Throwback Thursday

L to R - Sadie (Underwood) Cole, Carrol Underwood, Ethyl (Underwood) Meeker and Jean Underwood

Probably taken in Los Angeles

Sadie Cole was my mother's mother and was the person other than my mother who shaped my life.  I miss her every day. She died in November of 1959 right after I started College. She wanted me to be a lawyer like her father but I became a teacher instead.  She had a wonderful sense of humor and she would keep my Grandfather's spirits up.  If he did not feel well my grandmother would pooh pooh his illness and say "I've had that lots of times."  -  After she died my grandfather had some prostrate problems...He told his daughter that was one time Sadie couldn't pooh pooh her problem.  The problem was that he just sort of lost the love of life that she always shared with us.  

Uncle Carrol lived in Long Beach and I got to meet him in 1958.  He had a wonderful sense of humor.  One time he was with in Los Angeles at my aunt's house and they were on an excursion and my mother kept asking about things she was seeing.  My aunt (her sister Ellen) did not know all the things that they seeing.  Uncle Carrol would always tell Mom what they were.  After some time Mom said that it was sure nice that he could tell her what they were seeing.  Uncle Carrol remarked that it did not matter what it was they were saying and could tell her anything he wanted she would not know what it was.

My Aunt Ethyl (we called her Auntie) was a remarkable woman.  A life long Christian Scientist, she was a strong willed woman who never allowed things to keep her down.  She drove her car from Ames to Los Angeles when she was 80 years old.  She also would dance with us and could do a mean "Twist" and she had a wonderful laugh.

Uncle Jean was a Veterinarian  and was a Colonel in the Army.  He served in the Philippines.  I met him in 1958 in San Diego.  I spent a week-end at his home and he took me to Tijuana.  He let me sight-see and then we had a Mexican lunch.  That evening we picked up a Swanson T V dinner for supper so I could know what "real" Mexican food would be like.  Later his wife, Rhoda, and I were playing cards and having fun.  It was about 8 pm and Uncle Jean remarked that it was time for bed.  Rhoda remarked that it was early yet and Jay and I would like to play cards longer.  

Uncle Jean looked askance and said "Rhoda, are you going to be difficult?"  We went to bed.  I guess that is the way it is in the military.  He had a collection of hand carved ivory that would have "given my eye teeth" to have today.

Uncle Carrol also gave me a Argus C-3 Camera which was probably the impetus for my liking photography.  He passed away in 1959 and my grandmother showed me a diamond ring to me.  She gave it to me because she wanted me to have it.  I still have it and wear it at special occasions.  My grandmother kept it for me until she passed.  I was too afraid to wear it for a long time as it is so very special.

This is not really a great picture but the expressions are great and you can see my grandmother's wonderful smile.