Tag Archives: Ruth M. Myers

Cobalt Treatments

Letter transcription:

April 8, 1968

Dear Bonnie & David:

I am sending you your Assessment return which you will have to sign and return to Assessor’s office, Court House, Lafayette. Also the Intangible form which you will have to sign and send in with your $.

Dad has just had a week’s vacation. He worked some around the yard, but the weather wasn’t right every day for working out, so he finished a chest of drawers which he has installed in the back bedroom. It still has to have a coat of varnish or paint. I have applied a sealer coat. I am gradually getting the little back bedroom made over. I took down those red-red-red drapes and have made drapes just to cover the window. I bought a very pretty flowered taffeta which I used for drapes and spreads. I am using a typewriter in the Church office and I am not getting along too well.

Last week I attended a committee meeting and Conference meeting Wednesday and Thursday in Greencastle. I am busy trying to promote the Human Rights celebrations throughout N. W. Indiana Conference. Indiana is going to two Conferences – that is the proposition – and everyone seems to think the proposal will go through – so after this year I probably will not have a conference office, not that I need it. They say that next year will be a year of confusion and at this point no one wants to bet how things will be during the transition period.

[page 2] I am home how after having spent some time at the Ed. Bldg. (across from church) getting the film I am going to show tomorrow night ready for showing. Then I went to accountant’s office to get the tax form, went to Lux. Agency on business about the house, stopped and bought a rose for Mrs. Myers – she has a rose bowl in her room and it needed a fresh rose. She had her first cobalt treatment today and was feeling pretty good. Those treatments have a tendency to make patients nauseated. She has to have four treatments a week – the Dr. said “for weeks,” but maybe it won’t be more than three or four weeks. She seems to feel pretty good and looks fine. We think she has made a splendid recovery. Rev. McClure visited her today and gave her communion. She was very pleased about that.

If you get your intangible postmarked by the 15^th that will be soon enough.

Love Mother

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/04/18/cobalt-treatments/

Mrs. Myers Surgery

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Letter transcription:

March 26, 1968

Dear David and Bonnie:

Yesterday was a rather busy day for me and I didn’t [get] over to the hospital, but talked to Mrs. M. on the telephone. She had walked in the hall twice yesterday, so that is a “step” in the right direction. She came through the surgery fine. She did have cancer, but Dr. Gery said he was confident that he had gotten all. There were three lumps under her arm which he removed and a large growth in her left breast which required the removal of the breast. I have been with her every day except two or three since she has been in the hospital. She had to be there a week and a half before the surgery, so had a good rest. Now that she is in the hospital she is on a correct diet and with the rest she is getting, is having no swelling in her legs. I plan to go today, but have to be home by four o’clock because the moving van is coming to move the piano to Indianapolis. We are giving it to Becky and this is the first time I could get a moving van. They are taking it with another load – wrong – they are taking it to pick up a load in Indpls. It should be delivered to Mark’s early in the morning.

Last Saturday evening we went to Indianapolis and helped celebrate Shirley’s birthday. I gave her the gold dish I had bought while in Rockport. The little tag on the dish says it is 24 carat gold, but of course, I know that means a little gold paint has been used in it.

Last evening I picked up William Yue at Carey Hall and brought him to the house and we had steamboat. He seemed quite thrilled to get a meal of that kind. I had some chop sticks so put those at his plate which he used in preference to silverware. His father is in the States now to attend the United Conference in Dallas next month. We have invited William to come Easter Sunday. Purdue vacation will be over by then. Next week Dad has several days off and plans to work in the yard. He has gotten the work started. He is putting rocks all around the evergreens – like we had in Kentland. He wants to get the grass seed sown this week if possible. We have a patch in the middle of the front yard that has to be seeded.

The enclosed is a copy of report which I gave at Trinity Methodist Church in Lafayette March 10^th. I thought you might be interested in reading it. From everything I hear and read, it looks like you-know-who is not going to have a walk-in next November. I do hope the public at large is going to be so full of everything that we will have an election to be remembered.

Love Mother

(over)

The nominating committee at Trinity has asked me to be President of W.S.C.S. next – beginning in June. It is a large society with nearly 300 members and 13 circles. I told the woman who called me to give me a little time to think it over.

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/04/17/mrs-myers-surgery/

August in Rockport

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

Dec. 22, 1967

Dear David and Bonnie:

David please sign the enclosed form and return in the enclosed envelope to Bankers immediately. This is the investment policy (one on you, one of John and one each on Becky and Kirk) and we have decided not to pay any more on them and have taken paid-up insurance. This policy has nothing to do with your life insurance, but you will eventually get the amount stated as paid-up insurance (or your children will get it).

We went to Kentland yesterday and did what should have been done months ago – cleaned out the files. We have given the contents (furnishings, etc.) to Project Concern after exhausting every effort to get a Doctor into our office. Dr. James Turpin has several missions around and thinks his Project Concern will open one in Chicago for Indians – and from what I have read Chicago has one of the largest Indian reservations in the country – that is, so many Indians have gone there to live and some do not have it much better there than other minority groups. So if our equipment can be used for a clinic or in a hospital for such a group, we will be very happy.

While in Kentland yesterday I delivered our Christmas gifts to Mrs. Myers. She was in bed – not that she was ill, but there had been an electrical storm and so much rain that basements in Kentland were flooded and the furnace for her apartment had been shorted and she had no heat from the furnace. When I went back the second time (we were in Kentland most of the day) she had the oven going (gas) so her place felt very comfortable. She had opened your package and was quite pleased with her gifts. She seems to feel very good – that is she wasn’t complaining about anything. I had forgotten, but she spent last Christmas in the hospital. We left for California last Christmas day. Would have gone this year had we known Indiana would win and go to the Rose Bowl. So many people we know are going – among those Ruth, Floyd and Steve. We are in a “spot” (sort of) here. I hold up for I.U. and that is unheard of around here. You just don’t say a good word for I.U. In fact the Purdue fans are hoping I.U. will get beat by a large score. I reminded one group that Purdue barely squeaked through to victory last time. I’ll bet they wonder what kind of creep I am.

David you should have received two books. If you haven’t already received them, you will after Christmas and those are for a Christmas gift.

I hope your relationship continues to be pleasant with your congregation.

From present plans, we intend to spend our vacation in and around Rockport next summer and we hope we will manage it in August.

Love Mother

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/04/14/august-in-rockport/

Rockport Has a New Minister

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Letter transcription:

November 15, 1967

Dear David and Bonnie:

I checked with Lake Central this afternoon and according to the schedule they gave me I should be arriving in Boston at 10:55 on November 30 – unless of course, weather permits. I have booked a flight for N.Y. on Dec. 4^th which will leave Boston at 7 AM to arrive in N.Y. at 7:52. If there are any changes will let you know.

Yesterday I (guess it was Monday) packed three boxes which contain all the wedding gifts which you left here. I insured the boxes, so in case of breakage, you will be able to collect. You should be receiving the boxes in a few days. I sent them parcel post.

Today I entertained two W.S.C.S. circles and this afternoon had a friend stop for a visit, so didn’t get much else done. I had intended to get this letter out in today’s mail, but here I am at 7 PM writing. There is a show on TV which I would like to watch, Androcles and the Lion. Tomorrow Swan Lake Ballet with N and F will be on at the music hall. We will probably go.

Last night we went to Kentland to meet another M.D. about the office. He has an office in Attica and for some reason decided to try Kentland, but doesn’t want to meet our terms. Dad felt like he was half giving the office away on the terms we had set up, but this man wants us to practically give him the place. Dad just said no, he would sell the building and give the equipment away. Dr. Turpin from Hong Kong and Vietnam will be in Kentland to speak Dec. 13^th and Dad is going to offer the equipment to him if he wants it, if the last Dr. we talked to doesn’t want to meet our terms. We thought we had a sure prospect in the other Filippinio, but for some reason, after telling us he would take the place, backed off. We have just about decided to sell the building, to get rid of the place. The last two have been Filippinos. The man we talked to last night interned at St. E. several years ago. He has been wanting to do nothing but surgery, but is finding that quite hard to do from a place like Attica. Most people want someone for surgery that has a reputation like Gery or Fields. Last night Dr. Raymondo was wondering why Dr. Gery didn’t retire. I suppose he thinks if enough of the established surgeons around here would retire, he would have a better chance.

I stopped to see Mrs. Myers. She was wheezing and her legs were swollen so terribly I was sure she would have an attack within 24 hours. That is the way her system operates. I have thought about calling her. She said if she got too bad, she would call the Doctor and have him admit her to the hospital. Other than wheezing, she looked pretty good. She was up and dressed. Sometimes when I go, she is just wearing her house coat.

Edna is planning to go to Memphis to visit Betty Jo next week. She is having some trouble with her dentures and is coming to Lafayette this week to have work done. She has to come Thursday and leave her dentures at the Dentist’s office all day. I told her to come here and she said no, she was going back home. She won’t allow anyone to see her without her teeth. She will have to make two trips back and forth that day.

The Janssens and Alma spent the weekend with us. Everyone but myself attended the football game Saturday afternoon, when Purdue trounced Minnesota. I attended a Christian Social Concerns meeting at Wesley Foundation. The weather was not cold, but there was rain. I was out of my meeting in time to come home and have dinner ready by the time the rest came home from the game. We all went to the Music Hall to see Ray Charles and his orchestra. Somehow I can’t enjoy that type of music after listening to my opera and symphony records. Jack Benny is to be at the Music Hall Saturday night. Dad has complimentary tickets for us to attend, since he is will be the M.D. in case one is needed (at 7 o’clock show). Alma started back home early Sunday morning. The Janssens went with us to church and then we had dinner at the Flame. They started back to LaPorte later in the day. John is in school here and is playing on the freshman football team.

I presume you will have preached your first sermon at Rockport by the time you receive this – maybe you will get it before. I just hope you can establish a good relationship with your congregation. The town sounds like it would be a good place to live. I am anxious to see the parsonage and the surroundings.

Have some business to take care of – we are still trying to collect some accounts – so must get this finished.

Love Mother

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/04/12/rockport-has-a-new-minister/

Closing the Office

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Letter transcription:

[October 1967]

Dear David and Bonnie:

Your correspondence cards have been ordered – 200 and they will read Rev. and Mrs. David A. Yegerlehner, and it is a good thing there wasn’t another letter, because that was as many as could be printed on this type of card. You can consider that part of your Christmas from us. I ordered and gave them your address, so the boxes (2) will come directly to you.

John came over Friday and spent the weekend with us. He had an appointment with the eye specialists on Saturday. Saturday night we attended a play at Loeb’s Theatre – The Miser. It was quite interesting (have you read the play by Moliere?) and we thought the Purdue players executed it very well. One of Dr. Schoonveld’s sons – Mike – had a bit part. He is a freshman this year. John left after breakfast this morning. Said he had so much work to do he should not have come Friday. We attended church this morning and have spent the rest of the day relaxing. Dad is watching TV now, but the program wasn’t very interesting, so I decided to catch up on my writing.

Last week I attended a meeting in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, which for all practical purposes took most of the week – Tues. thru Friday. That was the week of Oct. 10 and this immediate past week I entertained the Vesper Circle from Kentland and on Thursday night a bridge group – Johnsons, Fords and McClures. Everyone was quite interested in seeing our place. We are bit by bit getting things finished, but still have quite a few things to do. We did finally get the driveway and retaining walls finished. Now we want to get our Japanese gardens completed, but it seems we don’t make as much progress as we would like to make – between Dad’s work and my running around. Last weekend we went to Kentland late on Saturday afternoon – and I had just returned from C.R. the day before. We had dinner with Florence and Ray. Jim and Mary Ann and Tom were home. Jim had just returned from his tour of duty in the Air Force. He had been to Japan and had some very beautiful pictures. He is out of service now, but since he took communications while in service is trying to get some kind of job in that field. Mary Ann is going to college in Indianapolis and is wearing a diamond. I think her boyfriend is a medical student. Rita R. is teaching school in Indianapolis and I think Florence mentioned a man one time, so no doubt Rita will become engaged also. Tom is going to St. Joseph College. We then went to LaPorte to visit Janssens.

I have seen Mrs. Myers twice recently. She was out of the hospital the last time I saw her – last Friday and seemed to be feeling

[page 2] well enough to be up. However, she was wearing her robe and said she wasn’t feeling quite as well as she would like to. We have closed the office and Saturday was Edna’s last day to work for us. Arvella is working for Dr. K. She says he is very nice to work for, but so slow. Some evenings she doesn’t get away from the office until 7:30. She doesn’t go to work until 10 AM and does get every Thursday off (all day). Edna is seriously thinking about going to Memphis to live since Betty Joe is now living there. She said she was not going to look for work for a while. She is working on her own now making records for people who were too late to get in on the record bit while we still kept her working for us. We told her she could work making records for people if she wanted to do it, but to make a change, so she is charging $1.00 per person. That won’t bring in what we were paying her, but it will be some income while she decides what to do. We are going to sell the office building and give the equipment to a charitable organization of some sort…

We have been attending all the home football games and believe it or not I am learning to follow the game. Of course, I am not an expert, but can follow what is going on (most of the time). We have tickets to attend the game at Champaign Nov. 4^th. John said he and Bob and Lea want us to come on Friday and spend the entire weekend. They are going to celebrate my birthday which will have passed, but it will be a celebration anyway. If the weather is good I plan to drive to Champaign Tuesday evening to attend “Falstaff.” Bob said I could use his ticket since for some reason he is not going. Bob and Lea have bought a new home and from all descriptions from Bob and John is quite a nice place. Much larger than their present home. They are trying to sell their place at 1608 Rosewood and plan to move to the new house Oct. 28^th. I said I was sorry I couldn’t help, but we have promised Mark and Shirley we will keep Kirk and David (I call him roadrunner) while they take Becky and go to Chicago. The last time I kept David he wasn’t still except while eating. Dad has the duty next Saturday and the play we were to see has been cancelled, so it just works out right for us to keep the boys.

I haven’t checked yet on transportation in December, but will fly to New York the 6^th and probably to Boston on the 9^th. I think we are to be finished with our meeting by noon on the 9^th. Will let you know definitely when I know more.

Love Mother (over)

I paid your fall taxes – another Christmas gift. Also notified the proper authorities here of your change of address to 118 Juniper and you should receive your ballots.

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/04/11/closing-the-office/

Happy Birthday David

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Letter transcription:

9-14-67

Dear David:

Your birthday gift is inside, so don’t throw the card away until you have found it. Also you are to give Bonnie ¼ of it, to make your gifts come out even.

We went to Earl Park last night to give a program about Switzerland. The teachers of the Earl Park grade school (they now have no H.S.) and the sisters from the Catholic school and the priest from the Earl Park Catholic Church were present. The meeting was held in the basement of the Presbyterian Church. The sisters were quite friendly and Dad discovered that one knew many of the sisters he had known at St. E. Before the meeting we went to Kentland and I stopped to see Mrs. Myers. She thought she was going to have another attack last night (I mean the night before) but didn’t. She had not had anything to eat all day. I felt bad about having to leave her, but since she won’t go to a nursing home, my hands are tied. There is a very good nursing home about a mile from here. Dad could take care of her and I could go out and see her every day, but she won’t talk about it.

Dad has the duty today, but hopes to get more done on the kitchen tonight. So far, we have the sink, garbage diser and dishwasher in place and I was able to use that corner today. Also Dad has the easterly wall paneled and the cabinets in place. He put them up so well, I think it would take nothing less than an earthquake to dislodge them. I am at present cooking with an electric skillet. Our stove – a built in unit won’t be in until next week. I have cooked that way before – if you remember 146 W. G.

[page 2] The Janssens came Sunday to bring John to Purdue. They stopped just before we left for church, so they attended church with us and then we took them to the Chinese restaurant. I rather think they didn’t care too much for Chinese food, but at any rate it was something different. We are to go to La Porte and visit them some weekend before the leaves are gone. They have so many maple trees, they said we should see them in the fall. La Porte is called the Maple City.

Have a happy birthday.

Love Mother

©2017 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2017/04/10/happy-birthday-david/

Human Rights in World Perspective

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Letter transcription:

O’Hare Field

Aug. 1 – 1967

Dear David & Bonnie –

Up at 6 o’clock this a.m. to get a plane from Purdue to O’Hare. I had heard Lake Central is not very reliable as to time schedule, but I can’t complain today. We were on our way not more than 10 minutes late. After arriving here I had to walk at least a mile, or so it seemed to get to T.W.A. I met two other women in the T.W.A. lounge headed for the same meeting “National Seminar – Human Rights in World Perspective” to be held at St. Paul School of Theology in Kansas City.

I really hated to be away just now, but when we started the remodeling, it was to have been finished and we were to have carpeting down and everything moved into new part by Aug. 1 – but we are going to be doing good if we get ready (the way I wanted it to be) by the 22^nd. However, I am sure we will all enjoy being together whether the house is right or not. We should be ready for overnight guests by the time you come. When the new part is finished, we will have 3 bedrooms for company. I won’t tell you any more, let you see when you come. I talked to Lea and Bob. Mark and Shirley probably won’t make it until the end of the week. Mark’s vacation ends Aug. 21, but they will be with us probably the end of the week. We haven’t been able to have the children up this summer because of the remodeling mess. When we get the place the way we want it, Kirk, Becky, and David should have plenty of play space.

Sunday we were in Kentland to attend the 40^th wedding anniversary celebration of the Washburns. After the reception I went out to the hospital to see Mrs. Myers. I didn’t know she was in the hospital until I went to her apt. and found the place empty. I made some inquiries and was told she had been in the hospital since the middle of the week. I was not surprised. The last time I saw her her legs were so swollen they looked terrible. She got an asthmatic attack and had to have oxygen. Dr. K. sent her to the hospital – the only thing to do under the circumstances. Sunday her legs were down to normal and her breathing normal and she thought she would go home by Wed. I hope you remember to send her a birthday remembrance. She said she was sure she would hear from you on her birthday. I have a card ready to mail from K.C. to her. Also told Dad to send flowers.

Pat Owens took two years at Indiana State, then took a beauty course. She is now working in a shop in West Lafayette and lives just two blocks from us. She came over last evening and set and styled my hair. She is engaged

[page 2] and thinks she will be married in about a year. Her fiancé is attending Indiana State, but is thinking of transferring to Purdue. Doris has closed her shop and is spending the summer at their cottage on the lake in Monticello. Harold also spends much time there. He has moved his office to the house. Pat was so happy that her mother had quit work. Harold still looks after Mrs. Myers. I told her about the nursing home about a mile from where we live, but can’t get her interested. Dad even made a concession – he said he would take care of her if she would to W. L. She just can’t bring herself to the idea of a nursing home, but I am afraid the time is coming when she won’t be able to stay alone.

As of now, we have no one to take over the office – so Dad says he is going to close Sept. 1 and sell the building.

I thought you should have the enclosed tax receipt.

Love Mother

Mother’s Day 1967

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

[mid May 1967]

Dear David and Bonnie:

Thanks for the Mother’s Day card. Mark called us Sunday morning and thought he got us out of bed – he didn’t – we were still in, but awake just enjoying not having to get up. We usually go to church at 11, so there is not any hurry about getting up. John called us Sunday evening, so all in all I can’t complain about being remembered on Mother’s Day. Dad took me out to dinner – we went to the Nu-China Café and had a Chinese dinner. It was very good and if you come home this summer – and or course, you know it made us very happy when we read your last saying you were planning to come – we will take you there for a Chinese meal.

We made a down payment (bought the equity of previous owner) on the house at 118 Juniper Court yesterday. We won’t get possession until June 17^th. A contractor is coming this evening to talk to us about the remodeling we want to do. He will have to do some figuring then let us know what the estimate will be. One contractor is figuring now, but says he can’t get to it until Sept. The man who is coming tonight says he can start in June, so if his price isn’t too high, we may be in the midst of remodeling soon. We plan to start moving as soon as we get the house and be finished by July 1. I talked to the agent at the bank and he said we could get out of this contract, which was for one year.

Today I attended an Officer’s Training meeting at Battle Ground. Am to go to Rochester tomorrow. Conferenece at Purdue next week. I am on a luncheon committee and have to help decorate tables for a ladies luncheon. After building bookshelves for the family room here, Dad has to move all these shelves down to the house on Juniper. – We just had a conference with a contractor and he assures us he will be able to begin on the house in June and thinks he can have it finished in 5 weeks. I just hope he is as good as his word.

We received word by Ruth Ford yesterday that Mrs. Myers had fallen more than a week ago and broke three ribs. She, of course, is in the hospital at Brook and will probably be there for some time. We haven’t been in Kentland this month and since we plan to go to Centerville next weekend we plan to go to Kentland May 26^th and Dad is going to have office hours the 27^th and we plan to see Mrs. M. sometime during the weekend. On Saturday evening we are to go to Champaign and spend Saturday evening and Sunday with John, Lea, and Bob.

We received a letter from Duane. He wants to get a family wappen, so I have written to him giving him the address of the place where we got ours. Duane, Aunt Ruth and Uncle Clarence drove to Monroe, Wisconsin, and found another branch of the Jegerlehner family – Albert. He was quite surprised to know there was a tribe of us here in Indiana.

Since I have to get up early tomorrow, must get this finished and get to bed.

Love Mother

Will be planning on seeing you sometime in Aug. Floyd & Ruth are talking about Expo [?] – and that the prices of accommodations are very high.

Going to the Hospital

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

5-14-66

Dear David and Bonnie:

Here is your tax return (intangibles) opened in error by Dad. I am trying to get ready to go to the hospital tomorrow and it seems I still have much to do (that won’t get done). Dad’s shirts, sox, underwear, etc., and the refrigerator are ready for my departure, but so far I haven’t done a few other things I did intend to do. I don’t think I told you about Mrs. Myers. She fell Tuesday evening in her kitchen and it took her a long time, she thought about 2 hours to inch into her bedroom and call for help. She called Dad and when he got there the doors were locked and he had to crawl in the window. I stopped to see her this evening and she said her arm (right) was still sore. She had used it to drag herself into the bedroom. She said it was so sore the next day or so she couldn’t use it. I told her she should think about entering a nursing home, but she doesn’t want to talk about it. Dad said this evening if she wants to stay there he thinks that is the thing for her to do. He knows when a person of that age has to make a change against their will, it isn’t good. He has seen so many cases where persons have been dissatisfied when a change has been made. I just mentioned it to her, but after I talked to him this evening, I have decided not to mention it again. I told her I hadn’t mentioned it to you, but now I have.

[page 2] Your letter received today. I agree with you, but how can the powers that be, be made to see what seems to plain to us? It seems strange that after all the changes Morse has gone through, that we would agree with him now, but he does seem to make sense. However, I rather think he is not going to be listened to. I have so much to do, I think it would be better for me to try and get some of those things taken care of I have been trying to get done today, so I won’t have so much to look forward to (unhappily) when I come home.

Love Mother

What are you going to do with your furniture?

Winter Storm

3 Replies

Letter transcription:

Sunday January 29, 1967

Dear David and Bonnie:

It happened at about 5 am on Friday. We were without lights for 27 hours. Also power to keep our gas furnace running. Dad couldn’t get out of the driveway. We finally managed with the help of Herb Schultz and Harold Oliver to get Mrs. Myers out here. We kept a fire going in the fireplace – and incidentally I didn’t burn all of the things in the corner – and kept half way warm. We made the folding couch into a bed and put Mrs. M. by the fireplace and heaped her with covers and she said she was warm as toast. We kept the fire going until nearly 11 o’clock. The next morning we got up early and started the fire again and the outside temperature was 12. We were able to cook with my old iron chicken fryer in the fireplace and I had stocked up on groceries on Thurs., so we had plenty to eat. I heard the grocery stores ran out of several items – like bread and milk. There were many people stranded in Kentland – all traffic was halted from all directions. All motel and hotel rooms were taken and about 100 people stayed in the gym and as far as I know some are still there. No traffic is allowed to go north, except people like Dad who went to the hospital Saturday and today. The National Guard brought in an auxiliary electric system and food so the gym was warm and food was provided for the stranded. Dottie McClure helped cook. I didn’t ask her who else was on kitchen duty. She told me she had stayed in the gym until 3 am Saturday to help service coffee, etc., to the National Guard and others. Dad says he thinks the guard brought in cots, so there was some provision for places to sleep. Even if there were no cots, at least the people there had warmth. I think probably every fireplace in Kentland was in use with more than one family gathered around. The Janssens have a camper and it is equipped with gas, so they slept in it. John spent the night in Hensley’s house keeping their fireplace going. They have been out of town for the past 3 weeks. Our John called and there was the same situation in Champaign – a breakdown in the electrical system. His house was cold, but he has a gas stove, so he could stay by the range with the oven turned on. He said the grocery store where he buys his supplies has an electric eye door, so he couldn’t get in there. He said he had enough groceries to last a day or so. We haven’t talked to him since Friday. During the time the electricity was off here, telephoning was limited to emergency calls. One other thing so when the electric power was off and the water tower was emptied, that was it. We had been told to prepare, so we had a few containers of water – so we could flush the toilet if the water did run out. I got up at 2:30 and looked to see if Mrs. M. was asleep – she was – and I put some more covers on her – and then I tried to get a drink – no water. We set up a card table by the fireplace and with three chairs in a semicircle kept fairly cozy during the emergency. It was awfully cold going to the bathroom. We thought we wouldn’t care to go back to the “good old days” before modern conveniences. I didn’t try to go to church this morning. Dad said there were paths through the town, but no place to park. The temperature has risen, but not above freezing since the storm hit. The sun did shine yesterday, but today we had more snow. Our TV aerial bent over so all we can get is Champaign. We have listened to the radio – WGN – and had heard this is the worst storm of the century. The expressways in Chicago are still jammed with stalled cars and trucks. People just have not been able to get their cars away from where they had to stop during the storm. O’Hare has been out of business for several days. The word was flights might be resumed today, but nothing definite. We had been told that the electrical repair job might be temporary, so we have kept Mrs. M. two nights and she is staying again tonight. Something happened to her apartment and it was (the furnace) cold until late this afternoon. Dad said he thought she had better just spend another night here to be sure the heating system is fixed properly. I have made the prediction that the town of Kentland will acquire an auxiliary system to take care of pumping water into the town tank in case of such another electrical failure.

I am planning to go to Lafayette again Friday and see a house for rent. We were called about it – the agent called us Thurs. We had just about decided to get a small apt., as we told you, but if this house is suitable, we probably will take it. Dr. Hensley is coming Thursday to talk business and possibly sign contract. He has been released from his contract at I.S. and will be here to take over the office Mar. 1. He also plans to come on Feb. 28 to be here a day or so before Dad leaves. Everyone here who has said anything about the change say they hate to lose us, but don’t blame Dad. They think it is time for hime to take it easy. Many of Dad’s patients say they are going to stay with Dr. H. Several of the OB have told Dad they are going to stay. I think Dr. H. knows he is getting a good thing. Dad told him if he would sit back and let the girls run the office they would make a living for him. It isn’t

[page 2] quite that simple, but I think he knows they will be a great help to him.

Love Mother

P.S. I will get your pills & spansules mailed next week – that is tomorrow – if I can get out of our driveway. I thought you might want the tax receipts. We saved some of the things you had in the corner – but did burn quite a bit. By the way, you had some of “my” books stored in there. That package from bookshelf was a bible dictionary and was sent to you so you could take advantage of the low price. I think I will just keep it for a while to see what they do next. I may write and tell them to send me postage if they want it back.