Tag Archives: Indiana

Missionary Required

Letter transcription:

Oct. 5-1966

Dear David & Bonnie –

Last Thurs. I went to Madison, Wisconsin, to attend a Jurisdictional meeting. Came home Sunday. I called Bonnie’s mother (your Dad wasn’t home) about meetings for next April. We need a missionary for 5 District meetings. I told the committee I knew a team. They have promised to speak, so don’t plan anything for them April 3, 4, 5, 6 & 7.

Mark got T.W.A. tickets for us (Wed. Oct. 26). We will have to fly to N.Y. and change planes there. We won’t arrive in Boston until about midnight, but that will give us Thurs., Fri., Sat., and part of Sun. I haven’t learned yet just when the return flight leaves Boston. We will be using Indianapolis as a terminal now instead of Chicago.

I have just been to see Ruth M. She was beginning to have an attack Monday. She is better now and I am going to take her some supper when I go to the office at 5. She didn’t want to go to the hospital and any way it is so full now there are beds in the hall. She is much better and I think won’t need the hospital.

Mark and Shirley are going to move to Indianapolis next week and I am going to keep the baby and maybe Kirk. Mark is going to bring them down as he goes back to Indpls. on Sunday. I am supposed to attend a committee meeting Monday & Tuesday at Battle Ground but won’t get to take in any of it unless I can get a sitter for one day. Could take the baby along. He is so good he wouldn’t mind, but if Kirk is here I think that would be a little too much. Will let you know later what develops.

[page 2] I think Dad has spent most of today in the hospital. He was over then when I went to get the mail this a.m. and the car was not by the office when I passed this afternoon.

Did you keep those sermon copies for me as you were supposed to do? I had loaned two of your sermons to Norma Z. and she just returned them.

Love Mother

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/03/18/missionary-required/

Nobody Reads

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

Sept. 20, 1966

Dear David and Bonnie:

Here are your absentee ballots. Do you want me to send you a paper (Enterprise) with the names of candidates? I will pay your taxes and you can consider that another birthday gift for both of you. The reason I sent your card so early, I had it on my desk and thought it would be better early than late (like Bonnie’s).

Your comments about the S. S. class you teach makes me think of Bible Study Class at Trinity Methodist. It makes me wonder about people who go to church and Sunday school. I have tried since trying (I will say trying, because I am not sure I teach them anything) to teach that class to get them to read. Not just the Bible, but read, but it seems they have time for everything else. They—most of them at any rate—can’t even discuss topics of current interest. I will ask if they saw such and such on the news, or heard it on the news and usually the answer is “no.” Just blank stares most of the time. Once in a while someone will have read about something of interest. I am beginning to think that few people I know read. I am currently reading—have been intending to read it for a long time—the biography of David Ben-Gurion. It is most interesting and I hope Israel will be able to hold out against the Arabs. My sympathy is with Israel. Although I do not believe the way they do, I still admire them for what they are doing in the way of developing a land. There is such a contrast from what one sees in the Arab countries and Israel.

There is a Club meeting (Woman’s Club) this afternoon (4 p.m.) with dinner at the Colonial Inn at 6 p.m. Tonight there is a Sunday school (ABC) Class party and I am to give a program. I am going to show some slides of Switzerland. If you have a projector or can get one, we will bring our slides along, but since we will be flying, I think it would be a little cumbersome to try to bring the projector.

Since we won’t have a car, we will be at your disposal, so you will have to plan our time for us.

Love Mother

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/03/17/nobody-reads/

Switzerland

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

9-13-66

Dear David (and Bonnie) I was cleaning my desk and thought I would get your card in the mail—10 days early. I attended a committee meeting at the hospital and stopped to see Mrs. Myers on way home. I think she is feeling pretty good. She has an appointment with Dad Friday and I have promised to take her. We are still planning to visit you the last weekend in Oct. If you don’t have room for us get us a room at a hotel or motel. We will fly because that would be too much driving for a weekend. We will leave Chicago of Indianapolis Thurs. and come back Sunday. So far Mark hasn’t found a place to live in Indpls. but he may have made some progress since we talked to him last night. He didn’t go home last weekend but plans to go Friday so we hope he will have found something by then. A dividend check came for you and I forwarded it. I am saving the second and third class mail to bring when we come. We are (or I am) still sorting our slides. We have some beautiful pictures from Switzerland. We bought some slide of Sistine Chapel ceiling for you and will bring them when we come. We haven’t sorted the Rome pictures yet – we (just) took 12 rolls. I have to store some we took 2 years ago to make room for the new pictures. We have some excellent pictures of the relatives and I have ordered some prints – will bring those along. I told Art when I left the slides to have the prints made to be very careful with them – I don’t want to lose any. We really enjoyed our trip to Switzerland and I would like to go back again. While we were away the church here took a vote on whether to continue with church first or Sunday school. From the information I have gathered the popular vote was to remain on the new schedule but at the Board meeting it seems some of the conservatives wanted to go back to Sunday school first, so regardless of the vote it was changed back. I am not concerned enough about it as far as it effects me, but the attendance in church was much better with church service first. The news isn’t very good this

[page 2] evening about racial disturbances. I told Dad the people in the South (and So. Africa) are probably saying “we told you so” when things happen, like in Atlanta, Ga. From all we can read and hear the Mayor there was trying to help the colored people but things seemed to get out of control. I attended a meeting at Battle Ground last Fri. & Sat. – Christian Social Concerns Committee (conference) and the thinking was that Dr. M. L. King was going to order a march in Indpls. soon. One of the men on the committee called Bishop Raines about the matter and he said he had no information about it. Things seem to have quieted down somewhat in Chicago.

Will let you know when we get our reservations – Oct. 27,
Love Mother

Did Bonnie get her birthday $. I put it in the card. Let me know. How are you getting along with your Sunday school class? They may not like some of your ideas – no?

Roscoe and Gladys in Bern, Switzerland

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/03/16/switzerland/

Belated Birthday

3 Replies

Letter transcription:

Dear Bonnie (and David)

As of now our plans are to visit you the last weekend in Oct. We will probably fly to Boston Thurs. the 28th and come home on Sun. I hope that won’t conflict with your schedule. Since it is this far away, let us know in case we would need to change our plans. Sorry I am so late with your greeting but Sept. 1 seemed to slip upon me. I wonder why.

Love Mother

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/03/15/belated-birthday/

Back from Vacation

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

8-29-66

Dear David and Bonnie:

This card came for you and since cads can’t be forwarded, thought I would write a few lines and enclose it. Dad is attending Rotary and then the Club is going to the new high school building on an inspection tour. From what we have heard it is really a fine building with excellent equipment. I stopped to see Mrs. Myers today. She seems to be in good condition. I took her to the office Saturday afternoon for a check-up. Dad wasn’t working full schedule and I thought that would be a good time for her to go. He had a full day today and will have the rest of this week (and next, and next, etc.) Mark went to Indianapolis yesterday to report in on his new job today. He is with Jefferson National Life Ins. Co. The Wards brought Mary Lou and her four children here yesterday on their way to see Shirley. I had invited them to come for lunch. They live in San Diego and Wednesday they will go back to S.D. on the train from Chicago. Since Mark is in Indpls., Shirley will have to take them to the train. The Wards had intended to stay with them so they could take them to the train, but they had a death in the family and went back to Indpls. today. Now Mark has to house hunt and also get rid of their house in Hoffman. They have a renter, but would like to sell. Virginia Zell Gale and Betty Zell Gordy both live in Indpls. so I think Mark is going to see if they can give him some help in finding a house. We really had a wonderful vacation and I think it did Dad a world of good to get away six weeks. I would like to go back to Switzerland again. It is really a picture book land. Since the relatives were so hospitable, we probably will return. Our trip into Israel was most interesting. We saw a well in a church in Nazareth that legend—oral tradition—or what have you—claims it was the place where the Angel Gabriel announced to Mary she would be mother of Jesus. There is a painting depicting the announcement which shows Mary with babe inside. We also visited three places where the Jews go for pilgrimages—tombs of David and famous Rabbis. One of the places where there are two tombs—we were a little puzzled about the whole thing—I asked our guide later about it and he said people from that area go there all the time on pilgrimages. He said they stay several days. It was quite dirty and some of the Jews who were with us making the tour didn’t seem to know much more about it than we did and were not too impressed. We were on a 3 day bus tour of Galilee and some of the people didn’t get out of the bus. We were told we had to cover our arms and when we were back on the bus a nice little Jewish lady said to me, “and to think they asked us to cover our arms for that.”

[page 2] I have an appointment tomorrow with Dr. Beuerman (eye specialist). He just wants to check to see how I am getting along with my contacts. (Just fine so far, I hope) I was trying to get some book work done, but decided I had to write some letters. John was home for the weekend. He didn’t do much this summer, but did make a trip to see the Georges in Miss. Dr. George has gone to Lebanon to work in a University for a year. Mrs. George will go a little later to join him. He went to Beirut just two days after we left. Will let you know later when we will plan a trip to Boston.

Love Mother

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/03/14/back-from-vacation/

New Stationary

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

June 1, 1966

Dear David and Bonnie,

Thought I would try out some new type stationary with a note to you.

I am still taking therapy—at Home Hospital and here. Mrs. Dorothy Tanquary with Mrs. Neal Tanquary, drove to Lafayette today and invited me to go along. I have to go again Friday and every time I can get a chance to go and not drive I take it. Next week should finish my trips.

Dad is back to work but not taking as many patients a day. He has retired and is asleep—was about the minute he went to bed. I wasn’t so sleepy, so thought I would do some more work at my desk—and here I get off on another track.

Our check for the intangible tax came back with the May statement, so you should be getting yours.

We are getting the new sewer connection. It makes quite a deep hole—or rather trench across the back yard.

See you the 12^th –
Love Mother

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/03/13/new-stationary/

Long Cold, Slow Spring

1 Reply

1966-04-29 (GRY), p. 1 Letter transcription:

April 29, 1966

Dear David and Bonnie:

Yours received. In spite of all you have to say in defense of the magazine and the man behind it all, I still think you could spend your leisure time in a better way than with that sort of thing. It just doesn’t fit into my pattern of thinking. Somehow I can’t quite see it as a part of your way of life. There are many other ways in which I would rather spend my time. This weekend we have planned to spend with John. Two baby cases are in Dad’s way, so he has told me to go without him, which I am planning to do. He got a baby this morning, but for Dr. K who is out of town. John has tickets to “Little Me,” a production of U. of I., and we are going to have dinner at the Lincoln Hotel. Bob and Lea are going to be with us also.

Wednesday I went to Indianapolis with Norma and two other women to attend the Conference meeting and installation for Conference Officers. The Bishop was there and gave the afternoon address and officiated at the installation. I told Sharon Howe yesterday that I got to shake hands with the Bishop and she grabbed my hand and said she wanted to touch the hand that had touched the Bishop’s hand. As a matter of fact, I shook hands more than once. He was in the church office, and I started to use the telephone (I wanted to call Thelma) and we met. I was sure he wouldn’t remember me from last June, but I said I was Mrs. Yegerlehner, Rev. Yegerlehner’s mother. He very graciously acted as if he knew who I was. Since there is only one Rev. David Yegerlehner in the Methodist Church, maybe he did know me.

After a long cold, slow spring, today seems like warm weather is here. The grass is so green—and has been mowed several times. The redbud trees are in bloom and the magnolia is still pretty. Where the digger went along the south side of our lot—I mean outside our lot limbs were broken on our trees and some of the scotch pines look like they may not make it. I think I could be safe in saying millions of violas are coming up. I had a border along the west side of the garage last summer and there are so many new plants, it looks like an impossible task to thin them out. I probably will decide it is too much work and just let them go.

The high school produced South Pacific. We went to see it last Thursday. It ran 3 nights. We thought they did a very good job, but also thought it was too much work for a group of high school students. Margaret Eva Funk, who has had voice training, and who has been with a singing group from Purdue (they traveled to Europe one summer on a singing tour) had the lead. However, the entire cast did a very good job we thought and the scenery and all the props were very good, but they had many people besides high school girls and boys working on it.

The book on Theology came and I am in the process of reading it. Thanks for sending it. I will try to decided before you come home what I want for the rest of my $. The missionaries we visited in H.K. are going to be here June 12^th to see us and on June 13^th in the morning I have to go to Evanston to attend a School for Conference Officers. I think your schedule called for you to be home June 13^th. Do you suppose you could manage to come home a day early, or stop and see me at Kendall College in Evanston? I would much rather see you here at home and I am sorry my time is working out that way, but it is something I can’t help. I will have to be in Evanston from 13^th to 17^th.

We are getting a new amplifier (again) and we are going to try it to see if it will be better than the one we have now. The new one is made by Fisher (supposed to be the best in Stereo). It should be here this week. However, if it doesn’t come today, it won’t matter too much, because if I have to go to Champaign alone, I am going to leave in the middle of the afternoon, and won’t have time to listen to it. Tonight we are having the Funks come. We have some slides of them to use (at a program Arlene is in charge of) at the Catholic School Thursday (I had promised to give the program for her, but then discovered that was our day to go to Chicago) and we are going to show them how to use the projector. I sent for slides of the Rose parade and also the records—which I taped—with the background sounds and commentary on each float. I have used it several times for programs and when Arlene knew we had the program wanted to use it.

We have to get our passports renewed, because they run out Aug. 9^th and we won’t be back in USA until Aug. 22^nd and thought it would be a good idea to get them renewed. We had some pictures taken. For once Dad got a good picture. We will save one for you. We have tickets to Hello Dolly and also want to go see the children. We intend to take the entire day off next Thursday.

1966-04-29 (GRY), p. 2 Last Tuesday evening I attended a Tea given by Jr. Women’s Club. Miss Lenore Winters was sitting by and I told the Presbyterian Minister’s wife that Miss Winters had both you and Mark in first grade. She told Mrs. Watson she thought you were one of the most beautiful children she had ever known. That was saying a lot—because she taught quite a few children before she retired.

Love Mother

(over)

I have quit taking books from Book-of-the-Month, but had one coupon left, so got Dead Sea Scrolls by M. Burrows. Do you think it is worth reading? I know you had said at one time, it would be years before the Scrolls could be evaluated.

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/03/12/long-cold-slow-spring

Time to Write

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

April 14, 1966

Dear David and Bonnie:

This morning there was an area hospital meeting at our Geo Ade and since it was so close I attended and was asked by the President to ask the blessing at the meal (I was asked to do that several days ago, so it wasn’t a surprise). This afternoon there was a tour of the hospital, but I didn’t stay for that since I have been around the place a few times. This afternoon I have been working on the books and tonight while trying to finish the task at hand and put the put the books away I discovered I had paid your taxes ($19.40) which is due before May 1. In running the amounts we paid, but in sorting out the different tax categories discovered yours had been paid. We have to list the tax on house and furniture in one place on the big return and tax on the office in another place. Don’t bother to send me a check, I think I owe you something for the pictures and I may have you get me a book or two. Get me Contemporary Continental Theologians. Let me know how much I still owe you.

We enjoyed your last letter, but know you don’t have time to write that much very often. You are so right in your conclusion that people say one thing and do another. However, we must keep our own eyes on the right goal and practice what we preach. In spite of the way things seem to be going, we have to keep believing in the right. I am sure we know foreign policy can be so far off. I agree with you on many things and it is a puzzle at times as to how our foreign policy can be so far off. Our might doesn’t seem to be making much right.

Dad worked in the yard this afternoon and then went to the hospital and delivered a baby. He was home by 8:30. He had trouble with the riding mower, so had to do half of the yard with the walking type. He is very healthy looking from his afternoon out of doors. He finally got the go-ahead from me to dig up some of the shrubs along the south side of the yard. He has started another row about five feet further to the north and will in time take out the larger bushes that have been encroaching on the evergreens. He divided and says good, so two weeks ago I got some replacements while in Lafayette. I have another appointment with Dr. Ferguson May 9. My arm is some better. It doesn’t give me much pain, but I still can’t bend it certain ways. I have trouble getting my arm around back to run up a zipper.

Mark and Shirley and the children, John and Lea and Bob were here for Easter. Shirley’s parents came in the afternoon. Little David is such a good baby he stayed in the bed most of the time they were here. Shirley said she knew it much have been strange for him, because he is used to sleeping in a basket at home. We took some pictures and when I get some back will send you some new ones of him. Kirk is so possessive about David, he tells everyone who may be interested that they cannot have David. Becky thinks he is pretty cute, but I rather think Kirk is more interested in the baby.

Mrs. Myers has a dental appointment next Tuesday. She called me today to ask me if I could take her to the dentist. She was rather annoyed with Dr. Limp. She seemed to think he wasn’t as concerned with her case as he should have been. I think she wanted me to suggest that she go to Dr. Logan, but he is booked so far ahead I don’t know when she could get an appointment and I really think she should stay with Limp. She probably will have to have that tooth pulled. When I talked to her today I promised her I would stop and see her tomorrow. So far this week I haven’t had an opportunity. She doesn’t get up until noon some days and when I go to the office in the evening I usually don’t leave home in time to stop—due to one cause or another. Monday this week I had to go to Lafayette (had an eye appointment with a Dr. at the Clinic). I may get contact lenses, if he says yes. I am to see him again the 21^st. It is a little closer to go to Lafayette than Hammond.

Next month our W.S.C.S. will celebrate the 25^th year (one year late) and I have been elected to give the program. I am in the process now of going through records of the past 25 years to get some data. Some of our secretaries left something to be desired in keeping records. At Christmastime Ruthie wrote to me about a friend of theirs who lives in Boston—Barbara Schrier (Mrs. R.W.) her husband is in Harvard Med School and their address is 849 Mass Ave, Arlington, Mass. She thought Barbara would be happy to know you, since she knew the Yegerlehners in Lebanon. If you have time and want to look them up, you have the address after all these months.

I must get back to my research.
Love Mother

(over)

I had such a nice letter from Dr. Beck, but haven’t had time to answer. I will get around to it soon. I want to thank him. I certainly wish we could have planned to go when he will be there (Holy Land).

Injured Tendon

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

Mar. 31, 1966

Dear David & Bonnie,

Yours received. I will send your intangible tax in and get your assessment on your car corrected. I am sure you have overestimated it. That is done by a descending scale and I am sure your VW has descended to less than $1,100.00. Clarice Hufty is going to take care of it this morning.

I have another injured tendon—my left arm this time. I am having to go to Lafayette for x-ray treatments. Dr. Ferguson saw me last Saturday at the Home Hospital and I took my first treatment. One more trip Apr. 6. He thinks it will not be necessary to do a manipulation. Bonnie probably won’t understand what I am referring to, but David should remember. In getting ready for our trip I had a smallpox vacc., and it took. I had smallpox 39 years ago and I suppose my immunity from that just expired. I am getting quite a reaction. My left arm hurts and my right arm itches. Ordinarily I would have had the vaccination in the left arm. Mark called last night. He was having some difficulty with neck pain. Wanted Dad to tell him what to do. Seems he had a sudden attack and couldn’t get relief from just pain medicine. I hope the treatment helped (what Dad prescribed). They are planning to come Easter. So is John & maybe Lea & Bob.

[page 2] We should get some good pictures of little David. They tell us he is growing quite fast, so I know he will be changed since we saw him at 6 days of age.

The last time I talked to Mrs. Myers she mentioned going to a nursing home. I told her I would get her the information about Wesley Manor if she is interested. She didn’t seem to think she wanted to go that far from here—at least that was the impression I got from her. I will try and stop this a.m. to see her. I think she hasn’t felt so well this time—I mean since her return from the hospital.

I have several errands to take care of this a.m. so must get along. Marge Janssen had eye surgery last week and is home. I must stop and see her a minute.

Love Mother

I am without a typewriter. The office is using mine while one there is being repaired.

Another Program

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

March 22, 1966

Dear David and Bonnie:

Mrs. Myers came home from the hospital Sunday. I didn’t get to see her yesterday, but intend to stop on my way to the office as soon as I finish this. We have discussed her situation and we think she is going to have to go to a home of some kind. We think she should not be alone. I think she is coming to that point of view of her own accord. I know she doesn’t want to, but I think once she would get into a nice home, she would enjoy the fellowship she would have with others. She is afraid she would find undesirable people she would have to associate with, but I told her I thought she would find most of the people in places like Wesley Manor would be quite nice.

Dad and I went to Aunt Ruth’s yesterday evening to give a program for a club (PEO, whatever that is or stands for). When we got to Kankakee we drove through a downpour that amounted to a cloudburst. Fortunately we didn’t get into anything worse. On the road from Kankakee to Wilmington much water was on the highway and we had to drive with caution, but by the time we returned home, the water had drained off. We are having a little wet weather today, but nothing like what we drove thru yesterday. Our program last night was about Bali and Aegean Sea cruise. I took some wood carvings and materials from Bali and wore the dress which I had made in H.K. Dad wore his H.K. suit. Several were quite impressed with the carvings and the materials, but most of them awed and ohed over my dress and coat. They all seemed to think it was beautiful. We even got Dad to get up and show off his suit. I told them that even the pants were lined and he is his usual manner asked if they wanted to see.

We are still not satisfied with our stereo and the store here is going to have a man from Chicago come and look at it. Janssen said they were checking as far back as West Germany—that is where it was made. We should get satisfaction in time. Since I am trying to learn German by records (I have it on tape) I really don’t have much time to listen to records and you can believe me, the TV just sits, unused most of the time. We like the book which you sent. Dad thinks we will get a lot from it. I really surprised myself when I tried to read a little to find that I really could read some. I listen to this tape for hours at a time, just to familiarize myself with the sound of German being spoken. It looks so much different on paper that it sounds—such as: Konnen Sie es mir auf der Karte zeigen? I am referring to Konnen. Besuchen Sie uns. Auf Wiedersehen.

Mit Liebe
Mother