Tag Archives: John F. Yegerlehner

L.B.J. Ranch

Letter transcription:

10-11-65

Dear David & Bonnie –

John, Lea & Bob, Mark, Shirley, Becky & Kirk were here for the weekend. Kirk is talking – saying nearly everything – even tho some of his words come out a little hard. Seems he can’t say sc. He was holding a screw (I presume from his truck). We asked him what he had and he said “grew.” Of course that got a big laugh from everyone. I hope he is still as cute by Christmas time as he is now. Becky is quite interested in Kindergarten and talks so fast I can hardly understand everything she says. John said he would meet you at the airport. I will come along if possible.

[page 2] I mailed you a letter from Stonewall, Texas. They told us at a little store that Stonewall and not Johnson City was the hometown of L.B.J. After seeing Stonewall, we thought Lady B. should begin her campaign there. She considered it nothing more than a dump and could certainly do with a little clean-up of its own. We drove down the road that led to L.B.J. Ranch and were told if he was there we would not be allowed to continue. We knew he was at the Ranch – had heard it on the news but we drown down Texas Highway 1, and at a certain point there was a road closed

[page 3] sign and a parked car, so we turned around and went back to the highway we had left.

We attended a ball game in the astrodome. We have friends living in Beaumont, Texas, we visited. Also stopped to see the Georges. They are completely remodeling a house they bought for the lot. Nell and their daughter Merry are doing much of the work and it looked like they would still be working on it for some time. All in all our vacation was grand while it lasted. Dr. K. is leaving for the rest of October this week – so Dad says

[page 4] we won’t be able to attend the medical convention this month. Stacie is attending a small college in Va. I was told it has an enrollment of 300 and she is enrolled as a freshman. Evidently she didn’t get along too well in Greencastle last year.

I hope you aren’t doing too much – what with your Emerson position – but who am I to worry about people working too much, since I live with that sort of thing all the time.

Love Mother

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/02/16/l-b-j-ranch/

Home Again

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Letter transcription:

Oct. 4 – 1965

Dear David & Bonnie –

Here is a check which was opened by your Dad. He didn’t look at the name, I thought you might be able to use it.

Dad came home from Rotary and has been going thru junk mail and magazines which accumulated while we were away. He is in the living room half way watching the program – or the coverage of the Pope’s visit. I have watched it in part. I wanted to see the Michelangelo statue at the world’s fair which was shown during the Pope’s visit to World’s Fair Vatican Pavilion, but as usual our T.V. wasn’t behaving too well. We didn’t go to Rome on our trip so didn’t get to see it there. That should be a good excuse for us to visit Rome.

I have been so busy trying to catch up with desk work today. I haven’t made much contact with anyone. I did call Mrs. Myers, I promised her I would stop and see her tomorrow. We bought Becky a doll in Disneyland and the Indiana with a drum-like the one he has worn out – for Kirk – and I want to take that doll for Mrs. M. to see. It is for Becky’s birthday and the Indiana is for Kirk’s.

While in Champaign John took us to see Cat Balleau. That was very funny and if you get a chance and haven’t seen it do go. Also the scenery in Lord Jim is beautiful – and although the movie has changed the story it is worth seeing. If you haven’t read Lord Jim it won’t bother you. The pictures which we took in Cambodia are the same as some of the background used in the picture. That is something else – the locus of Lord Jim is Indonesia. The Georges saw Lord Jim and when we told them we were in Cambodia when the picture was being made, they said that explained a few things. Nell said she knew that couldn’t have been made in Bali but there was a funeral scene just like some of the pictures we have and like they also have.

Our vacation was really wonderful. We stopped in San Francisco (Sebastapol), Los Angeles, Reno, Odessa, Tex., and Beaumont, Tex. for visits and really enjoyed seeing friends and relatives, and we felt they were all glad to see us. Everyone insisted that we come to the west coast (except Juanita) to retire (now). Juanita said they were going to Laredo, Texas, to retire.

Love Mother

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/02/15/home-again/

Yellowstone

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Letter transcription:

Sept. 7 – Waiting at Yellowstone for Old Faithful to erupt.

Dear David & Bonnie – We spent last night at Sunset Motel in Cody and drove here this a.m. We plan to drive on to Livingston, Montana, to spend tonight, then go to Glacier Int. Park next day. The scenery out this way is very grand, then we drive though some of the towns and see such heaps of junk and lack of zoning (So much for philosophy). We are wearing heavy clothes because the weather is quite nippy. We were bundled up Sunday night when we attend the passion play at Spearfish S.D. Dad even wore a pr. of wool sox. After putting on several layers of sweaters and our car coats, we took blankets along and wrapped ourselves so we kept warm. We were warned when we bought tickets to dress as for a ball game. We saw all kinds of blankets and other warm wrappings. Since we are going on to another Nat’l Park I decided I needed wool slacks so bought a pair in Cody this morning. Also found a sweater to match the skirt I bought at Loebs—the cranberry red. I have yarn to knit one, but bought one to use until I get the other one made—

We saw Old Faithful give a spectacular performance and then drove to Livingston Montana where we will spend the night. Tomorrow we will drive to Glacier International Park then on to Grand Coulee Dam, then over to the coast and down. I called John last night. He was getting ready to paint the inside of his house. He had purchased a garbage disposal & dishwasher. The last time

[page 2] we saw John he had just purchased his bedroom furniture and kitchen table, stove & refrigerator. We plan to stop there on our way home to see his place. Will drop you a card once in a while.

Love Mother

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/02/09/yellowstone/

Thirty-sixth Wedding Anniversary

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Letter transcription:

May 25, 1965

Dear David and Bonnie:

Your card and letter arrived today, our anniversary. We didn’t do much about a celebration, but decided to eat at the Colonial Inn this evening. I have been having a little struggle with a bug in my right tonsil. Last week one day I am sure I would have been in bed for a day or so, had I not taken some pretty strong medicine. I thought I was over it, but Sunday the symptoms appeared again, so I started taking Achrocidin again and this afternoon, thought I should have a siesta and got too sleepy to read, so took a nap from which I was awakened by the door bell. John had sent us a mum plant for our anniversary. Dad gave me a new radio and one day last week said my present for him had arrived. I told him what I had for him was in the closet, but you know Dad. He had ordered a new lawnmower and that was what he was talking about. He kept talking about how easy it is to operate the new one, but at noon I told him he was wasting his time, not that he was serious about it at any time (that is, for me to run the new machine).

Our Conference is this week and I am planning to go for one day. The Fields will be going to Knox from here and as far as we know Rev. McClure from LaPorte is coming here. There was a reception following church Sunday for the Fields. Several of the organizations in the church gave them farewell gifts. They were quite overwhelmed.

There have been several showers today and it looks like we could get more. The streets are a mess, what with raw dirt piled all around. We have to park either in front of the library or back of the Christian Church. Dad is still parking by the office, but the street in front of the office isn’t being used now. Right now, I think it is pretty slick.

Again, happy anniversary.

Love Mother

(over)

At present my S.S. class is studying Laymon’s Luke’s Portrait of Christ. We will follow that with the new W.S.C.S. study book Acts—Then and Now. I have read the book through and now I am reading Acts in the Interpreters’. I have the book of Acts and three volumes of the dictionary on my reading table. I haven’t had time for a day or two to study, but hope to get something done this evening. Your grades sound very good. I would like to see some of your exam papers.

When you come home we will exchange the belt for Bonnie. I bought those things at Ayres in Lafayette.

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/02/05/thirty-sixth-wedding-anniversary/

Must Get Busy

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Letter transcription:

May 14-1965

Dear David and Bonnie:

Since you have a wedding anniversary coming this month, we have remembered it with a few practical items which I mailed today. If there is anything that does not fit, we will exchange when you come home.

Dad is attending a meeting at the Hospital tonight, and I am trying to do a few things around the house—since I was gone Mon., Wed., & Thurs. Right now I am glancing at all the things that have been left here in the work area—projector, screen, newspapers, etc. After I finish this I will try to persuade myself

[page 2] to do some cleaning. Last night when I finally came back home at 10 p.m. I was a little weary. I had given a program in Remington in the afternoon and one at Mt. Zion last night. Edna went with me to Mt. Z. That is the church her brother Roy & family attended and where she used to attend when she lived in that area. She ran the projector while I narrated. We showed some pictures from Bali, Bangkok and Cambodia. It was a mother & daughter dinner and since that is the church where Wanda Spurlock’s mother attends Wanda and two of her children were there. I didn’t know until last night that she and the Corbin children are cousins. Wanda’s mother and

[page 3] Bill Corbin are sister and brother. I was told recently that young Bill Corbin is going with Levauche Tanquary. I saw the Tanquarys at a dinner not long ago and Levauche is a very nice looking young lady.

I have my new radio tuned in on an FM station (Zenith) in Chicago. There is little advertizing and usually good music. This new radio brings in the Chicago stations. The old one couldn’t get beyond Kankakee.

John called me on Mother’s Day. He will be home June 13 to see you, then he will leave for Arizona the 14^th. He has a grant from the U. of I. and is going to Flagstaff to do his work.

[page 4] As much as I would like to stall more on this work, I must get busy. I am going to be co-hostess to a group of young people Sunday (church business). Instead of making calls on people regarding the church, we are having several people act as hosts and invite people in to hear someone explain the program of the church, etc. Jack Smith is to come here to speak Sunday. Sharon Howe is to assist me (and Dad, if he is home).

Love Mother

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/02/04/must-get-busy/

Mother’s Day 1965

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Letter transcription:

Sunday May 9, 1965

Dear David and Bonnie:

This afternoon John called me instead of sending me something for Mother’s Day. I told him you would be home June 13, so he is planning to be here to see you then he is going to Arizona for the summer (Jun. 14). Thanks for your card and letter. I talked to Mrs. Myers and she was quite happy to get your card. I had intended to take her to a store in Kentland Friday, but she wasn’t feeling up to leaving her apartment, so I have promised to try and find something for her in Lafayette Wednesday. I think the trip to Lafayette would be almost too much for her now. She still goes to Watseka to the Dr. to have her feet taken care of, but that is only 17 miles.

Dad gave me a new radio with stereo speakers, for Mother’s Day. The old radios we have around here aren’t much force and the last time John was home we couldn’t listen to the Saturday broadcast of the Met. John made some remark about not having a decent radio on the place. I knew Dad was going to get one for me, so I didn’t get one myself. The opera is over now, but I will have it for other listening and the opera next fall.

We went to the NuJoy for dinner today. There was a large crowd, but luckily we were waited on soon after we were seated and served quickly. Since it was a special day we didn’t know whether we would have to wait a long time and Dad had had a rough night at the hospital and would have settled for a bowl of cereal, but we had planned to go out and took a chance on not having to wait an hour or so to be served.

John had received a letter from a Ford Foundation friend who has recently had to leave Indonesia. He sent John a copy of the petition which was signed asking the Foundation to leave Malang and according to John it is quite insulting. After all the work that they have done there, they seem to be getting no thanks. I was going to write Oka again, but John says there probably would be no use in sending a letter, because he probably would not receive it. John had word from an Indonesian who wanted John to help him, but says he doesn’t see how he can, since their letters aren’t received. John has written to him and he has written to John without either receiving anything. This friend who wrote to John from Switzerland apprized John of his friend’s desires. I sent Oka a package by air, which he did receive. I am wondering if he will get the package which was sent by sea. Since that takes about 3 months, by the time it arrives it may not be delivered.

Tomorrow I am to go to Battle Ground for a meeting. Wed. I am to go to Lafayette to give a program. Thursday afternoon I am scheduled to give a program in Remington in the afternoon and one at Mt. Zion in the evening. One evening this week we are to attend a dinner for hospital employees. Looks like the coming week is going to be a busy one. When you come home, I promise there will be no meetings—and especially since you will only be home for a few days. I see by the IU calendar of events that your summer school begins June 21—that is counseling the 21 and classes 23.

John Janssen helped me Saturday. He washed all the windows and spray painted the bamboo shades (for east windows) green. When Dad hung them last Thurs., we decided they would last one more season with a coat of paint. Don’t you miss all these little chores?

Love Mother

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/02/03/mothers-day-1965/

The Town’s Sewers

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Letter transcription:

April 28, 1965

Dear David and Bonnie:

This has been a busy week so far and I have one more day of going to do. Conference at Lafayette tomorrow (Woman’s Society). I am planning to go with Joan Fields, since there are only two of us going from here. I gave a program at Rensselaer for the Presbyterian Woman’s Society today. I used slides from Hong Kong and Bali. Also took along some articles which had been purchased in H.K. The slide projector worked fine—it has been giving us some trouble—until I was almost thru, so since I had been going for an hour, decided to call it enough. We always tell people we do not charge for our programs, but the President gave me a check and said she thought I should have at least that much ($10.00) for my trip. That makes $48.80 we have received besides gifts—pair of gloves, floral arrangement, etc., etc. I think we will take that amount and put it into a new screen—one that is larger than the one we have.

Your stocks are as follows: GM 108 5/8 Sperry 14 Echlin 13 and I am not sure what Bankers is worth now—probably 5 or 6. Those quotes are as of 4-27-65.

Dad had to attend a meeting at the Town Hall for a decision on the new sewer system. I am tired and about ready to go to bed, but thought I had better get this off to you first. Our town is being torn up and the digging machine is in front of the office now and it looks like they are digging deep enough to bury our office and we are hoping it doesn’t slide of its foundation and go down. All the streets in town that are being torn up will, of course, have to be repaved. In some places quicksand has been struck and that always makes much more work because of the fill. Dad had a good idea, he thought it would be a good place to throw all the old junk automobiles around here. We may not have to be torn up out here at the house. They tell us the sewer system that was installed when we built will be sufficient and I that is correct. When I see all those mountains of dirt around town where the digging has been done, I am ready to settle for what we have. Dad will have the answer when he comes home, I hope. That is why he is attending the meeting—it just concerns this part of town.

Dad finally got the chests of drawers remade for Shirley and Best Way is shipping them to Roselle. I called Shirley this evening to tell her that the shipment has been started. It usually takes a week for something to reach them from here. Both of the children had to talk to me. Becky talks so fast I can hardly understand here. Kirk is talking more. I was afraid they would be sick after they were here Easter, but evidently their big day didn’t hurt them. Crazy Foam was a part of their Easter gift and they had a great time playing with it. There were two cans, but Mark wouldn’t let them take any home with them. Becky got rid of one can that day.

Finally I am having something done with our couches. Mr. Schuh is remaking two to look alike and the old one that has been in the living room for years is going to be moved out to the family room. Maybe some day I will chuck it and get a new couch with a decent built in bed. Dad got the unit in our bedroom finished and a desk unit for my office. If I thought you wouldn’t need that old desk in your bedroom some day, I think I would get rid of it. It does come in handy at times. John used it when he spent Easter vacation at home. He had some work to do. He showed me the paper he read at the Linguistics meeting he attended in Chicago several weeks ago. Of course, there wasn’t much about it that meant much to me because it was about the Javanese language.

Last weekend we went to Indianapolis to attend a BlueCross-Blue Shield meeting. On Sunday morning I had planned to go to church with Jim, but he was ill and called up to tell me he wouldn’t be around to get me, so I started to attend the Broadway Methodist and saw two women who had been at the dinner the night before who were headed for a church on the north side and went with them. It was a Church of Christ—and when I was telling Bob Fields about my experience, he said he had heard it called the Acapella Church of Christ, because they have no organ or piano. They evidently do not believe in having a musical instrument in their church, but the song leader used a tuning fork or a pitch pipe, or something—and both Bob and I agreed that was a musical instrument. I think the next time I will just quietly go get a taxi and go to Broadway. You would have a hard time leading the singing, I am afraid, the way that song leader did Sunday (unless of course, your singing voice has changed).

Love Mother

P.S. Mrs. Floyd (Louise) Hoover passed away Sun. a.m. She has had a long history of health problems, but her death was caused by chicken-pox and pneumonia.

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

The Minister’s Raise

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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

Worst Winter Storm

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

February 26, 1965

Dear David and Bonnie:

We have just had (according to the weather men) one of the worst storms in 20 years. It even kept Dad home all day yesterday. Our driveway was filled, and the drifts were almost as high as the trees by the hedge in front. We could see the tips. The wind blew for about 24 hours and hard. The inside of the garage floor was covered with snow and we even had snow drifts inside. I had one flash bulb, so took one picture of the west end of the garage. Even our cars were covered with snow from that driving wind blowing the snow in around the garage door. Dad just called me from the drug store and thought I shouldn’t try to get my car out today. We had one path made to his side of the garage so he could get out this morning, and that one path made a mountain of snow by the street. I am content to stay at home, since the temperature is just about 5 above this morning. We have mountains of snow in the yard. The trees on the west side, the small ones on the inside were completely covered – just see the tips. Dad went out yesterday afternoon and took several pictures. The way the wind swirled around the house we had snow on the south windows – like a window decorator had been at work making snow scenes for Christmas.

Today is Mark’s birthday and I couldn’t get out yesterday to send him a card, so called him last night. He said he would rather forget about birthdays – since he is 32. He thinks he is getting old, from the way he talks. They are all fine, except for the usual bumps and bruises the children get. Shirley has a part time job working in the library in Hoffman Estates. I think she really wanted something like that, and I am glad she got the job. She was talking about it the last time they were here and was afraid she wouldn’t be hired because they have two small children. It seems they are reluctant to hire a person with small children.

I have figured your intangible tax, which amounts to $4.00 so will buy the stamps and affix to your stocks. That will be your Easter gift. We also figured ours – I got Dad to help me – and it is considerably more.

Dad finished the desk unit and I am using it. It is a table a little lower than the desk for the typewriter and adding machine and has two drawers on the left side. It really adds a lot of room to the desk and makes my work here easier or organize.

Someone called last night for you. Dad answered the telephone and told the person calling that you didn’t live here any more, that you are married and live in Boston. I don’t know who it was since Dad didn’t inquire. I think a number of people were stranded here, because all the highways were closed. We kept the radio going yesterday to get the Rensselaer station as to road conditions. The roads to the hospital were closed all day and the staff that went to work at 11 o’clock Wednesday had to stay on because they couldn’t get away and the 7 o’clock staff couldn’t get there Thurs. AM. We hear according to the weather forecasters the storm is heading your way and by the time you get this you will probably be in the midst of it. We keep telling ourselves we should have gone away this winter, since nothing like this happened while we were away last year. However, I think I wouldn’t want to try to go to Indonesia now and I know we couldn’t go to Cambodia. John had a letter from a friend in Indonesia and he said things are getting worse all the time and the Foundation may have to withdraw. A petition was being circulated against the Foundation and the person responsible for petition had been to this Country on a scholarship. We don’t think much of his gratitude.

Love Mother

P.S. Mrs. M. was quite pleased to receive the Valentine card. I picked up a Sears Catalogue for her Monday and left it at her apt. She was at the beauty parlor getting a permanent. I talked to her over the phone

[page 2] after coming home from the office. She was very glad to get the Sears C. She hadn’t had one before. I think she will use it quite often. Just happened to think of something else – Addie Padgett had been living in the cottage back of us. Lask week I suppose she thought winder was over so she moved back to the country. I just hope she didn’t get sick and need help because she was probably snowbound with the storm. When she moved in over here she talked about buying the house and making it her home. I know Esta would prefer to have her in town.

Do you want me to renew Opera News for you?

Valentines

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

February 22, 1965

Dear David and Bonnie:

I hope you have been able to figure your tax. Saturday Marge Janssen went with me to Champaign to see Oliver. Dad was to go, but thought he was too busy to get away. I told him he could go and probably not have a call during that time and that is what happened. However, there was one baby case he felt he didn’t want to leave. Dr. Schoonveld is on vacation and he thought he should stay home. John had gotten tickets for us several weeks ago. Show was held in field house, which looks like a mushroom. I suppose Bob and Lea pointed it out to you when you were there last year. Our seats were near the roof, but I took binoculars along and the sound was good, so I got along fine. We drove home after the show and were back here by 1:15 Saturday AM. John Janssen had washed my car and cleaned it out with a sweeper on the inside. I really felt like I was driving a Cadillac. Then on the way home, about 45 minutes before we arrived in Kent we went through a rain storm and there were several trucks passing and my car looks like I had driven through mud. Lea and Bob had us come to their place for dinner, so Marge and I really had a nice evening.

I stopped to see Mrs. M. last Friday. She was so happy about receiving a valentine and let me read your letter. I make it a point to stop and see her at least once a week. We also were happy to receive a valentine. We had sent valentines to Becky and Kirk and they sent us one. Uncle Jim always sends me a valentine and since that is his birthday, I always send him a card.

I am listening to Das Rheingold. John brought me a record by Anna Russell—the same thing you have on tape. I get a chuckle out of it every time I listen to it.

We have had missionary speakers at our church the past two Sundays. Last night we attended a pot-luck dinner and listened to the missionary speak about her work and show slides. She has been in Chile for a number of years. Last week the speaker was from Korea. He was with us from Sunday through Wednesday.

[page 2] I think Arvella’s sister has gotten permission to take her vacation in Sept., so all is taken care of. She said if Caroline couldn’t take off in Sept., they would do something else. I rather think Ralph will let her off then. I told Arvella either that, or for her to get someone to work for her and she didn’t seem to think much of that idea.

Dad finished the bedroom unit and is working on a unit for my desk. We moved the desk out of your room and he built a wing for the typewriter and adding machine. He still has two drawers to finish before the unit is complete, but I am using it as it.

Love Mother

P.S. Did the visiting D.S. ever call on you? Did I write you about hearing Joan Fields give your address over the phone? She told me it was Dr. Bailey. He was getting the address for the D.S. from South Bend Dist.