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Marlin (Grandpa)
Marlin was born 1910 October 19th. (Parents names?) Marlin worked at Post for 35 years and retired from General Foods in Battle Creek, Michigan. My mom tells a story describing her dad and his style of raising a child (I must paraphrase it here): 'I touched an electric fence and could have been seriously injured but he just said, "Stupid kid! What did you expect if you touch an electric fence?"' My mom, Marie, recalls more stories of growing up with Marlin for a father: "I knew my dad best. Once he took me and Bev out fishing and he knocked me over in the boat, then said, 'Dammit Marie, quit screwing around.' We laughed and Bev was laughing too." "He came out of the bathroom and turned too quick and fell down the stairs, he said, 'Here I go.'" "I think he only made it through eighth grade before he dropped out." Marlin was baptized and confirmed in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. If I am not mistaken this is synonymous with Mormon. My sister and I were raised Catholic and I can remember that during our visits to Grandpa and Grandma's, Grandpa would take us to church on Sundays. He would give us a quarter to put in the offering plate and send us in while he waited in the car reading what some might consider 'literature of ill repute'. Some of my earliest memories were of fishing with Grandpa. He must have had the patience of a saint to deal with us kids fishing. I remember one time we were in the boat, just me and him. He was concerned I was getting sunburned so he tossed me his ball cap. It made a graceful arc no where near me and into the water. It sank like a rock. He stared where it disapeared into the murky depths of Crooked Lake to where I thought he might jump in after it, then we both started laughing. Grandpa smiled and laughed a lot. I hope I inherited some of that. Some of my memories are fuzzy now but we all used to pile in the car and go to Four Courners to get a burger. Grandpa would take us across the street to the tavern where he would get a beer and I a Shirley Temple. I remember that he always listened to country music except when Lawrence Welk came on. I think Grandpa liked Hee Haw and then watched Lawrence Welk because Grandma liked it. Grandpa was also a fan of pro wrestling, I was suprized as an adult that some of those wrestlers were still on WWF (now WWE). He nearly always had a beer open, sometimes more than one. He was okay on beer no matter how much he had but Grandma told me once that if he drank hard liquor "he would get mean." I don't think they kept any in the house. He used to talk to our dog, Samantha (a Miniature Schnauzer) roughly. She used to knock over his beer bottle and lap up the beer. He would talk tough but you know, one day she fell into the lake and came up under the dock. She would drown because she would not go back under to get out. We kept calling her but she kept swimming around trying to get to us until she was exhausted. Grandpa jumped in and saved her. He had a soft and warm heart as I recall. |
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and say Dad I don't feel right?
My Daughter!
For whom did I use to leave a light
When she was out late at night?
My Daughter!
Who used to call me from the school
And say she won't obey the rule?
Her Teacher!
Who is only twenty three
But thinks she is the boss
But without her husband would be lost?
My Daughter!
In Parting let me say
Who its I miss each day?
My Daughter!
Who? I don't know! Written by Hand by me
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Having children is no play,
But of you I am very proud
Cause you didn't holler very loud.
For sympathy you didn't ask
The Nurse's heads you didn't bash,
You took it like a Lady
And said I am not a Fraidy.
Now you seen me sit and wait
And worry cause she was late,
But now she is Finally here
I'll have to admit she is a dear.
Altho she is not a Grandson
I know she'll be lots of Fun,
And we will enjoy every day
As we watch her grow and play.
In parting let me say
I'll watch you every day,!!!
And if you don't treat her As you should
Giver her to me and I am sure I would!
???
Written by Granpa
For my Grandaughter
7-2-60
and her Ma!
Marlin W. ********
The above poem was for my sister, Karen, judging by the date.
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My Baby done left me
One year ago to-day,
She said my inclanations
I must obey!
I begged & I begged
And I said don't leave us
But she said I'm in love
and leave you I must!
Now she is happy
With a loving young man,
And having a better time
Than she did back then!
You know I don't blame her
Cause I think she is right?
For I couldn't pich a better fellow
If I tried all night!
I think he is all right.
Written by hand this day
April 4th, 1960 on the spur of
the moment
by Marlin W. ********
coached by his wife Merna
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Merna (Grandma)
Merna was born 1912 April 8th in Union City, MI. Here is another of those creepy old family photos you find in the attic bedroom to frighten children when they visit. This photo is entitled, "Mother & Dad & 4 girls on 50th Anv." Merna was a nurse but I don't remember her working whenever I was at their place. Perhaps she had already retired. Marlin and Merna had two daughters, Marie (my mom) and Pat. My mom, Marie, recalls growing up with Merna for a mother: "I knew my dad best. I spent more time with him so that was probably why I knew him best. "I was taken to the ER once and of course she was a nurse so I asked her what was wrong with me. She said, 'I can't tell you that.' I thought, that is it, I am going to die. She wasn't a comapassionate person. I was lucky in that all of my Grandparents lived locally when I was young. I grew up knowing both sides of my family. When I would go to their house on Capital Ave. (Battle Creek, MI) after school, Grandma would tutor me in math and play "Go Fish" with me. We also played Yahtzee and that helped with my math. I was still young when our family moved out to California and I remember missing Grandpa and Grandma very much. After Grandpa passed away Grandma came to live with us in California and played a significant role in my upbringing as my mom worked full time. Grandma was a very strong woman and I had great respect for her. She made the best cheesecake and I have lost my taste for any recipe but hers. After school she would have goolash or macaroni & cheese made for dinner. This was remarkable because she stayed very busy. She Volunteered at the library and probably got me my first job there as a Library Page. She often volunteered at the food bank until she was exhausted. My mom further recalls memories of her mother: "I caught her throwing lizards into the pool one day and I asked her why. She said, 'So that they will drown.' She didn't want them in the yard. She was nice, one of the nicest people I ever knew, but not very compassionate. Her problem was that she expected other people to be as nice as she was." I was glad that Marnie, my second wife, got to meet my Grandma. Before we left Grandma took me aside and said, "You picked a good one this time." It would turn out to be the last time I saw her. I used to sit and just talk with her as often as I could, you don't get through over eighty years in this world without learning some things, and she knew some things. I don't know what drove me to do it but I sat down with her this time and told her how much I appreciated her being there as I grew up and for all the things she did for me. Merna passed at the age of 85 on 1998 March 21 "Steve, are you awake?" |
| Crooked Lake I am sure you can tell from what I have written so far that I have the fondest memories of fishing at Crooked Lake and staying "at the cottage" on the lake. I remember I was out playing by the lake once and saw the tail of a fish (probably spawning in a bed) and I reached down very slowly and GRABBED it! It was too slick to hold on to but I rushed up and told everyone, who promptly denied the possiblity. Another visit I was playing by those trees in the right of the photo. I saw a chipmunk and without thinking I dove and caught it! That little b****** let me get all the way up to the big window and show everybody before it bit me! They believed me that time. The whole ride home everybody in the car kept talking about how horrible rabies shots are and how the animal must have been sick to let me catch it. |
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| Grandpa & Grandma with Karen | Fireplace | Karen, Mom & Grandpa Nov. 1974 |
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| Steve (me) & Karen with fish | Catch of the Day | This is the shed where Grandpa used to keep his dirty magazines. Of course we found them. |
In Loving Memory
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