Thinking of Dad - POW

I was doing a little family history today and ran across this article out of the Idaho Falls Post Register way back when???  Anyway, I scanned it into my computer and then decided to do a blog on it today.

Mom would have loved to have this computer and figured out how to do scans and posts and all.  She was way ahead of me when it comes to this stuff, so I'm sure she'd be way ahead now if she had had the chance to continue on in this life (without that stupid dementia!!)

And for anyone who wonders about the economy today.  I remember that Mom and Dad went with George and Tress and I think another couple to Yellowstone on this trip that's talked about in the article.  But when they got there, they didn't have enough money to pay the park fee so had to turn around and go home.  About the only thing they owned was the new car Dad bought when he got home from the war.  And it was a real luxury and he was really proud of it. 

Thought you might enjoy reading this.  I've seen it before but don't remember really sitting and reading it.  So here it is:

           

The Poem

Post by Cheryl-

One of my favorite stories of Mom and Dad (Maxine and Kay) is in the form of a poem composed by Kathy for their 50th Wedding anniversary on October 9, 1993. It follows:

The Blind Date

A shy, handsome farm boy from Idaho

Now a flyboy fulfilling his duty.

Was asked if he would like to go

On a blind date with a sweet young beauty.

I'm sure he rubbed his chin and thought,

"Could she really be pretty and nice?

Well, it's just one night, so why not?

We don't have to go out twice."

Who'd ever have guessed

On that October night in 1942

That fate would bring him face to face

With the love of his life ever true.

Now this pretty young woman had dated a lot

But she accepted this blind invitation.

After all, he was a brave young man

Training to fight for his nation.

I'm sure she rubbed her chin and thought,

"Could he really be handsome and nice?

Well, it's just one night, so why not?

We don't have to go out twice."

She said he never looked at her

The entire evening of their date.

But I think we all can be quite sure

The looks he stole sealed their fate.

She loved his sense of humor.

He loved when she laughed at his jokes.

It was a match made in heaven

For these two special folks.

And so one year later

They stood to say "I do"

As hand in hand

They promised to always be faithful and true.

Now 50 years have come and gone

And a lifetime of loving and caring.

And they know that through the good times and bad

Love grows most through sharing.

Maxine and Kay on their wedding day 

October 9, 1943

A Good Childhood for Kay.

Dad said "We had a happy home life."  I wanted to tell one story about dad that I think is pretty incredible.
He said his dad sold all their horses except for a few work horses and 3 or 4 saddle horses.  He said he rode horses from the time he could walk (hey, Ava, does that sound familiar?) until the time he left the farm.  He said that when he was about 10 years old they had a riding horse called "Snap".  He was a good old horse and he said, " I could ride him ON A GALLOP, STANDING UP, from our place down to Olsens, which was a little over a quarter of a mile.  I thought I was pretty good and , in fact, so did the neighbors as they saw me go by."  I don't want to give Colton any ideas, but I want to post the pictures that Cheryl took of Colton, because Colton reminds me so much of dad and especially in these pictures.

O"Kay"!

Today I wanted to start on some stories about Dad (Kay Brunt Steele).  He was born on September 26, 1916, in the Haderlie home across the street from the home his father built for his family.  I have often wondered why he wasn't born in his own home.  Now I think I may understand why. (Not sure though, so if anyone else knows, please enlighten us.)  Dad says that Granpa bought the C.J. Owens homestead in 1914 and they moved in to the toolshed with a lean-to on it in 1918, and into the new brick house (which is the one that we have all been to and remember) in December 1923.  So the reason was probably because "THERE WASN'T A HOUSE THERE YET"!  I guess I never realized that.  I thought that the toolshed/lean to house was there and that they were living in it.  But, it doesn't appear to be that way.

Here is the new home in Iona during construction.

I read in Grandpas history that they "moved to Grandfather Owens homestead (Haderlie Place) in 1912."

So that was where they were LIVING when dad was born.  Then in 1918 they moved into the shed with a lean to.

Here is dad when he was a baby.

Grandpa and Grandma in front of the new home. 

I recall many a fun time at this home.  Uncle Jim and Aunt Maurine bought this home when they got married.  We went out to "the farm" a lot to visit them and we went there for Thanksgiving and Memorial Day many times.  I remember it being so fun to go and play with all the cousins!

Lots of good memories!

I remember some of the great stories mom (Maxine) told me about her childhood years. She was quite a bit younger than her other siblings and I believe she always wanted a big family (that is probably why she had seven children). She loved her mother and father very much. Her father was in Canada working with the railroad, and her mother raised her in Canada, and Utah, but most of her growing up years were in California. She always had a great love of books and she recalled a neighbor in her apartment building having a sort of library in her apartment. Mother would go to her apartment and check books out on a regular basis. Her love of reading carried on throughout her life, and she shared that with all of her children.

She tells of the first birthday party that she remembers having. It was her ninth birthday. Her mother baked a cake for her and wrapped nickles and dimes in wax paper and inserted them in the cake. She used to tell us about that when she would bake birthday cakes. She was very thrilled about her 'money cake'.

When Maxine was a very young girl, her mother had breast cancer and had a full mastectomy. Canada winters were very hard on her mother, her father traveled all over Canada and couldn't take care of his wife. She was not well, and it was decided that Maxine and her mother would move to Salt Lake City with Nonie (Maxine's sister). Nonie could care for her while she was trying to recuperate. Maxine was 6 yrs old at the time. They boarded the train for Salt Lake City. Maxine's father was the conductor of that train. She was very excited to see him as the train conductor. She did not know that she would not see him again for three years.

While living in Salt Lake City, Maxine's grandfather Karren came to live with them. She said, "I remember he wore a green corduroy jacket and I could tell when he was coming downstairs because he always shuffled his feet. I use to love to fool Mother and Nonie by pretending I was Grandpa by coming down the steps the same way he did. They always acted surprised when it turned out to be ME!"

Maxine also remembered when she was about four years old, she was walking home from somewhere and spied a pretty doll on someone's lawn. She went over and picked it up. She wanted it so badly that she took it home. When her mother asked her about the doll, she told her where she got it. She remembered that her mother lectured her on stealing and made her return the doll where she found it. She state's, "I can honestly say that I have never taken anything that did not belong to me since that time." She said she didn't ever remember her mother ever getting mad at her and being very soft spoken. I'm sure this is where she got that same demeanor.

One day, early in the evening, Nonie and her Mother were going to see Maxine's aunt Mayme and Uncle Jack. Maxine begged them to go with them but they wouldn't let her. They told her she had to stay and babysit a family of children (that she didn't even know). They dropped her off and it started raining heavy with thunder and lightening. Maxine and the kids were so scared they crawled under a table and prayed. After the people came home they waited for her mother and Nonie to come, but they didn't come. Finally the phone rang and it was her mother telling her they had been in a terrible auto accident. A drunk man had broadsided their car on Nonie's side. Her mother had some cuts and bruises, but Nonie was taken to the hospital with a broken pelvis. Her mother told Maxine that she felt if she would have gone with them that she would have probably been killed in the accident.

Maxine's mother was always active in the church and she remembered her taking her to all the meetings and to General Conference while they lived in Salt Lake City. Maxine was baptized in Salt Lake City somewhere on temple square.

Maxine's Early Years

This picture was taken of Mom (Maxine) and her cousin, Gordon Kester (who was about the same age as Mom).  He was Aunt Irma and Uncle Ed's son.  I'm pretty sure this picture was taken in Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada.  I think they were about 3 years old.  Hard to believe Mom had such a chubby face.

CHAPTER ONE: THE STORY BEGINS

ONCE UPON A TIME in a land far, far away......(isn't that how all strories begin), the land of Lethbridge, Alberta, Canada, in a time long, long ago, October 6, 1919, a BEAUTIFUL baby girl was born to William John Thomas and Orinda Ann Karren.  They named the beautiful little girl, Maxine Ruth Thomas.

Maxine was the youngest child born to William and Orinda.  Ralph William was the first born on February 28, 1898, followed by Leone (fondly know as "Nonie" by Maxine), who was  born April 29, 1899 (although there is some argument on the year... Nonie said 1900 but Maxine said it was 1899... she just didn't want to be born in the 1800's).  Leland was the next child born, on August 23 1904. Harold Karren (known as "Jack") was nine years older than Maxine, and was born July 5, 1910.  Their stories will be discussed in later chapters.  Now back to Maxine...

WELCOME TO MY NEW BLOG!

I want to welcome you to this new blog which will be based on the family of Kay B. Steele and Maxine R. Thomas Steele.  It will include stories and histories and a geneology of not only them and their decendents, but also their ancestors.  I welcome any comments and contributions that anyone may have and want to share on this blog. 

One purpose I hope to fulfill is to provide information that will be passed on throughout the coming generations and that these people will be remembered and loved by future generations.

I hope the information provided will be enjoyed and treasured.  Again, welcome!!