Ruth and Dave have returned from a honeymoon, sunburned, and thrilled that they are now married. Dave looks for work, and Ruth continues to care for her mother and the kids, June and Billy.
July 13, 1936
Middleburg, N.Y.
My Darling Wife,
How is that for a brand new heading? Sounds pretty good to me and I’ll bet it does to you, too. I only hope the letter doesn’t go astray. The P.O. officials may get mixed up with a new name on the envelope.
It is 9:30 now and I have only been home a few minutes. The berries started in today. There are not so many of them and not as large as last year. I think they had 64 quarts today.
I hope my letters don’t disappoint you, dear, but I’ve got a feeling most of them will be short. Somehow I can’t seem to get in a writing mood after working all day and then driving around the country for a couple of hours.
It was 11:30 when I came in the house last night. Not such good time as usual. We made too many stops for ice cream and popcorn and we had to get Mom out of a show in Fort Plain. I can hardly imagine her going to a show on Sunday but that is where we found her anyway. Did I have a hard job trying to keep awake from there to home. I near broke my neck a couple of times when I did go to sleep. I sat in front between Mom and Fran and I guess she takes up more room than you because I couldn’t find a way to lean on anyone.
It hasn’t been quite so hot here today but still it was warm enough. It tried to rain a few minutes ago but the best it could do was one clap of thunder and eleven drops of rain.
Did you by any chance find my pen wandering around in your belongings? This one I have is worse than nothing. I have to keep dipping it in the ink and then stand on it to make it write.
Gee, honey, I missed seeing your sweet face beside me when I woke up this morning. I’ll be happy as a lark when I know I can see it every morning.
It is hotter than a Dutch oven up here and I’m wet with sweat. I still have to write a letter and send that car payment so I think I’ll say goodnight to my sweet wife and do that.
I love you, honey, every minute of the day and night.
Love and kisses,
Dave
July 13, 1936
Adams Center, N.Y.
My Darling Husband,
This is the first letter I ever wrote to my husband so I don’t know how I will make out. I hope you didn’t suffer too much with the heat going back last night. I am anxious to hear what kind of a trip you had. I’m glad you managed to get a little nap before you started.
Needless to say, I have missed you a lot, dear, but I don’t feel quite as lonesome as I did the day after you went back when you came up Decoration Day. Maybe it is because I know we belong to each other forever now. I feel like about half of me is gone since last night.
I haven’t done much of anything today. Although I didn’t get up until nearly eight this morning, I took my usual nap about ten o’clock. I must have formed that habit last week as I never did it before. I have had a sinus headache all day. Thank heaven that is nearly over for a while.
This afternoon Billy and I went to Adams. The Dr. found the urine very much better. I can see a big improvement in Mom in the last week and I do hope she continues to gain.
This morning we had quite a thunderstorm. We had a nice little shower only it didn’t last long enough. It is hot again now but nothing like it was down there last week. There is a nice breeze at present. I suppose if you were here, you would call it a wind. It feels pretty good anyway.
I hope you got some rain down there but I don’t suppose you would be lucky enough to have it rain when you are so tired.
Mom said she forgot to thank you for the berries so she told me to tell you that she thanks you a lot. I wish I were going to be down there to help pick berries this week if there are any. Lydia says she will can some for us but I don’t think Mother should pick them as she will have more than she can do anyway.
Thanks a lot, Honey, for fixing the tire. I feel a lot better about driving the car since it was fixed.
Take care of your sunburn, dearest, I know it must be awfully sore. I only wish I were there to take care of you. The next time I won’t be so easy and let you make me think it doesn’t need anything. Looks like I’ll have to start sitting on that husband of mine.
June and Billy seem to be getting along pretty good. Of course once in a while there is a little discord but nothing serious.
It is time I started getting supper so I’ll be signing off for this time.
Lots of love and kisses from your very own wife,
Ruth
P.S. I forgot to tell you what a nice time I had last week. It was wonderful to see you so much. Since I have found out how nice it is to live with you, I am more anxious than ever to start keeping house.
July 14, 1936
Adams Center, N.Y.
My very own Husband,
I thought we would get a letter from Lydia today so we would know you arrived home okay, but we didn’t get any so consequently I have been sort of worried. The next time I’ll give you a card and you can let me know by Tuesday how you made out.
There really isn’t a thing to write about but everything is quiet so I thought I would take advantage of it. The kids went swimming and haven’t returned yet. Billy and I went to Watertown this forenoon. I got Billy his dungarees and a blue shirt. Just about now he is feeling pretty pleased with himself. He has been after me for about two months to get them so maybe I will get a little peace for a change.
I went to the bank and deposited the ten dollars mother gave us. We have $17.29 in the bank now. I also had my signature changed on the bank book.
The weather continues to stay hot. I have been wondering how my boy is standing the heat this week. Take very good care of my honey for me won’t you, Sweet. Something tells me that you work a lot harder than you should.
Gee, I haven’t even done the washing yet this week. Getting kind of lazy don’t you think? My headache still seems to be with me again today. Maybe I can scare up enough ambition to wash tomorrow.
I have my other pillow case nearly done. I sure will be glad when they are finished. I never had such a time with anything as I have had with them. I am anxious to start working on the spread again.
“June sent up by me to buy an egg beater for us” – Ruth Coffin, July 14, 1936
June sent up by me to buy an egg beater for us. She earned the money herself and decided that she wanted to get it for us. I thought it was rather cute of her. She says I needn’t bother buying a can opener as she intends to get that, too. Looks like your wife will be a tin can cook after all, doesn’t it, hon. I get quite a kick out of those kids.
Well, darling, I fear you are in for a big disappointment when I tell you that as yet Pat hasn’t devoured the rabbit or at least she hadn’t when I was out a few minutes ago. Maybe I am feeding her better so she doesn’t get so hungry. At present I think she has gone swimming.
Did you find your razor blades yet? I meant to tell you that I put them in your gray coat pocket. I think my white gloves are in your pocket too.
Gee, Honey, I miss you more than ever and yet I am happier than I have ever been before. You are a nicer husband than I even expected you to be and that is saying a lot.
It is only 7:35 but I guess I’ll go to bed. Of course I can’t help wondering what my husband is doing.
Goodnight. Oodles of love and kisses.
Your wife,
Ruth
July 15, 1936
Middleburg, N.Y.
My Very Own Wife,
Here it is ten P.M. and I am just getting around to answering my honey’s letter. I’m not going to kick though because the berry racket is going to be short and sweet this year. Two crates again today was all we had and it looks as if we won’t have any more than enough to fill what large orders we have now. We haven’t had a bit of rain yet and it is too late to help now anyway. Mom usually figures on $50 or $60 from her share of the berries but she will be lucky to get $20 this year.
Jo and Ralph were here a few minutes last night. They brought Lydia’s canner up here and left it because they weren’t back from the city yet. I took it down when I went tonight and they weren’t home so I left it at Snyder’s. When I came back they were home so we stopped and found out they had been way down after it. She is going to can some tomorrow for herself. I don’t know if I can squeeze out enough for us this week or not. I hope so though because at the rate they are going there won’t be many next week. I am exchanging the use of the car for what berries we want. I wouldn’t be surprised though if the gas would cost more than the berries if I bought them.
I guess Lydia had quite a time spending money in the city Tuesday. She will probably tell you what she got so I’ll leave out the details. She didn’t say whether or not she looked at silver or not and I forgot to ask her.
The job is still holding out at the lake but getting pretty slim now. I expect to get thru any night now unless he maps out some new work. We aren’t working very hard now and drinking plenty of milk (no peaches) so don’t think I am overdoing. I know you do get that idea once in a while. It has been fairly cool here today, too.
You should have been here to wash my back tonight, hon. Some fun. The skin comes off by the handful but it isn’t a bit sore anymore. I guess probably you will have to sit on me once in a while. I know I need it and I won’t mind a bit as long as you do it.
I stopped in E. Durham to see a Dr. about a job as chauffer tonight but he already had a man.
There is also a rumor around that the P.O. in Livingstonville is going to be changed but I don’t know if it is so or not. If the notice comes out I might as well try for it, though there will probably be 999 others after it. Clayton can’t tell me anything more about the other job yet but he knows I am anxious to get it anyway.
At the rate the dimes are coming in we will soon have that studio couch. I have seven so far this week. Remember my telling you about the missing dimes? I went to count my pennies last night and found only 30 when I knew I had over 80 two weeks ago. Nice brother I have, eh? Guess I’ll have to buy a safe.
I was delighted to hear about Mother feeling better and the Dr. saying so. I guess you have her on the upgrade now, darling.
So you had a nice time last week. I suspected as much. It was a heavenly interlude, wasn’t it, darling, and that was only a small sample of what we have coming. I don’t think we will need to worry about getting along with each other. All that bothers me now is how soon I can get you down here. I know I feel a lot better now that we are married. I’m glad we went through with it.
I have missed you these last three days, honey, but tonight is the first I have been really lonesome. It is always like that though. The first two or three days after I leave you go fairly quickly but from then on each day gets longer and I miss you more. I hope my work turns out so I can come up in a couple of weeks and go in swimming at the beach with you.
Well, honey, I have been nearly an hour writing this and it will take you longer to read it. I’m getting awfully careless with my writing lately and this pen I have doesn’t help matters any.
All my love to my darling wife,
Dave
July 15, 1936
Adams Center, N.Y.
Dear Davie,
Hope your letter didn’t go astray with the new name. However, I was afraid it might be a day late because Fran’s were last week. I hope we don’t get any tricks like that pulled on us as we have to wait plenty long enough anyway.
I’m sorry you have to put in such long days, dear. I’ll be glad for your sake when the berry season is over. I know how tired you get and although I like to receive long letters from you, I will understand if they are short. I would rather you went to bed and got some rest. I do like to know how you are and what you are doing.
I believe you will find your pen in the pocket of your gray coat. That is where I put it when I picked it off the floor after you vacated the suit case. It is in the top pocket, whatever it is called, if it didn’t get lost in the move.
If you will promise never to bother me about something, I’ll let you in on a little secret, o.k., hon. Remember you promised. We caught Pat out by the rabbit pen barking.
June and Bill have gone to bring the kitten home. I don’t know if they will find him or not.
I finally succeeded in getting the washing done this morning. I intended to iron this afternoon, but by the time I got the clothes sprinkled and the other work done, my ambition had failed me. I also had a back ache due to the fact that I had to carry all the wash water down cellar. Harold was peeved at us so I wouldn’t ask him to do it and besides he was so busy anyway. Don’t worry about me, honey, cause I think I’ll survive enough if I shouldn’t have do it.
It is a lot cooler here today and I hope it is down there. Your room must be awfully hot. Have you had any more of those coughing spells and does it bother you to breathe? Remember you are supposed to tell me if there is anything the matter with you.
I am glad you are going to be home this weekend so you can see Florence. Have you seen Norma yet?1
We had a card from Lydia this morning and she said she had seen the cat I had tamed. We also had a card from June. She said they transferred Lynn from Elmira to Middletown and from Middletown to Poughkeepsie. His trip takes him into New York. Looks like they intend to keep them on the move.
I had to stop and get supper. Since then I have carried all the wash water and put it on the garden. I did some hoeing and discovered that we have some green tomatoes. Isn’t that awfully cute?
The kids didn’t get the kitten because it was under the porch and wouldn’t come out. Marvie is going to bring two down in the morning if he can catch them.
Have you found Brownie’s family yet? I hope not.
Good night, dear.
Love and kisses,
Ruth
Thursday morning
Marvie brought the cat this morning. He is kind of cute, but not as nice as Joe. I suppose I have to start ironing. Thank goodness it is cool again today.
July 16. 1936
Middleburg, N.Y.
My Darling Wife,
I had a surprise when I saw your letter tonight. I wasn’t expecting to hear from you before Friday anyway. There isn’t much I can add to the letter I wrote last night but I know if I don’t write, you will think I didn’t get your letter.
I’m sorry you didn’t hear from any of us until Wednesday. I should have known enough to think about a card myself but I didn’t.
I went over to White’s a few minutes this evening and what do you think she told me. She said I had a very nice looking wife and she was sure you were even nicer than you looked. I said to myself, “Don’t I know it”. After having you with me for only a week I am convinced I have the sweetest wife in the world. Honest, darling, you are wonderful and if I didn’t know that I just have to stay here and earn money to swell that bank account, I would be right up there with you.
Norma (Hotaling) Brocker and her mother, Florence Washburn, c 1944
I found Brownie’s kittens under the woodpile tonight. She is doing better for herself. She had six this time. I took five of them for a walk. As far as I could make out they were all females. I didn’t like to do it but you will have to admit that six more female cats around would be just a little too much and it is almost impossible to give them away.
Gee, honey, I would have to put in a hard week’s work when you were down here with me. Honestly, I haven’t done enough this week to be a bit tired outside of Monday night and that is gospel truth so don’t worry about that, dear.
We are expecting Florence and Walt out this weekend. I guess Norma is still down in East Windham where Ward took her. We haven’t heard a thing from her. Anita is still with Ward.2
Well, darling, there isn’t much in this letter but it is all I can think of tonight. I probably won’t write again until Sunday.
Goodnight my darling Wife. I love you.
Your hubby,
Dave
[Postcard]
July 17, 1936
8:45 Friday morning
Hello Dear,
No news to write about only that for a change the weather is really cool.
Postcard excerpt July 17, 1936
Mom feels pretty good. I took her for a short ride and visit down to P.C. Parker’s yesterday.3
Have you seen Sprague’s lately? When you see Lyd tell her that we are looking for a letter.
The piece about our marriage was in the Journal yesterday. It sure is hot stuff! Just imagine, we have been married two whole weeks tonight.
Be good, take care of yourself, don’t work too hard and keep your nose clean.
Lots of love,
Ruth
How is the burn?
There is a mouse in the clothes press.
Pat hasn’t caught the rabbit yet.
July 17, 1936
Adams Center, N.Y.
Hello Honey,
I didn’t intend to write again until Sunday but when I received such a nice long letter from you, I decided to answer it.
Seems like there isn’t very much to write about these days. After all when one does the same thing every day and doesn’t go any place, it is rather a hard matter to find things to write about.
Kent and Ethel were here for a while this afternoon. I guess his job isn’t too good now. I hope you succeed in landing a good job and one where you won’t have to work too hard. I hate to think of you working so hard.
I guess it is a good thing someone in the family has managed to get a few dimes this week. I haven’t done very well. I should have been here when the check came last week. Maybe I can chisel a few when the milk check comes. I hope I get enough money on Lulie so I can put a little in the bank.
Lydia’s shopping must have been too much for her Tuesday as we haven’t had a letter from her this week.
I guess I told you on the card that the piece about our marriage was in the paper yesterday. I heard Lydia say she would like a copy. Mom said she wanted one and I thought maybe Mother would like one, so I called the Journal office and asked them to save me three copies. I will stop for them the next time I go to the Dr. Mom and Janie laughed at me and made me blush when I said it was Mrs. Coffin calling. Doncha think that was sort of mean?
While we were down there Janie got out a lot of old school pictures and also some compositions written by Glenn, Lynn, Grace, Edna and Lydia in 1919. Tell Lydia she had a very good one about “The Three Little Pigs”.
I have a new means of keeping June and Billy out of mischief. Yesterday I decided I didn’t like the looks of what used to be the garden filled with weeds so I have them spend some time each day pulling them. Of course they object and I have to spend quite a lot of time out there myself. However, the place looks better already and the work can’t hurt them anyway. We had to work when we were their age and I think it best they do a few things. Ivan and Lewis came up and I put them to work. When Billy gets beyond control I make him pull weeds for fifteen minutes or until he calms down.
At last the pillow cases are finished and put away with the rest of our treasures. I have done quite a lot of work on the spread today. If I don’t hurry up and finish it, I won’t have it done by the time we need it.
I am anticipating that day we are going to spend at the beach together. It will be just like another honeymoon won’t it, darling.
Gee, dearest, I love you so much and I know we are going to be so happy when we can be together forever. It seems like a dream that we are actually married and are really going to have a little home all our own.
Well, hon, I guess I had better come back to earth once again and go water the tomatoes.
Don’t forget that I love my very own Husband oodles and oodles.
Always yours,
Ruth
July 18, 1936
Middleburg, N.Y.
My Darling Wife,
I started to write this letter at 11 P.M. last night but the heading is as far as I got. Florence and Walt and the kids were here and we were just retiring for the night when a car pulled in here and a couple wanted to know if they could stay all night. Mom told them yes so Walt had to come up and sleep with me and I had to give up writing.4
Florence (Coffin) Washburn’s children, Anita and Stuart Washburn with their sister, Norma
I wasn’t in a very good mood to write anyway and I’m not such a great deal better now. Yesterday was one of those days when “everything happens to me”. I went to work expecting it would be my last day but it turned out there wasn’t enough to keep busy at so I and another fellow were elected to help the foreman move his antique truck and tractor and some other junk over to his farm near Sloansville. I wasn’t very crazy about the idea but I went and it was 6:30 P.M. before we got back to the camp. Then I had to wait over an hour before I could get my check for last week’s work. Sometime during the afternoon one of my headaches came on and was it fun standing around waiting with my head feeling like a washtub. I finally got started for home and stopped at Losea’s for gas. Clayton called me one side and I expected he was going to tell me I could have the job but it was just the opposite. He said his brother-in-law who has worked for him a little before had offered to take the job for less money and inasmuch as he was experienced and one of the family he was going to take him. He said there was a possibility he would need still another man but that is too remote to even think about.
It was after eight when I got home and all I could eat was a shredded wheat and glass of milk. Then I had to take my father to M. I got home at 10:30 and was I ready for bed. I had a Bromo-Seltzer in M. and that stopped the headache.
Oh, O.K. I almost forgot the other thing that happened. I tried in M. to get my checks cashed and no one would take them. Different ones showed me checks they were holding that had been returned so it looks like I’ll have a little fun trying to get about $40 out of them.
I would have given anything to have laid my head on your shoulder last night and spilled all my troubles. However, I know you so well and love you so much I could imagine what you would have said and that helped some.
Howard, Emma and Carol came out this morning and we all had dinner down to Lula’s. I certainly hope the next time we all get together you can be here, too, so I won’t have to listen to someone saying every five minutes how lonesome I must be. Maybe they think that helps but I can’t see it. Not only that but has Walt been laying it on to me. I knew I would be in for some kidding but he has been at me every minute. It is really a relief to be free of him for a little while. He and Florence and Mom have gone to E. Windham to see Norma. I guess she likes it where she is and is going to stay.
I only saw Lydia and Fran a few minutes one night last week. I am going down again in a few minutes but they probably won’t be home. I have some cans and sugar I got last night to take to Lydia and find out when she can do the berries.
It has been a swell day here and every five minutes I have thought how I would like to be spending the day on the beach with you. Gee, honey, I’m lonesome for my sweet wife right now.
I can’t tell you just when I will be up, honey, because I don’t know about work. If I can get the lumber and someone to help me, I’ll go up on the hill tomorrow and start that job I told you about. If I can’t do that, I’ll start out looking for something else. I hope it turns out so I can go on the hill because that job will only take about a week and then I would be free to take a couple of days and see you.
10:00 P.M. Sunday.
Guess I can add a few more lines to this and then go to bed. I went to P.H. and found Lydia, Fran and Janice there. They had planned to go on a picnic by themselves today but last night she bought a bushel of beans and had to stay home today and can them. About a quarter to seven she was thru and still wanted to go so she and Janice put up a hasty lunch and we went to Greenville and bought some hamburg. From there we drove about twenty miles in circles looking for a place near a creek where we could build a fire. We finally located one just before dark and the picnic turned out to be a success even though Ben wasn’t there to direct operations. The only mishap was made by Fran when a stone in the fireplace cracked and it scared him so he spilled a couple of the hamburgers in the fire. How I wished you could have been there, honey. I got back here about 9:30 and Florence and Walt had just arrived with their brood. Walt was still full of wisecracks. Lynn and Glenn haven’t a thing on him, but I don’t think he would be quite so bad in front of you. He sure rubs it into me though.
Florence told me she saw the piece in the paper about our marriage. One of her neighbors takes the paper and she showed it to Florence. She says she is going to have it reprinted in the Norwich Sunday. Looks like we may make the front page yet.
I am going to try and get our berries tomorrow and Lydia will can them Tuesday.
She says she did send you a card last Monday but it evidently got delayed. Your letter to her took two days, also. It is funny what makes the delay. All three of your letters to me and the card came thru the next day.
Well, honey, I guess I have about come to the end of this spasm. I guess the only time I can write a long letter is when I have a lot of troubles to spill. However, I feel a lot better now and I guess I’ll pull through but I’m going to take the first chance I get to come up and see you. What worries me the most now is what we are going to do this winter if I don’t get work.
Goodnight, darling, I love you,
Dave
P.S. The rabbit seems to be living a charmed life. Maybe Pat doesn’t like the color of it so well.
July 18, 1936
Adams Center, N.Y.
My Very Own Husband,
I don’t believe there is much to write about but usually when I wait until Sunday to answer your letter there is a whole crowd here and by the time I get around to writing I’m too tired.
Another good excuse for writing is I’m quite lonesome for that husband of mine. I guess I miss you more over the weekend than I do during the week, not that I’m not plenty lonesome all the time.
So Mrs. White gave you a good line too. I commence to think she is good at that. However, what she told me about you was all true and I already knew it.
I went to Adams Center tonight and the first person I saw was Mrs. Bird, the woman that did my hair. She said she heard everything turned out nice for me. I says, “you bet”. She told me to let her know when I want my finger wave so I suppose I am in for a little kidding the next time I go up.
Sunday night 6:35
Another day is nearly over and, believe me, it has been good and long. It has been real quiet here all day. Glenn was here a while this forenoon with Doris and young Glenn. Dot has her sister and two babies over at their house taking care of them so she couldn’t come.
At least you got one wish, Glenn came when you weren’t here. To my surprise he had very little to say. He did say that he sympathized with us during that week when the weather was so hot. That was rather mild for him.
After I finished the dinner dishes I went to bed and slept for two hours. I didn’t get much sleep last night. I was disturbed several times and in between times my back ached so I couldn’t sleep.
We had quite a little shower during the night but it didn’t last long enough to do much good. I’m awfully anxious for it to rain. I’m afraid if it doesn’t all the other fruit will turn out like raspberries and we won’t get anything to can. I am watching my two green tomatoes very closely and I’m awfully proud of them. They get hoed nearly every day, also the beans.
The rabbit still continues to hold his own, in fact he seems to be getting bigger. Maybe Pat thinks it best to wait until he gets a little larger.
June and Bill have spent the afternoon pressing leaves for winter. I hardly know what the big idea is but they have nearly every book in the house full.
I have done a lot of work on our spread today and yesterday. I commence to think I’ll never get it finished.
Janie was up for a little while tonight. Harold and Ivan are here now. We just listened to the Amateur Hour. It is the first time I have heard it in ages.
I suppose your sister has come and gone by now. I hope you had a good visit and I certainly hope you haven’t put in as lonesome a day as I have.
Wedding announcement – July 1936
How is the job holding out or isn’t it? I am anxious to know what luck you have in getting something else to do. You seem to be sort of lucky at getting work.
Well, honey, I think I’ll go to bed and think about my hubby. Don’t forget I love you oodles.
Yours always,
Ruth
Monday 8:45
This will commence to look like a diary if I don’t hurry up and get this in the mail.
I am trying to make up my mind whether or not to wash today. It looks like it might start raining most any time and I hate to wash when it rains. The water is all hot and everything.
I don’t know what ails me but I can’t seem to find a thing to write about lately. Here is hoping that there won’t be many more months of letter writing for us.
Janie let me have her Adams Journal and I have cut the piece out about our marriage. I will send it to you but you had better keep it until I am sure about getting the other copies at Adams. Notice in one place we aren’t married until July 30th.
More love,
“Me”
Footnotes
- This is likely a reference to Florence (Coffin) Washburn’s daughter (and Dave’s niece), Norma Hotaling. Florence was Dave’s oldest sister. The story goes that when she was younger, she had 2 men who wanted to marry her. She chose Omar Hotaling, and they got married in June 1914. He worked as a telegraph operator for the railroad and was working in the Highland, NY station on March 17, 1915 when he was shot and killed during a robbery. They caught the people who did it and there was a trial at which Florence testified. A few months after his death, Florence gave birth to their daughter, Norma, on July 2, 1915. She later married the second of the two men who courted her, Walter Washburn, on October 31, 1916. They are pictured here. Florence had three more children with Walter, Russell Dubois (b. 1919), Anita Florence (b. 1921) and Stuart Walter (b. 1923).
- A few more notes about Norma Hotaling. She would have been just turning 21 at this time and probably lived on her own. The 1940 census has her living out in Detroit, MI, single and living in the home of her employer. She enlisted in the U.S. military in 1944, possibly in the Army Air Corps, indicated by the pins on her uniform she was wearing in the photo. As a female, she could have served as a pilot or mechanic. She married Raymond Blocker, who was also military. She died on May 9, 1990. Dave and Ruth’s youngest daughter, Norma Arlene (1942-2013), was probably named after her.
- This was hard to decipher, but we think she was referring to Percy, whose middle name was Carlton, so “P.C. Parker”. The excerpt is shown in the photo.
- Missing from the photo is the older son, Russell. In July, 1936, all three of the Washburn children would have been teenagers, with Russell at 16, Anita 15, and Stuart 13. It must have been fun for them to hang around with their Uncle LaVere (also aged 15, only a couple months older than Anita)!