Freda Jean Garfield, who always went by her middle name, Jean, was born on March 11, 1929 the sixth child and third daughter of Joe and Florence Ora (Spinks) Garfield, in the town of French Creek, County of Chautauqua, State of New York. Jean was the last child of Joe and Florence to be born in the "Old House", as the new house was completed in 1932 before the last two children were born. At birth she only weighted 3 pounds and to keep her from being injured while handling her she was carried on a pillow. Jean lived a normal childhood growing up with her siblings on the family farm which was located on the south side of SR 474, midway between the Rouse Hill Rd and the New Buffalo Rd. Like the rest of the Garfield children she attended the one room schoolhouse on the corner of SR 474 and the New Buffalo Rd. for her first 6 grades of schooling, then transferred to the central school in Clymer, N.Y. for the rest of her education. In 1945 at the age of 16 she moved to Corry, Pa to care for her older sister's daughter Pat, while her sister Mildred, worked in a defense plant in Corry. After the end of World War II she moved back to Clymer and worked in the Clymer Restaurant, until she married on November 7, 1946 Albert (Bud) Frank Beckerink. She and Albert had two children, Cheryl Lee, b. Nov 24, 1947 and Dennis Albert, b. Mar 29, 1952. Jean and Albert were divorced in 1971. In 1973 Jean met and married Raymond Webster Ladley, who was employed by a construction firm located in Denver, Colorado. They spent many years living around construction sites, sometimes many miles away from other civilization. During their marriage they lived and worked in Arizona, Utah, Texas, Colorado, West Virginia, Kentucky, Nevada and Wyoming. While living and traveling through these states they also visited many state and national parks along with points of interest. In 1990 while living in Tucson, AZ, Ray, died and Jean sold their house and moved to Philadelphia, PA to be near her daughter as her son Dennis had died in 1983 of cancer. While living in Philly she met her third husband Merle A. Hibbard, a retired Air Force pilot. They were married in 1992 and moved to his farm in Bridgton, Maine. They did a lot of traveling with their moterhome winters through out the Southern part of the United States and after selling their farm in 1995 they moved to Florida in 1996 where they are still living. They are both very active members of their community and still enjoy traveling, golfing and flying in their airplane. |