Nana’s life always revolved around her kids. One of my fondest memories was Nana telling me the story of the day I was born. When she was writing her stories, she recounted the tales of each one of her four kids’ birth. What a treasure we have from her!
The first story is about Wayne, her first born. As you’ll see in her story, Wayne was born while Daddy was overseas fighting in Italy during World War II. There are lots of pictures of Wayne as a baby so Daddy could see his son before meeting him in person almost a year later.
World War II – 1944
Written by Deanie Rhone
March 12, 2011
In was November 19th, 1944 in The Williamsport Hospital on a beautiful Sunday afternoon. I had our first baby, a little boy. His dad was overseas, a soldier in Italy. The doctor said, “Give me his address. I will call and tell him he has a son.” Later the doctor came back and said, “He’s in battle and I can’t reach him. He is on the front lines.”
Then I cried so many tears I drowned the hospital. The doctor said, “I will try something else.” He left and later came back with good news. He asked the Red Cross and they got through to him. The doctor told me, “Your husband now knows he has a son.
Wayne 9 months old
The next story is about Sharon and how she came to be given her name.
Precious Memories
by Deanie Rhone, March 2011
1943 – 1946
While living in Austin, Texas, my landlady found work for me. It was 1943, World War II in full swing. A Captain and his wife needed a baby sitter. It was on a Saturday night and I went there, down Congress Avenue a long way and then to a side street where they lived. The little girl was so sweet and her name was Sharon Kay. It was a long evening and she was so nice for me. Her parents got home late and no more buses were running so the Captain had to drive me to Nueces Street.
Later in 1946 I had a sweet little baby girl and I named her Sharon Kay.
I don’t have any pictures of Sharon as an infant. Below is a picture of Sharon when she was very young.
Sharon (with Diane) 1950 (Sharon 3or 4 years old)
The story about my birth is something Nana told me every year on my birthday. In addition to what’s in her story below, she also told me that she had to be in the hospital over Christmas that year!
December 1949 - More Precious Memories
by Deanie Rhone
March 30th, 2011
It was December 1949 and presents were stored in attic for Wayne and Sharon from Santa for Christmas. I was due with baby at end of the month. Then, sooner than I expected, I was on my way to Lewisburg Hospital. Late in the day of December 21st, I told Dr. Persing, “The Baby is coming.” He said, “Not yet. I am going to supper.” Around 6 pm a very nice nurse delivered a sweet little baby girl. I liked the name Diane and I wanted the middle name to rhyme with her sister so on December 21, 1949, Diane Fay was born.
Diane at the Bower Place May 1951 - 1 1/2 years old
Along with the story about Billy being born, Nana included a story about Billy and the Bower Place where we lived until 1957.
1951 – 1957 and Billy
Written by Deanie Rhone
April 12, 2011
It was 1951 living at the Bower place. There was no running water. I worked hard to carry water each day to scrub clothes on a washboard. On November 5th, 1951 once again I was at Lewisburg Hospital and at 12:34pm, I had a special little baby boy. I named him William Stanley. I did not want a junior so I just switched his dad’s name. His first few years were with his brother and two sisters at the Bower place where they had a yard to play in. One memory is the day Billy was in the shed a long time and I was concerned until he came out with his little tractor painted pink. It was a good paint job.
We finally moved out of that back-road place to the Staggert place in 1957. At that time all the children were all in school and to make ends meet, I went to work at Montgomery Mills. There I spent 18 years ball spinning.
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| Billy at the Bower Place May 1952 6 months old |
This concludes Part 3 of Nana’s Life Stories in Her Own Words. Lots more to come!
