Tag Archives: Shirley (Ward) Yegerlehner

Building Projects

Letter transcription:

[Wright 533 – handwritten by David]
Kentland, Indiana, March 12, 1962

Dear David:

We are still enjoying (?) unusual March weather, or maybe I should say usual. I think most of the population around here is ready for spring. Mark and Shirley and Becky came for the week-end. They certainly will be glad to see warm, sunny weather. I told them I thought Becky looked a little pale, but why shouldn’t she. She hasn’t been out in the sunshine for such a long time. She was feeling pretty good, but had a little cold. They still have her on a fat free diet because of her bowel condition. I mashed potatoes for her with just a little skimmed milk. Made some plain Jello and had skimmed milk for her to drink. She could have some broiled steak, which she seemed to enjoy and some unseasoned lima beans. I suppose if they could never feed her anything else, she would think her diet was good. They haven’t been giving her any eggs or orange juice. She did have some cereal for her breakfast. It doesn’t seem to slow her down any and she put on a good show for us. Mark and Shirley both were getting over severe colds. I wanted them to leave Becky here. Mark said they would talk it over and maybe some other time. They didn’t make any date as to when they will be coming back. However, they have decided it is too much to go to both places for a week-end and after this they will go one place one week-end and the other the next time they make a trip this way. Mark is learning how to do the book work (Just in case I need help along that line). He isn’t too happy with his new job. He is going to try to get something else thru the placement bureau of Northwestern. I wanted them to come for Easter so you could see Becky, but no promise.

Lea and Bob were here for dinner Saturday, but went home early in the afternoon. They had spent Friday night with Lea’s folks at Ade.

You received another dividend check from GM for $2.00 which I will deposit to your account. You know John bought some Rexall stock when he was home last summer. He has been receiving dividends from them right along (not very high rate, but at least something), but today he received a right – he gets to buy one share – he has 75/100 fractional interest in one share. I have to mail the card back ordering the share to be bought.

I went to a meeting at the hospital at noon – regular monthly meeting of the Ex Comm of the Auxiliary – and the road is in terrible condition – as are all the streets and highways around here. We can hardly get to the office for the mud. The snow is about gone from around here, but we are having rain and some snow mixed in with it today, so we will have mud for a while. We finally got rid of the ice on our driveway (without having David chip it off).

Julie was in church yesterday: I asked her if she had seen you recently. I also happened to see Nancy Holley about two weeks ago.

Dad is still building things in the house. I think it will be some time before he needs to work in the yard – however if we knew we weren’t going to have another freeze, it would be a good time to roll the yard. He has the lawn mower all fixed I think. He has finished all the shelves and is ready to start building the cabinet around the washing machine. We want to begin work on the office as soon as possible, but that can’t be started until we have warmer weather. I am getting anxious to get this place (I am at office now) done over. The linoleum in the waiting room had cracked too much that it will have to be taken off. I am afraid when we get started we will find a lot of things to be done. Aren’t you glad you won’t be here? I know it will be a mess for a while, but it will be worth it.

I haven’t seen Mrs. Myers since the day I took her to the hospital and then took her out to the house, but last week, I had a round of bowel infection. I was sick all night Wed. nite and stayed in bed all Thurs., so didn’t circulate around too much for a day or so.

Love Mother

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/10/05/building-projects/

Clean Up Kentland

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

[Wright 533 – handwritten by David]
March 4, 1962

Dear David:

I was glad to read the last paragraph of your last letter. If you had one date, you can surely have another.

We are still having some wintry weather. I talked to Mark this morning – Shirley and Becky have been sick, but I think they are both better now – and he said it was snowing in Chicago. It rained a little here today. We still have snow on the ground and ice on our driveway. I was just thinking today, if you had been home, we probably would have insisted that you try to chop some of the ice off the driveway, but since you aren’t here, it will just have to stay, after all these weeks, until the sun can melt it off.

I attended Bible Study class tonight – the last in this series, because next Sunday, Sunday Evening Lenten Services will begin. I attended a reception for the Charles Morgans – their Golden Wedding anniversary – at the church. I think all their family was present, except Bill Starks and his family and since they live in Minneapolis I suppose it was too far to come.

Yesterday afternoon I took Mrs. Myers with me to the hospital just to get her out of the hotel for an afternoon. After I had checked stock we came back to Kentland and I brought her out here. We visited and enjoyed a soda, then at about 4:15 I took her back home. She seemed to enjoy getting away from the hotel for a little while. As she says, the view isn’t very interesting from the lobby.

Sharon Stonecipher is to be married Tuesday evening. An invitation to the wedding bulletin this morning. They will be married on the Morgan’s wedding anniversary date – also Harold and France’s wedding date.

Dad spent last night in the hospital. He didn’t get home until about one o’clock this afternoon and just had a call to go back. He is taking care of the emergency duty for Dr. Kresler this evening. He said there was an accident case he took care of – he was there on a baby case – last night. Three men who had been drinking had an accident and all of them had a broken bone or two. He put casts on two of the, but the third one may have to have surgery. He was pretty tired this afternoon, so while I attended the reception, he slept.

Have you had a chance to look at a financial section lately – International S. closed at 37 Friday. Dad says, “let us sell,” but I don’t want to sell that one. It pays such good dividends. Your National Homes enjoyed a brief upswing, but the last time I looked at it, it was down again, but I think without a doubt, it will go up during the building season.

I put $100 in the bank for you Friday. I received your bank balance and you didn’t need any just now, but I thought I would put it there for when you will need it.

We received a letter from Lea this week. She wanted some pills, but didn’t say anything about when they would be coming over. Mark and Shirley and Becky plan to come down next week-end. They had originally planned to come this week-end, but Mark had to work on Sat.

Dad has finished three sets of shelves for me and is working on a set over the new washing machine. Since he had to go to the hospital Saturday night, he didn’t get [to] do any work on it as he had planned.

We are trying to figure out the changes we plan to make on the office this spring. Since we have to do some repairing, like a new linoleum in the waiting room, we decided to make the waiting room larger and also the room where Edna works. I don’t look forward to the mess we will be in during the repair period, but it should be worth the effort when it is finished.

– Monday morning – snowing lightly and the temperature is a little below 20, so we are still going to have some winter weather. I think everyone around here is getting tired of winter weather. I certainly will be glad to see the grass again, even if it does mean getting it cut.

I am working on a committee to “Clean Up Kentland.” We haven’t done much yet but talk, but hope to have a clean up drive in April, with all organizations in town helping. We are going to try and get people not to throw things down, but put waste paper in the trash cans stationed around over town. I hope we can accomplish something. I am tired of looking at all the trash we have on our streets and side walks.

Love Mother

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/10/04/clean-up-kentland/

John Glenn

2 Replies

Letter transcription:

[Wright 533 – handwritten by David]
Kentland, Indiana
2-27-62

Dear David:

I just finished a letter to John. Packed a box which I mailed to him yesterday with a few little items like tooth paste, brush, etc.

I have been watching the proceedings on TV about John Glenn. Last Tuesday down town looked deserted. The stores said they didn’t have many customers, so many people were home watching TV. I watched the parade in Cap C. last Friday and the one in Washington yesterday. I was very well impressed with Glenn’s appearance before the joint session yesterday.

We are still having winter weather. Had a blizzard Friday which piled more snow on our driveway. That driveway still has ice and snow from weeks ago. I will be glad to see spring. We saw Nancy Holley Sunday while we were having a snack at the Nu-Joy. We had bridge club Sunday night at Battons, but I was having an infection in my left ear and didn’t feel like doing any cooking Sunday, so we went to the Nu-Joy for a sandwich at noon. I spent the afternoon in bed, not that I was particularly ill, but not feeling top notch, and wanted to be ready to go to the party Sunday night. I attended Bible Study class from 7 to 8 before going to the party.

We attended a meeting of the Cancer Society at the home of Mrs. Bob Yochem last night. Dad is on the board and I was asked out of courtesy. I took my knitting along and got a lot done on Becky’s coat. I didn’t sit in on the meeting, but Mrs. Yochem said she didn’t want me to have to sit home alone.

I have a very cute picture of Becky. We took several when they were here Feb. 4. I liked it so well I had an 8×10 made and put it in the office. When I get another copy made of the small one, I will send you one. They plan to come for this week-end, so will get some more. I had the batteries in the flash attachment changed, so got some very good pictures the last time.

Did you take the examination for advanced ROTC yet? You haven’t mentioned it. I was thinking you would have taken it by this time. Since you got such a good grade (Mark said that was better than he ever made in military) you will probably pass.

Dad is going to install an inner com. system from our bedroom to the front door, so we won’t have to go to the door at night. We may have a station in the kitchen also, but to begin with it will be from bedroom to front door.

Just had a telephone call which lasted too long so must cut this so I can get to town, and pick up the mail.

Love Mother

Additional Links:

John Glenn orbited the earth on February 20, 1962. For NASA’s biography of Glenn, click here.
For an example of one of the newspaper spreads about Glenn, read this excerpt from the Los Angeles Times here.
In the local news, read about the efforts of the Newton County Cancer Society in the spring of 1962. Part 1 and Part 2.

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/10/02/john-glenn/

No Mon, No Fun, Your Son

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

[Postmark Feb. 8, 1962 Wright 533 – Handwritten by David]

Thanks for sending the paper.

Dear David:

When I dropped in to visit Mrs. Myers and she showed me your letter I was about to disown you because we hadn’t heard from you since you had returned to school and I remember you promised to write weekly. I was reminded of the little “joke” I had once heard – it goes like this – A young man was in college and having such a good time he didn’t have time to write until he ran out of money and this is what he wrote – Dear Dad: No mon, no fun, Your Son. The reply was: Dear Son: How sad, too bad, Your Dad. But since we have received a nice long letter and you made the Dean’s list, we won’t have to resort to such measures. We have marked off May 2^nd and plan to visit Bloominton that day and attend the Ceremonies. You know we used to do that when John was in school. Mark and Shirley and Becky were here Sunday (I was showing Mark how to do the book work) and they were quite pleased that you had made the Dean’s list.

Becky was cut as a bug Sunday. Mark and I were back here at my desk trying to get something done and she kept wanting me to hold her. Usually she doesn’t want to be held, but Sunday she just wouldn’t leave us alone. Finally Shirley put her to bed for a nap. They came down at just about 12 o’clock and we went out to the Nu-Joy for dinner. They stayed for supper and we had a few thinks I had on hands, like ham, eggs, etc. I don’t think anyone was really too hungry, because we all had such a huge dinner.

I have been so busy this week, it seem like I have been on a tread mill. Monday I attended a meeting in Lafayette that last from 10 AM until 3 PM. Monday night there was a Bd. of Education meeting at the church and since I am Chairman of that Commission I thought I had better attend. I think things are not going so well in the MYF on Sun. mornings. Rev. Fields told us that the MYF’ers are thinking about going back into the worship service with the rest of the S.S. in the Sanctuary. I really think it is due to their leader not being equal to his job. Rev. Fields has intimated to me that the young people do not care for him. Incidentally Rev. Fields did have a bone broken in his ankle, and Dad put a walking cast on his leg yesterday. Now that I have mentioned it, you didn’t know about his fall. One day when Joan drove for me to go to Lafayette to get an x-ray treatment, he fell on the back step at the parsonage and Dad thought he had sprained his ankle. He kept walking on it and how he could do that is more than I can figure. Tuesday night there was a meeting at the Church for the solicitors for the parsonage fund to report on their work. The week before Dad and I both attended the meeting to get our assignments. We took 8 names and of course, I did the soliciting. Out of about 120 names 76 cards were returned this week with the result of $14,700.00 pledged. We need 23,000.00, but since all the contacts haven’t been made we feel sure the balance will be met. Twenty-five persons at least have been working on the project and at least 65 families have made pledges in spite of the fact that Nev. did a lot of talking against it. Some of the workers thought she influence some people against it, but I don’t think she did too much damage (except showed a few people what she really is) since we have accomplished what we have so far. The WSCS is going to do something on the project, since we have about $2,000 in the bank. We gave $1,000 before Christmas to get the think going and pledged $1,500 for the next three years ($500 a year). Ours, I am sorry to say was the only one that large. Rus A. had hoped to get several $1,000, but so far the only one next to ours is $750. Dad said with our initial $1,000 and the additional $1,5000 making more than a tenth of what they need, he thought they should be able to raise the rest.

Dad got one set of shelves built in the work area for me – on the west wall. We have taken out the old washing machine and dryer (temporarily they are stored in the garage) and as soon as the new combination comes and we get it installed, Dad is going to build a cabinet around on the wall above it, so when not in use, will look just like another cabinet. He at present is working on shelves to be built on the east wall, just under and south of the wall safe. I said I wanted to get rid of this desk, because I want to get a new unit to use back here, but Dad thought you might want to keep this desk, so I won’t do anything about it at present.

Next Thursday we are going to have the annual smorgasbord at the Church and I am ticket chairman, so have a few tickets to get distributed today. I sold tickets amounting to $31 yesterday, but have to sell many more than that to make the thing a success. I am not going to do much more selling myself, but put them out for others to sell for me.

I had to have the car worked on again and they couldn’t get it finished the day I took it in, so drove a Buick for an evening and morning. I have my car back not and had a wash job done and it looks pretty good again.

Love Mother

(over)
Keep up those good grades, and don’t forget to write, Rec’d a long letter from John yesterday & he described a Muslim wedding he had attended. Let me know when to deposit for you again. I have love track.

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/09/29/no-mon-no-fun-your-son/

Sprained Muscle

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

[Wright 533 – Handwritten by David]
146 W. Graham Street
October 10, 1961

Dear David:

So much has happened since I last took time to write to you. I can’t remember where to begin. The last week in Sept. I attended four meetings in Veedersburg, Oxford, Stidham and Delphi. I would leave home between 7 and 8 o’clock each day and be home by four or 4:30. Two days I left the meetings after the morning sessions and was home a little earlier. One day Clarence and Clara came at about six o’clock. They were going to attend the Progress show at Rensselaer the next day and couldn’t find a place to stay, so came here. I had just opened a can of soup and was thawing some hamburger, but changed my menu and had steaks and a few other thinks that made a fairly decent meal. We showed John’s pictures after dinner and since they wanted to get away early the next day went to bed early. Dad had to leave to go to the hospital, so he left just as we were ready to go to bed. Clarence & Clara got up so quietly the next morning, I just heard them as they closed the front door (5:30). Last week I was getting so much done on Monday and Tuesday (had taxes to figure, month-end book work to do, etc.) getting ready to take care of Becky from Thurs. to Sunday. Tuesday evening I unfortunately sprained the muscle in my right arm and had a rather painful time – couldn’t sleep because of the pain – for several days. I was so happy to have Becky with us, but was sorry I had to feel so uncomfortable while she was here. Sunday I decided to stay home because it was too hard on my sore arm to try to get in and out of the car with Becky. Putting her in the car seat was more than can be done with one arm. Rev. Fields took my S.S. class. My arm felt much better yesterday morning and I did a little too much in the way of using my arm and last night had a bad time again. I didn’t sleep very well after 4 o’clock. I am going to get another diathermy treatment this morning. Jo has quit working for Esta. She is working for Mingles at their factory in Goodland. Mark and Shirley got their moving done and took their refrigerator. The apartment they now have isn’t new and required a lot of cleaning and painting. Becky has a room of her room now. Mark thinks he will be able to get an accounting job by the end of this school term – February. They don’t particularly like the apartment they have now, but their rent is just about half what it was on N. Kenmore, so for the difference they feel like they can put up with less. I asked Mark how long he intended to live there and he said “one year” – that is now long their lease runs. He thinks by that time he will have a job that will pay him enough to afford a better place. We plan to go see them as soon as we can get the baby schedule cleared. Dad delivered a 2 lb. baby one day last week. HE thought it might make it, but last night he had a call from the hospital that the little fellow wasn’t doing so well. I haven’t heard yet this a.m. I find myself writing in the same style I use when writing to John – without paragraphs. We are waiting on the baby schedule to make our vacation plans. Had thought we would take the last week in Oct. and first week in Nov., but now we are just waiting for the babies to be delivered and plan from that time. I must get this finished and get to the office for my heat treatment. I saw Audrey Jackson last night. We were both attending a meeting of the Hospital Auxiliary at the Presbyterian Church. It is still so warm and we have had enough rain, the grass keeps growing. Dad has had to mow every week and sometimes more often since you have been gone. I have decided to give up the flower bed around the north side of the house, so he is sodding that space. It really looks a lot better and will be a lot less work for me. He says he is going to fill in the place where the violas are, since it is too low. He said he is going to take over that project next year, but won’t tell me what he is going to put there. Probably geraniums. At least every year he asks me why I don’t put geraniums there.

Love Mother

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/09/25/sprained-muscle/

Severe Infection

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

[Wright 533 – Handwritten by David]

Dear David:

A lot has happened around here since I last wrote to you. Sunday evening Mark, Shirley and Becky came. Mark had been having a severe infection (kidney & bladder) and wanted to see Dad. Monday morning early Shirley went back to Chicago and Mark and Becky stayed here. I took Mark to Lafayette Monday morning to the Clinic to see a Specialist. Of course, Becky went along, but was very good. She travels well. Tues. evening Shirley came after work. After we had dinner and she had time to rest from the trip down, they went back to Chicago. Mark was feeling better, but still not first rate. He was supposed to have registered for school last Friday, but called the registrar at NW and was told he could register Wed. I think he could have had another day of rest, but since he felt he had to go back for Wednesday they started for home around 9 o’clock. He had given notice to Home Federal that he was quitting Fri. the 15^th. As it turned out, he was ill and couldn’t work Wed., Thurs., or Fri. of that last week. He called and told his boos he had been ill and asked to have his pay check mailed to him and he refused to send it, so Mark was going to have to make a trip to Home Fed. to pick up his pay check, in addition to going to NW (downtown branch) to register Wednesday. I just hope he felt better by that time. Becky was in the best of health while they were here. She certainly is a good baby. We had quite a time. We became very well acquainted in the two days and she was always ready for me to take her. I just wondered how she would react when her mother came Tuesday evening. She really jumped for joy when Shirley came. We have John’s latest pictures developed and have shown them twice. I finally got around to getting enough holders for the pictures, so we don’t have to stop and re-load the box every time we want to run another set thru the projector. Mark called this noon and is still having difficulty – now he is having diarrhea (from taking so much medicine in the past week) and wasn’t feeling too good. Dad told him to take the pink liquid until he gets things slowed down. He said he just had to push himself to go yesterday. He said by last night he couldn’t make but one class. He doesn’t have another class until Monday night. I am hoping he will be much improved by then. I called Mr. Owings yesterday and he still hasn’t been able to get Benquet for you. He says sometimes it takes weeks to get an order thru. Why don’t you decide on something you can get and get your money to work. John received a dividend check from Rexall today. He bought 25 shares at 49 and it is now 55 or 56. I didn’t look at it today. Dad is building a house for the tools. He is making a pre-fab – that is he is nailing parts of it together in the garage. He is using a material that looks like very thick cardboard, but it is weatherproof. I am going to start on statements today, since I will be away next week (26, 27, 28 & 29) when I should be home working on them. I am going to address them and the envelopes and next Saturday I should be able to fill in the amounts, and get them into the mail for delivery Monday. We have marked off the last week in October and first week in November for our vacation, but haven’t made any plans yet as to where we will go. I will get your deposit into the bank tomorrow. I have to go to the dentist tomorrow. I had just received a notice that my appointment is due and today I broke off a piece of filling while eating some raw carrot. I am washing quilts today and the family room is very hot and humid, but I want to get these things washed and put away. Yes, the car has been reclaimed. It is clean inside and out. I checked on the mileage – as to oil change – after you left and it had about 2,600 miles since the last change in July, so one of the first things was to have the oil changed and a lube job. I think I am going to have to weaken and get a new seat cover for the front seat and new floor pads. If I do that I think it will look almost like a new car again.

Since you have your birthday gift I will just say, HAPPY BIRTHDAY.

Love Mother

9-21-61

©2016 copyright owned and transcribed by Deborah Sweeney
Post originally found: https://genealogylady.net/2016/09/24/severe-infection/

Back to School

4 Replies

Letter transcription:

[Wright Sept – Handwritten by David]
9-14-61

Dear David:

We are still waging the battle of the crickets, but from the way the weather has turned maybe they will go underground. It was so hot yesterday I had the air conditioner on and today I have the heat on. You can add another $2 to your bank account (GM dividend check came Tuesday). I haven’t heard any more from Mr. Owings. I went up to the office Tuesday to pay my little account and he said there was a long waiting list for Benquet so you may not get it for a while. It closed at 1¼ yesterday. I can’t remember – did you tell him to buy at 1¼ or 1 1/8? Dad mowed most of the lawn yesterday evening after office hours – can you believe it, it needed to be mowed after all of that rain. He finished this afternoon. He is working on some shelves at the office this afternoon since finishing the lawn. We have the Cadillac books. Mr. S. wants us to select the colors for a new one. Unless GM gets their strike settled, we won’t need to bother – but I rather think it will be settled soon. If it is as cool in Bloomington as it is here you won’t be needing your Burmuda shorts now. We have had cloudy weather all day with the temperature around 56°. Dad was looking for some gloves when he did the mowing. Did you take any gloves with you? He found a pair and didn’t seem to know who they belonged to so I am wondering if you forgot gloves in your packing. – – We have had supper – not the usual fried chicken for Thursday, but ham and soup. The refrigerator is beginning to look like we need, as you put it one time, a CARE package. I haven’t had to buy any groceries yet since you have been gone. When Mark gets the refrigerator from the garage I won’t be able to keep such a meat supply. Did you know they are going to take the refrigerator for their apartment on Lawndale? They asked me, that is Mark did, if I wanted to help them move. I told them I would take care of Becky. I didn’t think I would be of much help on a moving deal, but I think I could manage to take care of the baby sitting job for a day. I suggested letting me keep her here. I think Shirley’s mother and father and Janet and her husband are all going to help with the moving. I had started this letter and written quite a bit before I discovered I was using the same form I use in writing to John – no paragraphs. We have the 2 rolls of films John sent home developed and are going to look at the pictures on the projector tonight. From what I could tell from just looking at them I think he got some very good pictures. Quite a few from Bangkok. I made a raid on the crickets with a fly bomb and as of now I don’t hear one cricket. Maybe I have won.

Love Mother

P.S. I banked $250.00 & $2.00 for you.

Mother’s Day 1961

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

[Wright – Handwritten by David]
May 13, 1961

Dear David,

Your Mother’s Day card received. I also rec’d one from Bob & Lea and a card and (two gardenias) corsage from Shirley, Mark & Becky. My corsage from last week-end (prom, etc.) is still good. I told Dad he could wear one tomorrow. He gave me a new watch. My old one flipped off my wrist one day and hit the floor. After that it wouldn’t run. I took it in to LeBeau. He said it would cost so much to repair it he recommended a new one (naturally). I also received a notice from the bank that your account was .53₵ overdrawn. I deposited $25.00 for you. I took a sunbath today. That old tank platform makes an ideal secluded spot for a sun bath. This is my first day

[page 2] so only took about 3 or 4 mi. on each side. If this sunshine continues I should be getting a good tan by the time you come home.

Mrs. Myers had to have a tooth pulled this a.m. Since she doesn’t have anyone to give her a Mother’s Day gift and since I had received so much I took her a pretty plant. She was quite pleased but was feeling rather shaken up from the tooth pulling ordeal. Let us know where to come and get you. We are going to C.C. Tuesday to Clarence’s to hear the family history from the cousin who went to Switzerland last summer.

Love Mother

Visiting Relatives

1 Reply

Letter transcription:

[Wright 533 – in David’s handwriting]
March 20, 1961

Dear David:

I think I forgot to tell you to add another $2.00 to your bank account, (GM dividend). I deposited it for you when it came, but haven’t written since then. I am a little tired today, but not as tired as I thought I would be. I have just about replaced everything and have washed all the extra bed clothes, so by tomorrow I should be ready for the club luncheon and meeting in the afternoon. The only thing left is food. I put the steak into several packages and put it in the freezer and the ham also. For some reason my apple pies didn’t get eaten and now we are working on them. The Clay City relatives and the Mutchlers left around 4:30. Uncle Floyd and Aunt Ruth and Steve stayed a while longer. When they got ready to leave Floyd told Ruth she had to drive home. He had taken a long trip on Saturday and only had two hours of sleep Sat. night. Mark and Shirley stayed long enough to feed Becky her supper. I put her in her pajamas and when they left Shirley had a bottle to give her on the way.

I have some tax business to work on, so must get with it. Can’t keep them waiting (they gave us ten days to answer a question and it has been almost a week since we received the letter).

Love Mother

Out of the Office

2 Replies

Letter transcription:

[Kentland to Wright Quad 513 – in David’s handwriting]
February 10, 1961

Dear David:

Yours received and $10 added to your bank account. We received a letter from John yesterday. He said they are in the rainy season and from his description, it really rains there.

I finally got the Chev. garage repairman to work on my car. I am waiting for it now. It is 11:10 and he was supposed to have it here around 10. At any rate it will be like new when I do get it and clean again.

Mark, Shirley and Becky are coming this evening. Mark called two evenings ago. They (he and Shirley) had had the flu, but so far Becky was OK. I do hope she doesn’t get sick. Mark has decided not to quit his job after all. They have a baby sitter and Shirley is going back to work the middle of this month.

Dad has been out of the office so much this week – most of the day Wednesday – he had to go to Hammond to confer about a court case he will have to testify in. One day he had to go to Fowler to appear in court. He wasn’t gone too long that day. Today he has to go to the hospital for a staff meeting at 12:30. He hasn’t been around here for lunch much this week. This month the baby cases are few, but next month I think there are about 15 due.

We were listening to the news (as usual) and thought we might hear some comments on the President’s answer as to whether he have a missile gap. You will remember that during the campaign he was positive on the subject but now it seems he is waiting to hear from his investigating committee. We have heard two prominent republicans commenting. They said essentially what we were thinking. Now that he is in the driver’s seat it doesn’t sound so good to be telling the world we aren’t in top place, or that we are second rate.

Our weather is warm enough today to do some window washing, but I have an appointment at Doris’s this afternoon, so the windows will have to wait.

Love Mother