Father's Day 2020 - Memories of Dad

Today is Father's Day - the 15th without my dad.  As I've done in years past, I want to get some more (and maybe some of the same) memories documented for his descendants.  I've previously shared memories HERE.  2012   2013   2015   2016

My dad was quite a character.  Just when you thought you'd seen and heard it all, he'd come up with something new.  Sometimes funny, sometimes stern - boy did he have a lot to say.

As I was making dinner last night and preparing the corn-on-the-cob, I was reminded of Dad's insistence that corn was much sweeter and more tender if you cut the kernels.  Not cut them off the cob, but after it was cooked just cut them down the middle like this.

Props to me for holding the knife and taking the photo at the same time

I don't know how that came to be but the practice has been handed down to at least one of his grandchildren.  Thanks for the tip, Dad!

I don't remember exactly how long it went on but there was a period where Dad liked to smoke a cigar.  I really only remember him smoking in the car (ick) as we traveled home from dinner somewhere.  But based on this photo, I'd say he was ready at most any time.

Check out the cigar in his pocket!

Dad was a busy guy and it was difficult for him to break away if we participated in an after school activity.  Boy was I thrilled when Dad showed up to the high school near his office so he could watch me swim in a meet.  I wasn't the fastest kid on the team but since we raced in groups based on our speed, I was able to stay competitive and sometimes even made the medal stand, although I have no idea if we received an actual ribbon if we placed.  But Dad came and even took pictures!

That's me in the middle

One of the drawbacks of swimming in groups by speed is that you had to finish within the designated time period.  I don't remember the groupings but what I do remember is that while I finished first, I SWAM TOO FAST SO WAS DISQUALIFIED!  I'll never forget Dad saying (over and over and over again) "I can't believe you won the race but swam too fast".  In fact, while I got over it, I'm not sure he ever did.

I've mentioned before that Dad liked to wear hats - maybe he felt like it kept his naked head warm.  But this is one I don't remember ever seeing!

Crazy hat day?

Speaking of crazy hats, what the heck was this?  I wish I knew the story but, sadly, that died along with my dad.  WAIT - could that have been Crazy Hat Night at Family Camp and he was posing at the interior door of the cabin we stayed in?

I don't remember the specifics of why but the first Christmas I was married my parents and brother were going to Mexico (I think?) for the holiday.  But for some reason Mom and brother went first and Dad met them there after Christmas.  So it was time for me to become an adult and fix the Christmas dinner.  I remember Mom gave me instructions, which I wrote down, and Dad, sister and some of my husband's family came to our tiny apartment to share the meal.  Of course, Dad had to kibitz but as I recall, the meal turned out pretty good.

Dad, me (4 months pregnant), sister

That refrigerator must have been pretty small because we are not a tall family.  :-)

Back to crazy hats!  Although it seems that this "hat" was the fashion of the day.

In 1982, Dad was awarded the Legacy Medal, an award given annually by the San Jose Hospital Foundation.  The hospital was a pretty special place as all three of us kids were born there and a few years before this award was given, Dad spent a lot of time there recovering from first a heart attack and then a quintuple bypass.  But that special night included a surprise visit from Willie McCovey, the legendary First Baseman for the San Francisco Giants.  I don't remember if it was before or after this event but one of Dad's only hole-in-ones was in the Willie McCovey golf tournament.

Dad and Willie McCovey

Dad loved to play the organ and took lessons for many, many years.  In his younger days he played the piano, accordion, and some instrument which I think was a melodica.  He was pretty good but I took for granted the music drifting through the house.

Dad's organ - he loved to play!

One of my favorite memories I have of Dad was during a visit we made in the late 1990's to Snoqualmie Falls and had lunch (Dad's favorite thing to do) at the coffee shop there.  I don't think this was that time but the photo seemed appropriate since he was sitting in a restaurant.  Is that a beer on the table?

Anyway, this was during the Wayne's World craze days and we often would say "no way" to which the others would reply "way".  Dad just couldn't quite get it and thought we were all crazy for the shenanigans.  But we kept working on him.  Finally, that day at the restaurant someone said "NO WAY" and we all looked at him to prompt him for what came next.  He got a big grin on his face and yelled "KWIGH" (pronounced like high with a KW).  I don't think any of us had ever laughed that hard before and probably not since.

Funny enough on it's own but a few years later I bought a new car.  When the license plates showed up in the mail the first letters were KUY.  I thought of my dad every time I got in my car.

Yes, he was definitely one of a kind and I miss him every day!  And as Dad would say "WELL I DO"!

52 Ancestors: Handed Down - Twin Mystery

This week's blog prompt, Handed Down, immediately brought to mind many of the items that have been handed down to me by my ancestors.  But since I've written about those so many times, I thought I'd focus on a story that was handed down to me over the years by my mom.  Mom often declared "twins run in the family because my grandmother had twins three times".  And then she would add that each time either neither or just one of the babies survived.  So down the rabbit hole I went to find something - anything - that pointed to that statement being true.  Mom really didn't seem to know much about her family, particularly on her father's side, so was this accurate?

First up, my mother's maternal grandmother, and the only great grandmother I knew, was Mabel Viola (McAboy) Fitzgerald.

Mabel Viola (McAboy) Fitzgerald, c. 1952

The 1910 census is a great place to start.  In fact, it may be the only document that shows the number of children born and the number living in 1910.  I can't be sure if the number "born" includes still births but my gut tells me it would.

1910 United States Census, Township 3, Fresno, California,
Roll: T624_76; Page: 14B; Enumeration District: 33; Image: 485.

That's a little small (you think?) so I cropped it.

And it checks out.  All three children had been born by 1910 (that's my grandmother, Clara) and it shows that Mabel and Edward had been married for 8 years and she had 3 children, all of whom were living.  So, I don't think it was this grandmother.

Next up was Mom's paternal grandmother, Frances Maria (Brooks) Martin.

Frances Maria (Brooks) Martin, c. 1930

Frances was the daughter of William Brooks who was killed in the Civil War at Fredericksburg - I'm sure she had a lot of stories to tell.  But would she have said she had twins three times?

1910 United States Census, Township 3, Fresno, California
Roll: T624_76; Page: 9B; Enumeration District: 33; Image: 475.

Too small again but before I move on, it surprised me to see that not only were they in the same Enumeration District as the Fitzgeralds, they were only five pages away - they were neighbors!

And it checks out.  8 children born and 8 children living.  That's my grandfather, Earl(e), at the bottom.  So based on this, I'd say it wasn't Frances that gave birth to twins three times.

I decided to go back another generation, although some of those women were not living at the 1910 census.

Mabel's mother was Rebecca Moriah (Waller) McAboy.

Rebecca (Waller) McAboy

Both Rebecca and her husband, William Warren McAboy, were still living in 1910.

1910 United States Census, Township 3, Fresno, California
Roll: T624_76; Page: 26B; Enumeration District: 29; Image: 362.

While not in the same Enumeration District, they WERE in Fresno!

Again, this checks out.  6 children born and 5 living in 1910 as their oldest son, William L. McAboy, died in 1881 at the age of 17.  So I don't think Rebecca had twins three times.

Edward Fitzgerald's mother was Julia Horgan.  While Julia had seven children, she died in 1885 so no chance to see anything about her in the 1910 census.  And I have been unable to learn much from the children's birth records, when they do exist.  So did Julia have twins three times?  I'm not sure I'll ever know.

Frances' mother was Sarah Jane (Miller) Brooks Anderson.

Sarah Jane (Miller) Brooks Anderson

While Sarah was alive in 1910, I can't find her anywhere in the census.  I'm fairly certain she was in Fresno and I've checked with each of her living children to see if she was living with them - no luck.

I can account for seven children - four with her first husband, William Brooks, and three with her second husband, John Hayward Anderson.  But I can't be sure if any of those were multiple births.  I need to find her in the 1910 census!

And last, but not least, was Earle's paternal grandmother, Millicent Emilene (Moore) Martin.  Since Millicent died in 1884, I have nothing to go on in 1910.  I know that she had eight children overall but nothing to confirm whether any of those were multiple births.

So where does that leave me?  Not much farther along than I was before.  But I'll keep working on it!

52 Ancestors: Tombstone - Memorial Day

This weeks' blog prompt, Tombstone, fits right in with Memorial Day - I'm sure that was not by accident.  Since today is Memorial Day, I will focus on my ancestors who gave the ultimate sacrifice while serving their country.

William J. Brooks

William was my 2x great grandfather.  William's only daughter. Frances Maria, was the mother of my paternal grandfather, Earle Martin.  William enlisted on 1 Jul 1862 in Company G, 3rd regiment, South Carolina.  Unfortunately, his military time was short as he was killed at the Battle of Fredericksburg on 13 Dec 1862, leaving a wife and four young children on their own.

You can read my original post about William J. Brooks HERE.

Dials Cemetery, Laurens County, South Carolina

Robert M. Hunter

Robert was the son of Harriet (Pease) and Sheldon Hunter and was my mother's step brother.  He was aboard the USS Oklahoma on December 7, 1941.  An interesting account by Historical Collections of Hawaii, Keepers of the Culture, A Day in Infamy, part 5A.

The battleship USS Oklahoma, an older ship with much less protection against underwater damage was hit by up to nine torpedoes. Her hull's port side was opened almost completely from below the forward gun turret back to the third turret, a distance of over 250 feet. She listed quickly, her port bilge struck the harbor bottom, and she then rolled almost completely over. She came to rest less than twenty minutes after she was first hit.

The huge 1,400 pound shells used for the big gun turrets broke loose and started rolling, crushing everything in her way.  

The Oklahoma was preparing for a major admiral fleet inspection scheduled for December 8th. Contrary to normal procedure, all the watertight compartments below the water line were open, including the protective blisters. Once she was hit the water rushed in. Some of the Oklahoma's men were still alive inside her upturned hull, and their rescue became a focus of an intense effort over the next two days. Thirty-two sailors were recovered alive, but over four hundred were killed. In 1943, the capsized ship was rolled upright and raised in one of the salvage profession's greatest undertakings, but she was beyond repair. She sunk again while in tow from Hawaii to the west coast.

Some men waited in compartments for rescue when she first rolled over. Of 14 men trapped in compartment D-57, three made a daring escape. They swam nearly 20 feet down the trunk space, 35 feet out of the hatch and across the upside down deck, and finally ascended almost 30 feet to the waters surface. This compartment was known as the " Lucky Bag." Ordinary men with extraordinary courage swam approximately 90 feet to freedom. The hours of others awaiting rescue passed by slowly. Using hammers and wrenches, they pounded on bulkheads to draw attention to would-be rescuers. Those in the compartment of D-57, time was running out as the air grew foul and the water steadily rose. Only the group of 32 men were rescued, making the second greatest loss of life at Pearl Harbor.

You can read my original post about Robert M. Hunter HERE.

National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific (aka Punchbowl)
Honolulu, Hawaii

Thank you for your ultimate sacrifice, William J. Brooks and Robert M. Hunter.

52 Ancestors: Travel - Mom & Dad See the World

This weeks' blog prompt brought back many happy memories of traveling as a kid.  We were fortunate to go to Hawaii several times, Disneyland (only 400 miles away!), and even a swing to the east coast to visit New York and Washington D.C.  While I have the memories, I haven't run across any photos of those journeys yet; however, I did just recently find some movies of trips to Hawaii.

As we grew older, Mom & Dad continued to travel although they seemed to focus more on international travel.  So, I wasn't all that surprised when I opened a steel box marked insurance policies to find these.

These passports were issued in 1969 and expired in 1974.  There must have been other passports but I haven't run across those yet.

It's fun to see the photo that was used since I have copies of both of these photos but had no idea what they were for or what year they were taken.  So I can check that question off my list.

In each of their passports a Registration was stapled that listed the articles that they were bringing into the country with them.  I don't know which trip this was from but it was interesting to see Mom's jewelry and Dad's camera gear.

There was also a record of all of the immunizations they received prior to traveling.  I remember a lot of discussion about these shots as they went through the series.  Joseph Fischer was their long time physician.

And pages and pages of stamps.  I can't read them all (hey, it's been 50 years since they were stamped) but I did get an inkling of where they went.  In 1969 they went to Philippines, Indonesia, and Hong Kong and may have re-entered the U.S. through Honolulu.  And in 1973 they entered in London and in 1975 through Budapest.

Look at that - I'd previously found a photo of Mom arriving at Kemayoran Airport so this must have been 1969.

I've spent some time lately with old movies and slides and found some photos that look to be of their travels but I have no idea when or where they were.  If anyone recognizes any of these places, let me know!

I've done a search to see if I could figure out this big building but came up empty.

Could this be the Coliseum in Rome?

As usual, Dad carried a ton of stuff around his neck.  No wonder he used to complain about his bad back!

I have no clue on this photo but boy does she look happy.  Either that or she smiled as she thought to herself "will he please stop taking pictures?"

What the heck?  Pay no attention to the stocks but how about those glasses?

Dad didn't very often get his photo taken as he was usually hiding behind the camera and even though I suspect this is in Monterey (no passport required), I had to include it.  Not only did they honeymoon in Monterey but my grandmother was raised there.  So a pretty special place all around.

This looks to be the same day.  And, of course, a camera around his neck.  One thing I've learned, though, is that while he always had a camera with him, he wasn't necessarily a great photographer.  :-)  But he sure was handsome!

This photo could be from most anywhere.  I love that they're all dressed up and someone snapped a photo of them.

Most of their international travel was after the girls were too old to care about travel, but I think little brother might have gone along on one or more of these trips.  Maybe he'll chime in with some memories.

52 Ancestors: Land - Sig's scrapbooks

This weeks' blog prompt, LAND, immediately reminded me of my paternal grandfather, Sig Levy, who spent much of his life selling commercial real estate.  He and his three brothers opened the firm Levy Brothers in the early 1900's.  Unfortunately, due to some family "disagreements" that I don't thoroughly understand, they didn't stay together throughout their lives.

In the letters between my grandparents in 1916-1919, he often mentioned a "big deal" he was working on but as of yet, I haven't learned any of the specifics of these deals.  But as I've stated on numerous occasions, he was an avid scrapbooker - maybe the love of scrapbooking is what brought my grandparents together? 

For this blog, I pulled out one (out of about 10-12) of his scrapbooks and decided to take a closer look.  It will take A LOT of time to digest everything that's included in the books but that is far down on the list of to-do items.  So for today I thought I'd just include a few articles that might have some interest in the history of Fresno.

Here's a sample of one of the pages.

You can see that the articles are glued, some folded, and even some staples in there which makes scanning difficult.  But the Flip Pal Mobile Scanner came to the rescue!

Fresno Bee, March 16, 1961

This is hard to read but it says:

CHANGES IN TRAFFIC:  This photo shows the one way street pattern which will being in downtown Fresno March 26th between Shields Avenue on the north and San Benito Street on the south.  Southbound traffic will flow from Wishon Avenue to North Fulton Street and then across Fulton Lane, now under construction, and onto Broadway.  Northbound vehicles will travel along Van Ness Avenue to North Van Ness Avenue and onto Moroa Avenue.  Fulton Street will carry two way traffic with Divisadero Street as the exit for northbound traffic.  Bee aerial photo by Loyal Savaria from a Whirl-Wide Helicopters, Inc, aircraft.

Being that I haven't been to Fresno in close to 40 years, I have no idea how this compares to the traffic pattern today.  But I do remember hearing several of those street names as a child.

Fresno Bee, March 21, 1961

For those in Fresno, is the Mayfair Market still there?

60 unit Marlo Carousel Motel under construction near Roeding Park
date unknown

Here's how it looked after completion.

On June 11, 1971, The Fresno Bee reported on Page C4:  

"There are six, maybe eight, fine restaurants in the area to which one can take visitors from San Francisco and Los Angeles and not have to apologize," says R. 'Bob' Duarte, operator of the Carousel Restaurant in Carousel Motel across from Roeding Park Playland on West Belmont Avenue... The facility is unique in the Valley because of its merry-go-round lounge complete with horses and calliope music. Hanging brass chains and bas-reliefs give the lounge and restaurant an almost haunting air. A decade ago the Fresno architectural firm of Robert Stevens Associates was cited by the San Joaquin Chapter of the American Institute of Architects for the design."

Per Wikipedia, the Hotel Fresno was built in 1912 and is the oldest surviving hotel in Fresno.  It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 2018.  But how many people realize it was sold to Northern Realty in 1961 for $500,000?

It's a long article so I have just included the first part here

Wikipedia also states that it was vacant for 30 years beginning in 1983 and in 2019 was under renovation to become affordable housing for 79 families.  I'll bet that hotel would have a lot to say if walls could talk.

So, so much more that my grandfather kept all these years and one day, if I live long enough, I will get through it all.

52 Ancestors: Air - Sig loves the air!

U.S. Army Recruiting Service

My grandfather, Sig Levy, seemed to be interested in anything to do with airplanes and flight.  I wish I'd known that so I could have asked him about it.  I blogged about it a few years ago - you can read about it here.  National Aviation Day and First Days as a Cadet. 

I've mentioned before that Sig was a Flying Cadet and at one point was stationed at March Field in Riverside California.  He looked so dapper in his uniform - look at those cool boots!

He and my grandmother, Loraine Gunzendorfer, wrote letters back and forth during this time and I love reading tidbits about what they were doing and feeling at the time.  On November 9, 1918 Sig described a little about his time flying.

Well another day is over and I am still alive - and I had my first flight.  Sweet it was a wonderful ride and I felt right at home - honest it didn't frighten me a bit.  Was up for almost an hour just on a joy ride and went up a little over 2000 feet.  I have a peach of an instructor and he is a Mason so that helps.  They strap you in tight and away you go - it really is fascinating - and they also have you take hold of the controls and run the ship for a tiny bit now and then.  It only takes the least bit of movement to sway in any direction.  I dressed up real warm and was not at all cold in the air - have my helmet, goggles, etc. & look like the real stuff.  Wish I could send you a picture love, but they don't allow them down here.  From now on I fly every morning so wish me luck.  I have the same instructor every day.  I can't reach the rudder control without stretching a lot so I am having a pillow seat made.  They seem to think that I won't have any trouble flying and there are a lot of pillow aviators down here.  But if I do sweet I'll not venture beyond the proper point so don't worry - but it seems that it is going to be easy to handle the plane from today's experience.  The country below looks beautiful & I didn't feel at all sick and took it all in.

Yes, my grandfather was too short so they were making a pillow seat for him so he could join the 'pillow aviators'.

And two days later, Loraine wrote a letter addressed to just Flying Cadet Sigmund Levy, March Field, Riverside, California and it made it safely to him since I have it now.  Notice the date - the war was over!

An excerpt from her letter.

I was so overjoyed this morn at the wonderful news that I just had to telegraph you and hope you received my telegram O.K.  At 4:20 A.M. I was awakened by whistles blowing and bells ringing out the joyous news of peace.  They kept the racket up for two hours and started it again at nine this morn.  Then at two this aft all the automobiles who could paraded and everyone was so happy.  Everything was closed up so we went for a lovely ride around the 17 mile drive and just returned. My, but I was busy this afternoon down town receiving congratulations from friends I met, dear.  It was rather hard to recognize people in their masks but I managed to. And to think that my boy is really flying.  Received your letter this morn and was so happy to get it and to learn that your first flight was so successful and I hope the rest have been likewise.  And now that the war is a thing of the past, love, am so anxious to know what they are going to do about discharging you.  Guess now that you have had a start at flying you would like to continue but I’d rather have you safe on terra firma.  And I hope my wishes will have some weight.  But it must have been a wonderful sensation – flying 2000 ft and I am so proud to think of my boy being so brave and fearless.  If conditions hadn’t changed you would have probably been driving alone in a very short time.  I am wondering and wondering if they will still continue to train you.  Hope not.  So please, let me know, sweetheart, about it as soon as you can.

The other big event going on at the time was the Spanish Flu pandemic and here she mentioned the masks that people were wearing just like we are doing today.

I haven't found any other mention of Sig flying so that may have been his only flight.  But I know that he continued to be interested due to pictures and 'clippings' he kept throughout his life.  These two must have been very special to him since they were from March Field, albeit from the late 1930's.

Official Photograph U.S. Army Air Corps
July 23, 1938

Official Photograph U.S. Army Air Corps
January 29, 1938

I wonder if he lived in those barracks?

And later in life, it seems like he loved anything to do with planes.  Check him out here!

Sig Levy, right

I think that his Flying Cadet hat (or was that his helmet?), which I have along with his uniform.  Glad that he found a time to wear this other than Halloween.

Although I have SO much information about my grandfather, I have so many questions I wish I'd asked.