Tag Archives: genealogy

Romaine

2 Replies

January 27, 1946 envelope

January 27, 1946, p. 1

Letter transcription:

January 27, 1946

Dear Aunt Gladys –

Mother sent me your letter, and I was to answer right away about the navy blue sox. Somehow or other I always seem to put letter writing off; but I decided to get busy and write you before exams begin.

I’d like very much to have the navy blue sox – that is if you haven’t all ready given them away or something like that. If you have, that is

January 27, 1946, p. 2

[page 2] O.k.; but if not I’d appreciate them. I’m learning to knit; and so far have one mitten done. Maybe from now on I’ll be able to do my own knitting.

How’s everyone in Kentland? I went home last weekend, and everyone there is fine. In about two weeks our semester will be over and we’ll all be getting a two week’s vacation. I’m really looking forward to that.

Well, I must get busy. It’s almost

[page 3] time for dinner, and I’m not ready.

Thanks again, Aunt Gladys, for all the things you’ve knitted for me.

Love,
Romaine

January 27, 1946, p. 3

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/07/24/romaine/

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

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/07/23/aileen-easterly/

News from Wilma Bryan

2 Replies

: January 14, 1946 (front)

: January 14, 1946 (back)

Letter transcription:

Dear Mrs. Yegerlehner,

Patricia received the lovely little shoes a few days ago. They had been sent to Brownwood. I’m sure they were your handiwork. They are the prettiest I’ve seen.

We have a big fence around our yard. Mary Lynn loves to learn all the gate latches. Still a “tomboy.” But wants to help wash dishes, cook, and in general do everything about the place. Here’s hoping that helpful attitude continues.

Was so sorry to hear about Dr. office burning. – Hope he is all back in order by now.

Patricia still the good girl.

The weather here has been mostly sunshine, except a tornado in the eastern part of the state. Would like to see some snow.

Love,
Wilma

[Editor’s note: The WWII collection contains the birth announcement for Patricia Bryan. It can be found here.]

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/07/22/news-from-wilma-bryan/

Letter from Jim #4

1 Reply

December 21, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

December 21, 1945, p. 1

21 Dec. 1945

Dear Sis & Co. –

It is now 0645, ask Jake, he will tell you what time that is. Just one hour and thirty minutes ago I was talking with Glenn, yes he called me from Lovelock, says he is OK and feeling fine but that Pauline is acting up, says she took a pot shot at him and says she will shoot both of them or something. Anyway, Glenn wants me to have the boys, so does Pauline for that matter so we are going out there to get them, the boys I mean. We will leave here Saturday, go to NY. Spend Sunday and Monday in N.Y., leave N.Y. early Tuesday, Christmas Day, go to Terre Haute, try to get two new tires, so if Jake can swing a deal for me for two new tires in Kentland, please have him do so and write me at 2226 Sycamore, we will only be in Terre Haute, just long enough to check a few

December 21, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] things then onto Kentland to spend a few minutes with you folks then on to Lovelock. It is about 3,000 miles from N.Y. to L. so we will have to keeping moving as Thelma has only a limited time. But if it is at all possible for Jakie to get me two new tires in Kentland please do so and write me that he has as soon as we arrive in Terre Haute we will either call or wire you.

Love,
Jim

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/07/20/letter-from-jim-4/

Letter from Jim #3

1 Reply

December 17,1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

December 17, 1945, p. 1

17 Dec. 1945

Dear Sis & Co. –

Thanks for the quick answer. My shopping is almost completed now.

Our plans have been changed – Mayroses were planning spending Christmas in N.Y. with their son, providing they could get train reservations both ways, they did not know until last Friday. So now that they have them they want to have a Christmas with their two children for it has been a darn long time since the family has been together so now we are going to N.Y., leaving Saturday, we are to meet them at the Penn station and drive on out to Larchmont to spend Sunday, Monday and Tuesday – we will then start for Terre Haute at least not later than Thursday so we should arrive in Kentland on our way to Terre Haute – sometime late Wednesday night or Thursday morning or sometime late Thursday night or Friday morning all depending on when we leave N.Y. We will get word to you so you will know the day we get underway from N.Y.

December 17, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] Thelma has 17 days and of course I have all the time I want, have three applications so should get some word from one of them soon. Thelma has another month to serve on her contract then she will return to Terre Haute to be with her mother for a season and of course I may have a job of some kind by that time.

After so long a time we get word from Glenn. Got a wire from Pauline says Glenn has left her with word that he is not returning. I left Erie last Friday and before I got to Washington Pauline called long distance from Lovelock to talk to me, Thelma answered the phone and tried to tell her I was out of town so she left word for me to call, then the next day (Friday) the wire came, it was waiting for me when I got home, I wired her to this time. “NO POINT IN PHONING SEND ME AN AIRMAIL LETTER OF YOUR PROBLEM” – So far I have not received any word, not time yet of course. When she talked with Thelma she insisted I call her as soon as I got in but that cost too damn much money and we would not have accomplished a darn thing. I am enclosing the wire from Pauline. Please save it, I want to try to impress upon her when I do see her how useless it all was so I want the wire to have when talking with her. I am going to try to get the boys, Thelma and I will take care of them. I told her once I would be glad to adopt them so anyway when some more news develops I will let you know.

Love,
Jim

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/07/19/letter-from-jim-3/

Letter from Jim #2

1 Reply

December 9, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

December 9, 1945, p. 1

9 Dec. 1945

Sister & Co. –

I am up a blind alley to know just what to get John. Got a present for Mark and David which will be a joint present for the two but so far have not got John anything. Here are a few things I have in mind – What do you think of any of them or if he has them so state so I will not duplicate – Records-Rhapsody in Blue; Tchaikovsky piano concerto No. 1; Morton Gould Concert; Beethoven Symphony No. 3 in E Flat; Mozart Quartet No. 18 in D Minor: Sheet Music; Rhapsody in blue, etc., etc., etc., etc. – So what do you think of what I have listed –

Love,
Jim

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/07/18/letter-from-jim-2/

Letter from Jim #1

1 Reply

December 7, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

December 7, 1945, p. 1

7 Dec. 1945

Dear Sis & Co. –

Now don’t get all excited there is nothing about which to get excited, I only have reference to the way we are living at present, Thelma does not have time to do any shopping and I am out running around trying to make the connections I want so I do not have much time so what we do buy will be small but good and we will buy the Boys something. I did not mean to cut them out, you know darn well I would buy those Boys something regardless. I left Washington a week ago last Monday, was in Johnstown, Ford City, Pittsburgh and now Erie. Have application in about ten places and am hoping to land a good job here in Erie. Spent two hours with the Sales Manager the other day so I am sure he is interested.

We expect to spend Christmas in Terre Haute, so will be in Kentland either the day before Christmas or two or three days after.

Love,
Jim

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/07/17/letter-from-jim-1/

Velma Thrailkill

1 Reply

: November 13, 1945 envelope (front)

: November 13, 1945 envelope (back)

November 13, 1945, p. 1

Letter transcription:

Mrs. George C. Thrailkill
311 West Kansas Street
Liberty, Missouri

Mrs. Yegerlehner,

I did enjoy your letter and also the one to Sherrill for David. I have thought of answering it many times but did not find the time. We are a little town but still go fast and furious. The other day – I called on Mrs. Ivy on the war Chest. She asked if we had heard from you. Said she missed you so much, the other people were too quiet. We still miss you all. I would like to hear David tell me to “button my lip.”

It is almost Thanksgiving again and Christmas will be here before we know it.

Do hope Dr. is back in Kentland. At least a few of the medical men seem to be getting out. Liberty is getting its share of discharges. There is

November 13, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] a list in the paper every week of the ones discharged and it grows fast.

Sherrill is doing well in school. She is taking Latin and Algebra and seems to like both. She still misses your family a lot.

The Russell youngsters are back in school at K.U. According to Mrs. Russell, Richard is doing much better this year than he did last year.

I know you will remember my nephew, Jack Roorback. He came home from Corpus Christi last week on a short leave and married Reba Buckhardt last Sunday evening at Antioch church. I had some bad moments but guess we have to make the best of it. They are both just 19. He left

November 13, 1945, p. 3

[page 3] last Thursday p.m. for Corpus again. She will finish this term at Jewell but imagine she will go down with him after that.

Mr. Reppert is still in Manila. According to Mrs. R. he will not have enough points to get out until next June. She is feeling pretty blue about it, I think.

This past week we have had loyalty calls among the members of the Methodist church. This was family Sunday and believe it or not the church was practically filled. We had a grand crowd. A full chair too.

It is announced that Dr. Schumacher and family are returning

November 13, 1945, p. 4

[page 4] to Liberty the first of December. He will be discharged.

John will probably remember Miss Nickerson at school. Her “young man” returned a few weeks ago and they were recently married. Mrs. Joy’s husband has returned to the States. He is a dentist and was stationed at Australia for some time.

George is at the Veteran’s Hospital at Excelsior Springs 5 days a week as Contact Representative for the Veteran’s Administration. He likes it fine.

Write again when you can. We all enjoy hearing from you and your family.

Sincerely,
Velma Thrailkill

Fingers Crossed (Roscoe)

1 Reply

[Editor’s Note: This is the last letter written by Roscoe before he received his separation orders. One would assume that he called Gladys to tell her the good news instead of writing. Included at the end of the letter are three military documents which record his journey home. Roscoe (and Gladys) were meticulous about preserving these documents. Many of Roscoe’s copies of his orders were not included in his military file which is housed at the National Archives. While many WWII personnel files were destroyed in a fire in the early 1970s, the bulk of the Navy’s files were not damaged. Our family has been exceedingly fortunate with a wealth of information regarding Roscoe’s service. While Roscoe and Gladys’ letters are finished, the collection contains several additional letters written by family and friends which I will post over the next few weeks.]

October 22, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

October 22, 1945, p. 1

22 Oct. 45

Dear Mother,

Your letter written Oct. 19 came today and from it, it seems as if you are having your troubles with the heat, etc., get the house furnace fixed up and let the office go on at least don’t worry about it. We’ll get it done after I get there – whenever that is but I still have my fingers crossed for Nov. 1 out of here. The hospital at present is very full and 8-10 doctors have orders out of here the past few days. This is really a busy place now – drafts going out, convoys coming in and everybody wanting this that etc. Just a big rat race from morning until night – and if one has the duty it goes on all night long. I shouldn’t get duty very soon again but with so many going out one can’t tell.

October 22, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] I’m writing this shortly after noonday chow with a few other things going on so it may not make good sense.

I think I told you I didn’t get any shirts for Bob H. and I don’t believe I’ll be able to get any. I believe everybody must have had the same idea and when a bunch of shirts come in the officers on the station get the word and rush in before others have a chance.

The weather here in the night and morning has a winterish feel although I’m still wearing gray and I’m informed that gray & khaki is worn the year thru. I’m having my blue suit cleaned & pressed today so I’ll have it nice to wear home. Maybe that is being optimistic because it could get dirty again but one never knows –

Well, Lots of Love,
Daddy

: October 26, 1945 – Separation Order

: November 3, 1945 – Mileage voucher

: November 3, 1945 – Release from Active Duty

The Call Situation (Roscoe)

1 Reply

October 21, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

October 21, 1945, p. 1

Oct. 21, 1945

Dear Mother,

I missed writing last yesterday but called you instead and then when I called you I was so surprised, etc. I couldn’t think of what allwas all I wanted to talk about. Early in the eve I stopped at the telephone center and they told me they were not placing anymore calls. That was right at 6. Then later in the eve, I went to the pay phone and they told me it would be 3-4 hours delay. Then at 10:00 the (jg) who has duty with me on my ward came in and asked if I would mind taking his night duty for a short time while he went to meet his wife. She was coming in from Chicago Heights, and I also loaned him $20 because he only had a little over a dollar. He paid me back this a.m. but to get on with the story. The senior OD had to leave so that left me in charge of the desk. So I just stepped around in the hall and thought I’d see how the call situation was and the operator said one moment please and right there you were. It “flabbergasted” me and I didn’t have things organized. I think I got out the main things about the furnace. The auger won’t cost much and we can change it

October 21, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] anytime we wish and possibly get more out of the stoker if it is in good working condition.

The Captain came back this eve so I don’t know what affect that will have on our papers. I’m afraid he might think we are necessary since we have so many patients. This past week our census has jumped from about 300 to almost 3,000 with more coming, but they won’t be here long if transportation can get them out. I still have hope of being there by the middle of Nov., possibly sooner than that to Great Lakes. With all the drafts going out I might have to take more but not to the Lakes unless it looks as if it’s going to be longer than the 1^st. I don’t mind a 2-3 day trip but I want to be on hand here when “them thar” papers come around.

Well, I’m about all run down and a little tired with all the duty I’ve had this past week plus a slight cold so

Lots of Love,
Daddy