Nellie Hume

Nellie, daughter of Evert and Nellie (Hadsell) Hays, was born December 21, 1927 in New Boston, Illinois and died in Unionville, Missouri on September 27, 2014. When Nellie was four, her mother died of TB and her father recovered from the same disease after extensive treatment. During his hospitilization , she and her infant sister Stella lived with various family members. Evert later remarried. He and Ethel (Epperly) Hays settled on a farm near Joy, Illinois and completed their family with a daughter, Marlene.

After graduating from Joy High School, Nellie worked in Muscatine, Iowa where she met her future husband, Murl Hume. They married in November of 1946 and lived on a farm in the Joy area. They were blessed with four children, Dennis, Peggy, Andy & Lois before moving to Missouri in the early fifties.

Nellie and Murl bought a farm south of Unionville. While Murl crop farmed, Nellie milked as many as 36 cows twice daily. The size of her garden and flower beds were evidence of her love for the outdoors. After the farm, they lived a few years in Lemons, then settled permanently in Unionville. Nellie loved the county fair and took pride in the many blue ribbons she won for her flower and driftwood arrangements.

Nellie and Murl owned several businesses and she worked at most of them, but she was most remembered for hosting "Kid's Day" every Saturday at the U-Bowl.

Nellie also worked 10 years at Dunlap Manufacturing where she was the only one they really trusted to do the John Deere decals.
Nellie was well-respected for her contributions to the community. She served on the Park Board and the Library Board; was a member of the Garden Club, a contributor to the Museum, a volunteer speaker at the schools, and a long-time member of the Lemons Legion Auxilliary.
Nellie, baptized in the First Christian Church, spent her life helping others and was generous to a fault. If she had forty dollars, she'd give away fifty.

She loved collecting rocks, arrowheads, buttons, and antiques of all kinds. Her extensive hobbies included refinishing furniture, embroidery, quilting, and reading. She also loved going to the Bargain Barn where she found trinkets and what-nots that other people passed over because of minor flaws. She saw the beauty in that chipped cup and simply displayed it with the chip to the back. Nellie loved people unconditionally and, just like the cup, only saw the best side of them.

While Nellie loved many things, nothing meant more to her than family and friends.

Nellie was preceded in death by her parents, her husband Murl and a son Dennis. She is survived by two sisters, Stella Doyle of Irving, Texas and Marlene Giles of Joy, Illinois.

She will be missed by her daughter Peggy (Neal) Kelley, Bozeman, Montana; son Andy Hume of Unionville, and daughter Lois (Gene) Brummer also of Unionville. Grandchildren are Michele Hume; Amy (Cody) Turpin, Mary (Jesse) Knowles; Lisa (Shawn) Michael; Brian (Christina) Brummer; and Kara (Aaron) Nelson. Great grandchildren are Matt (Barb) Brummer, Michael, Hannah, Cade, Owen, Jaylee, Jonathan, Jesslyn, Jenna, Hayden, Charlie, Hayden, Jackson, and a great, great granddaughter, Payton. She is also survived by sister-in-law Glendola Reinier, and brothers-in-law Philip, Jerry and Bob Steele, plus many nieces and nephews.

Visitation by Playle and Jones Funeral Home. There will be no public funeral service. Memorials made to the family will be distributed to some of Nellie's favorite charities.