Tag Archives: Aileen (Brown) Easterly

The Minister’s Raise

Letter transcription:

April 7, 1965

Dear David and Bonnie:

We have been looking for that letter. At last spring has arrived, and we hope to stay. Two weeks ago the ground was covered with snow, but Dad got the lawnmower ready just in case and after rolling the yard today thinks it will be ready for mowing next Thurs. That is going to make a long summer.

The town is being torn up for the new sewer system and I suppose it will be a year or more before we recover from the torn up streets—that is, get the repairing all taken care of. The digger is at present travelling down North Second Street and from the rate of progress being made, we figure they will either be in front of the Church Easter Sunday or maybe in front of the office. At least the town is catching up with the times a little. We have been giving programs again. We are to go to Indianapolis tomorrow to give a program for Uncle Jim and Aunt Thelma—I think it is their S.S. class. Since Indianapolis is on Eastern Time and we are on Central Time, we will have to leave here by 2:30 to get to Jim’s by 5:30. If I have to go alone, I will spend the night with them, but Dad is planning to go with me. He has surgery scheduled for Friday AM, so we plan to come back Friday night. Of course, we gain an hour coming back.

We received a magazine from Malacca today. It is all about the school and I suppose Bonnie knows what I am referring to. I presume they are not too upset over the situation. We heard the Foundations had to leave Indonesia. John was afraid of that, from all the news he had received from his friends still there. All the news we get about invasion attempts seems to indicate they haven’t been successful. (Indonesia into Malaysia)

For about two weeks I was having a little battle with a flu bug. I finally got over it, but the day we had quarterly conference here (which was held at 2 PM following a carry-in dinner) I came home after church and after a light lunch, went to bed for the rest of the afternoon. Dad had been up all night at the hospital and didn’t feel like going, so we gave in to our feelings and stayed home. The Finance Committee and Pastoral Relations Committee didn’t quite get together before the meeting and have things worked out like it is the custom to do and the minister wasn’t offered a raise and I am told that amounts to asking him not to return. At a Board Meeting this last Monday evening (Dad and I went to the Hospital to give a program for the Nurse Association) the raise was brought up and a vote was taken, 10 for and six against. Joan was in our office and told Dad she wasn’t sure they would be back. She indicated they weren’t sure, so I don’t know where the matter, or rather how it stands at present. Since I am not on any of the committees I had nothing to do with it one way or another. There are a lot of opinions on the matter. One group wants a change and another group thinks we could do a lot worse. I was with a group of women Tuesday and after hearing their tale of woe about the minister they have, I think we could do worse. Well, come June we will know. I have been going to the Presbyterian Church on Thurs. mornings to attend a Lenten series prepared and presented by Rev. Watson. I have been recording the lessons and will have to use at some future time if I need them. In appreciation we are going to have the Watsons come to dinner one evening. I had promised Joan we would have them come some evening for Rock Cornish Hens and Wild Rice, so I think we will have them come the same evening. I used the tapes in my S.S. class and several of my members liked Rev. Watson’s lessons. They seemed to think he was

[page 2] easy to listen to. Today was the last session and several of the Presbyterian ladies told me they think he is extra special and they know they won’t be able to keep him. I agreed with them. He hasn’t been out of Seminary very long and I imagine after a year or two more here he will be invited to a larger church.

John is coming home next Thursday for Easter vacation. Mark and Shirley and the children are coming for the day, Easter, that is. Aunt Ruth may come if she doesn’t go to Des Moines. I haven’t heard from Lea, but I told John to call her and invite them to come. We will probably stop at Floyd’s tomorrow for a minute or two and will ask them to come also. Wish you could be here, but I know that isn’t practical, but will expect to see you several times this coming summer.

Dad is finishing the job of separating the chest of drawers he took out of our bedroom. He is fixing it for Shirley to use in her bedroom. She thought it would be better in two small chests than in the one large one.

I have several letters to answer. Had a letter from my little friend in Kyoto today. I had sent her a Christmas card and she thanked me for that and wants us to come back to Kyoto. We plan to go in 1966, and I am sure we will stay at the hotel where she works. We are going to the west coast in Sept. Had a letter from a friend of Dad’s who lives in Reno and he wants us to stop there for a visit with him and his family. Aileen wrote from L.A. that she has made arrangements for a place for us to stay when we visit her. Also had a letter from friends in Hong Kong one day last week. They had been living in a house which belonged to a minister from United Church of Christ (Duane’s church). Seems United minister was away on furlough. He must have returned, because the Bylers said they were in an apt. building and their apt. is on the 17^th floor. They also said with a view like that who needs trees, (or for that matter grass).

Love Mother

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/02/01/the-ministers-raise/

Aileen Easterly #3

2 Replies

April 4, 1946 envelope

Letter transcription:

April 4, 1946, p. 1

Los Angeles, California
April 4, 1946
Thursday afternoon 3:00

Dear Gladys:

I am so ashamed to think I haven’t answered your letter dated Feb. 20^th – I haven’t written to anyone except Mother, and that was just a note each day since I’ve come home.

Was in the hospital two weeks, came home on the 28^th of Feb. It was just 7 weeks ago today that I had the operation – am so happy that much time has passed. I won’t go into a lengthy account of it because I know how boring the stories of operations can be to others. I had two tumors, each the size of an orange, my uterus and appendix removed. Everything else was in perfect condition for which I was very thankful. The doctors and nurses were amazed because I didn’t have pain, etc., that most patients have with such an operation. Three things in particular, for instance, I urinated from the very beginning, passed gas naturally (had no pains whatsoever) and didn’t have to take laxatives. Those three things helped considerably or so they told me. What do you think Jake? However, I was awfully weak for the first 10 days – didn’t care to read or didn’t want any company. I often sent Tom home after a 10 minute visit – all I wanted to do was lie there and rest and sleep.

We had engaged a lady to care for me the first two weeks after I came from the hospital, but the minute the landlady heard of it she insisted upon nursing me. Tom cooked my breakfast and she prepared my lunch and dinner – it really worked out beautifully that way because I still couldn’t stand to have too many people around. The landlady was in and out during the day. We live in a double apartment (one bedroom) so we really couldn’t accommodate someone all the time.

April 4, 1946, p. 2

[page 2] The doctor thinks I’m getting along very well. I take 9 vitamin, and liver and iron tablets a day – should gain weight and look normal soon. I lost 10 pounds – before the operation I weighed 125, now weight about 119. I have to report to the doctor next Thursday and perhaps he will release me then. Of course I will not go to work immediately – intend to take my vacation and then ask for a month on my own time. Will possibly go back to work around June 1^st, really don’t want to go back at all – am going to give it some thought.

We are still planning on our trip East during the month of May, provided my doctor approves. Tom’s vacation is scheduled April 29^th to May 26^th inclusive. We are both looking forward to the trip and hope we won’t be disappointed by not being able to go.

Received a letter from Mother this morning saying my sister had x-rays taken and that she must be operated on immediately. The gall-bladder is in a very bad condition and has two large stones – they are afraid it might rupture. Her children now have the mumps – everything seems to happen at once.

Well Gladys, I’ll try to write to you before Tom’s vacation and let you know our definite plans – would like to see you if we do make the trip.

Love,
Aileen

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/07/30/aileen-easterly-3/

Aileen Easterly #2

1 Reply

February 9, 1946 envelope

Letter transcription:

February 9, 1946, p. 1

Los Angeles, California
February 9, 1946
Saturday morning 9:45

Dear Gladys:

Received your letter last night. Was so nice of you to answer immediately. Was curious to know what Jake would say, yet I knew the answer too. Thanks for listening to all my troubles.

This is just a note before I go downtown shopping. Everything has been arranged at the hospital and I will have the operation Thursday morning, February 14^th. What a Valentine I’ll be. The doctor asked me to report to work Monday, February 11^th just to pick up my order to enter the hospital – – I will stay home Tuesday and Wednesday to rest. Will go in the hospital Wednesday afternoon at 2:30.

My address at the hospital will be:

Mrs. Aileen Easterly
Good Samaritan Hospital
1212 Shatto Place
Los Angeles, California

I will be there two weeks or longer. Write me a little note there if you find time, will be glad to hear from you, I know.

I will write you as soon as I can again.
Love,
Aileen

Aileen Easterly

2 Replies

January 26, 1946 envelope

January 26, 1946, p. 1

Letter transcription:

Los Angeles, California
January 26, 1946
Saturday morning 11:30

Dear Gladys:

Received your letter dated January 1 and enjoyed all the news immensely. So happy for all of you that Jake is home for good now. Wish he could have visited us while he was here on the coast, but S.F. is 500 miles from L.A. and that would have been so far out of his way. Too bad about the fire in his new offices – – do hope the repair job won’t take too long. The way conditions are these days with help and equipment so difficult to get, one never knows what to expect.

The new restaurant sounds interesting and it really is a pleasure to entertain that way occasionally. I manage to cook dinner every night from Monday to Thursday inclusive, but Tom works Friday night, and then on Saturday we have a big pot of some kind of soup. Sunday is our day out – – we usually try a new place, go alone or with friends, and we enjoy it, especially after putting in such a full week of hard work.

I’m sure your Christmas was exciting because of David – – I can just imagine how thrilled he was with everything. John and Mark will always wee that it is interesting for David. Christmas doesn’t mean so much unless there are children around to enjoy it.

We are having such beautiful weather – – I’m sitting in the kitchen next to the window with my back to the sun (window wide open too) and how I love it. I don’t feel at all well today, so perhaps the sun will pep me up a bit.

Well, I might as well tell you about myself now. You probably thought I was going to have a baby, but no such good luck for me. I think I told you about the bad case of diarrhea I had last May, well, I had another such attack in November. Our company doctor gave me a thorough physical examination, thinking perhaps it might be my appendix causing the trouble. The appendix apparently is alright, but he did discover a fibroid tumor the size of a grapefruit around the uterus. He said no doubt it had been growing for years and asked me when I first noticed any discomfort from it. I haven’t felt well for about three years, but thought I was going through the change. Sometimes I would skip a month at my periods and then I seemed to cramp continuously, almost every day. I’m at the point now where I feel so low both mentally and physically that I just make myself do things. And of course my job at the office hasn’t helped me any either. There are three of us in our division now (450 on our pay roll) and I’m sorta in charge, a little more prestige, but a great big headache. There are 4,000 in the company, but the other employees are on another pay roll because they are in the districts. Ours is the General Office. We even had to work New Year’s Eve and all day on New Year’s.

January 26, 1946, p. 2

[page 2] Our Chief Surgeon said I should have the operation soon. I decided to help out at the office during December and January, the two worst months of the year. I have consented to the operation and will perhaps be in the hospital around February 6^th or 7^th. Our Chief Surgeon has been with our company for 25 years and is claimed to be the best in the City, so I have a lot of confidence in him. All hospitalization will be paid also my two months sick leave. After that I plan to take three months leave of absence on my own time without pay. If everything turns out as we have planned Tom and I will make a trip east perhaps during the month of June.

I am curious what Jake thinks of the operation – – does he approve. Maybe I have no alternative! The doctor said the tumor has kept me from getting pregnant. Is that true? I say that I have confidence in our doctor yet I ask Jake his opinion. Silly, isn’t it? That’s just like a woman.

I will be looking forward to hearing from you when you find time to write. I know how busy you must be, with all your family at home now.

Love,
Aileen