In St. Paul on Friday, July 18, 1941, Dale left work at noon to take his visiting sister Marie to the train station. She had a 12:50 p.m. ticket on the Rock Island Rocket to Osceola.
Riding The Rock Island Rocket
A Great Circus Movie
In Muscatine on Thursday, July 17, 1952, Dale took Dalene and me at night to the movie, “The Greatest Show on Earth.”
Dalene Visits Jettie And Clarence
On Saturday, July 16, 1955, Dale drove from Muscatine to Osceola to bring Dalene home from her visit there. He wrote, “Sat in park for an hour. Went out to Lloyd’s to watch them run the combine. Stayed all night at Mother’s.” Lloyd was Dale’s brother. Below: Dalene at Clarence Liggitt’s house (I helped roof that house when he built it). After Williams died, Jettie married Clarence – his farm was across the road from the Gardner farm.
Dale Paints Another Car
In Minneapolis on Sunday, July 15, 1956, Dale wrote, “Painted the Dodge with medium gray Nu-Enamel. Took me 8 hours. Had fried chicken for dinner. Sue Timm went home on the 5 o’clock train.” Sue, a girlfriend from Muscatine, had visited us for two weeks. Below: an ad for the 1948 Dodge with that distinctive grille.
Dinner At George And Wilma’s
After vacationing in Osceola on Monday, July 14, 1941, Dale wrote, “Out to Wilma’s for dinner. Folks came out too. Left at 1:30 and arrived St. Paul about 10 p.m. Marie Gardner and Keith Schaffer came home with us.” Wilma Schaffer, a sister of Helen’s, was married to George Casey; they were farmers. The ‘folks’ were Jettie and Williams Gardner, Dale’s farmer parents. Marie was Dale’s sister, and Keith was a nephew of Helen’s.
Family Dinner In Osceola
On vacation from St. Paul in Osceola on Sunday, July 13, 1941, Dale wrote, “Had a family dinner at the folks for Don and Ethel. Fine cool day. Perfect. We drove out to Gerald’s after a chicken. Stayed all night at Louie’s.”
The ‘folks’ were Jettie and Williams Gardner, Dale’s parents, who lived on a farm near Osceola. Don Matheny was a son of Fred Matheny and Elsie Gardner, an aunt of Dale’s, and Ethel was his wife. Gerald Schaffer and Louie Schaffer were two of Helen’s brothers; both also lived on farms.
The ‘folks’ were Jettie and Williams Gardner, Dale’s parents, who lived on a farm near Osceola. Don Matheny was a son of Fred Matheny and Elsie Gardner, an aunt of Dale’s, and Ethel was his wife. Gerald Schaffer and Louie Schaffer were two of Helen’s brothers; both also lived on farms.
Dale’s Office Party
In St. Paul on Saturday, July 12, 1941, Dale worked a half day, and the office staff had a party for his 32nd birthday. He wrote, “Left St. Paul at 12:30, arrived in Osceola at 8:30. Went to folks house to stay all night. Uncle Pearls and Don and Ethel there too. Surprised the folks.”
The ‘folks’ were Jettie and Williams Gardner, Dale’s parents, who lived on a farm near Osceola. Pearl Yates was married to Lena Gardner, Dale’s aunt. Don Matheny was a son of Fred Matheny and Elsie Gardner, another aunt of Dale’s, and Ethel was his wife. Look on the family tree under Isaac Newton Gardner: http://isaacgardner.tribalpages.com.
The ‘folks’ were Jettie and Williams Gardner, Dale’s parents, who lived on a farm near Osceola. Pearl Yates was married to Lena Gardner, Dale’s aunt. Don Matheny was a son of Fred Matheny and Elsie Gardner, another aunt of Dale’s, and Ethel was his wife. Look on the family tree under Isaac Newton Gardner: http://isaacgardner.tribalpages.com.
Grandmother’s Trunk
Vacationing from Muscatine in Osceola with his family on Wednesday, July 11, 1951, Dale wrote, “Went to Clarice and Lloyd’s farm after supper for home made ice cream. Kids played ‘I packed my grandmother’s trunk.’ Funny.”
Clarice was the wife of Lloyd Gardner, Dale’s brother. Here’s how the game is played: Each player starts off with the same sentence: “I packed my grandmother’s trunk and in it I put ___.” The player completes the sentence with a word that begins with the letter A. For instance, “I packed my grandmother’s trunk and in it I put an alligator.” The next player repeats the previous sentence and must add a B word. “I packed my grandmother’s trunk and in it I put an alligator and a banana.” In turn, each player has to remember what the past players have said and add an item that starts with the next letter of the alphabet.
Heat Wave In Washington
In Washington, DC, on Friday, July 10, 1936, Dale wrote, “Government employees got off at 1:30 p.m. on account of heat. 105°.” This was before most buildings were air conditioned.
Home Made Ice Cream
Vacationing from Muscatine in Osceola with his family on Sunday, July 9, 1950, Dale and Helen drove with Ruth and Louie Schaffer (Helen’s brother) to Perry to see Lela Yates (Helen’s sister) in the hospital. They got back to Louie’s by early evening and went to Margie (Louie’s daughter) and Jack Nish’s farm for fried chicken and home made ice cream.
Jettie Visits The White House
In Washington, DC, on Thursday, July 8, 1937, Dale’s mother Jettie was visiting from Osceola. She went into town and saw President Roosevelt and the U.S. Congress in session. The next day, she visited the White House.
Dale Paints Cars
Vacationing from Muscatine at Jettie and Williams Gardner’s farm near Osceola with his family on Friday, July 7, 1950, Dale wrote, “Painted our Mercury red and the folks ’35 Chevy black. Took all day. We went to Louie’s farm for supper.” Louie was one of Helen’s brothers. Below: a red ’39 Mercury.
Stan Takes Sue To Excelsior
In Minneapolis on Friday, July 6, 1956, Dale wrote, “Stanley’s car rear end went out at Excelsior Park. Dalene and I went after him and Sue Timm.” Excelsior Park was an amusement park (below); Sue Timm was a girlfriend visiting from Muscatine.
Jettie Visits Arlington Cemetery
During the Independence Day celebration in Washington, DC, on Monday, July 5, 1937, Dale wrote, “Took Mother to zoo in the afternoon and to Lee’s mansion. Watched fireworks at night.” Below: Robert E. Lee’s mansion, also known as Arlington House.
Celebrating The Fourth
At their farm on Thursday, July 4, 1935, Dale plowed corn in the morning, then he and Helen went to Osceola for the Fourth of July celebration and didn’t get home until 1:30 the next morning. They spent a total of 50¢.
Ready For The Fourth
Vacationing in Osceola from Muscatine with his family on Monday, July 3, 1950, Dale wrote, “Drove to town to get tire fixed. Fixed Dad’s rake in the afternoon. Went to Lloyd’s after Nancy. Went to George’s after supper and saw Genes. Shot our fireworks.” They were staying at Williams and Jettie Gardner’s farm. Lloyd was Dale’s brother and Nancy was Lloyd’s daughter. George Casey was married to Wilma Schaffer, Helen’s sister. ‘Genes’ were Gene Yates and his wife Lela Schaffer, Helen’s other sister.
Riding Old Dan
Vacationing in Osceola from Muscatine on Sunday, July 2, 1950, Dale, Helen, and Marie (Dale’s sister) took Stanley and Dalene to ride Marie’s horse, Old Dan. Later, Dale and family drove to Opal and Don Schaffer’s home (Helen’s nephew) and played horseshoes, returning to Williams and Jettie’s farm for supper.
Jettie Visits The Smithsonian
In Washington, DC, on Thursday, July 1, 1937, Dale wrote, “Mother rode to work with me and went to the Smithsonian Institution all day and rode home with me too.” Below: the Smithsonian Institution.
Boy Scout Jamboree
In Washington, DC, on Wednesday, June 30, 1937, Dale took Helen, Stanley, and Jettie (visiting from Osceola) to a Boy Scout Jamboree on the Washington Monument grounds at night. This was the very first national jamboree, covered extensively by national media and attended by President Franklin D. Roosevelt.
Summer Swimmin’
In Minneapolis on Sunday, June 29, 1958, Dale wrote, “High 95°. Took Dalene and Diana swimming at Twin Lakes. Stan came home at 6:45 p.m. from a week-end at a lake.” Diana was a neighbor friend. I think ‘Twin Lakes’ meant Moore Lake Park in Fridley, about 3¼ miles north of home. The park had a beach with a swimming area roped off, seen below.
