Throwback Thursday

Here is the "Family Tree" that was made for my grandparents. They had six daughters and in-laws and their children are in this picture.

1956

The tree is as follows.  First Branch -  "Sis" (Ethyln) and "Max" (Fred). Their son "Bud" (Fred) Kay and Mike Beman
Second Branch - Fran and Harold and their son John
Third Branch - Ruth (My mother)  Chuck (Charles Jackson my step dad) - Me (Jay Simser) and Ginny (Virginia) Jackson
Fourth Branch - Jean and Carl Bates - Their children Janet (Jan) and Loren
Fifth Branch - Ellen
Sixth Branch - JoAnne and Dave Peterson, Christine (Chris) and Richard (Rick)

Remembering "D" Day.

Today I remember my First Cousin F. M. "Bud" Beman who served in WWII and was in France for part of that service

Veteran's Day

My cousin F.M. "Bud" Beman who served in WWII

November 11

U.S. President Woodrow Wilson first proclaimed Armistice Day for November 11, 1919. In proclaiming the holiday, he said: "To us in America, the reflections of Armistice Day will be filled with solemn pride in the heroism of those who died in the country's service and with gratitude for the victory, both because of the thing from which it has freed us and because of the opportunity it has given America to show her sympathy with peace and justice in the councils of the nations."

Source

Armistice Day was so named because WWI ended on 11/11/1918 and was later changed to Veteran's Day to honor all those who have served.

Today I remember my First Cousin F. M. "Bud" Beman who served in WWII and was in France for part of that service.  I found some pictures of him and his buddies goofing around for the camera and thought I would share them.  The first on has Bud and one of his friends with a little French girl written on the back.

L to R.  Mike, Kay holding Randy and Bud.

After the war he returned to Ames, worked at the Post Office and eventually retired as Postmaster.  Here are a couple of pictures from that era.

And I also keep in mind all of those serving today.  This is from one of my former student's who is over there now.   4th Battalion, 23d Infantry Tomahawks

Nostalgia

 I have been scanning old pictures again.  It is a lot of fun to look through the pictures and see family from a long time ago.

Some of the pictures I have no idea who they are.  This one is of my cousin Bud and my aunt Jo.  Bud grew up to serve in WWII and then worked his way up to be the Ames Postmaster before he retired to Minnesota.  He had two sons Mike and Randy.  More about him later.
Wednesday was my aunt's 90th birthday.  She refused a party. I understand how she feels.  My birthday is this month and I have hidden my birthday on Facebook so no one will know when it is.  I stopped celebrating them last year.

George Underwood and friends. I think this is an amazing picture.

 My grandparents,  Sadie (Underwood) and "Dig" or "Doc" Cole.  Granddad did not like his first name so he went by Dig. His name was Clarence Gordon Cole. I think it has a nice ring to it.  He was a veterinarian and they had six daughters. The picture just below is one of my favorite pictures of them  Granddad and "Ma" as we called her loved to laugh and my grandmother was as close to a saint to a saint as I will ever meet.

 They had six daughters they are Back Row L. to R.  Francis, Jean, Ellen
Front Row L. to R.  Ethlyn "Sis", Joann, and my mother Ruth.

One of my Grandmother's Brothers was Jean Underwood.  He had a son I never knew.  My aunt Jo identified this picture of him. His name was John and he died at a young age.  Wish I had known him.  He has a nice smile and is what I would call dapper.

Finally I found this picture of my aunt "Sis", her husband Max and their son "Bud" - Actually both men were named Fred but went by their nicknames. They were around a lot.  Bud was the oldest grandchild and I was the second oldest but he was enough older than I that I did not play with him.  As I said he fought in WWII and next week I will share some pictures I found of their family.

Family

 I have been scanning some old pictures again. This first one is in the yard next to the bird bath that my grandfather made of red cement.  The basin and the bottom base are all that is left.  The pillar was broken in one of our moves.  It is one heavy piece.  Molly likes to drink rainwater out of it.

This is my mom and me in 1943 in front of the house on East Sixth. I would have been 1 1/2 years old.

Fifth grade (probably)

I got the glasses in sixth grade so this was probably taken in Atlantic, Iowa

Ginny riding my cousin John's pony in Adel

Not sure when this was taken but I am sure we had a struggle to get her in a dress.

Jay and Ginny and Boots in Jackson, Nebraska.
Boots was a beagle puppy who was run over on the dirt road that ran in front of the house we rented.

Ginny's Christmas Doll house. 

Mom worked for Doane Agricultural Service and they ran an article in their company magazine about her.  We had to have this picture taken for the magazine.

The three of us got along pretty well together.  Probably because we were all water signs. I am Scorpio (Nov 13), Mother was Pieces (February 22) and Ginny a Cancer (July 1).  There is also a pattern for the years.  Last year I turned 70, Mother would have been 100 and Ginny turned 60. The nephew was just 30 but his sign is not a water sign. Not that I really believe in any of that.  But then we all did love the water and were all happiest at the Lake.

Molly's Monday Musings

Molly here,  Saturday the Big Guy left me at home alone.  I was good (I am always good) if a little bored.  He went down to Altoona to a cousin's house for the Graduation Party.  Matt (on the left) is not a cousin but he is a good friend of Tom (Tommy) (on the right).  It was a really hot day and they had the garage decorated with Tom's artwork and his other accomplishments.  His dad (Scott) is in the middle of the picture below.

 I was good. Because I want the BG to take me with him next time he goes.  I like to watch him.  Sometimes I try to fool him but he knows when I am watching him.  My head gets tired once in awhile. He likes to take pictures of me.  I can't figure out why but he does.

 On Sunday he took me with him and I discovered that I have a family.  We went up to Aunt Jo's  (I have been there before and I like going there because she likes me....I like her also)  Today there were a lot of people there. Big people, little people and wonderful doggy cousins.  Big Cousin Michael took us out into Aunt Jo's Back yard (she is his grandmother.)
 He has a dog,  Kalie or Kaly (not sure how she spells her name.  She is a golden lab.  I am part lab and part retriever. The other dog cousin is Sawyer. He is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel.  He is smaller than we are and kind of cute.

 Of course everyone wanted to see the littlest person.  She came up from Texas with her brother, dad and mom.  She is with   cousin Loren in this picture.  He belongs to Sawyer. She is a cutie.  I really didn't know what to do with her and she was never really close enough for me to sniff.  Speaking of sniffing. I thinks some of these people were in my car the other day because it smelled like them

BG, Jr. (Michael) took us out on the back porch and let us run around the back yard. Kalie and I played lets pee on each others pee.  I think she won but I will never admit it.  Michael is a neat guy. He used to play football and now he works in Minneapolis.  He came down to see his grandmother, sister, brother in law, niece and nephew.

 The little boy was running around without his shirt on.  His mom doesn't like for her picture to be taken.  She groused at the BG - "Don't put my picture on Facebook."  She didn't say anything about the Blog so here they are.

The other set of grandparents (Charlie and Martha) came over from Tama to see the family.  They are nice.

 Here is the boy getting out of his high chair. He was tired so they had him take a nap and I didn't get to see much of him.

 Here are some more pictures of us all socializing and visiting.

 Sawyer - close up.

 This is Savannah.  She is Michael (BG, Jr's) girlfriend.  Isn't she pretty?

That is all the pictures from the family gathering.  I am resting up now.  The BG tells me that he is leaving tomorrow for a trip to North Carolina.  He would rather stay home with me but Cassie and I will be all right because Miles and Jon are going to move in and stay with us.  He just finished up his work for his Master's degree and is going to move to Phoenix Arizona for his Doctor's Degree.  The BG and I will miss him.  Take care.  I won't be able to Blog next Monday but will try to get back to you later in the week.  Woof!

   Molly