Iris Elaine (DuBois) Novak (1925 - 2017)

Born 30 Sep 1925 in Beloit, Kansas

Ancestors

Descendants

Died 31 Jul 2017 at age 91 in Prineville, Crook, Oregon, United States

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Biography

Iris Elaine DuBois Novak was born on a farm near Beloit, Kansas in 1925. She was the fifth child of Glen and Effie DuBois. She don't remember much about her very early childhood except knowing that they lived in Montana for a brief period when she was quite young. Her parents either lived with or very near the Stanton Family. Her Aunt was Viola DuBois Stanton, a sister to Alvin Glen DuBois.

Iris remembers moving to the " Gray Place" near Philomath, Oregon some time during the early 1930's and falling from a tree and breaking her collar bone. From there they moved to a farm her parents purchased on the out skirts of Philomath where she was raised throughout the remainder of her childhood. Iris's parents ran a dairy farm and sold milk and cream in Philomath and surrounding area. she remembers being charged with bringing in the cows for milking along with one of her sisters Vivian. She also remembers swimming in the swimming hole in the Mary's River that ran through their farm. While Iris was going to high school she delivered milk to customers in Philomath. She graduated from high school in 1944 and married John H. Novak at the home of her parents on the farm.

After getting married she moved to Tacoma, Washington to live with her husband and work in the ship yards. After the war she moved with her husband to Blodgett, Oregon. It was about this period in time that their Son John Morton Novak was Born. They lived between Blodgett and Burnt Woods, Oregon. John and his Dad were partners in the Saw Mill business. The little house they lived in was owned by her father-in-law John Mikit Novak.

About 1948 or early 1949 after the break up of the saw mill business they moved to Triangle lake where her husband worked as a ratchet setter in a saw mill. It was after a near-miss accident in the mill that they decided they needed to move to the Coos Bay, Oregon area. John found work in Coos Bay at Evans Products company as a ratchet setter and worked there about 5 years. In 1952 while living in Coos Bay she gave birth to her second child, Candace Elaine Novak. John and Iris bought property in Houser, Oregon and built their first Home. Iris did all the electrical wiring using her experience from working in the ship yards.

Iris became interested in Bowling about 1958 and became a very good bowler. She also got her credentials to be an instructor and coach for the Junior bowlers. She lead a team of Junior bowlers that included her son John to win a state bowling tournament. About 1962 she moved with her husband back to Corvallis, Oregon where she continued to bowl and teach the Junior bowlers. when her children were nearly grown she decided to find a job and went to work for a local print shop. She worked there for several years until moving to Reedsport with her husband. She continued to enjoy bowling even with severe arthritis she had developed while living in Corvallis.

In 1978 she moved again with her husband John to Prineville, Oregon. After a brief layoff from bowling she soon took up the sport again when Prineville got a new bowling facility. She continued until John had to have heart surgery and her arthritis became too severe and crippling to continue. At this writing she has lost her husband of nearly 70 years, is 89 years young and lives in an assisted living facility near her son and daughter-in-law. Other than her Arthritis she is doing quite well.

Sources

• ("Marriage Licence Document"

(https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.3.1/TH-266-12440-9821-67?cc=1803968)

• ("Oregon, County Marriages, 1851-1975", index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/V65J-4DC : accessed 14 January 2015), John H Novak and Iris Elaine Dubois, 1944.) [1]

• ("Oregon, County Marriages, 1851-1975", index and images, FamilySearch

(https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/V65J-4D8 : accessed 14 January 2015), John H Novak and Iris Elaine Dubois, 1944.) [2]

• ("United States Census, 1930," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/XC94-KSH : accessed 26 January 2015), Iris E Dubois in household of Alvin G Dubois, West Philomath, Benton, Oregon, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 0032, sheet 4A, family 88, line 19, NARA microfilm publication T626 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2002), roll 1939; FHL microfilm 2,341,673.)

• ("United States Census, 1940," index and images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/pal:/MM9.1.1/VRRX-D7Z : accessed 26 January 2015), Iris E Dubois in household of A Glen Dubois, West Philomath Election Precinct, Benton, Oregon, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 2-28, sheet 11B, family 232, NARA digital publication T627 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 2012), roll 3353.)