One year ago today, my dear mother passed away at age 89, just weeks shy of her 90th birthday. Today also happens to be my own birthday, which makes it particularly difficult.
Born in the early 1920's, she came of age during The Great Depression and WWII. When I was older, she told me some stories about those years. They were poor, but most people were then. For a time they lived in an old farm house near Topeka Ks. These were the Dust Bowl years; she said they hung damp towels and sheets over the doors and windows, but the grit got into their clothes, their beds and what food they had. She told me her mother would walk out the back door, sit on the steps and cry for hours because she could not keep the house clean.
Later they moved to a rented home in Topeka. During the summer, hundreds or even thousands of people would go to Gage Park to sleep, their homes being too hot.
She married my father in 1943 and not long after he was drafted. He was sent to Abilene Texas for basic training. She took a train there, found a room in a boarding house and drove a cab so they could be together when he got a pass. When his unit shipped out to the Pacific she retuned to the Kansas City area, living with family.
While my father was serving my oldest brother was born. Father did not return from Japan until Spring 1946, when his first born son was around 18 months old.
Not really sure where I'm going with this now, so I will end with this.
R.I.P. Mother. Your last years were not good ones for you, with all the health problems, but we love you and miss you very much.
Your loving son, Brad.
Born in the early 1920's, she came of age during The Great Depression and WWII. When I was older, she told me some stories about those years. They were poor, but most people were then. For a time they lived in an old farm house near Topeka Ks. These were the Dust Bowl years; she said they hung damp towels and sheets over the doors and windows, but the grit got into their clothes, their beds and what food they had. She told me her mother would walk out the back door, sit on the steps and cry for hours because she could not keep the house clean.
Later they moved to a rented home in Topeka. During the summer, hundreds or even thousands of people would go to Gage Park to sleep, their homes being too hot.
She married my father in 1943 and not long after he was drafted. He was sent to Abilene Texas for basic training. She took a train there, found a room in a boarding house and drove a cab so they could be together when he got a pass. When his unit shipped out to the Pacific she retuned to the Kansas City area, living with family.
While my father was serving my oldest brother was born. Father did not return from Japan until Spring 1946, when his first born son was around 18 months old.
Not really sure where I'm going with this now, so I will end with this.
R.I.P. Mother. Your last years were not good ones for you, with all the health problems, but we love you and miss you very much.
Your loving son, Brad.
