Tag Archives: Rebecca C. Yegerlehner

Valentines

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.

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/01/29/valentines/

Car Accident

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

Dec. 2 – 1964

Dear David & Bonnie –

I suppose you have had a request from Rev. Fields for a sermon one Sunday while you are at home for Christmas.

Nov. 21 we went to Chicago and saw Julie Andrews in Mary Poppins then out to Mark’s to spend the night and on Sunday brought Becky home with us. Mark, Shirley, & Kirk came on Wed. John also came home on Wed. Becky really missed Kirk and when they arrived she hardly noticed Mark & Shirley at first (she did give them hugs) but grabbed Kirk by the hand and away they went to see something. Before they arrived she had said she wanted to see her brother.

When John went back to Champaign Sunday his car hit a slick place, skidded and another car hit his car and he had to continue on to Champaign by train, leaving his car at Paxton for repairs. He said when he called us he had his seat belt fastened and he said he wasn’t injured, but the window on the driver’s side was broken and his glasses were knocked off – someone found them on the pavement. I presume from what he said glasses were not broken. I am thankful the accident wasn’t any worse. We haven’t talked to him since Sunday evening. He said he would call if anything developed.

Last night I went to a club meeting held at the Geo. Ade Home by the hospital. Kathleen Funk gave a program about his literary career. He was really an unusual writer and I am afraid much of the population here do not appreciate what a celebrity we had in our midst. The home is being restored but the committee still lacks $5,000.00 to complete the job. Dad thinks it is a good thing for the community to have a reminder of our literary heritage but not enough people care to

[page 2] contribute to the cost of it. Since the home as been restored the Home Committee has had open house several times. Kathleen told me they have had people come from around here – that is I mean around Kentland but that Kentland people had not shown any interest. John Funk has been quite active in getting the home restored.

I saw the tiara on TV this a.m. that the Pope has contributed for the poor of the world. I also learned it was a gesture, it didn’t really mean the tiara is going to be sold. I suppose there could be arguments both ways – but as you once stated when you were learning to make sentences—“In the first place, why did he have a tiara to begin with”—what you said was, “In the first place, why you buy that kind of cheese.” The msgr. On TV this a.m. said there was more than one Papal tiara but this one was given to the Pope by the people of Milan.

My time is fleeting and I am not getting anything done, so must get busy.

Will meet you at the airport Dec. 23 – 8:37 and hope for good weather. Of course you can write any time between now & then. I have decided not to send you pictures of our “Japanese Garden” – since it is just 3 weeks until you will be home you can see it for real.

Love Mother

Found these stamps after you left in June and have intended to send with every letter.

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/01/22/car-accident/

Making Up For Lost Time

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

October 21, 1964

Dear David and Bonnie:

Yours received. Your Dad made a remark about the sticker you had on your letter. He doesn’t exactly share your opinion. He think B.G. is the lesser of two evils, but still won’t say who he will vote for. I am in a pondry. I can’t say I approve of your candidate. There are a lot of thinks about the whole family I don’t care about. I think I will do like Dad. I intend to vote, but since it is our privilege to vote secretly, that is the way my vote will remain. I don’t like all the scandals that have been connected with the party now in office. Somehow, I just can’t quite go along with crime or corruption, regardless as to where it is found. I think it is just as bad at a high level as at a lower level. Enough about that.

We went to Clay City October 11 and took our pictures along. Uncle Clarence had invited all the family home and all of his children were there and Paul and his family (they live in Belvedere – a 2 hour drive north and west of here), Earl and his family, and Uncle Ralph and Aunt Faye. Uncle Clarence asked me to come to their church and give a program yet this fall. I wrote him after we returned home and gave him the dates of the meetings we have to attend which will be Oct. 27, Nov. 11, 16, 18. If he can find a date other than those I will probably go. We were in Kenneth’s new home (that is where reunion was held). It is on the site where the old house used to be. It is certainly a far cry from the old one. It is very modern with electric heat. It will be a house to be proud of when it is finished. They still have a few things to do, like finish flooring in the bedrooms and a few other things. We also stopped in Brazil and visited with Marie Mace. She is carrying on the business as usual. She had worked in the store for years. So knows what to do. We had a funny experience on the way to Indianapolis that night. Since we drove the leased Cadillac we were carrying an Indianapolis license number. Dad had said (I forgot to mention that after our reunion we started to Indianapolis and didn’t have any reservations for Sunday night because we thought as many motels as are along that route we wouldn’t have any trouble in finding a room. We were going to Medical convention). Dad had mentioned that we might have trouble getting a room with an Indianapolis license. We kept driving and finally Dad said he was ready to stop any time and I was tired also and said it was OK with me. We saw a AAA sign at a Western Motel, so decided that would do. When we stopped the office was closed, but the man came out after Dad knocked on the door. I made the remark, “just so we can get a room with twin beds.” He took us to look at a room and I also said, “it is clean and warm and I think that is all that is necessary,” so I stayed in the room and Dad went back to pay and sign the register. When the man saw we had Indpls plates, he said he couldn’t keep us. Dad showed him his identifications and told him it was a leased car. He (the man) said he thought it was funny we would want twin beds, if we were on a spree. Dad said the “law” around Indianapolis had been trying to crack down on couples going to motels for immoral purposes. We were just a few miles from a lovely Quality Court when we stopped, but we didn’t have a directory, so didn’t know what was ahead. We drove on the next morning to a Horne’s restaurant and had breakfast and saw the Quality Court across the road. If we had thought about it, we could have had Tri-Way Inn make reservations for us before we started out. The next time, we should think of that in advance. We went on to Indianapolis and stopped at Jim’s office and had a visit with them. Jim had made reservations for us at the Athletic Club. On Tues. evening we didn’t have anything in particular to do, so drove to Shelbyville to see Duane and Joanne. Duane had suggested we come down if we could get away from the convention. He showed us the new church. He also said he was having some trouble getting the people, now that the church is built and the hard work over, to take responsibility. He said not enough people showed up for choir practice the week before, so on Sunday (Oct. 11) there was no choir, because he said unless they had a full choir they wouldn’t sing. He said when it was time for the anthem he told the congregation they would observe 2 minutes of silence and when enough people showed up at choir practice to fill the choir loft on Sunday they would resume having a choir on Sundays. He also said he told them he didn’t have time to prepare a sermon with all the other activities that had been going on, so he sat down again for 2 minutes, then he got up and, you might say, read the riot act to them. They left immediately after services to go to Clay City, so didn’t know what the reaction had been that day. However, we were there on the following Tuesday and he said he had heard that one woman said the pulpit wasn’t the place for what he had said. I ask him, “where else?” He agreed with me. We had dinner with Duane and Joanne and their three sons. Duane had to attend a meeting and we returned to Indianapolis.

[page 2] Wednesday evening Jim & Thelma had dinner with us at the Athletic Club and we had planned to attend an affair planned for the Doctors and guests. When we got to the door we were told there were three tickets left. Since there were 4 of us, we went back to Jim & Thelma’s and showed them some of our pictures. They want us to come to Indianapolis and show pictures for their S.S. class next April. We promised we would. Aunt Thelma said they hadn’t sent you a wedding present yet. She intimated it would be $, which I presume will be acceptable at any time.

We had a letter from Aunt Ruth last week. She had finally gone to Romaine’s to spend a few weeks and since Romaine lives close to the airport, they had gone out to see, guess who, B.G. Aunt Ruth didn’t see the curb and stepped off and twisted her left ankle and broke her right knee cap. She has her right leg in a walking cast and left ankle bandaged. She said she was so mad at herself, because Romaine had so many things planned for them to do and there she sits. Well, as she said, if it had to happen, it was a good thing she was with Romaine. She said I know you will say, what were you doing out watching G. for anyway, but Romaine usually goes to watch celebrities come in and they thought it would be something to do. I had asked Aunt Ruth to come here for Thanksgiving if she is home, but with her injury I don’t know whether she will be back home.

We went to Chicago Sunday the 18^th to celebrate Kirk’s birthday (Oct. 19) and Becky wanted to come home with us. We would have brought her, but Mark had to drive his car all this week and we didn’t know how she would get back home. Dad has too many baby cases for us to promise to get away for a while now. When we were in Indianapolis I bought some pants and a shirt for Kick and had them sent out. The package hadn’t arrived yet and neither had his birthday card. Becky wanted to know where his happy birthday card was. I had taken a green plastic turtle filled with “soaky bath,” so he at least had one gift. He had a birthday cake and blew out his candles, so all in all he had a very nice 2^nd birthday. He can say hello and a few other words when he wants to, but doesn’t try to talk too much. However, Becky talks enough for both of them. I think in another six months he will probably be as talkative as she is.

Mrs. Addie Padgett has moved into the cottage where Peggy and Howard used to live. Her family thought she shouldn’t try to spend the winter alone in the country. I stopped to see her this morning and she seems very comfortable. However, I am afraid when the temperature gets down in the zeros she will feel a draft or two. The man who runs the Ford sales owns the place and wants her to buy it. If it had another layer of covering, like aluminum siding, it might be made more comfortable, in cold weather. She said to tell you hello. She recently had to have a cataract operation in one eye, but now wears special lenses and is painting again. Esta and Albert have made three apartments out of the rooms across the front motel building and since there is a demand for such apartments, have them rented all the time. They keep adding things and have improved the looks of the place quite a bit.

Our church had Methodist Renewal Mission last week, but since we were in Indianapolis, I didn’t get to attend but one meeting. Rev. Fields had gone to South Bend to conduct services at a church just outside the city his week. We finally got a carpenter to get the remodeling done on the parsonage. I think the work is about finished. It has changed the looks of the house entirely.

I have so much work piled up to be done, I should not be sitting here writing, but since I have neglected to write the past two weeks, am making up for lost time. One time we saw a W. C. Fields movie and he had a filing system all his own. Everything was piled on his desk and when he wanted to find something he would estimate the year and go down to the estimated layer and of course, always could put his finger on the letter he was looking for. I told Dad at noon my desk looked like W. C. Field’s and that I need some more filing space. Well, I must make myself, and that is exactly what I am going to do, make myself do some filing. I have two or three projects I am working on – such as the UNICEF drive next week, and World Community Day Nov. 6^th and have to attend sub-district meetings 4 days next week, so must get to that filing.

Love Mother

P.S. 1 If you want to come home during Christmas vacation, don’t let the expense of the trip keep you from coming. That could be our Christmas gift to you.

P.S. 2 – why don’t you drop a line to Audrey and tell her you did not have her book? But do be tactful about it.

(over)

You shouldn’t fret yourself so much about the outcome of Nov. 3. I can remember when H.S.T. won, I went into the Rexall store and Art was ready to commit hara-kiri (almost). He thought the country would go to the dogs for sure. At the last bridge club meeting it was like attending a wake. Everyone was sure B.G. would lose – of course there were a couple who get their living in the court house and it might mean a change of jobs for them. Regardless of the outcome things have a way of adjusting so don’t be so disturbed.

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/01/17/making-up-for-lost-time/

The Funeral

2 Replies

Letter transcription:

9-1-64

Dear David & Bonnie –

The past week has been rather full. Mark & Shirley left Kirk with us Monday. He got quite attached to John and John to him. Friday night Aunt Ruth called and told us Uncle Earl had passed away. Floyd came Sat. a.m. and went over to be with Aunt Ruth. Tye & Romaine couldn’t get there until Sat. evening. They drove. Sunday Steve brought Aunt Ruth here and in the afternoon we drove to Wilmington. Friday afternoon Shirley & Mark came back to get Kirk and he wasn’t quite sure he wanted to have anything to do with them. Shirley said she thought he was mad at them for leaving him. Lea & Bob came the same day, so we had a family reunion for a little while. Lea & Bob stayed but M. & S. took Kirk and went to get Becky. They are coming back today. John just left to go to Champaign with his car loaded. He bought about

[page 2] $200.00 worth of household goods, and took most of his things on this trip.

Yesterday we attended the funeral. Dad & John went to Wilmington Mon. a.m. So many of the Clay City relatives were there, Clarence, Clara, Ralph, Kenneth, Mary Lois, Duane & Joan and a number of Mutchler relatives. Since I had been with Aunt Ruth the better part of one week (Aug. 18 to 21) and had gone over Sunday afternoon, John & I came back home shortly after the funeral was over. Some of the relatives didn’t arrive until just before the funeral so they stayed longer. Ruth & Floyd stopped here on their way home at about 7:30 and they said they were the last to leave. Tye & Romaine were gong to stay in Wilmington a day or two.

I have to give a program at Williamsport tonight and as of this minute haven’t decided what I will give and before Mark & his family get here I think I had better get my program ready. M. & S. are going to be here until Thurs. then they are going back home (to mow lawn, etc.). Mark has a new job with All American Ins. & Casualty in Park Ridge – which will be closer home than his present job.

Love Mother

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/01/09/the-funeral/

Heat Wave

3 Replies

Letter transcription:

Monday August 3, 1964

Dear David & Bonnie:

Long time, no letter. There is a package here for you and since it was large and light of weight and not very securily wrapped I looked in to see if I should send it on – it is a picknic basket. Do you want it sent on? If you do I will send it. John has gone to Urbana today on business. He had to make a trip over last Thursday. We had planned to go to Chicago. Dad got the baby-case out of the way (he has a little time now until the next one scheduled) so we (Dad and I) went and stopped at Aunt Ruth’s. Romaine and her children were there (Tye had to make a trip to Chicago on business, so we missed seeing him). We had a nice visit with them, then went on to Mark’s. Becky came home with us and Friday evening Mark and Shirley stopped for her as they were going to Wards. She seemed to have a very nice time and yesterday when they stopped on their way back home she didn’t want to go with them, but wanted to say here. It has been very hot here – in fact I think we have set some kind of record again. You know the Midwest is always having some kind of first in weather. Mr. Harris told me this morning that every window fan and air conditioner they have has been sold. I think from the way he talked every dealer has sold out. I talked to Mrs. Myers one day last week and she was having a bad time with the heat. She said it was the first time it had bothered her. She told me she had tried to buy a window fan and couldn’t get one. The weather forecast is for cooler this evening. I hope so for all the people who do not have air conditioners. We are going to give a program for the Nurse Association at the Hospital tonight and I think it will be a rather warm evening. The air conditioner at our office wasn’t functioning properly and the repair man from Sears was working on it this morning. Dad told me at noon if he didn’t get it fixed he was going to cancel out the afternoon appointments. He hasn’t come home, so I presume it has been put in order. I decided to buy myself the Interpreter’s Bible and Dictionary. The dictionary came today, but I haven’t had time to look it over. I brought back 23 Genesis study books and have distributed all but two. I am in a dilemma. I still have 3 families. I just didn’t bring enough copies back with me. However, I know some of those books will not be opened. – Yesterday afternoon Dad had a telephone call from one of his Commanding Officers (in South Pacific). He was stopping at Tri-Way so Dad asked him to stop and see us. He told us how much he thought of Dad and what a morale booster he had been during the war. Mark and Shirley and children came just as he was leaving so he got a chance to see them. Of course John was here too, so he got to see all of us but you and Bonnie. Please excuse lack of paragraphs, but I got so used to writing this way to John, I hope you don’t mind. Last week (Sat. to be exact) John helped me and we sent out the statements. Isn’t such a bad job when there is some help. He even used my old typewriter. He has his work spread out all over your room. He is doing some work on Indonesian language (I think). His work at U of I will be in Linguistics and with graduate students. He may try to find something in housing on this trip. At present he will be staying at Bob & Lea’s. He asked me if I knew what Bob taught. I replied, “Business English.” He said, “He teaches people how to write junk mail.” I suppose it needs to be well written because once in a while someone will read it. My afternoon is getting away from me, so must bring this to a halt. I want to stop and see Mrs. M. before I go to the office.

Love Mother

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/01/05/heat-wave/

John’s Homecoming

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

July 27 1964

Dear David & Bonnie:

I have read the enclosed. It couldn’t be forwarded, so I thought I would see what it was all about – I don’t do that to letters, but since this was a circular type of thing I didn’t want to spend postage on it if was not something you would want. Since it is from New York, you probably don’t want it. I am deep in the heart of getting things caught up, since my week off (which I enjoyed very much).

John was on the train and we headed for Kentland via Lafayette as soon as possible. We stopped at the VW place and he bought a new car and drove the rest of the way home by himself. I took him to Morocco the next day to get his car license and renew his driver’s license. The Motor Co. loaned him a license plate so he could drive the car home. He is working on some of his papers and using the tape recorder. He brought several tapes home with him. He has one he made of a Javanese street singer and little boy. He said man and boy were passing his house one day singing and playing drum and he asked then in so he could record. We have listened to it once. He is going to the U of I next Monday to see Prof. and take care of any business at hand. He plans to stay with Bob and Lea. He is also going to look for a place to live (apt or house). We plan to go to Mark’s one day this week and hope Dad can take Thurs. off so he can go with us. (Dad plans to go if Sandy Puetz Smith has her baby before Thurs). John was quite impressed with Kirk. He thinks he is very bright. He said Kirk would start to crawl over him and he would say, “Kirk, I am going to give you a bath and put you to bed” – and that would send him away, (for the time being). John asked me if I had heard of the Soaky bath. They give the children bubble baths which have been dubbed Soaky. They both like the soaky baths and never object to having one. Mark told he last Sunday they went to the beach and that the children loved playing in the water. John said to get Kirk excited, all one has to say is “Let’s go to the beach.” Probably like the excitement over Grandpa’s little dog. Kirk is going to stay here while M. & S. vacate.

I have launched my class on the study of Genesis by Charles F. Kraft. I was so sorry I didn’t know what a good teacher we would have last week. I would have taken our tape recorder along and gotten his entire series of lectures on tape to use in my class. However, I think I have been able to generate a little enthusiasm by my description of the lectures. I talked to Rev. Marrs a time or two. He said he doesn’t believe in the Virgin Birth and from the way he lectured I know he believes in the theory of evolution.

John and I just hung the bamboo drape on the west bedroom window. I didn’t think to ask Dad to do that little chore yesterday and this afternoon after the sun got around John decided upon my suggestion that it would be a good idea. You will begin to think I have hidden talents. First I write and tell you I took all the old wax off the linoleum and now I tell you we hung a drape. Just necessities. I am not interested in a full career of that kind. John has some pictures (slides) that belong to the Georges (the people who have been working with him the past 2 yrs.) which were taken in Bali and Java. Some of the scenes are from places where we had been and we are going to have some duplicate slides made for ourselves. They were they during a special festival last December.

I have a desk full of work staring me in the face, so must get this finished and get to work.

Love Mother

P.S. Have promised to loan Legend of Virgin Conception to a friend to read.

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/01/04/johns-homecoming/

Beautiful Eyes

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

7-7-64

Dear David and Bonnie:

Tues. evening. We had a hard rain today so the lawn will be in shape for mowing in a day or so. Dad finished the fence so the little dogs next door can’t come over so easily. If they do they will get a bebe or two. When Mark was here for the 4^th he said Dad was pulling “an Uncle Mutch.” At least we haven’t been bothered since he gave three of four of them a pelting last Friday evening.

While Mark & Shirley were here Shirley and I took the children to see Mrs. Myers. Mrs. M. said Kirk has beautiful eyes – in fact she said he is a beautiful child. Of course, his grandmother agreed. You remember the little dog in a basket the girls gave Dad for Christmas? The children discovered it on this visit and Shirley wouldn’t let them have it, but would wind it up and let them watch it. Kirk would get so excited he would act like he would explode. We found it a nice interlude to amuse them. Kirk doesn’t say much but he certainly can communicate without words. Becky seems to have much more fun with him. They play together very well now – and get into trouble together. If M. & S. take a vacation – they weren’t sure because of some unforeseen financial stress – had to buy a new refrigerator – they are going to leave Kirk here. I think we will be able to get along with him if he stays with us.

If John’s plans go according to schedule he should be on his way to Hong Kong

[page 2] at this time since it is Thursday there, and that is departure day.

We are going to the Hospital Administrator’s home this evening to show them some pictures. Mrs. Wahler seems quite interested. We have selected 480 pictures from the whole trip so we are giving a selected round the world program. We watched an 80 hr. trip which Chicago Tribune sponsored. We saw it Sunday evening. A travel agent Harvey Olson (the one L. Kresler works for) and a photographer and another man made the trip. We saw some familiar sights.

Dad had to leave home at 5 a.m. for a baby case. He also has some surgery scheduled so I have no idea when he will be home. Probably not for lunch.

I am trying to get ready to attend School of Mission in Greencastle and hope I won’t have an infection this year. I am not sure about John’s homecoming date. I want to meet him at airport and can’t very well be in Greencastle and O’Hare at the same time. He may not get home before July 24 and I will be home by then.

We haven’t heard from the McGraws. Have you? We wondered about them and the earthquake in Japan.

Love Mother

Her Grandmother’s Favorite Granddaughter

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

7-3-64

Dear David and Bonnie:

This mail has accumulated in the past few days, so thought I had better get it forwarded to you – not that it amounts to much. Mark and Shirley and the children came last night and are going back to Roselle tomorrow. They are both (the children) very tanned and very lively. We have had some rain today, so they have played in the house most of the time. Kirk says Ma-ma (sounds like a mama doll) dog and NO and that is about the extent, so far, of his vocabulary, but he is pretty sharp. He climbs all the time and must be going to climb mountains because nothing seems to discourage him. Becky talks constantly like a recording, but is as cute as ever and still her grandmother’s favorite granddaughter. Last night we showed the wedding pictures and then some pictures of the children. Both children sat very still and seemed to get quite a thrill out of seeing themselves on the screen. John is receiving mail from U. of I. I have talked to the Professor he will be assistant to, over the phone. He wanted to know how he could get in touch with John. John should be beginning his journey home next Wed., which will be Thurs. in Indonesia. I have sent one letter to Hong Kong in care of Miramar Hotel for John. I am about out of paper and it is time for another patient to come in, so must get this in the mail.

Love Mother

Shirley’s Brother

5 Replies

Dear David –

We have had one tour in Hawaii. Attended church at the oldest church – Central Union Congregational – today. This afternoon Shirley’s brother came for us and we spent the afternoon and evening with them. They have 4 children. I showed them the slides of family, Becky & Kirk. They enjoying seeing their cousins. We start Outer Island tour Tuesday. Leave for Japan the 19th.

Love Mother

Almost Christmas

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

[Wright 533 – handwritten by David]
December 18, 1963

Dear David:

Yours received this (yesterday) a.m. I put it in my handbag and forgot about it then got it out this morning and read it again. I am wondering if the test you have to take for Yale indicates they want you or don’t want you. Time will tell. That element is certainly getting away from me. I just finished wrapping a few gifts. I bought a cooking set for Becky for you. I had a little push toy for Kirk I hadn’t had time to wrap, so used it for you, so that is out of the way. We plan to go there Christmas day if weather permits. We have really had it the past 24 hours. We would have been snowbound this morning, but before six o’clock some kind soul was cleaning our driveway out. He came back this afternoon and gave it another cleaning. I think it was Paul Turnpaugh. He has a snow plow. There was a Christmas party for the ABC (old hens) class last night at May Rieger’s, but I didn’t go. When I came home from the office there was so much wind and continuous snowing, I decided to park the Chevrolet in the garage for the night. We watched the wind swirl the snow around the front door and in front of the garage door from your bedroom window. There was quite a drift early in the evening. There isn’t so much snow, but it keeps drifting. The Torah hasn’t come yet, but since you won’t be here until the 30^th you can deliver it yourself if it doesn’t come before Christmas. I have a slip gift wrapped that I am going to take to Mrs. M. before the 25^th. I stopped to see her a few minutes this a.m. I asked her if she wanted a tree and she said she didn’t have room for one. I got Dad a very nice (I think) gift for Christmas. It is a book written by a lawyer about his life in court. I took a few minutes to read a few paragraphs and he claims the real thing is much more exciting and fascinating than any TV or movie version of a court case. Am sure Dad will enjoy it. I think it is one we will take along for reading when we want to relax. Since we have paid for our trip we both said that would be our Christmas gift to each other, but you know we will both have gifts under the tree. I also bought him some more long socks and another telephone to put in the bathroom. I ordered both and neither item has arrived, but I still have a week. Dad was to give a program at Rotary last Monday evening and just when it was time for the program to begin he had to leave on a baby case. I had gone to the meeting just in case, so I had to tell about our trip – that was the program Dad had prepared. So many people are wishing us a happy trip and think it is wonderful that we are going to go. Dad is a little unhappy with the Cadillac people – they didn’t get one in for him, so we are seriously thinking about leasing for next year. Will let you know all about it when you come home. I don’t know why, but as long as we had our order in, the car we were supposed to get went to someone else. You can imagine how Dad felt about that. He keeps saying now is the time that he needs the new tires, but since we will be leaving in three weeks he will have to get along with the ones on the car.

Love Mother

I like the A you received on your paper.