Barbara Sue Laviers
Barbara Sue Laviers was born in Sayre, Pennsylvania in 1930. She was born in the Robert Packard Hospital where her father, Dr. Donald G. Purple, was completing his medical residency. The family soon moved to Corning, New York where Dr. Purple set up his pediatric practice and where Sue’s brother Don was born.
Sue attended the Corning Free Academy and graduated in 1948. From the Academy, Sue went on to Mount Holyoke College where she studied American Literature and History. She was also in the teacher education program.
During her third year at Mount Holyoke, Sue and her swimming buddy took a group to Bermuda during spring break. It was there that she met a handsome young man named Harry Laviers during a boat tour around the island.
IN 1952, Sue Purple graduated from college and went to work in Washington as a cryptographer. Her new beau, Harry, was in the U. S. Army and stationed at Fort Meade. Sue and Harry were married in 1952 in Corning.
In September of 1953, Harry was discharged form the Army and the newlyweds returned to his hometown of Paintsville, Kentucky, where he joined his father in mining for the South East Coal Company. Their children, Elizabeth, Henry and Don were born while they were in Paintsville.
Sue and Harry moved to Irvine in 1959 where the South East Coal Company was building a coal cleaning/processing plant. In 1961, their son Stephen was born in the Estill County (Marcum Wallace) Hospital. Their children attended elementary school in Irvine and Beth graduated from Estill County High School in 1972.
While living in Estill County, Sue spent many hours working with the Girl Scouts as a troop leader and as a board member of the Wilderness Road Girl Scout Council in Lexington. She also was a Den Mother with the Cub Scouts. Her son Henry had the opportunity to attend the Boy Scout jamboree in Japan with other boys form the area.
Sue was active in the Irvine Methodist Church as a Sunday School teacher and Youth Group leader as well as trustee of the church Administrative Board. She was involved with the Irvine- Ravenna Woman’s Club and also the Four Seasons Garden Club. Son Henry and their close friend, Huber Hall, were instrumental in getting the local swimming pool built which was located behind the old Irvine High School building. This helped Sue provide swimming activities for the children and their friends by eliminating the long drive necessary to get to a pool out of the county.
The Estill County Public Library exists today thanks to many folks in Estill County. Sue, Harry and the South East Coal Company were out front in its construction, especially in the preparation of the building site by the Company. Sue served as a trustee on the Library Board until they moved to Lexington in 1994.
After all the children were in school, Sue earned her Master’s Degree at the University of Kentucky in Communications. Upon the sudden death of a long time employee, Sue began to work at the plant by working in the billing office and helping to install computers in the inventory and billing department.
Sue says those 35 years as an active mother in Estill County "gave me a lot of pleasure. I made many lifelong friends in Estill County and it was a good place for Harry and I to raise our children."
Sue attended the Corning Free Academy and graduated in 1948. From the Academy, Sue went on to Mount Holyoke College where she studied American Literature and History. She was also in the teacher education program.
During her third year at Mount Holyoke, Sue and her swimming buddy took a group to Bermuda during spring break. It was there that she met a handsome young man named Harry Laviers during a boat tour around the island.
IN 1952, Sue Purple graduated from college and went to work in Washington as a cryptographer. Her new beau, Harry, was in the U. S. Army and stationed at Fort Meade. Sue and Harry were married in 1952 in Corning.
In September of 1953, Harry was discharged form the Army and the newlyweds returned to his hometown of Paintsville, Kentucky, where he joined his father in mining for the South East Coal Company. Their children, Elizabeth, Henry and Don were born while they were in Paintsville.
Sue and Harry moved to Irvine in 1959 where the South East Coal Company was building a coal cleaning/processing plant. In 1961, their son Stephen was born in the Estill County (Marcum Wallace) Hospital. Their children attended elementary school in Irvine and Beth graduated from Estill County High School in 1972.
While living in Estill County, Sue spent many hours working with the Girl Scouts as a troop leader and as a board member of the Wilderness Road Girl Scout Council in Lexington. She also was a Den Mother with the Cub Scouts. Her son Henry had the opportunity to attend the Boy Scout jamboree in Japan with other boys form the area.
Sue was active in the Irvine Methodist Church as a Sunday School teacher and Youth Group leader as well as trustee of the church Administrative Board. She was involved with the Irvine- Ravenna Woman’s Club and also the Four Seasons Garden Club. Son Henry and their close friend, Huber Hall, were instrumental in getting the local swimming pool built which was located behind the old Irvine High School building. This helped Sue provide swimming activities for the children and their friends by eliminating the long drive necessary to get to a pool out of the county.
The Estill County Public Library exists today thanks to many folks in Estill County. Sue, Harry and the South East Coal Company were out front in its construction, especially in the preparation of the building site by the Company. Sue served as a trustee on the Library Board until they moved to Lexington in 1994.
After all the children were in school, Sue earned her Master’s Degree at the University of Kentucky in Communications. Upon the sudden death of a long time employee, Sue began to work at the plant by working in the billing office and helping to install computers in the inventory and billing department.
Sue says those 35 years as an active mother in Estill County "gave me a lot of pleasure. I made many lifelong friends in Estill County and it was a good place for Harry and I to raise our children."