Month: October 2014

Goodbye To Muscatine

Picture

In Muscatine on Monday, October 31, 1955, Dale wrote, “Told the boys goodbye at GPC.  Fishers and Meads took us to Ina Mae’s for supper and to Fisher’s afterwards.  Had a nice time.”  Dale was transferred to the St. Paul office and he and Helen were moving to the Twin Cities.  ‘GPC’ was Grain Processing Corporation; Fisher and Mead were co-workers.

Basement Room Rented

Picture

In Minneapolis on Tuesday, October 30, 1962, Dale wrote, “High 54°.  Helen rented the basement room to Duane Kurth, a railroad man.  Neighbor Marie Miller borrowed our step ladder.  Kurth moved into the basement room.”  It wasn’t as nice as the one pictured.

Basement Fix-Up

Picture

In Minneapolis on Sunday, October 29, 1961, Dale wrote, “Cemented some holes in the basement walls to stop water leaking in.  Painted a cabinet for the basement room.  Painted the shower room and toilet room in the basement.”

Sad Day In Osceola

Picture

In Osceola on Monday, October 28, 1963, for his brother Lloyd’s funeral, Dale wrote, “Annual leave.  Brought Helen to town from Lloyd’s.  Helped haul corn in forenoon.  Stan Saddoris and I winterized both of Lloyd’s tractors and put a new fuel line on one.  High about 60°.  Saw Lloyd at Webster’s funeral home in the evening.  Out to George and Wilma’s a little while.”  Lloyd, above, on a better day.  Stan Saddoris was married to Lloyd’s daughter Nancy.  Wilma was Helen’s sister, married to George Casey.

Out For Supper

Picture

In Minneapolis on Friday, October 27, 1961, Dale wrote, “Helen and I went to the Candlelight Café for supper.  Dalene went to a show downtown.  Nice day.”

Bunking With Boys

Picture

Friday, October 26, 1956, on vacation from Minneapolis, Dale, Helen, and Dalene drove from Osceola to Muscatine.  They stopped by the alcohol plant for a visit, and talked to all the Gaugers at the plant.  Dale wrote, “Talked to Rod Mead on the phone.  Went to Stan’s apartment to stay all night.  Saw Sue Timm, etc.  Nice day.”  They drove back to Minneapolis the next day.  How they spent the night at our tiny apartment (at pushpin above) is beyond me – with two other boys, I shared a living room, one bedroom, a kitchen, and a bathroom at 217½ Iowa Avenue (second floor) while attending Muscatine Junior College.

Dinner With Ruth And Louie

Picture

Picture

Thursday, October 25, 1956, on vacation from Minneapolis and staying at Jettie’s house in Osceola, Dale wrote that he, Helen, and Dalene went to Ruth and Louie Schaffer’s for dinner and to Jack and Margie Nish’s for a visit, then back to Jettie’s for supper and the evening.  Louie (above, with Ruth) was Helen’s brother and Margie was Louie’s daughter, married to Jack Nish.

B&H Supper

On Thursday, October 24, 1957, Dale was on vacation in Minneapolis and wrote, “Annual leave.  Dalene and I drove Stan’s Chevy to Osceola from 9:30 to 5:30.  Lunch in Albert Lea.  Rain part of the way.  Mother and Clarence took us to supper at B&H and to Marie’s.”  Jettie had married Clarence Liggitt.  Marie was Dale’s sister.  Be sure to look up the humorous description of the B&H Café in Osceola Restaurants under the Extras tab; it was just south of the train tracks, east of Main Street.

Daddy Needs New Shoes

Picture

On Thursday, October 23, 1958, Dale took the day off work in Minneapolis and wrote, “Helen, Dalene and I up early and drove to Muscatine by 2:45 p.m.  Visited at the alcohol plant.  Bought new shoes for me and Helen in Muscatine.  Drove to Osceola and Mother’s by 11 p.m.  Stopped for supper in Washington, Iowa.”

Gene And Lela Fly In

Picture

On Tuesday, October 22, 1963, Dale took the day off work and picked up Gene and Lela Yates (Helen’s sister) at the Minneapolis airport, on their way back from their vacation in Italy.  Above: They stayed overnight, and went back to the airport the next day to fly home.

New Ford

Picture

On Tuesday, October 21, 1952, Burl Schaffer (Helen’s nephew) and his wife Opal were in Muscatine for lunch in their new Ford, similar to above.  Dale took Helen for a ride after work and wrote, “Nice day.”

Omaha TDY

Picture

In Osceola on Saturday, October 20, 1951, for the weekend (on temporary duty from Muscatine at the Omaha plant), Dale wrote, “Louie and Ruth have a new living room set.  Mother, Marie, Susan, and I went to Lloyd’s for dinner.  Called Helen on the phone.  Watched football on Marie’s TV in the afternoon.”  Louie was Helen’s brother; Marie was Dale’s sister (Susan her daughter), and Lloyd was Dale’s brother.  Omaha is 135 miles west of Osceola.

MuJuCo

Picture

In Minneapolis on Friday, October 19, 1956, Dale wrote, “Wrote a letter to Mother.  Helen worked 1 to 5 and 6 to 8:30 at the shoe store.  Dalene went to a football game at night.  Letter from Stan in Muscatine.”  I had moved back to Muscatine for my sophomore year at Muscatine Junior College, above.  It later became Muscatine Community College on a new campus.

Indian Summer

Picture

In Minneapolis on Sunday, October 18, 1959, Dale wrote, “Beautiful Indian Summer day.  High 58°.  I put the rest of the storm windows on, except two.  Washed the car.  Put another coat of sealer paint on the basement storeroom wall and floor.  Dalene and I took a ride in late afternoon.”

Pep Rally

Picture

In Minneapolis on Friday, October 17, 1958, Dale wrote, “High 68°, nice day.  I bought glass cloth for Dusty’s house under the back porch, also some straw.  Stan went to the U for a pep rally.  Dalene went to a football game and to a slumber party afterwards.  We watched a late movie.”  Dusty was our cat.

Homecoming Royalty

Picture

In Minneapolis on Thursday, October 16, 1958, Dale wrote, “High 65°.  Took Dalene to the high school at night to see the homecoming queen and king crowned, then went back to pick her up at 9.  Stan went out on a date.”

Muscatine – Des Moines – Osceola

Picture

Away from Muscatine on Wednesday, October 15, 1952, Dale wrote, “Drove to Collector’s office in Des Moines for reorganization conference.  To Osceola at night at Mother’s all night.  Visited Louie and Ruth, then Marie at her store.”  He drove back to Muscatine the next day.  Helen’s brother Louie Schaffer was married to Ruth Cherington; Marie was Dale’s sister.  Marie’s new store (above left) next to her old store.

Visiting Family

Picture

Picture

On vacation from Minneapolis with Helen on Monday, October 14, 1963, Dale wrote, “At Osceola.  High 87°, too hot.  Went to Lacona with George Casey in the morning.  Went to see Aunt Minnie, to Ralph and Marie’s, to Don and Opal’s after supper.”  George Casey (above left) was married to Helen’s sister Wilma, Helen’s aunt Minnie Schaffer was married to Bert Chandler, Ralph Kimmel was married to Dale’s sister Marie, and Helen’s nephew Don Schaffer (above right) was married to Opal Horton.  Whew!  And Lacona is about 28 miles northeast of Osceola.

New Traffic Lights

Picture

In Minneapolis on Tuesday, October 13, 1959, Dale wrote that the traffic lights at the intersection of 37th Avenue, Central Avenue (Highway 65), and Reservoir Boulevard were turned on for the first time.  The pushpin above is at 3727 Reservoir Boulevard, where Dale and Helen lived.

Dalene Sees Stars

Picture

In Minneapolis on Friday, October 12, 1956, Dale took Dalene to Macalester College in St. Paul at night to look at the moon and Mars through the college telescope.  Above: NASA created this composite picture of Earth and Mars to show their relative sizes.
Back To Top