A new adventure/Airstream Trailer days/1974-

Bob went to work for Airstream Trailer dealer in Kirkland, Washington. He was in charge of the service department. Service was most important to Bob. He treated his customers the way he wanted to be treated. He had to deal with a dealership that was not always on the same page as he was. I would not call the owner a crook but he pushed the envelope a bit. The dealership insisted that we belong to the "Wally Byman Travel Tralier Club." Wally was the man who designed the original Airstream Trailer. It was designed to be like the body of an airplane so the wind would just slide over the body of the trailer . Very road worthy. and the amount of fuel to pull it was very small in comparison to the square built RV's. Of course in the late 30's not everyone could afford to purchase even the kit to build their own. We joined the travel trailer club and shortly after we "floored" a trailer that I was able to decorate the way I wanted it. Flooring is a term that means we put up the money through our bank, made the payments. The bank held the pink slip and we were able to use it when ever we wanted to. However it sat on the sales lot and was for sale. It turned out that since our bank held the pink slip we really were in control. Thank goodness. later I'll tell you why.

We attend the club meetings and went on the rallies and to the Eating meetings. Members began to realize that Bob was to be trusted and you could depend on his work men ship. As time went by we left the Kirkland dealership and became connected to another dealership South of Seattle that had been in business for many years. The Kirkland dealership tried to Cheat us out of the trailer but fortunately our banker held the pink slip. That is a whole story in it's self. you need to know it that we won. Boys if you never learn anything--keep track of your money, pay the bills yourself and be sure to deal with someone you trust. Bob and I both served as President of the club. When I was President we joined a caravan of trailers and went to Notre Dame University for the International Rally. What fun. We made many trips with that trailer. It was necessary to have the certification showing that you were accepted by the Airstream company. We drove down to Anihiem, Ca. to stay in the Disneyland RV park for the week. It had been arranged that we could sleep in the trailer and shower there but no cooking. That was alright with me. It meant a real vacation.We had arranged to be able to park next to the restrooms in case the trailer was not ready and of course it was not. Looking ahead I had a cooler for cold foods and the necessary things for happy hour. We were sitting on the tail gate of our tow vehicle having a drink while waiting to go to dinner at a favorite place when this lovely lady came over from a very new motorhome and offered us a pot of tea. It was very clear that she was not from the US. We thanked her, declined but said that after we came back from dinner we would come over to visit. That we did. We always went to the early bird special and when they found out about the early bird special they accompanied each day for dinner. There we met and became friends with Margery and Julie Freidenthal from Johansburg, South Africa. We began a whole new chapter of our lives.

Marge wanted us to come over to visit so badly. We promised that we would. My father-inLaw was so adiment about us going to Africa that we did not go until after his death. Unfortunately Marge who suffered from a heart condition also passed away.

In 1988 Bob" retired". We made out first trip passing through Yuma. Arizonia on our way to

Texas. We traveled with one motor home brand X and 2 other Airstream's. Our goal was a rally in Harligin, Texas to a company rally. We never made it. Bad weather got in the way. The motor home had stayed in Yuma. one of the trailers left us and returned to Washington state. We stayed in Yuma for a period of time and then began to work our way home. WE learned a good lesson. Never travel with anyone that is military retired. He insisted that we be close to a base and only he could avail himself with the services offered to retired military. No taking turns in choice to stay. Must be the way all retired navy chiefs think.

We continued to be active with our Airstream unit. Bob then accepted an offer from Central Trailer Exchange and he did a lot of work for them in the north end of Seattle. He continued to service RV's in Yuma and it became a full blown business.

lLife moves on

My employment over the years has been varied. By trade I am a seamstress and most of the time I have done a lot of sewing for my family and others. The first job I had in Seattle was as a helper for a lovely lady who had her business in her home. I knew that she really was satisfied with my work when she took a two week vacation and left me in charge. I worked for Mrs. Zerung for 3 years. A job at the University of Washington was presented and I took that job in 1963. Worked there for 2 years. At a whopping $185.00 a month. After paying income tax, SS, and Washington

State retirement there was not much left. I met many students from all over the world. the 2nd year I was employed there a job opened to be the supervisor on one of the serving lines. I got on well with the students. An occasion happened that helped put me in hot water--I might add again-these things just seem to come my way. Several of my favorite students came when I was cleaning up my serving station after lunch one day and ask if they could have 2 empty milk dispensers that we used in the dinning room. I was busy and just "sure help yourself" did not give it another thought. They took the milk cartons, cleaned them out very well and then took them and had them filled with draft beer.

One of the boys was a server on my side of the dinning rm serving line. He always lifted the full milk cartons up into the dispenser for me as when full they weighed 40-45lbs. At lunch time He got the beer filled cartons into the machine and I remember wondering why he had 4 cartons instead of two on his cart. WWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWWell it was not long before a long line was winging its way around the serving hall. The next thing I am aware of is the kitchen manger is yelling my name. I was removed from duty that day and had to go before the general mgr of all the kitchens in the system several days later. In the meantime a group of students formed a boycott of the food lines until I was re-enstated. When I look back on it now I understand what a mess was caused by some clean fun. Several years later I took a job in the Shoreline Schools. and finally at the Washington Plaza Hotel in down town Seattle, Washington.

Bob had left the insurance business. The company he was working for had sold out to American States Insurance Company. Home office in the state of Indiana. As a family we did not want to leave the Pacific Northwest. As mentioned previously Bob took a job with a mobile home business as a repairman. It did not take the powers that be long to realize that he had more to offer the company. He was hired to be the Service Manager out of the plant in McMinnvile, Oregon. Susie and I stayed in Seattle while she finished her high school years and began going to beauty school. An opportunity to go to Los Angeles to work from the LA office was offered and Bob and I left our home behind and our daughter to finish beauty school and setup house keeping in an apartment in Cerrotis, California. before the year was up we had moved to Redondo Beach, California to a 2 bedroom apt. and Susie joined us there. She had to return to beauty school for three months and take their state boards for her license to be able to work in California. Our son John, his wife Chris and son Peter moved into the house. John had just returned home from the Marine Corps. He had spent a year in Vietnam. finishing out his tour of duty here in the states.

I became a stay at home wife. Catching up on some sewing and quilt making I wanted to do. We had friends in the general area. Chuck Shields and family. Bob had been in the Navy with Chuck. Also Betty wright and her family. Bob and Betty had attended grade school together in Omaha, Nebraska. When the war began Betty's father relocated to Los Angeles for the better employment.

We settled into a routine that worked well for us. After Susie finished beauty school in California and passed her state boards she found work and purchased her first brand new car. A cute little yellow Honda. Her Daddy told her she looked like a roller skate going down the road. She used to barrel that little car all over. Earlier in this narrative I told you about the death of my father. His ship had pulled in to San Pedro harbor which became the large shipping harbor in Long Beach it is today. The large steam ships had to be unloaded on to barges and then towed into the docks. When the men had shore leave they had a Captains Gig type boat to take them ashore and return to the ship. One afternoon a shipmate of my father who was from Norway had gone ashore to drown his feelings in booze. His country had just been invaded by Germany. He carried a gun and had been reported many times but nothing had been done to remove it from him while on board. He came back on board drunker then all get out. He stumbled as a shipmate reached out to help him he pulled the gun and shot him in cold blood. Crazed he began running. He passed my father's cabin who was resting before going on duty. Stuck his head in the door and said" Bill I'm going to shoot you" The bullets lodged in my father's liver. Before he could be gotten to shore and the hospital he bleed a lot and during the surgery to removed the bullets he died. At the age of 37 on December 9, 1940. On December 9, 1948 our son was born. The Lord taketh and then he giveth. When the Lord closes a door he also opens a window. Now our Son is almost 61 years old. I knew my father had died in the month of December but not the actual date until Susie and I went to the Newspaper office and looked up all the old articles. The man who killed my father was heart broken when he sobered up. He was convicted and sent to prison. In 1957 he was sent back to Norway. My Uncle who was my God Father sued the shipping company on behalf of my brother and I. My Mother invested the money in a sav- ings account and it was that money that helped me go to Omaha, Nebraska and attend school and there by I met my husband of 62 yrs.

Boise Cascade closed its Mobile home business on the West coast it was time for Bob to find another job. We returned to Seattle and Bob went to work for the Airstream RV Trailer dealer in Kirkland, Washington. There began a whole new adventure for us. Nothing has ever been dull in our lives.<

While working for Boise Cascade, in 1973 because of the illness of one of the top salesman in the company, we were offered a trip to Tahiti that he had won because of a great many sales. Bob called about 3PM that afternoon to tell me were going to have our photos taken for passports that evening. When he arrived home he told me what it was for and the first words out of my mouth was" I can not go. I don't have a thing to wear. Susie had just arrived home and she marched down to our bedroom and came out with her hands and arms draped with clothes. Her words to me were "you are going". I did.

Seattle, Washington 1959

We settled in a nice older home on Haller Lake in the area just north of a large shopping area. The school that John and Susie attended was only a few blocks so that they walked to school each

day. We began to look for a piece of land to build a home on just as soon as our home in Omaha was

sold. We did find several lots but we could afford the lot we chose to build on. Some homes were

already built or in the building stages. The lot we bought from Mr. Budkee the builder was on the side of a hill. From the street down perhaps was 100-125 feet. The back yard was small as most of the rest of the property went down hill to woods. The house was appeared to be one story but actually it was 2 levels with the back being open to the view and trees of the woods. The view was lovely as we could see the tips of the Cascade Mountain range to the east. In 1960 we moved into 18428 16th NE. our home for the next 34 years.

Our son became active in the Boy Scouts of America. His troop leader Robert Herzog was a perfect troop leader. He loved the out doors and saw to it that his 3 sons and the rest of the boys had a wonderful experience. Our son John belonged to that troop until he became an Eagle Scout.

Several years before we moved from Omaha Bob built 3 travel trailers in our back yard. He fashion them after a 1956 Aljo trailer. That little trailer had everything but a bathroom. Another of the trailers he built for friends who lived in Seattle, Washington. The Schaefer family and the Stilling family did much camping with those trailers. The two Schaefer boys and our son John all belonged to the same Boy Scout troop. Both families had many happy trips using those travel trailers all over the western part of the USA. When we moved to Seattle we towed the trailer to Washington for a vacation and then returned to Omaha aboard the Union Pacific RR to sell the house and prepare for the next change in our life.

When our daughter Susie was in the 4th grade I became the leader of her girl scout troop. Since I had been a den mother it just seemed right that give as much time to Susie and girl scouts. We had an active troop and by the time the girls were old enough to be in middle school (Jr. High) My husband had taken the girl scout leadership training and became my assistant. We had a group of devoted parents that always came forward and help when we needed them. I can tell you we had one of the best trained, disciplined and loyal troops in the Seattle Girl Scout Council. I was the the envy of all the leaders in our area and that was thanks to my husband. To this day we still hear from some of them. When the girls had finished the 7th grade we hiked from the west side of Cascade Pass to the East side, down through the Stehekien valley to the top head of Lake Chelan. It took us 7 days. We carried all of our food and clothes in backpacks. "Trapper Nelsons" Thank goodness for rye krisp and freeze dried food. The next big project for the older girls was preparing for a whole year for a auto-truck trip that took us all the way from Seattle Washington to as far East as Buffalo, New York. Each girl had to raise $100.00. They had car washes, bake sales, split wood and sold it delivered by the cord as well as baby sat and saved all the birthday money they had. 8 Cadet girl scouts, our Eagle Scout son and our German shepherd dog "Smoky" took off in our 1966 GMC pickup and 1956 Chev. station wagon on a trip of a life time. Take a look at the map. Freeways were just being developed so we saw some wonderful places and things along the byways of our wonderful United States. These girls made a great impression no matter where they went. They all dressed the same so it told folks they were part of a special group. They were great kids and it was a pleasure to be their leader. They showed Bob and I respect. Which is not to say that they were not teens who acted like kids do. We did things then that I am not sure would be possible today especially since one of their leaders was a man. Those girls treated Bob just like they would their father. Even getting mad at him at times but no back talk.

Bob was employed by the Safeco Insurance Company. He was in the data processing depart-

ment. He also worked for the Western Insurance Company as well as Trans-America Insurance always in the data processing department. He got tired of wearing the white shirt and tie and took a job for a Mobile home dealer in North Omaha. This led to his being singled out by to big boys and was offered a job as service mgr at the plant in Oregon. By now John has left home and is in the Marines. Our daughter has less then 2 yrs to graduate from high school so I stayed in Seattle

Omaha 1947 #2

I do not remember who saw the ad in the local paper. Perhaps someone in the boarding house but it was an ad advertising for jobs for the FBI in Washington DC.
Several of us went to the Federal Building in downtown Omaha and filled out pages of the application. A week later I was called back for a 2nd interview. The gentleman who was "grilling" me was not the same person who had talked to me the week before. It was very clear that the FBI had been in my home town following up with the persons that I gave as a reference. He ask me why I did not tell him that my father had been shoot in San Pedro and had died. My answer--I did not think that it was important for my getting a job as a secretary. Must have been the right answer as he never ask it again. It was however a little scarey that he knew so much about my family and my home town in Ohio. I was excited as you well may imagine and called home and told my parents about the two interviews. Mother was excited for me. The job would only last 6 mos. Then if I lived up to the expectations they had I would be hired with a contract.

My future husband was not so impressed. My future father-in-law who had traveled extensively tried to discourage me. He felt that Washington DC was no place for a young woman on her own. Finally Bob put it to me this way "either its me or the job".When you are young and in love it makes a difference just what you decide to do. Even though the job was only for 6 mos at that time, I choose to stay in Omaha . Got a job at the Insurance Company, United Benefit and stayed with the Stillings. At the end of May we made a trip to Ohio to apply for our marriage license. My future father-in-law insisted that we take someone with us and we choose a couple that were our first friends as a couple. We have remained close and still are friends. They also live in Arizona as we do now. I was only 18. My mother had to sign giving me permission to be married as in Ohio at that time the age of 21 was the "adult" age. To say she was happy about this would be stretching the truth. But she had let me make my choice and she stuck to it. She took measurements of me for a wedding gown that she was going to make. We left the next day for Omaha as I had to be at work the day after the Memorial Day holiday. My Mother drove into Cleveland, Ohio the largest city near Amherst the day after we left for our return to Nebraska. She purchased beautiful brocade satin for the gown. WW2 had not been over to long and fancy fabric was scarce as all the fabric mills had made fabric for the war effort. My wedding was August 8, 1947, my Mother's 38th birthday. She cut that dress out and stitched it up. I believe that she still was using her treadle singer sewing machine. When I arrived home to prepare for the wedding and tried the dress on so the hem could be marked that dress fit like a glove. On the bodice she had stitched seed pearls taken from the veil she wore the day she married my father in 1927. I kept that dress almost 60 years hoping that my daughter would use it some how when she married. She lived in a relationship for 28 years but never married. I used the dress for something else to be told later in this story.

By the end of September 1947 the honeymoon had been celebrated and it was down to the business of making a life for ourselves. I secured a job at Guarantee Mutual Life. An Insurance Company and Bob went to work fabricating steel products. My hobby was crocheting and stitching and Bob's was building Model Airplanes, you control planes. The planes were attached to a thin wire on to the control handle the flyer held. The little planes had little engines and they flew like crazy. Our friends the Wendt's who chaperoned us to Ohio for our marriage license were our "flying" Buddies. Actually the boys" flew" and we girls sat in the shade and did our hobbies. Bob and I had been given a building lot in the north Omaha area to build our first home. It was now being built. A sweet house, with two dormers on the front, a large picture window. One bedroom was finished on the first floor, later the upstairs was finished by Bob. The house was on the corner at the top of a hill. In the winter it could be hard getting into our driveway when slippery with snow and ice. We had wonderful neighbors. We were only 4 blocks from the little church I attended.The first year while the house was built we both went to work each day. My mother-in-law had dinner ready when we came home. She was so good to us. In March I learned that I was to have the first child of this union. Our Son John Albert Stilling was born December 9, 1948. . He was the first great grandchild of Nels Peter Stilling. Grandpa was so proud of John and now the Stilling line would continue. My husband's Aunt Ellen who was so proud of her Danish heritage was none to happy to see a brown eyed Dane. I told her when you cross a brown eyed German with a blue eyed Dane you are bound to get a brown eyed Dane each time. I really tainted those Danes. Our daughter when she came along also had brown eyes and all 4 of my grandson's also.

Just previously I mentioned "U control airplanes, It was a hobby that my husband and his best friend Bill Wendt spent many hours on. The little planes were quite fragile being made from very thin pieces of balsa wood. One week-end Bob and I went to a "fly in meet". Bill and Donna were unable to go so I just was on my own as the planes took first place that day. Mid day a fellow came walking by asking if anyone wanted to go on a plane ride. I jumped at the chance. It was a 2 seater by plane. Piolet in front at the controls passenger in the second seat. He gave a helmet and helped me into my seat. We took off down a bumping runway and whoops up in the air we went. I was aware of the plane turning and diving but to the dare devil in me it was fun. Meantime on the ground, a group of guys were watching from the ground and someone said "That guy is nuts". Bob looked up and made some remark, at the point another person says, "your wife is in the plane" What he said I do not know but he was waiting for me when the plane landed and in his relief he had a few words for me. I was just having a great time.

One more incident that I will mention to do with model planes. That same summer in July or August it can get pretty hot and humid in Omaha, Nebraska. Bob and Bill were going flying. Donna and I wanted to go swimming. They took us to Peony Park for swimming with the understanding that they would come and pick us up at 4PM. Meanwhile at the flying park it got pretty hot so the flyers all pitched in with money and some one went and purchased ice and beer, found a tub and boy they were all set. Going round and round and drinking that nice cold beer, well on a hot summer day in Nebraska what was better. To much beer and hot sun not to mention the going in circles, the BOYS forgot about picking up their wives. We called my dear mother-in-law and she came to get us. Sometime later The BOYS arrived at Mom Stilling's. But they had visitors.Great Grandma and Greatgrandpa, Uncle Ernie and prissy Aunt Ellen. It was apparent they had been drinking. Aunt Ellen said "your drunk". Good old great grandpa Pete said "Oh, a few beers never hurt anyone." I tell this story for only one reason--I want my son and all my grandsons to know that your Grandfather has not always been straight arrow. He too was young once and enjoyed every minute of his youth.

Just a short time after John was born we moved into our very first home at 6702 North 34th Street, Omaha. Our lives were good with the usual ups and downs. I was able to plant a garden in the back yard and flowers all over the place. I raised African violets under lights. and began to sew a lot. If I wanted clothes I had to make them myself. Lovely fabric could be purchased for less then $1.00 a yard. Shopping for food was fun. We had to follow a budget.

Bob developed himself a very nice shop in the basement. There just was nothing he could not build or fix. After our son was born he went to work for the Union Pacific Railroad. His father had never work anyplace else and he was now an officer in the Freight Traffic Department. Bob was hired. He also did wood working on the side in his shop. Bob worked in the freight department and the system they used developed into the computer system of today.

June 5, 1951 our daughter Susanne Stilling was born. She came early (7mos) and she had breathing problems. We nearly lost her. After weeks in the hospital she finally gained enough weight that she was released. What a sweet darling baby. She had been baptized while in the hospital. Bob did this for me. At the time the Doctor was not sure that she would live. I was not aware of that as Bob kept it from me. He told me 2 days later and by then she was on the mend list. She was a tough little kid. When she was 6 months old I took she and our son to Ohio and had her baptized again properly.

The Children grew in a loving environment with a neat aunt Mary Ellen, who was young enough to do kid stuff with them. Their grandparents made life happy for them. "Grandma Susie" was the perfect grandma. She let them play in the flour in her kitchen and make a mess. Mama was to fussy and worried about how the house looked. Oh my what a mistake. As a family we went roller skating. So much fun we had. When John reached cub scout age I became a den mother.

Happy Times. The Children attended Sunday School at the church down the hill and Bob and I belong to the young married couples group.

Every family needs a dog. Our dog was an English Crocker Spaniel. We named him Dewy. The name came from the 3 nephews of Mickey mouse. Huey Dewy and Louie. Don't ask me why the name was chosen. He was a pure breed dog and Dewy came from a litter of pups from a Stilling family friend. His color was quite unusual. It was a cooper liver color. We did enter him in 3 dog shows as "Dewy of Newport" and twice he won because of his color. That dog loved to bury things in my garden. One spring when I was working the dirt to plant I dug up the hard wood ball from the yard game the kids had. We were missing a ball and Bob was so upset with the kids for losing the ball as he and his sister had played with the game. Not only did the dog bury it, the termites also had a feast. The ball was full of tunnels. Bob cut it in half and let the kids take it to school for "show and tell"After Dewy died we got another dog. A German Shepherd, Smoky was his name. He turned out to be my dog and faith full he was till his last day.

Our Son suffered from many allergies and asthma. For 3 years it was necessary for him to have weekly shots made up for him at an allergy clinic in Omaha. His Dr. there told us he would be better off living away from the mid west. Our Lord works in mysterious ways. Bob had worked for the Union Pacific RR for 10 and 1/2 years so was vested in the retirement program. He got a job in Seattle Washington with Safeco Insurance Co. in the systems department. The last pass that we had from the RR took us to our new home in Seattle, Washington. That included our dog Smoky. Bob had made him a travel bed/box. He could stand and turn around as well as lay down. After the first day aboard on the baggage car the guy in that car made friends with the dog and let him out of the travel box. When ever the train pulled into the depot where they stopped the baggage man had the dog on his leash and Bob went back got the dog and he took him to do his business. At one stop the dog took a little longer then usual and

Bob had time to push the dog up on the car and grab the handrail of the next passenger car. The train had begun to move. Back in our car Our Daughter was beside herself as she thought the train had left her daddy behind. In less then a minute he appeared and then instead of smiles here came the tears. "Oh Daddy, I thought you was losted forever. The rest of the trip everyone who was going to Seattle watched as Bob got the dog and off they went to return in a few minutes. We were the crazy family with the dog. We settled in our rented house. Bob's father our angel in Omaha took care of selling our first home. I loved that house. So many wonderful memories we had in that house. I learned to drive while PG with Susie. Walked the floor with John when he suffered from a bad asthma attack. We made May baskets and delivered them to the neighbors. Made Valentines. The children got to go shopping with Grandma down to Central Market. We celebrated Everyones birthday with ice cream and cake. A family joke--When we went to Great Grandmother Susanne's house Uncle Ernie always bought and dished up the ice cream. He never bought quite enough so the amount in the dishes was very small. When we had birthday celebrations in other homes there always was more then we really needed. There were no "Uncle Ernie" dishes of ice cream at other homes. Holidays were always celebrated by us all. It was a wonderful time of life.

Welcome Omaha, Nebraska 1947

Leaving the saftey of the home I grewup in did not effect me just at that moment. After all I was 18 years old, all grown up and headed to a whole new kind of life. The world was waiting for me.

The New York Central took me into the great city of Chicago. Then I changed trains and rail lines to the Chicago North Western. I just had coach seats so sleeping was done by laying down on the full bench seat if no other passenger sat there. I met a young man who was on his way home from the WW2. He had acquired enough points so that his time of service was up. He was from Omaha and turned out to be my angel in disguise. We spent a good deal of time that night talking about our families and his time in the service. Nearing Omaha He ask me where was going and I had the address of the boarding house I was to call home for almost 6 mos. He told me to stick with him as his father was coming to pick him up and they would take me to the boarding house. They did just that. I had the phone number of the boarding house. They ask me for it and I gladly gave them the number. Coming from a small town where no one locked their doors I was a very trusting soul.

There were 4 other girls plus a girl from my class in school living there. Joan Sharp arrived a couple days later from Amherst. We had kitchen priviledges and I remember I ate a lot of Mrs. Grases nooddle soup. Joan and I got registered in school. It was a school that was based on Office skills. We learned radio phone techneques and teletype, skills the fore-runner of the system we call computers today. We had to ride the city bus to class. A long bus ride across the city. It was necessary to transfere to another bus and in the winter time I remember that it was darn cold when the bus was late.Things at school went very smoothly. At this time I realized that I needed to find a job. A short distance from the boarding house was a large hospital. I went and applied for a job as a nurses aide. Almost all the nurses were Nuns. They were very tough to work for. My least favorite job was cleaning out the bed pans. The nurse that was my immediate supervisor smelled each bedpan to be sure they were clean. One evening I went to work and when I got to my station there sat 9 bed pans that I had cleaned the night before. She said, "THEY SMELLED" SO I DID THEM OVER AGAIN, plus a whole bunch more before I could go home. When I was finished with the job I looked for that nun. She had gone to her quarters. I just never went back to that job again. To this day I am not sure if I went back for my pay or not. But I know that those were the cleanest bed pans that ever were in any hospital.

The young man that I had met on the train called me later. He took me out to a movie and dinner. Boy, no chicken noodle soup that night. He then introduced me to another young man. Lou Burri. He ask me out and I did go with him. He called me a week later to say that he had arranged for me to have a blind date with a friend of his. I accepted. The story behind this is:

Lou's friend had been dating a girl that Lou wanted to take out, so he arranged for the blind date.

My blind date was my husband Robert E. Stilling. We have been married 63 years. Lou and

Bob never changed dates. Lou and his wife Margret called "Mickey" married also. They had 50 plus years together before Lou passed away after suffering a series of strokes. I am a hyper person but I could never hold a candle to Lou. He was a salesman, selling all sorts of things over the years. We always said that he could sell false eyebrows to John L. Lewis. Think of Andy

Rooney. Mr. Lewis had eyebrows twice as full as Andy's. Those were sweet months. We went dancing in a lovely large ballroom. Sorta like one near my hometown. All the big bands were still popular and came to play. Bob and I also danced to Lawerance Welk at the Chairmont ball room in Omaha. Many times he took me to the Union Pacific RR station for a bite to eat after a show or dancing. The coffee shop in the depot served shrimp coctail. I had never eaten shrimp and it soon became one of my favorite things to order. The shrimp coctail was made on a bed of ice with 6-7 large shrimp sitting there. On the side the most wonderful sauce to dip them in. For a young small town girl this was really living. They only cost $1.00 for each order. Expensive in those days for a young man going to college and working part time in a hobby shop selling model airplanes and other models.

Perhaps a month after Bob and I began to date he invited me to his home for Sunday Dinner. His Mother was a really wonderful cook and baker. His father who was an executive at the Union Pacific RR. was very much the head of his family. We sat down to the dinner table. A large roast sat on a platter in front of Mr. Stilling as well as the rest of the dishes of food to be served except the salad which was at each place. We all sat down and Mr. Stilling served us. Mrs. Stilling was first and then my tern. I had never been served except in a resturant, and he ask me what I would like, I believe that I mumbled, " whatever you put on my plate". Soon I began to feel more at home thanks to Bob's younger sister, Mary Ellen. The story goes that when Bob and I left so he could take me back to the boarding house, Mr. Stilling looked at his wife and said, "you just met your daughter-in-law". Now it was time to meet the rest of the family. Grandpa and Grandma plus Uncle Ernie and Aunt Ellen. Neither Ernie or Ellen had ever married so they all lived together in a large white house on Cumings Street. As we were approaching the house Bob was giving me all the do's and don'ts for this visit. At that very moment I wondered if I was really going to enjoy this visit. After we had been there 15 minutes I knew who was my alli in that household. Grandpa. He was full of the devil. His eyes told you so. Over the years I watched him do little things and say things that just drove his prissy daughter right up a tree. After the first visit I knew I was accepted. Uncle Ernie never said much but he agreed with grandpa a lot as the sly smile told just what he was thinking.

6th insallment

During my high school years WW2 was still raging. Young men we grew up with went off to war Some to never return. In our small Ohio town people grew victory gardens. Many small industries grewup to make things for the war effort. Folks from West Virgina, Virgina, Kentucky, Tennessee

and several other states came into our area as there were a lot of small industry that supported the war effort. Many little fractories made small parts for many of the weapons used in war. My mother went to work for the Bendix corp. It became my job to look after my little brother Don. A job I hated was trying wake my older brothers to go to school. My step sister Had already left home so it was my duty now to take over her chores and do mine also. This was not bad as I learned to cook and plan meals. How to properly clean house and bake bread. There was a period that our greatgrandmother came to live with us. She taught me to crochet and knit, as well as make pie crust. She was a very exacting woman. When she was teaching me to crochet she told me that If I could not stop talking and crochet at the same time then I had better close my mouth. That was not possible so I learned to crochet and talk at the same time.

I had babysitting jobs, house cleaning jobs,and worked in the local resturant dipping ice cream cones. Hand dipped chocolates were made there and folks came from long distances to buy "Wallies chocolates"

Being a cheerleader, playing in the High School Band, taking part in the Drama department were all happy times in my life. I look back on those years with so many happy thoughts. The best part of growing up in a small town like Amherst is getting to make friends that are with you for life. The class of 1946 has been fortunate to have members that have kept the ties with many of us who choose to move away. I thank God every day that I was born and grewup in that community. Today one of the joys is to receive a Newsletter from my classmates "back home". I still keep in touch with some of them. There was a young man that I met from Elyria, Ohio. His sister married a fellow who lived on our street.Gladys and I became friends. She introduced me to her brother Jim. My mother was not to happy with that. He was 6 years older then I was. We carried on a long distance "young love time" by letter. Other young boys I went to school also came in and out of my life. Just the usual boy girl growingup relationships. Oh my life seemed that we had a million years ahead. May 1946 the class graduated from high school. Some went into the service, several thought about entering college. I found a job in a department store in Lorain, Ohio 8 miles from home. I walked to the bus stop about a mile each morning to go to my job. The bus dropped me off on the corner right across the street from the store. I Worked in several different departments. A class mate Connie Barck also went to work there. The job I had in the store that I liked best was "window dressing". I got to pick out the outfits to dress the "ladies" who stood in the window to present the fashions being sold in the store. Connie helped me picking out the clothes and hats. Boy in those days well dress ladies wore hats to match their outfits. People would come by and watch me work. Sometimes I'd see the same faces day ofter day. Always a smile and I gave one right back to them. Those years right after the war there still were many young men in uniforms of the different services. I remember one sailor standing watching me for a time and every time I looked his way he winked at me. Just before I had to go back into the store I blew him a kiss. Never saw that sailor again. I hope that God kept him safe.

I had sent for information to several different business type schools. I wanted to leave my home town as so many young kids do. The money that was sitting in the bank for me to use for education had grown to a decent sum for those years. I had saved some of the money I had worked for. January 7, 1947 my parents took me and my luggage to the train depot in Elyria, Ohio and when I climbed onto that train heading west to Omaha, Nebraska I felt so grownup and "smart". A whole new and different life ahead of me.

Day 5 to write my life

There were so many little things that made life a rainbow in my childhood. When I received my first bicycle. Going to our grandfather Wilsdon's in the summer during the county fair time or meeting our grandfather Koepp on the street in town and he would dig down in his pocket and magic, he had a nichol in his huge hands. That nichol could hardly be seen because he pinched it between his thumb and first finger. He would gently hand the coin to you and say"go get an ice cream cone". Playing kick the can in the summer and ice skating in the winter.

By the time I reached the age of 13 I felt pretty grown up. All the girls wore their hair long. It was WW 2 time and lots of us copied the hair styles of our Hollywood idols. Mine was Rita Hayworth. She had the most beautiful hair. We were grownup, in Jr. High School. Changing classes when the bell rang. I loved Hom Ec. Sewing and Cooking, History was another favorite English had to be endured and Math was such a pain for me. Again my brother Bill was so good in that subject. He was taking trumpet lessons and doing so well. A wonderful couple helped organize a club for we teens."The Rec" We could go and dance to the latest tunes on the Jukebox, play games and just "hang out. About 85% of us could walk to town from our homes so we had a place to go and get off the street. Only a few of the older boys had cars or the use of their family car. It was war time and gas was rationed. There was a group of Boys who formed a dance band. They were darn good and they played on Saturday nights. I loved to Polka. A boy that I went to school with, Bill Wilhelm was my partner. He was the one I planted the kiss on in 1st grade. He had a regular girlfriend Louise but she did not like to dance the solvoc dances so she let me borrow him. They are still together today. My Brother Bill was a member of that dance band. He played a mean trumpet.

A young man named Phil Lodge who was a senior ask me to go to a basketball game with him and some the other students of his class. I had never had a real DATE and to be asked by a senior Wellllllllllllll. I was just finishing 8th grade. I told him I would have to ask my mother, which I did. She said," well if he will come and ask me I will let you go." so back to school the next day I went. Found Phil and told him what my mother had said. Now you know that my mother thought he would never come and ask permission to take me out. He did. She was stuck but she gave me permission. Before she did however she had to tell him that I was still a little girl and he had better take good care of me. He did and all that summer he took me to movies, dances, picnics and just came and sat on our front porch and talked. He was such a nice boy and a perfect gentleman. My first real boyfriend.

My Life 4th writing

The school that my brother Bill and I attended was the school that our Mother graduated from High School in 1927. She was the President of her class and a very lovely to look at girl as well as being very popular with her fellow students. We had small classes in comparison to classes of the major schools today. Brother was a better student then I. He knew when to shut his mouth and listen. Me on the other hand was a social butterfly even in tomboy years. We lived in what was known as the german settlement of our little town. Summertime we had a wonderful baseball lot to play baseball on. Our crowd was very competitive. I am sure that the whole neighborhood heard me over the rest of the kids. Even today I can clear a room if I am not careful. It can be a real bother to have a loud voic.e Some of the kids We grew up with were Lois and Jimmy Dean, Karl and Gwen Smith, Ken Rogal, Dale Bruce, Peter Daraksis and his brothers, Bob Schaefer and our step-brother Jack Reinhardt and our half brother Don. Oh what a happy bunch we were. Most of us were poor as church mice but we did not know it. Life was so good. The house that our parents bought right after WW 2 faced North Main Street. It was owned by a brother and sister. Her name was Hattie and we kids were really frightened of her. In later life I realized that she had a learning disability, but in those days we all thought she was "nuts". She always looked so scarey. Could because we all swiped apples off her trees on the alley side. Mother and Dad made a real show place of that house. It did not have a bathroom only outside plumbing, When the boys got more grownup they made it a real project to knock over the outhouse at Halloween. I think that several of the fathers knew that we would have to set it back up right each year.

At the other end of the alley was Mrs. Wenzel's place. She raised chickens and a large garden as our step-father did. Mother bought eggs from Mrs. Wenzel for $.15 a dozen. I believe she called them Pullet eggs. The first eggs layed by the hens.

Living in a large old house on Long Street with close neighbors we all had such fun. There was a group of the neighborhood kids that did many things together. In the summer we spent time in a wooded section that had a creek running through it. Evenutally this creek found its way to the entrance of Lake Erie. We had wonderful games in the summer of "hide and Seek, Kick the Can, Baseball" on a lot owned by the Aunt and Uncle of one of the kids. I was pretty much of a tomboy and tried to out do all the boys. You can be sure that my voice always was heard over the rest. My poor Mother tried to clean me up on Sundays for Church and Sunday School. In the winter time The town fire department came to the end of Main Street and filled in a great depression that became the town skating pond. We had a wood shack to change our skates in and warmup. After several years a fire got to hot in the stove and the shed caught on fire and burned to the ground. We lived close to the pond so were able to go there as many nights that mom would let us go. There was a large flood light for the skate pond which lighted up the whole area.

Our Father came home for two special visits during these years. On one of the visits he purchased Brother Bill a beautiful red Elgin Bike. He had to share with me for awhile. Later I had my own bike with chrome fenders. Oh Boy did I love that bike. Our grandfather Wilson, Mother's father who lived in Wellington 25 miles south came and picked up Bill and I for a stay there. It was always close to the Lorain county Fair time. The wonderful times we had there. Grandfather had a beautiful light blue Chrysler car. Probably the fancist one he could buy. He would tie our bikes on the front and back bumper of his car and off we'd go for our Summer vacation with Grand Dad. What a neat guy he was. We got to ride the ferris wheel, the merry go round and see all the 4H exhibts when he took us to the County Fair. And who could forget the cotton Candy? Some real wonderful summers we spent there. Our great Grandmother Elsie was still living on the Farm in Penfield where Bill, Mother and I went when we left the little white house. The big old barn was still there and that darn outhouse I was so afraid of in earlier years. The tire swing was gone. Summers in the 1930's really were sweet and easy for two kids that lived in a little town where we could walk to our grandma Koepps and have sugar cookies and watch our Grandpa Koepp swing around the corner in his Model T Ford and just fly in the barn. All the while he knew that Grandmother was going to get after him for driving TO FAST. He always managed to find to nichols in his pocket for us and that meant an ice cream cone. White House ice cream--Vanilla with big red cherries.Yum Yum.

My life the beginning

The time is September 11, 1928. Location--Amherst, Ohio at the Amherst Hospital. My Mother Buelah Wilson Koepp gave birth to me easily. I am sure that my father William Koepp was proud as any new father. With my birth began another branch of the Wilson, Koepp clans. My Mother's lineage includes a relative who came to this country on the Mayflower as a servant to Pricilla Allen's father. He secured his passage by working as a servant for 5 years. My father's father emigrated from Germany with his Mother and Step-father as a young boy, coming through Ellis Island as so many of our ancesters did.

Life was good. My parents built a Sears pre-cut home. Even if it was the time of the great depression. It was a darling house. Steps going up to the front door, with 2 white columns as used in the southern homes of the civil war days. I remember a beautiful fireplace in the living room. I have not been in that house since my Mother, brother and I left it to live with our great grandmother, but I can close my eyes and see that fireplace . It had black cement between the stones that sparkled. My brother William Jr. was born December 29, 1929. Our father was a seaman on the ore freighters of the Great Lakes. Lorain, Ohio only a short distance from Amherst was a large Steele town. The ore boats used to pull into Lorain, Ohio on Lake Erie. That was his summer job as the lakes froze over in the winter. In the winter he worked in the sandstone industry that was very preveliant in our area.

Day 2:

As far as my knowledge of this relationship, it went well for the first few years. Then as in all marriages something crept in to make a perfect world, not so perfect. My father drank to much as did a lot of his friends. Mother was alone for periods of a time and for a young wife with two small children it could not have been easy. She did have transportation. A model T-Ford. It had to be cranked to start and in my adult years she shared stories with me and she was laughing at herself and I laughed seeing her in my mind cranking the darn thing and then running to get in before the spark died. In my adult years I was able to share some wonderful moments with her that only a daughter can cherish. I do not remember leaving the house on Milan Avenue but remember being at our Greatgrandmother Elsie Wilson's farm. It was winter. Mother, brother Bill and I walked across the road and laid down in the snow and made snow angels. At Great Grandmother's the grocery wagon(large truck) came every once in awhile. He carried staple type goods and I remember especially the large suckers shaped like footballs. They had real long sticks, were many colors and tasted so good. Wish I knew for sure how much they cost, if I had to guess probably .01 or .02 cents. Remember this was the GREAT DEPRESSION.It was so cold that winter. The only heat was a large pot bellied stove and the woodburning cook stove in the kitchen.At night we had bricks heated on the wood stove and wrapped in paper and flannel cloths to put in our beds to keep our feet warm. The only running water was a pump on the sink from a cisturn under the back porch. The drinking water was from a pump by the milk house from a well of wonderful well water. In case you were wondering--no bathroom, only the little 3 holer outside down from the house. Oh Lordy I was so afraid of that outhouse. Yes there was a catolog. Not sure if was Sears or Mountgomery Ward. At night the little potty under the bed was there also. Mother always took care of that in those days. Another thing that is so vivid in my mind was two beautiful tall pine trees in the front of the house and one of them had a tire swing that was so much fun. Along the side of the house was a row of black walnut trees. Those darn nuts were so hard. That I learned in my teen years when I helped Mother pick nut meats from the nuts for Christmas cookies.

In 1934 our Mother married our step-father, John Reinhardt. Our father William then went to sea to sail on the oceans. His ports were in the southern ports of the US. and along the South American coasts. He sent many post cards and letters to Bill and I during these years and he made 2 visits that are vivid in my mind. One he brought a friend home and he and his friend took Brother Bill and I on the New York Central train all the way to Cleveland Ohio. We went to see a baseball game. Bob Feller pitched. That must have begun my love for the game of Baseball as today it still is my favorite major league sport. In those days the trains stopped in Amherst. It was so exciting to climb on that train and be going somplace. Wow what an adventure. In 1940 our grandparents (Koepp) in poor health and needing assistance our father was on his way home to render that assistance. I am sure it was because he was single and could do it easily. His last port of call was to be Seattle, Washington. The ship was tied up in San Pedro Harber. In those days no great big Long Beach shipping center. The large ships had to anchor out and I suppose they were unloaded on to barges that were towed to shore. A shipmate had gone ashore for shore leave and got terribly drunk. He carried weapons and other shipmates had complained to no avail. He stumbled coming back on the boat and a fight broke out. Angry he pulled a gun and shot and killed one man who had tried to help him. Then in a crazied state he began to run. Our father was a deck officer so his quarters were on topside. He was laying on his bunk. The man who was also a friend pointed his gun at Dad and shot him, saying, "Bill I am going to shoot you". This is what was told to me in later years by Dad's Sister Florence, who along with her husband went to California for the man's trail. My Aunt and Uncle were my God Parents. Dad did not survive the gunhot wounds. That was December 9, 1940. A very special date to me which I will elaborate on later. At the age of 12 and 11 my brother and I helped lay our father to rest in the place where his Mother, Father and brother Walter were later laid.  My` father was 37 years old.  Our Oldest grandson Peter has lived past the age of 37.

September 1935 began 12 yrs. of attending the best small town school in Lorain County. My first grade teacher was Miss Bond. A sweet blond lady who really liked kids. Many of the children that I began going to school with I remain friends with today. That is one of the really neat things about attending a small school. Somehow we all became like family. There were fellow students that lived on farms and rode the school bus. The high light of that first grade for me was I had a crush on a cute boy named Bill. I finally got up enough nerve and grabed him in our coat hall off the room and planted a kiss on him. In the winter My brother and I had to walk to school. We lived north of town just inside of the line to be able to ride the bus. The cold wind blew in off Lake Erie. Getting bundled up to walk home was a real job. We wore snuggy underwear and long brown stockings, as well as snow suits and heavy rubber boots to keep warm. In the spring I can remember rollinmg down the stockings to the ankels because they were so warm. Mother also gave us codliver oil on the spoon so we did not catch colds. Yuck.

My very first Post

June 30th,2009---Gloria Stilling has begun her Blog. It will be like the blind leading the Blind, but I am sure I'll have a bunch of laughs along the way. A number of years ago The Pastor of my Church told us all to write the story of our lives for our family. Not so sure that my family is really interested but perhaps this blog will interest them in Mother, Grandmother and Great Grandmother. I have a lot of guts to begin this. Life is a rainbow!!!!!!!!!!