PORATH, GAYLORD AND BONITA (HANEY)

by Bonnie Porath

Entry F348 from the History of Hooker County Nebraska
with permission of the Hooker County Historical Society

The Gaylord Porath Family. Gaylord, Brad, Kari, Bonnie ande Dirk

Gaylord Porath, the son of Edmund and
Mildred Porath was born 1944.
Bonita Haney, the daughter of Roy and
Florence Haney was born 1944. High
School sweethearts, Gaylord and Bonnie
were married September 22, 1963 at Mullen,
Nebraska. They began their lives together at
North Platte, Nebraska. Gaylord was a
ranch-hand on the Wesley Hansen Ranch
and Bonnie was a secretary for hartford
Insurance Group.

As Gaylord was driving to work to the
Hansen Ranch north of North Platte one day,
Dan Albrecht stopped him and ask him how
he would like to learn the bricklaying busi-
ness. It sounded pretty good to learn a trade
and also earn more money, this was encoura-
ging. Gaylord quit work at Hansen's Ranch
and and learned the masonry trade.

In 1966, Dan didn't have much contracted
work, so Gaylord decided to get brave and try
a business of his own. This same year, our
first child was born, a boy named Bradley
Thomas.

We were living in town but had always
wished we were out where we could have some
of the "country life" since we were both raised
on a ranch. We bought 2 1/2 acres just north
of North Platte, not a `big ranch' but still not
in town. Brad only lived in North Platte two
days after he was born. Our second son, Dirk
was born in 1969. I had quit working when
Brad was born so now I had two boys to keep
me busy.

Out house was very small so in 1972, we
decided to build a new house. I was so excited
and anxious to get more room because in
1971 our daughter, Kari Lynn was
born.

It didn't seem like we got to live in the new
house very long when Gaylord's Dad, retired.
Gaylord decided to try his hand at being a full
fledged rancher. In 1975, we moved to the
ranch southwest of Seneca, Nebraska. Gay-
lord still does some brick- laying but has
enjoyed being back on the ranch.

The children went to school in Mullen.
They enjoyed sports very much and both sets
of Grandparents loved to cheer them on. The
boys excelled in wrestling. Brad was a State
Champion as Sophomore and Direk as a
Sophomore, Junior and Senior. Kari enjoys
track.

Brad attended Chadron State College to
further his education. Dirk was accepted to
the United States Air Force Academy in 1987.
Kari is looking forward to three years of
school without any brothers around.