Tag Archives: Kirk Yegerlehner

Records and a New Stereo Cabinet

Letter transcription:

1-6-66

Dear David and Bonnie:

This came to us, but I think it should have been sent to you.

Dad is about to complete the cabinet for the stereo. You may be interested to know that I am keeping my records in the order in which you left them. I have played for my own enjoyment when I am home alone all my Christmas records, except the one Mark and Shirley gave me and John took it and is going to get me something else. After listening to all those, I have started to listen to all my records as you have them stored. I was listening some today, but had the washing machine going and there was too much noise. (I mean the classical ones.)

We had a very nice visit with Mark and Shirley and the children. They certainly were happy to get the hi-fi and it didn’t get much rest after we got there. Becky and Kirk had some records they wanted to listen to, then we listened to some of Mark and Shirley’s. They have quite a nice collection. I am glad the children will learn to listen to good music. We came home Jan. 1, arriving in time to get lunch and then watch the tournament of roses in Pasadena. Dad didn’t get a baby while we were away, but said the office was very busy and he has glad he had stayed home. He said if he had taken Friday off, he probably would have been in the office alone most of Saturday. I suppose he had a point there. One year he gave the girls the day after Christmas off and had to spend most of the day working the office alone, so he decided he didn’t want any more of that. Anyway, he was anxious to get some work done on the cabinet. I think it will be very nice when he gets it finished.

[page 2] I had an appointment with R. Huth to work on our taxes Jan. 3. I took the car to the Cadillac place and was told they could work on it. After keeping my appointment with Huth, I shopped some, ate lunch, then to the garage. They had lost my ticket—or rather had misplaced it and no one had touched the car, so I just sat in the garage and waited and it was a good thing I did. The last time I had the car serviced here, they had failed to do a lube job and the mechanic told me that was the reason the power steering wasn’t working. So besides getting the window mechanism repaired I had a lube job done and a new belt put on and now it works like new. The next time I take the car to a garage here, I suppose I will have to tell them everything I want done. I thought I had specified a complete job the last time.

It is about time to have supper. I think Dad needs a break.

Love Mother

P.S. Bonnie—Do you want a desk day book? I received one today.

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/02/26/records-and-a-new-stereo-cabinet/

Christmas is Coming

3 Replies

Letter transcription:

Thurs. Dec. 16, 1965

Dear David and Bonnie:

The wrapping room (wherever you want it) will be open when you come home. I talked to Mark last night and he said he thought they might have Christmas for the children before they come down Christmas Eve and though you wouldn’t mind sleeping a little longer. However, I think he plans to be here by noon. He said the children were quite excited about Christmas. He was telling me that Kirk has a memory like an elephant. He had promised Kirk he could have some eggnog before going to bed, but for some reason he didn’t get it and went to bed in a sulk. At six o’clock the next morning Mark had to go the bathroom with him and although he was groggy with sleep he said, “You wouldn’t give me any eggnog last night,” or something to that effect. I said, “Why do you have to get up and go to the bathroom with him?” Mark said he thought at that hour he was so groggy he might fall in if he didn’t go with him and another reason, he is too short to reach the stool. I think you will agree he is pretty cute. (fond grandmother speaking)

My Christmas cards haven’t come, but I found some Christmas correspondence cards from last year, so have written to the McGraws (Louise bought another wood carving for me in Singapore and I wanted to send her some money). Also wrote to the Mercurios, the Easterlys, the Moores and a few others. Marie Mace has remarried and we received a card from her today—Mrs. Don. Shewmaker.

I don’t remember whether I wrote you about Aunt Clara, but she isn’t very good. I am afraid from the way she looked when we were down there and from what was going on—she is losing so much weight and can’t keep her food down—or couldn’t when we were there, that she isn’t going to get better.

I want to make it to the P.O. before it closes, so must get this ready to mail. We are going to Country Club tonight to a party for Hospital. Dad is making a Lazy Susan for Lea’s table. He just started on it today, but I think he will get it finished before they come home.

Will be looking for you some time Christmas Eve.

Love Mother

P.S. I can’t remember whether there was a letter enclosed with the Echlin information.

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/02/25/christmas-is-coming/

Haven’t Time to Write

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

Dec. 10, 1965

Dear David:

I really haven’t time to write—it is time for my siesta. I have been working in the office this week to help Edna get caught up with insurance forms. Yesterday (Thurs.) I took the leased car to Lafayette to have it serviced and did a little shopping for myself and Mrs. M. Dad opened this letter by mistake. I thought you could perhaps use it before Christmas. Mark is going to meet you at the airport since they plan to come down Christmas Eve. Lea and Bob will be here, also John, so we will all be home for Christmas.

Tomorrow night my S.S. class will meet here for Christmas Party and I am not ready. Tonight we go to the Hospital for annual meeting. Maybe I will have time when we return after the meeting to get a few things done. At least I am not going to knock myself out trying to clean. I think everyone will have just as much fun whether or not I dust the books, etc.

I must get to that siesta, so for now this is all. We should have the stereo installed by this time next week.

Love Mother

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/02/24/havent-time-to-write/

Thanksgiving Week

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

Nov. 29-1965

Dear David and Bonnie –

I am writing again in Wilmington. Will spend the night here and then go home in the morning. We have had a full week. Last Tuesday we went back to Kentland—stopping in Kankakee to shop and eat. It was about 4 PM when we reached Kentland, so after a short siesta I went to the office and after we had dinner I was ready to fold. Wed. we started preparing food for the homecoming. John came home about 2:30. Lea & Bob came in time for dinner. Mark, Shirley & children arrived later in the evening. Lea & Bob left to go to Bob’s parents in the afternoon (Thurs). M. & S. stayed until Fri. afternoon. John left to return to Champaign after church

[page 2] Sunday. Dad & Aunt Ruth & I went to Clay City to attend the Alumni Tea. None of the Yegerlehners were there, so we went out to see Clarence. Aunt Clara is not well. She had an operation for cancer last summer and also had cobalt treatments. In Sept. Clarence and Clara visited Aunt Ruth & Clara seemed fine. They had stopped to see us, but that was while we were away. Aunt Ruth was quite surprised to see how thin Clara is. Uncle Clarence told Dad she isn’t able to retain her food much of the time. We went on down to see Ralph & Faye. Faye said she is quite upset over Clara’s condition. Evidently from what Faye told us the cancer wasn’t all removed. I have never seen Clara as thin as she is now. Just a shadow of her former self.

[page 3] Duane has a church in Rockford, Ill. now. He was in Shelbyville, Ind.

We stopped in Brazil to see Vic & Beulah. They told us Marie had been married recently. I called her and she and her new husband, Mr. Shewmaker, came to Vic & Beulah’s to see us. All in all we had a very nice day, except for seeing Aunt Clara in such a poor condition.

Today I made statements and mailed them as we were ready to leave town. Aunt Ruth folded them and stuffed envelopes. I ran the amount on the adding machine and when I showed Aunt Ruth how much it amounted to, she said she could see why I would spend a day making them. (Not that we will collect one third of the amount.)

[page 4] Mrs. Myers didn’t get to spend Thanksgiving with us. She was upset and couldn’t eat. I went to see her the next day and she was feeling much better. She was looking in a Sears catalogue and wanted to order a bathrobe. I told her not to buy anything until after Christmas. I found one that I thought was quite pretty at Ashton’s, so bought it for her for Christmas. I was wondering what I would give her—now I have that taken care of. I think she is going to have to go to a nursing home because I think she shouldn’t be alone. I think she is thinking that way herself now. I have had a full day, so think I will soon take a bath & retire.

Love Mother

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/02/23/thanksgiving-week/

Getting Aunt Ruth

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

11-22-65

Dear David & Bonnie –

I am writing this in Wilmington. I have come to get Aunt Ruth. We plan to go back to Kentland in the morning. Mark & Shirley & children and John will come home for Thanksgiving and incidentally Dad’s birthday. I hope you remember to send Dad a remembrance. Mark & Shirley will go back home Friday but I think Aunt Ruth will stay and go to Clay City with us next Sunday. The High School is having an Alumni Tea and Dad said he would like to go. We haven’t been down to see any of the family this year so if we get to go we’ll visit relatives besides attending the Tea.

Yesterday we attended the open house for the parsonage and as I am on the Commission of Worship, took a part in the

[page 2] ceremony. Dr. Baily was in attendance. He asked me if you are attending Yale and of course I told him you are at B.U. and also assisting a history professor at Emerson—I think I put it this way, “he is attending B.U. and also teaching at Emerson.” Dr. Bailey complimented our congregation on the fine parsonage we have secured (and paid for). He said it was one of the best in the district—this is for our size church.

I asked Mrs. Myers to spend Thanksgiving Day with us, after Doris told me they were going to be out of town that day. She was a little hesitant about it, but I thought if she is able to come she shouldn’t be alone. She is a little discouraged about her recovery. I stopped to see her Fri. & Sat. and she was wearing her pjs & robe.

[page 3] She did get dressed the day she had her hair washed and set. She still complains about not having any strength. At her age, that asthmatic attack didn’t do her any good.

Aunt Ruth has a very nice apartment with living room, kitchen, bath & 2 bedrooms. The heat is electric, which is very convenient. She as a good view, being on 2^nd floor. I think she is quite settled here—she lives just across the street from Methodist Church but of course you know she attends Presbyterian.

Mark called us last night. Kirk had an ear infection and they took him to the Dr. They promised him he wouldn’t have to have a shot but the Dr. said the infection was so bad he should have a shot of penicillin. Kirk told us over the phone he had a shot.

[page 4] Mark said he insisted on having a band aid on the place where he had the shot.

Aunt Ruth has color T.V. but there is something wrong with the aerel (sp.) and she doesn’t get the best reception.

We are going to see the local movie—if we decide it is worth seeing.

Love Mother

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/02/22/getting-aunt-ruth/

Order of Service

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

Kentland, Indiana, October 24, 1965

Dear David and Bonnie:

Dad is spending his afternoon at the hospital. Since he had the duty, he had to go when an accident occurred. He spend so much time over there last week, he spent all of two evenings at home. In spite of his heavy duty away from home, he is about ready to finish the beds he is making for John. John is coming home next weekend and he wants to have them finished by then. John is coming home to escape the little Halloweeners around Champaign. I like to think he is coming home for my birthday.

Mrs. Myers is still in the hospital. I asked Dad this noon when he was going to dismiss her and he said he didn’t know. He thinks she isn’t well enough to go home and be alone. I went over to see her Friday afternoon and took her a lovely lavender mum plant. Just about the time I was ready to leave Bethel and Mrs. Pronger came and Mrs. P. had a mum plant almost exactly like the one I had taken. I asked Mrs. M. how she got along on the hospital bed and she said it was quite uncomfortable. Bethel said she had to take Mrs. P. back to Kentland so I arranged for her to take some foam rubber back to the hospital (one of the pieces I had bought for the beds in your room). I asked Dad how she liked her bed and he reported that she was much more comfortable. Harold and Doris were out of town when Mrs. M. got sick and Dad sent her to the hospital. They were back in town last Sunday and Harold talked to me about her after Sunday school. He was planning on taking a trip the next day – he and some of his friends have been going on fishing trip in Ky. Every fall – and was wondering if he should cancel his trip. Mrs. M. persuaded him to go. Well, he started, but got ill himself and his fishing trip ended abruptly in a hospital. Doris went to get him Friday. I know Harold and Doris are both glad to have Mrs. M. in the hospital. They have both been trying to get her to go in for a check-up. They say they know she hasn’t felt well for a long time.

Dad said you had better to go [to] your Health Center (B.U. does have one doesn’t it) and have your bumps checked. My lump was not a hard one, but my wrist was as sore as if a rock had been removed, instead of liquid. Mark got a hard knock on his and it disappeared. Let us know what you need to do. If it isn’t urgent, Dad will take care of them when you come home.

Our Church voted to change the order of service, so we have Church first now. We usually have a large church attendance, but the S.S. attendance has been cut. I suppose some people just won’t spend that much time in worship. I could always use all the time allotted for S.S. class, but I was in a minority. The second Sunday in Sept. the first two hour service was held (from July to first Sunday in Sept. there was ¾ hour church and ¾ hour S.S.). While we were away, someone who thought 1 hour was too for S.S. got a commission (I suppose Education Commission) to reschedule the time, so now we are supposed to have ¾ hour S.S. then a closing service. The way I feel now, I could give up my class without any qualms. Attendance is down and interest seems to have fallen. Of course, if I analyzed the situation I would probably have some good reasons why attendance was down today. The first Sunday we were back, I didn’t stay for S.S. because the family was home and after church we came back home. I had Juanita Kain substitute for me and there were 18 in the class that day. Last Sunday the attendance was down (8). However, the group attending today were all interested and (8) every one took a question for next Sunday, so maybe things will pick up. Also got several to promise to help clean the nursery Tuesday AM. I have always thought it more important for children to be in Church than in S.S. (in view of some of the teachers we have had in the past). I feel that the adults who would attend R. Zell’s class then walk out before church were robbing themselves. I am sure, with all due respect to R. L. and the time he spends preparing his lessons, I would rather listen to a minister give a sermon. My idea has been that if my class would rather attend Church than S.S., I would rather they attend Church. I am sure Rev. McClure is better equipped to give them a religious education.

This coming week I have promised to assist in the UNICEF drive and next week I have charge of the United Church Women program at our Church.

Last night the Rotary Club had a fish fry at the old gym to raise money for their scholarship fund. We attended and after eating fish, french fries, and ice cream besides slaw, I have decided my digestive system be in pretty good order. Not one bit of trouble.

Love Mother

(over)

You were correct about Kirk’s birthday. I sent him a toy which didn’t get to him on his birthday but he did get the card I sent. According to Shirley he did have a big birthday. I am enclosing a washing instruction tag that was on the red dress. Also some S & H stamp.

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/02/18/order-of-service/

L.B.J. Ranch

1 Reply

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

Home Again

1 Reply

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

The Town’s Sewers

1 Reply

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.

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.