John William Whalen, Sr was born August 9, 1926, to Marten Henry Whalen and Gertrude Bescheinen Whalen in the Halloran Community on Ten Mile
Creek, Epps Township, Butler County, Missouri.

He attended grade school at Halloran and was one of ten children.

At twelve years of age, he had rheumatic fever, and at age sixteen experienced a second attack. Because of this, he had permanent heart damage.

In October 1949, he met Veda Louise Daughhetee (b. February 14, 1933), and they were married July 2, 1951, at Piggott, Arkansas.

Veda was the daughter of Aubrey Daughhetee and Mamie Garrett of Poplar Bluff.

Veda's brother is Ray Daughhetee and her half-brothers and half-sisters are Lydia Kindrick, Everett Milton, Bill Milton, Shelba
Jean Eddens, Jo Ann Ovitt, and Peggy Hasty.

John and Veda lived in St. Louis a few months and then moved to the Halloran Community on the J.W. Kirk farm for two years.

Information concerning their children is as follows:
1. Linda Louise Whalen b. June 15, 1952, deceased infant.
2. Sharon Kay Whalen *Monroe b. June 14, 1953. These two children
were born on Beaver Tower Road.
3. John William Whalen, Jr. b. January 5, 1956, on the old Hathaway
Place on the Leslie Berry farm.
4. Joseph Martin Whalen b. December 9, 1959.
5. Laura Ann Whalen * Dockery b. December 8, 1961. These two children
were born on Beaver Tower Road.
In December 1956, Veda and John moved on Beaver Tower Road.

On April 16, 1963, John passed away at Doctor's Hospital in Poplar Bluff, MO.
(He and Linda Louise are buried at Kearbey Chapel Cemetery).

John was an avid hunter and fisherman, ( a memory that Steve Jackson has of John) when Steve was a child, was John wading out into his pond to free up a fishing line that had gotten tangled. Also one spring morning, Steve and Uncle John, Uncle Lawrence, and Grandpa Martin woke up at 4:00 a.m. in the morning to plow a field close to
John's house, and they used an albino mule to do the plowing).
When Laura was school age, Veda began driving the Ellsinore school bus. For several years, she served as a teacher's aide after delivering the school children. She has continued to drive the bus since 1968. Veda is a member of the First Baptist Church at Ellsinore. She enjoys working in the church and doing handcrafts.
[IT:Partially taken from Butler County History Vol 1, pg 230 1988:IT]