75th Wedding Anniversary for Robert Lee and Marie Nowell

On August 12th, 2017, an early celebration was held for Robert and Marie Nowell of Portageville, Mo, for 75 years of marriage.

The Golden Corral welcomed 49 guest for a luncheon. Music was provided by T.J. Jackson, Bruce Zimmerman and Patricia L. Silman.

Cake was enjoyed by all; Robert and Marie were crowned into the 75th Anniversary Club (so to speak), and Debbie Griffen, associate to Congressman Jason Smith, presented them with a letter congratulating, Robert and Marie.

The party then was moved to the Drury Plaza Hotel, where the couple spent the night along with several guests.

Congressman Jason Smith sent a letter congratulating the couple. It was presented by his associate Debbie Griffen.

Robert Lee Nowell and Marie R. Hayes met at a street carnival in Portageville, MO. Later they married in Caruthersville, MO., August 22, 1942.

Folks called my dad Darb. His Aunt gave him the name?????

Later, my Mom was pregnant with my oldest brother, Robert Larry, and my Dad went into the Army and was in Germany when his first son was born. He survived the Battle of the Bulge and my Mother survived giving birth, without him by her side.

My parents raised 7 children, Robert Larry, Donnie William, M.Janet, Patricia Lou, Ricky Lee, Anthony Allen, and Randy Michael.

Surrounded by children, Great Grandchildren and Great Great Grandchildren.

My Dad, went to work for the Missouri Highway Department in the 50's, He continued to do mechanic work for Daughtery Salvedge yard. Men who worked on the highways needed good shoes, so my Dad started selling shoes out of a catalogue, too. Mom and Dad purchased, my Dad's home place, as my Grandpa Nowell had died at an early age and my Grannie Nowell was widowed. It was a four room house with an outdoor toilet. I remember times when my Grannie lived with us and also 2 of my Uncles. I don't think they turned away anyone who needed help

The house came with about 17 acreas of land, and we raised cotton. In the spring we chopped cotton and went to school in the summer and then picked cotton in the fall. We bought our own school clothes and school supplies and shoes.. Mom ordered our clothes from Alden catalog, and Montgomery Ward, and purchased locally from Hamras and Segals in Portageville, Missouri.

When we left the house all seven of us children looked like we had been spit shined, as folks used to refer to us. We were raised in the Church of Christ, where musical instruments are not allowed. We all sing.

My Mom sold Blair Home Products, out of the back of a blue bread truck, with my brother Ricky and I setting in the back in our rocking chairs, that we got for Christmas.

andrands. Pictured with Robert and Marie is Grandson Donnie Nowell from MT. Olive , IL and his wife Robin and three daughters.

I remember going on one road trip as a child. It was Christmas and we went to my grandma and grandpa Hayes' in Indiana. I recall getting a purse and white church gloves for Christmas; another Christmas my sister Janet and I got Red Riding hood Dolls; that was a good Christmas.

At some point my parents sold my Grandparents on my Mom's side, a small lot and they built a house a quarter a mile west of us.

When all the children were in school, my Mom and my older sister Janet, (who moved back on the farm) managed some restuarants.

My Dad worked for the Highway Department for 33 years; for several years my Mom worked in a factory in Portageville.

Grandson Chris Silman and his wife Barb and 3 three children, from Chicago, IL. .

After my Dad retired, and my Mom did too, they started their own business, "The Levee Road Bargain Center". My Dad sold used tires and my Mom sold our clothes and housewares, that we no longer used. It was a family affair. My parents never asked anyone for anything.

After the war, my Mom had saved all the money from dad's service. They took the money and bought a cotton farm around Portageville. The lady they bought it from, lied and said the Mississippi River did not flood that land, well they never got to harvest a crop. The rains came and the Mississippi River spilled onto their beautiful cotton crop. They didn't go after the lady, they just moved and kept working.

They also shared with me how my Grandpa Nowell fell upon financial woes during his illness and couldn't make payments on the farm. When he went to see the banker, the banker shared with him, how a neighbor had came to him wanting to buy my Grandpa's farm out from under my grandpa. But the banker told the neighbor no. that it wasn't for sale and that my grandpa would come through with his payment. That was the kind of reputation my family has always had; that is the way bankers could do things back then.

Another period of sadness and hurt was when large machinery for farming came to use. A large farmer persuaded the county officials to fill in the durge ditch, just past my parents home on the east side, and then dig it out around my parents home. My parents didn't even know it was happening until the machines were out there, taking down trees, and digging. My parents went to see the officials, but couldn't get it stopped. That somewhat changed the feel of our home. Still today the rains continue to wash away some of the ground around my parents property and is a constant reminder of the greed and power that has replaced, the Golden Rule.

Basically my folks didn't ask anyone for anything. They just worked hard and used what the Good Lord gave them to manage their lives. , .

All seven of their children are now retired; all of them staying busy, some working part time, some helping Mom and Dad getting to their doctors appointments; and helping each other and other folks.

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Two of my brothers went to Vietnam, one with the Army, one with the Marines; my brother Ricky was in the army and scheduled to go, but his trip was changed and he stayed in the states for his tour of duty. .Robert and Marie have 20 grandchildren, 37 great grand children, and 3 great, great grandchildren. Many of the grandchildren and great grandchildren served in the military also; serving in Afghanistan, Bosnia, and Iraq.

As a child, I remember my Mom looking in the skies at planes, and saying she was going to ride one of those some day, and indeed she did several times. My Dad always wanted to go back to Germany, to see the country he had fought in, but that never materialized.

They still live on my Dad's home place, where he helped cut the trees, build the road, build the levee; where all of us played in the woods, and the grudge ditch, fly kites on the levee, make clover jewelry, and swim in the twin barrow pits; hide in the heavy fog , and watched the wind mill at Stewards Landing turn slowly and then quickly, making a rackey noise,.when the wind blew hard...

.where the gumbo dirt weighs your shoes down until they weigh as much as you. It wasn't an easy life, but Mom and Dad say they have had a pretty good life. Robert doesn't want to leave the levee, but Mom says, she might live somewhere else sometime, if it happens.

it will be ok.

Patricia Lou Silman

3133 Themis ST.

Cape Girardeau, MO 63701

573-757-7554 cell (I accept text messages)