Tag Archives: Rebecca C. Yegerlehner

John is OK

Letter transcription:

[to Wright Quad 513 – in David’s handwriting]
12-8-60

Dear David –

Just read your letter. Do you want me to send your jacket? You didn’t specify. I just called the bank and your balance is $0.33. Maybe I had better put some in for you. I will deposit $30.00 this morning. When we ate dinner at the Nu-Joy Sunday Cele gave me a menu they had made the day after election. I was going to send it to you but I am writing this at the office and the menu is out at the house. There were such items as roast rump of elephant, etc. The bags (3) were stolen out of Dad’s car, right by the office last Sat. afternoon. We did not have the kind of insurance to cover the theft. We estimate the loss at around $500.00.

I haven’t finished taking the pictures in the camera but Mark & Shirley are coming Sat. so I will finish the roll. I am as anxious to see Becky as you are. I finished the cap and sent

[page 2] it to her. I have knitted another and also have a sweater started. I dress the doll. I am wrapping Christmas gifts and will wrap the teddy bear if I can find a box to put it in.

I am having the neighbors in for coffee next Thurs. afternoon. Mrs. Fields is having a cookie party this afternoon. She & Rev. Fields are going to entertain my S.S. class Sunday nite at the parsonage.

We received a letter from John. He is OK. I think he just gets too busy to write – or maybe he feels like he doesn’t have anything to write about.

I also clipped an ad from the paper – “an abacus” – I thought if we can find one we would give it with the ad to Mark for Christmas.

Love Mother

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/09/11/john-is-ok/

Christmas Party Planning

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

[Kentland – to Wright Quad 513 – in David’s handwriting]
December 1, 1960

Dear David:

Thanks for the schedule – just what I needed. I suppose you will have a few days at home after examinations in January.

My S.S. Class (the girls) came out this afternoon to plan the Christmas party. Mrs. Fields invited us to have the party at the parsonage. I am in favor of that if it meets the pleasure of the rest of the class. Mrs. Fields is having a cookie party next Thursday, so she will have quite a gathering if everybody responds to her invitation. She had a chance to extend the invitation to all my class today. She didn’t bring Mark along, but most of the rest of the crowd brought their children along, so we had quite a meeting. Several of the children – the smaller ones – wanted to get between the tv set and the draperies. I should have shoved the set back a little further against the window, but didn’t think about it being such an inviting spot.

We received a letter from John Monday. He is having trouble with his cook. Says she has been taking things and that he is going to have to get another. He didn’t sound too happy about the whole thing. He had received the pictures we sent of Becky, so he can have some idea about her looks. I am going to send him some more when I get the next roll developed.

I have been rather busy this week. I made statements which took Monday evening, Tuesday evening and Thursday morning. Edna and Arvella helped me get them ready to mail. I didn’t run them on the adding machine (you remember you did that little chore one time), so have no idea how much my mailing list was worth. I told the girls we had to get those statements out this month so we can buy them a Christmas gift. They wanted me to tell them what to get for Dad. I told them I was having the same trouble. I brought Kathy Cheek a Christmas gift today – a charm bracelet. I bought it from LeBeau – a sterling chain with one little charm – the charm is a miniature bicycle.

I need to do some work on the books, so must wind them up.
Love Mother

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/09/10/christmas-party-planning/

Election Day

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

[Kentland Wright 521 – in David’s handwriting]
November 14, 1960

Dear David:

I have been intending to write since Election day, but somehow I didn’t get around to it. Mark and Shirley and Becky came Thursday evening and the rest of the week I was pretty busy. Had to attend Myra’s wedding Saturday and the reception in the afternoon. Mark and Shirley went home (also Becky) yesterday afternoon. Becky is certainly a well trained baby. About the only time she is taken up is when she has to be fed. She has gained and weighs 10 lbs. 15 ounces – with her clothes on – which would be about 10-8 without. We measured her and she is 23” long, which indicates she may grow up to be tall like her uncle David. I suppose you are a little unhappy over the election. Now they are talking about doing away with the electoral college. I think it is about time. I hope now that the election is over that you can get down to some very serious studying. Lucile and Ed came out to see the baby Saturday evening. They said Jim was home. He comes almost every weekend, but since it is so close I can’t blame him. Mark invited us to spend Thanksgiving with them, so you will get a chance to see the baby. We took several pictures of her. She has grown so much she has changed since the last pictures we took of her. The baby bed Phyllis gave us fits in the NW corner of your room. Of course, when they move into a house they will take the large (it is much larger bed than the one they have now) bed with them. Please excuse this letter, but I am so used to writing to John in this fashion, it seems to come naturally. – Just an afterthought- even though the Democrats had a full slate in Newton County, none of them won anything. Everything in the county still in the hands of the Republicans. I am going to make a trip out to the hospital this afternoon. I have taken over the job of seeing that the gift cart is supplied and I have to go out and check merchandise. I plan to take Mrs. Myers along. I haven’t talked to her since the election. I know she feels the same way we feel about things. Mrs. Fields came out to see Shirley and the baby Saturday and when Mrs. F. saw Shirley, she said “I know you.” They were at I.U. and worked in the dining hall at the same time. Mark said he could remember her also, since she was on campus when he was. Small world. Mark Fields is walking now, but he still would rather crawl. He had a ball crawling around in our living room.

Love Mother

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

Winter Came Today

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

[to Wright Quad 521 – written in David’s handwriting]
Kentland, Indiana, October 19, 1960

Dear David:

Winter came today. I suppose it has turned colder in Bloomington also. Since we will be leaving Saturday evening, I called Mark this evening just to talk to them and to know about Becky. Mark says she is growing and getting along fine. He took your telephone number and his address is 6107 N. Kenmore, Apt. 1-C, Chicago and telephone is Holleycourt (HO 5-4673), so in case you might need to talk to him while we are away. We told him we would be calling you from time to time and if they need to get in touch with us while we are gone, they can call you. We will call you Monday Oct. 24 evening at about 7 o’clock, so plan to be in your room when we call.

Yesterday was a full day. There was a club convention at the Church and I attended most of it. Last night I had the ABC class party. I was a little tired when the guests had all gone home, but my committee washed the dishes and helped me straighten the house, so when I went to bed everything had been taken care of. I slept a little late this morning, and didn’t feel any after effects. I have been getting some housecleaning done before we leave.

The open house at the parsonage Sunday was quite a success. They received 150 guests, so felt quite happy about everything. The Fields came to the party last night and brought Mark and his pen. He was good most of the evening, but by the time Miss Kitsmiller had finished her talk about her trip to Europe and had shown her pictures, Mark was getting pretty sleepy, so they didn’t stay for refreshments.

It has turned so cold I rather think Dad won’t have to mow the yard until spring. As cold as it has been all day I rather think all the flowers will be finished tonight. It has rained most of the day and those nasty worms are all over the front patio. I heard on the news that it had snowed in Chicago today. Since it has been such a warm fall this weather doesn’t seem to be right, but here it is the latter part of October so it must be time for it. It should be nice for us to head south now.

Did I tell you that Edna and her mother are going to stay here while we are away? We thought it would make it easier for her – so she won’t have to make that trip to Brook every day.

We will be leaving Saturday evening as soon as we can get away from the office and hope to get as far as Kentucky before stopping. If there is anything you need to talk to us about, call us before Saturday evening.

Love Mother

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/09/08/winter-came-today/

Transplanting Plants Around the House

1 Reply

September 19, 1960

Letter transcription:

Kentland Indiana
September 19, 1960

Dear David:

Yours received this morning. You didn’t mention it, but I presume you have received the letter I sent with the plastic bag enclosed.

I saw Mrs. Fields in church yesterday and she said to tell you she misses you. Mark had evidently recovered from his cold and sore throat. He was as peppy as ever. There were several large bouquets of flowers at church – from the open house at the bank Saturday. The bank looked more like a flower show Saturday than a bank. We attended the open house and had a tour of the building.

We did some transplanting last Thursday. You will be happy to find everything taken care of by the time you come home (I hope). We plan to transplant the roses sometime this week. Last Thurs. we took the redbud tree from the three that you and Dad planted on the south side of the east lawn, and reset it on the east side. The ground was so hard we were able to get it out with a ball of dirt and the roots intact. The leaves on the tree didn’t wilt from the transplanting. We had a hard rain, so the lawn will have to be mowed again this week.

Mark called yesterday. It seems Shirley isn’t getting along so well. We would have gone up to see them, but there are three baby cases due here, so Dad thought he shouldn’t leave. One of those cases went to the hospital this morning, but Dad was home for lunch, so no results so far. I hope we can go to Chicago Thursday afternoon, because I am getting anxious to see the baby and Shirley.

We are waging a war on crickets. I have never seen so many as are around here this fall. The front patio is practically covered with them. I have swept them off several times, but they keep coming back.

I decided to wash your bedroom window this afternoon and before I finished washing windows I had washed all the windows on the outside. I also carried in the wood you didn’t remember to carry in. It wasn’t such a big job. I loaded the wood into the garden cart and pushed the cart right up to the living room.

You didn’t say where you attended church, or how you liked it. Have you made any contact yet with the Wesley Foundation?

We received a letter from John last week. He said he had some film ready to mail home. It hasn’t arrived yet. Unless it comes air mail, I won’t get it before another month.

The Stonecipher twin who goes with Collins boy is getting married October 9^th. The Stonecipher twins and Carol have been coming into my S.S. class. We also had two new members this past Sunday. The Prudential Ins. man and his wife. They live in H. Schlatter’s house.

How is your money holding out. Let me know.
Love Mother

Wright Quadrangle, Indiana University (Image courtesy of the Indiana Digital Memory Collection)

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/09/04/transplanting-plants-around-the-house/

Simply Devastated

3 Replies

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

Loved Your Letters

1 Reply

10-7-65

David Dear

Forgive me for my seeming procrastinating. Taint so. There are days are such that I cannot do much. I thank you so very much, you will never know, how I have loved your letters. I am so thrilled about your Hebrew. I heard Dann Thomas sing (chant) Kohl Nidhr. It was beautiful.

Please buy the $7.00 record for me to give to Gladys. We did that last year and she loved it. I will send you a check the first of next week including tax and postage. I am so thrilled about your teaching, and so is your mother. She came in to show me a doll she had brought for Becky from Disney Land.

Love to Dave & Bonnie
Grandma Ruthie

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