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June 6, 1944

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MemorialLetter1980

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GoldenAnniversary08

50Years

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Don's Letters 2014

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Editor's note
This letter appears in "all caps" as the typewriter Mother used at the time only typed in caps. I rewrote it the same way it appeared for the sake of authenticity. ~~KR


The Letters That Frances Wrote

DEAREST LITTLE SIS, TIL, EDDIE, ROSE, PAL, ANN AND PEG,

WHILE MY CHIEF IS GETTING HIS PERSONAL CORRESUNDAY NIGHT

MARCH 10TH (1946) HIGHLANDS

SPONDENCE CAUGHT UP, TO THE BOYS IN THE SERVICE AND "NEW MISTERS", I WILL SNITCH A FEW MINUTES TO LOVE YOU.

TODAY MOMMY DIDN'T COME IN SO THE HOME FRONT HASNT MUCH TO TELL. DAD DID THOUGH AND WENT TO MARYS AND JOES FOR BREAKFAST WHILE RED AND JIM CAME HERE. US FOUR ATE IN THE PRETTY KITCHEN, BRIDGET (Tillie Zembal), AND HOW THE CHIEF LAUGHED TO SEE ME SET THE TABLE HERE WITHOUT BATTING AN EYE WHEN NOT SO LONG AGO, WHILE WE HAD OUR FAITHFUL SERVANT (TIL), IT WAS STRICTLY TABOO.

WE REMARKED THAT IT ISN'T AS THOUGH WE HADN'T NOTICED ALL YOU DID TIL, BUT IT SURE IS TWICE AS APPRECIATED NOW WHEN WE LOOK BACK AT ALL THE WEEKS WE DIDN'T DO HOUSEWORK OR COOK.

HEY TIL. WE WENT TO THE SHRINERS CLAM BAKE AT GRAYLAND LAST FRIDAY AND I WANT YOU TO KNOW IT WOULD HAVE WARMED YOUR OLD HEART HEARING THE NICE COMMENTS ABOUT YOU AND ALL THE FUN-LOVING SHRINERS WHO ASKED WHY YOU DIDN'T COME WITH US. REMEMBER "COSMOPOLIS?" THE FELLOW YOU DANCED S0 MUCH WITH AT THE BALL? WELL HE WAS WAITING FOR GRANT AND ME SO COULD GRAB YOU FOR THE EVENING. HE NEVER STOPPED TELLING ME WHAT FUN YOU WERE.

OLD MAN ELERDING WAS ANOTHER ONE. HE TOLD GRANT IF HE WAS 20 YRS YOUNGER HE WOULD SURE "GIVE THE SIS-IN-LAW A MERRY WOOING." WELL IT WAS A NICE PARTY AND I DID ENJOY IT.

TO EASE MY CONSCIENCE I WENT TO MASS THAT MORNING (LENT) AND GRANT GOT UP AN HOUR EARLIER TO MAKE THAT POSSIBLE, CAUSE HE WANTED TO GO TO THAT SHINDIG SO MUCH AND IT WAS LADIES NIGHT SO HE HAD TO HAVE HIS LADY.

TODAY AFTER THE KIDS LEFT WE DROVE TO SHELTON FOR THE RIDE AND TO PICK GREENS FOR THE SHOP AND OUR APT. IT WAS A BEAUTIFUL RIDE. WE GOT BACK IN TIME FOR CHURCH SERVICES AND NOW EVEN THE DINNER DISHES ARE DONE GIVING US A FREE EVENING FOR CRIBBAGE. THE CHIEF SKUNKS ME TOO OFTEN AND SINCE PEG SENDS US BUTTER WE DON'T NEED SO MUCH MONEY IN THAT KITTY.

IT WOULD BE JUST AS WELL IF I WON ONCE. I SHOULD HAVE LEARNED YOUR POWER OF CONCENTRATING LOUIE. (AKA TIL)

AND TIL BEFORE I GET OFF THE SUBJECT OF YOU AND US, I WANT TO MENTION FRODEL IS GETTING MARRIED THIS SUNDAY. MRS. KROFT CAME TO TELL ME ALSO THAT READ IS TOO SICK TO RESUME HER DUTIES AND THAT SHE IS GIVING BUT 5 DAYS. BUT THEY ARE MANAGING ...ONLY MISS YOU TERRIBLY FOR THE FUN YOU WERE. I TOLD HER IT WAS THE SAME AT OUR PLACE.

LOUIE YOU ARE VERY INDISPENSABLE ONCE YOU MAKE YOURSELF KNOWN. CES (Til's new husband Ruben Cespedes) WILL LEARN THAT. THANKS FOR YOUR TWO NEWSY LETTERS. THE KIDS (younger brothers Jim and Julian) READ THEM TODAY AND I WAS GOING TO SEND THEM TO MARY'S BUT THEY ARENT APT TO COME BACK SO I SAVED THEM TO SEND TO JEANNE AND OTHERS.

JIMMY SAID MARY AND JOE GOT THEMSELVES A SWELL DAVENPORT AND CHAIR SET. MAKES THEIR ROOM VERY NICE. I DON'T GET OVER TO SEE THE KIDS AS YOU KNOW BUT THEY COME HERE.

WELL FOR THE LATEST NEWS, COUSIN MARY IS GETTING MARRIED. FATHER RAFFLES CAME OVER ONE NIGHT TO QUIZ ME ABOUT HER ELIGIBILITY. SAY HE IS ONE FINE YOUNG PRIEST. HE TOLD US HE IS DRIVING TO ERIE, PA. (HIS HOME) THIS SUMMER TO MARRY (officiate at the marriage of) HIS TWO YOUNGER SISTERS AND ALSO TO SAY HIS 4TH ANNIVERSARY (of his priesthood) MASS AT THE CATHEDRAL WHERE HE WAS ORDAINED.

HE TOLD ME HE DROVE UP WISHKAH ONE DAY TO SEE WHERE THE PARISHIONERS LIVED AND VISITED WITH OUR FOLKS FOR A GOOD HOUR. SAID MOTHER WAS SO HOSPITABLE HE FELT LIKE HE WAS HOME. CANT YOU JUST IMAGINE HER?

WELL JIMMY PUT IN FOR A NEW DODGE WHICH HE EXPECTS IN 5 MONTHS AND RED IS IN HIS GLORY RUNNING AROUND WITH THAT PICKUP SO HE DOESN'T CARE WHEN HIS NEW FORD ARRIVES. THEY ARE FINE AND ALSO ALL IS FINE UP HOME.

RED SAID HE SPENT FRIDAY NIGHT AND SAT. SPRING CLEANING THE YARD WITH DAD. THINGS ARE IN SHAPE NOW AND IN ORDER. DADS NOT WORRIED ABOUT THE FARM NOW THAT HE GETS HIS PENSION MONEY ($77 per month) ALTHOUGH RED SAID HE WOULD HELP HIM GET A LITTLE PLANTING GOING.

EDDIE THE REST OF OUR LETTERS BOUNCED BACK LAST WEEK. BUT I GOT THEM OUT PRONTO, AIRMAIL, SO BY NOW YOU SHOULD HAVE ALL THAT WERE INTENDED FOR YOU. THE KIDS WERE SO ANXIOUS TO KNOW THE LATEST ABOUT YOU SO THE LETTER, BRIEF AS IT WAS. CAME AS A TREAT. WE HOPE YOU CAN KEEP UP THAT PACE TILL YOU GET THOSE THREE WEEKS CAUGHT UP. THAT IS REALLY TOUGH I KNOW. YOUR TITLE CAME … CAR TITLE. RED WAS GOING TO DROP IT OFF SO I WILL FETCH IT TO YOU SOON AS HE DOES.

BERNARD FOSHAUG IS GETTING MARRIED THIS WEEK TO A HOQUIAM GIRL.

DAVID BAKER IS COMING HOME. MRS BAKER ASKED ABOUT YOU AS SHE ALWAYS DOES AND WANTED ME TO TELL YOU THAT HE IS ON HIS WAY FROM JAPAN. GETTING HIS DISCHARGE THEY HOPE.

JEANNE NO LETTER FROM YOU. WHAT CAN BE THE MATTER?? NAVY LIFE AT ITS BEST?? OR WORK?. WELL ANYWAY YOU ARE DUE IN SEATTLE IN ANOTHER 10 DAYS AND HOME FOR A VISIT. WE WILL KILL THE BEST CALF OR SOMETHING SO DON'T COME UNANNOUNCED. THE PHONE IS STILL IN AND WE ARE TOO MOST OF THE TIME.

WE GOT A NEWSY LETTER FROM BETTY. SHE AND LITTLE CAROL ALMOST CAME UP FOR LAST WEEK END. THE WEATHER CHANGED THEIR PLANS. THEN BETTY IS OF AGE TO BE OUT WITH YOUNG MEN (I MEAN THOSE UP-STARTS) AND SHE HAS ONE SHE ESPECIALLY SINGLES OUT, THOUGH THEY GO IN GROUPS ON THEIR SHIN-DIGS. WELL ITS HARD TO BELIEVE SHE IS THAT GROWN UP. ALL IS FINE THERE.

WE HAD A SWELL LETTER FROM PEG TOO, THANKS SIS FOR THAT AND THE BUTTER. THATS TAKING PITY ON ME … WHO LOST HER LONG FAITHFUL SERVANT. YOU WOULD LAUGH AT THE IRONY OF LIFE. BRIDGET GETS WAITED ON. SHE SITS DOWN TO A WELL APPOINTED TABLE WHERE ITS BUTLER AND MAID SERVICE AND EATS WITH THE BEST OF THEM. (I DON'T MEAN THE HELP) IMAGINE OUR BRIDGET?

PEG DON'T WORRY ABOUT ANYTHING THAT COMES BACK IN PLACE OF THE BUTTER IN THAT LITTLE CAN. ITS TRIVIAL. I THINK ITS SO SWELL THAT YOU AND ANNE LIVE NEAR EACH OTHER AND ARE SO CONGENIAL. EACH HELPING THE OTHER. IF I CAN GET SOME MORE MATERIALS SUCH AS FOR BABY NEEDS I WILL FETCH FORTH.

I HAVE TIL SCOUTING SEATTLE FOR ME. SEE WE ARE WAITING TO ADOPT A BABY OR TWO OR THREE OR SIX. ANYWAY IT MAY BE WITHIN 3 MONTHS. WE ARE WAITING FOR NEWBORN ONES SO WILL KNOW IN ADVANCE OF ITS ARRIVAL BUT JUST THE SAME HAVE TO GET A FEW THINGS TOGETHER.

WE WERE TRYING TO BUY A HOME ON THE CITY LIMITS. THERE IS A SWELL LITTLE PLACE JUST A HALF MILE OUT ON THE MAIN HIGHWAY BUT WE HAVEN'T BEEN ABLE TO NEGOTIATE IT. GRANT SAYS A KID SHOULD KNOW WHAT A GARDEN IS AND PETS ETC. WELL NOTHING IS DECIDED YET. ALL PLANS AND HOPES AND SWELL ANTICIPATIONS TO WHICH MOTHER TOASTS WITH BEER EVERYTIME WE GET TOGETHER.

WE HAD A LETTER FROM YOU ROSE. IT WAS SENT TO OREGON ... THEN I READ IT AND FINALLY IT WENT UP TO TIL WHERE INTENDED. WE ARE SO GLAD TO HEAR ALL IS FINE AND THE BABY COMING ALONG SO WELL. WE CANT WAIT TO SEE IT NOW SO WHEN THE SUNNY CALIFORNIA WEATHER PERMITS AND IT'S OF AGE FOR SUCH DOINGS GET US A SNAP OR A FEW SNAPS.

WELL KIDS ITS TIME TO SIGN OFF. WILL WRITE AGAIN WHEN THINGS COME UP OF INTEREST.

THE CHIEF IS STILL WAITING FOR THE FENDER (for the car). THEN WE PAINT OUR BETSY AND TAKE HER FOR A JAUNT TO THE CITY. LOADS OF LOVE FROM ALL OF US TO ALL OF YOU.

AS EVER,

SISSIE



Updated: 02-05-2019

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