Susie Iris Sleyster (1906-1978)

Jill Cruse wrote me in May 2002 about her husband's family - and more special about her grandma Susie 

Good Morning Harry,
I am writting on behalf of my husband, James Cruse, who's grandmother was, Susie Iris Sleyster, the daughter of Julius and Julia Burns Sleyster.
I found your website while doing a google search on the Sleyster family and although I found your site full of information.
I was so excited yesterday when I found your website.

Later Jill Cruse wrote me:

Julius Sleyster, the father of Granny Susie, was born 1872 in Chariton county Missouri and died 1927 in Chariton county Missouri.
He married Julia Burns, there is no date specified, probably in Chariton county Missouri.

The children of Julius and Julia Burns Sleyster are:

a. Chauncey Edward Sleyster b Jan 19 1898 Keytesville, Chariton county Missouri. He m Ann Emma Salome Lambrect on Nov 13 1923 in Keytesville Missouri.

b. Leona Gertrude (Sis) Sleyster b March 12 1901 in Keytesville Missouri and d Feb 23 2001 at Westview Nursing Home in Perry Missouri.
According to her obituary she move to Perry as a young woman. Worked as a clerk at the Perry Rexall Drug Store and then a cook at the Perry Cafe for many years.
She was never married.

c. Romey (Romie) Sleyster b 15 May 1904 Keytesville Missouri and d Jan 1978 in Hot Springs Arkansas. He m Ellen Morris who was b 15 Oct 1905 and d Nov 1977 in Hot Springs Arkansas.
Lived for a time in Chicago Illinois.

d. Iris (Susie) Sleyster b Nov 11 1906 in Keytesville Missouri and d Mar 11 1978 in Silvis, Illinois. She m 1. Raymond Cruse and 2. Louis Hurt. Photo with her husband. Her poems.

e. Julius Orville Sleyster b Nov 12 1909 in Keytesville Missouri and d Jan 29 1999 at Somerset Nursing Home in Tavares Florida. He m Mary Catherine Huffman on July 14 1951 in Perry Missouri. Mary b Dec 15 1917 in Webster Missouri and d June 13 1999 in Tavares Florida.
According to his obituary he was the owner/operator of the Perry Rexall Drugs for 35 years. Retired in 1982 and moved to Florida in 1987 to be near his family.

f. William Burns Sleyster b Mar 15 1913 in Keytesville Missouri. He m Margaret Botkin on May 31 1940.
In 1978 he was known to be living in Lebanon Missouri.

g. Fredric Burton Sleyster was born on June 22 1922.
Probably he died on January 3 1945 on Luzon Islands in the China Sea. Read more...

h. Frances Leland Sleyster b 17 Jan 1917 Keytesville, Chariton county Missouri and d 24 July 1993 in Perry Missouri.
He m 1. Ellen Myers 2. Caroll Elliott

James and I live in Moline Ilinois, known to most everyone as the Quad Cities.
James and I own a cleaning business which has been in operation for about 8 years now.

This is what I have so far on my husbands family starting with Iris (Susie) Sleyster:

Iris, Susie Sleyster (known to us as Granny Susie), was b Nov 11 1906, Keytesville, Chariton county, Missouri and d Mar 11 1978, Silvis, Rock Island county Illinois of Emphysema (disease of the lungs). She was the daughter of Julius and Julia Burns Sleyster.
Granny Susie m 1. Raymond Cruse and 2. Louis Hurt

Raymond Cruse b May 28 1898 in Salisbury, Chariton county Missouri and d Apr 9 1941 in Columbia Missouri from stomach ulcers. He was the son of Charles and Sarah Williams Cruse.
Raymond organized the Arkansas Travelers String Band (a band made up of him and three brothers). They were very popular on stage and radio during the late 30's and early 40's.

Raymond and Susie had three boys, namely:

a. Billie Cruse who is still living

b. Bobbie Gene Cruse (my husbands father) who was b Oct 2 1932 in Salisbury, Chariton county Missouri and d June 11 1990 in Moline, Rock Island county, Illinois from Luekemia (cancer of the blood). Bobbie is buried in St. Mary's Catholic Cemetery, East Moline, Rock Island county, Illinois.
He married Mary JoAnn LaCroix on July 11 1959 in Sioux City Iowa.
Bobbie was a Truck driver most of his life for the exception of a few years he worked at Ametek, an industrial plant.
Bobbie and Mary Cruse had 7 children total, five still living.
Namely:
1. Michele who lives in Milan Illinois with her husband and 3 boys;
2. James, or as the family calls him Jamie, lives in Moline Illinois with his wife (me), 2 sons and 2 daughters;
3. Kari, who lives in Rock Island Illinois with her husband and 3 dogs;
4. David, who lives in Moline Illinois with his wife and a daughter;
5. Rick, who lives across the river in Davenport Iowa with his wife, a son and a daughter.

c. Bennie Cruse was born June 27 1935 in Salisbury, Chariton county Missouri and died May 11 1988 in Tampa Florida. Coincidentally of the same thing his brother Bobbie died from, Luekemia. He is buried in Rose Lawn Estate Cemetery, Moline, Rock Island county Illinois.
He married Helen Thomas Sept 27 1952 in Pocohantas, Arkansas. They have 3 children, Mike, who is currently in the Navy, stationed mainly aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise; Patricia, who lives in Florida and Cheryl, who also lives in Florida.


Granny Susie's second husband was Louis Hurt b June 23 1898 in Bynumville, Chariton county Missouri and d Dec 12 1983 in Glasgow, Chariton county Missouri. He was the son of James Henry and Laura Clark Hurt.
Grampa Louie, as we know him as, was a farmer in the Bynumville Missouri area for many years. He moved up here to the Quad Cities for a few years and worked at the John Deere Harvester Plant located in East Moline Illinois and also served as the Mayor of Green Rock, now Colona Illinois during that same time.
My husband recalls his Grampa Louie also raising hunting dogs as well.
I also should note that Grannie Susie was a gifted Poet. She wrote many poems that were published in the newspaper in the Bynumville area.
I believe I have some of those poems in a storage box.

May 12 2002