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Frances Has Another Birthday
I have posted a portrait taken in December 1960. This is my family. If you are wondering what was the occasion, we made the headlines! A newspaper and I am thinking it was the Toledo Blade called a local photographer at Bateham Studio and asked them to contact the family that just celebrated the birth of their 14Th child and organize a family photo. Mother received the clippings from friends and family afar as the news appeared in their local paper and they now personally knew someone in the news.
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Well that celebrated occasion evened the score for my parents with now seven boys and seven girls. As one sister jokingly said, if you work at it long enough you will eventually get it right! My mother always loved being around a baby and it was a sincere joy. My grandmother who was a farm wife had told a cousin's wife upon the birth of their first child that she was the happiest when she was expecting a baby. So mother learned from the best.
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I remember when we were flying to Italy one year for the Christmas holiday and we stopped by the Nursing Home where mother spent her last two and one-half years to say good-bye. When I told her that we were on our way to the airport as we were going to celebrate Christmas with our daughter Mary and her family, she so spontaneously said, oh!, won't you have fun! You could almost hear the envy in her voice.
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The order in the portrait and the birthdays just in case this is a test and also the nickname. (Everyone had to have a nickname! )
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Standing left to right:
James "Jim" August 8
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Mary Ann "Maggie" February 19
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Sharon "Shag" July 1
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Robert "Nort" December 14 Our family joker!
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Ruth "Henry" March 3 Henry the comic character had no hair and Ruth was bald until about year one.
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Frances "Sicky" January 15 Frances couldn't say her name as a young child and pronounced it as Sicky thus it was what she responded to all of her life!
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Seated:
Donna "Butch" December 13 Please don't tell anyone. My husband hates that name.
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Donald "Frock" December 6
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Michael "Farina and Friedley" March 6 (Kneeling)
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Thomas "Hoagie" February 5
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Dennis "Dan" January 14 (Kneeling)
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Marie "Tina" October 3
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Dad "Chief" July 14 ... R.I.P September 9, 1988
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Mother "Alice" September 1 with baby in arms ... R.I.P July 31, 2003
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Baby Eugene dubbed "Famous" until later and known as "Bon Geeto" November 13
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Helen "Lolly" June 14
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Every nickname had a story. My mother (Bernice) was called Alice. Do you remember the Jackie Gleason Show? Ralph was always promising Alice of brighter days ahead and "someday Alice". Alice always exhibited the symptoms of an overworked and tired woman on the show. Mother could have played that role with her tireless effort.
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The reaction of people in California when they learn I came from a large catholic family is interesting. One or two children is the "norm" here. Most comments are kind but for the few others it automatically exposes a level of intelligence or eloquence. My mother was a kind and loving mother who considered her children a blessing. My father owned a lumber business and provided for his family. Today most of my siblings still live in the area where we grew up but two of us have moved a distance away. Amazingly all fourteen are still alive. I am fourth in line and 67 years old so do your math! I'll never tell! Happy Birthday Frances for another great year!
2 comments:
Wow! That is an amazing picture. I recognized you right away!
Thanks Jewels. More recently I had a clipping sent to me from someone who knew our family living in Northern California that read the news article and kept it. The person passed away recently and the daughter sent it on to me. Fun! Thanks again, Donna
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