Edwin Smith Family: Evelyn Joyce Smith

WILLIAM CUSTER SMITH > EDWIN SMITH M

KATE SMULL > EVELYN JOYCE SMITH m
Marvin Guy Ripley

EVELYN BORN: 25 Apr 1914, Plainfield, Bremer, Iowa  |
DIED: 17 Dec 2002, Convoy, Van Wert, Ohio
MARRIED 1:  10 May 1940, Northwood, Worth, Iowa
MARVIN: BORN: 15 Jan 1914, Carrville, Floyd, Iowa |
DIED:  16 Nov 1990,Van Wert, Van Wert, Ohio

Evelyn graduated from the Plainfield High School Class of 1931. When Marvin was young, he and his brother Max, boxed in Charles City to earn extra money. Both were athletes. Marvin joined the US Navy in 1935. He married  Evelyn after a bridal shower in early May of 1940. They went by bus to Maine, where Marvin was currently stationed. Nine months later, their daughter, Cheryl Kay was born in a Waverly hospital and then taken to the the family home in Plainfield. Family from both sides immediately descended to meet the new addition. In 1942, while Marvin continued to serve away from home, his father, Frank Ripley, became ill and died. Marvin returned on emergency leave upon getting word.

420 Main St Plainfield

With the war on, Marvin was deployed and Evelyn remained in Plainfield, purchasing the Smith
home on Main St. It had a large garden which provided much of their food and had an outhouse. Edwin Smith granddaughter Janis Ladnier recalled a story where on Halloween, prankster liked to tip outhouses, but on one occasion, tipped it while Kate Smith was using it. Whether that is true or legend is not assured.

The war was difficult and Evelyn was not only raising Cheryl, but had adopted her nephew Harold, son of sister Verlie and her first husband Ted Michaelsen, and cared full-time for her mother, Kate. When Marvin finally returned and the decision was made to reenlist after the war, it must have been a difficult one.

Finally, Marvin received orders for shore duty as a recruiter in Ohio. They remained in Springfield, but Marvin once again went to sea. The family still in Ohio, he finally retired. They remained in Ohio for the rest of their lives, ultimately moving to the NW corner of Ohio where their daughter was living. Interestingly, Springfield wasn't very far from where the original Ripley pioneer, Col Judge David C Ripley had started out in Gallia County.