The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
by Dessa Rodeffer–Quill publisher/owner
Eva Marie (Harden) Link
Meet your neighbor Eva Marie Link of Media who is 93 years young, born August 24, 1927.
Eva and her siblings grew up 3 miles east of Raritan and a few miles south in Point Pleasant Twp. in Warren County on a 360 acre farm that her dad plowed with horses. She recalls walking barefooted behind him. She said her siblings always kept busy helping their parents with the many chores including planting a garden, weeding and harvesting and preparing food. It was not playing on i-pads or phones.
Her dad Elmer Lee Harden and her mother Pearl (Gibb) Harden of Biggsville had become acquainted through socials activities at the Baptist Church and remained active members in the Baptist church.
Eva's 5 siblings are:
Elmer Lee (1925-1996) (married classmate Wanda Heap) Mason City, Iowa-both are deceased;
E. Eldon (1922-2000) (Ninabell Johnson/Abingdon). She died Jan. 4, 1989. Eldon owned and operated Raritan Oil Co. until his retirement.
Herman (first wife June died of cancer and he married Hazel).
Howard (Helen Vestel of Smithshire). Both Herman and Howard are deceased.
and one sister Edna Mae who married Duane "Bud" Thompson/Raritan) both deceased.
They all graduated from Media High School.
Eva Marie remembers her dad's car was a "Star" and they went to the Baptist Church every week. Her grandparents lived east of the bank in Raritan and they would visit them every week for Sunday get-togethers no matter what. We visited about what went on during the week.
"Dad said you would get spanked if you did anything wrong or said a bad word so we didn't say bad words and tried to do what was right."
She remembers a time it snowed so hard her brothers had to scoop the road a mile and half to get home. Herman froze his ears. They would scoop awhile and then get back into the car. There was no heat.
Eva Marie married Harvey Link. He ran an implement business called Link Motor Sales, and then farmed and got into the auction business with Eva's brother Elmer Lee, helping him out until he went into business for himself.
Eva's brother Elmer Lee and his wife had moved to Mason City and farmed from 1946 to 1963 and became an auctioneer and real estate agent in 1954. He taught auctioneering for many years in Mason City and operated Harden Realty until his health failed. He was president of the Mason City Greater Board of Realtors in 1986. Elmer and Wanda operated the Baskin-Robbins Ice Cream Store in Mason City from 1967 until 1985. They also owned the Bell Motel from 1977 until 1991. Elmer gave his life to the Lord when he was 9 years old. He was licensed as a Baptist Lay minister in serving many churches in the area in all phases of church work.
Eva said her family was accused of being work-aholics.
Eva married Harvey in April 21, 1946 and he past of a heart attack 30 years ago in 1991. He had open heart surgery and they gave him a year, but he kept busier than the doctor ordered and lived 16 1/2 more years.
The couple have two sons Dan Link, 71 of rural Carman and son John, 62, of Media. Both keep constant care of their mother she said. She has 8 grandchildren, 17 great grandchildren and 1 great great grandchild.
She has worked as Secretary of Media Weaver High School, Link Motor Sales, worked as a hired hand with her husband on the farm, drove a tractor, took care of hogs, cattle and assisted her husband with the auctioneering. She has been chased by a bull and could have won the Olympics, she laughs.
I was never without a job and sometimes we had several.
Enjoy visiting girlfriends from school and enjoyed eating places like the YWCA Buffet and going to Snake Alley - always a big deal, she recalls, and going to Crapo Park.
She enjoyed two trips to Great Britain with Stan and Dorothy Walker, and camping with Cavinders of Gibson City to their cabin and boating near Canadian border and caught one of the biggest Walleyes.
Eva also helped Harvey who was the Media Assessor.
She is a member of the United Presbyterian Church of Media.
Eva enjoys living in the farming area of midwestern Illinois and values each day and her friends and family and enjoys getting mail and reading The Quill.
She is anxious for the Spring flowers to bud and being able to get out more.