Tag Archives: John Henry Yegerlehner

Candy Stains (Roscoe)

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Letter transcription:

Lieut. R.S. Yegerlehner
USN Base Hosp. #4
Navy 133
F.P.O. San Francisco Calif.
Feb. 6, 1944

Dear Mother,

You will note I’m using the paper you sent for my Christmas present and you will also note the candy stains on the inside. I had to throw only 2 or 3 sheets away so that wasn’t bad.

The wind today sure is whipping around. Due to our not having storm windows or the building being built too good the dust sure does pour in on windy days. The whole day reminds me of a March day at home – clear, cloudy, windy, etc. No rain as yet but it could most any time from the way it looks.

Had to stop long enough to open a coke. I just put the case under the bunk and

[page 2] when the urge comes on to drink one it isn’t hard to get it. Really no strain nor pain. I’ve often wondered if coke is to be had in the states or if it is rationed. If I remember correctly it was a little hard to get at times before I left.

Another Rotarian and I are planning on going to a meeting this coming Tue. I should have gone long before now but all of their meetings around here are noon meetings and it’s a little hard to get off and get transportation at that time of the day.

I’m on regular O.D. duty today. It really doesn’t amount to very much only being on the phone for a 4 hour stretch and that gets pretty tiresome before the 4 hour period rolls around. It’s a little painful if any calls come in from New Zealanders

[page 3] because I have a duce of a time understanding them over the phone. It’s sometimes bad enough in a conversation with them.

The outing season is still one here. I can see cars parked along the roadside, from my window, or picnics along the river and the mountain side. That sentence is a little mixed up but I think you can get the meaning. The cars and the mountains are not having the picnics.

I haven’t written the folks as yet today but will get started just as soon as I finish yours. That is always a good Sunday sentence as you well know because it appears in all my Sunday letters.

Just checked up to see on what day

[page 4] Easter comes this year. Yes, maybe I’m thinking of the same thing you are but I’m still not counting on anything like that. I suppose the 4th of July would be a better date to look forward to. It seems that that business crops into every letter I write anymore. It’s the most vital topic I can think of so I guess it’s bound to break into print or I should say writing very often.

Well, it seems as if I’m just about all washed up for anything else to write so
Lots of Love
Daddy

New_Zealand_Cities

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/11/23/candy-stains-roscoe/

Gold Brick (Roscoe)

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Letter transcription:

Lieut. R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
USN Base Hosp. #4
Navy 13
F.P.O. San Francisco Calif.
1-22-44

Dear Mother,

Sat. P.M. and things more or less on the lazy order. We are still having a slight, fine rain and of course the coldness that goes along with the rain.

I must tell you about the gold brick I bought this morning – a watch. I had gotten along without one for so long but still missed one very much. One of the patients went into town and when he came back had one which he bought for on  5 pounds so I thought if he could get me one for the same it would be OK. That amounts to something around $17.25. I may have gotten stung and it may be a bargain. The only name on it or indication as to the make is that it is Swiss

[page 2] made. It seems to be gaining a little but I can probably get that regulated. Watches are very hard to obtain around here. In fact this is the first time I’ve heard of any for sale.

This is Sat. as you note from the date and I said that at first so don’t know if I’ll mail this today or just combine this & tomorrow’s – depends upon how much I can think of today. It isn’t mail time as yet so don’t know if there will be anything to comment upon or not.

I was able to do Joe R. a good turn the other day. He sent his glasses down with another fellow to have fixed so and he couldn’t go into town with them so I made a quick dash in with them. The other fellow got them, paid the bill and sent

[page 3] them on. Well I’m going to stop this and see if there is any mail later this P.M. and then I’ll decide whether or not to mail it or wait until tomorrow.

Sun. No mail on Sat. and I didn’t mail this as you know. The rain of the past few days has slowed down. In fact I don’t believe we had any rain today unless it was a mere sprinkle early this A.M. but it has been cool. Right now I have the radiator turned on full blast and it isn’t bad.

My watch has been running now for better than 24 hours and seems to be doing OK but that doesn’t mean a thing. I still hope I didn’t buy a gold brick but I have my fingers crossed.

This being Sunday I’ll have to

[page 4] write the folk but I don’t have the slightest idea of what I might write. It seems I have trouble writing to them as well as other folk. However I never have trouble writing you. I mean I always get something written and really I enjoy it but more than to you seems the darndest burden.

Well it’s getting into the evening so I’d better stop this and get going on the letter to the folks, and may I say lots of Love
From Daddy

New_Zealand_Cities

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/10/25/gold-brick-roscoe/

Tall, Dark and Handsome (Roscoe)

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Letter transcription:

Lieut. R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
USN Base Hosp. #4
Navy 133
F.P.O. San Francisco Calif.
Jan. 19, 1944

Dear Mother,

Just back from the show – plenty rotten. “Tall Dark and Handsome.” It was only about 16 years old. I think the setting was in 1929 and had Chicago as the background. In other words, a gang picture. It helped pass about 1 ½ hrs. so maybe it wasn’t so bad.

Our rain yesterday and last night was not very plentiful. In fact hardly enough to settle the dust and today being very windy we really noticed the dust. The

[page 2] top of this table and the writing paper is all ‘sorts’ sandy.

I’m really anxious to get the pictures of D. that you have written so much about but I don’t believe the air mail stamps had anything to do with speed. The letters before and after have gotten here but that just doesn’t come, and if the Folks sent their picture for Christmas it hasn’t arrived as yet. Mother said they were sending something but so far nothing has shown up. And I believe you said Dave & Marie were sending something. I’m not disappointed. I mean I wouldn’t

[page 3] be if they hadn’t sent the things.

Lentz got some underware today and they had gotten wet and were moldy in the funniest places. I accused him of having worn them but he answered me they came thru the mail. They didn’t smell bad so I guess he was right.

Lentz got a Jan. 10 issue of Time magazine the other day and I’ve been reading it this P.M. It really brings things up to date pretty well.

Well Dear I’m not very “writey” this Eve so solong
Love Daddy

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/10/17/tall-dark-and-handsome-roscoe/ ‎

Just Plain Gossip (Roscoe)

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Letter transcription:

Lieut. R.S. Yegerlener USNR
USN Base Hosp. #4
Navy 133
F.P.O. San Francisco Calif.
Jan. 18, 1944

Dear Mother,

Three v-mails from you and two air mail letters from the folks. Yours were dated Jan. 2-4-7. The air mails from home were dated Dec. 26 and Jan. 3.

The folks seem to be doing OK this winter since Mother got over her cold, flu or whatever it was.

It was a little amusing to me for you to say that you read in the paper Irene was in a hospital in Chicago. In other words, you don’t see much of them. She probably would be better off if she would work at home and skip the job because

[page 2] that type of work is a little too exciting for one of her make up, and I doubt very much if all her medical attention will correct her condition but of course this is more or less a long distant diagnosis and opinion – That darn accordion is going again and I can’t just function at writing like I should. The music wouldn’t be so bad if it was good but my diagnosis of that is correct. (I stopped for a while) and right now it is a little more on the soft order.

I’ve really had lots of fun over that financial statement. As I told you before I still can’t figure what $6.60 tax you paid and the dividends on the Hancock policies is a little out of my

[page 3] line but it’s been a good 18 mo. since I came in contact with the domestic problems. I’ve more or less forgotten because I know you would take care of things as they should be taken care of and there wasn’t much I could have done otherwise.

Just for a change we had some rain today – the first in some time – It really was good to see a little rain to settle the dust but it will take a lot to revive the grass for it is as brown as our lawn gets in the good old summer time.

Last night I did the craziest thing. Several of us sat around

[page 4] here and chewed the fat until nearly 1200 and then a fellow came into my room and we talked until almost 3 AM and the most of it was just plain gossip. I was ready for bed but he just seemed to want to continue to talk. I was a little sleepy at 0700 this AM when it came time to get up. It is nearly always 1200 before I get to bed. Seems as if there is always someone to talk to or something going on in the lounge which is next door to me, but that seems to make the time pass more rapidly.

Well Dear, I’m about reached capacity so solong
Lots of Love
Daddy

New_Zealand_Cities

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/10/15/just-plain-gossip-roscoe/ ‎

Two Day Letter (Roscoe)

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Letter transcription:

Lieut. R.S. Yegerlehner
USN Base Hosp. #4
Navy 133
F.P.O. San Francisco Calif.
Jan. 15, 1943

Dear Mother,

This is one of these started on Sat. finished later letters. If you would rather I’d write each day even though they don’t go out let me know but I know this one or rather Sat. mail is held over so that is how it stands.

To begin with there was no mail today so that topic for subject matter can be dropped without further ado.

This being Sat. you remember how I used to talk about inspection and beans. Well, we didn’t have inspection nor did we have beans. Since I’ve arrived here I think I haven’t missed a morning or at

[page 2] least very few when I didn’t have eggs. Or rather egg. At first I ate two but usually now it is only one and a slice of toast. Sometimes just some dry cereal. Milk is the only thing we have for on the cereal but due to the fact that I don’t use cream anymore for my coffee I slip a little of the coffee cream into my cereal. Now you might think I use sugar in my coffee but that is out also. It’s peculiar how this black coffee came about or maybe not so peculiar. You see at first we had no screens around out mess halls and the cream & sugar was placed on the table ahead of schedule and the flies would

[page 3] be thick on both and I decided to just drink it black and now neither taste good hence the black coffee. Is that good reason? Anyway that is the way it is. Maybe I’ve told you that before. Just between you & I that is a lot of “crap” to be writing in a letter but it is all I can think of and that just happened to somehow pop into my mind. So much for Sat –

SUN JAN. 16, 1943

Just finished writing to the folks and will try to pick p yesterday’s but after re-reading I don’t know if it is worthwhile to pick up the topic of Sat.’s.

The weather here is unusually dry – according to the natives. They say it is dryer than it has been for several years. The grass is all burned brown and the

[page 4] dust is pretty bad. Most of the time the wind blows and that really brings the dust into the room. It gets a little thick on things but that doesn’t matter. Sometimes one wonders if the Japs and Germans bother about dust and also if they fret and stew about things like we do. I have an idea they have their ups & downs only I hope they have more downs than ups.

Well Dear for two days this isn’t much of a letter but that doesn’t mean that for the two days I haven’t thought of you often because you really come in and claim lots of thoughts – more than you will ever know –

Lots of Love
Daddy

New_Zealand_Cities

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/10/10/two-day-letter-roscoe/

Local News (Gladys)

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Letter transcription:

Kentland, Ind.
1-14-44

Dear Daddy –

No mail today but two letters yesterday. Rec’d a letter from Jewell with a picture of Dot’s baby Janey – she is about a month younger than D. Jewell and Uncle Geo. had been to Roscoe Snedeker’s funeral. They had seen mom & dad. Jewell said she thought mom didn’t look so good but mom had the flu pretty hard so I imagine she doesn’t look so good as she did last fall. I wish we have gone there for Christmas but I was afraid to risk the trip at this time of the year.

No school today due to exams being over and teachers grading papers. J. & M. have been steel wooling the floors today. Buddy was here to spend the night and at breakfast Mark began to make plans for the day when I told him what I had planned. In “nothing flat” Buddy decided he must go see his mother and off he went to the restaurant. After he left Mark said, “Did you notice how quickly he decided to go when you mentioned working on the floors?” We have been doing the house today. After changing the beds, I cleaned the upstairs and John started the washing and after doing the lunch dishes I decided I needed a little rest so am writing to catch up so I can clean up the mess on the floors the steel wool makes. This job is pretty monotonous but seems to be necessary ever so often. – – Pause. I stopped writing to help with the floor work – we have stopped cleaning for the day. David woke up so I wrapped him up and put him out in his buggy – It has turned so much warmer. Mark is out in the yard entertaining David with his football. Bobby

[page 2] is out there now so David should be well entertained. It is so much warmer today I didn’t have to wrap David up so much. He have has a large blanket that was given to him last year that I kept nice and when I take him out on very cold days I wrap the blanket all around him up to his chin. – Mark just brought him in – Mark saw the others going to the pond to skate and couldn’t stand it. It’s much warmer but not warm enough yet to melt the ice yet. However if this keeps up it won’t take long.

I was looking over the Newton Co. E. for news items to include but see none I think would interest you. However I heard that Harold Portteus had an operation for hernia this week. I suppose he is in the hospital at Watseka. Clarice is there and I had thought about driving over to see her. Have to go to Sheldon for meat and it wouldn’t take much longer to run on over to Watseka.

I have never thought to mention about Bair’s niece Mary Eldeen, the girl they raised. She had a new baby last Oct. and is just now out of the hospital. Had to have a few blood transfusions. She has a baby about two years old and her trouble this time dates back to the first birth. I don’t know just what the trouble was but for a while she didn’t improve and Bair’s were awfully worried about her. Her husband is in Service and she is living with Bairs.

You wondered about Dr. Van. I mentioned him a time or two but you must have not rec’d those letters. I don’t know whether he knows me or not but I know him when I see him. One day I was downtown and saw Laura Milligan. She and John were in town visiting – John was enroute to the West Coast and I understand he is now in the Pacific someplace, but that is beside the story. I was chatting with Laura – I had been to the P.O. and she was going

[page 3] toward the highway and we happened to meet in front of Dr. V. office – While we were talking he came out and when he saw Laura he spoke to her – he gave her the once over and said something about her figure. – It rather amused me – I just thought he evidently is just like the stories depict him to be. Always an eye open for a good looking woman. I do think Laura is attractive. She seemed so glad to see me and asked about you. I asked what John’s work is and I understand he is boss of the ground crews – mechanics, or whatever they are called. I think that is the same work Harlan Parr does. The Parrs spent the summer in Fla. Were sent to Michigan in Dec. and now are in N.Y. – or were. I really couldn’t say where they are now.

Maybelle Towers wondered if you might be near Emery – however they aren’t sure of his location – except in the S.W. Pacific. She said they thought he was in Samoa.

Bill Schuh had pneumonia and now has rheumatic fever. Babe is taking care of him at her home in Brook. He & Tony were in the hospital at the same time. Tony had a gall bladder operation.

Here I sit and write when I should be out of doors – should do my writing at night. I have been having headaches again. I think it’s partly due to being inside so much. I still like warmer weather best. At least I can get out for a breath of fresh air without chilling in warmer weather. Well I think I would like the winter here if you were home, but I seem to tire of winter this year more than usual. So much for the weather, as you used to say, took a good beating.

“Love Mother”

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/10/07/local-news-gladys-2/ ‎

New Year’s Day (Gladys)

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Letter transcription:

Kentland, Ind.
Jan. 1 – 1944

Dear Daddy –

This is my first letter this year. Thought I would write your Mother & Dad, but yours first.

Mark is getting ready to go skating with David Diedam. I just stopped to help him pull on 3 pr. of woolen stockings, and see that he had his coat buttoned and cap down over his ears. We haven’t had so much sub zero weather but it has stayed cold enough to keep the pond frozen.

John was listening to the Opera but got a headache and turned it off. We ate dinner

[page 2] with Mrs. Zell & Virginia (Mr. & two younger girls having gone to Grandpa Zell’s for New Year’s day). I didn’t want to take David over to Zells because the Dr. said it is important that she doesn’t get a cold and David still has some. I stayed here with D. while J. & M. went over to eat, then John came home to listen to the opera while I went over. Mark stayed a while then he came home. I stayed to help with dishes, then John came over and said he had a headache, so I gave him one of Zell’s aspirins. I came home so Mark could go skating and John stayed to play checkers with Virginia. Buddy Krull just stopped to see Mark and I told him Mark is at the Pond. He took his sled and went over. Buddy hasn’t learned to ride his bike and when he is here

[page 3] and Mark has to go to town, Mark rides and Buddy trots along beside him. I told Buddy he should learn to ride so they could ride together. Buddy got a chemistry set for Christmas and now Mark says he wants one for his birthday, John said “No, we don’t want the house blown up.” Mark decided the best birthday present he could have would be for his Daddy to come home. John said it would be better if you came home before Mark’s birthday. I agree. I can’t think of anything better. – – David is loose and it keeps me busy jumping up and getting him out of things, so I decided to put him in his bed until I finish this. He started to climb the stairs yesterday. We watched him and he went right up like an old hand at the business. That is the first time he had tried. I think one reason he hasn’t been attracted to the stairway is

[page 4] he likes to watch himself in the mirror door and play with the mail box. Now I suppose I will have to get one of those folding gates to put across the bottom to keep him from climbing up any time. He has always had a tendency to play in the front hall when I have to be busy elsewhere.

Alma Walker’s brother who has been in the Navy, has a medical discharge and is home. His wife has a baby and there has been trouble there – You remember them – you drew the blood for their marriage. Seems she wanted to run around after she got over having the baby and kept the family on needles & pins. Dale has the same trouble Mabel has and when that was found out he was honorably discharged. The young wife hasn’t taken very good care of the baby and Alma says he was broken out from lack of care and formula that didn’t agree with him. Now that Dale is home maybe he can keep her in line.

David is raising a fuss so I think I had better get him his orange juice & cod liver oil.

Another Happy New Year & Love – Mother

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/09/13/new-years-day-gladys/

Second Letter (Gladys)

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Letter transcription:

Kentland, Ind.
Dec. 27 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

I have been working on the financial statement – but having no adding machine I didn’t go into such details as groc. bills, lights, telephone, etc. but here is a list of Ins. – $443.55 – House $508.48 – Piano $300.oo – Loans paid $243.91 & $173.69 – Bike $35.00 – Hospital $128.80 – Bonds – $131.25 – coal $100.00 – The total of the above amounts to $2064.68 – The balance necessary to meet expenses is long & detailed and I’ll try to get the columns added so I can give you a complete report. As you will note I have not paid any Taxes (except $6.60 for the first of the year) but Agnes M. said for me not to. I think I have explained all about the taxes before. Even the gross isn’t paid by people in Service. The $330.00 you sent will take care of Ins. coming due the first of the year and I think I can buy some bonds, too. Our present bal. is $301.81 – and with the Jan. 1 cks. coming I’ll dep. $170.00 – There are bills amounting to $174.00 to be paid in Jan. – that doesn’t include groc. Bills which should amt. to about $30.00 – so I should be able to buy some bonds and still keep a comfortable bal. Does all the above sound complicated and as clear as a woman would make it? Thought I would give you food for thought – let you figure some of it out for yourself – I think you can add and deduct the right figures.

The other evening we were listening to Red Skeltons’ program and Ozzie & Harriet sang a song that sounded like double talk, but it is something like the tobacco auctioneers chant –

[page 2] It is Mares eat oats, Does eat oats, little kids lambs eat ivy, little kids lambs eat ivy – a kid’ll eat ivy too, wouldn’t you – Now just say it like this: Marze dotes and dozee doze, liddle lamz edivy, liddle lamz edivy, a kiddle dee divvy too, wouldn’t chew – I wish I could tell you the tune too – We all go around here singing Marze dotes. It’s just one of those silly catchy things. I know if you could have picked it up you would probably be humming it too.

It is getting late and I need some extra sleep to make up for getting a little tired over the holidays. We just listened to Dogwood and it was all about snoring – Imagine anything like that being funny. Sometimes David makes a noise in the night if he doesn’t sleep soundly – I don’t know what makes him do it, but Earl said he heard him all night Sat. when we stayed there. I really believe he heard him just a little while because I heard him, I think, about 4 a.m. but you know people think they hear things all night long, when they don’t – and especially if they aren’t feeling well.

Your Mother’s box came today and there was a picture of her & dad, done by a photographer. I hope she sent you one because it’s a very good picture. Pjs for J. & M. and a dollar for D. With the ten you sent & the 1.00 Mrs. P. gave him I am going to add enough for him a bond.

This is my second letter to you today, but the first one was written early this a.m. We’ll add a line in the morning.

Love Mother

Tues Morn – Yours of Dec. 18 & 19 came today. Also a letter from Glen & Pauline with $20.00 – $5.00 for each of us – They couldn’t find anything to send for gifts so just sent money. I sent them a box about two wks. before Christmas.

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/09/04/second-letter-gladys/

Trouble with the Furnace (Roscoe)

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Letter transcription:

Lieut. R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
USN Base Hosp. #4 Navy 133
F.P.O. San Francisco Calif.
Dec. 27, 1943

Dear Mother,

Received several letters from you today – Yours & the boys Christmas greetings – a letter and box from the folks and a greeting card letter and picture from Dolores. The picture was of she and he taken in Washington. I’ll have to re-read your letters before I write next time because I’m on-duty now and the letters aren’t where I am. And that is also the reason for the pencil.

You mentioned the check – That was the first one I sent. Hope the other one have arrived by now. Your mail service that way must be pretty good – almost as good as when I was back up the way.

A Newton Co. E. came today – The one telling of C.O. Riggs. That was the first I knew of the whole thing and in it was an account of the Simison girl having her appendicitis – Lots of news – Even Grace Cox was in the hospital. You haven’t mentioned lately whether Dr. Van Kirk is back at work or not – Maybe you aren’t interested in him. Not even enough for him you to write about him.

It seems you are having trouble with the

[page 2] furnace and Indiana Coal. Can’t Geo. Monroe get the thing regulated? Why don’t you have him make trips out there about every hour some day to check on it to see if he can really get things going?

I’m going to check the figures on the finances you gave and probably will have some comment about those but I read the letters so rapidly I couldn’t tell now a single figure you mentioned.

Do you remember a long time ago I mentioned sending an officer home with a bad eye? About June first. He is now back out at the first station when I was first located. He was back there U.S.A. for 5 months, so I guess he doesn’t have too much to complain about.

Well, next time I’ll answer more of your letters.
Love Daddy

P.S. also got a letter from Wayne W.

New_Zealand_Cities

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/09/03/trouble-with-the-furnace-roscoe/

A New Lens (Gladys)

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1943-12-23 (GRY)Letter transcription:

MRS. R.S. YEGERLEHNER
KENTLAND
INDIANA
12-23-43

Dear Daddy – Today David is 15 months old. He spent the afternoon with Jimmy while I went to Laf. with Dorothy. I went to get my glasses repaired. David broke the left lense – I glued it but thought I should get a new lense – but the optical shop was closed, so my trip was unnecessary. However I did some shopping for Mrs. Zell. Since Virginia’s accident Mrs. Z. hasn’t been able to get away to do much shopping. I saw Dr. Cole in the Foster shop. This being Thurs. I asked him how he got away. He said he told his wife not to try and find him for a few hours. Said he has delivered 498 babies so far this year. I suppose he will make the 500 mark yet this year. Arlene is to go down the day after Christmas if not before. Coke brought us a box of candy for Christmas. I had a handkerchief to give her. Last year the cheese co. gave the neighborhood boxes of cheese. John & Mark are listening to Baby Snooks. They get out of school tomorrow at 11:30. Both are getting very anxious to open their Christmas gifts. We have received boxes from both Ruths & Jim. Your Mother said she had things to send but had the flu so didn’t know when she would get things sent out. I sent your folks another year subscription to Reader’s Digest. I haven’t been over to see Virginia yet today so must go see her and take the things I bought for Mrs. Z.

Love Mother

YEG1943-12 David 14.5 months

David at 14.5 months

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: http://genealogylady.net/2015/08/25/a-new-lens-gladys/