Minnie Bell Simons Weatherill

            On December 12, 1897 George and Jenny Simons had another daughter whom they named Minnie Bell. She was the fourteenth child born into the family. Her first name was chosen to honour a dear friend and neighbour of Elizabeth, Minnie Blackfan. Minnie, being just two years younger than Jeannette, would have been close pals with this sister. She grew up attended by her mother and her two big sisters Ollie and Carrie.

            Minnie was only five years old when her mother died. Her father found a woman named Jennie from Virginia who came to work as a housekeeper and cared for the family. This woman had a daughter about Minnie’s age. After about a year, George married Jennie, but the marriage did not last long. Only six years, they were divorced.
 

            When Minnie was about five or six years old, she started school at Mountainview with her older sister and brothers. After completing her elementary education at the one-room school house, she went on to Creston High School. She would have boarded with a family in Creston, along with her sister Jeannette.


            After high school, Minnie might have tried nursing along with her sister Jeannette. There is a picture of her in a nursing uniform. However, she did not complete the nursing program.

 

            Minnie Simons married Raymond (Bill) Weatherill. Bill managed the pig farm at Eastern Washington State Hospital in Medical Lake and supervised the workers who were long term residents at the hospital. The family lived in the large house connected to a dormitory for these residents. Minnie supervised the workers who did laundry, cooking and upkeep of the residents. The relationship between the Weatherill family and the residents appeared to be one of a cooperative community.


            Will and Minnie had one son named Robert. He was their pride and joy.


            Minnie had severe arthritis and suffered terrible pain. Bill did everything they could think of to help her, taking her to hot springs and spas in search of many kinds of treatments to bring her relief.


            Bobby, the Weatherill’s son, married a local girl and they had two children These two children were left orphaned at a young age when Bobby and his wife were killed instantly in a dreadful car accident on an ice-covered road. This was of course a terrible loss also for Minnie and Bill. The children were raised by a sister of their mother.


            Minnie Bell Simons Weatherill died on October 23, 1968.  Bill Weatherill died a few years after his wife.

To continue reading about the other children of George and Jeannette, follow the links below:

Visit the Table of Contents

Return home

Visit the Table of Contents

Return home

View my Message Board
Free Forums by Bravenet.com