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Sunday, July 15, 2012

John Deweys Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry 35th Anniversary Certificate
John Deweys buisness card
 
Backside
 John Dewey's Plumbing and Pipe Fitting Industry Membership Certificate

School Picture of Leona as a child

Letter, Gene and Pat's Family Photo and Shafer Woman

This was a letter from Joanne to Sally

Gene and Pat's Family Photo
I'm Not quite sure who this is, it looks a little like my Grandmother Leona, so I'm assuming that its her Mother?

Sally's Wedding to Ron Campbell



Joanne says the boy is John Mankus and thinks that the girl is Kathy Gallaugher, Genes daughter.
 For some reason my Mom has the bad habbit of cutting out people from her pictures.

John Dewey's Mother, Margaret Anna Stamm Shafer.
 Sally with her Father John Dewey
 Sally with her Mother Leona
 Another cut job

Sunday, July 8, 2012

Charle's response to my Mom's World War 2 memories

My Uncle Charle's was kind enough to make a few corrections and additions my my Mom's memories of World War 2 so I typed them up and decided to post them.


Sally,

Received your letter regarding your childhood. I need to make a few small corrections. I would have e-mailed this to you but you never seem to get items I send and I am playing it safe.

First off I was not drafted into the Army. I enlisted shortly after Betty and I were married. During my time in the Army (WW 2 – Korea) I was in three different components. When I enlisted in early 1942 I was in an Ordinance Division, then in an Infantry Division. When in Korea I was in an Engineer Battalion. I was a 1st Sargent in control of 180 men.

Your dad (Dewey) was not studying to be an Engineer. He worked for Warren-Little and Lund. He was an accomplished man of many talents. After WW 2 he took me to work with him and was the one that started my life over again. I was not much of a so-called ‘Happy Camper’ when I came back from the war. Your dad was someone I could depend and lean on.

I don’t remember hearing about your mother crying so much. Guess it was a part of the time when we all cried for some reason or other. Times were difficult back then.

I knew about ‘The Lights Out’ during WW 2 but I was not in a place where people came to the door to notify you. Seems we were always in the dark during my stay in the service. And again I heard about the Rationing but I was overseas while you and others did without.

The subject about military men coming to your home was never mentioned or brought up to me after I came home. I knew nothing about it. Betty never mentioned anyone nor did your parents. Betty did mention that she had someone from the Navy over (when we lived in Europe) during the time I was in Korea. That was it.

Betty to me was the most beautiful lady I have ever met and always will be. I loved her so much and I always will.

The picture of Betty was painted for me when I was in Korea. It was painted on a rice or bamboo type (roll up) mat (shade?) Painted by a Korean artist who copied it from a snapshot that I carried with me. When he first painted it and gave it to me it showed Betty completely nude. He thought I would like it better. I told him to take it back and at least put a bathing suit on her. He did because the way it was I didn’t dare bring it home that way. Joanne has it.

When I came home from the wars I had two Beautiful kids waiting for me. You and Joanne!

Any other questions you may have just ask and I will try to answer them.

Love,

Charles

Sunday, June 10, 2012

Sally Jo Burrows: My childhood during World War 2

My Mom was about 2 years old when the USA joined World War 2 so I asked her to write about her experiences as a child during that time.



My family was just coming out of the depression, which ended about the year I was born, 1939, and barely got their feet on the ground when WWII involved the USA, about 1941*.  I was four old (1943), when my sister, Betty May Manutkus, who was 17 years older than I, had to bring her baby, Joanne, to live with us since her husband, Charles, was drafted into the Army Engineer Corps.  He was stationed in Africa and then Europe.  I have his interesting biographies on his experiences in WWII and the Korean War. 

Life was very tense in our home especially when my brother, Gene, went into the Navy and didn’t behave very well.  He was very rebellious, but always my hero.  I was sheltered by most of his shenanigans.
My mother’s step-father, George Ramsey, lived with us and was a buffer.  He had a calming effect, especially for me.  Especially since Dad withdrew from two strong-willed women and two needy, fussy little girls.  Mom seemed to be crying a lot.  Dad was also studying to become a heating and air conditioning engineer.  That must be where I got the idea to go college.
I remember scary, but exhilarating air raid drills.  A man in a special uniform would come to the door and tell us to turn out our lights to practice in case the Japanese especially, would try to bomb us.  I think we hung little starred flags in the front window to signify that we had two service men. So many things were rationed – sugar, gas etc.  We saved fat, tin cans, tires, etc. and donated them to the military war effort.  Dad grew a Victory garden to sustain us.  Mom was always using coupons to get our allotment of restricted items.  Mom still managed to take me downtown on the bus (of course we dressed up in those days).  I still remember flirting my little head off with all the darling sailors.  Maybe because they reminded me of my sailor brother, whom I missed?
Military men were invited to our home and I’ll never forget Reiny(spelling?).  He was as handsome as Robert Taylor, my most favorite male movie star.  He looked a little like Dad back in those days, only with black hair instead of brown. 
My sister, Betty was gorgeous and Charles had a picture of her in a bathing suit.  So [he] let a friend paint a copy of her on a fighter plane.  She was as pretty as the movie stars they usually painted. 
Because of all the trauma in and out of my home, very mean neighbors kids and mean first and second grade teachers, I couldn’t read, even though Mom took me to the library and got books to help me and even hired a young girl to help.
When we moved out in the country and I went to a little two class room country school, my third grade teacher, Mrs. Lewis, was so kind and patient and took the time to help me learn to read.  Years later at her 100th birthday party she commented on what a shy backward little girl I was.  I’ll always be grateful that she helped me overcome the horrors of WWII and disgusting neighbor kids.  The kids in Glenrose were every bit as disgusting, but at least they lived on the other mountain.  Dad went after their dads  when they bothered me – my hero!
So it wasn’t just the citizens in Europe and Asia (South Pacific) who suffered.

Sunday, February 26, 2012

I believe that this is Betty at Eagle's Nest, Cherry Lane, Glenrose.

I know that the guy in the middle is John Dewey, and Joanne confirms that the other two men are Charles and his son John. (My Mom thinks that they are Dewey's Brothers Jim and Jess)

Leona with I believe Sally and I'm not sure who the man is, I originally thought that he was Charles, but Joanne has cconfirmed that he is not Charles.

Sunday, February 5, 2012

Sally Jo Shafer

Picture of Sally performing on TV




Sally, Leona and Gene

Sally's school picture

Old Metal Photo

Not sure who this is or the children, its made out of metal with a cardstock frame. Mom says that the photo is Tin Type.

John Dewey and Leona

I believe that this is Grandma Leona's Women's Group again

Michelle with Leona

Paul (Me) with Leona at Camlu retirement homes

Zenas, John Dewey, Leona and Paul at the dining room at Camlu.

John Dewey, Leona and Paul

Pictures of Children

I'm not quite sure why I have this freaky little grin on my face, looks like I'm about to eat someone or do something violent or something. This was my 9th grade school picture.

Not quite sure who this baby is.

These three children are ether Gene or Betty's children or grandchildren.
Skyler Collins Gene's Grandson

Kristen Lea

Holly Nicole Mantkus

Betty, Gene and Joanne

Sally, Leona and Gene

Joanne Mantkus

Joanne around age 6

Charles Mantkus

Monday, January 9, 2012

Sally Jo Shafer Teenager

Sally with a Junior High Friend

Sally at ether a dance or performance with Buddies Steve (the comic), Marlene and Bill (boyfriend)

She was hosting a party at her Dance Academy


Sally Performing

Random Pictures

Not sure who these boys in the cowboy costumes are, but their names are on the back of the photo. Eugene S., Russell M., Arnold H., Gene S., Miss Murrey. I'm assuming that the Gene S. is my uncle Gene Shafer and the rest are classmates/friends and their teacher?


Joanne Mantkus Bechtel


Leona Grimm with George Ramsey (Gobby) holding baby Joanne