Boyd and Judy Heil have lived in
La Harpe for 19 years, residing in California and Texas before moving here.
The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
by Gloria Snyder, Quill Reporter
Boyd and Judy Heil have lived in
La Harpe for 19 years, residing in California and Texas before moving here.
Judy was born in Macomb, and was raised in La Harpe and Colchester. Her grandmother lived in Colchester so part of the time she attended school there and the rest of the time she went to La Harpe Elementary school. She later graduated from La Harpe High School.
Boyd was born in rural Mt. Pleasant, IA, and raised in that area. At age 17 years, he joined the Navy during World War II and was in the military for 9 years.
After the Navy, Boyd was in the restaurant business either as a chef or restaurant manager and at one time he was the manager of 3 different Holiday Inn restaurants.
Judy has worked at Halls Cafe in Burlington, IA. She worked as a housekeeper in Burlington Medical Center and as a nurses aid in pediatrics. She also worked in the nunnery at Mercy Hospital where the sisters lived as a personal attendant to the nuns and with the cleaning.
On January 6, 2006, the couple will be married 42 years. They were married in Canton, Missouri, and have 8 children between them. Three each from previous marriages and 2 children of their own. Also they have 20 grandchildren and 23 great grandchildren.
They once had a country music station when they lived in California and Judy also modeled Western wear. Currently Judy works evenings at Rt. 9 Cafe in La Harpe, and as needed at the Nauvoo Bakery and Little White House Inn. Boyd does outdoor jobs such as lawn care and works as a handyman.
As a hobby, Boyd likes to build bird houses and bird feeders but not until all the "honey-do" list is completed around the house. Judy enjoys decorating and house cleaning, and they both like to help others.
The couple had many interesting stories to relate, but I think the one that topped them all was about the time they were going out and they were all gussied up. Judy was using hair spray to keep her hair in place and Boyd asked her to spray his hair also. Unfortunately he lit a cigarette just as she went to spray his hair and his hair caught on fire and his eyebrows and eyelids were singed. It was a scary situation, but they can laugh about it now.
This gracious couple has been through lots of things in life but maintain their faith in God, which is most important to them. They are members of the Union Church of La Harpe.