Myers Family B - Cooler Than Cool

For several weeks, we've been looking at the significant progeny of Thomas J. and Amanda (Myers) Cool. Today's post will look at their three youngest children - if you missed the two previous Cool posts, feel free to scroll back and take a look!

V. Bessie Leah Cool (1893–1980) 

Bessie married Albert Glen Cramer (1893–1967) on 11 July 1928 in De Kalb County. Albert worked as a railroad conductor. They moved to Albion from Garrett around 1960. They do not appear to have had any children. Albert died of a heart attack in 1967, and Bessie suffered a stroke in 1980.

VI. James Don Cool (1896–1972)

James grew up on his father's farm in Union township, and enlisted in the U.S. Army on 18 February 1918. He was working in the Double Fabric Tire Company when he enlisted; after he returned from war, he went to work as a stoker in a gas plant. He married Elizabeth Susan Roan (1904–1969) on 8 February 1923 in Defiance, Ohio, and they set up their home in Auburn, Indiana. He worked as an inspector, probably in the Auburn Automobile Factory.

Elizabeth died of acute congestive heart failure at age 64. James was working in maintenance at the post office when he died of a stroke at age 76. They were buried in the Woodlawn Cemetery in Auburn.

     A. Robert Roan Cool (1924–1988) grew up in Auburn, and went to Toledo, Ohio, to enlist in the U.S. Army on 12 February 1943. After the end of World War II, he married Erma L McCullough (1925–2003).  Erma was a public school teacher, and Robert worked at the Dana Clutch plant as an engineer. He suffered from diabetes from about 1978 and died of a heart attack at age 64. Erma died at 78 of acute respiratory failure.

VII. Frances "Frankie" L Cool (1902–1977)

Grew up in Auburn, and married Ervin Wesley Pion (1895–1980) on 19 November 1918. He was the son of Florentine Frank Pion (1852–1927) and Lucretia Lou Null (1873–1945). They lived in Union City for a few years, but between 1926 and 1930 they moved back to Ervin's native Michigan, settling in Otsego in Allegan county. He worked as a foreman in the gas plant there.

The couple had eleven children together - seven daughters and four sons. Four of their daughters are still living.

     A. Helen A Pion (1919–2011) was born in Indiana, and moved to Michigan with her family when she was about seven or eight years old. She married Robert Alfred Johnson (1918–1994) on 17 September 1937, and they lived in Allegan county. They raised one son, who is still living. Helen and Robert are buried in the Mountain Home cemetery in Otsego.

     B. Wesley Ervin Pion (1922–1978) married Betty Kathryn Brewster (1926–1991) on 13 July 1942, and he enlisted in the Army two months later on 28 September. Wesley was wounded on 10 July 1945 while serving in the Pacific theater. He was discharged on 18 November 1945.

The couple had two sons, one still living. Their younger son was named for Wesley's younger brother, who died in 1944 while he was away in the war.

     2. Howard Albert Pion (1948–2002) was a Vietnam era  Army veteran and was employed at the Plainwell Paper Company, until his retirement in 1991 due to disability. He was survived by his wife, his son, his daughter, and four grandchildren.

     C. James Thomas Pion (1923–1999) enlisted in the U.S. Army on 23 March 1943, and served out the Second World War. He was discharged as a Private First Class on 21 January 1946, and was married to his first wife that summer. He married again in 1956; both wives survive him.

     D. Alice Jane Pion (1926–1995) married George Edgar Taylor (1916–1991) on 22 April 1946. George was the son of John T. Taylor (1866–1943) and Maude Belle Day (1881–1956) of Allegan county, Michigan, and had served in the Second World War as a Tech 5 in the U.S. Army, enlisting 6 June 1942. They raised one daughter, still living, and were beloved by their grandchildren.


     E. Howard Albert Pion (1931–1944) died after accidentally dousing himself with gasoline and setting himself on fire when he was 13 years old. His older brother, Wesley Ervin, named his younger son "Howard Albert" in 1948 to honor him.

Found on Newspapers.com

     G. Kaye Frances Pion (1935–2004) married Leroy Herman Ramp (1932–2010) on 31 December 1952. Leroy was the son of Herschel Herman Ramp (1889–1976) and Nova V. Nuckles (1912–1994). He proudly served his country in the United States Navy during the Korean War and was employed by Humphrey Products for over 24 years. Kaye worked for the Kalamazoo Regional Psychiatric Hospital for 24 years, retiring in 1989. The couple raised one daughter, who died in 1991.

     1. Laurinda Kaye "Laurie" (Ramp) Riley (1953–1991) died at only 37 years of age, leaving behind her husband and two daughters.

     H. Charles Clifford Pion (1937–1997) graduated from Otsego High School, and enlisted for two years, from 18 December 1956 to 27 November 1958, and he married on 12 March 1960. I was not able to find much more information than that, though I suspect he left behind a family when he died at only 60.

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And there you have it: all the Cool kids! (I think Nova V. Nuckles is my new favorite name, you guys!) As I said, there are still four more sisters in the Pion family who are still living, and each has children and grandchildren of their own! I won't ever knowingly post information about living people here, but if you want to help me tell your family's story, please do reach out.

Next week, we will be done with the Ferguson branch of the family, and I'll take a "bye week" before we get back to people with the surname Callin. 

As always, if you are related to anyone mentioned in this post, please say hello - you can drop a comment below, join our Callin Family History Facebook group, or email my Gmail address: callintad at gmail dot com.

Corrections and editorial comments are not only welcome, but encouraged.