RUSSELL DIRR

The twenty acres in Section 28 of Pleasant Township and the seventy acre farm in Section 21, known as the old Fred Demland farm, the home of Mrs. Charles Dirr when she was a girl, became Clarence Dirr's. He sold these sections of land and he and his wife moved to Defiance. They did not have any children. Elsie Dirr never married and she passed away June 25, 1960.

Roy and Anna Dirr had a child born dead in 1917 and Russell Dirr was born in 1921. Russell Dirr married Rosemary Grace Gerken on June 6, 1964, at Hope Lutheran Church near Hamler. Her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Glenn S. Carter lived near Napoleon on what was always known as the Old Fifteen Road and now is named Road P3, theaddress being R.F.D. 5, Napoleon, Ohio. Her father was born to Mary Jane (Ludwig) and Frank Carter in Lucas County September 29, 1903. Glenn Carter died Jan. 3, 1971. He was 67 years old. Rosemary's mother was born to Margaret Belle (Adams) and Albert Bell on January 13, 1900; her parents named her Grace Marie Bell. She was born in Henry County near McClure, Ohio. Rosemary married Norman August Gerken, son of Mayme (Elling) and August Gerken of Hamler, Ohio, on August 16, 1958. David Norman Gerken was born in 1959; Edward Carter Gerken was born in 1960; and Norman Gerken was killed in a tractor accident near Hamler on November 28, 1961. Mary Anne Gerken was born June 8, 1962, almost six months after her father's death. Rosemary and the three children moved from the farm at Hamler to a home she bought on Riverview in Napoleon on Oct. 24, 1963. After Russell married Rosemary they lived at the house in Napoleon and he drove to the farm one-half mile north of Pleasant Bend to do his farming of all the farms which were owned by himself and his father Roy Dirr. Dianna Grace Dirr was born in 1965. After one and a half years of living in Napoleon and driving seventeen miles to the farms, the country home had been remodeled and a new home built where the cottage home was torn down. Roy and Anna Dirr moved into their new home near Pleasant Bend and Russell, Rosemary, and the four children moved to the farm. Russell was happy to be back living on the farm again where he had lived all his life except that short while at Napoleon after his marriage. Russell's mother Anna passed away on February 18, 1968; she was 76 at the time of her death. Roy Charles Dirr died at age 80 on January 27, 1969.

Russell Dirr is a farmer with up-to-date equipment. A tractor with heating and air conditioning is nice to do the work in. The combine also has heat and is air conditioned. The combine, (which he and another man purchased two years ago), would now cost over $40,000 if they purchased it new today, in 1975.

Russell and Rosemary Dirr are both active in church and community work. Russell is an Elder of the Emanuel's United Church of Christ, New Bavaria, where he was confirmed as a boy.

Rosemary had been an active member of the Sharon Methodist Church but joined the Hope Lutheran Church after she married Norman Gerken. After Russell and Rosemary were married they joined the St. Paul Methodist Church at Napoleon. Russell and Rosemary are members of the Emanuel's U.C.C. and so are David and Ed Gerken. Rosemary teaches the senior high, or high school group at Emanuel's United Church of Christ Sunday School. This church used to be known as the Reformed. She also sings in the church choir, and is active in the Women's Guild, as vice president, and program chairman of this group. She is secretary of the Holgate Music Boosters. She is in Music Boosters because David plays percussion instruments in the high school band and Ed plays cornet in the high school band and Mary Anne plays clarinet in the jr. high band. Next year Dianna will be able to take lessons on an instrument when she is in fifth grade. The boys are active in the Pleasant Ridge 4-H Club, David as president, and Ed as secretary. Russell Dirr helped to start this club when he was a boy, and helped to name the club. Mary Anne and Dianna are members of the Pleasant Merry Maids, 4-H Club. Mary Anne is treasurer of her club this year. Mary Anne has dropped out of Girl Scouts this year but Dianna is still a member. All four children play the piano. Ed plays the piano for the opening of Sunday School for the adults. David, Ed, and Mary Anne are active in the Emanuel's Youth Fellowship group. Ed has played at a number of churches in the area near Holgate as a member of the brass quintet of Holgate High School.

Rosemary was a graduate of Napoleon High School and a graduate of Bowling Green State University in elementary education. Upon her graduation from Bowling Green she taught second grade at Central School at Napoleon for five years. She only has done substitute teaching or migrant teaching since her first child was born.

Russell Dirr is a director of the Pleasant Bend and North Creek Elevators. He is also a member of the Advisory Board of the S. M. Heller Memorial Hospital at Napoleon, Ohio. Russell and Rosemary assist their children as chauffeur for their many activities.

Submitted by Russell Dirr