Tag Archives: Rev. J. Robert Fields

Thirty-sixth Wedding Anniversary

Letter transcription:

May 25, 1965

Dear David and Bonnie:

Your card and letter arrived today, our anniversary. We didn’t do much about a celebration, but decided to eat at the Colonial Inn this evening. I have been having a little struggle with a bug in my right tonsil. Last week one day I am sure I would have been in bed for a day or so, had I not taken some pretty strong medicine. I thought I was over it, but Sunday the symptoms appeared again, so I started taking Achrocidin again and this afternoon, thought I should have a siesta and got too sleepy to read, so took a nap from which I was awakened by the door bell. John had sent us a mum plant for our anniversary. Dad gave me a new radio and one day last week said my present for him had arrived. I told him what I had for him was in the closet, but you know Dad. He had ordered a new lawnmower and that was what he was talking about. He kept talking about how easy it is to operate the new one, but at noon I told him he was wasting his time, not that he was serious about it at any time (that is, for me to run the new machine).

Our Conference is this week and I am planning to go for one day. The Fields will be going to Knox from here and as far as we know Rev. McClure from LaPorte is coming here. There was a reception following church Sunday for the Fields. Several of the organizations in the church gave them farewell gifts. They were quite overwhelmed.

There have been several showers today and it looks like we could get more. The streets are a mess, what with raw dirt piled all around. We have to park either in front of the library or back of the Christian Church. Dad is still parking by the office, but the street in front of the office isn’t being used now. Right now, I think it is pretty slick.

Again, happy anniversary.

Love Mother

(over)

At present my S.S. class is studying Laymon’s Luke’s Portrait of Christ. We will follow that with the new W.S.C.S. study book Acts—Then and Now. I have read the book through and now I am reading Acts in the Interpreters’. I have the book of Acts and three volumes of the dictionary on my reading table. I haven’t had time for a day or two to study, but hope to get something done this evening. Your grades sound very good. I would like to see some of your exam papers.

When you come home we will exchange the belt for Bonnie. I bought those things at Ayres in Lafayette.

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/02/05/thirty-sixth-wedding-anniversary/

The Town’s Sewers

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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.

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/02/02/the-towns-sewers/

The Minister’s Raise

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Letter transcription:

April 7, 1965

Dear David and Bonnie:

We have been looking for that letter. At last spring has arrived, and we hope to stay. Two weeks ago the ground was covered with snow, but Dad got the lawnmower ready just in case and after rolling the yard today thinks it will be ready for mowing next Thurs. That is going to make a long summer.

The town is being torn up for the new sewer system and I suppose it will be a year or more before we recover from the torn up streets—that is, get the repairing all taken care of. The digger is at present travelling down North Second Street and from the rate of progress being made, we figure they will either be in front of the Church Easter Sunday or maybe in front of the office. At least the town is catching up with the times a little. We have been giving programs again. We are to go to Indianapolis tomorrow to give a program for Uncle Jim and Aunt Thelma—I think it is their S.S. class. Since Indianapolis is on Eastern Time and we are on Central Time, we will have to leave here by 2:30 to get to Jim’s by 5:30. If I have to go alone, I will spend the night with them, but Dad is planning to go with me. He has surgery scheduled for Friday AM, so we plan to come back Friday night. Of course, we gain an hour coming back.

We received a magazine from Malacca today. It is all about the school and I suppose Bonnie knows what I am referring to. I presume they are not too upset over the situation. We heard the Foundations had to leave Indonesia. John was afraid of that, from all the news he had received from his friends still there. All the news we get about invasion attempts seems to indicate they haven’t been successful. (Indonesia into Malaysia)

For about two weeks I was having a little battle with a flu bug. I finally got over it, but the day we had quarterly conference here (which was held at 2 PM following a carry-in dinner) I came home after church and after a light lunch, went to bed for the rest of the afternoon. Dad had been up all night at the hospital and didn’t feel like going, so we gave in to our feelings and stayed home. The Finance Committee and Pastoral Relations Committee didn’t quite get together before the meeting and have things worked out like it is the custom to do and the minister wasn’t offered a raise and I am told that amounts to asking him not to return. At a Board Meeting this last Monday evening (Dad and I went to the Hospital to give a program for the Nurse Association) the raise was brought up and a vote was taken, 10 for and six against. Joan was in our office and told Dad she wasn’t sure they would be back. She indicated they weren’t sure, so I don’t know where the matter, or rather how it stands at present. Since I am not on any of the committees I had nothing to do with it one way or another. There are a lot of opinions on the matter. One group wants a change and another group thinks we could do a lot worse. I was with a group of women Tuesday and after hearing their tale of woe about the minister they have, I think we could do worse. Well, come June we will know. I have been going to the Presbyterian Church on Thurs. mornings to attend a Lenten series prepared and presented by Rev. Watson. I have been recording the lessons and will have to use at some future time if I need them. In appreciation we are going to have the Watsons come to dinner one evening. I had promised Joan we would have them come some evening for Rock Cornish Hens and Wild Rice, so I think we will have them come the same evening. I used the tapes in my S.S. class and several of my members liked Rev. Watson’s lessons. They seemed to think he was

[page 2] easy to listen to. Today was the last session and several of the Presbyterian ladies told me they think he is extra special and they know they won’t be able to keep him. I agreed with them. He hasn’t been out of Seminary very long and I imagine after a year or two more here he will be invited to a larger church.

John is coming home next Thursday for Easter vacation. Mark and Shirley and the children are coming for the day, Easter, that is. Aunt Ruth may come if she doesn’t go to Des Moines. I haven’t heard from Lea, but I told John to call her and invite them to come. We will probably stop at Floyd’s tomorrow for a minute or two and will ask them to come also. Wish you could be here, but I know that isn’t practical, but will expect to see you several times this coming summer.

Dad is finishing the job of separating the chest of drawers he took out of our bedroom. He is fixing it for Shirley to use in her bedroom. She thought it would be better in two small chests than in the one large one.

I have several letters to answer. Had a letter from my little friend in Kyoto today. I had sent her a Christmas card and she thanked me for that and wants us to come back to Kyoto. We plan to go in 1966, and I am sure we will stay at the hotel where she works. We are going to the west coast in Sept. Had a letter from a friend of Dad’s who lives in Reno and he wants us to stop there for a visit with him and his family. Aileen wrote from L.A. that she has made arrangements for a place for us to stay when we visit her. Also had a letter from friends in Hong Kong one day last week. They had been living in a house which belonged to a minister from United Church of Christ (Duane’s church). Seems United minister was away on furlough. He must have returned, because the Bylers said they were in an apt. building and their apt. is on the 17^th floor. They also said with a view like that who needs trees, (or for that matter grass).

Love Mother

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/02/01/the-ministers-raise/

Lenten Season

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Letter transcription:

Kentland, Indiana
March 16, 1965

Dear David and Bonnie:

We hope David is over his infection. Since we didn’t hear any more about it, we presume you have recovered.

The weather is fair this morning, but we keep having some snow. Yesterday morning there was a fresh fall and the ground was well covered, but by mid afternoon most of it was gone. However, we still have some of the drifts that the blizzard left two or three weeks ago. Everyone seems to be anxious for spring to come and the weather forecasters keep telling us spring will be here March 20^th. I remember last year spring wasn’t quite here March 29. I have been attending a class Rev. Watson is conducting at the Presbyterian Church—a series of lessons for the Lenten Season. I took the tape recorder last Thurs. and got about 30 minutes. I didn’t think about getting a larger tape until after the session. I did take along an extra tape the hospital administrator had given Dad, but unfortunately I had it wound the wrong way and I didn’t get much sound. I went to Sears and ordered a 7” tape which records 4 hours, so I am ready for the rest of the sessions. Yesterday I used a part of the tape for my SS class. Rev. Watson, I think, is a very good teacher. We were all so interested in what he had to say we didn’t ask any questions. At any rate I didn’t. I wanted to hear him and not some of the other class members. When I saw in the paper that a class was going to be conducted I called the Watsons and asked if they had a study book, but Rev. said it was something he had put together. I took the Gospel parallels along and saw that he also had a copy. His, he had used in Seminary and had it marked (or underscored) with colored pencils (for source). I am planning to take the recorded to Mrs. Myers and let her hear it. I think if Rev. Fields ever gets the recorder, he is supposed to use, repaired, I will try and take his sermons to her like you used to do. She complained of trouble with her lame leg the last time I saw her. She says it keeps giving her more trouble, which is to be expected, in view of the condition of her bones. She went to see Dr. Stahl last year while we were away and he told her there was deterioration going on where he had put the pin.

I called Aunt Ruth M. last week. She is staying home. Romaine had asked her to come back to Des Moines for a visit, but she decided she would rather stay home. She is wanting to sell her house, but so far hasn’t had much luck. I told her to come and visit us, but she didn’t indicate that she would in the near future. Dad is tied up with baby cases and duty at present, so we won’t get away for a while. Dr. Kresler, Dr. Schoonveld, and Dr. Gary are going to be away from March 21 to 28, so Dad feels he has to stay around while they are on vacation. We would like to go to Chicago some time this spring and see Lord Him. That was being made when we were in Cambodia. It opens March 24.

Shirley as a job working at the library in Hoffman Est. She works Saturdays and evenings, so they can’t come down like they used to do on Friday evenings. We haven’t seen them since the weekend of Feb. 6^th. I sent the children their Easter gifts (maybe a little early) from Sears. When I ordered the tape for the recorder I saw some things for children in the catalogue, so decided to take care of them a little early.

Our TV isn’t performing to suit Dad, so he had Bun pick it up this morning. I asked Bun to get a new needle for the record player. The one I had to put in the record player when you were home was in the cabinet and Bun put it in and we played a record and it was OK. It must not have been put in correctly the first time.

Love Mother

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/01/31/lenten-season/

Car Accident

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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

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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/

Summer Break

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

[Wright 533 – handwritten by David]
5-21-63

Dear David:

We received a letter from John yesterday. He plans to come home July 21 and return to Indonesia the 17^th of August – that is, leave the states on that day. I am glad you will be home this summer (for several reasons). I think you will enjoy being with John again.

We received our finished itineraries. The first one was dated from Jan. 25^th and this one is dated from Jan. 10^th. I am looking at it from time to time. I intend to have it memorized by the time we are ready to leave. (I said itineraries, because we have two copies).

Dad finally got over his tooth trouble. He had to have one tooth pulled and another one filled – then the filling dropped out and he had to go back and have another filling put in. He really didn’t feel very good for several days, but is about back to normal. He says he wants to mow the lawn this evening and then it will be your job from then on, so you had better plan to get home as soon as possible. Luckily, we are having a little cool weather. Maybe the grass won’t grow so fast.

I talked to Rev. Fields about writing to you and he said he would. However, since you will be home within a week, I am not too sure you will hear from him. He was wondering if you would be able to teach on Sunday June 2. If you will drop me a line so I can tell him. He said they had a discussion with the MYF group as to what they want in the way of lessons, but he didn’t say what had been decided. He has finished the series of lessons he was giving them.

I have a club meeting to attend this morning – the last one for this season and am I glad. I have so much to do before Jan. 10 that I have to get a little bit done each day. When I think of all the things we will have to take along I think I am not starting too soon.

Doris told me that Bill was coming home to get the car to bring his things home. You didn’t mention Bonnie in your last letter. Are you still planning for her to come with you? Let me know.

I have to be at my meeting by 10:30, so must get ready and go. – I almost forgot to tell you, Jim Egan died yesterday afternoon. Doris Marvin’s mother Mrs. Ethel Herriman was buried last week. I forget you get the paper and get all these news items.

Love Mother

P.S. We notified the janitor to turn his key in May 24. We will empty the wastebaskets Saturday and hope you will be here to do same on Monday.

Here’s the Contract

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

[Wright 533 – handwritten by David]
5-17-63

Dear David,

Here’s the contract. I hope you are in a better frame of mind than when you wrote. You sounded a little discouraged. Well, chin up and all that sort of thing.

Dad recovered from having his tooth pulled, but it did bother him a few days. He sprayed the evergreens yesterday and today it is raining. However I think all that stuff needs to do to kill bugs is hit. I hardly think a gentle rain will wash off the effect it has on the bugs.

[page 2] I am feeling much better. In fact I washed some windows yesterday. A bird flew into the middle living room window and made such a mess it needed a good washing. I didn’t wash all the windows and since it is raining today I am glad I didn’t.

We watched the blast off and yesterday evening got to listen to the entire recovery program.

I am still listening to La Traviata. It’s beautiful.

Don’t get discouraged. You still have 4 years of school.

I will talk to Rev. F. this week-end.

Love Mother

Mother’s Day 1963

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Letter transcription:

[Wright 533 – handwritten by David]
Monday the 13^th (May 1963)

Dear David:

Your Mother’s Day gift received Saturday afternoon. I listened to two records Sunday morning before I went to Sunday school, then in the afternoon I listened to the rest of the opera. I think the music is just beautiful. According to the information with the album that opera is considered the composer’s best. Thanks, you couldn’t have given me anything I enjoyed more. Dad had the Goodland florist make me a corsage. One orchid with three pink rose buds. I just should have some place to wear it, since I just had a chance to show it off once. Mark and his family remembered me with a card and I doubt that brother John even knew it was Mother’s day. I think he has probably forgotten most of the things like that. I still haven’t had an answer from my letters asking him to let me know if he is going to be home and when. I finally gave the girls their vacation dates. One is to be gone June 9 thru 23. The other August 18 thru 31. Edna had a dental appointment this past week and was told she should have her teeth pulled. She plan[s] to have that done while she is on vacation. Not a very pleasant thing to look forward to for vacation. Dad has been having some teeth trouble. He is going to see Dr. Logan tonight. I talked to Geo. Dye last week and he said he knew you were planning to be home this summer and he plans to let you take the Sunday school class. He said Rev. Fields was going to write you about it. Rev. Fields has been having some very informative sermons about John Wesley. I think most of the congregation have been impressed. Of course, there is always the element that can’t be pleased. I have a meeting to attend at the hospital today. I went out last Wednesday and Dr. Gery burned the wart off my little finger. Left quite a hole. It is looking better, but is not entirely healed yet. Week before last, Garnett Janssen’s brother passed away and last week Marge’s father passed away. We attended Mr. Cobb’s funeral yesterday. Dad set out the tuberous begonias and then the weather turned cold. We were fooled by that very warm weather the early part of last week. It is supposed to get into the 70’s today, so maybe the little cold spell hasn’t hurt them. I had to have a new tire put on the car. I just got the car back from the garage and the window in the front door dropped down into the door and I had to have that taken care of. The body man at the garage told me I should have the spots touched up with paint, so one day this week I am going to have that taken care of. I am also going to get a new cover put on the front seat, so my car should take on a new look (for you to wear off this summer). Finally got the new typewriter. I am using it here at home. We kept the old typewriter so when it is necessary to use two typewriters at the office we will have the old one.

Love Mother

Jealous of Kirk

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

Sat. the 9^th, 1963

Dear David:

Just finished writing to John so thought I had better dash off a line to you.

We went to Chicago Thursday to visit some more travel agencies. I think Dad thought last night when we were spending the second night of going over travel folders that we had too much and it was beginning to get a little confusing, but I think we will be able to get something on paper before long. We found a travel agent we think is pretty good, so I think I will call her – she said to call her collect any time – and tell her what we want and have her fix a trip for us. Dad would like to go part way by ship. Except for the relaxation, I would rather go by air all the way, but since he likes sea travel I think we should go part way by sea.

We stopped to see Shirley and the children. You won’t know Kirk the next time you see him. We hardly knew him ourselves he has grown so much in the past month. Becky definitely does not want grandma to have anything to do with Kirk. When I would hold him she would insist that either her mother or poppa hold him, but not grandma. I don’t want her to be jealous of Kirk so it looks like I may have a problem on my hands until she gets a little older. She had a puzzle that she worked in a flash. Of course it was the most elementary kind, but she knew exactly where every piece belonged.

I presume you have heard from Dr. Bailey about a meeting you will have to attend to get your preaching permit – or whatever it is you have to attend the meeting for. I haven’t talked to Rev. Fields recently about you, but will try to see him tomorrow about when you will have to come home for the Board Meeting.

We are still in the grip of winter. The two days of balmy weather just served to melt some of the snow down and now we not only have snow, but ice and snow on our driveway and on most of the streets around town. Chicago was the dirtiest place I think I have seen this winter. There were still piles of snow, but it looked more like piles of coal. Kentland looked so clean when we got back here late in the afternoon. We had intended to make our trip to Chicago a little vacation outing, but one of Dad’s baby cases didn’t cooperate, so we hurried up there and back. We did stop at Tiebels long enough to eat on the way home.

Love Mother