52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks: Von Joseph "Rusty" Roe - A Life in Motion
Earlier this week, I wrote about the mysterious disappearance of my great-great-grandfather Jerry Roe after 1910, a family puzzle that remains unsolved. Today, I'm focusing on his grandson, my grandfather Von Joseph "Rusty" Roe, whose life, while shorter than we would have wished, left a much clearer mark on our family history - though not without its own share of complexity and mystery.
Born on October 10, 1924, in the small town of Cement, Oklahoma, Von Joseph came into the world when his parents, Frank and May Elizabeth (Rollett) Roe, were both 25 years old. Somewhere along the way, he picked up the nickname "Rusty" - though the origin of this moniker remains another small family mystery we've yet to solve.
The 1930 census places young Von, then age 5, with his family in St Louis, Pottawatomie, Oklahoma. But the 1930s would bring profound changes to Von's life. By 1940, the census shows him at age 16 in Kern, California - but notably absent was his mother, May Elizabeth. Family lore tells us she supposedly returned to Missouri to care for an ill sister, and in her absence, Frank took all of the children and moved to California. We don't know why he left her in such a way, but it would mean that Von did not have his mother in his life for a part of his childhood. Whatever the true reason for her absence, it left an indelible mark on Von. Though she later reconnected with some of his siblings, Von had minimal contact with her for the rest of her life, even after she eventually settled in the San Francisco area, where she would later pass away from brain cancer.
Disappearances would play a recurring role in Von's life story. His first marriage to Velma Sales ended in an unusual way when she vanished, becoming impossible to locate for divorce proceedings. This situation led to complications when Von met my grandmother, Mary Ellen Hayes. Their marriage in Reno, Nevada on April 23, 1947, technically occurred while Von was still legally married to Velma. Years later, Velma resurfaced, seeking a divorce so she could remarry. The divorce was finally granted on October 25, 1965, in Modesto, California, on grounds of willful desertion by the wife. After the divorce was finalized, Von and Mary Ellen were finally able to "legally" remarry, putting right what circumstance had complicated.
During World War II, Von served his country as a Private First Class in the U.S. Army, enlisting on March 20, 1943, and serving until November 30, 1946 (service number 39 412 861). His working life tells the story of a man who wasn't afraid of hard work and trying different trades. The city directories track his various occupations through the years - from a car handler in Merced, to a cannery worker, carpenter, cement truck driver, and diesel driver delivering mobile homes. He also worked at the state hospital, and his final job was as a foreman at an almond ranch near Manteca. He never formally retired; instead, it was during his time in Manteca that he became ill and was eventually diagnosed with cancer.
Among our family photographs, one of my favorites captures Von and his father Frank proudly displaying their catch after a fishing trip. Fishing wasn't just a hobby for my grandfather - it was an absolute passion. The photo speaks volumes about the joy he found in these moments, standing there with his fishing basket full, completely in his element. He dreamed of fishing in Alaska one day, but sadly, that dream would remain unfulfilled when cancer struck at a young age.
The photos we have of Von tell us bits and pieces of his story - like the heartwarming image of him with his young daughter in April 1960, a moment of pure joy frozen in time. But it's the stories passed down through the family that really bring his character to life. Electricity seemed to play a recurring role in family tales about Von. My mother loves to tell one particularly memorable story about accidentally electrocuting her father - a tale that never fails to make us laugh, even though it probably didn't seem very funny at the time. Von was working on the dryer and had asked her to wait for his signal before plugging it in. When she heard him muttering something, she thought it was the go-ahead - but it turned out he was actually telling the cat to get out of his way! To say the least, he was not very happy with her, and I'm sure he hated that cat after that too.
Another shocking incident occurred in the little shed where he was working on a radio when it began to electrocute him. He had the presence of mind to run to the end of the cord to break the contact. As a tobacco chewer, my mom vividly remembers seeing him running out of that shed, spewing tobacco as he was being electrocuted. It's one we often laugh about now - I can just picture the scene of him running out of that little shed in the backyard (the very same home where I grew up) while spewing tobacco.
Von passed away on March 3, 1976, at just 51 years old, at his home in Modesto following a long illness. To me, it seems so young, as I'll be 51 next year, and it doesn't feel old at all. His obituary in The Modesto Bee noted that he had been a Modesto resident for 30 years, having moved to California 37 years earlier. He was remembered not only as a World War II veteran but also as a faithful member of the South Modesto Assembly of God. He left behind his beloved wife Mary Ellen; three daughters - Mary House, Marilyn Woolsey, and Danna Rose; his sister Hazel James of Bethel Island; two brothers - Jim Roe of Carson and Harvey Roe of Modesto; and three grandchildren. His final farewell took place at a graveside service in Acacia Memorial Park, with Salas Brothers Funeral Chapel handling the arrangements.
Unlike his grandfather Jerry, whose story trails off into uncertainty, Von's life is well-documented through records, photos, and family memories. Yet both men's stories are integral parts of our family tapestry - one filled with mysteries we may never solve, the other with memories we'll always cherish. The theme of disappearance seems to run through our family history - Jerry Roe, May Elizabeth, Velma - yet Von himself remained a steady presence in his children's lives, perhaps because he knew firsthand the pain of abandonment.
What remains is the legacy of a man who, in his 51 years, created a foundation for future generations. Though I don't remember my grandfather, as I was only two when he died, pieces of his story - from his Oklahoma beginnings to his California endings, from his passion for fishing to the everyday moments that became cherished family stories - help me understand not just who he was, but who we are as a family.
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Sources:
1. 1930 United States Federal Census, St Louis, Pottawatomie, Oklahoma, Page: 20B; Enumeration District: 0058; FHL microfilm: 2341662 [https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/6224/images/94969437]
2. 1940 United States Federal Census, Kern, California, Roll: m-t0627-00213, Page: 13A; Enumeration District: 15-42 [https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2442/images/70022094]
3. U.S. World War II Draft Cards Young Men, 1940-1947, National Archives at St. Louis; Record Group: Records of the Selective Service System, 147; Box: 1540 [https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2238/images/17328521]
4. U.S. Headstone Applications for Military Veterans, Service Number: 39 412 861, National Archives at St. Louis [https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/2375/images/4313373]
5. Modesto City Directories (1956-1974), Ancestry.com. U.S., City Directories, 1822-1995 [https://www.ancestry.com/search/collections/2469/]
6. California Death Index, 1940-1997, Sacramento: State of California Department of Health Services [https://www.ancestry.com/imageviewer/collections/5180/images/6273092]
7. Find A Grave Memorial #33828713, Acacia Memorial Park, Modesto [https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/33828713/von-joseph-roe]
8. "Von Joseph Roe," The Modesto Bee, March 4, 1976, p. 18, col. 1
9. Stanislaus County Court Records, Divorce Decree, Von Joseph Roe vs. Velma Sales Roe, 25 October 1965, Modesto, California
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