My maternal grandmother, Ethel Jane, was one of six children. Her two younger brothers, Phillip and Walter, both died as young children so I never knew them, but I did grow up with my two great-uncles and my great-aunt.
Aunt Mabel was 18 years older than my grandma. She had already married and moved away when Grandma was born. Aunt Mable and Uncle Charley never had children. I was very young when Uncle Charley died, but I remember visiting their house and being very interested in their collection of glass and ceramic dogs. It seems like they had hundreds of them!! Funny what we remember.
This is Uncle Charley and Aunt Mabel.
I believe it may be their wedding picture.
Grandma was born in 1911, so this is most likely 1910.
Grandma was born in 1911, so this is most likely 1910.
But this is how I remember them!
Aunt Mabel was SHORT! LOL
She also had whiskers that scratched when she hugged you
and kissed your cheek. She was jolly and loving.
This is a photo of my grandma and her siblings.
Standing left to right, Grandma & Aunt Mabel
Sitting left to right, Uncle Jim and Uncle Den (Denver)
And here they are years later...
Aunt Mabel, Uncle Jim, Grandma and Uncle Den.
They are all gone now, but they were such a big part of my life growing up with their kids and grandkids. Uncle Den was the grandpa to my cousins Lana, Vicki, and Tysa. Uncle Jim was the dad of my cousins Pam, Jimmer, and Bobber. My growing-up years are so intertwined with theirs!!
I have mentioned in previous posts that my grandma was not a nice person. She had a nasty evil streak. Years after Uncle Charley died, Aunt Mabel was old and not well when she asked grandma if she could move in with her. Grandma was a widow and had a lovely three bedroom, two bath home. Grandma told her no. Aunt Mabel died alone in her tiny apartment (100 miles away) not long after that and wasn't found for three days. Grandma didn't even flinch or feel guilty (that we ever saw).
I was blessed with a loving and dear Granny (dad's mom) and Grandma (my step-grandma), so I did have wonderful grandparent experiences. There are nasty grandparents out there in the world though. Please don't be one of them!!
Thanks for checking in and I hope you will join us walking down memory lane!! Peace & hugs!!
Your Aunt Mabel sounds like a wonderful lady. I enjoyed hearing about her.
ReplyDeleteI am enjoying seeing your black and whites. Sad about your grandma, and you are right, there are people like her around, but hope I never am that way. You were, however, blessed with many loving people and have good memories. Have a blessed Wednesday.
ReplyDeleteYes, there are some who, very sadly, never seen to 'see the light', so to speak and their lives/behavior show it.
ReplyDeleteWedding photos have sure changed over the years, haven't they?
I was blessed to grow up in a loving extended family as well Terri. Oh my, that is a sad story about your Aunt Mabel. I am sure she has a mansion in heaven.
ReplyDeleteOh Terri, you made me chuckle over the whiskers that tickled! That is so sad about the grandma with a mean streak. I had a great grandma who did things that were upsetting to people, too. I am glad you had so many other loving people in your life and you are definitely an imitator of them, always kind and quick to share. Those are good pictures. I like the really old ones, the people are so serious in them. We can't imagine them ever doing the silly poses people do now, like duck lips, etc! Can you picture that?
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your memories. I love seeing old pics.
ReplyDeleteHave a nice day!
That grandma - - oh my. I always thought my maternal grandmother was nice - - but it was mainly to me since she was a primary caregiver the first 10 months of my life. However she was not as nice to my siblings which I did not find out until many years later.
ReplyDeleteWhen she thought my sister needed to be punished, she would make her sit on the garret stairs - - in the dark!
Sandie said she quickly got used to it and used to explore that little attic space when she was supposed to be sitting there scared. She learned some family history when she was younger because of it.
Both of my Grandfathers we "not nice men". My great uncles, great aunts and Grandmother and Great Grandmother made up for them though!! The was a lot of addiction and drinking in my family's history which helped cause the nastiness!
ReplyDeletePoor Aunt Mabel - that just makes me so sad....
ReplyDeleteWhen I hear stories of people that are so mean like that, I just have to think there's a hurt inside of them. I just dont get it.
I love that first pic though - so old & vintage!!!!
That is a sad story about your grandmother and Aunt Mabel. So glad to know your grandfather moved on and you did have good grandparents. I only knew my Dad's mom, my granny, and I didn't know her well. I missed out of the love of grandparents!
ReplyDeleteThere are many reasons why some people appear to be "not nice". We should pray for them.
ReplyDeleteI like whiskers that tickle. Why don't women have whiskers these days? It seems so un-fashionable. Bring whiskers back, I say. What do you think, ladies?
God bless.
So loved your photos and memories, Terri, but simply can't imagine being or having a mean grandma. Grandchildren are so precious! Although there was no love lost between my MIL and her eldest sister, I think if push came to shove, if one had been in such need, the other would have stepped in.
ReplyDeleteBlessings!
Isn't it funny the small things we recall from visiting our elders' homes? My aunt and uncle had a 'fake' canary that would sing when you pressed a little key on it's cage. For years, whenever we'd go visit, I'd make a bee-line for that thing!
ReplyDeleteYour first slide -- so typical of that time. I'm wondering, why was it the man always got to sit down and his wife had to stand? LOL!
Yes... always the man is sitting!
DeleteI just love the b&w photos. Hugs, lj
ReplyDeleteI love these old photos too...look a lot like some of mine! I read this earlier and was trying to think of a good response. I still don't have one. I have some mean people in my family but I'm fortunate not to live close to them! Nuff said! lol Hugs!
ReplyDeleteAs far as the mean, evil grandma, what a shame, and to think of all the joys she missed out on because of it. It's almost jarring to see the B&W photos and to realize how quickly people pass from this earth and also how fast things change. We only have so much time to show kindness.
ReplyDeleteThose photos are so fun. I like seeing the same people years apart. I don't understand your Grandma, I can't imagine being so mean, especially to your own family. It's obvious you are more like the other Grandma!
ReplyDeleteSuch awesome pictures. That one of your aunt and uncle on their wedding day! Just look at that chair he's sitting in...kind of creepy, actually. What a shame your grandmother treated her sister like that. I will never understand how people can be that way. I hope your aunt is living happy and loved in heaven these days!
ReplyDeleteLove these pics and this history. I wonder what caused your grandma to be mean like that? I'm glad you did have other good grandparent relationships and experiences. So very sad about Mabel's lonely death. Actually, there were very sad stories in Mike's mother's family. Thankfully she had her children to care for her when she had cancer and died. None of her many siblings would have anything to do with her. There was so much bitterness about money and stuff like that. It's so very hard for me to imagine anything like that. I am so blessed with both my family and Dick's family.
ReplyDeletewow! So interesting...I love hearing about people's "ancestors"...the good, the bad, and the "ugly", although none of these appeared to be ugly. I guess we all those ancestors that didn't measure up, and I pray that someday when the book is written on my life by future generations they will say I was a "good grandma"...I only have one grandson, and he already calls me crazy grandma...so no telling what will happen. LOl (he says it lovingly...at least I take it that way...lol)
ReplyDelete