Robert Shively Family

Robert Ross Shively, the oldest son of Parlee and Mary Mae Shively has lived all of his adult life in Henry County. He was born on May 16, 1908 in Wood County. He graduated from Washington Township School in Wood County. He completed one semester of work at Bowling Green State Normal College. After that he decided to go into construction work and worked "on the road" until 1942. On October 28, 1934 he married Lucille Irene Swisher a native of Richfield Township. She. was the daughter and only child of Jesse and Amy (Pratt) Swisher. She was born September 4, 1913 at the Swisher family home.

Robert and Lucille had four children: Marilyn Jean, Norma Joanne, David Ross, and Joan Irene. Robert continued to work in road construction until the fall of 1942 when he came home to work the Swisher family farm.

In 1944 Robert's daughter Joanne died and in September of 1953 Lucille died. They are both buried in Richfield Township Cemetery.

Today Robert and his son David farm and run a small construction business and do farm drainage work.

Marilyn Jean (Shively) Richard is the oldest child of Robert and Lucille Shively. She was born at Westhope on April 24, 1938. She attended Westhope School and graduated from Deshler High School in 1955. On June 30, 1957 she married Paul Davenport

Richard. He is the son of Albert and Mildred (Orthwein) Richard and was born in Richard Township on September 2, 1931. Paul graduated from McClure High School.

Marilyn and Paul have three children: Craig Paul, Donna Jean, and Roger Dean. Craig was born August 12, 1959 and died January 3, 1974. Donna was born December 9, 1960 and is a junior at Patrick Henry High School. Roger was born on Valentine's Day, February 14, 1967. He is a fifth grader at Deshler Elementary School.

Today the Richards own Richard Oil Incorporated, a fuel oil business in McClure. The Richards attend Westhope Bible Church and are active in the Henry County Gideons and 4-H.

David Ross Shively is the only son of Robert and Lucille Shively. Born on Valentine's Day, February 14, 1951 he attended Westhope School and was in the last class to graduate from Deshler High School in 1969. Dave continued his education at Michael J. Owens Technical College and graduated in 1976. On December 18, 1971 he married Mary Jane Bishop, oldest daughter of Theodore and Shirley (Grill) Bishop. She was born on October 12, 1952 in Toledo, Ohio.

Dave works with his father farming and in the construction business. They attend Westhope Bible Church and are active in the Patrick Henry Young Farmers and 4-H.

Dave and Jane have one son, Benjamin David, born April 23, 1977 in Bowling Green, Ohio.

Joan Irene (Shively) Bower is the youngest child of Robert and Lucille Shively. She was born in Napoleon on September 24, 1953. She went to Westhope School and graduated from Patrick Henry High School in 1971. On June 21, 1975 she married Ronald David Bower. Ron is the son of Ronald and Violet (Lueck) Bower. He was born June 11, 1952 in Eugene, Oregon.

In February, 1978 Joan took a leave of absence from her job with the Internal Revenue Service. On Valentine's Day, February 14, 1978 Ron and Joan had a daughter, Ralna Leslie.

Ron is a manager for a Frisch's Restaurant in Toledo, Ohio. They attend Westhope Bible Church.