Tag Archives: Kirk Yegerlehner

Simply Devastated

Letter transcription:

Kentland March 13

David Dear –

I have intended getting a letter off to you but have been ill & have done nothing. I will write a letter soon as I can. Your Mother & Mark came to see me yesterday after the big party at the gym. It must have been a lovely affair. They also had a carry in dinner for them at the church yesterday. Your mom looked so pretty. Mark said the kids are all sick with flu. I am simply devastated without your Dad & Mom. How I miss them. You seem to be working too hard – both of you. I love your letters.

Much love to you & Bonnie
Grandma

[Editor’s note: This is the last letter from Ruth Myers to David in the collection. The big party at the gym is one of the retirement celebrations the town of Kentland gave to Roscoe and Gladys when they moved away. Roscoe had accepted a position at Purdue, attending to the medical needs of the university’s students and they moved to West Lafayette.]

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/09/02/simply-devastated/

Thanksgiving 1966

1 Reply

November 24, 1966 envelope

Letter transcription:

November 24, 1966, p. 1

Thanksgiving Day 1966

David, My very Dear

The book which you so kindly purchased for me arrived, and can’t tell you how grateful I am for your getting it to me, and also, I hope you will forgive me for asking you to purchase your own Christmas gift, but you don’t know what it meant to me. I am enclosing check, and I had thought it would be more.

I have a gift for Bonnie, and your mother is going to include it for me in a mailing to you both before Christmas.

I am at home alone today, very disappointed because I wanted to see baby David, whom I have not yet met. Your Mom invited me for Thanksgiving dinner, and Mark and Shirley and the kids and Lea and her husband, and John. Last night about ten o’clock Gladys called me on the phone and said that both the little kids had broken out with chicken pox. Becky had had it a couple of weeks ago and they thought the two little children were not going to get it, and when they arrived in Kentland your Dad discovered they were in full bloom. So of course, my never having had it, they did not think it wise for me to come. Gladys brought me my dinner, which I am going to eat in a short while. Mark, Shirley and the children were returning to Indianapolis this evening because Mark must work tomorrow.

The day is very gloomy and overcast, but not cold. Looks as if it might do something. There are so many things I would love to discuss with you, but I do not have the strength to write what I would like to. I look forward every week to your letter, and you will never know how I appreciate it. I know your time is very precious to you, and it is wonderful thing for you to take part of it to write to me.

My very dear love to you and Bonnie, and I am sure she is thrilled to have her folks here.

Always your
Grandma

P.S. Gladys said she would write you about the Nizer book. Your Dad does not have it, but you will hear from her about it.

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/09/01/thanksgiving-1966/

Thanksgiving

1 Reply

December 5, 1965 envelope

Letter transcription:

December 5, 1965, p. 1

Sunday, December 5, 1965
Kentland, Indiana

David and Bonnie
My Very Dear Ones

I hope you are not thinking that your Grammaw has become senile, but I really have been quite ill, and am just now beginning to feel stronger. My fingers are quite stiff, but will try.

David will never know how I have appreciated his wonderful letters, and how I have looked forward to them. I love the pictures and thank you so very very much for them. I also appreciate your Hebrew messages, and my wonder at your ability to do such, leaves me helpless to express myself. You two are so wonderful, working so hard and accomplishing so much it makes me proud to know you.

I was quite touched with your story of your visit to the museum, and it jolted me into realizing that I owe you some money, which at this time of year becomes something to think about. I am making the check for $8.00 which I hope will cover whatever tax you had to pay and maybe postage if you care to mail the album. If not just bring it, either way you wish.

Your mother tells me she is getting a new record player. She took the one she had to the office, as something went wrong with the radio. She invited me to have Thanksgiving dinner with then, and I had looked forward to it, but when the day came I was unable even to get dressed. I spent the day in bed. Mark & Shirley and the kids were there, also John and Lee and her husband, and your Aunt Ruth. She stayed several days. Gladys brought her to see me. She drove to get her and also took her home.

I hope you put some leftover turkey in your freezing section and you can have it for Easter dinner. Your mother has been doing some shopping for me and she is so good to me. I am not even attempting to mail cards this year. No David, I hardly every stay up to watch Johnnie anymore, I just get too tired.

Thank you again for your dear letters, and will be anxious to see you.
Much love
Grandma

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/08/31/thanksgiving/

A Turning Point

1 Reply

March 19, 1963 envelope

Letter transcription:

March 19, 1963, p. 1

Kentland, March 19, 1963

David, My Dear

Please know how I appreciate the two good letters I have had from you since I have written, and I started to write you yesterday, and then thought I would wait until this morning and see if a letter came from you, as they usually arrive on Tuesday morning.

First I want to explain why I have not written. I have really been going through a turning point in my life. I have been in a state of very deep depression for the past several weeks, and simply have not been able to carry on the normal activities. I have decided to make a serious effort to sell the hotel as soon as possible. Harold agrees with me in this and is going to help me carry it out. This has been my home for the past nineteen years and at my age it will be hard to pull up the roots in view of my handicap, but I feel that I must do it.

I have now placed my affairs in God’s hands, and I know that His law of love and justice will take care of me, since I have done all that I can do to help myself. I know you share my belief in a personal God who cares for us.

When I watched the appearance of Nixon on TV I hoped all the time that you also were watching. I was delighted, and you know, I believe if he had displayed that side of his personality during the campaign he would now be president. However, I can well understand how it is impossible to be one’s own self when trying to please so many difference factions. I thought he was charming. I am anxious to know if you and Bonnie got to see Sen. Goldwater and what your reaction was.

It must have been thrilling to talk with Bishop Raines. You have the opportunity now to meet and know so many worthwhile people, which is an education in itself and helps to build your own personality and character, and I am sure they all feel it is very worthwhile to know a young man like you.

I am glad to hear you did well in your test on history of the reformation. And I must say that the only real laugh I have had in some time was to imagine YOU as a Catholic priest doing the twist with an angel. Really, I flipped.

March 19, 1963, p. 2

[page 2] While your mother had the children here she was in for a few minutes with Becky one afternoon, and a few days later she brought Kirk in to see me. David, he is the sweetest baby, just beautiful and so good. I told your mother I was so happy for her because he is such a wonderful baby. She said he did not even require a feeding during the night, but slept right through.

I will close now and I will write you next week or sooner if I have any news. Your letters always give me a lift and I thank you for taking the time to write me when you are so very busy.

Best love,
Grandma

College Students at the Hotel

3 Replies

October 31, 1962 envelope

October 31, 1962, p. 1

Letter transcription:

Kentland, Oct. 31^st

David Dear

At long last I have my old trusty typewriter back again, without which I am out of communication. It got a complete overhauling and it seems it took a long time. Big deal.

Your mother was in for a few minutes this morning, and she tells me that your date with Chris came off as you wished, and that makes me happy for you. She said you would be home this coming weekend, so maybe you will have time to tell me about her.

The way things look now, it could be we will all be here for a while longer, I hope. I saw your picture in the paper, and clipped it to send you. If you did not pose for this you could have, it looks so much like you. Your mother brought Becky in to see me, which didn’t seem to interest Becky in the least as you can imagine. She said they were in Chicago Sunday and the new baby is big and beautiful. You know what I was thinking? You just save that name “Julie” for the future, for that lovely day when you will have a Julie of your very own.

We have been having lots of college students at the hotel. A couple weeks ago we had a bus load of girls, 35 in fact, from St. Mary’s of the Woods. We have them every Fall and Spring. They are brought here to attend something they call a “mixer” at St. Joseph in Rennselaer. We are going to have another group this coming Saturday night for another one. Last weekend we had 25 boys and girls from University of Cincinnati who were out on a field trip through Indiana. Their geology Prof. Richard Durrell brought them here. He comes here frequently to look after farm interests of his own. He gave a lecture to them that night in the lobby. It was too technical to understand for me. They were going to invade the Newton County Stone Quarry the next morning.

There was a picture at the Kent theatre I wish we could have seen “That Touch of Mink.” I enjoyed Roz’s story in the Post. I also read the “Fail-Safe” which is causing so much discussion. Blood curdling. Last night I read a piece in Reader’s Digest taken from Nixon’s book, the story of his part in the Alger Hiss case.

Bye for now
Love
Grandma