Tag Archives: Robert J. Oliver

Spreading the News (Gladys)

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Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind.
Jan. 16-1944

Dear Daddy –

Yours of Jan. 3 & 4 came yesterday. I told Mark he could tell people you are in N.Z. He was more than delighted and said right away he would tell his teacher.

I took a walk to get David out of doors and stopped at the Shandy’s to leave a snow suit she had loaned me. It was too small for David so thought I would take it back to her. Cliff is gone and she had word he had arrived – I think Miami. She showed me thru the house. They have the downstairs pretty well furnished but nothing much up but beds. She is going to stay there with the baby. He is past 2 now and quite a good size boy. She spends a lot of time with him and is training him not to touch their new furniture. They have a coffee table in front of the fireplace with a white wooly rug under it and she says he doesn’t step on the rug. I told her she may be able to train him not to touch their davenport and chairs, but I would hate to try and keep J. & M. off of ours. Of course we had furniture the boys could be raised on. I have got David so he will leave the coffee table alone. He keeps taking the tidies off the chair arms. We make him put them back on but he will repeat the same offense. He is getting better all the time about leaving things alone when we tell him to. He used to get into the lower parts of the corner cupboards but he would be scolded every time

[page 2] he got near them, so suppose he decided it wasn’t worth the effort. He walks very carefully and his left shoe isn’t worn like the right. He seems to favor that foot, but I think when he gets so he can run he will overcome that. His leg never seems to bother him. It really shouldn’t because the bone was only cracked and that not over 1/3 or ½ across. David has gone to bed. J. & M. are at Youth Fellowship. John is leader tonight. He was elected pianist for the Jr. Dept. and assistant for the adult Dept. Harold Reiger is John’s assistant, so if he has to play for the adults, Harold will play for Jr. He plays for youth fellowship too. John has changed more I think since you left than Mark. He seems so much more grown-up – He is almost as tall as I am. There is fuzz on his upper lip – He doesn’t like it – Says he will look like the Remsburg boy who used to live here. His voice is still changing and he gets so mad sometimes when his voice goes up high. Says that doesn’t happen to him at home but if he is somewhere else. However we notice it once in a while. He has almost outgrown the suit I bought for him in Mar. I can still let the pants out but the coat sleeves are beginning to look short. Mark is much the same. Like to get out and play football. He spent the afternoon at the pond skating. I walked over to see about the ice and it is still solid. Mr. Z. was there with their 3 girls, Bobby & Jimmy, pulling them around on sleds. Bob Schurtter was there too. He told me he didn’t get a commission in the Navy due to no vacancies

[page 3] in his line. He is classed as 2-A until July 44, so he will get to finish his year teaching. I suppose Dot will have to work if he has to go in the Army as a private. She had a chance to take the office job with the County Agent (Mr. Z.) but Steve is still so small she could hardly take the job now. Mr. Z. had her do some extra work for him and he said she was the best help he had had in a long time. He had quite a time keeping help for a while, but Evelyn Kudig is working for him now. Office girls seem to be as hard to find or keep as any kind of help. The factory still can get the help because of the good pay. The subject of the factory makes me think of Irene. I suppose she is still in Chi. Trying to find out what the trouble is. Last week her mother said they had not found anything. I still think it’s a lot psycologic, and I am sure you will agree with me. Last year when she went to Mayo Clinic they told her to quit work. After that they had their house for sale and Dr. M. had it bought, that is he was all ready to buy and had a buyer for his place when Statons decided not to sell.

The Funks had their new baby christened today. She will be 3 wks. old Tues. I saw Rosemary when I was coming home with David from Shandy’s and she said she had been one of the sponsors. One of the other Funk men had been the other. Carl was sponsor for either Bobby or Donnie so he couldn’t e with Rosemary for Joy Selene. Carl and Rosemary had been out walking with Tommy. He is eight months old and looks almost as large as David. He isn’t as tall of course but is on the heavy order.

[page 4] I noticed the Foulkes’ car in their driveway. They have been on a business trip east. Their house has been in the redecorating process while they have been away and I noticed they still haven’t their drapes up yet. I cleaned a little but didn’t try to take drapes out. This year’s coal is so dirty. It isn’t treated and certainly makes a difference in the dirt we get in the house. I wish and have wished so many times now we had put oil in, but that is a waste of time, so won’t harp on it any more. Harping doesn’t help things.

I rec’d a long letter from Marie so I must give her an answer – ant to do that yet this evening. She has been busy helping with Isla. I hadn’t heard from Marie for such a long time I was sure there was something wrong. I was glad Isla hasn’t T.B. – tho thyroid trouble isn’t anything to be treated lightly.

Had a letter from Jewell and she sent me a picture of Dot’s baby – Dot’s husband was rejected, so a present he is still home I told you all this before but this is a repeat in case my other letter didn’t get to you.

David broke my glasses and I keep mending them with airplane glue but I am afraid I will have to get new lenses – or one new lense. I keep feeling eye strain – just got new lenses last fall but I thought if I didn’t have the lenses straight it could cause the headaches.

I am about run down so will call this a letter & sign off.
Love Mother

P.S. Saw the enclosed clippings in the paper & thought you would be interested.

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/10/11/spreading-the-news-gladys/ ‎

Christmas Cards (Gladys)

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Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind.
Dec. 16 – 1943

Dear Daddy –

We really caught up with the mail or rather it caught up with us today. The three money orders came along with three letters for me. You inquired about finances in one letter. I have given you some reports lately but our bank bal. at present is $25⁰⁰ and with Jan. 1 check I will have to pay Ins. (John Hancock $50.26 & $11.60). I couldn’t believe I had used so much money during the past year but I have all the cancelled checks and they tell the story. I’ll send you a detailed statement a little later. Of course the hospital expenses made a little of the total but it was just one of those things and I was glad I could keep it paid. Our house payments are down to $44.47 now. John didn’t go to school today and is getting quite bored at home. He said he didn’t feel just right this morning, so I took his temp to be sure and he had 2/5 of a degree. I told him not to go to school if he felt he should stay home. He has had no rise

[page 2] in temp. all day but I think he is just as well off to miss a day of school. He said he felt like you was taking a cold but it isn’t developing very fast if he has any. So many keep going to school with colds – one boy in his class has a very bad cold and keeps going every day. John was very much disgusted with him for not staying home. John has had the radio on all day to help pass the time. I think he will be glad to get back to school

Mark wanted to take his money order to school and get it cashed on the way home but I told him he could go back to town after school so he decided he could wait. David of course just said oooh! Or something equally intelligent when I showed him his money order. His pictures came so will send them out today. I think you will agree they are very good of him. I assure you he looks exactly like them.

Virginia Zell is improving. Dr. M. is going to X-ray her head tomorrow afternoon. I was over to see her this morning and she was awake and seemed normal. Dr. said she would have to remain in bed three weeks. I am anxious to get the X-ray report as to whether there is a fracture or not.

[page 3] It is warmer today – was above zero this a.m. instead of below. Those few degreed seem to make so much difference to me. There is a light snow on which will stay unless we have a sudden warm spell.

Ruth wants us to come over there for Christmas, but I am not going to plan on it because of the weather. If it warms up and the roads are not slick we may go. Your Mother wanted to know if we were planning to come down, but I hadn’t been. It would be too far to go in this kind of weather I think.

We have rec’d a few greetings. Got one from Jewell. She wrote a note – said Dot’s husband had been rejected. Dot’s baby is just a few weeks younger than David. Margaret’s husband is in the Army and Uncle G. is living with Marg. Hazel’s son Paul left Mon. for the Navy. He is married and they have a new baby.

You were wondering about E. Wilson going to the Army – The law about pre-Pearl Harbor fathers doesn’t seem to make much difference when the local draft board runs out of single men, and that seems to be the case here, or at least that is what I understand. Ed Johnson’s Co. got him a deferment, but Lucile thinks he may go when this deferment is up. She

[page 4] says he won’t ask for a deferment himself. I was in the 10₵ store and some woman asked Bill Zimmerman something about him being in the service and he said Uncle Sam had all the good men already – I suppose he didn’t pass the physical in Indpls. I knew he was to take his exam in Oct. and I didn’t ask him any questions, because I didn’t want to be nosey. I have an idea Floyd might pass the next time, if the demands gets hard enough.

Louise Krull Glenn has a new baby girl – 9 lbs. I was in the restaurant yesterday and the call came for Nick while I was there. Mrs. Krull closed her house and has been staying with Louise. Johnnie is such a big child – looks more like a 4 yr. old than 27 months.

Your acc’t of frying chicken was good. Wish I could have a picture of that – You should be able to pinch hit – you had good training at home.

I must get this finished so it will go out on the evening mail.

Here’s hoping you have a Merry Christmas – I know you won’t receive it until after the 25th but maybe by Jan. 1.

Love Mother
P.S. the enclosed came today – thought you would rather have the original than a reproduction.

YEG1943-11

David, 14 months, November 1943

©2015 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2015/08/10/christmas-cards-gladys/

November 16, 1942 (Gladys) Part V

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Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind
Nov – 16 – 1942

Dear Daddy –

I wrote one letter today but thought I would start another one this evening. Went to town this afternoon after I wrote to you. I kept watching the sky and decided it wasn’t going to rain. Had a nice walk – went to town and paid the telephone bill and saw several people on the streets. Everyone wanted to look at the baby. He slept thru it all. He was asleep when I took him up to put him in the buggy and slept until after we came home. He is asleep again now – He usually fusses between 6 and 10 – hope he doesn’t get his hours mixed up and want to stay awake after 10. He weighed about 8-14 this morning. He has been gaining more this last week. While he took his last bottle I re-read the two letters that came today. I suppose you do the same thing yourself. While in town I saw the Dyers & Prues – Mrs. D. said Rosemond’s husband was sent to Ireland and they are afraid he is being sent on somewhere – Mrs. Dyer said “into the thick of things.” I saw Marjory Wilson Ryan. I was rather surprised as her baby is hardly 3 weeks old and Dr. Cole tells his OB’s to stay in 3 weeks after leaving the hospital – but she is young and must have gotten along very well. That sounds like I am putting myself in the old lady class but I think you understand. I really feel good now, but I think it is because I did go slow at first.

[page 2] John was coming home from school when I started to town so he walked with me. He was rather amused at the comments – first one would say, “My, what a tiny baby,” then the next would say, “Why he isn’t small.” It is amusing to hear people and the difference of opinion. Arlene was in town too, but she has company and had gone to Club – her sister and a friend. She isn’t able to walk much so they had gone in their car. This was my first trip to town walking and I enjoyed it very much. I stopped at the dress shop and got me a new girdle – I am a little pouchy (I think) and I want to get ironed out again. I wonder if I will wear the garment – also got a new blouce. I didn’t have time to do much shopping because by the time I got to the dress shop it was getting close to bottle time.

John has gone to band practice tonight. He had to get a strap today (1⁰⁰). He said “there goes two week’s allowance.” They had to have this extra practice to get ready for their broadcast Sat. at Purdue.

The Kindig boys – Jack & Calvin are both in hospitals. Jack is in Watseka and Calvin in Michigan somewhere. I don’t know what ails either one but from comments both are very ill.

So many popular radio programs are being sent by short wave to service men overseas. I wonder when I hear the announcers tell that if you are getting the programs. Hope you can get some of your favorites. However

[page 3] you said you couldn’t get Red Skelton. I listen to news reports every day and wonder if you get the same. We get Gregor Z. from Cincinatti at 6:15 and sometimes I get him at 10:15 while giving the baby his bottle.

In one of those letters away back there before I went to the hospital I wrote you about the septic tanks. A man came around wanting to clean them. Link & I decided not to have the tanks cleaned. However Funks & Foulks did. I also wrote to Jim and he wrote back that it shouldn’t be necessary for several years yet. Jim said the only reason would be that if the plumber hooked the sink drain to the tanks which shouldn’t be done – the grease would cause trouble. I think Mr. Monroe knows enough not to have done that.

Now that you are receiving some of those back dated letters maybe they will all get to you, except some few I put regular 3¢ stamps on. I put air mail on most of them and on all after I received your letters telling me to.

In your Christmas box I put in a candy bar – let me know if it gets to you in good shape. We weren’t supposed to put in anything but hard candies. I put in everything you asked for and everything else we could think of which didn’t seem like much after it was all packed – but a shoe box doesn’t hold much and that was the size box we were permitted to use. I would like to get you a good wrist watch. Let me know if you want me to send you one.

In a previous letter I sent you Joe R. address. He would like to hear from you I know as much as you from him. The last time I saw her she was pretty worried about him.

[page 4] Again I will tell you we received the first box you sent and enjoyed it very much. I want to mount the coral & use it for a decoration for the mantle or coffee table.

Jack Byrne and Mr. Healy are now running Art’s drug store. Byrnes are living in the new addition in one of those houses close to Carl Funks.

I think I forgot to mention, I had a card from Jewell that Dot has a baby girl – Jane weighed 6-11 – same as David. Born in Oct. Her husband is in Class 1-A – Jewell said it looked bad so evidently he will have to go soon.

I am jumping around from subject to subject but just had a thought. John had been playing the “Star Spangled Banner” until I thought I would scream – that is he was working on it, then he told me he had written his version of it. Miss Smith told me she was so thrilled over it – and told him it was the best thing he had done yet. He is scoring some onion skin and is going to copy it and send to you and if you have a piano around and someone to play it – or possibly you could – maybe Lentz – you can hear what I have been listening to. You would probably appreciate it more than I did when he was working on it, because it does get a bit tiresome to hear the same thing over & over – that is when he is working out something. I will stop and leave a space for Tues A.M. Just finished the baby’s bath & bottle. He has the hiccoughs – seems to be a habit of his – but doesn’t seem to bother him much. Rec’d two letters this morn – were posted Nov. 8 and 9th. Will answer those last two when I write tonight. Thought of something else to tell you when I have more time & space so will do that tonite –

Love Mother

©2013 copyright owned and written by Deborah Sweeney

Post originally found at: https://genealogylady.net/2013/06/19/november-16-1942-gladys-part-v/