Mom

Some time ago, I posted a transcription of a journal that my great aunt wrote a few years before she died. After reading it, I learned things about my great aunt that I never expected. Today, I came across a newspaper article from 1941 that mentioned several of my relatives, including my mother and my great aunt.

Probably like most of us, it was hard to think of my parents as once having been children, let alone young adults. This newspaper article, like Aunt Eleanor's journal, revealed a glimpse of her and my mother when they both were young. My mom was only 18 and Aunt Eleanor was 36.

On July 17 and 18 in 1941 in Pequot Lakes, Minnesota, my mother played the role of a riverboat sweetheart in a musical called "A Hillbilly Wedding." It's hard to think of your mother as a sweetheart, let alone a riverboat sweetheart. The names of some of the other characters were quite amusing as well as revealing that a sense of humor has been with us for a long, long, long ... time.

I was actually glad that my mother didn't perform the roles of Pucklewortz, Judge Itchiebritches, Ura Pumpkinhead, Ima Goosepimple, Lizzie Zilch, or Misery. Ima Goosepimple hit a bit too close to home.

When my husband and I were trying to agree on a boy's name and a girl's name after I learned that I was pregnant with out first child. We were so far apart in agreeing on the name for our daughter should we have one. I got crazy and suggested that we name our daughter, Ida, Inn, Dee or Rea. Since my married name is Kline, we both laughed and finally were able to agree on a more suitable name for our daughter.

The article would seem to imply that the musical was brief as there were "specialty acts" that followed. One such act was the Peterson quartet. My mother had cousins named Peterson, but in Minnesota, Peterson was like Smith.

Another act was square dancers. One of the couples was Clarence Peterson and Eleanor Stoutenburg. My great aunt had been a widow a bit over a year when this article was printed. Aunt Eleanor never remarried after her husband's death. Her journal gave no indication that she was a square dancer, so it was a pleasant surprise to see that she was still enjoying life.

Aunt Eleanor's Journal - Her last entry

Aunt Eleanor started this journal when she was 81 years old to give to her granddaughter Patti when she was finished writing. From my earlier posts, you can see that Aunt Eleanor thought the she was about to give the journal to Patti. It seems that she did not as this is her last entry.

Sept. 16, 1989

My how I do hang on. This year has been full of accidents and problems. The fall in the elevator that broke my shoulder Jan. 30 then on March 15 I slipped my leg under a car so it could run over it and the rest of the year has been a time of mending.

I was talking to you a little ago and told you I was going to straighten out my cancelled checks as they were piling up and running over. So that is what I started to do but I come to this little book and the time has been fleeting by while I read it and not much else has been done Funny but we sure have been to many ballgames and just 2 days ago we did it again. I just had to add a line or two as this book seems to go on and on. I sit here and wonder will there be more ball games or have I seen my last one. If so I am ready for my call. I was afraid this spring or summer that I would be moving again but the lord made things happen so we all stayed put on Oliver Ave. No. May God always keep you happy and contented where ever you are.

Love Grandma

I remember my mother telling me about Aunt Eleanor's leg being run over by Patti's car. It was such a freak accident and so fortunate that there was so much snow.

As I read this journal, I was so struck with the relationship that Patti had with Aunt Eleanor. The comments and the pictures that Patti's mother posts on Facebook confirms what a compassionate and caring person Patti is.

I am sorry that Aunt Eleanor did not continue it until she died. She passed away in 1995 at the age of 95.

Aunt Eleanor's Journal - February 6, 1982

I was writing the Newsletter for the Stoutenburgh-Teller Family Association so didn't get a chance to post Aunt Eleanor's next journal entry.

The very next morning.

I was lying in bed thinking that I would write some more in here, when the telephone rang and it was your Patti calling to say “good Morning” Such a doll you are. I was thinking of all the things I wanted to write but had forgotten. One of them was about Edward, that first fall when we lived in our rug covered screen door shack he went and sold salve to all the neighbors. The money he made from that he used to buy me a Bible that he gave me for Christmas We used to have our daily devotions every day. It was at this time that I started tithing. My in come was $30.20 a month and $3.10 went into the “Thank Offering” box. It wasn’t too long tho maybe 6 months until I got some help from Aid to Dependant Children and the tithe grew. “Give and it shall be given unto you.”

Now to go on from where I left off last nite. Dianne and Patti joined Max and me in our apt. and Patti really entertained us with music all afternoon and evening. Poor little girl she was so uncomfortable. I think that other tenants must have wished we would move out. Well! Even that was remedied and she became more comfortable. At that time I was layed off at Sears so I had lots of time to spend with Patti. In the spring 1955 Jerry Shoemaker was left with 2 youngsters and no one to care for them. I was asked to take over which I did and Dianne and Patti came with me and we kept house for Jerry for awhile taking care of Kent and Kay. In the spring of 1956 Dianne and Patti moved away. They lived with Joyce & Pat. Also on May 28, 1956 Pamela Kay joined our happy brood. She was welcomed into Edward and Junes family. A little black haired doll she was. Then on Aug. 24 that same year came Barbara Ann. A little blond Barby Doll. She joined Carol, Terry, and Steve to keep that family growing. 1957 was a quiet year I also moved back to the old apartment building and Max joined me. He had been staying with June and Jerry. Poor Max it seems he was always rented out somewhere. But he had a job with a bakery close by and I worked at the Gabriel Martin Bakery. Max bought a car and we took many a joyride in that yellow convertible. even went out to Mont. to visit Bertha and Uncle Fuzz. and brought Dianne & Patti back with us. They had been out there for quite a while and it was a real joy to get them back.

On June 7, 1958 Max and Bev were married. It was hard to have my baby leave for good and many tears flowed in the lonely hours. But Bev was and is a much loved addition to my family. And I’m very fortunate to have two loving daughters-in-law like June and Bev.

1959 was a very eventful year on January 16^th Dianne & Jerry were married, now I was truly alone, the apt. was so empty. Lonely, lonely hours. But I was working and I could have Carol, Terry and some times Patti over on weekends and that helped. On Sept. 8, 1959 Todd William arrived to bless Max and Bevs union. He was a very blond, cuddily little fellow with long eyelashes like his Daddy. Just 10 days later on Sept. 18, Joel Alan arrived to bring joy to Dianne and Jerry. He was always such a mama’s boy I could never quite make him comfortable with me. He was a pretty child but he liked his mommy best. Then on Dec. 12. 1959 along came Dene to keep all the Herb Shoemakers happy. By this time there were so many little ones I couldn’t spend enough time with each one to really get to know their every little mood.

1960 came and I kept on working at the bakery. Wanda {Berthas daughter} came and stayed with me for awhile between semesters at Bemidge State College. The Gabriel Martin Bakery Co., were building a new bakery on 79 and Pleasant Ave. and by Jan 1st 1961 they moved in. The bus service out there wasn’t too good so I gave up the apt. and moved in with Edward and June. That worked out very well.

That’s the year the Twins arrived to play ball at the Metropolitan Stadium. Many a game I attended at that Stadium with different ones. Helen Church and I saw many games and lots of my grandchildren went with me. Oh! What fun and excitement.

On March 3, 1961 Michael Alan joined Eddy and Pam to round out that family, and on April 29 we had the surprise of our life. Bev had to go to the Hosp. earlier than was expected and gave birth to not just one but two little premature boys Timothy Alan and Thomas Mark. They were in critical condition and were baptized right there in the Hosp. then moved to another Hosp. that had better facilities to care for them and there they had an intensive care for quite a while till they weighed 5 lbs. But those two boys grew to be two big boys. They looked so much a like that very few people could tell them apart. The rest of that year was rather uneventful.

In 1962 I had a gall bladder operation that put me out of circulation for a while 1963 Helen Church and I decided to get an apartment together and we found one at 63 and pleasant ave. There I could have visitors and I did. Carol, Terry, Patti, Barby and Dene all used to come and spend days and nites with me. Todd was going to one nite but when it got to be bed time his eyes got so big an glassy I asked him “what is the matter? And the eye just over flowed and he said “I want my Daddy.” I had to call Max and in just a few minutes he was there to get his little boy. Terry was another one who liked to come but at nite she would rather be at home, that left Patti and Carol they could stay for weeks at the time and they did. They would go with me to work and stay all day long. Carol even helped me with the work and did so well Erv. payed her. She sure felt smart then. Patti was a bit too small to work but she did a lot of playing and was quite a hit with all the workers.

Barby would stay if she could be there when Patti was but I could be there when Patti was but I could only have one at the time. We had great times together going to work, going to ball games, going shopping and Just going for walks.

On May 26, 1964 my last grandchild came to greet us, it was Tyler Owen a chubby, blond cutie was he who joined the Max Stoutenburg family

Now I have just about finished my memoirs. The rest you have been very much a part of.

I retired in Feb. of 66 took several trips here and there all of which you can well remember. Also the tornado that destroyed the house we had worked so hard to finish, my moving back to Swanburg after 20 years in Mpls. It was such a thrill. I lived in my mobile home up there another 10 yrs. and now I’m back in Mpls. Moving, moving, moving but if God is willing I hope there will be no more moves till I make the last one – Home –

There have been many joys, lots of happiness, also heart aches and sorrow. My one regret is that I always have had to face them alone. No one really to share it with. How your Grandfather would have loved all of you and enjoyed you had he lived to see you. But it was not to be.

At some later time I may add a line or two if not I leave you with this thot. God bless you, keep you always in His care That is for every one of my big family. Remember always that there is a corner for each one in my heart and I’ll be looking for each one of you in that eternal home. Believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and thou shalt be saved. I love you, each and every one. When I get to the other side I’ll have Grandfather, Grandmother, Father, Mother, Sisters Leola, Bernice, Grace, Emma, brother Glen, Daddy, Grandma & Grandpa Stoutenburg and many more even Jarad. What a joyuous gathering so please let not one of you regret my going to be with my Lord and Saviour Jesus.

To be continued....

Aunt Eleanor's Journal, January 26, 1982

Grandpa Stoutenburg dies...

Jan. 26, 1982

Here I am again. Ready to add a paragraph or two.

That house we moved into had been occupied by a couple of bachelors and the left it in a very dirty condition I scrubbed and cleaned like I had never done before but finally got it so we could live in it. The pump on that place didn’t work so we had to haul our water from the neighbors or from a creek that ran thru there it was about ¼ of a mile from the house. Edward and Leola were big enough and it was their job to take an 8 gal. cream can on the little wagon or a sled and fill it up with water at that creek then putt it up to the house for washing. They had to make several trips every wash day. Quite a job for 2 little ones age 10 and 6. Daddy hauled our drinking and cooking water from the neighbors place. One day when I had wash it was very icy we had had a sleet storm so the trees and bushes were coated with ice and it was very bad day but I had to wash so Edward and Leola were busy hauling the water. Dianne was supposed to stay by the house. I checked to see where she was and no Dianne. This was just 2 weeks after our little blonde boy named Max joined our family. So I had to leave him in the house and run out to find Dianne. There was such a noise from all the ice covered woods it sounded like a child crying. I was running and calling, but never got close. It wasn’t much fun. I was worried sick about her and also Max left in the house by himself. I was about ready to give up but I prayed to be led to her, then I heard talking and turned around to retrace my steps and saw Edward and Leola pulling the sled and there was my little runaway. She had found her way to the creek where they were. All was well. My hair must have turned a bit whiter that day. I did get the washing done and I had to hang it all up stairs because of the weather. The day that Max was born all the Drs. were out on other cases so we had no Dr. and my sister Grace who had delivered dozens of babies came and took care of us. I think I must have worried her because I got pretty sick and Daddy also got scared and when it was over he came and knelt by my bed and wept and thanked me for another son. Max was so blond, all the others had darker hair so I used to cover his head with the blanket so I wouldn’t see his white hair, with his read face it looked all the whiter. When he lost the redness it was O.K. He had blond curly hair and the longest dark eye lashes. A beautiful little boy he was. We let him have his blond curls until he was about eighteen months old then we dressed up in a little dress put a ribbon in his hair and took his picture. After that we cut his hair and he was a boy again. Some of the people thot it was a shame to cut his hair off.

Shortly after Max was born we moved again because the people who owned the house we were renting wanted it. This time we moved down on Grandpa Stoutenburgs farm. We built a little house down there close to their house. Edward and Leola were going to school in Pine River and had to walk a half mile up to the main road to catch the bus. June and Joyce were going too so that had company The last day of school before Christmas vacation June, Joyce and Edward came home but Leola wasn’t along. She had missed the bus and was left at the school. We were rather upset about that she was only six years old and no doubt a scared little girl. Well the bus driver called the school and had them get in touch with his wife who was in town and have her bring Leola out which she did but instead of bringing her down to our place she left her off up on the highway and she had to walk down by herself and by that time its was getting dark. I wasn’t too happy about that.

We got a dog that looked some like Sally and named her Tippy Tin she had puppies and one of them was all white with a black ear and no tail we named him Shag. He just grew up with Max and truly became his shadow. We had to get rid of Tippy Tin because she started running with other dogs that were chasing some neighbors sheep in fact they had killed one, so those dogs had to be done away with.

In July of 1939 Grandpa Stoutenburg died. We lost a much loved friend and the children all missed a loving Grandpa. He was so good to his grandchildren and they all loved him dearly. Life wasn’t quite the same. Daddy had to kind of run two households it wasn’t easy. Kendall was in a C.C.C camp so it was only Grandma June and Joyce. The summer passed and another winter arrived. Wood had to be furnished for the two houses and Grandpas house was big it took a lot of wood to keep it warm. So Daddy was kept busy working on the W.P.A. and keeping up with the other work too.

We had a different Pastor by this time. Pastor Mastid had come when Pastor Dehaan was called to a different church. And Pastor Mastid got Daddy to go to Adult confirmation class so ones a week they met and finally the date was set when Daddy was to be baptized and taken in as a member of Faith Lutheran. Just 2 weeks before that date on April 16, 1940 he was killed by a truck loaded with gravel that was standing still and just as Daddy walked by it and stepped back into the road behind it the driver backed the truck up and run over him. Of course that driver didn’t see him and it was entirely accidental. My only comfort was the fact that he had been taking confirmation lessons and Pastor Mastid told me he was saved. He had been going to church with me for a long time so I know we will meet again. But I was left along with my 4 children. To be continued.

To be continued...