(1955-1977) Rury Dairy farm in Elizabeth, IL.
(1971-1976) Owned and operated a construction company called Bill & Val Construction.
(1976-1977) Dairy farm in Cecil, WI near Shawano.
(1978-1979) Dairy Farm in Pulaski, WI on 152 acre farm of which 146 acres are tillable priced at $335,000.
(1980-1981) Managed apartments and duplexes in Puyallup, WA
(Apr 1982 to Jul 1982) Managed Stagecoach Inn in Fife.
(1980) Real-estate license
(Aug 1982-Feb 1996) Property Manager for Weyerhaeuser estate in Gig Harbor, WA.
Retired Feb 1996.

Religion: Member of the Presbyterian Church from 1955-1981.

Val Edward Rury was born in 1931 in Guilford Township, Scales Mound, IL. In 1943 his parents moved from the Council Hill farm (grandmother Trevethan's farm of 200 acres) to the Schapville farm which was located about 2 miles east of Schapville and 7 miles North of Elizabeth. Val was very smart, but skipped school during the spring to help on the farm, but always kept up with his school work and past the tests. He attended the Ford a one-room schoolhouse located between Galena and Scales Mound. He got a 2 year perfect attendance certificate at Ford school in Mar 1944 and another in Apr, teacher Marie Wagner. He was promoted from 6th to 8th Grade. He attended Scales Mound High School for a year, skipped a year and then attended Elizabeth High School. Val worked on the farm and at a restaurant as a waiter and cook before he ran away from home and worked on the railroad as a Candy Dancer and also worked at the Savanna Ordinance Depot doing construction. From Jan 1950 to Oct 1951 Val worked as an Auto Mechanic at the Schapville Garage. He later got his GED while in the Air Force.

Val had a car before he had a license and hung around kids that were older then himself starting at the age of 12. They found many ways to get into trouble, but rarely caught. Robbing places when they knew people were gone, including a school church bell that dad kept and sold at our farm auction. Entertainment for Val included going swimming with his friend at a rock quarry in Council Bluff. The train ran regularly in those days and they would grease the track on a hill so it would slow down enough for them to hop on and catch a ride. They did it enough the train company sent men out to catch who was doing it as it wore out the trains and used a lot of fuel. I don't think they ever got caught, but quit doing it. Dad sowed his wild oats real early. On a more civil side he would go to the Roller Skating & Dance Hall above Bishop's Grocery Store in Elizabeth, but was later shut down. When Val's kids were growing up they roller skated south of Savanna. Across the street from Bishop's there was a bowling alley in the basement of a store. Also attended dances at Royal Palace near Dubuque where all the big names played including Glenn Miller.

At the age of 20, Nov 1951-1955 Val joined the Air Force and was stationed in San Antonio, Basic Lackland AFB and attended diesel school in Longview, Texas and Vehicle & Motor Equipment electrical school at Francis E. Warren AFB, Cheyenne, Wyoming, Feb 52 - Aug 52. Assigned to the Kirkland AFB as an Aircraft Electrician. Val attended the 3459th School Squadron USAF LeTourneau Technical Inst. of Texas and relieved from duty 25 Sep 1953 and reassigned 1 Oct 1953 to the 4932nd Test Spt Sq as Airman 2nd Class (A/2C AFSN: AF16392328, AFSC: 43134B). Was transported on board the U.S.N.S. Davis C. Shanks, where on Sep 20 1953 he gave the scripture reading at the Protestant Worship service. Was on board 16 days, stopped in Hawaii for 2 days for refueling, past Bikini Atolls on to Eniwetok Atolls part of the Marshal Islands. Those involved in the Atomic Tests signed a 20 year non-disclosure contract. Worked at an aircraft battery shop as an Aircraft Electrician.

http://www.enviroweb.org/issues/nuketesting/hew/Usa/Tests/Castle.html
From early 1951 onward, fission and hydrogen bomb testing efforts to develop high yield weapons were focused on a Pacific Proving Ground test series for late in 1952. This series - Operation Ivy - exploded the two largest bombs tested up to that time. It inaugurated the thermonuclear age with the first "true" thermonuclear test (code name Mike) 10.4 megatons, which was considerably more powerful than all the high explosives used in two World Wars put together.

Val was stationed at Eniwetok Atolll (series of Islands) by Dec 1953 before there were barracks. They slept in tents. There were a few natives, no life form. The island was 4 miles by 1/4 mile at its largest. Much of the length was used to fill in enough area for an airstrip. B52 planes would fly over their tents upon take off and would return from dropping the bombs at 22,000 ft with underside dents as big as a car. They later raised the height due to the damage. They also quit dropping on islands as they were running out of them and began using barges. A bomb drop for March of 1954 called RAMROD, but it was cancelled. The last night that Val was there in Jun 1954 they set off an Atomic Bomb 50 miles offshore at 2:00 am so the men could see what it looked like. Mainly a bright flash of light, could feel a strong wind blast of about 100 mph, hot enough to almost singe your hair.

Val got a certificate dated Winter of 1954 stated a/2c (airman 2nd class) Val E. Rury participated in Operation Castle - Atomic Test at Eniwetok Proving Ground, Marshall Islands conducted by the Army, Navy, Air Force and Atomic Energy Commission. Signed by P.W. Clarkson Major General, U.S. Army Commander Joint Task Force SEVEN.

The Castle series had released 48.2 megatons of nuclear explosion products into the atmosphere, causing hundreds of radiation injuries, contributing to the death of one person, and contaminating much of the Marshall Islands. Compare this to Mt. St. Helens eruption in 1980 with a force of 24 megaton.

From June 1954 Eniwetok to Nov 1955 Val was stationed at Kirkland AFB, Albuquerque as an aircraft electrician. Had his own shop and trained his own men. Val was honorably discharged as S/Sgt (T) from the Air Force, 4 Nov 1955 receiving the National Defense Service Medal and Good Conduct Medal. A letter indicated Val was in the Air Force Reserve to 1959, but he never joined the reserves. A spot was left open for him to join, but he didn't.

Val met Anelle Bagley in Albuquerque, New Mexico in 1953 and married and in 1955 had a daughter Kim in Albuquerque, NM. Val decided to leave the Air Force at the end of his term in Nov 1955. He didn't think they could raise a family very easily moving all the time. Anelle wanted him to stay in as it was stable work. He had planned to get work as an airplane electrician or mechanic in Albuquerque. Val's dad David was having health problems at this time with his heart and legs. His veins were like limp noodles. This caused Val & Anelle to move back to Illinois to purchase the Rury Farm. They raised 6 children Kim, Kevin, Karen, Kraig, Kile and Ken. Ken was the youngest gaining that honor by arriving 15 minutes after his twin brother Kile. They also had two foster daughters Linda & Donna Lawrence for 7 years starting in 1961.

The Rury farm was a dairy, hog and tree farm nestled between three hills forming a 'Y' shaped valley with the Mill creek coming down one valley and the Furnace creek along the other valley which blended together in the middle of the property. It contained catfish, bull heads, bass, sunfish, crawdads, turtles, water spiders, water snakes and other various creatures. It was the best swimming hole. The cows would go out to pasture and walk along the river. The kids would bring the cows in for milking and would often have to be whistled in by mom which could be heard for miles. In 1965 a tornado destroyed part of the corn crop and Ken remembers having to race one home on a bicycle as they were a frequent occurrence in the valley. On July 5th of 1966 the barn burned down with 7000 bales in it. It was rebuild this time with a milking parlor. About 1968 Val was approached by developers from Chicago to buy the property and dam it to make a lake. Val refused and they later bought another valley and called it Apple Canyon Lake. The farm was put up for sale in 1975 and sold July 1976.

In addition to farming Val was a partner of B&V (Bill & Val) Construction doing mainly house renovations, but did some work in Champaign on a larger building. His biggest construction injury occurred though working on his own house Nov 1972 when he fell off the back of the house on to a cement pad. He broke his face and some ribs with his smoking pipe. He had to have his face wired up and wore a mask due to the cold winter.

Val enjoyed hunting deer with old fashion muskets and bow and arrow. While grandpa loved to fish. Labor Day we would all get together to camp by the river, visit, tell stories, sing songs and practice shooting clay pigeons. A group of hunters would come out from Chicago (Russ & Angie D'Agostino and son Joe), Dekalb (Bob & Joyce Nelson), Rockford? (Lloyd & ? Gaines and children), (Ed & Joanne Jones and children). Russ taught mom how to cook Italian mostaccioli and always brought a bottle of Chianti and pound cake. Bob & Joyce Nelson were the oldest but road motorcycles everywhere with their camper. (In 1996 Bob is still hunting.) In 1973 we got a Brittany Spaniel dog (liver & white color) called Hazel Jane of Notre Dame from Ed Jones III a hunter friends from IL. The dog was gun and kid shy having been fenced and teased in town, but got along well with us on the farm. Hazel was born on Apr 21 1967 so when we did move from WI to WA she was 13 years old and had arthritis real bad and so we put her to sleep.

They had friends (Krippendorf's) in Wisconsin who were able to make a living at farming on a much smaller farm. There was a farm depression going on with many farmers going bankrupt. Val sold the farm and move to a rental place they owned. We then moved into a house in Elizabeth that Val bought at an auction and remodeled. He then sold that and we all moved to a farm in Cecil, WI Dec 1976. In 1977 they bought 40 more acres to make 138 acres, so they wouldn't have to buy so much feed and would make the farm more sellable. They also bought 6 more cows, making 34 with 15 heifers. In Aug 1978 sold it and bought a farm in Pulaski, WI. They then moved in 1980 to Puyallup, WA. The main reason for moving was to find better schools for the kids.

Autobiography by Val Rury abt Nov 1995:
After attending Ford school I went to Scales Mound High for a year, stayed home for a year then went to Elizabeth High for a year. School got boring and I quit. I used to trap muskrats for their skins on the Rury farm. I would sell them to Sears & Roebucks who always paid a fair price. I used the money to buy my own clothes.

I worked on the railroad and then on to the Ordnance Depot. Dad wanted me to come home and help him for two years. In 1951 I joined the Air Force, went to San Antonio, TX. for basic, then to Long View, Texas for Engine School and on to Cheyenne for Electric Motor and Generator School. In Nov. 1952 I was ordered to Kirkland Air Force Base, Albuquerque, New Mexico, where I became an aircraft electrician. Anelle and I met in March 1953 and married in July 1953. We spent our honeymoon back at Elizabeth. In September 1953 I was sent to Eniwetok in the Marshall Islands for 9 months where the hydrogen bomb tests were held.

September 21, 1955 our daughter Kim was born. I was discharged November 1955 and I returned to the family farm. We farmed until 1972 when Bill Furlong and I started B & V Construction. Roger Furlong joined us two years later until 1976.

In November 1976 we moved to the Green Bay, WI. area where we purchased another farm. In 1977 we sold that farm and bought another to get the kids in a better school. We retired from farming for good in March 1980, we moved to Puyallup, WA.

We managed rentals until December 1982 when we took a job as property manager for the Weyerhaeuser family summer estate near Gig Harbor. We are still on Puget Sound loving every minute of it.

My Dad David died in 1982 at the age of 80 and my Mom Myrtle died in 1991 at 82. My sister Joan had three children, Krystal, 31, Bill, age 30 and Julie 28. Julie died a couple of months ago of diabetes. Joan's husband Bill Oldag of Preston, Iowa, died at age 46. Joan now lives at Byron, Minn. a suburb of Rochester.

Kim, our eldest daughter is 40, married and has a son, Aaron, 5 months old. She had a catering and restaurant business in Tacoma. Kevin is 38, has a 4 year old named Kevin and lives in San Antonio, TX. He works for a refrigeration company. Karen is divorced, has a 12 year old daughter named Heather. She worked in a bank for a while but is now attending college and doing well. Kraig is 34 and working for Microsoft. His wife Sue is from Beaver Dam, WI. They both attended U. of WI at Madison. Kenneth, a twin, is divorced and has custody of his 9 year old daughter Janelle. He works for EDS in Poulsbo, WA. Kile the other twin is married and has two sons named Caleb and Daniel. All the boys work in computers.

Anelle has been wife, mother, bookkeeper and personal secretary for me all these years. I love her dearly. We are retiring in Feb. 1996.

In Memory of Val Edward Rury:
Tuesday, May 29, 2001 1:26 P.M. the day after Memorial Day, Val departed from his physical body. As he took his last breath he smiled and you could instantly tell that his spirit had left. His wife Anelle and six children Kim, Kevin, Karen, Kraig, Kile, and Kenneth, sister Joan Oldag and granddaughter Heather Davis were at his bed side. Also surviving him were six other grandchildren.

Val had fought a battle with cancer for the last six years despite having been originally told that he only had six months to live. While being in pain much of that time, he never complained. He was a strong quiet man and never gave into anything easily, even at the end. Val had the loving care of his wife, but tried to be as independent as possible up until the day he went into the hospital the last time.

A month before he had requested that all of his family be present on Memorial Day for a family meeting and to be together one last time. His sister and all six of his kids and oldest grandchild made arrangements to be there. Unfortunately, Tuesday, May 22 Val went into the hospital with severe pain hoping the doctors could fix him up to be home for the weekend. His condition quickly degraded, but his kids made arrangements to arrive earlier to be at his bed side and all got to see him one last time while he was still coherent. Kile flew back 2 days early from Sri Lanka where he had been on a business trip for World Vision, Kevin from San Antonio, TX, Karen from Las Vegas, CA, sister Joan Oldag from Rochester, MN and granddaughter from Stockton, IL and the rest were from Western Washington. Val always had a family member present 24 hours a day. During that time the family also congregated in a family room on the same floor of the hospital were they spent quality time together reminiscing, playing cards and games like they did growing up. The doctors did not expect him to survive as long as he did but Val got his wish that the family would all be together on Memorial Day, and they all gathered in his room and shared a living tribute to him. It was a tearful, but releasing time as the family shared how he had shaped and molded who they were and the times they had growing up on the farm and other childhood memories. They let him know that he had done his job well and was ok to go. The following day his spirit left and the family again shared this last moment together. Kile shared a passage from I Corinthians 15:14-39.

On Wed, 30 May the family held a Cowboy Wake with friends and family sharing in his favorite foods and remembering the farmer who wanted to be a cowboy, but chose to be a father and husband first of all.

If you have memories you would like to share of Val, please send them to Ken Rury krury@hotmail.com.

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1. Title: "[ItemID]," undated clipping, [CreationDate], from unidentified newspaper; Newspaper, [Provenance]; privately held [YearOwned:Year] by , [<sc>address for private use</sc>]. [Annotation].
   Text: Schapville - Mr. and Mrs. Val Rury are assessing the loss incurred in the Wednesday afternoon fire which completely destroyed the main barn on their Schapville area farm. Rury stated that there were some calves in the barnyard at the time of the fire and he is not sure how many escaped and joined others in the pasture and how many were burned, but he estimated not more than five and possibly only one. The cause of the fire was not determined. Because of its suddenness, at 11:30 a.m., it is believed to have been the result of spontaneous combustion. The barn, about 40 by 60 feet in size, was a basement-type structure with the first floor full of newly made hay. The loss is partially covered by insurance. Firemen reported that the flames had gained such headway by the time they arrived that they could only contain the fire in the barn. All other buildings were saved, including a hog shed 50 feet to the windward side of the burning barn. The wind from the northwest was estimated at 15 miles per hour.
   Page: Calves Lost In Barn Fire At Schapville; Val Rury; about 1963