Month: June 2015

Lloyd Schaffer

On Friday, June 30, 1950, Dale wrote that 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.

Cashing A Bond

In Muscatine on Thursday, June 29, 1950, Dale wrote, “Worked 8 to 4:30.  Cashed a bond $18.75.  Bought Helen a T-shirt for her new shorts.  Merle Osterquist here for supper.  Merle took me, Stan, & Dalene to a show.  Helen stayed home.”  Merle was a business acquaintance.

Beauty Contest

In Muscatine on Wednesday, June 28, 1950, Dale wrote, “Worked 8 to 4:30.  Went shopping today.  I bought 2 pair trousers, Helen sun suit & blouse, Dalene socks etc., & Stanley also.  Took kids to bathing beauty contest at Weed Park at night.  Cool & beautiful evening.”

Another Bad Dog

In Muscatine on Tuesday, June 27, 1950, Dale wrote, “Worked 8 to 4:30.  Nice bright cool day.  I called B. Brubrisko at 3 A.M. to ask her to shut her dog up.  She did & Helen talked to her during the day.  Metropolitan insurance man here at supper time.  Filled out application for hospital & surgery insurance.”

Rail Strike

In Muscatine on Monday, June 26, 1950, Dale wrote, “Worked 8 to 4:30.  No tank cars today, rail strike on.  Merle came back on annual inspection.  Went to show at night with Merle & brought him home for coffee afterwards.  Cool today.”  Above: Dale in his alcohol plant office.

Bad Dog

In Muscatine on Sunday, June 25, 1950, Dale wrote, “Fisher’s dog kept us awake from midnight to daylight.  Kids went to Sunday school.  Took Helen & Dalene to river front in the morning.  Rode to Weed Park in the afternoon & took a little ride at night.  Hot.”

1950 Studebaker

In Muscatine on Saturday, June 24, 1950, Dale wrote, “Worked 7 to 3 today.  I traded non-work days with King so he could go to Cedar Rapids.  Rain in forenoon.  Drove Olson’s new Studebaker.  Went to store & library in evening.  Helen is feeling better.”  Above is what was called Jet-Age Styling.

Workin’ On The Railroad

In Muscatine on Friday, June 23, 1950, Dale wrote, “Worked 8 to 4:30.  Loaded 6 tank cars today, expecting a rail strike.  Talked to Radke on phone.  Took radio out of car yesterday.  Wrote card to folks.  Stayed home at night.  Warm & humid.”  Those tank cars were filled with alcohol.

Bad Boy

In Muscatine on Thursday, June 22, 1950, Dale wrote, “Brought Helen home from hospital in the morning.  No gallstones by X-ray but some density in gall bladder.  Scolded Stanley for busting cement block garage door step.  I went to a ball game at night.  Good breeze.”

Hospital X-Rays

In Muscatine on Wednesday, June 21, 1950, Dale wrote, “Took Helen to doctor for exam.  He said go to hospital for X-rays so I took her to Bellevue at 5:30 to stay all night.  Kids & I had a picnic supper in riverfront park & went to a show.”

Joe Louis Wins

In Muscatine on Wednesday, June 20, 1951, Dale wrote, “Worked 8 – 4:30.  Pay day.  Paid grocery bill $45 for 2 weeks.  Cool day.  Helen washed, a big one.  Interference on TV at night.  Saw Louis-Savold bout on TV.  Knockout by Louis.”  Above, left to right: Joe Louis, Lee Savold.

11110100111

In Minneapolis on Friday, June 19, 1959, Dale wrote, “Stan got a job as digital computer trainee at System Development Corporation in Santa Monica, California.  He had a phone call from them to report there June 29th.  Mother, Helen, Dalene and I went to a Columbia Heights parade.”  That computer job turned out much better than drug store manager trainee, which I had just started.  Above: the control console of the first computer I learned to program, an IBM military computer used by the Air Force.  (The title of this blog is binary for 1959.)

Busy Day

On Saturday, June 18, 1955, Dale, Helen, Stan, and Dalene drove from New Ulm, Minnesota (where they had spent the night with Helen’s sister Lela and her husband Gene Yates), to the Twin Cities.  Dale wrote, “Drove all over St. Paul and Minneapolis with the family seeing familiar places.  Drove back to New Ulm.  Wonderful day.  Met Nancy’s husband and listened to him and Stan and Bob talk.”  Gene and Lela’s daughter Nancy was married to Gerald Weekman.  Above: Gene and Lela’s son Bob had just graduated from high school.

Trying To Earn $$

In Minneapolis on Monday, June 17, 1957, Dale wrote, “Stan got his stainless steel sample case of aluminum cookware to sell door-to-door and went to a picnic supper at the boss’s house.  Letter from Mother.”  College students need to earn money!

Two-Car Caravan

In Minneapolis on Saturday, June 16, 1962, Dale wrote, “Hot, 92°.  Stan called at 8:30 p.m., they got to Reseda at 4:30 all OK.  Called Mother and told her.”  Our two-car caravan arrived in California: Dalene in her Valiant (left above) plus Judy and me with Jeff and Dave in our 1957 Chevy (right above).

Nice Day To Scrape Paint

In Minneapolis on Saturday, June 15, 1957, Dale wrote, “Scraped paint on the south side of the house, above the first floor windows.  Nice day, high 75°.  Dalene went to Sharon’s in the afternoon.”  Sharon was a friend.

Newlywed Open House

In Minneapolis on Sunday, June 14, 1959, Dale wrote, “We all went to Mrs. Mary Skinner’s apartment for an open house for Stan and Judy.  40 people there, about 25 presents.  Rain off and on all day, we need it.”  Judy’s grandmother, Mary, hosted our party.

Toot! Toot!

In Muscatine on Sunday, June 13, 1954, Dale wrote that he and Dalene drove to the Burlington train station to pick up Jettie and her granddaughter Nancy Gardner; they came to Muscatine for a short visit.

Cracking The Books

In Minneapolis on Thursday, June 12, 1958, Dale wrote, “Sick leave.  Pleurisy pains, but better.  Still cool, high 72° but mostly cloudy.  Stan went to the U in the afternoon to study for an exam in the evening.  Dalene went to a club meeting.  Letter from Lela, Nancy operated on.”  Nancy was the daughter of Lela Yates, Helen’s sister.

Dalene Moves To California

In Minneapolis on Monday, June 11, 1962, Dale wrote, “Cloudy most all day and humid.  Cooled off in the evening.  Dalene and Stan packed their cars to go to L.A. tomorrow.  Last night here for Dalene.”  Dalene came out to our house in Reseda to look for work and an apartment.  Dad and Mom missed her a lot.  Above: it was about 1920 miles from Minneapolis to Reseda.
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