Painovich Family

Painovich Family

The Painovich Family Story: Serbian Family Eli and Sophia Bogic Painovich

The Serbian Empire emerged from the Medieval Serbian Kingdom, begun in 1346 AD by King Stefan Dusan and spanning a large part of the Balkans. In 1540, Serbia was annexed by the Ottoman Empire. At the end of WWII, it achieved its borders and became a unit of the Federal People’s Republic of Yugoslavia. Both the Painovich and Bogic families were 100% Serbian and two of many Serbian families who immigrated to America at the early turn of the century because their homeland was in peril. 

From Croatia to America

Eli Louis Painovich, an ethnic Serb born in 1874 in Smiljan, a small village in Croatia. Eli’s family was neighbors to Nikola Tesla, a physicist, eccentric electrical engineer, and great inventor of alternating current, the Tesla coil, and many other inventions. He was a recluse and the son of a priest with an IQ of 180-310. Eli had been previously married to a Catholic woman and had a son. Serbs were forbidden to marry Catholics because thousands of Serbs were beheaded and/or their homes were burned by Catholics. Eli’s home was among those burned down. Sophia Bogich was born an ethnic Serb in 1880 in Gospic, Croatia, where her family lived. As a young woman, she met Eli and married him in 1906. The new couple travelled to America to start a new life, never again to see their families. 

Labor, Family, and Resilience

The Painovich’s landed in Canada and initially settled in Hibbing, Minnesota, where the world’s largest open-pit iron ore mine was, and needed laborers. Eli worked as a pit foreman and helped Sophia, who was the cook for 50 miners and a midwife. They all lived in tent camps. Eli and Sophia had their first five children within 5 years while in Hibbing:  Mary in 1907, Louis (1908-2000), an infant who was born and died in 1909, Mildred (1910-2002), and Mike (1911-1990). After Mike was born, they moved for a short time to Keokuk, Iowa to work on the dam. There were tent camps there for the worker’s families, but soon bunkhouses were built to house 16 men only in each. The Panovich’s then went to Hannibal, Missouri and then south Des Moines where Eli worked for Hawkeye Cement (later his son, Louis, will retire from there as well). Sophia and the children were so happy because the company provided a home, and they had never lived in one before. While there their sixth child, Dan, was born in 1914. They were pulled from Des Moines to Fulton, Illinois, a railroading town, to live near their relatives. While there, the family grew by three more children: Dorothy (1915-1917) who died at 2 from the Spanish Flu epidemic; Violet (1918, and Nick in (1920-1999). 

Life on 10th Street

Continuing to work for the railroad, they returned to West Des Moines, then a railroading town called Valley Junction where they spent the rest of their lives at 119 – 10th Street. Eli worked at Portland Cement and did other odd jobs. The 10th and last child, Bessie, was born in 1922. The kids all finished grade school except Violet who finished after 10th grade. Louis said they had only two sets of clothes if they were lucky and sometimes did not even have shoes. Eli and Sophia bought a house on Canary Street (now 10th St.) in a new housing development for $1,100 where they could garden and raise livestock within the city limits. All the houses in that new addition were painted yellow.

From 1932 to 2020: Eli’s Story Lives On

Ten years after their last child was born in 1932 her husband (57) was rushed to the hospital for surgery with an abscessed appendix. The infection spread. Since there was no penicillin in those days, and he did not survive. He was a well revered man. Fast forward to July 10-12, 2020, a date neither Eli nor Sophia would know about, in Croatia and the world celebrated Eli’s 164th birthday in Gospic by presenting Tesla Power of Lights (laser show) along with a documentary of “When I was a Little Boy” an exhibition at the Nikola Tesla Memorial Center. 

Holding the Family Together

However, now Sophia Painovich’s life is drastically different. Widowed at 52 with eight children between the ages of 10-23, Sophia was worried about their survival. Sophia was studying to get her citizenship, but to no avail she did not have the money. It was known that one of the people helping absconded with her money. She had a sister, Mildred Loncar, whose family lived a block away, but they also had a big family. The closest Serbian Orthodox Church was St. Nicholas in Omaha, Nebraska which was too far for her family to go live. She began to take in borders, did some bootlegging and whatever else was possible. They did not have running water, heating, or plumbing yet. Louis, being the oldest son, would go out at night hunting for wood to bring home for the potbellied stove and cook stove. Some of the kids were old enough to find jobs but had to surrender most of their earnings to help with bills. Because Sophia had not become a citizen, it was not until the 1950s while in her 70s that she was able to get a small pension from the state. As the kids grew and married, they continued to help her in whatever way was necessary. 

Tradition, Family and Celebration

Sophia was a simple, strong woman who did not need much in her life to be happy. She loved to crochet (show my apron, pin cushion) house dresses and full aprons, play cards, watch boxing on TV, and visit the Serbian Church. She also looked forward to our annual Serbian Christmas on January 7th and other ethnic celebrations which brought many Serbs together. As the oldest son, Louis was expected to prepare and roast the hogs or lambs for most of his life. Not just on holiday, but weekly they usually roasted each Sunday so people could take home meat for dinner. This was such a common cultural event, the Des Moines Register featured Louis in a picture roasting a hog. Traditionally families went from house to house to wish each other a bountiful year (and place grain in the corners of each home). There was singing, kolo dancing, mandolin music, wonderful ethnic dishes… plus a little slivovitsa (plum or apricot brandy) that made hair grow on your chest. 

A Mother’s Strengh and Lasting Legacy

In the 1950s, Sophia had a heart attack followed by several more but did not die of heart problems (even though the paper indicated that). She was still strong enough in her later years that she was able to be a caretaker of others. Sophia spent time taking care of her son Mike in her home. Mike was wheelchair bound from a stroke. Which meant that her elderly cousin who had lived with Mike and his wife before Mike’s wife passed away was also under her care. It required her to cook, lift, wash, etc. to take care of them. By then they had a few modern conveniences. As she continued to weaken Sophia’s daughter Violet took care of her. In 1974, Sophia died at 94 because her food would not metabolize any more. 

In Honor of Sophia

In closing, daughter Mary Ann reflects, “My SHEro is my paternal grandmother, Sophia, whom I greatly admired because of the rocky path her life took as an immigrant in a new world… and one who needed little materialism to be happy! As I think of Sophia and the path her life took, it reminds me of a framed poem that hung on the wall of our home when I grew up that speaks to the value of being a MOTHER.”

No painter’s brush nor poet’s pen

In justice to her fame

Has ever reached half high enough

To write a mother’s name. 

~author unknown

Leon-Negrete Family

Leon-Negrete Family

The Leon-Negrete Family

The Leon family has deep roots in Valley Junction, tracing back over a century to León, Guanajuato, Mexico. Nicanor “Nick” Leon, born in 1897, and Feliciana Perez, born in 1899, knew each other in their hometown before Feliciana’s family immigrated to Iowa. Determined to join her, Nick arrived in Iowa City with his brother, Ausencio (1895 – 1932), who became a professional interpreter for many local Mexican families and is buried in Jordan Cemetery, a reminder of their early years.

Nick and Feliciana were married at Visitation Catholic Church in October 1919 and initially lived in Iowa City before settling in Valley Junction. Their first home, located at what would later be renamed 429 Washington Street, was where all seven of their children – Canuto, Lupe, Catalina (“Katie”), Antonio (“Tony”), Trinidad, Barney, and Timothea (“Timmy”)– were born. Nick built this uniquely progressive home with indoor plumbing, a rarity at the time, while the neighborhood generally relied on outhouses and well water. Their household was vibrant, filled with the sounds of Spanish and the aromas of home-cooked meals. 

Raising a Family in Valley Junction

Nick worked as a painter for the Rock Island Railroad and later contributed to local businesses, while Feliciana was a nurturing mother and midwife. The family eventually moved to 132 3rd Street, where Nick and Feliciana spent the rest of their lives.

The Leon children became active members of the Valley Junction community. Canuto and Barney worked for Midwest Concrete, participating in projects such as the construction of Mercy Hospital in Des Moines and creating concrete planters still standing today. Trinidad served as a beloved mailman, while Kaite and Lupe worked in food service at local schools. The family legacy continued as Lupe’s son, Richard Murillo, Blue Sky Diner and Nacho Mamma’s restaurants. Tony manage insurance office, and Timmy worked as a teacher and principal. Other Leon grandchildren followed in their footsteps, often graduating from Valley High School or Dowling Catholic.

Raising a Family in Valley Junction

Katie married Frank Negrete, a WWII Marine Corps Veteran, in 1947. They raised three daughters– Annette (“Annie”), Kathy, and Antonia (“Toni”)– in Valley Junction’s vibrant Mexican American community, surrounded by family and friends. The neighborhood was alive with activity, from playing at their cousins’ homes to walking to the original Sacred Heart Church, where family events took place. The children eagerly awaited trains at the tracks, hoping to catch conductors tossing them coins, fueling their imaginations of distant lands. 

Summers were filled with softball games at Legion Park, where Frank pitched for the Mexican Eagles for four decades, earning a spot in the Des Moines Softball Hall of Fame, while Katie sold tacos at the concession stand. Life in Valley Junction was simple yet rich, with familiar small business owners and cherished memories of Green River sodas, train sounds, and strong community ties. 

Rooted in Values

Annie graduated from Valley High School in 1967 and became a nurse at Mercy Hospital for 45 years. Kathy attended beauty school, then worked for the Iowa Lottery while raising two children. Toni became a court reporter and later an employee at Meredeith Corporation, caring for her grandparents in their final years. 

From their beginnings across the tracks to decades of service, worship, and community, the Leon and Negrete family’s legacy remains integral to Valley Junction. 

Lula Jones and Lawrence Jones (Bell) Family

Lula Jones and Lawrence Jones (Bell) Family

The Jones, Bell, and Rhodes Family Story: Life Behind the White Picket Fence

In the late 1930s, Lula and Lawrence Jones left Holly Springs, Mississippi, in search of new opportunities, landing in Valley Junction, Iowa. The move was both a leap of faith and an act of resilience – a common thread in the Great Migration as African American families sought better lives in the North. With them came their two daughters, Musette and Aurelia. Life changed again when Lawrence, a man with a stubborn streak and an independent spirit showed just who he was. Family lore says Mr. Bell once told his field boss to “kiss his ass,” and, after that bold declaration, found it prudent to make a quick escape to Iowa. 

Mother Lula Bell

Lawrence died years later, and Lula married John Bell. They settled in the 100 block of 11th Street, a modest neighborhood where front porches served as living rooms and news traveled faster than the postman. Lula– known to everyone as Mother Lula Bell – was more than just a neighbor. She became a counselor to young married couples, offering advice over steaming cups of coffee. Many came to her not only for guidance on raising children, but also for gentle, firm reminders about the importance of mutual respect in marriage.

Making a Home on 11th Street

Aurelia marreid Gene Rhodes, and together they built their home at 111 11st Street, using lumber salvaged from the Fort Dodge Army barracks. Aurelia was a housewife in the truest sense – keeping a warm home and welcoming space for family and friends – while Gene found work with a prominent trucking company. His employment ended abruptly when the company discovered he was Black. Underterred, Gene took a job at the U.S. Post Office and later served in the U.S. Army during World War II.

The Next Generation

Aurelia and Gene raised one daughter, a nurse, and later adopted two grandchildren – Penelope “Penny” Brewton and Cordelia Allen – who both graduated from Valley High School. Pennt broke new ground as the school’s first Black wrestling cheerleader, a proud milestone for both the family and the community. Subtle racism stuck Penny in the tiger mascot suit sitting on the wrestling mat next to the white cheerleaders in their pleated skirts. Penny remembers having to wear her costume to school, toting the head and holding the tail as she walked through the school halls. Aurelia also found time to volunteer alongside Phyllis and Marilyn Lepara in the local schools and at the West Des Moines Opportunity Center, extending the family’s tradition of service. Cordelia died in March 1996.

Three Households, One Fence

Musette, Lula’s other daughter, Jackie, had one daughter of her own and worked as a window dresser at Miller Wohl’s department store – an artful job that blended creativity with style. 

The three households shared more than blood; they shared a white picket fence on the east side of 11th Street. It was a symbolic and literal boundary – welcoming, but only to those trusted to cross it. Sundays were devoted to St. Paul AME Church in Des Moines, where faith was not just a practice but a guiding principle. 

Like many Black families of their generation, they encountered racism in most places – but not in Valley Junction. Here, they marveled at how the community worked together toward shared goals. The neighborhood was tight-knit, protective, and proud.

Family memories are stitched together with humor and warmth. Penny still laughs when recalling the day she thought she was getting wieners for lunch – only to find a bowl of Wheaties waiting for her instead.  

Her Story Lives On

The home at 111 11th Street still stands, holding the echoes of shared meals, laughter, and Sunday bests. Today, Penny lives in Cordova, Tennessee, with her husband Larry, their daughter Stacey, and her grandson Mason – carrying forward the same values of faith, family, and resilience that Lula Bell once shared over coffee on her porch. 

Gibson Family

Gibson Family

The Gibson Family Story

The Gibson family moved to Valley Junction in the mid-1950s, before the youngest child was born. Junior Gibson had grown up in Lorimor, while his wife, Joan, was from Osceola. They brought with them their three older childnre – Debbie, David (“Buzz”), and Steve – and later welcomed thier youngest, Shellie, on July 22, 1958.

Dedicated Hands and Loving Hearts

The family made thier home at 417 8th Street. Junior had come to West Des Moines seeking greater work opportunities and after trying a few jobs, he opened Gibson Standard Service station at 13th and Grand (now Northern Lights Pizza). Over the years, Junior worked for the Iowa DOT, keeping roads clean and safe, and in retirement drove a school bus for West Des Moines and a delivery van for UnityPoint Hospital. Joan was a homemaker while the children were young, later working at Dahl’s on Prospect, Larsen Cleaners on 5th Street, and at the new West Park Care Center when it opened. She became a beloved coworker there – always ready with a laugh, especially during those early weekend shifts.

Neighborhood Memories and Lifelong Friendships

Growing up in Valley Junction meant being part of a close-knit neighborhood, where doors were left unlocked and conversations happened at the clotheslines or around buring barrels. Kids rode their bikes downtown to Coast-to-Coast, Vandenburg Drug Store, Stilwell Grocery, Ben Franklin, Jacobsons, and Silvers. Like many families with only one car, the Gibsons often rode the city bus into downtown Des Moines to shop. Shellie remembers Phenix Elementary fondly, especially walking home with friends like Billy Rodriguez and Schuyler Herndon, and the excitement of football games at the old stadium, where the whole community would walk together to and from the game. 

Shellie’s dog, Lucky, was her constant companion – so much so that neighbors knew to find Lucky if they were looking for her. She formed lifelong friendships, and she and her closest friends still call themselves “The Valley Junction Golden Girls” (Shannon, Carolyn, Marilyn, and Shellie). 

The Next Generation of Gibsons

As time flew, the Gibson children grew up, graduate from Valley High School, and started families of their own. Debbie (VHS 1968) married Dean Johnson (VHS 1966) and had 3 children, who gave them 7 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren, with 3 on the way. Debbie retired as a Supervisor at Heartland AEA and lives in Des Moines. She is married to Warren Grubbs, who has one son. He gave them 3 grandchildren, who gave them 3 more great-grandchildren.

Buzz and Steve 

Daivd “Buzz” graduated from Valley in 1970, and his wife is Sherry Neufeld, who graduated in 1969. They married on December 14, 1968. They have 3 children, 11 grandchildren, and 7 soon-to-be 8, great-grandchildren. Buzz served in the Army from 1981-2005 and retired as Sergeant First Class. His service caused them to live all over the world, stationed at Ft Sill, Oklahoma; William O. Darby Kaserne in Furth, Germany; and Schofield Barracks on Oahu, Hawaii. They retired to Edmond, Oklahoma, where one of their children and grandchildren live, and stay busy volunteering for their church.

Steve graduated from Valley in 1972 and married Linda Barnett in 1974. They have 2 daughters, 6 grandchildren, and 2 great-grandchildren. Steve lives in Kimberling City, Missouri, and retired after 36 yeras as a union truck driver.

Generations Built at 13th and Locust

In 1981, Shellie met her future husband, Rick Gamble, who was from “the Des Moines side of West Des Moines” and shared many mutual friends. Rick spent decades managing West Grand Conoco adn Drake Texaco before semi-retiring; Shellie also semi-retired after years with UnityPoint. The couple bough their home at 13th and Locust in 1988, where they raised their tow children. Their children have given them three grandchildren.

A Legacy of Connection in Valley Junction

Life in Valley Junction has continued to be rich with community connections. Rex Mathes Elementary, Stilwell, Valley Junction High School, and the Holiday Park baseball and softball fields became the backdrop for countless memories. The teams, schools, and friendships formed there have shaped the Gibson family’s story – one deeply rooted in the heart of Valley Junction. 

Smith Family

Smith Family

Life in the Little Pink House on the Corner

In the spring of 1962, Judy and Paul Smith packed up their lives in Highland Park neighborhood and moved their young family – son Rex (13), daughters Shannon (5) and Gwen (3) their youngest – to Valley Junction. Their destination was 8th and Walnut, specifically “the little pink house on the corner” at 401 8th Street.

Paul’s barber business has been on the East Side, but both he and Judy longed for something different. They wanted the small-town feel they had grown up with – neighbors who knew each other, a school just blocks away, and a community where Paul could walk to work. Phenix Elementary was only a block from their front door, and the sidewalks quickly became familiar paths for litel legs heading to school.

Life on Maple Street

Paul set up shop at 515 Maple, opening each morning with the scent of aftershave and the steady buzz of clippers. While he served customers, his youngest started kindergarten, Rex entered Junior high, and Gwen joined a couple of years later. Eventually, all three would graduate from Valley High School. Once the children were settled in school, Judy began working at KRNT, catching the bus right from their corner. 

The Smiths quickly wove themselves into the fabric of Valley Junction life. Paul kept his barbership running until retirement, sometimes moving to a different storefront but never leaving the district. He developed strong ties with fellow business owners, while the children became regulars at neighborhood shops. Rex even worked at Stilwell’s grovery store through high school.

Challenges and Changing Times

The family faced challenges. The economy’s ups and downs hit Paul’s shop hard, and in the 1970s, long hair came into style, cutting into barbering profits. To supplement the household income, Paul began selling antiques and musical instruments from the back of his shop, even giving guitar lessons. For Rex, the challenge was that social living below Vine Street in the 1960’s carried a stigma in West Des Moines. But by the time his younger sister came of age, that judgment had eased. She remembers classmates being surprised that their house was small or that they had only one car, but she also remembers the gift of growing up in a neighborhood that was racially and culturally diverse, a perspective she carries with gratitude to this day.

Deep Roots in Community and Family

The Smith’s community bonds ran deep. Paul played guitar with friends like the Burch family, while Judy built connections with neighborhood women and her fellow bus riders. Their children grew up alongside the Munoz, Murillo, and Farwell families – just a few of the many neighbors who shaped their childhood. Friendships with Shellie Gibson Gamble, Marilyn Septer Coleman, and Carolyn Beveridge Gaston became lifelong. 

At home, values were simple but strong: support the family, care for neighbors, honor service. Paul was a World War II veteran, and Rex joined the Navy after high school. Sundays meant family dinners, evenings meant ball games in the street until the light faded, and kindness meant looking out for the elderly neighbor who sometimes struggled– bringing him supper and checking in. 

The Joy of Growing up in Valley Junction

The memories from that little pink house could fill a book. There was a time when a movie crew used Paul’s barbershop for a fight scene, replacing his door afterwards, though the film was never released. There were bike rides to Stilwell’s for bubble gum and pop, comic books in band, whipped hot chocolate at Vandenburg’s in the winter, and skating at Legion Park– or even skating all the way there during icy winters. Sometimes they skated right in Shellie’s backyard. After school, the kids would drop by Paul’s shop before heading to supper at the resturant next door, sneaking in through the back door just for the thrill of it. When bikes went missing, the walk to the police station often ended with a reunion behind the building. They were there when Holiday Park opened and stayed until it closed, riding bikes to and from.

Memories from the Little Pink House

Life was full of smal rituals– wearing Blue Bird and Campfire uniforms to school, afternoons at Dorothy Pryor’s house, and neighborhood adventures. Their house, perched on a hill with a tuck-under garage, became a gathering place for kids who came to watch Rex jump the driveway in his truck. In winter, the same hill turned into a sledding slope. Playtime meant Barbies, cowboys and Indians, and games of red light right light that could stretch into the evening. 

For the Smiths, Valley Junction was more than a place to live. It was a place to belong, to grow up, to work hard, and to remember with fondness– a corner of the world where the little pink house still stands in their hearts. 

Galvan Family

Galvan Family

The Galvan Family Story

The story of the Galvan family in Valley Junction begins with Crespin Galvan and Amilia “Emily” Valdez Galvan – a couple whose roots stretched from Texas to Des Moines, but whose hearts were firmly on the Southside. Crespin, born in 1921, was known as a “junk man”, buying and selling old cars, always with a knack for spotting potential in what others had given up on. Emily, born in 1919, carried herself with quiet strength and the kind of steadiness that could hold a large family together.

Noise, Work and Love Under One Roof

Together, they raised eleven children: Chris, Gregory, Raymond, Albert “Butch”, Richard, Raul “Blackie”, Celestino, Jerry, Linda, Gloria, Carmela, and others whose lives were cut short far too young. Theirs was a house of noise, laughter, hard work, and the unshakeable rhythm of family.

Jerry, born in March 1952, grew up surrounded by this energy. He studied auto body and fender work at Des Moines Tech, and though he would go on to make a career in a body shop, his first real “business deal” was paying off a car he wrecked – his father’s car. Every week, Crespin would show up at Jerry’s job to collect payment. One day, Jerry, half-joking, asked, “Dad, just how much do I owe you?” His father never gave him a straight answer – but the ritual of those visits was as much about connection as it was bout the debt.

Life Built on Love, Family and Valley Junction

Jerry’s life took a turn one night at a Mexican dance at the VFW in Ankeny. He was just 16, she was 17, Diana Garcia. Jerry had all the dance moves, but nerves got the better of him when he spilled his drink on her. “If you take your dress off, I’ll get it dry cleaned,” he blurted. It was a ridiculous timing, but they laughed about it for years. They married in 1968, two kids trying to make a life with more love than money. Diana had lived in Valley Junction with her parents, Augustine and Celia Garcia. The newlyweds lived in an apartment on the east side of Des Moines. But the Garcia’s wanted their daugther’s new family close. So, Jerry and Diana moved to her parents’ home in 1970 because they had a child and they didn’t have a lot of money.

They first lived across the railroad tracks in a two-bedroom home built by Augustine Garcia himself, next to his mother’s house. There was no running water, they carried it in from outside. By 1971, with their growing family – Tammy in 1968 and Jerry “Mijo” in 1971 – they moved into a two-bedroom, two-story house on 2nd Street. Jerry still lives there to this day. With a big heart and more love to give, the Galvan’s adopted their granddaughters, Victoria and Jasmine.

Diana worked hard, earning her GED, and eventually spending 29 years at Target. Jerry was a man of all trades! He worked in the body shop by trade, could fix or build about anything. They bonded with neighbors – Janet and Gordon Woolseym the Stelers – and Jerry spent time with the “10th Street boys”, Carl Lamar, Douglas May, Darrell Long, David Howelton, Tonta and David, and Alfred, while Diana found comfort in the company of her sister Lola.

Sundays were sacred. Nearly every week, they’d gather at the Garcia home for a feast – chicken, mashed potatoes, enchiladas, rice, beans, pork chops, chili, tortillas, and chicken mole. The air would be filled with laughter, teasing, and the smell of food that carried stories from one generation to the next. Actually, passed through the neighborhood like love letters, changing slightly with each cook’s touch, until one day they discovered their ‘special family recipe’ was actually borrowed from Alonzo “Blue Jay” Page’s BBQ joint. It didn’t matter. Once it was on the Galvan table, it was theirs.

The Galvan children grew up and started families of their own. Mijo and Samantha followed their parents’ path by having six children, blending families with two boys, Austin and Mason, and four daughters, Victoria, Jasmine, Jaelynn, and Thea. So far, they have given them three grandchildren. Jasmine has two girls, Luna and Diana. Austin has a daughter, Harper. Tammy and Mike Pingel have three children, Nicholas, Lindy and Tasha.

Life wasn’t always easy while Tammy and Mijo were growing up – there were tight budgets, hard work, and loss – but Jerry and Diana built a home where joy was made from togetherness, where meals were shared, and where love was steady. Even after Diana’s passing in 2014, the spirit remains, carried forward by their children, grandchildren, and the stories told around the table – stories that begin, always with Valley Junction.