Gussie Semple was born on 4. Feb. 1892 at West Liberty, Jasper County, Illinois. She was the daughter of
Isaac Washington Semple and
Margaret Elizabeth Brothers. Gussie Semple married
Elzie Fletcher McSchooler, son of
Norton McSchooler and
Amanda Wyatt, on 4. Jul. 1908 at Newton, Jasper County, Illinois. Gussie Semple and
Elzie Fletcher McSchooler were divorced on 11. Apr. 1928. Gussie Semple died on 21. Aug. 1977 at Olney, Richland County, Illinois, at age 85. SEMPLE, GUSSIE5 (ISAAC6,HUGH7,WILLIAM8,HUGH9): Gussie Semple was born 4 February, 1892 in West Liberty, Jasper County, Illinois to Isaac Semple and Margaret Brothers. She married Elzie McSchooler5 on 4 July, 1908. She died 21 August, 1977 in the Richland County Hospital in Olney, Illinois as a result of second and third degree burns she received in an apartment fire of her apartment on the west side of the Newton Square. She lived in an apartment above her Restaurant, Gussies Cafe. Another young woman also died in the fire (she lived in an adjacent apartment). The fireman told us she could have been saved; however, she was afraid to get out on the ladder he had up to her window. She chose to walk back through the flames to a side window which opened on to a roof. In doing that she received her fatal burns.
Grandma Gussie was married three times. She divorced Elzie after he abandoned her and my mother, Roberta. She then married Roy Greenwood and Harry Reynolds. Her last name was Reynolds at her death.
Grandma Gussie spent most of her life in the restaurant business. Following her divorce from Elzie McSchooler she did washings for people in Newton. I remember her working as a cook at Zooks Nook at intersection of Illinois 49 and Illinois 33 near Willow Hill, Illinois. For most of my life she owned Gussies Cafe. It was a typical Home Cooking type restaurant of the 1940/60s. I spent a great deal of time in her restaurant, especially during Jasper County Fair Week when she needed help clearing tables and washing dishes. She was a great cook and a perfect Grandma. She was plump so a boy could snuggle in her lap and just squish in. She also never seemed to get mad at us kids.
We lived in her home while my Dad was in Italy during World War II and after his death until Mom remarried. Her home, The Brown House, was at the bottom of the hill from the Newton Grade School. I only remember good times there. It was next to the Beezer, a small creek that ran through town. My brother, Michael and I spent lots of time on, in and about this polluted creek. We used to catch snapping turtles and bring them home. Grandma would sometimes cook them and other times just call someone to come get them. Once we caught one (its a wonder we didnt lose a finger or arm) that would just fit in a bushel basket, so that is what we did. We stuck it in the basket and placed it in the basement, then promptly forgot it. In the middle of the night Grandma heard a scraping noise coming from the basement. She grabbed a weapon (a broom) and found this hugh snapper crawling around her coal pile. We were informed not to keep snapping turtles in the basement any more. She also did not tell Mom because Mom believed in corporal punishment.
Grandma loved to have a good time. As I said she was plump and loved to eat. She also like to dress up and loved red. She would wear bright red dresses and big redear rings and pins. We have a picture of her in Florida in just some baggy shorts and her bra playing in the ocean (she would have been in her 50s or 60s).
When I was a senior at Eastern Illinois University we lived in Newton and I drove to Charleston each day. She baby sat for us while Darlean worked in Douthits Drug Store. She and Aunt Wilma seemed to really enjoy the time they spent with Warren.
She also worked for a while in the shoe store adjacent to her restaurant (before she owned it). I remember they had a machine you put your foot in and you could see your bones (before we knew about radiations hazards).