Get Me To The Church On Time

My Uncle Dick Dollen preparing to walk his big sister down the aisle on her wedding day. I think he had just finished boot camp. Mom and Dad’s wedding plans revolved on when Dick could get home.

This is a favorite photo of Mother and Son taken on 10 May 1952.

Photographs of Apprentice Seaman, Richard Dollen

Memories of days gone by, days I never knew. . . 

Uncle Dick Dollen, apprentice seaman - Photo most likely taken somewhere in California.

Those Thursday Places

Facebook is my Thursday Place. My sister has taken an interest in our family history and has been trying to connect with our Uncle Dick Dollen’s fellow seamen aboard the U.S.S. Washburn.

For those who might not know, our uncle was killed in a tragic accident. He was an apprentice seaman aboard the U.S.S. Washburn when it went into dry dock for routine maintenance. His job was to scrape and paint the left side of the rear of the ship. In the afternoon of 3 October 1952 the scaffolding in which he was standing gave way. His safety line failed and he fell to his death. Our mother and grandmother spent the rest of their remaining days mourning our uncle. As a result, very little was ever said about his life. Uncle Dick’s letters written to our grandmother provide our only clues to this uncle we never knew. Our curious minds sent us looking.

Facebook has played a key role in making connections. Timing is everything. As we searched the web, the U.S.S. Washburn was planning a reunion and created a facebook page specifically for the reunion. Nancy messaged the facebook page owner, as well as, the reunion contact person.

It is through these gentlemen, she was able to make contact with our uncle’s best friend aboard ship. His name is Bob Hall and Bob has agreed to tell us what he remembers of our uncle.

I don’t know if our mother would be happy with what we are doing but we do it out of love and with the hope of knowing our uncle just a little bit better.

Isn’t that what this family history thing is all about?

Linda

FYI

I have been searching records for the village of Curry Mallet, England and the surrounding area. I placed a large microfilm order for parish records of the area. They finally arrived and off I went to my local FHL.

I was unprepared for how tiny the handwriting was on the microfilm. I requested a magnifying glass, however, my eyes just could not focus on the print. I left that night with a pounding headache.

I decided to visit again, but at a different time. The daytime clerk was most helpful when I explained my dilemma. The original records must have been on a large printed page and needed to be significantly reduced to fit onto microfilm. She happily directed me to a microfilm viewer that had a magnifying lens built into the machine. Hallelujah! My problem was solved!

I didn’t realize that microfilm viewers come with different magnifications and am wondering if others know this. I hope this little post helps someone else read microfilm more easily!

Linda

Memorial Day, 2013

 

I thank God for my Grandmother Meyer. Her Bible holds The Meyer Family treasures and each time I turn the pages of her Bible I find a new treasure. Here is a newspaper clipping from 1942 and a photograph of the sons she prayed for.

Alvin, Marvin, Paul, Bob and George Meyer

In Flanders Field – Memorial Day, 2013

In Flanders Fields the poppies blow

Between the crosses row on row,

That mark our place; and in the sky

The lards, still bravely singing, fly

Scarce heard amid the guns below.

We are the Dead. Short days ago

We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow,

Loved and were loved, and now we lie

In Flanders Fields.

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

To you from failing hands we throw

The torch; be yours to hold it high.

If ye break faith with us who die

We shall not sleep, though poppies grow

In Flanders Fields.

By Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, MD

Canadian Army

Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, M.D., “In Flanders Field,” Arlington Cemetery

(http://www.arlingtoncemetery.net/flanders.htm : accessed 28 May 2012).

These poppies from Flanders Field were a gift from Robert Meyer to his mother. Bob was a World War II veteran who visited Flanders Field in 1941 where he picked these poppies.

His brother, Paul, is a Korean War veteran. He followed his older brother’s lead and sent this Japanese rose home for his mother. Both wartime gifts were obviously appreciated as she preserved they remain preserved in her Bible.

Throughout the generations, our families have been blessed. Sons survived battle and were able to return home safely. My uncle, Richard Dollen, is our only fatality and is the reason why his mother passed out poppies each Memorial Day.

Freedom isn’t free. May God bless those who died in service to our country. May God also bless those who have served, presently serve and those who will serve.

Linda

Happy Mother’s Day 2013

When my Mother was alive, I was not a big cemetery visitor and she held very little hope of me visiting her gravesite let alone decorating it. I think she would be pleasantly surprised to discover her first-born child to be a regular visitor.

Last Mother’s Day I planted a bleeding heart by her grave. In our geographic area, the bleeding heart blooms in May just in time for Mother’s Day. Small, perfect hearts adorn the perennial making it a perfect plant to remember mothers; at least in my humble opinion. With a little hope and a little rain, my plan was for bleeding hearts to decorate Mom’s grave each Mother’s Day.

It was a good, well thought out plan until the cemetery landscape crew weed whacked my bleeding heart in its first year of life. Shame on them! Today, I found my bleeding heart a mere three inches tall and struggling to survive. 

I will wait and see if my little plant survives. But not to worry, the good news is that maternal love survives generations.  

My Mom taught me about motherhood.

Have a Happy Mother’s Day!

Linda