Ethel Octavia Hales Stancil Ethel was born on July 24, 1916, and died on Feb. 16, 2011. She married George Ralph Stancil on Aug. 21, 1935, in Ocala, Fla.

Ralph's children with George Ralph Stancil Georgeanne Stancil Ocala, Fla.-

Daisy Renn Stancil Ocala, Fla.-

Hale Ralph Stancil

William Harold Stancil Ocala, Fla.-

Ethel and Ralph Stancil in the 1960s. Family archives

Ethel Octavia Hales Stancil was the youngest child of Octavia Creech and William Madison Hales. She was born in Cuthbert, Ga.

William and brother, Ransom, moved their families from Johnston County, N.C., to Ga. They farmed and started a neighborhood Baptist Church.

In 1919 William and Ransom visited Marion County, Fla., and Silver Springs. They liked the area. Each purchased 200 acres, moved possessions by rail and families by car to Ocala. They attended the Cottage Hill Christian Church, when the minister left in 1923; they joined First Christian Church, Ocala. Ethel excelled in school. She was blessed with good teachers who taught her to love knowledge.

When Ethel was seven-years-old, her father paid for her to take Elocution Lessons after school. Students studied formal speaking with emphasis on pronunciation, grammar, style, and tone. Ethel recited poems and memorized readings.

Ethel's future husband Ralph Stancil had first met Ethel, a precocious 11 year old, in 1927 when he went to Florida with Robert Pittman, a half brother of Fletcher Pittman who married Gertrude Stancil.

The first reunion Ethel attended was in 1934 when she became engaged to George Ralph Stancil. They courted by letters beginning in 1932. Ralph wrote inquiring about jobs in Florida. The next letter Ralph wrote was on his way to California seeking work. They began writing regularly. Her book, “Love For Keeps,” contains these letters.

In August 1935, Ralph rode the Greyhound Bus from California to Ocala, Fla., arriving three days before the wedding. He had just enough time to get a marriage license and purchase a small gold wedding band with orange blossoms.

Ethel and Ralph were married at the First Christian Church and immediately caught the Greyhound Bus for North Carolina . After the wedding at the First Christian Church they caught a Greyhound Bus and spent the night in Savannah, Ga. Then they attended the 1935 reunion.

After the reunion, they rode the Greyhound Bus to California and Ralph’s job as foreman of the 10,000 acre ranch, Rodeo Valley Rancho.

In California Ethel met two of Ralph’s first cousins, sons of Josiah; Harry Lester Stancil Sr., called Harry, wife Laura, children Chuck, Lester, Joe, Betty, Ellie and Herbert ‘Herb’ Andrew Stancil, wife Lil, children Patricia, Beverly and Barbara.

Ethel and Ralph moved to California after the trip to North Carolina. After some time in California, they moved to Ocala, Ethel's hometown.

The next reunion Ethel attended was in 1952. At the 1960 reunion, she started making nametags. This tradition continues today, with her daughter Renn Stancil Hinton, making nametags for everyone, and keeping up with the Registrations.

For many years, Ethel and Ralph, hosted a luncheon at Parker’s Barbeque for the George Ira Stancil branch. This luncheon was held on the Saturday before the Reunion. Ethel has a recurring leg wound infection, which has caused her to miss this year’s reunion.

Ralph, Ethel and family had visited North Carolina after Christmas and were on their way home to Florida when an automobile accident occurred on Jan. 3, 1951.

Ethel with grandson Alex Schore in October 2009. Family photo

Ralph and Ethel raised their four children on a farm north of Ocala, Fla. They also helped with raising all of the grandchildren.

Ralph died on May 9, 2004, in Ocala, Fla.

Ethel died on Feb. 16, 2011, in Ocala, Fla.

Ethel Hales and George Ralph Stancil in 1934. Family photo

— Renn Stancil Hinton, daughter of George Ralph Stancil