Tag Archives: Kentland

Human Rights in World Perspective

Letter transcription:

O’Hare Field

Aug. 1 – 1967

Dear David & Bonnie –

Up at 6 o’clock this a.m. to get a plane from Purdue to O’Hare. I had heard Lake Central is not very reliable as to time schedule, but I can’t complain today. We were on our way not more than 10 minutes late. After arriving here I had to walk at least a mile, or so it seemed to get to T.W.A. I met two other women in the T.W.A. lounge headed for the same meeting “National Seminar – Human Rights in World Perspective” to be held at St. Paul School of Theology in Kansas City.

I really hated to be away just now, but when we started the remodeling, it was to have been finished and we were to have carpeting down and everything moved into new part by Aug. 1 – but we are going to be doing good if we get ready (the way I wanted it to be) by the 22^nd. However, I am sure we will all enjoy being together whether the house is right or not. We should be ready for overnight guests by the time you come. When the new part is finished, we will have 3 bedrooms for company. I won’t tell you any more, let you see when you come. I talked to Lea and Bob. Mark and Shirley probably won’t make it until the end of the week. Mark’s vacation ends Aug. 21, but they will be with us probably the end of the week. We haven’t been able to have the children up this summer because of the remodeling mess. When we get the place the way we want it, Kirk, Becky, and David should have plenty of play space.

Sunday we were in Kentland to attend the 40^th wedding anniversary celebration of the Washburns. After the reception I went out to the hospital to see Mrs. Myers. I didn’t know she was in the hospital until I went to her apt. and found the place empty. I made some inquiries and was told she had been in the hospital since the middle of the week. I was not surprised. The last time I saw her her legs were so swollen they looked terrible. She got an asthmatic attack and had to have oxygen. Dr. K. sent her to the hospital – the only thing to do under the circumstances. Sunday her legs were down to normal and her breathing normal and she thought she would go home by Wed. I hope you remember to send her a birthday remembrance. She said she was sure she would hear from you on her birthday. I have a card ready to mail from K.C. to her. Also told Dad to send flowers.

Pat Owens took two years at Indiana State, then took a beauty course. She is now working in a shop in West Lafayette and lives just two blocks from us. She came over last evening and set and styled my hair. She is engaged

[page 2] and thinks she will be married in about a year. Her fiancé is attending Indiana State, but is thinking of transferring to Purdue. Doris has closed her shop and is spending the summer at their cottage on the lake in Monticello. Harold also spends much time there. He has moved his office to the house. Pat was so happy that her mother had quit work. Harold still looks after Mrs. Myers. I told her about the nursing home about a mile from where we live, but can’t get her interested. Dad even made a concession – he said he would take care of her if she would to W. L. She just can’t bring herself to the idea of a nursing home, but I am afraid the time is coming when she won’t be able to stay alone.

As of now, we have no one to take over the office – so Dad says he is going to close Sept. 1 and sell the building.

I thought you should have the enclosed tax receipt.

Love Mother

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/04/08/human-rights-in-world-perspective/

Building a New Garage

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

West Lafayette, Indiana 47906
118 Juniper Court
July 4, 1967

Dear David and Bonnie:

Have been intending to write to you since before I went to Evanston (June 12 to 16) and here it is about time for me to go to Greencastle to School of Mission. I came home from Evanston one day and we started to move the next. Many people had said it was harder to move across the street than across town, but since I had so much help didn’t get as tired from the move to 118 Juniper. John and Lea and Mark helped all day on Saturday. Mark went back to Indianapolis Saturday evening. John and Lea stayed until Thursday morning. They had intended to stay until Friday, but Lea’s uncle Henry passed away Wednesday, so on Thursday morning John took Lea to Brook to be with her family. By that time they had done so much for me that the rest was things I had to do myself. On Saturday Dad went to Kentland to have office hours and in the afternoon I went to bed and got myself rested. On Friday after we moved on Wednesday the contractor came and got the place dug out for the garage. One day last week the block layers came and got the walls for the garage erected (concrete blocks). They worked not quite two days and left and we are just sitting waiting for the men to come and begin the framework. According to our contractor, when the carpenters come they will stay until it is finished, but that I doubt. I just hope they get finished so we can be straightened up before you come home. We have quite a few things stored on the patio and I hate to have our nice patio so cluttered, but it is all we can do for the present. As soon as the garage floor is poured and usable, we will get the things stored in the garage.

Last week Joyce FitzRandolph (Irene’s sister) came to Purdue to attend the Presbyterian Women’s Association meeting. We brought her out here for dinner one evening and Ruth and Floyd came. Believe it or not, we had dinner on the patio. We aren’t equipped to have cook-outs, so I prepared things that could be carried out and we had a perfect day for eating out of doors. As close as we are to our woods – some of the branches hang over the patio, we were not bothered with flies, mosquitoes or any kind of bugs. I have found in sitting there, the few times I have had time, nothing bothers me. We do intend to get some spray and give the immediate surrounding area a good spraying. Sunday afternoon we went exploring and found our property goes down very steep. We found a turtle, but left him in his little nitch. Joyce brought some slides which she took when she visited the relatives in November. We were in Switzerland in July and everything looked so green, she was quite glad to see our slides. She said the fog closed in after she reached the farm and she couldn’t get any pictures out of doors. We had quite a nice visit with her and Ruth and Floyd both enjoyed being with her. She wanted to know when we were going to visit her in Williamstown, N.J. She said it wouldn’t be too far for you and Bonnie to pay hera visit some time. She had been to visit Irene since her visit to you.

There was a refrigerator here when we moved into this house. It was so old, it had only a place to make two trays of ice cubes, end of freezing unit. We gave it back to the former owner (he furnishes apartments as an investment). When his wife heard me say we were going to give it to a charitable organization she immediately said they would like to have it. They live next door and are very friendly. We were glad for him to haul it away. We bought a new Co-op from Floyd. It is made by the Amana Co. with the Co-op label. One side is for refrigeration and one side freezer. We have nearly half a beef in the locker in Brook which we intend to bring home Saturday. Dad is booked to have office hours Saturday and I am going along to take care of a few things and attend a shower for Karen Johnson who is going to marry Fred Morgan (and go into the Catholic Church). I will also plan to see Mrs. Myers – and read all the letters which have accumulated since we were there the last time.

Tomorrow is the 4^th, but we are not planning to do anything other than the usual things around the house. Since I will be gone all next week – School of Mission from 9^th to 14^th and Purdue to attend Ecumenical Assembly of Church Women United the 15^th and 16^th, I feel I have to make every day count this week. If the workmen aren’t watched I am afraid they won’t follow instructions. I just happened to be hanging out some drip dry shirts on the patio one day last week and saw a solid concrete block wall where they should have been a door. I had to tell them and it had to be done over in the door space. Bonnie’s parents said we could keep one of their teakwood chests, but after this building got started, we didn’t think we could get away to get it. We just feel better about it if we are here to keep an eye on things.

[page 2] We have had two letters from two friends in Hong Kong. You remember the Bylers we visited at Greencastle? They will not be in Hong Kong when the McGraws will be, but Bonnie Byler wrote to tell me who would be in charge of guests during their absence. Also the Chinese boy, William Yue who attended Purdue the past year (we entertained him after coming to Lafayette) wrote to us thanking us for our hospitality and also said he would meet the McGraws if he knew their arrival date and flight no. I sent the information on to Centerville.

Love Mother

The enclosed insurance information may be worth reading.

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/04/07/building-a-new-garage/

38th Wedding Anniversary

2 Replies

Letter transcription:

May 24, 1967

Dear David and Bonnie:

Last weekend we went to Centerville and had a very enjoyable visit with Louise and Mac. We also visited with Grandpa and Grandma. We both think it is remarkable the way Bonnie’s grandparents continue to be so well and active. We enjoyed a steamboat dinner and now Dad is trying to figure how he can make a steamboat. Knowing your Dad, you know he will get something produced in time. Today I attended a luncheon at the Union Building and a Layman’s meeting in Loeb’s Theatre. After the Layman’s meeting I came home, but saw Rev. McClure and a few other people in the lobby before leaving. This week Dad has been attending meetings and I have two more to attend (he has been going to dinner meetings) so we won’t get much done in the way of packing. We plan to go to Kentland Friday evening. He wants Dr. Logan to do some work on his teeth, and he plans to have office hours on Saturday. We plan to go to Danville and meet John, Lea and Bob at about 6:30 for a smorgasbord dinner, then on to John’s to spend the night. We plan to come back home Sunday evening.

Tomorrow is our 38^th wedding anniversary and this afternoon when Dad came home I started to get something out of the refrigerator and saw a green sack with a decorator bow on it (I don’t know where he got the bow – but the sack was definitely not for gift wrapping) and of course, I knew it was for me. It was a pair of opera glasses. When we go to programs at the Music Hall and I take the binoculars along he thinks they are too clumsy to handle on such occasions – hence the gift. I had gotten a gift for him, so got it out and gave it to him. It was a book about building fences and gates. There is a spot at 118 Juniper Court where I thought he could put a fence – hence the book. We were there this afternoon and after inspecting what Mr. Walker has in that particular spot, rather think my book will not be needed. We do hope you get home this summer to see the new house and lot. The woods back of the house is getting so thick now and the patio back of the house looks like a good place to spend a lazy afternoon, and no lawn to mow back of the house. Dad is going to sell the riding mower, because we only have a lawn in front and there isn’t much side yard. When we get the new addition on, there will be less. We should be hearing from the contractor with all those pretty figures. I said if the living room was larger, we wouldn’t do anything to the house, but Dad says we need another bathroom. The only bathroom in the house is rather tiny and I agree with him, we need another if we ever have company.

Last night John called us about meeting them in Danville and he was wondering if you had definitely decided to come home. He says he would rather you would come to Indiana first, because Lea and Bob are planning to go to California and you will get to see them before they leave if you come here first. Also he was wondering if you knew anything about getting accommodations. Besides being hard to get, the going rate is rather high. Floyd and Ruth want to go and they were talking about the rate being more than $20 a day for a room. Give a thought about the suggestion to come to Indiana first.

As I mentioned before I am attending the Annual Conference – not in its entirety, but just selected meetings. Since we are going to Kentland Friday evening I won’t be able to attend Sat. and Sun. I noticed on the program that there will be an ordination service at the closing service Sunday, but I presume (know) there are those every year. They keep talking about the preacher shortage – it makes me think of the talk about the Dr. shortage. I saw Mary Portteus yesterday, a delegate from the Raub church. I said something about staying healthy – and she said she had to, there was no place to go. I also told her what Dad tells anyone who laments his leaving Kentland – to enroll in Purdue and he will take care of them. I am to attend a luncheon for Christian Social Concerns today. Dorothy Nicholson (they live just back of us) is having a coffee

[page 2] for me this morning for me to meet some of the people who live on her street. If I can get away in time, I will attend a session – Bible Study by the Bishop, at 11:15.

The weather here has finally turned to spring. Yesterday was the warmest day (according to the news) since one day last Sept.

Do you want me to save any of the books I am about to give away? I have not had time to sort them yet, but I rather think the ones I want to get rid of, you wouldn’t want. Let me know.

Love Mother

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/04/05/38th-wedding-anniversary/

Released From the Lease

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

May 3, 1967

Dear David and Bonnie:

Since we had 10,000 (more or less of these sheets left) you will probably be seeing a lot of them before I use them all. I am a little tired today. Two women are supposed to stop for me to attend a meeting in Frankfort, at 8:45 and I waited until 9:15 and started out myself. When I got to Frankfort couldn’t find the church. The Methodists have built a new church on the east edge of Frankfort and after stopping at 4 filling stations and riding around in circles for about an hour finally arrived. It seems my friends stopped at the wrong house and when no one answered they drove on and here I sat waiting for them. The driver was quite embarrassed when she learned she has stopped at 226 instead of 312 and the outcome is that I am quite tired from the ratrace of getting there late and trying to find the church. We have plans drawn up for the addition to the house we are buying and Dad has talked to a contractor who is highly recommended. He says he can’t touch it until Sept. We are waiting for his bid, then we will see what we will do. John, Lea and Bob were here to spend the day Sunday and we looked around the yard. I called the present owner and told them we wouldn’t bother them in the house, just wanted to look around. They were all quite impressed with the lot since there is a patio (bricked) which overlooks a ravine. The dogwood trees were all in bloom and in spite of the cold weather we have had things look green and the flowering shrubs have flowered. The Harrises have sold our old house to Mary Kay Anstett. The Jansses are leaving Kentland. Garnett has been appointed to manage a store in LaPorte. When Mary Kay heard the news, she said she went “to pieces,” since Marge had seen to it she has transportation – Mary K. doesn’t drive. She decided with the two little girls she had better be a little closer to schools and stores. The Harrises paid us off and made enough (without cashing anything) to make the down payment on the house here. We went back to Kentland last Saturday – in fact on Friday evening – and Dad had office hours. We won’e go back until the last Sat. in May since he has duty at Health Center next two Saturdays and May 20^th we are planning to go to Centerville. I stop and see Mrs. M. every time we are in K. and she gives me your letters, so keep up on the news from you. You had better write now once in a while since we won’t be back in K. until the 27^th. Hope Bonnie likes her new position. I thought when we got to W. Lafayette I wouldn’t have much to do, but it seems I have been too busy. Since I have this Conference office I have done a lot of traveling. I am not looking forward to moving, but since we have this house leased for a year and I don’t know whether we can be

[page 2] “released from the lease” we may have plenty of time to move. If we have to keep this, I think we will move by car loads. At least that will be easier (I think). I hope to be able to stay put for a while after moving to our new home. Dad is attending a lunch today with his “boss” and a professor. I don’t know what the purpose of the affair is, but at any rate he won’t be home for lunch, but has the afternoon off and we are going to take the abstract to a lawyer’s office to have it examined. Also buy Dad a new raincoat, and do a few other things. Since we have been here I haven’t bought anything new, but a hat and 3 pair of hose. I decided since no one around here had seen my clothes, I don’t [need] any new ones – (until next year when we go traveling again).

Love Mother

The enclosed came and since it didn’t have a 5₵ stamp, I opened it and decided to send it on. It was addressed to us.

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/04/03/released-from-the-lease/

Office Hours

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

April 13, 1967
12 Sharon Drive
West Lafayette, Indiana 47906

Dear David and Bonnie:

The enclosed came and I should have forwarded it, but thought it might be a statement for the Bible Dictionary which was received in Kentland and which I gave away. You know your Dad has definite ideas about people (firms, etc.) sending you something whether you want it or not and I didn’t think I wanted to pay the postage to send that book back. Well I suppose they figure they will get enough people to pay for them that they can afford to send them out and lose one or two. If they do send an inquiry I may pay for it. I think it was $6.75.

Mac and Louise appeared at the District Meetings and were a great success from all the reports I have had. I heard them at Fowler. They spent the night here before going to Fowler. We invited the minister of Trinity Church and his wife out that evening and went over to Morris Bryant and feasted at the smorgasbord. We came back to the house and had a nice visit. We are supposed to go to Centerville the 20^th of May to visit. The Trinity minister here was in Lebanon several years and knows Floyd and Ruth quite well. He also knows Clarence and his wife told me they attended a picnic at St. Peters one time and met quite a few of the Yegerlehners. We feel we know them.

We are still talking about the house down the street. It is on Juniper Court – just about two blocks from here. It is small, but we plan to add on a room or two. The lot is quite interesting. The back of the house overlooks a wooded ravine. There isn’t much front yard, so there wouldn’t be much grass to mow – just enough to look right in front of the house. There are dogwood trees around the patio – remember how we tried to get dogwood trees to grow in Kentland. We finally succeeded in getting one to live. There is even an outdoor fireplace on the patio. It is quite secluded, so we could even entertain there if we wanted to. The square footage isn’t enough in the existing house to afford 3 bedrooms, but the original builders put three in it. One measures 9½ x 9½. I was measuring the roll away cots which we have in one bedroom here and in that small bedroom there wouldn’t be enough room for a baby bed and the roll aways. I think we will probably take out some partitions and make two good bedrooms on that side of the house. We are contemplating building on an addition which will include a generous size bedroom for our own use (convert the existing garage into a family room) and a garage. We will get possession June 15^th, then we will have two houses. I just hope the Colonel will let us out of the lease which we signed for this place. If he doesn’t we will have two houses to use. Dad intends to do a lot of the work on the remodeling himself, so he will have plenty of time if we have to keep this place until Mar. 1 ’68.

Dad is planning to go to Kentland the 15^th and 22^nd to have office hours. We are trying to get someone to come in and take the office, but if someone doesn’t show up pretty soon, he says he is going to close the place out. He is too well satisfied with his hours here and doesn’t like the idea of being tied to that place. However, so far the girls have made enough to make expenses. They, of course, would like see the office stay. However, they said they wouldn’t work for another like the one we had. He must have given them a bad time. I plan to go to Kentland also Saturday and will see Mrs. M. The last time I was there – Apr. 6^th, she seemed to feel good and had been to the foot doctor in Watseka the day before.

I tried to get you registered, but was told you cannot register now until after May 15^th. We got in the last day ourselves – a week or so ago. We almost didn’t make it. We had been quite busy with moving and it didn’t occur to us we had to register. One day a woman called and said she would send someone out, but we managed to get to the court house and take care of it ourselves. I went yesterday and tried to get cards for you and Bonnie, but was told you would have to wait now. Doesn’t make sense, but the woman who talked to me said she would mail the cards you have to sign which you will return to her.

Dad is making a headboard for our beds – since the one in Kentland was built in, we couldn’t bring it along. I bought a new dressing table and chest of

[page 2] drawers, but couldn’t find a headboard to match.

We went to Indianapolis Sunday after church and spent the day with Mark and family. David got acquainted with us. The last few times we had been with him he wouldn’t let me touch him. We went out to see Shirley’s parent’s new home. They have a very nice new home a few miles north of where they used to live. A huge lake and dam is going into the area of Traders Point. David is going to have crooked teeth. I just hope his permanent teeth are better. If not, he will have to wear braces. Mark and Shirley are looking for something to buy before fall. Virginia Zell Gale lives not far from the apartment complex where Mark lives and since the Gales are going to build a new home, Mark and Shirley are considering the house the Gales now have. There is also an apartment complex which they may buy into. It is a cooperative affair and very reasonable. We are supposed to go back Sunday and take the old TV set. Dad has been wanting a color set, so when we got to a place where we can get cable TV the new set had to come. The old one is still good, so we have told them they can have it. The children wanted to know if the set we are giving them is color. – sorry about that.

This neighborhood should make us feel young. There are children in every house, I am sure, but ours. There are no alleys, so all the back yards come together and so do all the children. Easter Sunday when Mark and Shirley were here Becky and Kirk wanted to do something in the afternoon and I told them to go find someone to play with. They did without any trouble. In fact I think they would have stayed and they could have because Becky was having spring vacation, but Grandpa said we had too much to do and he was right. They will probably he here sometime this summer for a visit while their parents take a vacation. They said something about vacation last Sunday, but didn’t follow it up, so I have no idea when Mark will get off. We won’t be going any place, except to places close, this summer, since Dad won’t get his months vacation until after Mar. 1, 1968.

Love Mother

P.S. The Janssens have been transferred to La Porte – Garnette is to be store manager there. They will move late in May. They were here and had lunch with us Sat. (over)

About Ins. We will pay the premium on your Bankers life policy this year – we will send you some information about the difference in Ins. policies. I think you have been talking about Term insurance which isn’t the same as the policy you have with Bankers.

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/04/01/office-hours/

Less Than A Month

3 Replies

Letter transcription:

Monday Apr. 3, 1967

Dear David and Bonnie:

I am enclosing the tax form for you to report your intangibles. You do not have to report your earnings in Indiana for 1966, because you did not earn enough. I have paid your local taxes (in Kentland) which amounted to $13.08 for the first half of the year. Don’t bother to send us the money, we will count that toward an anniversary gift and if you don’t get anything else, that will be it.

The young MD left our office. He was there less than a month, but made enough to buy a second car for his family and pay off some debts he had. We know what he took in since Edna kept account of it (that was part of her job for him). He has quite a sizeable accounts receivable for one month and he said when he collected all he has out on the books he will pay us our 2%. He had paid one month’s rent $100.00 plus a portion on the insurance. He told Bob Batton ne knew he was leaving a gold mine, but that wasn’t what he wanted. He got his job back at I.U. (and I don’t think much of the student’s chances for good health care – and Bob Batton shares my opinion). He said he knew he wouldn’t make much at I.U., but that in three years he would be “top dog.” If we had good looking for someone as opposite as possible from your Dad we couldn’t have found one. Bob Batton told me that he told Kathy to find a good MD in Bloomington and not go to the Health Center. Now the Health Center at Purdue is just the opposite. Dad knows the Dr. who heads this Health Center and he is building up a very reputable place for the students. It seems at I.U. that anyone who comes in for health care is goldbricking. It is just the opposite here. If someone comes in, they need medical attention and they get it. Dad has had one very serious case, a young man with mono and encephalitis. He was so ill, he was unconscious several days, but is now on the mend. I used to think I.U. was the school, and it may be as far as courses offered, but they are still in the woods in one department. I know I.U. and Purdue and two different kinds of schools, but never thought Dad would wind up here, and liking it. He says he would hate to go back to Kentland. He is so glad to get away from the telephone and I am glad to get away from it. Last night the bridge club came here and the telephone rang once – it was for Bill Ross.

Bob Batton III is going to be married in August, so we learned last night. One of the Vinyard boys is going to marry Ginny Thompson. He is going to Purdue and she took a beauty course and is running a shop in Kentland. She intends to commute. Do you get the Kentland paper? If you do I am probably wasting my time telling you all this.

We are corresponding with an MD from Brazil, Indiana, who is presently working with a drug firm in Pa. He said he was definitely interested in Kentland. We sent him a copy of the contract we had with Dr. H., but haven’t had time to hear from him. Dad and I went back to Kentland last Tuesday and he had office hours in the afternoon. He went back Saturday and saw people all day. I stayed here, because I was getting ready for bridge club last night. Dad has promised to go back the 22^nd, but not every week.

The McGraws will be here Wednesday evening. They have five speaking engagements in Indiana this week. They will come here from Terre Haute and go to Fowler from here. I plan to attend the Fowler meeting. We have the four poster bed all ready for them with a good thick foam rubber mattress. Ihope they like a firm bed. It is firm.

The David Hamiltons bought our home in Kentland. There is no accounting for some people’s tastes. They papered one bedroom wall. We were out there last Tuesday for a short while and Carolyn’s parents – the Jim Berrys came while we were there. When her dad heard they had papered one room, he said they had lowered the price of the house $5,000. Her mother told him to keep still, it wasn’t his house. We are looking around now for a place to buy. Dad thinks it is too risky to live in a rented house, because the Colonel might come back – he was here at Purdue at one time – or he might decide to sell. There is a house not far from here that will be for sale July 1^st. One of the Doctors at Purdue is from the East Coast and is going back. Dad is going to inquire about his house. We like the location a little better than this location. This house is fairly nice, but lacks many features our house in Kentland had – such as central air conditioning – and adequate storage space.

When it is time for your son to be born (which may turn out to be a daughter) and Bonnie has to wait two or three weeks, you let me know how you figured out when your child will be born.

Love Mother

(over)

P.S. One of the committees for Dad’s farewell party made a scrapbook with pictures of babies he had delivered out of the more than 1,500, the book contains about 150. Even getting that many pictures together was no small task.

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/03/31/less-than-a-month/

New Life in Lafayette

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

Monday March 20, 1967

Dear David and Bonnie:

Enclosed find check ($4.18) from Bankers United Life for the balance due you from the stock exchange. I will put your new stock (30 shares – in the Bank in Kentland the next trip we make – which will be the 28^th). For your own records it is BANKERS UNITED LIFE ASURANCE COMPANY Stock certificate CU 5801 – 30 shares – David A. and Bonnie Ruth Yegerlehner jt tn.

We are slowly getting our house put in order. D. Schuh is making a couch over for me and we can’t buy carpet until that couch arrives. We are also going to bring the living room furniture to the family room so we can’t do much until he gets the couch delivered. We have the bedrooms just about finished. Dad has to make a headboard for the beds. I bought a new dressing table and chest of drawers and he is going to make the headboard to match. He has finished the shelves in the family room and I have most of the books in place – however not where I want them permanently. Some I am going to give away and if you want the ones I don’t want, you can have them. Dad is at present making a new stereo cabinet. Our living room is so small he is building a cabinet around the piano. Will send you a picture when he gets it finished. The living room is just about 12 x 17. The carpet we buy for it can only be 12 x 14 because of an offset where the piano is placed. We also have to get something else for the kitchen and I haven’t yet decided what I want. The Welcome Wagon caller was here today and told me about a place where rejects from National Homes are sold and that one can furnish a kitchen from the salvage store. We will go take a look (tomorrow I hope).

The McClures are coming Wednesday to attend the I.U. presentation of Parsifal. They are coming at 5 and we are going to have dinner early because the performance begins at 7 PM. I know that is a lengthy opera, so it will be pretty late when it is over. You used to attend it at I.U. did you not? As I understand, they give it in two parts – before dinner and after.

We went to Kentland last Sunday and attended a dinner at the Church given in our honor and a program at the gym in the afternoon. After the program refreshments were served and we stood in a receiving line and it seemed like we shook hands with everyone that attended, some say 300 others 500. I don’t know what the actual count was, but there was a large crowd. We received many well wishes and a beautiful bouquet of red roses from the Funks. The centerpiece was given to us after the affair was over and I took it and gave it to Mrs. Myers. She was ill that day and couldn’t attend. The Church gave us a plant. All in all it was a very nice and I have written twenty or thirty thank you notes. Bob Batton furnished me with a list of people who helped with the program at the gym. I asked Rev. McClure to put a thank-you note in the bulletin.

We are attending church at Trinity. After we decided to go there Floyd (he and Ruth attended our party – also Aunt Ruth M) told us the minister here at Trinity used to be in Lebanon and they liked him very much. His name is Jim Morin. We went to Trinity the first Sunday we were here – Dad, John, Lea and myself. It is an old church but has a large congregation. You remember several years ago when you went to open house for the new parsonage for Trinity – in Vinton Woods? You went with Michels. Rev. Luke (minister at that time) would not live in the parsonage furnished by the church and persuaded the congregation they needed a new one. The old parsonage was torn down and a new educational building – where all the Sunday school classes are now held – was built. It is just across the street. The only difficulty we see about going there to church is parking. We had to walk 2 ½ blocks after we had parked. Sunday that was not bad, the weather being fair, but in weather not so good – well draw your own conclusions.

Dad just called and he is going to be late – something new for here. He has had a student in the hospital who has been quite ill with mono (or complications) and his parents are coming. I think Dad is going to like this new routine. He has so

[page 2] more time at home and can you believe, he will stay in bed until 8 o’clock when he doesn’t have to be at the Health Center until 9. I was afraid he had such a habit of getting up at 6 it might be hard to break that habit. At any rate we are beginning to enjoy more leisure time and enjoy some of the fringe benefits. We attended a special Easter Convocation at the Music Hall yesterday afternoon. We also have a color television set. A new store had a special offer for their opening and we probably got a $600 for $500, or maybe we didn’t. At any rate, we have seen several good programs so far on it. This house is not air-conditioned, so we bought a room air conditioner for next summer when we get one of those mid-west heat waves. John said he tried to get one last summer when a heat wave set in – we were in Europe at the time – and he couldn’t buy one – there wasn’t one to be had anywhere in Urbana-Champaign. We thought we would just buy one now and have it. We may not need it, but this is a frame house and I can imagine it gets pretty hot in the summer. One little tree out in front. This is a new addition to the city of West Lafayette and all the houses were built by a company that sells pre-cut houses. Some are rather nice looking. Ours is one of the rather plain looking types and the owner hasn’t done much to add to its charm. We are comfortable enough, but I still would like to have a house on one level. We haven’t discovered yet how to make the floor warm in this family room – this is one the lower level. We have signed a lease for one year, so we may be looking for something to buy by next March. However, prices are terribly high here and we may be just as well off in the long run to stay here and pay $165 a month. At least we don’t have to pay any taxes or insurance. We sold our house in Kentland. The Harris family has moved to Portsmouth, Ohio. John is going to stay in Kentland until school is out. They haven’t sold that property, or hadn’t when we were in Kentland a week ago Sunday. Mr. Harris is the manager of a Sears store – six stories high. Quite an advancement from the Kentland store. The young MD who took over our office (from what information we get from E & A) isn’t too happy with the situation. He told someone there was more work than he thought there would be. Edna receives payment for us every day and once or twice a week sends us the deposit slips and any information necessary. She and A. are both quite disturbed about (now don’t write about this to Mrs. M. or anyone – we think it is best for us just to keep quiet about things for the time being) the way he is doing things. He is slow, which is just the opposite from RSY. He also has to get acquainted with people and won’t let the girls dispense medicine like they did when Dad was there. I can see his point of view on that, but he is butting off quite a tidy little income when he quits dispensing. He has to see everyone who comes into the office and he won’t let Arvella go ahead to take off people like she used to do. We get a little note from Edna every time she sends deposit slips. Her last note was to the effect that Arvella was about ready to quit. He cut their salaries back to about half of what we were paying them. They may both quit and I wouldn’t blame them if they did. When Dad interviewed him he seemed to be quite intelligent, but some of the things he has done since taking over the office makes me wonder about his good judgment. He told the girls he followed Dad around several days and that everything he did was right, but he seems to want to change everything in the office. Edna seemed to think he was not going to stay. Of course, he signed a lease – which he can break, but he can’t set up in practice within 25 miles of Kentland. Edna seemed to think he was trying to get his job at the Health Center at I.U. back. However, she may just been imagining things on that score. He was in the Air Force several years and has been with I.U. since last July so he has not really had any real experience in General Practice. Will let you know further developments as they develop.

Write when you have time and let us know what your situation will be this summer. Of course, you know we would like for you to come back to Indiana for the summer, but if Bonnie gets a job other than school teaching, we know you won’t come back for the entire summer. The McGraws are coming here to spend the night April 5^th. They are speakers for the District meetings. They have 5 meetings to attend from the northern part of the State down to near Indianapolis, to Terre Haute, then to Fowler and last to Hammond.

Dad won’t get a vacation (one month) until he has been here a year, so we won’t be taking any trips until 1968. We are planning to go to Switzerland again and probably to Lebanon. The Georges are in Beirut and we want to visit them.

John is coming home next Friday (just before Easter) and I think Mark and Shirley and the children are coming. Mark’s whole family has had stomach flu and he called here one day for Dad to give a druggist a Rx for him and the children. I talked to Shirley and Mark one day last week. I had to attend a meeting in Indianapolis. I was with a group and riding with someone else, so couldn’t go see them. At that time Shirley hadn’t gotten the bug, but that day all three children were down with it.

Write when you can find time.

Love Mother

Sometime in June 1966

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

Dear David & Bonnie:

I have been so occupied with myself and Dad I didn’t have time or presence of mind to get this in the mail in time for your anniversary. Dad is better – hasn’t had any temperature since Friday – and then very little. He says he is going to the hospital tomorrow morning. I told him the minute he leaves the house his vacation is over. This afternoon he is watching a ball game on T.V. He had said earlier he was going to burn trash this afternoon, but so far hasn’t made a move in that direction. I told him since he has never been ill he doesn’t know how to take care of himself while recuperating. I think he is beginning to believe he will

[page 2] have to go back to work at a little slower pace. I took the apt. book and marked no more across the top of each day (unless an absolute emergency). He has been in the house since last Wed. I have been answering the telephone and today for the first time he talked to anyone – gave Art a Rx for a patient. She called here and I relayed the symptoms to Dad and he prescribed. Mark and Shirley with their children stopped here yesterday on their way to Wards. Little David is growing and is developing much faster than either Becky or Kirk. Shirley said he could crawl. I put him down on the carpet and he did crawl. He is quite an eater. Shirley filled a bottle for him and had it ready to feed him when they

[page 3] left. She said he would take that without any coaxing. He also likes his vegetables, etc. Becky & Kirk make quite a fuss over him and he is a very good baby. They are coming back here tomorrow for lunch.

Here is a little anniversary gift. I thought you could probably find a place for it in your budget.

I am still going to Lafayette for therapy. Since I will be going to Evanston the 13^th my trips to Lafayette will be over by then. I think I will be ready by then – that is have the correction my arm needs.

Bonnie, thanks for the itinerary of your parents. I am sorry we won’t be able to see them. Our time in Damascus will be about one week later.

Love Mother

Going to the Hospital

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

5-14-66

Dear David and Bonnie:

Here is your tax return (intangibles) opened in error by Dad. I am trying to get ready to go to the hospital tomorrow and it seems I still have much to do (that won’t get done). Dad’s shirts, sox, underwear, etc., and the refrigerator are ready for my departure, but so far I haven’t done a few other things I did intend to do. I don’t think I told you about Mrs. Myers. She fell Tuesday evening in her kitchen and it took her a long time, she thought about 2 hours to inch into her bedroom and call for help. She called Dad and when he got there the doors were locked and he had to crawl in the window. I stopped to see her this evening and she said her arm (right) was still sore. She had used it to drag herself into the bedroom. She said it was so sore the next day or so she couldn’t use it. I told her she should think about entering a nursing home, but she doesn’t want to talk about it. Dad said this evening if she wants to stay there he thinks that is the thing for her to do. He knows when a person of that age has to make a change against their will, it isn’t good. He has seen so many cases where persons have been dissatisfied when a change has been made. I just mentioned it to her, but after I talked to him this evening, I have decided not to mention it again. I told her I hadn’t mentioned it to you, but now I have.

[page 2] Your letter received today. I agree with you, but how can the powers that be, be made to see what seems to plain to us? It seems strange that after all the changes Morse has gone through, that we would agree with him now, but he does seem to make sense. However, I rather think he is not going to be listened to. I have so much to do, I think it would be better for me to try and get some of those things taken care of I have been trying to get done today, so I won’t have so much to look forward to (unhappily) when I come home.

Love Mother

What are you going to do with your furniture?

The Doctor is Sick

10 Replies

[Editor’s note: While organizing more of Gladys’ correspondence, I found a envelope of letters from the spring of 1966.]

Letter transcription:

Dear David & Bonnie –

11 a.m. Thurs. After running a temperature for at least 24 hours, the Diclomycin must have chased the bugs away – at 10 o’clock the temperature was normal. I had called Dr. Gery this morning and we were ready to send Dad to a hospital in Lafayette, but after the temperature break we decided it wasn’t necessary. However I am to take a specimen to the laboratory when I go for my therapy in the morning. The cause of his trouble is a kidney & bladder infection. He had not told me he was having any difficulty, but I learned all about it when I got home yesterday and found him home and in bed. He isn’t going to do anything until next Tuesday – all appointments have been cancelled for the rest of this week. I went to bed late – got to sleep at about midnight and was taking temp and getting him some breakfast by 6 – which as you know is a little early for me – so now by 11 o’clock I feel a little done in, so think I will have myself a little siesta to restore some of my (pep – vigor – you name it) so called strength. Arvella is going to bring mail, etc., to me at noon. So I should get an hour in if the telephone doesn’t disturb me. Dad has not answered the telephone so you know he doesn’t feel good. Will keep you informed as to his progress. Save that article, and when you translate the letter return to me.

Love Mother

Letter from F. Ryser [translated via google translate – errors are my own]:

Dear Mrs. Yegerlehner,

Thank you for writing from March 19, 1966.

I am glad for them that they have succeeded in doing a European trip. I will gladly meet your wishes and provide you with supplemental brochures such as hotel price lists of Basel. I hope you will enjoy it in Switzerland.

With great respect
F. Ryser