The Pinecone
|
January 2014
• 7 •
Herman Hulten Beusse was born
January 17, 1914, in Atlanta, GA.
Approximately nine months before
this date, so Herman was told, his
mother said to her husband, Oscar, I
think I’m pregnant. His father replied
“Lilla, you’re too old”. His mother
was 43 years old and his father was
44. At the time of Herman’s birth he
had two brothers, 5 and 8 years older
than he; and a sister who was 22 years
old. His mother was a homemaker.
His father worked for cotton oil mills
for about 20 years and later worked as
a foreman carpenter. When his father
became physically handicapped due to
an on-the-job accident, the family fell
onto hard economical times. Herman
graduated from high school in 1932.
With jobs very scarce, he moved
with his mother and father to a farm.
Because they didn’t have cash to rent
the farm, he and his father improved
the property by putting a new shingle
roof on the barn. Marjorie was born
in 1919 to Cora Melissa Echols and
Oscar Fields. Marjorie and Herman
both graduated from Business College.
Marjorie worked for many years at
Bellevue Baptist Church, as a senior
secretary. In addition to his years as
a farmer, Herman’s careers included
golf caddy, receiving 35 cents for 9
holes, plus tips.; service in the U.S.
Army, Ordnance Department; Assistant
Manager of Mutual Loan and Thrift,
where he met is future wife; and
Operations Superintendent of the Sears
Crosstown store. Herman and Marjorie
married in 1939, and had a son, Lee,
and a daughter, Rebecca. Lee served
in the Air Force Intelligence Unit and
saw action in the Viet NamWar. He did
not survive. Rebecca is a painter and
a granddaughter is a professional
photographer. They have 2
grandchildren and 3 great-
grandchildren.
When Herman retired in 1974,
Sears gave him the equipment
needed to convert his interest
in woodworking into real-
time production of handmade
and hand-carved furniture At
Marjorie’s request Herman made
an exquisite china cabinet adorned
with grapes and grape leafs. He
carved each grape and each grape
leaf with a meticulous eye for
detail. The cabinet also features 3
curved glass panels. Using a slab
of marble as his guide, Herman
made a small credenza patterned to
blend with the marble. The custom
wood work on this quietly major
piece reflects the Art Deco style of
the 60’s. Herman made Marjorie
a desk, custom-fitted to her height
and carved with dogwood blooms
(her favorite flower). He then made
himself a desk, their dining room table,
TV table, an Indian figure, and carved
a dead-on likeness of their Yorkie dog.
2014 is a banner year for the Buesses.
Herman is 100 years old, Marjorie is 95
years old, and they celebrate their 75th
wedding anniversary. “I could have
looked the world over and never found
anybody I love like you”. Herman
spoke those words to Marjorie several
months ago and she will cherish them
forever. They each have serious health
issues; their time together uncertain; but
Herman’s legacy of a master craftsman
will live on and Marjorie’s unfailing
love and support for him is the needed
linchpin that holds them close. They
are long-time residents and well known
to the Kirby Pines family; we rejoice
with them on reaching these significant
milestones. They are special
– Jacqueline Besteman, Resident
S ha r e T h e i r L i ve s
Herman & Marjorie
Beusse
A closer look at the grape leaf detail
