Tag Archives: Rotary Club

Gladys – July 28, 1970

Post card transcription:

7-28-70

Dad is attending a Rotary meeting here in the hotel & I am writing a few cards. This is a rest day. We start toward Nagasaki tomorrow, with several steps on the way. Plan one day at Expo but not more than one. We left the Purdue crowd at the airport and we are travelling alone. We had a most interesting weekend in Tokyo. Saw a Kabuki performance and went to a Japanese restaurant with a Japanese family we know. It was quite an evening. I even ate raw fish and liked it. The secret is the sauce one dips it in. Attended a Japanese church service with a Japanese girl we know. The minister preached his sermon from Job 21. wish I could have had a translation. We did follow the scripture reading in English bible.

Love, Mother

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/09/21/gladys-july-28-1970/

Back from Vacation

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

8-29-66

Dear David and Bonnie:

This card came for you and since cads can’t be forwarded, thought I would write a few lines and enclose it. Dad is attending Rotary and then the Club is going to the new high school building on an inspection tour. From what we have heard it is really a fine building with excellent equipment. I stopped to see Mrs. Myers today. She seems to be in good condition. I took her to the office Saturday afternoon for a check-up. Dad wasn’t working full schedule and I thought that would be a good time for her to go. He had a full day today and will have the rest of this week (and next, and next, etc.) Mark went to Indianapolis yesterday to report in on his new job today. He is with Jefferson National Life Ins. Co. The Wards brought Mary Lou and her four children here yesterday on their way to see Shirley. I had invited them to come for lunch. They live in San Diego and Wednesday they will go back to S.D. on the train from Chicago. Since Mark is in Indpls., Shirley will have to take them to the train. The Wards had intended to stay with them so they could take them to the train, but they had a death in the family and went back to Indpls. today. Now Mark has to house hunt and also get rid of their house in Hoffman. They have a renter, but would like to sell. Virginia Zell Gale and Betty Zell Gordy both live in Indpls. so I think Mark is going to see if they can give him some help in finding a house. We really had a wonderful vacation and I think it did Dad a world of good to get away six weeks. I would like to go back to Switzerland again. It is really a picture book land. Since the relatives were so hospitable, we probably will return. Our trip into Israel was most interesting. We saw a well in a church in Nazareth that legend—oral tradition—or what have you—claims it was the place where the Angel Gabriel announced to Mary she would be mother of Jesus. There is a painting depicting the announcement which shows Mary with babe inside. We also visited three places where the Jews go for pilgrimages—tombs of David and famous Rabbis. One of the places where there are two tombs—we were a little puzzled about the whole thing—I asked our guide later about it and he said people from that area go there all the time on pilgrimages. He said they stay several days. It was quite dirty and some of the Jews who were with us making the tour didn’t seem to know much more about it than we did and were not too impressed. We were on a 3 day bus tour of Galilee and some of the people didn’t get out of the bus. We were told we had to cover our arms and when we were back on the bus a nice little Jewish lady said to me, “and to think they asked us to cover our arms for that.”

[page 2] I have an appointment tomorrow with Dr. Beuerman (eye specialist). He just wants to check to see how I am getting along with my contacts. (Just fine so far, I hope) I was trying to get some book work done, but decided I had to write some letters. John was home for the weekend. He didn’t do much this summer, but did make a trip to see the Georges in Miss. Dr. George has gone to Lebanon to work in a University for a year. Mrs. George will go a little later to join him. He went to Beirut just two days after we left. Will let you know later when we will plan a trip to Boston.

Love Mother

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/03/14/back-from-vacation/

Miyako Hotel

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

Tuesday January 28, 1964

Dear David: Still no stationary so will use this room service sheet. We took an all day tour of Kyoto yesterday with a stop back at hotel for lunch. The weather finally cleared but it is still awfully chilly. It can’t get much below freezing because there are so many green things and we saw several blooming shrubs yesterday. On the way to Nara today saw many green fields – rice, cabbage, peas, etc. I wore a synthetic dress – warm as wool – today and to insure more warmth wore 3 petticoats, my winter coat, fur cape & scarf. I wasn’t too well wrapped. After seeing a Shinto Shrine and the largest bronze Buddah in the world, we visited an old, old Buddah temple, then had lunch Japanese style sitting on cushions, on floor and eating typical Japanese food with chopsticks. It was all very good but I felt like I have been stuffed, and it is now 4:30. We came back to Kyoto at 2 p.m. and it is raining so we have decided just to relax and hope for sunshine tomorrow. Dad plans to attend Rotary at Kyoto Hotel tomorrow noon. We would like to just take a walk if the weather permits. Thurs. a.m. we leave for Atmi and that is by train. It will take us about 5 hours. Fri. & Sat. we have nothing planned but we will be in Fuji area so if weather is clear will be able to take more pictures. We can buy film here at this hotel, so may stock up before we leave. There is a Methodist University and Labor Center here in Kyoto and if I can find someone who can understand, will try to find the locations. I don’t think it would do us much good to look in telephone directory. We do get English newspapers, but there are no directories in rooms. We saw the King and Queen of Belgium yesterday. They spent Sunday night in this hotel and we were in the lobby when they left. We were too timid to ask one of the security men around them for permission to take a picture. We were standing where we could have had a perfect picture. The Queen is Spanish and is very lovely. She was dressed a turquoise suit and hat and light fur cape. Dad has been reading one of the books I brought along “My Life in Court,” and I have been writing so think I will take a little siesta. You would never recognize this room as my abode. It looks pretty untidy, but come tomorrow evening everything will have to be packed, so will get things in order then.

Love Mother

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/12/04/miyako-hotel/

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.

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/11/22/almost-christmas/

Senator Landgrebe

4 Replies

November 15, 1962 envelope

November 15, 1962, p. 1

Letter transcription:

Kentland, November 15, 62

David Dear

How I thank you for the book you sent me. I read it through that day, and now I am gong over it again more slowly. It is indeed helpful and I seem to gradually begin to have a better understanding of some things which have troubled me concerning the Bible. The more I read along these lines, the deeper my faith becomes.

For some reason I feel very low spirited today. I have been heartsick, actually, about Nixon and all that has happened since the election. Like you, I have that helpless feeling and it is hard for me to concede that a dear old belief and way of life is being discredited. I simply could not believe that Capehart had lost, and I don’t like the smart aleck young Democrat who has displaced him.

The day before election day Landgrebe and his son came in to call on me. He was going to Rotary that evening, and I believe he was to speak at the dinner. He certainly is your friend and admirer. I don’t believe he had any idea at the time that Capehart would not be elected. I told him what you were considering, and he said he was delighted.

I don’t even like to watch anything on the ABC channel since that disgraceful broadcast, and on Veteran’s Day at that. Well, words fail me.

Jim Wagoner came home from the wonderful job at Thule Air Base in Greenland, and Shirley (the maid) wanted some time off to be with him, and she was to come back to work yesterday. But on Tues. Jim called up and said she was sick and I don’t know when she will be back. You never know what they will do. I got Helen Hillis to take me in her car to Watseka yesterday to Dr. Wood the podiatrist. Shirley has been taking me in Harold’s car.

We had ten men together in a pheasant hunting party the other night. They were from Indianapolis. There is news this morning that Red Bruck (B & B Store) had a lung removed at Mayo’s yesterday.

I watch the papers for clippings which might be of interest to you, but this has been one period I simply didn’t have the heart. Thank you again dear for the book.

Anymore dates?
Love,
Grandma

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/08/18/senator-landgrebe/

Letter from Aunt Jessie

1 Reply

: January 3, 1946 envelope (front)

: January 3, 1946 envelope (back)

Letter transcription:

January 3, 1946, p. 1

Dear Gladys and Roscoe –

I am sending, parcel post, a box containing ties, socks and underwear. Now you may not wish to wear such but – if you have any feeling about this please give them to someone. I shall understand. I know you do not need such but I preferred you whom Silvester admired

January 3, 1946, p. 2

[page 2] so much thru the years to have these.

So hard to go on without Silvester but strength is given and I must carry on as he would wish.

Hope you are all well and that the new office is installed completely.

With love,
Jessie

Jan. 3, 1946

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/07/21/letter-from-aunt-jessie/

David’s Birthday (Gladys)

1 Reply

September 23, 1945 envelope

Letter transcription:

September 23, 1945, p. 1

9-23-45

Dear Daddy –

The party is over and we have had a little supper. We put David to bed before we ate because he ate ice cream & cake and drank punch and then after refreshments he kept eating candy so I didn’t even try to get him to eat supper. We just had some ice cream & cake that was left – I snitched a sandwich but J. & M. didn’t want anything else. Dorothy came out early – they had to go to Chicago this afternoon – and brought David’s gift. She had Lucile Jones bake him an angel food besides. I put the birthday trimmings on it. I baked one too but it didn’t look as smooth as the one Lucile made. I asked Dorothy about ice cream and since the drug stores are closed Sun. afternoons, she had Betty Lou bring the ice cream out from the restaurant before they left for Chicago. I was afraid it wouldn’t keep in the frost chest if I put it in last night. Arlene overslept so she didn’t get here with her youngsters until the party was nearly over, but since we had two cakes, I sent cake home with her and gave the children their favors. I fortunately found some candy that was wrapped individually and different shapes so it made nice favors. Altogether David received $5.00 and several nice toys and a pr. of corduroys. Lucile gave him a telephone with a dial that works – it looks like a real phone. It was quite popular with all the children. Arlene brought a little pull toy – a wagon with two hares that bob up and down like the push toy I got for him. She also gave him the corduroys. Statons brought a pull toy and

September 23, 1945, p. 2

[page 2] a set of graduated blocks. Dorothy gave him a Mickey Mouse toy that turns somersaults. He likes cards so much and seemed to enjoy his cards very much. Mark gave him a magic slate this morning and he was quite delighted with it. John gave him a card with a dollar. When he saw the bill I said, “What is that?” He answered “Money.” He put his pennies in the birthday offering and planted three flags in the sand. He is so much more grownup acting than the little Smith boy (McCloud) who is just a day or two younger, but David has been with J. & M. whereas the Smith children are younger. I had the boys bring up that old play table from the basement and with a good dusting off and a white table cloth it served perfectly for the little folk to eat their refreshments. Also brought up that old bench and with a covering it served for chairs. Martha, Myra & John Hufty, Jimmy Ed and David had a good time at a table by themselves. John, Mark, Jimmy, Betty & Virginia were seated in the den at a card table and the mothers were seated at the dining room table. I placed the play table by the south dining room wall so the mothers could keep track of the children. Everyone seemed to have a good time. The children played with the toys and the mothers visited. After the rain and cool weather yesterday it was so warm today we stayed out in the yard except when we came in to eat. It has been warmer today than it has been for some time.

Mrs. Washburn in Club President this year and is having the opening meeting at her home in the country. Lucile dropped club so said she would keep David for me. I told her I was planning to go. I kept Karen & Jimmy not long ago and she said she would keep David for me sometime.

September 23, 1945, p. 3

[page 3] Dorothy didn’t get to go to Laf. last week so she said today she is planning to go sometime next [week]. They are serving Rotary Thurs. evening. Nick served them Thurs. noon last time, but they would rather have evening meetings. John & Gladys are opening Wed. this week. I wonder if Rotary will go there. It’s a cinch John will have all the business he can handle – so maybe he won’t want special dinners.

John is doing homework and keeps asking me for words. Mark said he had a headache and wanted an aspirin but I told him I didn’t think he needed one – so he went out of doors and came back in much improved, he says.

So far my thumb is still stiff – It seems to have affected the joint. The allergy is gone and it’s about all peeled off but I can’t bend it very far. I can use it but without bending it much. Jimmy had another attack of asthma and Lucile thinks it was caused by red beans. She said they had chili for supper and that night Jimmy began to stop up – the next day he was in the kitchen and ate two red beans she was preparing for lunch. She said while chewing the second one he began to cry and said it burned his mouth and wanted to spit it out – He had a severe attack after that. In checking back Lucile said they had had beans before another attack of asthma he had.

David was so tired I think he must have gone right to sleep. I haven’t heard a sound out of him since he went to bed. John decided this was a perfect day for the birthday. It has been warmer than any Sept. 23 in the past 3 years. I remember last year it poured down rain in Mo.

Love Mother

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/06/03/davids-birthday-gladys/

Snowbound (Gladys)

1 Reply

: February 12, 1944 envelope front

: February 12, 1944 envelope back

: February 12, 1944, p. 1

: February 12, 1944, p. 2-3

: February 12, 1944, p. 4

Letter transcription:

Kentland Ind.
2-12-44

Dear Daddy –

Yours of Jan. 29-30-31- & Feb. 1 came today so I feel like writing a long newsy letter – however I won’t promise too much. John is out in the kitchen making preparations to bake a cake. Mark is in the nursery working on the floor with steel wool – David is asleep. He almost went to sleep in his high chair while we ate – He of course had been fed. He still needs help – spills so much on the way. He woke up last night before I went to bed and didn’t seem to feel just right so I put him in bed with me. I think he had a little tummy ache – I could hear gurgling noises, and he would waken after dropping off to sleep but finally settled down. This morning I said I felt like I had slept with one eye open.

[page 2] We are still snow bound. The back yard has drifts in some places feet deep. I want to take a picture of it this afternoon. Would like to put D. out I the snow for a picture but it is too cold to take him out. It was 1 below in Chicago this a.m. at 8. It is supposed to be colder tonight. Our coal pile is getting low and we may have to resort to Ind. coal again for a while until the Coal Co. gets some “Milco.”

I rec’d a valentine card from Jim. It had a stamp size picture of Jim for signature. The card has a picture of a little yellow haired girl with cubby legs watering the family tree – The verse is “There are a lot of Family Trees, Some pretty nice ones too. But there’s on other Family Tree, That’s grown a peach like you.” The boys were discussing the card and Mark

[page 3] said, “Mother you didn’t look like that when you were a little girl, look this girl has fat legs.” So much for my pins.

I finally got the kitchen washed after three hitches. The paint is beginning to show wear in spots from so much washing, but on the whole it still looks as good as new – nice & shining & clean.

I see in the paper that Blanchard Childress and O.E. Powell are new Rotary members. Also that June Swihart Wedgbury has a baby boy – She lives in Remington. Speaking of Remington – They have a Dr. now who doesn’t have a car and charges $5.00 a call when anyone gets so ill they can’t go to the office and the Dr. has to walk abroad in the town – of course a country call where taxi service is necessary costs $15.00 – You can guess he doesn’t have many calls. There was a woman Dr. there but she got married and is having a baby so had

[page 4] to retire from practicing at present. More local news is the election of officers by Chamber of Commerce – Bill Zimmerman, Pres., Chafee Shirk, Vice, and Ed Johnson, Secy., Harry Healy, Treas. The C.C. has decided to transfer the sponsorship to the Rotary Club, of the Boy Scouts. Chet Van Scoyck has been acting as leader due to lack of anyone else willing to assume the roll.

After all the “steel wooling” on the floors this a.m. I am going to have to dust – an endless job, but has to be done once in a while. I can see webs stretched around in different places so will have to swing the wall brush around, too. Getting Mark to keep at a job is a job in itself – I can hear him turning the pages in the new Colliers and know he has deserted his work. I will finish this and go and inspect his work, which I am sure isn’t finished. He wants to go to town and I’ll let him go so he can mail this –

“Love Mother”

Two Things (Roscoe)

1 Reply

: February 8, 1944 envelope

: February 8, 1944, p. 1

: February 8, 1944, p. 2

: February 8, 1944, p. 3

: February 8, 1944, p. 4

Letter transcription:

Lieut. R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
USN Base Hosp. #4
Navy 133
F.P.O. San Francisco Calif.
2-8-44

Dear Mother,

Two things happened today which are a little out of the ordinary and maybe will break the monotony of the letters of the past few days.

First and possibly foremost is one that has nothing to do with me only in a roundabout way. The fellow that I spent my leave with – you have his picture, well, he got married. I guess I had never mentioned that he was single and all that stuff. Lentz is standing up with him because the girl who is going

[page 2] to be the best woman, etc., is a friend of Ed’s. And I’m taking his duty. It makes duties come very close together for me but I guess I can help a boy out in a pinch. I think it was one of those whirlwind affairs where things happen fast. In fact, when he and I went on the trip he was against the institution of marriage and I’m very certain that he didn’t know this girl at that time, but you know when people fall they really fall hard. She is a nice girl for all I know – and why should I know? He has had her out here on a number of occasions and she is Irish the same as he – of course me being Irish also – think she is OK.

[page 3] He was very much in a huff all morning. He told me last night when he came home but didn’t tell Lentz until this AM, and Lentz had sent his clothes to the cleaners and he wanted to borrow mine but he was a bit too large in spots, so he had to get clothes from someone else. Enough for the romantic side.

The second thing was the Rotary meeting. I enjoyed it pretty much but of course not as much as at home. The home club will not get a notice that I attended because it is against the censor regulations. They could name the country but they can’t name the town.

[page 4] so in the course of due time the Kentland Club will be notified – after the war I suppose. I’ll try to write Bob Hufty and at least tell him that I attended the meeting.

The mail just came – I’d say about 2 doz. V-mail for all the Drs. I was lucky enough to score one letter – your V-mail of Jan. 26. Not much but it helps lots just to get that little bit for it lets me know you and the boys are doing OK. It sure looks as if V-mail is all that comes anymore. Your last air mail was Jan. 12 and the picture of D. never did arrive as yet.

Well, Dear must get to work –
Lots of Love
Daddy

My Belongings (Roscoe)

1 Reply

: December 17, 1943 envelope

: December 17, 1943, p. 1

: December 17, 1943, p. 2

Letter transcription:

Lieut. R.S. Yegerlehner USNR
USN Base Hosp. #4
Navy 133
Dec. 17, 1943

Dear Mother,

Just two bits of mail today. One a letter from Joe Roberts – Written Sept. 5 and mailed Oct. 4 and another a card from the Li Reader’s Digest informing me that the Digest was being sent me by the Rotary Club and the Jr. Women’s Club. It went to the old place also and likewise all the issues will go there until I can get the word to them. It’s been so long since I’ve heard from Joe that I wonder if he is still where he was when he wrote the letter. You have never mentioned him having a change so I suppose he is still there.

When I came here I came by air and naturally couldn’t bring all my gear along and I’ve been worried all this time that it never would catch up but it finally did and now I’m unpacking again. This is the first time in almost a year that me and my belongings have been together. I had to watch my clothes pretty close in order to have enough left between laundry days, and another thing like a dummy I put all of my pictures

[page 2] in the goods I left behind but and now that I have them all together there is a pretty good sized pile of them.

My room is more filled up now than before but when I get things all stored I’ll have plenty of room. There are 8 drawers in this dresser and everyone is pretty well filled up only not neat. Just wadded and I believe I can improve if I try.

Now that I have all the pictures and a fine wall I think I’ll put D.’s pictures up in an orderly fashion as per each month to get a comparison of how he has grown.

I had late duty tonite and it is now getting near 12 midnight so
Lots of Love
Daddy