THIRD GENERATION

24. Mabel Claire STOPPEL was born on 9 May 1894 in Olmstd Co. MN. Check the year. I had 1893. She died on 11 Nov 1983. She has reference number 1.1.4.5. She was buried in Grandview Memorial Gardens, Rochester, MN.⁽¹¹⁾ Mabel Claire was born on May 9, 1894. She married Bernie Markham, and they had seven children: Henry Albert (born October 1, 1918; died June 6, 1994); Vernon Francis (born September 9, 1921); Leonard Clair (born January 22, 1923); Doris Mae (born March 15, 1924); William Clarence (born May 29, 1926); Bernard Allen (born November 16, 1927);
and Leon Avery (born March 27, 1931). Mabel died on November 11, 1983.

She was married to Bernie Ulysses MARKHAM (son of Albert Eugene MARKHAM and Hattie May POTTER) on 29 Nov 1917 in Byron, MN. Bernie Ulysses MARKHAM was born on 16 Nov 1889 in Aberdeen, SD. He died on 19 Apr 1969.⁽¹¹⁾ He was buried in Grandview Memorial Gardens, Rochester.
A Little Something About Bernie and Mabel Markham
(by Hazel Markham)

Someone asked that I write about the people, not just their birthdays, etc. I could not do that about other members of this family about whom I know so little. However, I am going to write this little bit about two that I did know well. Perhaps others will add their stories to our history.

I first met the Bernie Markham family in 1946 when Bill brought me to visit them in their home on the farm in Section 10 of Oronoco Township. They lived on a 170-acre farm; at that time, it was a real working farm. True, they didn't have horses anymore, but they had them not long before. Bernie loved those horses, and it nearly broke his heart to let them go. But farmers were finding tractors were more efficient, and horses no longer earned their keep. Hard as it was, Bernie had to sell his horses. I remember how lovingly he talked about his horses. He showed me where he used to pasture them just east of the house, and he showed me where he kept them in the barn. He talked about his horses and the equipment he used with great joy and pride. He often told me stories about the horses he had over the years. Bernie made a big hit with me. He was very kind to me. He had a great sense of humor. He loved to tease me, but he also showed me lots of respect. One thing I remember was how he built me a "whatchamacallit" to step on when I went down into the basement which always seemed to have water on the floor. By that time Bill, I, and Jeannine lived in their house on the farm and Bernie and Mabel had retired and moved to a house in Oronoco. Another time, Bernie came up to the farm and found me chopping down weeds in back of the house. The weeds had got way out of hand and I was whapping away with a little weed whacker when the handle broke in two. Bernie said he would take it home and fix it. Well, he brought it back later, and he had put the cutter on the end of a pipe. He told me that he had said to Mabel, "that woman is trying to chop down trees with this little thing." Bernie always took an interest in the new house when we started building in 1968. He wasn't well enough anymore to help with the work, but he came up and watched and delighted in the way things were going. He liked to watch me tell the builders what I wanted. Bill was gone so much in those days hauling milk and then milking cows before and after the routes, that I was the straw boss on the building of the house. He helped a lot with it whenever he could, but since I had dreamed about it the longest and planned the most, he let me make most of the decisions. I guess that is only fair because I was to spend the most time in the house. Anyway, I was sad that Bernie was too ill to see us actually move into the house; he would have enjoyed that. We moved in on March 19, 1969, after Bernie was in the nursing home. Bernie died April 19, 1969. I had a dream after he died in which I saw Bernie coming across the field on a big horse. As he came by me, he waved. He looked so happy. I believe that he had to be in Heaven because he wouldn't be that happy otherwise. I am glad because I hope to see him again some day.
I also have wonderful memories of Mabel. She was a grand lady. She loved all of us whether we were her own or married into the family. I was only 16 when I met her and there were a few holes in my cooking education. Mabel taught me much about cooking, raising a family, and many other skills; but the most important thing she taught me was how to entertain. She had a get-together every holiday and birthday and lots of times in between. She always welcomed each and every member of the family, friends, and anyone else who came. She made the best bread, cakes, candy, doughnuts, cinnamon rolls, and cookies anyone ever tasted. I know better than anyone what a great mother she was, because she raised one of the greatest sons in the world. Other wives may disagree with me on that one, but this is my story. Mabel lived 13 years after Bernie died. She missed him terribly. After she died, the minister told us "she has gone to live in one of God's mansions." I bet she is counting noses right now to see how many places to set at the table. We will always remember her with love. Someday, when the time is right, we will see her again.



Mabel Claire STOPPEL and Bernie Ulysses MARKHAM had the following children:

+57 i. Henry Albert MARKHAM.
+58 ii. Vernon Francis MARKHAM.
+59 iii. Leonard Clair MARKHAM.
+60 iv. Doris Mae MARKHAM.
+61 v. William Clarence MARKHAM.
+62 vi. Bernard Allen MARKHAM.
+63 vii. Leon Avery MARKHAM.