Saturday, January 12, 2013

I will always see you folks in that house

Vernal
Jan. 3, 1956

Dear Perry & Gene,

Lola told us of the passing of Gene's father. Our heart goes out to her in sympathy and understanding, and we pray the Lord to comfort her and loved ones. It's five years today since we laid our mother to rest. So we do know the loss of parents and the comfort of the Lord's sweet spirit at these times. We do pray Gene dear gets back home safe and that all of you can keep well while she is gone.

We do hope all the children were well to enjoy a happy Christmas. And we do wish a very bright, healthy and happy new year to you all. Thanks for the Christmas greetings. Our love to all. Leona and Thelma [Perry's aunts, his father's sisters.]

Dale, Jan, Renee & Harriet
Sunday, April 15, 1956, 3 pm

Dear Gene & Family

Well, how was the Adams Ward reunion? Brother Payne, our patriarch, and Bishop Randall told me they were at the reunion and that they saw you and many of the other former Adamites. . . .We had a welfare dinner last Friday night--a Swedish smorgasbord--$5 per member or $10 per family. So had a variety menu where they all could fill their plates with all sorts of food. . . .

I talked a little while to Mona [Pierce's wife] by phone this pm. Can't talk too long--costs 4 1/4 cents per minute for 5 minutes plus tax, which makes it 25 cents or so. They have a phone now. She was watching the picture of a visiting tour through the temple. It was on at one pm today with the choir and talks coming from Westwood Chapel near the temple. . . .

I've gotten those colored film pictures of Dad and me (sitting) that were taken on Mother's Day by Pierce. I have them enlarged 5 x 7 inches and put in plastic frames with glass over the pictures. They can be set up on fireplace. I have five made, and they are very good, I think. . . . These are the last and best pictures we had taken of Dad, and we're fortunate to have them. Sure am grateful to Pierce for having gotten the expensive color film and came around in time to take them. Dad and I had just gotten home from church.

We had a Mother's Day program and our Mother's did the singing in the choir that morning for Sunday School. Sister Phelps and I had worked Saturday pm making the red carnation corsages for each singing mother and one for LaVon Mead, our director, and one for our organist. So I was dressed just as I was at church.

Dad and I went to Clifton's for our Mother's Day dinner. Valerie (Mona's and Pierce's little girl) wanted to go along, so we took her along. I brought her home when we got through. Dad came on home to take his afternoon rest and nap. He seemed to tire out so quickly and just needed to rest and sleep so much. Now nearly a year gone, and this Mother's Day I'll be alone. We never know what the year will bring.

Anyway, I have 5 large pictures 5 x 7 made and I think they are very good. I'm sending one to Aunt Edith and Aunt Harriet without frame. They can get one to suit their taste. But I got one each for you, Rich and Pierce and myself. The glass and frame protect the pictures. They shouldn't be put in too much light exposure though. I will keep yours till you move for it will save you having to pack, and I also have the extra pictures of your children--the single ones--so will keep them for you till you move.

Well, I'd better close and go drop this in the mailbox. Heard you had better weather this Conference. Will be glad to have you closer, but you'll be a little farther away than Pierce's. Did I tell you that Sister Redford and I went to see the Robe? She said some of it had been clipped out. She saw it one time before. The comedy we saw for the 2nd picture was a scream--I laughed till my sides hurt. Well, so long. Lots of love to all. Mother

Linda in front of the little tract home on Merrywood St.
[Perry accepted a teaching position for the Pomona Unified School District to start as an elementary school teacher the fall of the 1956 school year. The following letter from his mother is addressed to 2450 Merrywood St., Pomona, California, the little tract home where Perry, Gene and family moved that summer.]

December 5, 1956 (excerpt)

Dear Perry & Gene,

We had Thanksgiving with Hazel up to your place. [Perry's sister, Hazel, and her husband, Walter, bought the house that Perry built from an old chicken coop behind his parent's property. They lived in this house with their son, David, for many years.] Genevieve and Lorin and three children, Hope and Grant and Nelson with the rest of us. We felt that you folks were here too.

I will always see you folks in that house. Little Renee and Harriet Lea around the sink whenever Gene was working there. Oh well, such is life. . . . Love, Mother

December 11, 1956

Dear Folks,

I'll try and send my letter and return Renee's "idea of going to California." We had quite a bit of fun looking at it, and I showed it to the folks at Thanksgiving. She didn't make any flowers down the driveway but remembered an apple on the ground. Of course the flowers weren't out much by then.

We got another good supply of snow. It seems good not to have to go up to the chickens, in the snow, but it would be good to have that much extra every month. [When Perry moved the family to California, he sold his chicken business. It seemed hard to have to actually go to a store and buy eggs and milk.] We got coaxed into having our house covered with white tile on the outside, also our garage. Surely does look better, and it will save that paint job that was inevitably coming. In fact, it will never need painting they say. So with our taxes $15 higher than last year and these new payments, it is good we got a little extra. Of course, we couldn't have done it if we hadn't had the egg money.

Renee can't remember how she got the "real" horsie
while Harriet and Jan had to settle for willow sticks
Is it easier to budget your income since you have a regular salary? Our ward bishopric is emphasizing very strongly storing some food. So that is another project we are going to try and squeeze in. The other night David stayed all night here as his parents went to a party. I read him a story from the Relief Society magazine about a little boy who had lost his sister and wanted to adopt one for Christmas. David said, "I'd like to adopt Harriet Lea for Christmas." We think of them so much, I mean her and the rest, and wonder how they are doing. Did they enjoy the "Over the freeway to Grandma's house" for Thanksgiving Day?

Aunt Eva has been very sick. [Another sister of Elmer's.] They didn't expect her to live, so they sent for their children. Venna went from here and Irvin and Hollis came home. I don't know just where Irvin was, but you know Hollis was in France. He got a month's leave and has 16 more months to serve there. I would like to see and talk to him. She is so much better again now. I think seeing her boys must have given her renewed hope and strength.

I am sending you a letter of Venice's. [Perry's sister] I have to laugh at the way she gets some things off like her children "getting hungry every day--not every two or three months to meet Elvyn's pay day." Did you read about John Goodrich's boy getting killed? Also if you take the news, you read about the division of Uintah Stake. Quite interesting. It is rather hard to imagine the lines of demarcation of the two stakes, but it is surely time they divided such a big stake--both in wards and territory.

Many people inquire about you. Love to all of you. Mother

Marian in the orange tree in the front yard on Merrywood
December 20, 1956

Dear Folks,

Here it is so close to Christmas. I'm only just now getting around to the writing of Christmas cards. It's hard to get the realization that it's actually the holiday season. Perry is out cutting the grass and the children play in their summer clothes.

Oh how we'd love to drop in on you for awhile Christmas Day! Hope you are both well and have a wonderful Christmas. Love from us all, Gene

December 27, 1956 (excerpt)

Dear Perry, Gene & All,

Thanks for the nice cards. The children's card was sure cute, and I pictured them also "all in a row." When your card came, I said to Hazel, "Well, no wonder those folks don't write. They don't have time. They still have to cut the grass and water it too, I guess." She laughed and got out this little verse she found in the Reader's Digest.

"A garden is a lovely thing, it must be spaded in the Spring;
And weeded when the Summer's near,
And mulched again when Winter's near.
The Season best? Do you wonder?
I like it best when it's snowed under."

No comments:

Post a Comment

Note: Only a member of this blog may post a comment.