John and Rose Ballalatak were blessed with a baby girl they named Mary. At the time her father was working at the Buxton coal mine and later he labored at Rex 4 mine. The one room school Mary attended was called Dry Ridge school. She and her siblings did not go to high school because her parents saw no need for it and there were no school buses at that time to transport students in rural areas to school.
She was baptized and grew up a member of St. Peter’s Catholic church in Lovilia. She was courted by Guy Chamberlain, a non Catholic. He joined the church and then they were married at St. Peters in 1939. The best man was Mary’s brother, Mike. The maid of honor was Mary’s sister, Helen. They were blessed with three sons, Gerald, Doyle and Leon. All of whom still live in Lovilia.
They lived on a farm in the dry ridge area and Guy also worked at Maytag several years and some years on construction. He even helped build the mile long bridge on highway 14 north of Knoxville.
Mary not only did the homemaker and mother’s work she was a helping hand in the farm work. She gardened and canned produce. She milked cows, raised chickens, ran the tractor, and bottle fed many calves and lambs and even a goat. She remembers the goat caused a stir one day by getting on the school bus with the children!
During WWII Guy did not go to the service as he was farming and farmers were needed to feed the country and the troops. Mary’s brother, Frank served and was wounded in action with a shot through his hip. While recovering at a hospital in California, he was walking across a street and was hit and killed by a passing car. Tragic news for the family here at home.
Mary feels people should volunteer in their community and do it willingly. She has followed her own advice and helped at church, Community Building fundraisers, hospice, and Oskaloosa Share food program to name a few.
Asked about her feelings when the changes came in the Catholic church in the 1960s with Vatican II, she said she was happy mass went from Latin to English so everyone could understand and participate in the worship service.
Mary’s longest standing job was when she spent 30 years as the coordinator for the meals at the Lovilia Community Building every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. Her work began there in 1980 and ended this year due to health problems that forced her to retire.
Mary says she is a “people person”. That is an understatement. She loves to meet and greet people. She and her son Doyle raise tomatoes and sell to the public and she enjoys visiting with her customers.
( This is the first of several life stories of Lovilia vintage citizens. If they will tell their stories, Mary was reluctant to talk as she did not think anyone would be interested in her ordinary life. But it is Lovilia history we need to preserve about our citizens who love and serve our community.)
United Methodist church of Lovilia Hosts Free Thanksgiving meal Wednesay November 17th
At least 150 people shared a tasty turkey with all the trimmings meal at Lovilia community building. Those serving and cooking were welcoming and helpful to all. One surprise guest was Dennis Keeton and his wife from North Carolina. They were visiting his mother Edith Keeton Blomgren. Everyone welcomed them and chatted with them. Dennis is retired from a career as a nurse anesthetist in the military. He and his wife have two daughters who also live in Carolina. Dennis graduated in 1971 from Albia high school and attended grade school at Lovilia. We hope they will return soon.