History of my McKee Family

– compiled by Leola McKee Woodland –  August 14, 1990

Note from Barry  – September 2020

Leola McKee has died and her Obituary is copied at the bottom of this page. A big thanks to her and daughter Deb for their huge contributions to McKee family history!

My father is Sterlie Otis McKee; at this writing he is 94 years of age.  Just recently we put my parents in a rest home, Greenacres, Gooding, Idaho.  My mother is age of 92 at this writing.  My father comes from a family of nine children. He was born Jan. 29, 1896 in Oberlin, Decatur County, Kansas,  the son of Shannon Wilson McKee and Lula Daniels McKee.  His family later moved to Shattuck Oklahoma, which is where I was born.   Shannon and Lula, as I stated above, had 9 children:

Shannon did odd carpenter jobs, and farmed on his farm.  This is where my father met my mother Elsie Richard, they  married Feb 23, 1918, in Arnett Oklahoma.  They are the parents of 5 children:

Soon after they were married, my father was drafted into WWI, He served most of his time in France, serving as a medic; when he returned from the war to Shattuck Oklahoma, we lived and worked there until 1935, the year after I was born.   That was during the dust bowl in Oklahoma, and there was no work to be found, Momma thought we should move out west and find work, so they sold all their belongings and headed  west.  They left in an old model A ford with very little money, (I believe dad said $90.00) and five kids.  My sister Ardella said that she ate so many lunch meat sandwiches that she could hardly look at one for years.  They found work along they way, doing any odd jobs they could to keep the family fed.  They drove through the magic valley in Idaho to Yakima Washington to help with the apple harvest; when the work diminished in Yakima, they started back to Idaho as momma had been impressed with the magic valley area when they drove through it on the way to Yakima.  While in Yakima, momma said she remembered making a big batch of cinnamon rolls, and my brother Richard kept wondering when they would be done; finally momma told him they were done, so he then invited all his little friends in for a roll. Momma told him that he shouldn’t have done that, Richard said, “Why mom these kids didn’t even know what a cinnamon roll tastes like.”

After Yakima, we ended up going then to the Crystal Springs Orchard in magic valley Idaho, where they picked fruit for the remainder of the summer. When we came out of the canyon  from Crystal Springs, daddy stopped a farmer and asked him if he knew where he might find work, the farmer said; “See that man walking down the road?  I just fired him.”  So daddy got the job of farming for Mr. Walab.  We lived in a tiny little house that winter but moved to the main farm house in the spring.  Even though I was very small at that time, I can remember my brothers making apple cider in a little lean to shed on the farm and running up and down the old potato cellar.

In 1937 my parents decided to buy a house in Filer Idaho; I remember going with them to Mr. Coffman’s house to look at it to buy.  I remember he had an old round table piled high with papers and the room was lit with Kerosene lanterns.  Our payments on the home were only $15.00 a month, but in those days, even that was hard to come by.   This was back in the day that you could buy a week’s worth of candy for 5 cents.

Daddy then went to work for Mr. Paulson, in his warehouse.  We had a happy family in those days, we didn’t even know that we were poor, and really didn’t care much.  I remember my mother bringing in washing with an old Maytag washer.   My brother Gene used to get quite put out when he would bring his friends over to play monopoly, because I would fuss and fuss until momma would make him let me play.   My brothers used to set me on their laps and let me drive the car.  If I wanted an ice cream at 9pm they would take me to get one, even if it took going clear to twin falls to find one. I always thought it was just to make me happy, but as I look back on it now I realize it was probably the chance of getting out of the house and driving daddy’s car that was the real motivation.

Two things put a damper on our happy home; first of all, when I was about 7 years old, my daddy was in a really bad accident at the warehouse, he was taking beans across a plank to  a railroad car and it slipped and flipped up and hit daddy in the front of his head cracking his skull open;  the doctor said he couldn’t do anything for him but my brother-in-law told him he’d best try, so he did and then Glenn brought him home, and momma nursed him back to health.  They had his head all bandaged up like a mummy, momma had tried to prepare me, but when I saw him I screamed.

The second thing was WWII. My brother Gene was the first to join the service, he was only 17 and had lied about his age.  He joined the navy, and became a Machinist mate on the U.S.S. Scamp submarine.  Soon to follow was my brother-in-law, Glenn Slatter, he joined the marines; then my brother Richard went into the army/airforce.  The war was bad and we had many anxious moments.  I can remember going to the movies with my sister Lavella and she would cry all the way through the movie after seeing the news reels on what was happening in the war, fearful for her dear husband Glenn, and for her brothers.

Our happy times were when one of the boys would come home on leave!  Glenn was in Iwo Jima, my brother Gene was in the pacific and then over to the China Sea.  They had many dangerous missions that put them in the line of fire many times.   The last time my brother Gene came home he told my sisters that he didn’t think he would be coming back; they had made the Japanese navy very angry because they would slip in and sink their ships in the harbor.

(This is an addition to mom’s story by Deb —  Mom and I were able to go to Pearl Harbor just this last December, 2010.  It was a very sobering experience for both of us, but I believe it brought healing and closure for my mother.  We have learned that Gene’s sub had gone on 8 dangerous missions while in commission for the United States Navy.  Here is an excerpt of the files that are now open for us to view.  I have found reading about their missions amazing, and really puts you in the middle of what was going on for them.  Many brave men fought in this war and I am proud to have some of them in my family!     Momma always blamed President Roosevelt for Gene’s death.  –Back to momma.) 

Then the day that we prayed would not happen – the day we dreaded would come – that one of our loved ones might be lost.  The day the telegram came, telling us that my brother Gene was lost at sea, that they believed his ship was sunk in the pacific while fighting against Japan.   They were sunk sometime between November 14^th and November 26^th 1944.  Richard served mostly in England and came home safely, Glenn was in some scary situations, but was also able to return home as well.

Soon after the war we moved to California to try and put some of the grief behind us.  I was in the 6^th grade , we moved to a little community called Elverta.  We took with us a few belongings and my dog, Buster.  Daddy kept teasing me telling me that they would take Buster away from me at the California inspection station before we entered California, but they didn’t.   We bought some land with a little building on it and we lived in that for a short time while daddy who was a carpenter by trade, built us a new cinder block house.  I went to a little three room school house and graduated from the 8^th grade there. Then I started Grant Union High School, but then we moved to Del Paso heights and lived there until 1950 when we moved to Jerome, Idaho.  I was married in 1951.  My parents went back to California for about a year, but they moved back to Jerome and bought the house that they have lived in since, until they went into the rest home in July of 1990.

My father’s father was Shannon Wilson McKee; he was  born Feb 18, 1869 in Danville, Knox County, Ohio.  He passed away on June 1 1930, just 4 years before I was born.  He was the son of Wilson and Amanda Clark McKee.  He married Lula Daniels on Oct 12, 1893, in Gage, Oklahoma.  She was born on Feb 16 1877 in Decatur Kansas, died October 2  1916, in Gage, Oklahoma.    She was the daughter of Lemuel Daniels and Emily Dimmick Daniels.  There were 9 children born to this union.    Alma died in 1991 at the age of 91. I only knew her a little, but I do remember going to her and Uncle Sal’s when I was 10 years old. They owned a restaurant and they let me wait tables for them; maybe that is what whet my appetite for the restaurant business.

My father Sterlie, and what a cute little man he is, I sure do love him.

Dewey Otto , he was a kind and gentle man and I loved him dearly despite all his faults.  He loved the drink.

Ora Agnes – Aunt Ora is a sweet, prissy kind of lady.

Esta  died in child birth of her twins.  Momma and Daddy took care of the girls until they were 3, it broke their hearts when their papa came to get them.  That is one of the reasons my parents had me, was to fill the gap!

Verda Mildred was injured and died as an infant.

Lonnie Dale has been like a second father to me all my life.  He married my mother’s older sister Agnes; they had no children together but they lived a very happy life with each other. Dale is a very sweet and easy going, loving man.  I love him very much.

Amanda Amelia (Dollie)   I didn’t meet Dollie until about 5 years ago,  but I sure took to her fast; my mother always told me as I was growing up that I was like my aunt Dollie.

Russell – the youngest of all the kids. I knew uncle Russell very well.  I lived with him and aunt Neva for a while in 1980 after my divorce from my kids father.  Uncle Russell was a tough acting old boy, but underneath all that he was a pussy cat.  Full of a lot of stories!

I am finishing this history on June 6, 1994.  I hope my posterity will some day read this account of our family and enjoy it as much as I have enjoyed writing it.

Leola McKee Woodland

Obituary

Leola “Lee” Woodland
Jul. 2, 1934 – Sep. 8, 2020
Leola Ione McKee Van Wagoner Woodland, graduated from her earthly estate on Monday September 8, 2020, after a fatal fall, at the age of 86. There are no words that can truly describe the woman that she was. Was she perfect no, but she came pretty close. As her grandchildren have said in her honor, “she was many things to many people; spunky, loving, fun and wise, a whole package in one little body.” Mom brought a smile to all.

She was born in Catesby, Oklahoma, July 2, 1934; her goal was to outlive her sisters who both lived to be in their late 90s, but God had other plans. Mom suffered three major strokes between 2005 and 2012, and beat the odds every time. With her strong determination she fought on, even when life knocked her down. She was a wonderful grandma, mother, sister and friend, and she will be greatly missed by all. She married Gene Van Wagoner in 1951, and had five children; they divorced in 1974. She then met and married the love of her life, Richard Kent (Woody) Woodland.

Mom is a member of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints where she served in many capacities throughout her life, including Relief Society presidencies in Heyburn, Idaho and Monrovia, California. She was a convert at the age of 17, after she married our father. Mom was a camp director for the young women and made it an experience that I am sure all the young women will remember for their lifetime! Mom was a fun-loving and jovial girl. Her children enjoyed her humor and her ability to get back up each time life knocked her down. She leaves behind her a legacy of love and laughter. Mom said “I had a habit of humming most of the time, I always thought it was because I had a song in my heart and a prayer in my thoughts.” She missed all of her friends in Idaho, we are grateful for the many friends who supported Mom and Woody with their restaurant in Burley, they touched her dearly.

She leaves behind, four children, Janine (Will) Holdaway, Terry (Mich) Van Wagoner, Debbie Sutherland, and Rick (Angel) Van Wagoner; 18 grandchildren; 50 great-grandchildren; and eight great-great-grandchildren; ex-husband, Gene (Norma) Van Wagoner; and many stepchildren and grandchildren.

She was preceded in death by her beloved Woody Kent Woodland; son, Brent E Van Wagoner; grandson, Michael Stokes; great-grandchildren, Alexis Hess, Dallin Hess Matteo Jensen; her parents, Sterlie O. McKee and Elsie Richard Mckee; and many other beloved family member brothers and sisters. As stated by one of her granddaughters, “this legacy of people are a product of her creation of which we are all forever grateful.”

We would like to thank the staff at McKay Dee Hospital for their tender loving care of Mom in her final hours, as well as Tammy Hinterman (granddaughter) for being there as a nurse making sure her grandma got the care she needed and deserved. We would also like to thank Larkin Mortuary, as well as the Rasmussen-Wilson Funeral Home in Idaho for their great care after her death. We love you Momma, your legacy will
go on in your memory through all those who know and love you. Until we meet again!!!