Never Say Never the Walter B Strong Family

Life of a Family in 20th Century Linn County Born of loving parents in humble circumstances, Thelma Oliver was 15 when she moved to Iowa. She lived and worked in Cedar Rapids and rural Marion and Mount Vernon before returning to Cedar Rapids. Her soft-spoken husband, Walter, was a farmer--not by choice--but because his father needed him on the Marion farm. Daughter Jean says, "I hope the story we tell about the Walter B. Strong family--in words and pictures from the family album--inspires others to record their legacy for succeeding generations." Jean edited, illustrated, and published Never Say Never, The Walter B. Strong Family for the grandchildren (her nieces and nephews). A University of Iowa graduate, she previously published three books since retiring in 1986. One was "A Prairie Almanac, 1839-1919" about Linn County pioneer life. "Widowed at 51, our mother worked hard most of her life, and lived 27 more years to enjoy her expanding family, old and new friends, and our coast-to-coast travels," Jean recalls. "Letter-writing was her passion. In this 1956 photo, Thelma rides a mule named Ida to the bottom of the Grand Canyon for an overnight stay at Phantom Ranch."