She was always in such good health; it was shocking to lose her on April 6, 1999. More than 20 years ago, but I think of her every day. The photo above shows my Mother, the oldest, surrounded by her probably 6 year old twin sisters, and holding her toddler brother. It's likely 1928.
Even though her Dad was a doctor, they "felt" the Depression of the 1930's. People would say "There was just no money." They were frugal, careful with their things, etc. It is an entirely different way from how people seem at present. I believe young people today are entirely unprepared for any kind of "real trouble" that might come along in the world.
One of my all time favorite snap shots of my Mom; she's about 3. My Grandfather, a medical doctor, decided that it would be just fine to deliver "the baby" at home. I heard it was a little dicey. The house was full of relatives--at least a Grandmother or two. No one knew what would happen, but somehow they all kept my Mom out of the house and entertained while the deliveries--since it was twins--took place. Finally, she was allowed to see her Mother--and shrieked in horror to see her looking so ill and surrounded by all those new babies. Not happy. But this lovely snap was a result.
All better now, the twins are about 2, Mom about 5. 1924-ish. In the early days, he had his office/practice in the home, with a nurse who lived with them; Grandma even had a housekeeper. But even with help, she worked very hard. Later, in the 1940's he moved to a stylish office in the Carew Tower in downtown Cincinnati. He was handful, but he loved his family and his family loved him.
Look at the footwear on those twins! Those were the days when people put real fitted leather shoes on the smallest of children. The twin on our left passed away a couple of years ago, aged 93. Accomplished piano player whose career was in education. Sadly, the sweet little curly headed girl on the right did not make it to 30 due to a tumor near the brain; devastated the entire family.
I love this sweet snap of Mom and her Aunt, her Dad's younger sister.
Years passed. Mom had clear memories of the bad flooding that occurred along the Ohio River in 1937, the year she graduated from Hughes High School. The family home was high on Mount Auburn, so no flooding there--but the lower parts of the city were soggy for weeks.
When Mom dressed up she was so lovely. Ditto, her sisters. When I was very young, I always thought she was so much prettier and more stylish than other kid's Moms. Better educated, too. She had learned French and even some Italian. She loved opera, of all things. (Though Cincinnati was a cultured city with a fine concert hall.)
This photo was probably from her college days. She studied dietetics at the University of Cincinnati. Then she got a job at Kroger's labs "tasting strawberry jam", as she described it. She was a wonderful cook as well--but mostly learned from her Mother. And she sewed. Her Mother sewed and they bonded over that when Mother was a baby--she would crawl into her Mom's lap while hand sewing was done. Mother probably made the dress in the photo.
And then "the War broke out" as people described it then. By 1943, she was 24 and would be quick to tell you that there were no interesting people (fellows) to go out with; they were all in Europe or the Pacific. So one day, on her lunch hour, she went to a recruitment office and signed up for the Army with out telling her parents. Her Father would have jollied her out of it, since he couldn't outright forbid it. My Grandmother's younger brother was lost in the Philippines at the time--literally, since he was fighting with the Joint Phil/Amer Resistance, no one knew where he was--so it was a worry to have a daughter go off at the same time. The brother was killed by a Japanese sniper in 1944.
I love that active street photo shot above. Mother on the left, don't know who the other was. This was taken on their short leave in NY before boarding the Queen Elizabeth (used as troop carrier) for the scary voyage across the Atlantic. Her unit was the 166th General Hospital stationed near Le Mans in Northern France. And yes, the winter of 1944 was a beast, especially went lived thru in a canvas tent.
Like many of the women who served in WW2, she came home with the much different idea of the world than if she had stayed at home. She met my Dad over there, so our family would not be the same if she hadn't joined up. (Dad was already in the Army before the war came.)
Mother, Happy Birthday and Love. And Thanks. Many Thanks.
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