Lela (Dunn) Strickland

Lela (Dunn) Strickland The Life Story of Lela (Dunn) Strickland Lela was born on April 7, 1918 in Battle Creek, MI on the Dunn family farm. She is the fifth child in line of 9 children born to Spencer Robert Dunn and Winnifred Adell (Bagley) Dunn. Her siblings include Basil, Harold, Clara, Dale, Lyle, Leon, Merle and Ralph. Growing up, she had many chores inside and outside. Outside included feeding the chickens and most other farm chores. She stated, "You better look like doing them (chores) or else!" She states her parents canned five to six hundred quarts per year of various things grown on the farm. They had various crops including oats, corn and wheat, and raised dairy cattle. They made butter, cottage cheese, buttermilk which they took to town to sell each week by buggy or sleigh. She attended Monroe Elementary School located north of Bedford which went from kindergarten through eighth grade. She states that the teacher did all the janitor work of the school including carrying the wood for the stove and lighting the fire in the wintertime. She also brought the water in by buckets needed for the day. Lela then attended ninth grade in Bedford, walking three miles each way. She quit school after the ninth grade to get a job to help the family. At age 17, she got a job doing house work for the Lawson family and caring for 3 children. She then got a job caring for the family that owned the Dixie Market in Battle Creek, MI. On November 11, 1946 she started working for Eaton's in Battle Creek, where she worked for 35 years before retiring. She went to school with her future husband, Keith LeGear Strickland, through the eighth grade. He then went on to Hastings and graduated from high school. In 1945, she and Keith began playing for dances on Saturday nights at Johnstown Grange Hall. She played the accordion and he played violin, sliding trombone and cornet. They dated for a short time and were married on March 25, 1945 at the Dunn family farm where she was born. That day in March, it was 80 degrees and they were able to take the wedding pictures outside. They went on a short trip to Chicago for their honeymoon. They then resided in a trailer on the Strickland family farm for about 2 ½ years. They bought their current home and had it moved to a lot in Dowling, MI. This was a 26' x 26' home which they added on to. Lela had still resided in this home at the age of 93. Their only child, Daughter Sandra Kay, was born on July 3, 1949 in Pennock Hospital. Sandra is married to David Forbush and has 2 step children, Lee and Sheramy; daughter in law - Leslie Forbush; two granddaughters: Abby and Katy Forbush. She is also survived by special friends: Jerry Bachelder and Pat Moody both of Hastings, and Carol Heath of Dowling, MI. Lela's husband, Keith, was a farmer and then worked as a mechanic at Clarks in Battle Creek, MI. He was employed there for 8 years until his death on April 9, 1974. Her hobbies include crocheting and knitting. She still plays piano and accordion at Lake Odessa at Cunningham Acres every Friday night. She says that she never misses unless she is sick, which is not very often. Lela also plays the organ and harmonica. She is a member of the Pennock Hospital - Pediatric Guild #5 and the Stardust Serenaders. She enjoyed playing ball in her younger years between the ages of 17-22. When playing on the girl's team she was a catcher and pitcher, and on the boys team she played First and Second base. Her daughter showed us the outfit that she made especially for playing ball. Girls did not wear pants at that time, so she made a split skirt dress that was very full. Because of all that material, the balls did not get by her. In lieu of flowers, please send donations to Pennock Hospital - Pediatric Guild #5 (Attention: Janet DeMott, 1139 Sager Road, Hastings, MI 49058) or Cunningham Acres (2611 Bonanza Road, Lake Odessa, MI 48849) or Hospice of Three Rivers (222 South Main, Three Rivers, MI 49093). Visitation will be held at the Bachman Hebble Funeral Service Sunday, May 8, 2011 after 12 noon where the family will be present from 4:00 until 8:00 p.m. Funeral services commemorating the life of Lela M. Stickland will be held Monday, May 9, 2011 at 11:30 a.m. in the Bachman Funeral Chapel with Pastor Steve Olmstead of the Pleasantview Family Church officiating. Burial will follow at the Banfield Cemetery. Arrangements by the Bachman Hebble Funeral Service, a member by invitation of Selected Independent Funeral Homes (269)965-5145.