nebraska. Mother, Ethel, died soon after and Merlin died a few months later. Both Mother and son were laid to rest in the Kilgore Cemetery. Lizzie Wolfender's were helpful through any of our family illness. After Mother's death, Grandmother Eliz-abeth Wood took charge of our family. After Dad had his land proved up he sold it to Wolfendens.

Orrin and I have many memories of incidents while at home on the ranch as youths. A runaway team of hoses stirred some excitement for us. Other chores as fixing fences, gardening, milking cows, churning butter and cheeze making. The family shopping center was Mullen, Nebras-ka where the cans of cream was sold for our necessary supplies.

The fall 1920, after Mother's death, our grandparents decided to move back to Bunk-er Hill, Illinois. We went by train, Orrin and I with them while our Dad and Uncle Cecil stayed at home.

I recall in 1922 when Uncle Ben and Aunt Ruth came back to Illinois with their sons in a covered wagon with a 2 horse team of grandpa's and their own 4 horse team, a saddle horse and a cow. It took them about 2 months to make the trip from Nebraska. I can remember seeing them coming down the lane as I lay on a blanket sick from eating green apples. Grandpa and Aunt Ruth thought Orrin was lost but he finally was found under the cook stove asleep, he was about 4 1/2. Orrin and I earned pennies by hoeing weeds in the corn field and we enjoyed wandering through the woods picking berries and wading in the creek. Another pleasant memory was that of our grandmother making apple butter in a large kettle over a fire outside, using copper pennies in the bottom to help keep the apple burtter from sticking.

On my 10th birthday, November 7, 1926 the Wood family moved back to Nebraska and arrived home on this date. When our grandmother passed away January 24, 1929, Cyrus Wolfenden's daughter, Hazel and husband took Orrin and I into their home till June of that year. They were so good to us.

I attended the 9th grade in the country school. Uncle Cecil helped me raise chickens to sell and to buy my High School wardrobe. I rode often with Phete, Glena and Gladys Warden to Mullen. I did not go home often on the week-ends or holidays, but spent some of this time at the homes of Regina Neal, Claudia Machlan, Evelyn Smith and Allegra Simonson. I attended the Methodist Church in Mullen and sometimes Christmas Mid-night mass with Regina. I worked 2 years at Louie and Velma Folk's home for my board and room. Allegra Simonson and I were room-mates for our Junior and Senior years. Summer 1934, after my graduation, Orrin and I took care of things at home, milking 19 cows, taking care of chickens and hogs. In the fall of 1934, I went to the John Vinton Ranch and started working and remained there about 4 years and enjoyed every bit of it. Due to ill health I returned home in the spring of 1938.

June 20, l941, I married Lawrence Brooks. Our son, Orrin Dean was born 1943. Son George Frederick, October 10, 1945 and died June 1946. Daughter, Gloria Gae was born 1948. Son, Roger Duane, was born 1955.

Brother Orrin married Pearline West in April 1953. Son, Richard Cecil was born

1954. In 1955, Orrin and Pearline were divorced and Richard then made his home with Orrin. April 14, 1967, Orrin and Linda Ayling were married. A daughter, Jennifer June was born 1969. A son, Jason was born 1970 and son Jared,

1974. Brother Orrin and family all live at Weippe, ldaho.

Lawrence and I lived a couple years at Portland, Oregon, Ainsworth, and Brady Nebraska. At Arnold we had a shoe repair shop. 1960 to 1966, I worked at the Brady Cafe and Lawrence pumped gravel. We moved to Ogallala, Nebraska in July of 1966. Lawrence pumped gravel there until retire-ment in 1979 due to ill health. I worked at TRW Factory for 16 years, then retired in 1982 and we then moved to North Platte, Nebraska.

During these recent years we have visited friends in Mullen and attended special events. lt is enjoyable to recall our hikes to the middle Loup River north of Mullen and remember the lunches we packed and the walks on Sunday afternoons, sometimes out to the Garrett's, the playing of games and just visiting.