Notes for Velma Marguerite Boule: Velma was born on Uncle Walt's (her mother's brother's place) ranch which used to be freighter stop. As a baby she lived about two years on a homestead on Center Ridge. The family then bought the Chicken Springs Ranch (which was 8 miles. from Nansene) after that. After moving the family to Dufur so they could have schooling the full winter, her dad continued to farm at Chicken Springs. (See the Arch Boule family story.)
Small town living had advantages. Classes in school were small. Velma had the opportunity to develop her natural singing talent. She took the soprano part in a quartet with Velma Teagarden and Max and Stanley Ford. The girls were ten and the boys were nine and eight years old. Stanley, the younger boy, sang the bass part. The mother of the boys was their leader and accompanist. They sang for various social gatherings and in church. Velma also sang solos.
Another achievement: Velma had the highest grades in her eighth grade graduating class. Since the school was in a rural area, state achievement tests were required. The results showed she had the highest scores in the entire county, and that included the good-sized town of The Dalles! She repeated her scholastic achievement four years later, being named valedictorian of her high school class.
As a teenager Velma worked at the Dufer restaurant and confectionery. The days were 12 hours long for wages of one dollar a day. Waiting tables in the restaurant side alternating with mixing sodas and pouring cokes (five cents). A particularly difficult task was scooping rock-hard ice cream. Every cone was a chore, but when someone ordered a quart or a pint of ice cream, the carton had to be packed solid with endless dipping and scraping. That, she believes, was the start of what is now a painful wrist. The owner didn't give much thought to a young girl's long hours. After the dinner hour there might be no customers, but he didn't send Velma home. Only when Lottie came down to the restaurant with an inquiring eye, did he tell her she could go. How long would he keep her if her mother hadn't seen to her release?
Velma's career choice took her to nurses' training June 1, 1928 to the Multomah County Hospital of Nursing. Entering the nursing school in Portland must have been a very big step. She'd never been to this large city, for one thing. She was away from friends and family. It was a tough program. Much more taxing than any nursing program today. Long hours on the floor doing the actual work; then the classes and studying were added to the day's hours. Very little time off. The rules were very strict--rigid and unbending with harsh punishment for infractions. Nurses training in those years demanded, literally, strength and endurance.
Mom admits she was about to give up at one point, just wanted to go home. Her folks came to see her. Her dad said they'd be very disappointed if she didn't see it through. That's all it took. She never looked back and never thought of quitting again. She had the respect of her peers as well. She became president of the student body.
During those years, she had caught the eye of one of the hospital's employees, a part-time pharmacist finishing his medical degree. This young man had occasion to observe the new nursing students, and in his opinion, Velma was the prettiest. She and this intern began dating after a time. As the rules strictly forbade such, they had to be very discreet. She graduated as a registered nurse June 7, 1931. She and that new M.D., Edward North "Jimmy" Dunn were married in September.
What might she have done if she hadn't gone into nursing, Karen asked. Mom thought a minute but didn't have any answer for that. But then said she had always wanted to be a nurse. Karen asked her how she knew that? What experience did she have seeing a nurse at work? Velma tells of the flu epidemic of the winter of 1919-1920. This epidemic had killed millions All over the world; more deaths attributed to this flu during World War I than actual deaths from the war's havoc. This epidemic hit Dufer as well. Their entire family was quarantined. (See the Arch Boule story for more details.) Evidently, what Velma saw of their nurse's skill and care caused her to believe nursing was the work she wanted to do in the future.
Velma and Jimmy lived in their first apartment in Portland-- the Glenn Apartments on Hawthorne Avenue-- five months. Then with their own furniture and a bedroom, they moved to 20th and Oak. One hundred dollars furnished the entire place including the kitchen! Needing a larger place as the first child, they chose a two bedroom house on 67th off Burnside for $25 a month. In 1934 they decided to move to Moscow, Idaho. The movers picked up their furniture but they could not deliver it for two weeks. For that time, they rented a place at 16th & Mill (her parents' apartment house. Meantime, they still owed rent on their house in addition to the new house in Moscow: three rents!
Joe and Helen Wilson had lived in the Almon Street house, but made it available to our family when they moved across town. (Velma Wilson was born in the Almon Street house.) It was old in 1934, and now in 2001 it and the neighborhood don't look much different.
More About Velma Marguerite Boule: 1: Mar 2001, Good Samaritan apartment #401. 2: Abt. 1936, Moved to 220 E. First Street, near Russel School. 3: 1957, The dream house: 1330 Walenta Drive. 4: 1986, Good Samaritan duplex on Eisenhower St.. Burial: 10 Jan 2002, Presbyterian Church Columbarium, Moscow, Idaho.88 Burial of ashes: 09 Jan 2002, Moscow, Id Presbyterian Church Columbarium. Contributions: 1995, Set up endowment fund for son/husband at University of Idaho to support students. Education: Bet. 1928 - 1931, Graduated as registered nurse from Multnomahy County Hospital of Nursing, Portland, Oregon. Graduation: 1927, Dufer High Schoo, Dufer, Wasco, OR. Memorial Service: 07 Jan 2002, Good Samaritan Lounge, Moscow, ID. Resided 1: 1940, A larger house: 1122 E. Sixth Street. Resided 2: Bet. 1931 - 1934, Portland, OR. Residence: 1934, Almon Street, Moscow, ID.
More About Velma Marguerite Boule and Edward North Dunn: Death of one spouse: Moscow, ID. Marriage: 26 Sep 1931, Gaston, Washington, OR. Marriage Fact: Sep 1981, 50th anniversary celebrated with big party..
Marriage Notes for Velma Marguerite Boule and Edward North Dunn: The marriage was held in Velma's parents home. LaVera, her sister, was her attendant; Lloyd Wheelwright, a fellow medical student/graduate was his. In fact, LaVere and Lloyd met that day and married themselves in due course!
Children of Velma Marguerite Boule and Edward North Dunn are:
Velma Marguerite Boule (b. 22 Jun 1909, d. 04 Jan 2002)
Notes for Velma Marguerite Boule: