September 1958

My grandmother spent the entire month of September in San Francisco with son Jay.

September 1

Mon. Sept 1^st.  Labor Day.  We drove to Palo Alto.  Back by way of Alameda Air show.

September 2

Tues. Sept. 2  Mended robe and sox

September 3

Wed. 3^rd.  K.M.’s birthday.   Made strawberry short cake for dinner.

K.M. was 44 that year. 

September 4

Sep. 4^th  Ironed 6 shirts for boys.  Letter from Clare.  Wrote Jay check for $1000.00.

Jay and Scotty were "boys" to her.  She gave each of her children $1000 from my granddad's estate.

September 5

Friday

Some days she was just too busy to write, I think.

September 6

Sat.   Dinner at Franciscan Café at Fisherman’s Wharf.

September 7

Sunday.  Saw 49ers beat New York Giants.

That would have been in Candlestick Park - which is no longer used.

September 8

Monday

September 9

Tuesday 9^th.  Scotty took me to lunch at Starlight Roof on top Sir Francis Drake Hotel.

September 10

Wed.  Ira & Neva’s birthday.  Mr. & Mrs. Borges took me to lunch at the Poodle Dog Café.  Saw Bill Banks.

Bill Banks and the Borgeses were friends of Jay's.  Uncle Ira was 66, Neva was 53.

September 11

Thurs. 11^th

September 12

Friday 12^th.  Made fresh peach cobbler for dinner.  Took some to Joe & Ruth.

September 13

Sat. 13^th.  Drove to Rayes Point.  Ate picnic lunch at Tamales Bay State Park

September 14

Sunday 14^th.  Lazy.  Didn’t go to church.  Jay didn’t sleep all night.  Evening – watched fire works from mountain overlooking the Marino  “I Am an American Day”

Actually "I Am an American Day" was on September 17th - it was a holiday, renamed as Citizenship Day and then became Constitution Day.  Other than groups such as DAR or SAR, I don't anybody celebrates this day much anymore.  I don't remember ever celebrating this day....

September 15

Mon.  Usual dinner at home.  Night went shopping at GETS

September 16

Tues. 16^th.  Mr. & Mrs. Borges took me to Stonestown for lunch at Blums

September 17

Wed. 17^th   Went shopping at Sears

September 18

Thurs. 18^th.  Had the Borges’s up for lunch.

September 19

Friday 19^th.  Went shopping at Stonestown.  Bought dress and sweater.

September 20

Sat. 20^th.  The boys took Borgeses to dinner at Alta Mira Hotel in Sausilita.

September 21

Sunday.  Another ball game.  Lunch at a drive in.  Philadelphia beat 49ers 31 to 28.

September 22

Mon. 22.  Bill Banks and family spent eve with us.

September 23

Tuesday. 23.  Jay had dinner with employees.  Scotty and I had salmon.  He brought me a brown purse.

September 24

Wed. 24^th.  Borgeses took me for a drive and grocery Shopping.

September 25

Thurs 25^th.  Jo and Joe came in time for dinner.

This was the first vacation Mom and Dad had taken with my sisters when I did not go.  I had started to the University.

September 26

Fri.  Went to Zoo and Sutro

September 27

Sat 27^th.  Shopped in China town all A.M.  Scotty took us to dinner at Alto Mira Hotel in Sausilito – then to Fisherman’s Wharf

September 28

Sun. 28^th.  Jo & Joe’s Anniversary.  Went to Golden Gate park.  I baby sat while they saw 49ers beat Pittsburg.  Anniversary dinner at apartment.

Mom & Dad had been married twelve years.  I suspect Mammaw had seen enough football and was perfectly happy to stay home with the little girls.  Jay and Scotty had season tickets - didn't miss a game.

September 29

Mon. 29^th.  Jay & Scotty took off from work.  Went to Muir Wood, Belvedere Island and bridge tour.

September 30

Tues 30.  Left S.F. at 8:30 AM.  Made 17 Mile drive between Monterey and Carmel.  Drove on to Santa Barbara and Ocean Palms Lodge  $16.00.

Can you imagine staying in a motel for $16 a night?

August 1958

August 1

Friday.  I rode to Tulsa with George Caudle and spent a week at Graydon’s.  K.M. called that Letty had thrombosis behind her right eye and had gone to Barnes hospital.

August 2

Saturday.  Evening we visited with Kathryn and saw their new home.

The only Kathryn I can think of would be Kathryn Carney Coatney, Aunt Let's daughter - but I don't recall that she ever lived in Tulsa.

August 3

Sunday.  Went with Graydon’s family to Sunday School and church.  Back again that night and heard Graydon sing “The Lord’s Prayer”.

August 4

Monday

August 5

Tuesday.  My Dad’s birthday.  Clare and Don took me to see live TV.

Wish she's said what show....

August 6

Wednesday.  Graydon on car trade.

My uncle Graydon traded cars a lot, but then many people of this era traded every two years.  Graydon was one of the worst drivers I ever rode with - speed up, slow down, speed up, slow down.  Always made me ill.

August 9  [I believe two pages stuck together because Thursday was August7^th and the dates/days are off from here on.]

Thursday.  Clare and I went shopping at Sears.

August 10  [8^th]

Friday.  Clare and the children went to Fayetteville and took me to Tahlequah.  Mattie’s family get together.

Aunt Mattie had a Reunion every summer.

August 11  [9^th]

Saturday.  Rainy.  Eva took me to their cabin at Ten Killer.  Beautiful spot.

Eva (King) Fulcher - Aunt Mattie's oldest daughter.

August 12  [10^th]

Sunday.  The big day.  30 people at Mattie’s for dinner.  Minnie and Ira brought me home and we stopped at hospital in Fayetteville to see Letty.

August 13  [11^th]

Paid bills.  Caught up on book work and I bought bushel of peaches and started canning them.

August 14  [12^th]

Tuesday.  More record keeping and yard work.  Trying to take a nap now.  Two P.M.

August 15  [13^th]

Wednesday.  Yard work and canning peaches.

August 16 [14^th]

Thursday.  Sunned bedding and sprayed closets.  Spent the night with K.M.’s children while he and LaVonne were at Lake Texoma.

August 17  [15^th]

Friday.  Lonesome day.  Putting Kenney’s clothes away.  Went picnicking with JoEllen’s folk on War Eagle River.  Nice drive.  Helped to get my mind off of everything.

August 18  [16^th]

Saturday.  Did some cleaning and baked a cake.  Mattie called that she will be here late today.

August 19  [17^th]

I went to church.  Then JoEllen had Mattie, Frances Ann and me there for dinner.  We attended open house at the parsonage.  Also dedication.  Kay sang “Bless This House”  5 P.M. we left for Van Buren.  I took beautiful flowers to Kenney from our own home.

Frances Ann was Aunt Mattie's granddaughter - daughter of her deceased daughter Frances.  I don't know her surname now - if I ever did.  I think one of the aunt's raised her but she spent a lot of time with Mattie.

August 20  [18^th]

Monday.  I spent last night with Grandma and Maude.  Went back to Minnie’s for dinner.

August 21  [19^th]

Tuesday.  A.M.  We drove back home.  Stopped to see Letty and also saw Dr. Fischer and had my feet worked on.  Afternoon Mattie and Frances went home.

Mammaw had very painful bunions and other problems with her feet - she looked forward to her visits to her podiatrist almost as much as to the hairdresser.

August 22  [20^th]

Wednesday.  Did a washing and canned peaches.  Bobb Reed helped me put our iris from Minnie’s.  Donny and Kay ate supper with me.

Some of that iris went with me to every house I lived in until we moved back to Wetumpka in 1990 - never bloomed again there, bulbs just worn out I guess.

August 23  [21^st]

Thursday.  Talked with A. W. & Grace.  He is better – they say go on to California.  Had my hair done.  Pick up curls.  Looks like a new permanent.  Went to Kansas City by bus.

Her brother, Authur and his wife Grace.

August 24

Sunday  [The date and day now in agreement.]   At Ikeys.  Talked with Jay.  Made reservations to fly to San Francisco.

August 25

Monday   Spent day with Lindy.

Lindy was Ikey & Becky's dog - there was actually more than one named Lindy, but this one was probably the first.  A cocker spaniel treated much more like a baby; they always brought her when they visited her.  I think my sisters and young cousins thought of Lindy as another cousin.  My grandmother was raised in another era and didn't think much of animals kept as pets - especially in the house.

August 26

Tuesday.  Flew to San Francisco.

August 27

Wed.  Scotty cooked dinner & showed pictures.

August 28

Thurs 28^th.

August 29

Friday 29^th.  My day to cook dinner.  Had beef strogonoff.  (her spelling)

August 30

Sat. 30^th.  Went to Cliff House.  Then a long drive and grocery shopping.

The Cliff House is a restaurant in San Francisco with a very long history - amazing that it's still there!

July 1958

July 1

Tuesday

At the end of June she had gone to Van Buren to visit.

July 2

Wednesday.  Drove home alone for 1^st time.  No trouble.  Imagined Kenney sitting by my side.

July 3

Thursday.

Went to Rodeo at night with McKims.  Kenney would have enjoyed so much.

Rodeo of the Ozarks, July 1-4.  Really big deal in Springdale - it was fun growing up and being part of the parades, sitting in Mom & Dad's seats over the bucking shoots.  Dad was on the Rodeo Board for many years and the Rodeo was a very important part of the lives of both my sisters.  I have a very clear memory of my green-broke horse, Flaxy, running away with me in the middle of the Grand Entry - right through the middle of the pattern and out the gate.

July 4

Friday.  Becky and Ike came.  Worked on summer house.

On the back of her lot was a small building - partially screened.  She used it somewhat as a potting shed and garden storage.  In the summer we would eat in the "summer house".

July 5

Saturday.  Ikey did carpenter work.  Becky and I painted.  K.M. was a good helper.

July 6

Sunday.  Ike finished building cabinet and put in frame work for screen.  P.M.  They left for home.

July 7-10

Wrote in only the days of the week - long days, I suspect.

July 11

Friday.  Dave’s birthday – sent him pajamas.

Cousin Dave was 11.

July 12

Saturday.  Having good visit with Mattie.  JoEllen called and invited us for Sunday dinner.

Her sister Mattie King had come to visit.

July 13

Sunday.  Kenney’s birthday.  Had glads at church here & at V.B. in His Memory from the family by Jay.  Made pictures at night.

My granddad died just before his 71st birthday.  To an 18-year-old it seemed to me he had a full life - now that I am older than he ever lived to be, I realize life is never long enough....

July 14

Monday.  Made more pictures.  Painted on summer house – also chairs.

July 15

Tuesday.  Went to CWF luncheon and program.  Enjoyed it very much.  My first here.

Always positive - but I'm sure she missed all the ladies in Van Buren.

July 16

Wednesday.  K.M. and Lavonne's children had spent night and were with me till noon.

July 17

Thursday.  Jay’s birthday.  He will be lonely.  Dad and I were with him this time last year.  They celebrated together.  Sorry I am not with you, son – I’m praying for you.

Jay was 39.

July 18

Friday

July 19

Saturday.  Helped JoEllen with canning.  Stayed over night.

July 20

Sunday.  Went to church with K.M.’s folk.  Rev. B. O. Davis first sermon.  After church picnic lunch at JoEllen’s – Preacher’s family, Littrells, Tanseys, McKims & myself.  7:30 P.M. Installation and Reception.

Rev. O. B. Davis married us.  He was a tiny little man with a big message.  His wife Margery, a lovely lady. After he left Springdale he served churches in Oklahoma.  Mom kept to contact with them, until everyone was too old.

July 21

Monday

July 22

Tuesday.  Champ’s birthday.

Champ Rainwater was Mammaw's nephew.  He was the eldest son of Aunt Nora (Comstock) Rainwater.  He would have been 50 on this date.

July 23

Wednesday.  I went to V.B. with K.M. to be there for the July birthday party.  Spent the night with Ira & Minnie.

The July birthday party would have included my granddad.

July 24

Thursday.  Nora and I went to Grandma’s – I spent the night there.

Aunt Nora (Comstock) Rainwater.  Always been a bit of a curiosity that my granddad had a sister and a wife named Nora.

  

July 25

Friday.  The gang had dinner at Nora’s.

July 26

Saturday.  Minnie and I froze and canned peaches.  I spent the night with Nora R.

July 27

Sunday.  Went to S.S. and church with ira & M.   Then birthday dinner at Paul’s.  Had treasure hunt for Letty & Joyce.  We missed our Kenney.  He would have had so much fun.  His party too.

Aunt Let was 57.  Joyce was Aunt's Maude's granddaughter - a year or two younger than I, so maybe about 16.  I'm not sure why she was there so often with Aunt Maude.

July 28

Monday.  Ira, Minnie and I went to Muskogee to see Arthur.  They brought me home and spent the night with me.

Minnie and Mammaw's brother, Arthur Hays.

July 29

Tuesday.  Froze and canned peaches.

July 30

Wednesday.

  

July 31

Thursday.  Little Kenney’s birthday.

Kenney was 10.

June 1958

My grandmother went on with life as single traveler.  She finished the renovations to her home and kept busy with family.

June 1

Sunday.  S. S. and Church in Springdale

June 2

Having car port, storage, and patio built.  All week.

June 6

Friday.  Finished car port – carpenter work

June 7

Saturday.  Helped JoEllen and Joe get ready for vacation.

June 8

Sunday.  4:30 P.M.  Joe, Jo and Kay left for Washington D.C.  I am babysitting for about ten days.

This was a sort of  Senior Trip for me - to visit our Nation's Capitol.  The trip had been planned for several months.  We drove to D. C. and toured all the usual.  The highlight was seeing the live stage play of "The Diary of Anne Frank".

June 12

Thursday.  Graydon and family came on vacation.

June 13

Friday.  Graydon and Don worked on summer house, etc.  Went out to eat Friday night.

June 14

Saturday.  Mrs. Burleson had us all for lunch.

My Aunt Clare's mother.

June 15

Sunday.  Father’s Day.  JoAnn, Laurie and I had dinner alone after church.  McKims & Comstocks had potted mums at church in memory of Dad.  K.M. brought them to me after church.

I had not remembered that we were away on Father's Day.  Must have been difficult for my grandmother - hopefully, the little girls were a distraction.

June 16

Monday.  Back at JoEllen's with the children.

June 17

Tuesday.  3:30 P.M.  The folk came back from vacation.  Had wonderful trip but glad to get home.

June 18

Tuesday  [It was a Wednesday – she seems to have picked up the day from the year before]

Dave came to spend two nights with me.  Gary stayed here with us.

June 19

Wednesday.  Dave and Kenney stayed with me.

June 20

Thursday.  LaVonne and children had lunch with me.  Then they took Dave to Fayetteville.  Guess Kay will be moving back.

[I stayed in the house with Mammaw most of the summer, unless she had other company.]

June 21

Friday

June 22

Sunday  [day of the week now back on track]

June 23

Monday.  K.M. and I went to Emerson Monument Co.  Found one we liked.

June 24 - June 28

She wrote in only the day of the week with no further comment.

June 29

Sunday.  Nora stayed with Grandma while I went to S.S. and church.  All of us had dinner and supper together.  Letty and Cy came – on way to New Orleans.

I wonder if she had gone down to Van Buren to visit..  Aunt Let and Uncle Cy would not have come through Springdale on the way to New Orleans.  This may have been the first time she drove to Van Buren by herself.

June 30

Monday  [No other comment.]

May 1958

May 1

Thursday.  Moving from JoEllen’s.  More fun putting things away.

That answers a question - I couldn't remember they had stayed with us during the remodeling, but apparently they did.

May 2

Friday.  Carpet men went to work.  Got living room and dining room carpeted.  Kenney enjoyed lying on the new carpet – using a roll of scraps for pillow.

They had wall-to-wall carpeting put down which they had never had in any house.

May 3

Saturday.  Carpet men finished at two P.M.  We were so proud.  Kenney put up can opener and paper holder.  His last job.  He wanted to do it alone.  Said just give me time.

At 10:10 P.M.   The bottom fell out of everything.  My Kenney is gone.

Added later:  Bought birthday gift for Cy that day.

Donnie and I had a date that night and he was late, as usual.  Kenney called me on the phone to ask if I wanted to walk up to their house and see the new carpet.  I did.  He lay down on it for me and waved his arms as if making a snow angel.  We laughed and hugged and Donnie came there to pick me up and off we went to the movie.  After the movie, when we drove in Mom & Dad's driveway, Mom and Mammaw were getting out of her car.  Mammaw turned to me and said brokenly, "he's gone".  Mom then explained that my grandparents had just gone to bed, when he suddenly sat up and then fell back on his pillow, and died.  We put Mammaw to bed in one of the twin beds in JoAnn and Laurie's room and Mom asked me to sleep in the other to watch after her.  Dr. Applegate had given her a sedative so she could rest.  I could not sleep.  As I lay there in the room, a mockingbird sang outside the window - off and on for most of the night.  Years later, I would hear the same mockingbird songs on the morning that my Mammaw died.

May 4

Sunday.  The children came home.  A sad day for all.  We were at JoEllen’s.

May 5

Monday.  The day we were to move in our home.  We took Kenney back to Van Buren for the last time.

They owned plots in Grace Lawn Cemetery in Van Buren where his parents and many other relatives were buried.  His services were to be held in the church they had attended over so many years.

May 6

Tuesday.  Funeral at Wood Memorial Christian Church.  Burial at Grace Lawn Cemetery.  Then back home in Springdale.

This was pretty much on old-time country funeral with open casket and everyone filing down the aisle to "view" before they sat down.  The family was all seated in the front of the church.  After the service, the preacher asked the family to say their last good-byes before the casket was closed.  My sobbing grandmother simply could not let go of him and we had to take her away.  It was the most heart-breaking experience of my 18 years.  I remember my Dad and I agreeing that we would never have open casket at any funeral we had anything to do with, the rest of our lives.  As far as I know we both stuck to that.

May 7

Wednesday.  Had my furniture moved in while the boys were here.  Nearly everything unpacked.

Supposed to be such a happy occasion, but was not.

May 8

Thursday.  Jay and I worked all day straightening.

May 9

Friday

Jay and I went to K.C. by bus.  Ike met us at 4:50.  Becky had good dinner ready.

We all thought it would be best just to get her away for awhile.  She also wanted to be with Jay for as long as possible.

May 10

Saturday.  Had good visit with Becky and Ike.  Jay caught plane for San Francisco 11:15 P.M.

May 11

Sunday.  Becky, Ike and I left for Pittsburg, Kansas.  McKims met us there.  Had dinner at church Greers Drive in.  I came on to Springdale with Joe, Jo and the kids.

May 12  [nothing written for the rest of May]

My grandmother had never written a check or paid a bill.  She had really never lived alone. The years that my granddad traveled in his job, there was always someone else living with her - Ike did not graduate from high school until after my mom and I had moved in with them.  Then Jay lived with us off and on.  By the time Mom married and then we moved, I was eight, and Kenney had retired and was home all the time.  Sometimes Mammaw would go to Van Buren and stay with Grandma so Aunt Maude could visit her daughter, but other than that they were not really apart for ten years.   She stayed at our house for the rest of May - I graduated from high school, with my heart still breaking that Kenney was not there.  When Mammaw decided she should move home, I moved into her extra bedroom and stayed with her all that summer.  I helped finish getting her settled in and with paying her bills and writing her checks. She never quite understood a bank statement and Mom would always check them over for the rest of Mammaw's life.  When late August came, Mammaw told me it was time for her to learn to live alone and since I was getting ready to attend the University, she believed I should move back home.  She would live alone in that house for fifteen more years.

My granddad and I had a very special bond.  My mother, as the only daughter among four sons, had grown up in a time of hardship and hard work - I've often wondered if he was especially kind to me because he had not had the time to be so to her.  I was the first grandchild and I did live in his home from age two to eight.  He taught me to call him Kenney, because he declared he was too young to be a grandfather.  He helped me learn to read when I was four from the Sunday funny papers.   When they lived on the farm in Elkins, he taught me how to shoot his .22 and I still have a coffee can lid showing I out-shot him and hit the bulls-eye.  We both loved reading history and biographies and had many long talks about books and "famous" people.  He took much more pride in my scholastic achievements than did my parents - told me that my graduating grade point was the first to be higher in the family than his own.  He always took my relationship with Don seriously and seemed to know, as I did, when I was fifteen, that we were destined to be together.  He and my grandmother are standing next to each other in a school picture when they were in the 8th grade so he knew young love could last.  He was a great loss in my young life and I miss him still.