A Gift of Memories
A Gift that will be a Family Treasure for
Lucie
Rose Farmer
Childhood
Full Name: Lucie Rose Farmer
Birthplace: Waco, Nebraska
Born: September 17,1911
Died: August 2, 1970
Father’s Name: William
Patrick Farmer
Birthplace: Beaver Crossing, Nebraska
Born: March 26, 1888
Died: February 3, 1943
Mother’s Name: Jeanne
Gerard
Birthplace: Brooklyn, New York
Born: February 19, 1888
Died: April 28, 1984
“Were you
named after someone, and why did they give you that name?”
Yes, I was named after my
Aunt Lucie. My Mother was a twin.
Both my mother and Aunt Lucie were so much alike.
They were identical. They
were born in Brooklyn, New York and weighed 2 pounds each. I really loved my Aunt Lucie. Mother moved to Beaver Crossing when she was 21 years old and
married Father. They lived on
a farm until Father sold it and bought a bar & grill in town. Mother took in sewing to help pay for
the bills.
“Did you
have any brothers or sisters, and what are their names and birth dates?
Mother was 23 years old when
I was born. I am the oldest. The next was Katie, she married Kink Findley.
Then Little Willie, he died at birth.
I’m not sure what happened.
Then Mary, she married Wilbur Miller.
Next was Mattie, she married Marvin Harter.
Then my little sister Blanche.
She died when giving birth to her little girl. They said she died of a blood clot in the leg. Then my brother Joe, he married Mary Anne.
And my little brother Paul, he married Wanda.
He was my favorite when we were growing up.
Lets see, Mary’s birthday is at the end of October. Paul’s birthday was April 25, 1926.
He died in November 8, 1992.
He had the flu, but died of a heart attack.
“Who did they
say you looked like?”
My Aunt Lucie.
“Did you ever
have a nickname?”
Lu-Lu
“Where were
you born?”
Date: In the morning
Place: On the farm
Town: Waco, Nebraska
Hour: Not sure
State: Nebraska
Weight: Not sure, they say I was big
Length: Not sure.
Eye
color: Gray
Hair color: Dark brown
Temperament:
Hot Irish
“Did you ever
fight with your brothers and sisters?
Who treated you the nicest, and who the worst?”
Oh, we had our normal fights
as we grew up, but nothing too bad.
We were too busy to fight.
Mother was doing sewing and we helped a lot. I remember one time that we were picking on Paul and he fell
down the stairs when he was running away from us. Mother really gave us the dickens.
“Did you have
to share your room and things?”
Oh, yes. We had only four rooms upstairs in the house
and there were six of us. When
Katie and I got married they all had their own rooms. Until then Katie and I or Mary shared rooms. The boys and Blanche had their own
rooms. Our home in town was really
nice. It had a parlor that Mother
use to entertain her guest in.
Mother also played the organ, Father use to play the violin. We really loved the music they
played. What a nice quiet time it
was. Mother always had a parrot or
parakeet. She claimed fame in
knowing Wild Bill Hitchcock.
Growing Up:
“What was the
best birthday you ever had? Why?”
I don’t remember any
really special one. I guess the
one I remember the most was in 1969.
That was the year I went to Sioux City with my youngest daughter. As we drove back from the city, we
stopped by a little vendor on the way home and picked up two crates of concord
grapes. I had planned to make some
jam. Well, on the way home, we ate
one whole crate of grapes and ended up having diarrhea for several days
later. We giggled like two little
kids. We were showing my Saint
Bernard’s that I use to raise, at a dog show there. It was a really fun time.
“Can you remember
your favorite birthday present?”
I think my favorite present
was when my youngest daughter named her youngest after me! See, I named her after my grandmother,
so it was very special that she named her after me!
“How much did
the tooth fairy leave you for a tooth?”
I don’t remember any
tooth fairy.
“How old were
you when you got an allowance and how much was it?”
We didn’t have allowances. My Father didn't make very much money,
so if we needed any money, we would work at the local restaurant or sew with
Mother.
“How did your
parents punish you? Did they
spank you? Who was more strict?”
I don’t remember being
punished when I was younger. I do
remember Mother being more strict.
That was mostly because Father wasn’t around much with the bar
& grill.
“What was the
naughtiest thing you ever did?”
I think the naughtiest thing
I ever did was pick on Paul.
“What were
your favorite games and toys?”
We use to play marbles and
tin can on the street. I think I
still have some of my marbles around here someplace.
“What games
or sports did your mom and dad play with you?”
We didn’t play any
sports or games. It was really
mostly doing work. I remember
playing with my sisters and some neighbors. We use to go to dances and talk a lot.
“Did you ever
go sledding, skiing or skating? What
sports did you like?”
We did go sledding and roller
skating. I really enjoyed the
sledding. I use to take the boys
out by the park. We also had a
swimming pool in the park and we use to go there and swim all day. I use to have a great tan.
“Did you get
to stay up as late as you wanted to, and watch TV or listen to the radio or
records?”
I use to listen to the old
Edison or listen to my parents play their instruments. We never had a television until my Father
died. We kids bought one for
Mother. We did have a radio,
but I can remember it was very static.
I guess the best I can remember is the record player.
“Did you ever
argue about your bedtime?”
No. I was always glad to go. I usually got to read for a while before we had to put out
the lights.
“Did you ever
go to the hospital? Did you have
stitches or break any bones?”
Yes. When I was young, I had to go to the
hospital for my tonsils. I
didn’t break any bones, that I remember!
“Were you scared
of doctors or shots?”
No.
“What kind
of transportation did you have? Did
you ever ride in a plane, bus, train, or boat? What else?”
I remember having wagons and
horses from the farm. When we
moved in town we didn’t have any transportation. We did had an old Ford when I was older
that we drove around. We really
didn’t leave the town very much until we grew up and got married. My husband was my transportation then!!!
“Did you ever
run away from home, or just hide from your mom and dad? Why?”
I don’t remember ever
running away from home. Maybe it
was because I was the oldest and had to help Mother with all the household
chores.
“Where was
your favorite place to go when you were angry?”
We had a grove of trees to
the South of the house. I really
enjoyed just going in there and thinking.
It was almost like having your own grotto.
“What chores
did you have to do?”
Sewing, cleaning, we had a
big garden, helping Father with the bar & grill, and mostly taking care of
my sister and brothers.
“When you were
given money, what did you spend it on...toys, candy, etc.? What could you buy for a quarter?”
I can remember buying
material for dresses. I loved chocolate
bars and we could buy several for a quarter. I remember going to a free show and buying candy and pop
corn with a quarter. We never had
to pay to get into a dance. They
were free also.
“Did you have
a pet, and what was it’s name?”
Mother always had a parrot or
a parakeet. I can remember having
a dog on the farm and some cats, but when we moved to town they stayed on the
farm.
“What did you
like most about your best friend? Did
you have fights and secrets?”
My sisters, Katie & Mary,
were my best friends. I can tell
you that I told them everything.
We had such good times together.
All our husbands got along so well. I guess I was blessed to have them around.
“Did kids ever
tease you? Was there a bully
who picked on you?”
I don’t remember ever
being teased. Katie, Mary and I
were all kind of cute and so the boys came around a lot.
Home When You Were
Small:
“What did your
house look like?” “How many rooms did it have? Did it have an attic or a creepy room that scared you?”
Our farm house was very
small. I can remember having to
sleep in the living room. When we
moved to town, I thought we moved into a mansion. It had four bedrooms up stairs, a big spiral staircase, a
parlor, dinning room, living room, big kitchen, two bedrooms that Father turned
into one for him and Mother, a storage room that Mother had turned into a
bathroom just before Father died.
She sewed a gown for it! It
did have a creepy attic, but we just stored a bunch of stuff in it all the
time.
“How big was
your yard?’
We had a big yard. I can remember clipping the grass with
one of those old hand push single blade movers. It took forever!
“What kind of appliances did
you have to cook with, wash clothes and light the house?”
I don’t remember when
Mother got her refrigerator or stove that was electric. I do remember the old ones and the
wringer washer. I always liked the
candles and the kerosene lamps. It
was sort of nice to set by candle light.
It was hard to read by it.
“How big was
your room and what did it look like?”
My room was pretty good
size. Katie, Mary and I enjoyed
our time together so we didn’t mind sharing it. It gave us time to talk about our boyfriends and what we did
all day long.
“Could you
keep it messy if you wanted?”
Oh, no!!! Mother always insisted on our rooms
being cleaned. She really enjoyed
our house and said that it was God’s gift to us and we need to keep it
clean.
“How many people
lived at your house?”
All of us! We all live together.
“How did you
keep your house warm in the winter and cool in the summer?”
We had two fire places and a
coal stove in the kitchen. I can
remember when we got our coal burning furnace. The boys had to haul in the coal for it. We opened windows in the summer to keep
cool. I also remember putting a cool
wash cloth on our necks.
“What was your
favorite thing in the whole house? Do
you still have it?”
I think my favorite thing to
have in the whole house was our family!
Celebrations:
“What did you
usually do on Thanksgiving?”
We always had a big meal. Sometimes Father brought people home
from the bar that didn’t have any family. We always had a large house full of people and family.
“Was your mom
a good cook? What did she make
best?”
My Mother was the best. She made the best dishes of everything. I think my favorite dish that Mother
made was her stew. She made great
stew and chocolate pie.
“Did you live
where they had snow? Did you
make snowmen?”
Oh, yes. Heavens. We made so many snow men it was funny. I can remember making snow angels too.
“Did you chop
wood or help with Christmas preparations?”
A lot of time we had to make
meals ahead of time for Father’s bar & grill. I can remember the Christmas trees we
had. They usually were from the
river bed. I never had to chop
wood, but can remember the boys doing it.
“Do you remember
a special gift you made for someone?
Yes. I can remember all the pictures I drew
for my sisters. I can remember how
much they loved them. I was pretty
good at drawing and painting.
“Did Santa
come to your house?”
Yes. Santa came, but not like he does
today. We use to get one gift
only. And usually that was cloths
or food.
“Did you ever
see or talk to him?”
Every day…
“Did you hang
your stockings, and what did Santa leave in them?”
We did hang our stockings on
the fire place. We use to get
oranges and apples in them. Father
would always slip in a chocolate bar for us too.
“Did you have
a tree? How did you decorate
it?”
We would go to the river bed
to get our trees. I can remember
decorating them with pop corn and berries from the trees. I still have some of the ornaments that
Mother had brought back from New York.
“What did you
usually do on Christmas?”
Just daily stuff. We always played cards with Father and
I can remember making cookies.
“Did you make
cards to give on Valentines Day?”
Yes, to my sweet heart, or to
Father.
“Did you ever
give flowers or candy to a boy or girl friend?”
No, I could not afford it.
“Did the Easter
Bunny ever leave you a basket? Did
you have an egg hunt?”
We did have a big Easter egg
hunt for the whole town. I can
remember finding the prettiest eggs.
They were hard eggs that almost broke your teeth.
“Did your family
have a picnic on the fourth of July?” “Did you have firecrackers or
sparklers?”
That was the one think that
we did as a whole community. Most
of the people would go to the park and we would dance and party all night
long. We had some sparklers and
did have home made ice cream.
“Did you dress up on Halloween? Did you ever make your own costume?”
“Did you have a party or play tricks on anyone?”
Yes. I use to try to scare my brothers, but
it didn’t work. We
didn’t have trick or treat like we do today.
“Were you ever
scared of ghosts or witches?”
No. I can’t say I ever was.
“What traditions
did your family have? Did you
have any ethnic celebrations?”
Just those things that we did
when we would get together as a community.
“Did you ever
have a big family reunion?”
Yes. Mother and Father both had very big
families and we use to get together all the time. I was really around my family for all holiday, and family
celebrations. They were all
considered reunions.
School Years:
“What schools
did you attend?”
Waco and Beaver Crossing
Public Schools.
“High School?”
I just went through the ninth
grade.
“Other?”
I did take some pre-nursing
classes with a local doctor. I
guess you could say I helped a many babies come into this world.
“Did you get
good grades?”
Yes.
“What subjects
did you like?”
English & Art
“Which ones
did you hate?”
Probably Arithmetic.
“Did you walk
to school, or ride a bus?”
We walked. It wasn’t very far. A couple blocks in town.
“Did you ever
tease your teachers, or play jokes on them?”
No.
“Did you ever
play hooky?”
You bet. All the time. I had to help Mother and Father so much around the house or
if one of the children were sick.
“Were you ever
on a school team?”
No.
“Did you get lots of homework
from your teachers?”
No. Most of the teachers knew that we had so much to do at home
that they made us do most of our work in the school. Some of the older students helped the younger ones also.
Places You’ve
Visited:
“Did you ever
travel by train or airplane?”
No. We did travel once by train to Lincoln. It was a horrible ride. I remember it being very bumpy.
“What was your
favorite trip?”
I think to visit my Grandma
& Grandpa on the farm.
“Did you ever
go on family vacations when you were young?”
No. Father had his bar & grill and we had to stay home
because of it. We also
didn’t have a great deal of money to travel with such a big family.
“Did you go
fishing or swimming?”
All the time. We had great times swimming and
fishing.
“What was the
longest distance you went on a trip?”
Probably to Lincoln.
“Did you ever
take a trip by yourself? Did
you get lonesome?”
The only time I went by
myself was when I would go to Grandpa & Grandma’s home. I usually had one of my sister with me
though.
“Did you go
to the State Fir or amusement park?”
When the carnival would come
to town. Otherwise no.
Teenage Years:
“How old were
you when you learned to drive?”
Probably about eighteen. I can’t remember driving before
that.
“Did you have
your own car?”
No.
“Did your parents
ever ground you? What for?”
No. We didn’t have grounding back them. I can remember being sent to bed early
for picking on Paul.
“What did you
and your friends do on weekends?”
We worked. Father had the bar & grill and it
wasn’t ever closed.
“Did you ever
get into trouble with your friends?
What happened?”
No. Some times my sisters and I would stay out longer then
Mother or Father liked, but we just weren’t allowed to do it again.
“What did you
think about most as a teenager?”
Swimming, talking to our
friends and probably working.
“What time
did you have to be home at night?”
Before it got dark. Or made arrangements to get home.
“How old were
you when you started dating? Did
you ever have a girl turn you down when you asked her for a date? How
did you react and feel?”
I think I was about eighteen.
“How did you
feel when you met your date’s parents?
I was scared. I had heard that she was a very strict
person. Ed’s Father had
died when he was about three years old.
His Mother raised the boys alone.
“Who is the
person you dated that you remember the most?”
Ed.
“Where did
you first met your spouse? How
old were you both?”
Well, I first saw Ed sitting
in the barber chair in town getting a hair cut. He had a cigar in his mouth. I thought then that I really liked him a lot. I told Mary that I was going to marry
him. Later he told me that he said
the same to his brother!!! I was
19 and Ed was 21.
“Were you serious
from the start, or did you still date others?”
We were serious from the
start. We just knew that we were
going to be married.
“Where did
you take your spouse on your first date?
What was he/she like?”
Ed took me to a free show, I
think. I guess it was just out
around town. He did some trucking
and I can remember him coming around with the truck to pick me up.
“What was your
favorite place to take him/her on a date?”
We liked to go to dances and
to the park.
“Did your parents
like him/her right away?”
Yes. My parents liked him right away. But his Mother did not like me!
“Did you ever
have a big fight with him/her while you were dating?”
Sometimes. He was very stubborn and would want to
do something all the time.
“When did you
ask him/her to marry you? Where
were you?”
We just knew we would be
getting married. I can remember
that one time we were kissing and just said that we better get married soon!
“What was his/her
first answer to your proposal?”
Yes.
“What was your
wedding like? When and where
was it?”
We got married on November
28, 1933 at St. Patrick’s in Beaver Crossing. It was a cold day and I can remember that all the family was
there. Ed’s Mother said that
she wasn’t going to go to the wedding because he wasn’t marrying a
Bohemian. She did show up though.
“Did anything
funny happen that day?”
Not that I can remember. I do remember how happy I was.
“Did you have
a honeymoon? Where did you go?”
We went to a motel in York,
Nebraska for the night.
“Where did
you first live? Where was your
first job?”
We first lived on a farm near
Polk County. Ed loss the farm
though with bad crops.
“What was the
worst job you ever held? Did
you ever help around the house?”
I think the worse job I had
was doing house keeping for others.
“What is your
favorite funny story about the first year you were married?”
I had $80 dollars in my
pocket. We didn’t even have
a bed. We went to Ed’s
Mother and asked her for Ed’s bed so we could have a place to sleep and
she told us no. Finally she let Ed
take it. I still have that bed. I will never get rid of it. It was the first bed we ever had.
“When and where
were your children born?”
We had nine children. The oldest Rita was born a year after
we were married. Mary Jo was born
two years later in July. Then we
had twins, Jean & Joan on Father’s day in 1937! They were all born at home. My first born in a hospital was Anita
in 1941. Edward Jr was born in
1942. After moving into a farm
home by Ulysses, Nebraska in 1943, we had Daniel, Michaelene, and Bridget. All of them were born in a hospital.
Tell Me About Your
Children:
“What was your
children like as babies?”
They were all pretty
good. Because we had such a big
family, many of the older ones had to help out both outside and inside. Most of the older ones were gone by the
time the younger ones grew up.
“Did you spank
them? How did you discipline
them?”
Well, yes. We did give them a pop once in a
while.
“What kinds
of chores did they have to do? Did
you give an allowance?”
They had to do farming chores
outside, like milking, pick the eggs, help with the crops, and fix fences,
stuff like that. They all had to
help. We also had inside chores to
do, like cleaning and washing. I
remember the children doing the dishes in the sink and drying them by
hand. They really use to fight
then. I would have to go out and
stop them from killing each other.
“Did they behave
in school and get good grades?”
All except for Daniel. He was a hand full. Always in trouble with school and
law.
“What things
did they like to do best?”
Just about everything they
put their minds to. All of them
were very artistic.
“Did they keep
a clean room?”
Yes. Everyone except for Michaelene. She had a hard time keeping her room clean.
“Did they ever
do something special or surprise you to make you happy or proud?”
All the time. I guess I remember them being there the
most when I was sick. They all
rallied around me and made me feel so much better. I just felt they all loved me very much.
“What will
you always remember most about your children?”
How much I loved them and how
much they loved me. I guess I will
always remember the good times and not the bad. I want to keep them close to my heart forever.
Your Best Ideas:
“If you could
spend a week doing anything you wanted, what would it be?”
Reading and visiting with
good friends and family.
“If you could,
which age of your life would you most like to re-visit, and why?”
When the children were
little. I guess that was my
favorite time of all.
“If you were
elected President, what two things would you do for our county?”
Find a cure for cancer so
many parents could be with their children longer.
“What do you
feel is the most significant industrial change to happen in your life-time?”
Television and cars.
Favorites:
Color: Purple
Season: Fall
Book: Little Women
Holiday:
Thanksgiving
Movie: Gone With the Wind
Pie: Chocolate
Candy: Chocolate
Cookie: Oatmeal
Ice Cream: Napoleon
Sport:
Sledding
Vacation: Sioux City with my daughter
Song: Silver Threads Among the Gold,
Dear
Favorite Tales:
“Can you
remember any funny stories about family members?”
Yes, many of them. Mostly about when the kids would bring
home dates, or when we would have our big reunions with my sisters and their
children.
“Is there a
family trait?”
Stubbornness of both the
Irish and Bohemian.
As Time Goes By...
“What fads
do you remember best?”
The Charleston Dances
“What did you
want to be when you grew up?”
A Mother.
“Is there anything
you’ve always wanted to do, but haven’t?”
Spending more time with my
children and their children.
“Who are the
people who influenced you most? Why?
My Mother, my husband, and my
sisters.
“How did you
feel when you first learned you were a Grandparent?”
So excited. I couldn’t believe it!!!
“What did you
think when you first saw them?”
What an angel they were. I can remember thinking that they were
part of me.
“What advice
do you have for them?”
Don’t waste time with
regrets. Enjoy life and enjoy your
loved ones. Keep in mind that they
are here for a reason and that you are so blessed in having them.
“If you could
choose another time in which to live, what would it be?”
When the children were
younger.
“If you could
travel anywhere in the world who would you go with and where?”
Anywhere and everywhere. I would like to see all ends of it.
“The person
you most would like to sit next to during a long trip?”
My children, my husband, my
grandchildren, and my friends. I
would want to take all of them with me!
NOTE:
Lucie is
full of energy and love. She
will be 58 years old, always!!!
Epilogue:
I can remember many
a time Mom telling me stories about her childhood and how close she
was to her mother. I filled
this out the best I could so that some of those memories will be with
me forever. I am not sure that I captured all of them
or if all of her memories are accurate. But one thing I do remember the most is how wonderful she was.
I miss her so often, and wonder what kind of women she would
have been if she would have live to be eighty.
I think she would have been a pistol. And probably would have
kept us all hopping.
Mom raised violets,
canaries, chickens, geese, guineas, cats, ducks bunnies, St. Bernard’s,
and children. She was so
full of energy that at times she seemed like a whirl of wind. I remember thinking to myself how sad it was when she started
to slow down and become sick.
What a waste of God’s energy. Now I know that she just passed it down to all of us.
Mom was active in many
of the school plays, sewing outfits and making paper mashie’ heads. She did all kinds of art projects from
painting to drawing to wood burning.
She helped Dad build a barn, put in fences, milked cows, raised
fish, started all kinds of flowers in the garden, had tons of strawberries,
canned all kinds of veggies and fruits, and still had time for other
stuff, like hugs and love. I
many times felt inadequate compared to her.
I just keep close to my heart her humor and kindness. I think it fed her energy.
I remember so many of
her little stories. I just
wish I could write them all down.
I know how much she loved Dad.
Even when they fought like cats and dogs.
She loved him so much that it hurt.
I can remember when Dad was sick with his nervous break down,
and she felt so very bad. I
can still hear her tell me that Dad was ill, like someone who had cancer. That he would be better soon. Little did I know that she did indeed
have cancer and was soon to be gone from my life.
Mom was diagnosed with
cancer on February 14, 1970. She
nearly died on the table during a routine gallbladder surgery. One of her main arteries broke in her
chest and the Doctors worked for 8 hours to keep her alive. I will never know why God kept her alive
until August 2, 1970. All
I know was I was blessed to be with her when she died. I had just gone to the hospital in Seward from the stock car
races in David City. It
was a stormy day and Dad called the hospital to ask if I could stay
with her that day until Rita came up so someone would be with her. He had to caught up on the chores and there were some problems
with broken tree limbs from the storms. I stayed and read, prayed, and watched television. Later that evening, Rita would be there
to relieve me. Well the
storms started hot and heavy.
And the rain was very hard.
The tornado warnings started.
Dad then called and said that Rita couldn’t get out of
the driveway due to a tree that blew down across the road.
I always thought that was pretty weird.
Mom died on August 2 at 10:45 p.m.
I didn’t tell anyone until after midnight, stopping the
nurses from coming in to check on her.
They all knew me since I worked there and didn’t ask me
any questions. The only
one that knew mom died on this day was Dr. Pitch.
He figured it out. It
was Danny’s birthday and I didn’t want to contend with Dad
and him fighting. Mom
woke and was a clear as a bell, telling me to take care of Dad. Telling me that he needed me now. Maybe that is why she stayed alive. Maybe she needed to get me alone and tell
me this. I don’t
know. But I am glad that
I was there, and I am glad I did what she wanted.
Dad did find out that
Mom Died on the 2nd about a year before he died. He said that he always wondered and figured
that this was what happened. I
asked him if he wanted me to change the grave stone and he said no.
It was appropriate not to change it now.
I guess we have to do what we have to do.
Now, listen to me…take
good care of your parents. We
love you always and you will always be glad you were there for us!!!
We love you so…
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