Third Generation

5. Ionia Alice ROWLEE^3,14,37 was born on 6 July 1902 in Utica, LaSalle County, IL.^3,9,38,39,40 (According to the 1930 Census, both of her parents were born in Illinois.)

. She appeared in the census in 1910 in Waltham, La Salle County, IL.⁷

. She appeared in the census in 1920 in Dexterville, Dexter Township, Wood County, WI.¹⁴

. Ionia appeared in the census in 1930 in Nekoosa, Wood County, WI.⁹

. She appeared in the census in 1940 in Nekoosa, Wood County, WI.⁴⁰

. She served in the military between August 1943 and about 1946 in Milwaukee, Milwaukee Township, Milwaukee County, WI.³⁷

. ⁴¹ Newspaper Article: "Mrs. Willard Burkepile of Waukesha and Larry Ward, who is on leave at their home, were Memorial holiday guests at the home of Mrs. ...... daughter, Mrs. Frederick, and were joined there Thursday by Mr. and Mrs. P. E. Ward and Billie of Nekoosa." ("Larry" is believe to have been her son, Lawrence.)

. Ionia died in November 1979 at the age of 77 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.^3,38,39 She was buried in 1979 in Tomah, Tomah Township, Monroe County, WI.³⁸ in the Oak Grove Cemetery (Hillview Section, Block 1, Lot 135.) (She is listed in the 1920 Census as "Ione A.")

Ionia Alice ROWLEE and Willard D. BURKEPILE were married on 20 January 1945 in Charleston, Charleston County, SC.^37,38,39

Newspaper Article: "At the post chapel in Charleston, South Carolina, where both are members of staff at the Stark General, PFC Ionia Ward of Nekoosa and Cpl. Willard Burkepile were married at 6 o'clock Saturday evening, January 20. Attendants were WAC Cpl. Florence Peter and Cpl. F. Frahan. Both the bride and bridesmaid wore off-duty dresses of soft wool in a light tan shade.

The bride enlisted in the Women's Army Corps in Milwaukee in August 1943 and follows army duties similar to a nurses aid, administering to the comforts of the patients. In addition to her work in the wards, she also assists in the hospital office.

Corporal Burkepile is with the army medical corps assigned to the training pool for evacuation of service men wounded overseas from the Stark General hospital to the hospital best suited for treatment of their individual cases."

. Willard D. BURKEPILE was born on 7 May 1905.³⁹ He served in the military between 17 January 1942 and 21 September 1945 in Charleston, Charleston County, SC.³⁷ He died on 16 October 1994 at the age of 89.³⁹

Ionia Alice ROWLEE and William Lawrence "Billie" WARD were married on 10 September 1919 in Pittsville, Wood County, WI.^3,9,40,42 (According to the 1930 Census, he was 24 when they married and she was 17.)

. William Lawrence "Billie" WARD, son of P. E. WARD and (Unknown) UNKNOWN (WARD), was born on 23 February 1896 in Remington, Dexter Township, Wood County, WI.^3,9,40,42 (According to the 1930 Census, both of his parents were born in Wisconsin.) He appeared in the census in 1920 in Dexterville, Dexter Township, Wood County, WI.¹⁴ His occupation was "Farmer, General Farm."

. He appeared in the census in 1930 in Nekoosa, Wood County, WI.⁹ His occupation was "Laborer, Paper Mill."

. Billie appeared in the census in 1940 in Nekoosa, Wood County, WI.⁴⁰ His household was at 115 North Street and his occupation was "Head Machine Oiler, Paper Mill." His total wages in 1939 were $1,040.

. He died on 9 June 1943 at the age of 47 in Nekoosa, Wood County, WI.^3,42

Obituary Notes: "William L. Ward, of Nekoosa, died today at 3:30 am today at Riverview Hospital after a week's illness following a stroke. He had been a resident of the community all of his life.

Funeral services will be held on Friday, June 11 at 1:30 pm from the home and at 2:30 pm at the Congregational Church in Nekoosa, with the Rev. C. A. O'Neill officiating. Interment will follow in Riverside Cemetery there.

Mr. Ward was born in the Town of Dexter, Wood County, on February 23, 1896, the son of Mr. and Mrs. P. E. Ward. He married Ionia Rowlee at Pittsville on September 10, 1919.

His parents, who live in Cranmoor, his wife and one daughter, Mrs. Frederick Schmidt of Nekoosa, and one son, Lawrence Ward, seaman first class, on duty in the Southwest Pacific, survive. He also leaves three brothers, Harve of Cranmoor, Francis of Racine, and Robert of Wisconsin Rapids, and one grandson, Frederick Lawrence Schmidt of Nekoosa.

Friends may pay their respects at the residence. Funeral arrangements are in charge of the Voss funeral service."

.

Ionia Alice ROWLEE and William Lawrence "Billie" WARD had the following children: