On Friday, June 30, 1950, Helen’s oldest brother Lloyd Schaffer (above as a young man) and his wife Chloe and daughter Marian arrived in Muscatine to spend the night. Dale had the next two weeks off for vacation.
Lloyd Schaffer Family Arrives
Moving To New Jersey
In Minneapolis on Saturday, June 29, 1968, Dale wrote, “Stan and Judy packed all morning. Left for New Jersey at 2 p.m. Beautiful day, high 81°. Shopping at Spartan’s and Target. Bought a wedding present for Mac and Wilma.” Helen’s sister Wilma would marry Charles ‘Mac’ McFarland July 3. Judy and I had rented a house at 145 North Euclid Avenue in Westfield, New Jersey (above). It was a good location, backing up to a park and walking distance to downtown where I could take a train or bus into Manhattan. I had started working as a consultant at The Diebold Group, 430 Park Avenue, in New York City.
Company Coming!
On Tuesday, June 28, 1960, Stan, Judy, Jeff, and Dalene arrived at Dale and Helen’s Minneapolis house from Santa Monica (where Dalene had vacationed ten days). A major benefit for Stan working at System Development Corporation was employees who took their month’s vacation all at one time got a “sabbatical” bonus of 5% of their annual salary. The company logo, above, was a hyperbolic paraboloid, nicknamed the “flying diaper.”
How To End Car Payments
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In Minneapolis on Friday, June 27, 1958, Dale wrote, “High 80°, fine day. Bought Stan’s Chevy (15,000 miles on Chevy). Took Helen to the library and store. Left the Dodge at the Shell station for a check-up. Dalene went to a show with Sharon.” Dad and I swapped cars – my 1957 Chevy for his 1948 Dodge – and I had no more car payments. Sharon was a friend of Dalene’s.
A Stormy Day
In Osceola on Thursday, June 26, 1969, Dale wrote, “Over 1 inch of rain and high winds and thunder and lightning today. Helen and I started to Des Moines but turned back.”
Wanna Be Lab Technician
In Minneapolis on Tuesday, June 25, 1957, I went to General Mills for a second interview for that lab technician job (see June 21).
Carnival
After work in Muscatine on Tuesday, June 24, 1952, Dale took Dalene and me to see a carnival at the river front, and to Weed Park.
A Rainy Day
In Minneapolis on Monday, June 23, 1958, Dale wrote, “Heavy rain in afternoon. High 74°. Letter from Mother. Dalene and Diana went to a show at night. Stan went on a date.” Diana was a friend of Dalene’s.
Need A Dosimeter?
In Minneapolis on Friday, June 21, 1957, I went to General Mills for a job interview for lab technician in their Radiation Physics Laboratory. They hired me a month later. At that time, I wanted to be a physicist when I grew up, so it seemed like a fit to me. Above: a cobalt-60 facility similar to the one I worked with, showing the eerie blue Cherenkov radiation of charged particles interacting with water molecules.
Big Bucks
In Minneapolis on Friday, June 20, 1958, Dale wrote, “President signed Civil Service pay bill giving 10% increase to us, retroactive to January. Good news. Dalene went to Jamboree at night. Stan to a dance at the U for summer students. Cool, high 67°, but clear and beautiful.”
Burlington Train Station
On Saturday, June 19, 1954, Dale took Jettie, Lloyd’s daughter Nancy, and Dalene back to the Burlington train station (above) for the return trip to Osceola from Muscatine. Dalene went to Osceola too.
Beach Ball
In Muscatine on Thursday, June 18, 1953, Dale wrote, “A hot day, 98°. Bought Dalene a beach ball. Slept downstairs, all of us.” The bedrooms upstairs were too hot to sleep in. I can remember sleeping on the back porch. Above: actress Elizabeth Taylor had a beach ball, too.
Driving To New Ulm
On Friday, June 17, 1955, Dale, Helen, Stan, and Dalene drove from Muscatine to New Ulm, Minnesota, on their way to Minneapolis. They spent the night at the home of Gene and Lela Yates. He wrote, “Nice visit at night and slept in upstairs apartment at Lela’s.” Lela was Helen’s sister and Gene was Dale’s cousin. The distance they drove that day was 330 miles.
Stan Gets A Job
In Minneapolis on Tuesday, June 16, 1959, Dale wrote, “High 86°. Nice day. Stan got a job starting in the morning at Snyder’s Drug Store at Holly shopping center in Fridley. I mowed the back yard. Stan and Judy went to a show. Watched a late movie with Harold Lloyd.” That job was full-time, as a manager trainee (fancy title for super clerk). The next Friday, I was hired by System Development Corporation in Santa Monica, California, to become a computer programmer.
Rotary Blades!
In Minneapolis on Friday, June 15, 1956, Dale wrote, “The family gave me a Norelco electric razor for Father’s Day.” Above is a 1956 ad for one.
Peter Pan
In Minneapolis on Saturday, June 14, 1958, Dale wrote, “Up at 8 and saw Dalene off to an Elk Lake cabin with her club, for a few days. Clear in forenoon but cloudy and rain in the afternoon and evening, high 67°. Stan cleaned his car upholstery with soap. He went to ‘Peter Pan’ at night. Helen and I stayed up late watching TV.”
German Submarine At Long Island
In St. Paul on Saturday, June 13, 1942, Dale wrote, “Went fishing with Merle and Billy Osterquist in the afternoon. Stanley got a kick out of it.” Merle was a co-worker and Billy was his son. That same day, six months into World War II, the FBI captured several German marines who came ashore off Long Island from a U-boat, similar to the one above.
Hot Enough For Ya?
In Minneapolis on Tuesday, June 12, 1956, Dale wrote, “Hottest June 12th in Minneapolis history. 97°.”
More Swimmin’
In Minneapolis on Sunday, June 11, 1961, Dale wrote, “Up late and loafed all day. Dalene went swimming at Turtle Lake. Helen and I took a ride after supper to the drug store and Apache Shopping Center. Humid, high 80°.” There are a number of Turtle Lakes around the upper Midwest; I think the one above, in Wisconsin, was where Dalene went.
Goin’ Swimmin’
In Minneapolis on Sunday, June 10, 1956, Dale wrote, “Hot, 99°. Hottest June 10th on record. We went swimming in Lake Calhoun in the afternoon. Stan took Marcia. They came here after supper to visit. We took a window fan to Shirley, upstairs.” Above is Lake Calhoun in 1956. I don’t remember Marcia’s last name. Shirley Staebler rented the upstairs apartment.