A Picture with Your Dad

In the early to mid 1940s, while war was building in Europe and the Pacific, Bill Hartley drove a bread route for Manor Bread in Lee's Summit. When soon promoted to route foreman his responsibilities included setting up new routes. This was a time when bread and milk were delivered to a consumer's door. Business was booming and Bill moved his wife Margaret and two boys, Dale and Cliff from town to town throughout western Missouri. While setting up routes in Nevada Missouri, Vernon County was short on its quota for their draft board. At the age of 37, Bill was required to register for the draft.

Shortly after registering, Bill moved his family back to Lee's Summit where he continued with Manor. What he didn't think about was that he was still registered for the draft in Vernon County. His number was called up and he went forward to serve. Bill went to boot camp in Michigan in 1943, and then because of his age, he was told he would not have a battle field role and was trained to be a barber. He was sent to the Philippines where local barbers would cut servicemen's hair for 5 cents a haircut. Since his barbering skills were not in need, he was trained to take care of the mail for his unit.

On the home front for the Hartley family, Margaret, the daughter of Lee's Summit's first Buick dealership, held the family together. Bill and Margaret's oldest son, Dale, was in his senior year at Lee's Summit High School, which at the time was located at 6^th and Miller. He would graduate with the class of 1944. With the war still looming, Dale chose, rather than be drafted, he would to enlist in the Navy. He remembers being called up on D-Day, June 6, 1944 and being sent to the Great Lakes for basic training.

Upon completion of basic, Dale was sent first to New Guinea, and then he was destined for the Philippines, where his father was stationed.

The overseas trip gave Dale, plenty of time to anticipate seeing his dad for the first time since graduating high school. "I don't remember how I contacted my dad once on the islands." In the mid summer of 1945 Dale got word to his father that he was on the islands and they were able to spend some time together on Dale's ship. While spending that time together, Dale and Bill captured this moment with a picture.

Dale, shared that "I knew I would soon be trained for the invasion of Japan and that was weighing heavy on many soldiers' and sailors' minds." However; that invasion was not necessary with the dropping of two atom bombs, one on Hiroshima and the other on Nagasaki. Soon after, Dale and his father were able to complete their military service and return to life in Lee's Summit, Missouri, just as many men and women did in the United States.

Upon returning home, Dale joined Bill at Manor Bread where he drove a route in Belton Missouri and later Coffeyville Kansas. Shortly their paths separated. Bill began a sales career at Schick Hardware, at 3^rd and Douglas, current location of Bike America. Dale began working for the post office as a classified substitute. He was able to get as many hours as he wanted to work and was soon making more money that the town's postmaster.

As most returning veterans, bought homes in Lee's Summit and raised families, they needed furniture and appliances. The owners of Schick Hardware, sold Bill that portion of their hardware store and he moved it to the opposite corner of Third and Douglas where Hartley's Furniture operated. Bill invited his sons Dale and Cliff to join him in the business.

Hartley's Furniture operated at this location from 1953 through 2006. According to a Lee's Summit Economic Development Council Newsletter of June 2006, Dale was "a key player in the creation of Downtown Lee's Summit Main Street and all the great things that have taken place in our town center."

Dale continues to be active in the community and makes his way to Neighbors Café several times a week. The picture of him and his father has found a home on the wall of Neighbors, along with other pictures of the men and women of Lee's Summit who have served our country and whose service we celebrate this coming week.



Happy Veterans Day, and thank you ladies and gentlemen for your service.