The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.

Meet Your Neighbor

By: Dessa Rodeffer, Quill Publisher

Meet Your Neighbor Betty Link who resides at Oak Wood Estates in Stronghurst.

Betty was born in the La Harpe Hospital and raised in La Harpe.

Her parents are William Henry and Nora (Taylor) Hobby. They farmed southeast of La Harpe near the Old Bedford Church area.

Betty's grandson, Michael, wife and two sons live in the Old Bedford parsonage. It was very difficult for Betty as a young girl since her dad died when she was 5 and her mother when she was 13.

She was raised by her siblings and said mostly it was her brother Lewis (the 6th child) who watched after her. He passed away last week at 94. She was the youngest and the 10th child in the family of 3 girls and 7 boys. Her siblings were Eddy, Melvin, Arnold, Leola, Ethel, Henry, Lewis, Ross, and Kenneth. She is the only surviving child in her family.

Being legally blind, Betty isn't able to see enough to read, but is able to sketch things out and play Bingo with the help of friends and enjoys the company at Oak Wood. "They are like family, terrific to offer help, but I try not to be a burden."

Betty attended La Harpe schools 1-12th grade and graduated in 1943. "I didn't have a car so I rode horseback to "Gilliad' a country grade school."

During her high school years she played basketball. She said, "We had a nice group of gals and had many sleepovers."

She then attended Burlington Beauty Academy and worked for several shops before opening her own when she was around 20 years old.

On September 14, 1946 she married Donald "Soup" Link. Donald passed away around 16 years ago. He refinished furniture, farmed and was employed as a Standard Oil agent.

They lived on the farm of Richard "Jiggs" and Joann Rodeffer, the farm of Mike and Dessa Rodeffer's.

Three sons and two daughters were born to Betty and "Soup".

They are:

Dennis, of La Harpe, their first born, contracted polio in his youth and died of cancer about four months ago;

Dale (Jenny) of Portland, Oregon have two children;

Eva Link (Terry) Anders of Abilene, Texas have a son and a daughter;

Darrell (Janice Neff) Link of Stronghurst have 5 children between them.

Ella Joy Link (Scott) Hurty of Lomax with two children (one deceased).

Betty said she really didn't have hobbies but enjoyed visiting their kids, attending Link and Hobby family reunions, the Illinois State Fair, Osage Beach and Branson in Missouri, Virginia Beach, La Harpe Summerfest, church activities at the La Harpe Christian Church.

She flew to visit her son Dale and family in Oregon during 9-11 and had a terrible time getting home as a result she said, "I don't like to fly and I don't want to do it anymore."

She enjoys visitors at Oak Wood Estates. Stop by and say hello.