These two records tell a story:
1920 Oklahoma, Dewey Co, Johnson Twp, Vici, Fourth Street
39/39 Berry, James O, head, 47, farmer, b Ohio Virginia Ohio / Alta, wife, 40, b Missouri Iowa Kentucky // Veda, dau, 13, b Oklahoma Ohio Missouri; Vera, dau, 8, b Oklahoma Ohio Missouri; Merlin, son, 5, b Oklahoma Ohio Missouri; Marie, dau, 8/12, b Oklahoma Ohio Missouri
1930 Oklahoma, Dewey Co, Johnson Twp, Vici, 28 April
81/80 Berry, James O, head, 57, first marr at 31, owner, salesman - filling station, b Ohio West Virginia Ohio / Alta T, wife, 57, first marr at 24, b Missouri Iowa Kentucky // Veda, dau, 23, single, teacher - in public school, b Oklahoma Ohio Missouri; Vera, dau, 18, school, b Oklahoma Ohio Missouri; Merlin, son, 15, school, b Oklahoma Ohio Missouri; Margie Marie, dau, 11, school, b Oklahoma Ohio Missouri
I don't have a middle name. When I was in grade school, I was one of 6 girls with the same name. I tried out different middle names on my school papers but none seemed right. I've since always gone by the single first name.
Marie Berry chose Margie as a "new" name and kept it the rest of her life. The name Babe came from her family as she was the baby of the family, and from schoolmates as she was really "a babe", as you will see from the photographs below.
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Margie was born April 22, 1919 in Vici, Dewey Co, Oklahoma, the last of 5 children born to James Oatis and Alta Greer Berry. The story about their family precedes this one. She graduated from High School in Vici and attended college at Alva, Oklahoma. She married before she finished college and moved to Oklahoma City, where she lived the rest of her life. Her marriage ended in divorce in 1951 and she raised her three children on her own - almost - she had plenty of help from her family, especially her sister Veda and brother-in-law Lafe who lived in Chickasha. They are mentioned in other stories preceding this one.
These publications give a bit of information about her early life:
---Vici Beacon, undated, SCHOOL NOTES - "The following students have A in all their subjects for the first six weeks. 1st Grade - Margie Marie Berry . . .
---The Vici Beacon, October 10, 1935, Local Happenings
"Miss Margie Marie Berry spent the week end at Alva with her sister, Miss Vera."
---Vici Beacon, Thursday, October 10, 1935, Vici School News: What They're All Doing
"Babe Berry - Going to Alva to spend the weekend."
---Vici Beacon, undated, School Notes:
-"The girls of the Junior Class want to know where they may find a boy with . . . the boys would like to find a girl with: . . . Babe Berry's eyes . . .
---School Notes: "Names of students who made 90 or more on third six weeks report are . . . Margie Marie Berry . . ."
---Vici Beacon, Thursday, April 26th, 1934, Leedy Wins Fine Arts Meet, Taloga Takes Track, Vici Ranks 3rd in Both Contests
"Pupils of Vici who placed in Dewey County Fine Arts Meet held in Vici Friday and Saturday nights of last week: Class A . . . Oration, girls, Margie Marie Berry, first"
---Vici School Notes: Junior Notes
"The Junior Class has elected as their sponsor Mr John Bish. In the same meeting they elected the following officers: President - Margie Marie Berry
---"The high school girls glee club has been organized . . .First Sopranos . . . Delaphene Epperly . . . Altos: . . . Margie Marie Berry. . ."
After the divorce Margie began working for the Federal Government, transferring locations twice before settling in at the Federal Aviation Administration/Agency in Oklahoma City. She proceeded, by her strong work ethic and excellent managerial skills, to the job of Chief Supervisor in her department, in the years before her retirement. She stayed with that Agency for 27 years.
Now for the photos.
Photograph Collection of the life of Margie Chandler
With her brother Merlin
1926
1927
This appears to be a school photo. The pins on her dress are for perfect attendance in Sunday School. I have her pins and there are 7 years worth of attachments to the pin she is wearing, as well as 4 other separate perfect attendance pins.
Also in the collection of pins are some from school: 1923 6th grade Spelling; 1923 6th grade Phys; 1924 Grade 7 Spelling; 1926 Ellis County, Okla, Writing. The two spelling pins are silver! The attendance pins are enameled.
The award-winning Vici High School Quartet
Margie wrote on the back of this photo:
High School Graduation picture.
Margie with her dad Oatis Berry
Margie with her mother Alta and her daughter Judy
the end
