SIMONSON - CRAIN FAMILY

by Ruby Crain Simonson

Entry F385 from the History of Hooker County Nebraska
with permission of the Hooker County Historical Society

Stewart O. (Jim) Simonson an Ruby Crain
Simonson - wedding picture, November 13, 1942.

Stewart O. (Jim) Simonson, son of Nels
and Marguerite Simonson was born Decem-
ber 24, 1917, at his parents home on the Loup
River, five miles northwest of Mullen. He had
three sisters Jean, Peggy, Lois and four
brothers Bob, Jack, Tom and Donn. Jim went
to a country school for eight years and
graduated from Mullen High School in 1935.
He worked at the Earl Monahan ranch until
1941 when he was drafted into the army. Jim
was in the service for five years.

He married Ruby Crain November 13,
1942. Ruby is the daughter of Walter and
Mabel Crain and was born in Mullen January
12, 1921. She had a twin brother, Claude, who
died in 1961 at the age of 40. She had two
other brothers who died at infancy. Ruby
attended country school southwest of Mullen
for eight years and graduated from Mullen
High School in 1938. In 1940 she graduated
from a two year business college in Hastings,
NE. Ruby worked for the Mullen Coop and
for the Federal Land Bank branch office in
Mullen until she went to Omaha to work as
a bookkeeper for the Venger Wholesale
Tobacco Company. It was while she as
working in Omaha that she and Jim were
married. She then went to San Luis Obispo,
CA, where Jim was stationed, and stayed
until he was sent overseas.

In 1945 Jim was wounded in the Phi-
lippines and was sent back to the hospital in
Temple, Texas. There he saw his son Alan
(who was 13 months old) for the first time.
Jim lost his leg and was discharged in 1946.
He came home and went right back to roping,
riding horses, dancing, and doing almost
everything he had been able to do before.

He and his brother Jack went into partner-
ship and bought the LeLa Cheur place north
of Mullen. Jack and Kitty moved to the ranch
and Jim and Ruby moved to town. Jim was
elected county clerk of Hooker County. Later
he went into partnership with Leonard
Eriksen in the Eriksen-Simonson Insurance
and Real Estate Agency. They also did tax
accounting. He served on the Village Board,
the School Board, Secretary of Commercial
Club, and for many years the Secretary of the
Legion Rodeo in Mullen.

In 1951 Jack and Jim dissolved their
partnership. Jack kept the LeLa Cheur Place.
Jim bought land east of town from Hanna's
and in 1958 he bought land from J.C. Warden
west of town. In 1967 he sold his share of the
insurance business to Bud Gibson and leased
more land and went into full time ranching
as this was the life he really enjoyed.

Jim and Ruby have five children. Alan was
born 1944. He graduated from
Mullen High School in 1962 and attended the
University of Nebraska for one year. He also
served in the Viet Nam War. Alan married
Linda Schaer in 1974 and they have two
children, Wade born 1979 and
Wendy 1983. He now operates
the Art Schaer Farm and Ranch eight miles
south of Gordon.

Sam was born 1947. He
graduated from Mullen High in 1965 and
attended Kearney State College for 2 1/2
years. He married Valerie Debus in 1982 and
has a daughter Kristin born
1982. He operates the Jim Simonson Ranch
Company in Mullen.

Linda was born 1948. She
graduated from Mullen High in 1967 and the
University of Nebraska with a degree in
Home Economics. She married Larry Jaster
in 1980. They have two boys, J.D. born
1982 and Jim Bob
1984. She teaches Food Service at the Texas
State Technical College in Waco, Texas.

James was born 1951. He graduat-
ed from Mullen High in 1969 and is a
graduate of Kearney State College. He
married Toni Andrews in 1971. They have
two children, Randy born 1972
and Jennifer 1976. James is the
Manager of Philpot Central Feeders in
Overton, NE.

Tim was born 1958 and graduat-
ed from Mullen High in 1976 and is a
graduate of Eastern WY College, Torrington,
WY. He married Deanna Marshall in 1978.
They have a son, Josh born 1986.
Tim manages a Western Store in Cheyenne,
WY.

Jim died in 1982 at the age of 64 from
cancer. He was buried in the Cedarview
Cemetery in Mullen. Ruby is still working
part-time at Mullen Coop and keeps busy
with her church work and her children and
grandchildren.