Vivian Mae Corbin: The Youngest Child of Robert and Mildred Mae (McCauley) Corbin-Clark

Vivian Mae Corbin, was born on August 3, 1932 at Maple Hill, Kansas.   She was the youngest child of Robert and Mildred Mae (McCauley) Corbin-Clark.  She was my aunt and the "little" sister of my mother, Lucille (Corbin) Clark.  Vivian was the paternal granddaughter of George Washington and Sarah Ann (Todd) Corbin.   Sarah Ann (Todd) Corbin died in 1916 and George Washington Corbin in 1925, so both were dead before she was born.   She was the maternal granddaughter of Samuel McCauley, who died in 1911 and Lucy Mae (Lemon) McCauley-Banta-Billings-Strong who lived until 1951.   Vivian received her middle name from Lucy Mae Lemon was the only grandparent Vivian Corbin knew.

I knew Aunt Vivian particularly well, because she was just about 10 years older than I, and was still single and living with her parents (my maternal grandparents) when my early memories began.   Since I spent a lot of time with Robert and Mildred Corbin, I also spent a lot of time with Aunt Vivian.  I was born in 1944, when Aunt Vivian was 12, so she and my other aunts all spoiled me.   I believe the term "rotten" is certainly appropriately applied!

Perhaps one of the earliest photographs of the Corbin Family, taken about 1936 or 1937 in Maple Hill, Kansas.  L-R:  George S. Corbin, Lucille Corbin, Mildred M. (McCauley) Corbin and Robert Corbin.  Front row L-R:  Joan Corbin, Sarah Emma Corbin and Vivian Mae Corbin.

Aunt Vivian attended Maple Hill Grade School and Maple Hill High School, graduating in 1951.   She was musically talented and played in the Maple Hill High School Band and sang in the Maple Hill Community Congregational Church choir.  I remember Aunt Vivian and my other aunts, Joan (Corbin) Andrews-Frazier, Sarah Emma (Corbin) Justice and my mother Lucille (Corbin) Clark, all spending a great deal of time at the piano and in singing.   Grandmother Mildred (McCauley) Corbin usually prepared and hosted Sunday Dinner (which was served at lunchtime) and when the dishes were cleaned up, almost always, everyone headed to the living room when we sang popular songs as well as hymns.   It is one of my favorite memories and where I learned to sing and appreciate music.

All of my aunts spoiled me.   They all had good jobs in Topeka, Kansas and since I was the first maternal grandchild, birthdays, Christmas and other occasions were usually times when they brought me toys and clothes.   I remember Aunt Vivian giving me a record player for Christmas when I was 5 or 6, and several records with children's stories and songs.   I loved that record player.

This 1944 photograph was taken when Robert and Mildred Corbin lived three miles east of Maple Hill in the Holmden Stone House.   Robert was working for the Franklin Adams Estate.   L-R are:  Vivian Mae Corbin, Lucille Corbin, Joan Corbin and Sarah Emma Corbin.   I have to say that my mother, Lucille Corbin and Aunt Vivian both hated this picture, so I'm glad they are not here to see me using it in this blog :)

I became a pupil at Maple Hill Grade School in 1951 and Aunt Vivian was in high school.   I'm sure she may have dated others, but I only remember her dating her future husband, George Wild, Jr.  He was a tall, athletic guy who our family enjoyed having around at gatherings.  He had a really good looking 1950 Ford and always kept it in immaculate condition.   Robert and Mildred (McCauley) Corbin lived on a farm about 1.5 miles south of Maple Hill, Kansas and the homestead had a circle driveway.  I can still see George Wild driving in and making that circle to pick up Aunt Vivian.   If memory serves me well, my grandparents would not let Aunt Vivian date on week nights, so she and George dated on Friday and Saturday night, and then attended the Pilgrim Fellowship Youth Group at the Maple Hill Community Congregational Church on Sunday evenings.

I can still hear my grandparents establishing the rules for Aunt Vivian's dates.   The most important rule, was a signal for her to come into the house.   At 11:00pm on Friday and Saturday nights, Grandfather or Grandmother Corbin, usually Grandfather Corbin, would walk into the kitchen and flip the electrical switch for the big yard light off and on.   That was the signal that Aunt Vivian should soon appear in the house!  I do remember that there were occasional pleadings but Grandfather Corbin was pretty strict and Aunt Vivian usually lost the arguments.   It was a happy household and I don't really have any unpleasant memories of my times spent there.   I'm sure my first cousins would all agree.

Aunt Vivian and George Wild continued to date after graduating from Maple Hill High School.   George worked on his parent's farm, which was located in the Turkey Creek Community north of Maple Hill.   Aunt Vivian got a job in Topeka, and while I remember that it was clerical work, I don't recall what company she worked for.   They were engaged, and on September 25, 1953, they were married at the Maple Hill Community Congregational Church by Rev. Harold Wisegarver.   Their wedding reception was held in the American Legion Hall on Maple Hill's Main Street.   Their first home was in the upstairs apartment at the home of the bride's cousin, Charles M. and Bonnie (Thomas) Mitchell in Maple Hill, Kansas.

Uncle George Wild was just a great guy, always in the middle of everything fun and yet, I remember him as having a bashful side.   He was the son of George Randolph Wild, Sr. and Fern Ivy (Lacock) Wild and grew up on the family's farm in Turkey Creek.   He was a very hard worker.  He was born on June 28, 1932 and was about a year older than Aunt Vivian, although there were in the same class at Maple Hill High School.

Uncle George soon got a job as the custodian and bus driver for the Maple Hill Grade School.   It was great because I could get on his bus and ride to Grandmother and Grandfather Corbin's home, which I did regularly.   It wasn't long until they had moved to the old Meinhardt Farm north of Maple Hill, now owned by the Porter family.  I was invited to spend many weekends there and always enjoyed myself immensely.   Aunt Vivian and Uncle George kept a mild cow, a saddle horse, and lots of chickens.   They always had outdoor cats and spending the weekend there was full of good times.  I loved having homemade butter, fresh cream and all lots of good things to eat.   Uncle George would wake me up very early in the morning, and we'd drive to his parent's farm where he would scoop fresh silage out of their silage pit and take it to the cattle.  That insured that they always had fresh beef as well.   Uncle George's mother, Fern Wild had a huge garden on their river-bottom farm, and she was wonderful to can and freeze lots of food and share it with others.    Fern also loved antiques and visited auctions and shops, always finding bargains in poor condition which she refinished and made into beautiful heirlooms.

I'm not sure when Uncle George left the school job and began working for Goodyear Tire and Rubber in Topeka, Kansas.   He was still driving the school bus when I finished grade school at Maple Hill in 1958.    The work there was very hot and hard and Uncle George spent more than 30 years building tires.   Before long, they built a new home on Prairie Avenue in Maple Hill, Kansas.   They were both very proud of their new home, where they spent the rest of their lives.

Their first child, Randolph Corbin Wild, Sr., was born on September 26, 1955 and was nearly a second anniversary present!  Randy grew up in Maple Hill, Kansas and attended Maple Hill Grade School and graduated from St. Marys High School, St. Marys, Kansas.    Randy was a good athlete and enjoyed playing sports at St. Marys High School.

Randy married Kimberly A. Tarbutton, who was born March 26, 1959.   Kim is the daughter of Joseph E. and Donna (Vanlandingham) Tarbutton and has lived all of her life in Maple Hill, Kansas.   Kim attended Maple Hill Grade School, and St. Marys High School.   Kim was involved in school activities and was a cheerleader.

She and Randolph Corbin Wild, Sr. were married in the Maple Hill Community Congregational Church on September 29, 1979.   Kim and Randy were both active in the Maple Hill Community Congregational Church Pilgrim Fellowship youth group. 
Randy Wild has been employed for nearly 3 decades by Westar Energy at the Jeffery Energy Center north of St. Marys, Kansas.    Kim (Tarbutton) Wild is employed by the St. Marys Manor, St. Marys, Kansas.  They live in Maple Hill, Kansas.

Randy Wild recently celebrated his 58th birthday with a family dinner at the Brookville Hotel, Abilene, Kansas.  L-R are: Kim (Tarbutton) Wild, grandson Parker Heim, and Randolph Corbin Wild, Sr.

Randy and Kim Wild are the parents of three children:   Rebecca Ann, born July 1, 1980; Shannon Kay Wild, born May 29, 1983 and Randolph Corbin Wild, Jr. born December 20, 1984.

All three children attended Maple Hill Grade School and all three graduated from St. Marys High School, St. Marys, Kansas.  All of the children were active in school organizations and in athletics.

Rebecca "Becky" Wild, attended Maple Hill Grade School and St. Marys High School before graduating from Oklahoma Panhandle State University in 2003.  Becky was on an athletic scholarship at OPSU. 

Barry and Becky (Wild) Sandstrom

On June 10, 2006 she was married to Barry Sandstrom at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in St. Marys, Kansas.   Becky (Wild) Sandstrom is employed by Unified School District #321 at St. Marys High School as a teacher and coach.  Barry Sandstrom is employed at Home Depot in Topeka, Kansas.  The Sandstroms live in Topeka, Kansas.

L-R:  Shannon Wild, Kimberly (Tarbutton) Wild, Rebecca (Wild) Sandstrom and Randy Wild.

Shannon Wild attended Maple Hill Grade School and graduated from Washburn University in 2005 with a degree in Health Sciences and Physical Therapy.   She was married to Wade Michael Heim on July 7, 2007 at First Methodist Church in Topeka, Kansas.   Wade attended schools in St. Marys, Kanas and Kansas State University in Manhattan.   Wade is currently employed as a civil engineer and Shannon is a Rehabilitation Director and CTPA Program Manager for Genesis Services in Wamego, Kansas.

L-R:  Shannon (Wild) and Wade Heim

Shannon and Wade Heim have one child, Parker Heim, born October 23, 2008 and are expecting another in 2014.    They are building a new home west of St. Marys, Kansas.

L-R:   Shannon (Wild), Parker Heim and Wade Heim

Randolph Corbin Wild, Jr., who is called Randy, attended Maple Hill High School and St. Marys High School and was graduated from Washburn University.     Randy played on the Washburn Ichabod Baseball Team and also played semi-professional baseball during summers.  Randy was named to the All-MIAA Baseball Team twice and threw several no-hit games as an Ichabod pitcher.  Randy is a Special Education teacher at St. Marys High School and is also head girls basketball coach.   He was married to Beth Mitchell of St. Marys, Kansas on July 3, 2010.  Beth is employed at Custom Woods of St. Marys.

L-R:   Randy and Beth (Mitchell) Wild


This is a 1964 Maple Hill Grade School photo of Pamela Mae Wild.

Pamela Mae Wild was born to George and Vivian (Corbin) Wild on July 18, 1958 at Gen Hospital in Wamego, Kansas.   Pam's family lived in Maple Hill, Kansas where she attended Maple Hill Grade School and graduated from St. Marys High School.

Pam and Russell John Martin, were married on March 19, 1977.  Russ Martin is the son of John H. and Anges Martin and was raised in the Emmett Community of Pottawatomie County, Kansas where he attended elementary school and graduated from St. Marys High School.  The couple met at St. Marys High School where both were students.

Pam and Russ have lived in the Maple Hill and Paxico Communities of Wabaunsee County all of their married lives.  Russ was a carpet installer and estimater at Country Carpets, Maple Hill, Kansas.    For more than 25 years, Pam has been the clerk of the Unified School District #321 at St. Marys, Kansas.   Russ and Pam built a new home on land north of Paxico, Kansas which had been in the Wild Family for several generations.   They continue to live there. 

Russ and Pam are the parents of two children: Ryan Christopher Martin and Hillary Leigh Martin.

The Ryan Martin Family: Back Row L-R: Ryan, Leo Christopher and Michelle (Pearl) Martin.  Front Row: Vivian Paige, and Atticus Michael Martin.   The occasion was the first communion of Vivian Martin at Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in St. Marys, Kansas.

Ryan Christopher Martin was born on July 28, 1977 and grew up in the Maple Hill, Paxico and St. Marys Communities where he attended schools.  Ryan was married to Michelle A. Pearl on June 1, 2002 at the Immaculate Conception Catholic Church in St. Marys, Kansas.   Michelle is the daughter of Gerald "Jerry" and Hildegard Pearl of St. Marys, Kansas.   Michelle attended and graduated from schools in St. Marys, Kansas.  Ryan is employed by Country Carpets, Maple Hill, Kansas and Michelle Martin is employed by US Stone Industries in St. Marys, Kansas.

L-R:  Vivian Paige, Atticus Michael and Leo Christopher Martin

Ryan and Michelle Martin are the parents of three children:  Vivian Paige born February 3, 2004, Atticus Michael, born December 5, 2005 and Leo Christopher Martin born March 9, 2010.     The Martins live in St. Marys, Kansas




The Mike and Hillary Brunin Family.

The second child of Russ and Pam Martin is Hillary Leigh Martin, born March 6, 1981.   Hillary is a graduate of St. Marys High School, St. Marys, Kansas.   On October 8, 2005 Hillary was married to Michael David Brunin At Immaculate Conception Catholic Church, St. Marys, Kansas.   Mike Brunin was born on March 2, 1982 and is the son of David and Kathy Brunin, St. Marys, Kansas.

Hillary (Martin) Brunin and twin sons Quinn and Corbin.

Mike and Hillary are the parents of twin sons, Quinn Robert and Corbin Nathaniel Brunin, born September 1, 2008.   The Brunins live in Eudora, Kansas where Hillary is a physical therapist and Mike is an architectural engineer.