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she was worth remembering
bessie rexroth
she grew up on a farm
She was born Bessie Snabl Tn 1909, and she had a younger sister, Mary (1914-2003). Their parents were Rudolph and Mary Flider Snabl, who had married on February 11, 1907. Rudolph had been born in Bohemia in 1882 and Mary had been born near Table Rock in 1885. In 1925, Rudolph and Mary moved to their farm southeast of Table Rock. Bessie was either in the second semester of her junior year or the first semester of her senior year. Below you see the Snabl farm, the white house and barn on the hill in the background. There is nothing there now; it was on the west side of Taylor Branch.
she was a graduate of table rock
Bessie graduated in 1926.
she was a country school teacher
Bessie Snabl had no children except for the hundreds of children who called her teacher over the many years that she taught, beginning in country school.
Bob Blecha shared a vignette of Bessie as a country school teacher, with a little girl who had come to be in the first grade. The little girl's family spoke Czech at home and she was desperate to be taught in Czech. She knew that Bessie spoke Czech and stood at Bessie's knee, trying to wheedle her to say something to her in Czech. Bessie kindly said, "No, we speak English when we are in school." And that was that.
Bob Blecha shared a vignette of Bessie as a country school teacher, with a little girl who had come to be in the first grade. The little girl's family spoke Czech at home and she was desperate to be taught in Czech. She knew that Bessie spoke Czech and stood at Bessie's knee, trying to wheedle her to say something to her in Czech. Bessie kindly said, "No, we speak English when we are in school." And that was that.
she was a bride
Bessie married Albert Rexroth on January 3, 1934. Here are their wedding potraits.
It bears worth repeating, in a picture, that Bessie was a lovely bride.
Wayne KnippelmeyerCountry school consolidations began in 1952. That was the year Bunker Hill country school closed and I started 6th grade in Table Rock. Bessie Rexroth was my teacher. The best teacher I ever had! |

These 7th and 8th graders graduated in 1965 and 1966, with teachers Bessie Rexroth and Edna Harding. Shared by Richard Binder.
Front row: Ken Burgert, Wayne Johnson, Terry Kalina, Bryan Goodenkauf, Steve Krikava, Dennis Eggers, and Rodney Covault.
2nd row: Larry Boomgaarn, Jackie Flider, Linda Vondrasek, Anita Jasa, Kathy Michal, Nancy Herrick, and Dennis [Acres? Achers?]
Back two rows: These 2 rows are not clear cut, so just take the kids from left to right: Slug (Larry) Aylor, Loren Joe Stehlik, John Diehm, Evelyn Rue, Karen Wenzbauer, Patty Mertes, Dave Brewer, Shirley Young, teacher Edna Harding, Cindy Stewart, and Richard Binder. Shared by Richard Binder
After Bessie's father died in 1964, her mother came to live with her and Albert; her mother died in 1975 at the age of 89.
Mary graduated in 1932.
Bessie (1909-1993)
Mary graduated in 1932.
Bessie (1909-1993)