Tag Archives: Harold Oliver

Gladys – October 28, 1970

Letter transcription:

118 Juniper Court
W. Lafayette, Ind. 47906
October 28, 1970

Dear David, Bonnie and Debby,

We have made plane reservation to fly to Boston November 24^th (will be there to celebrate Dad’s birthday the 25^th). We will arrive in Boston at 6:49 Tuesday evening on TWA. Will return home on Sunday – leaving Boston at 5 PM American. We will travel via Chicago going and coming.

Monday evening we went to Kentland. Dad gave a program for Rotary. I went to Johnsons and Dorothy and Lucille and I went to the NuJoy for dinner. After dinner we went to Mrs. Myers and I showed them some of our slides from Japan. We are to go to Kentland for Bridge Club Sun. evening and I have promised to see Mrs. M. again before club. She keeps asking me about you and if we have heard from you. She feels so alone now since Harold and Doris are not living in Kentland now. They manage to go over form Monticello about twice a month and see her. She has a few people who help her with her shopping and take her to the foot doctor. She never gets out of her apartment except to go to the hair dresser and to the foot dr. I wish you would take time to write her at least once a week, if only a few lines. It would mean so much to her. I know you are busy, but a few minutes of your time would mean so very much to her.

Tomorrow I have to go to Rochester (Ind) to a Conference meeting. Heard on the radio today that the temperature is going to drop some before morning. It has been warm and raining today. I was out twice today and didn’t wear my boots the first time and I know my shoes got soggy. The second time out, I was prepared for rain. Dad had said at noon it if stopped raining this afternoon he would rake leaves when he came home—you can guess he didn’t. He potted some bonsai trees instead. We have a new lamp post for the front yard. The court is so dark, we figure it will be worth what the electricity costs, just to have the light. There has been a rash of robberies close to Glenwood Heights, so we have been leaving the kitchen light on all night.

I hope our plans meet with your approval, but at this time of year we figured we had better [plan] the plane reservations a little

[page 2] ahead of time. We were afraid we had waited too long as it is.

Let us know.
Love Mother

P.S. Hope Bonnie’s hair hasn’t gotten too long by the time we get there. Will see if Shirley still has anything of Becky’s that Debby can wear.

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/10/28/gladys-october-28-1970/

Gladys – November 12, 1968

3 Replies

Letter transcription:

118 Juniper Court
West Lafayette, Ind. 47906 Nov. 12 1968

Dear David and Bonnie and Debby:

I didn’t notice the enclosed letter was addressed to you until I started to read it – sorry about that, but here it is. We are always getting something from Bankers and the only thought that occurred to me was that there was only one letter – we usually get two.

Since we didn’t go to bridge club two weeks ago, I called Mrs. Myers yesterday. She seemed a little wistful about not having had a letter from you for some time. She says she gets weaker all the time and seems so alone. She hasn’t been to see a Doctor for a long time and thinks she should see someone. If she would just come down here to the nursing home which is located about a mile north of us, she could have all the attention she needs, but she is still adamant about staying in her apartment. Harold Oliver has never fully recovered (she thinks his mental attitude is so bad that he needs a psychiatrist) and Doris has to do some of the things for her he used to do. He had a severe heart attack, but the Dr. at the clinic told him he had recovered and that he should get back to work, but he doesn’t seem to snap out of it. If you can find the time, write her a letter and send her some more pictures of the baby. When I told her of your last letter and your plans (95% certain) that you would be going to England in six or seven months and then on to Germany for a year or so, she said she probably would never get to see you again. I tried to reassure her that she would get to see you sometime.

Tomorrow is a large day for our Women’s Society. We are having our Charter day and as of now have about 90 reservations for the luncheon, with more to come in. I have been trying to get an extra baby sitter and everyone has a busy line, or does not answer. I will just keep trying.

Friday we plan to go to Lea’s and Dad is to put her book shelves up. They were over for my birthday and took everything home to get the stain put on, now all Dad will have to do is put it on the wall. He at present is building in some shelves in my office and also has built a frame around the safe with a space below and above for storage. The safe is now at eye level again, so I don’t have to stand on my heat to get into it.

[page 2] I listened to the Pres. Elect with Pres. J. last night and I thought, no wonder he is called “tricky Dick,” since he had made all those campaign promises about making changes and last night it sounded like he was just going to carry on the same old policies. If he didn’t mean what he said last night, what was the purpose of having it broadcast across the nation, and if he did mean what he said, I think he contradicted what he had been telling people all fall. Maybe I don’t know what to expect from politicians. Earl L. got in on a large majority. Birch Bayh was about the only Democrat to survive in Indiana.

Love Mother

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/05/04/gladys-november-12-1968/

Pat Oliver Hyman

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

April 25, 1968
118 Juniper Court
West Lafayette, Ind. 47906

Dear David and Bonnie:

29 years ago today we moved from Clay City to Kentland. I just happened to think of that when I looked at the date today. As you know, it has been a little more than a year since we moved to W. Laf.

We are having a little set-back in weather. It has been so very warm. Lea and Bob came Friday evening and we gave them a steamboat dinner – William calls it Hoko – that is the name of the pan you sent us which means fire pan. Mark and Shirley and children came Saturday and stayed until Sunday afternoon. The children wanted to watch The Wizard of Oz Saturday evening and it worked out just right. Since they were late in arriving Saturday, we didn’t have lunch until after one o’clock, so didn’t plan an early dinner. We set the two older ones – David Ward had been put to bed – in front of the TV set with trays and they ate there while we adults enjoyed another steamboat dinner. Becky and Kirk said they didn’t think they would like a Chinese dinner, but that is what they got and they were so engrossed in watching the movie, I think they would probably have eaten anything we would have given them. All the adults said they enjoyed steamboat and we finished it off with an apricot dessert which I will show Bonnie how to make when we come in July.

We have tickets to The Lion in Winter with Walter Slezak (sp?) for tonight and tickets for Oliver for Saturday night. Dad has been doing some work on the walk around the garage, so I think a night out will do him some good. He is building up the area around the garage which we had to leave for the winter so the dirt would settle. He said this AM that about two more working sessions and he will have it just about finished. He has seeded the front lawn and the new grass is showing very beautifully. It has to be watered every day or so while it is so young and tender. We have had some good rains since the grass was sown and that has helped. Also all the warm weather helped.

Easter weekend John came and we also had William Yue come Easter Sunday and had steamboat. William seems to enjoy eating here – our second time to have him for that kind of meal. He says it tastes so much better than dorm food. John is getting ready for a Linguistic Institute at U. of I. this summer, so he will be teaching instead of taking the summer off as he did last year.

Mrs. Myers is still in the hospital, but getting along just fine. She is taking cobalt treatments and is going to remain in the hospital until probably May 3^rd when she will get her last treatment. She will return home. I haven’t said anything about nursing home, since that seems to disturb her so much. She has come through the surgery and the treatments much better than I thought possible. She looks fine and since she is in bed most of the time and on a salt free diet (she doesn’t know that) she has no swelling in her legs. She was able last week to go to the beauty parlor in the hospital and have her hair washed and set. I go to see her if not every day, nearly every day.

I am to attend another workshop in New York June 4^th to 7^th. I was hoping your graduation would come at a time when I could come on to Boston and attend the ceremonies, but in your letter received Saturday you stated that your graduation is May 19^th. I am afraid that would be a little too long for me to be away, in view of the other places I have to go this summer, such as Bloomington Illinois June 15^th to 21 and Greencastle July 7^th to 12^th. I also have a meeting in Terre Haute May 9^th & 10^th. I hate to miss this graduation. We were quite pleased that you will receive the honor of Magna Cum Laude. I took your letter to the hospital and read it to Mrs. Myers and she was quite pleased also.

Pat Oliver Hyman’s parents were quite disturbed with her appearance about a month after her wedding. They had a large church wedding, with all the trimmings – reception in the church and a dinner for friends and relatives at their home after the reception. They came to the conclusion that Pat had been pregnant for some time before her wedding and they didn’t know anything about it. She was with her mother at the hospital one day last week and she looked then like she wouldn’t go much longer. She was married Nov. 25 (Dad’s birthday) and told her mother finally on being questioned by Doris that the baby was due in August. After Doris and Patty left that day, Mrs. Myers asked me what I thought (she had told me all about Doris and Harold’s upset). I said if she went until August she would have to be in a wheelchair, because she wouldn’t be able to walk. I also told Mrs. Myers I thought Harold and doris should not make a fuss over this and she said that is what she told them.

[page 2] Monday when I was to see Mrs. M. she showed me a letter she had received from Pat. Pat said her Doctor had told her no more long trips, so she was bemoaning the fact she would not get to go home any more until after the baby comes. Her husband is in school in T.H. Mrs. Myers thought it was strange that she has been limited to trips in the car this soon (presuming the date is August) when Bonnie makes the trip to Boston four times a week.

We have had a lot of fun watching our bird feeders since last fall. When the children were here Saturday and Sunday they got quite a thrill seeing the different birds come for feed. David Ward would get so excited he would stop anything he was doing to watch. Today we have had the cardinals, jays, nuthatch, titmouse, brown headed cow birds, grackle, sparrows, and maybe a few others I haven’t mentioned. We usually have the woodpeckers and the black and white warblers every day also.

It is about time for the mailman to come, so must get this out to the box (to save a trip to the P.O.)

I asked the clerk to send you an application for voting. I am paying your taxes and will count that as a wedding anniversary gift – a little early.

Love Mother

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/04/19/pat-oliver-hyman/

Birthdays

2 Replies

September 18, 1964 envelope

Letter transcription:

September 18, 1964, p. 1

Kentland, Sept. 18, 64

David, My Dear One

It seems too bad to start out with asking you to forgive me, but I must. First I want to thank you two darlings for the dear little spinning wheele. I just adore it, and please accept my belated thanks. I just love it.

At the time of my birthday, Aug. 4^th, we had a heat wave to end all heat waves. Back in the old days in Mattoon we used to have much higher temperatures, but I guess this was the first time I have been 75 years old, and I did “suffer with the heat” this year. Then, I have had company, you know the woman I told you about who is a real democrat, my husband’s cousin. Then I had another, my own cousin, who is one of the few relatives I have left, and she became ill while here, and I had to employ a man and wife to take her home. She lives in Pekin, Ill. and is a friend of Everet Dirkson. I have been having a little more than I am able to cope with.

I want you to know how much I did appreciate your two letters David, more than I can say. You and Bonnie are very dear to me, and I hope you will forgive me for not writing to you.

David, you have always been a bright spot in my life, and I miss you this summer. I am so thankful you have your dear Bonnie.

I find it hard to sit in a straight chair to write letters. I had Harold take me to Dr. Curtis this afternoon to have my glasses adjusted.

I feel the same as you do David, about Goldwater, but it hurts me to have you cast your first vote for a dem., but I can’t blame you. This time I am thankful that I have lost my right to vote. Please forgive my poor typing, my hands are very crippled. I am so confused about the political situation; I don’t know what is right.

I would love to hear from you when you have time, and please I want you and Bonnie to know how much it means to me to hear from you.

God Bless You
Grandma

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/08/28/birthdays/

49th Wedding Anniversary

1 Reply

April 3, 1963 envelope

Letter transcription:

April 3, 1963, p. 1

Kentland, April 3, 1963

David Dear

Forgive me for not writing last week, as I did so much appreciate your letter of March 20^th, which I received on the 21^st, being my 49^th wedding anniversary. I, too, love the psalm 27. I feel comforted and unafraid of the future.

I long since gave up any idea of making the hotel into apartments. It would require more money than I care to take a chance with at my time in life, also huge job of merely doing it leaves me weak to contemplate. My one desire now is to dispose of it.

I am going to take an apartment this spring while there is a downstairs one available. I will tell you all about it when you are home. I have been going through a trying time, sorting out a burdensome accumulation of one sort and another. It is appalling what one has on hand to dispose of after living many years in one place. I am trying to do such a good job of it this time that it will not be such a chore the next time.

I just wanted to let you know I was thinking of you and loved your letter, and I won’t try to write again until after I have seen you.

Your mother was in for a few minutes yesterday. She wanted to take me for a ride, but Harold was out so I couldn’t leave the office unattended.

I also saw your Dad last week, I was at the office and have been taking some medication. Hope all is well with you. Did you see Goldwater on the Jack Paar Show? I did. Didn’t quite know what to think.

Love,
Grammaw

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/08/23/49th-wedding-anniversary/

A Turning Point

1 Reply

March 19, 1963 envelope

Letter transcription:

March 19, 1963, p. 1

Kentland, March 19, 1963

David, My Dear

Please know how I appreciate the two good letters I have had from you since I have written, and I started to write you yesterday, and then thought I would wait until this morning and see if a letter came from you, as they usually arrive on Tuesday morning.

First I want to explain why I have not written. I have really been going through a turning point in my life. I have been in a state of very deep depression for the past several weeks, and simply have not been able to carry on the normal activities. I have decided to make a serious effort to sell the hotel as soon as possible. Harold agrees with me in this and is going to help me carry it out. This has been my home for the past nineteen years and at my age it will be hard to pull up the roots in view of my handicap, but I feel that I must do it.

I have now placed my affairs in God’s hands, and I know that His law of love and justice will take care of me, since I have done all that I can do to help myself. I know you share my belief in a personal God who cares for us.

When I watched the appearance of Nixon on TV I hoped all the time that you also were watching. I was delighted, and you know, I believe if he had displayed that side of his personality during the campaign he would now be president. However, I can well understand how it is impossible to be one’s own self when trying to please so many difference factions. I thought he was charming. I am anxious to know if you and Bonnie got to see Sen. Goldwater and what your reaction was.

It must have been thrilling to talk with Bishop Raines. You have the opportunity now to meet and know so many worthwhile people, which is an education in itself and helps to build your own personality and character, and I am sure they all feel it is very worthwhile to know a young man like you.

I am glad to hear you did well in your test on history of the reformation. And I must say that the only real laugh I have had in some time was to imagine YOU as a Catholic priest doing the twist with an angel. Really, I flipped.

March 19, 1963, p. 2

[page 2] While your mother had the children here she was in for a few minutes with Becky one afternoon, and a few days later she brought Kirk in to see me. David, he is the sweetest baby, just beautiful and so good. I told your mother I was so happy for her because he is such a wonderful baby. She said he did not even require a feeding during the night, but slept right through.

I will close now and I will write you next week or sooner if I have any news. Your letters always give me a lift and I thank you for taking the time to write me when you are so very busy.

Best love,
Grandma

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/08/22/a-turning-point/

Miss Indiana University

1 Reply

February 21, 1963 envelope

Letter transcription:

February 21, 1963, p. 1

Kentland, February 21, 63

Dear David

Your fine letter of Feb. 16 was received with great pleasure and appreciation. Chris’s picture, well, “Wow,” she is indeed all you say, very beautiful indeed. She looks just like a movie star, and a lovely one at that. I will be thinking of you tonight and picturing you helping her with her dramatic reading, and also tomorrow night. If her talent matches her beauty, I don’t see how she can miss.

I missed that TV program you spoke of, I had looked forward to seeing it, but had to be on duty in the office and guests wanted another program. Tomorrow night on NBC there will be the life of Maurice Chevalier, but of course you will not see that as you will be at the pageant. I enclose a clipping I have been keeping for you about him. How well I remember those girls Rosie and Jenny Dolly, twins, in their heyday with him about fifty years ago.

I would love to have seen your panel program, and your Dr. Hill sounds wonderful. What a rewarding thing for you to know people like this and be associated with them. Your program for this semester sounds wonderful and I am sure the subjects are ones which will keep you interested and feeling you are doing what you want to do. The requirement of attending eight Beethoven concerts would not be hard to take. I love to hear the cello. When I was a youngster in Chicago and saw all the big musicals, I formed a habit of picking out one instrument and following it through the performance. Thank you so much for the reprint. I remember reading it. I always read everything on that subject with great interest.

We are back again in the deep freeze, and of course you are too. It fell below zero again last night, and the roads very icy and high wind, which all occurred early in the afternoon, so men who were out on the road hunted cover, and we had the first good night’s business this year.

I am so happy for Lea. It is tragic for those who want a family not to have it, as I well know from my own experience. It is a terrible things to grow old without a family. I hear the schools in Brook and Remington have been closed on account of the flu, and Harold said this morning that Patty says half her class are out sick, and there is talk of closing the Kentland schools. I pray it passes us and we are spared such a thing.

Please let me know as soon as you can about the Miss IU contest. I will close and get this in the afternoon mail.

Much love
Grandma

The ten finalists for the Miss Indiana University pageant, 1963, can be viewed in this newspaper clipping.

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/08/21/miss-indiana-university/

Christmas Pictures

2 Replies

January 17, 1963 envelope

Letter transcription:

January 17, 1963, p. 1

Kentland, January 17

David Dear

Just a line to say that I hope all is well with you, and that you are accomplishing all the hard work you told me was before you when you got back.

No doubt you have been wearing your ear muffs and long johns, I hope. It is a little warmer here today. I have not been out of the house, I even cancelled my usual date with Mildred.

Your mother came in with the pictures which were taken at Christmas time. They were all fine, and I selected some I wanted her to have made for me, which she said she would do. The one of Becky and me, one of you and the two babies and one of your dad and mother with the children.

We are having great difficulty today, plumbing trouble, involving three bath rooms, which is going to mean taking up some stools and other work, a stoppage some place. Whoops, more expense. Harold is busy with tax work and there is always someone in his office, so I try to stick close to the hotel desk to take care of that.

I have not seen any clippings which I thought worth sending you, but I watch the Trib every day. No doubt you see the Indianapolis papers.

Bye for now
Much love
Grandma

Yegerlehner Family, 1961: (Standing) David and John, (Seated) Roscoe, Gladys, Shirley, Becky, and Mark

Diamond Lil

1 Reply

December 9, 1962 envelope

December 9, 1962, p. 1

Letter transcription:

Kentland, December 9-62

Dear David

You will never know just how much I have enjoyed the Mae West book. I was thrilled when I saw it, and it has made a dull and otherwise boring week and one filled with laughs and remembering of old times. You know, she is only four years younger than I, and I remember so well those different plays and characters she writes about, especially during the twenties and thirties. I just adore it, and I thank you more than I can say. You really did something for me.

I fully intended to get to work on my Christmas cards, but my hands are so stiff and painful I find it almost impossible to do so. I will try to do a few at a time if I can.

Business is at a very low ebb of course, as always at this time of year. It is very cold tonight and has been snowing and blowing all day, but there is not much staying on the ground. The weather report tonight said there was eight inches in northern Indiana. Harold is going to Gary in the morning to attend what he calls a tax school for three days. He is planning to drive home each night but maybe he will change his mind. There seems to be new tax laws with which he has to get acquainted for his accounting work.

I have not seen your mother since you were home. I have read and watched TV until I am bleary eyed, since I have not felt like exerting myself otherwise. I’m sorry to hear you have been losing sleep. That is no good for a hard working youngster. I wish I could help you.

Good night and don’t work too hard

Love
Grandma

I saw her in Diamond Lil

Bing & Bob

1 Reply

July 27, 1962 envelope

Letter transcription:

July 27, 1962, p. 1

Kentland, July 27, 62
8 PM Friday

Dear David

I enjoyed your nice newsy letter. I have had a rather busy week as Harold has been away. He and his family last Sunday drove up into Wisconsin to join Dr. & Mrs. Logan at their cottage, and will return Sunday.

Your comments about the Road to Hong Kong took be back twenty or more years. You know Bob & Bing made a series of “Road” pictures away back when, and we didn’t miss a one. An early one, I think, the Road to Zanzibar, had an incident I have never forgotten. A black tribe of some sort had captured Bing & Bob, and had a huge kettle boiling over a fire, and the boys stood petrified, and one of the tribe turned to Bob and said “Don’t worry, we won’t cook you today, we are going to put you in the deep freeze for the Fall festival, but we are going to serve him (Bing) on our blue plate special tomorrow.” And of course they were forever chasing Dorothy Lamour.

I haven’t read Around the World with Auntie Mame, and would like to. You could bring it with you when you come home. That article about Maurice Chevalier was in a magazine that a guest gave me to read, and he took it away with him. It was one of those movie magazines, but I don’t remember what one.

You know, if Kennedy keeps up his present rating, I don’t believe he will get a second term. I hear nothing but critical comment about him. Of course not from Harold, but he has quit bragging about him.

I’m glad you are having an opportunity to read your Interpreter’s Bible, and make use of it in your work also. I think that’s wonderful. It surely would be absorbing reading.

No doubt it is cool enough to suit you. The Lafayette paper this evening said that it was 48 there this morning at sic o’clock. I know I had to arise and close my window in the night, and get another blanket.

I am wondering if you went on your trip to Tell City. Somebody is knocking on my door, and I think I have a caller, so will say by for now. Don’t work too hard

Love
Grandma