Mary Ann seemed not to be able to bounce back after Carol's birth, she seemed depressed and tired all the time. Bill always teased her and told her that Carol was her birthday present, because she was born on the 16th and Mary Ann's birthday was the 23rd.
Christmas was hard that year Mary Ann just didn't seem to care, She thought that Thanksgiving was a waste of time, because of course she could be thankful that all the kids were healthy, but she just didn't care, and now Christmas was a month away. She could get out and buy a few gifts for the kids but that was about it. Bill always took care of the tree so she didn't need to worry about that.
Maybe should could just sleep through it, she thought.
Christmas was done as was the New Year, she started to feel a little bit better, and that was a good thing because Easter was coming.
The Terwey Family was Catholic and Easter Sunday was a big deal even if Mary Ann was a Presbyterian and they were attending Sunday services as Non- Denominational.
When Bill and Mary Ann wanted to get married the catholic church wouldn't marry them because Bill had been divorced and the church didn't recognize it, and Mary Ann had been Married before as well. So, he left the catholic church and they were married at the Presbyterian church.
Both wanted the kids to go to church and the best choice was the " Children's Gospel Mission" they had Barb baptised there and they volunteered there for years. It was a great place for kids and they had many friends there. The Grey's, The Kestlers, The Scammahorns, Laura Westling, and many more.
On Saturday before the kids dyed Easter eggs, Mom would make them climb up on the ironing board and wash their long hair in the kitchen sink, and then she would sit me and Barbie down on the floor, Our dad would comb out or brush our hair and then Mom would put out long hair in bobbie pin curls.
In the morning she would take them out and wrap the hair around her finger to make sure the curls kept if it looked like they may fall out too soon we got hairspray ( I didn't like hairspray it hurt my hair) to keep them for most of the day.
We then had to dress in frilly dresses and white ruffle socks with Mary Jane shoes, we had white gloves, and an Easter hat and a black purse to match the shoes. After all that she would dress herself.
Before we left the house she had to make sure that Linda's dress was in place even though she was almost 14 years old. Tim was almost 10 he always had a suit and black tie shoes.
Mom spent so much time on us girls that she would have to hurry herself. After church we got together with the rest of the Moberg clan at Grandmas house and celebrated.
Linda was fast becoming an adult, she couldn't wait to be 18. The weather was getting nicer so mom could take us to the park to play, Carol was walking now and she could have fun there too.
Barb was in school. After mom got her to school we would go to the corner park, on the way she would see a child without shoes or dirty clothes and hungry. She would ask where their parents were and most of the time they didn't know or they were at home and the kids, at 5 could go to the park by themselves. Well mom would be upset that the kid was hungry and dirty so she would take them home clean them up, change them and then feed them and send them home She had a pile of shoes that were too small for anyone and I learned years later that people would drop clothes off to Grandma because she worked at the " Warn A Bit Shop" a second hand store and she would take them with her or give them to people who needed them.
Mom's heart broke at the sight of a neglected child. Lucy was one of her best friends, I heard mom crying to Lucy a few times because it upset her so much and Lucy told my mother that God put us on this earth to be Angels for those who were alive and hadn't passed over yet. Lucy was a brilliant woman it's what my mom needed to hear.Lucy was a little older than my mom and she was born and raised in England, she came over with her military husband and stayed and raised her family here in Minnesota, she was a true friend to my mom.
Linda was going to have a big 14th birthday party, mom invited a few of her friends from school, as well as a few family members, A couple of kids came but most couldn't because they said she was black so they couldn't go. Linda cried but mom said to her, " Linda if people are going to judge you because you have darker skin then they do then you don't need them as friends, look in the living room at the 3 girls that are here..THOSE are your friends they came no matter what. Now dry your tears and go back in there and have fun." as Linda went in to the living room she slipped on a small throw rug. Everyone was dancing to Elvis and doing the twist it was so fun, mom was drinking a bottle of Pepsi and Carol wanted a drink, I handed her the small bottle and she started to run with it.
I tried to catch her but before I could she slipped on the throw rug and the bottle went down her throat. Blood started pouring out of her mouth, I started crying and carried her to my mom to help her, she went to the ER and they said the back of her throat had "rolled" down from the roof of her mouth and all they could do was put her to sleep and do their best to fix it.
Linda's party was ruined and I got blamed for tripping Carol. I tried to tell them she slipped on the rug but nobody would listen, they were so upset by what happened and I was only three and a half I couldn't get them to listen.
Carol's injury healed and mom started to act a little bit like herself again. The fireman would spray us gently with their hoses and mom would talk to them, Miss Alice would sit on her porch until she got a male visitor," How come you have so many boyfriends Miss Alice?," Barb asked her one day," "Well Barbie it must be because I'm so beautiful," she explained to us. They went upstairs together and when they came back down barbie continued to question her," Doesn't Hershey Bar get mad at you?," she asked innocently. Miss Alice smiled at us," Girls I will tell you that no he doesn't get mad at me, and someday when you grow up you will remember me and you will understand."
Miss Alice was a prostitute and she was a very smart very loving woman, I look back at her fondly, she never raised her voice at us kids and she always had time for us, and she didn't have men because she was so beautiful on the outside, it was because of the things that she provided them and they gave her money!!! She was right, I did understand and still think very highly of her.
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Jean Marie 1958 and Carol Lynn 1961
I was told that I was born on a beautiful autumn day, October 20,1958. Mary Ann stayed in the hospital for 3 days. On the morning Jeannie was to be brought home there was an accident, a driver speeding through a red light hit Bill on the front passenger side door and totaled out the car. It had been raining and the streets were slippery, that's what the driver said anyway. He would have said anything I think at that moment because my dad had him up against his car ready to beat the daylight out of him.
My dad said he was so upset, because 2 things happened in that moment, My mother and I would have been killed AND he realized that he had been living for the last 8 months completely unfeeling.
He didn't think about the tiny 6# 4 oz baby girl with reddish blond looking fuzz on her head. He didn't think about Linda, Tim or Barbie and how this baby would change the house. As he let go of the mans shirt, it all hit him. He went to the hospital in a cab to bring his wife and new baby daughter home.
When he told Mary Ann about the accident she was rightfully upset, but for the rest of her life she was convinced that her baby was going to grow up and drive and be killed in a terrible car accident, she even had nightmares about it.
Jean was born with a heart murmur ( a slight irregular heart beat, there was a pin size hole in a valve that was to heal ) nothing to worry about they said.Jeannie will out grow all of this.
Barbie was told not to get me over excited because I might die, I couldn't run fast or for a long time.
I guess they didn't know how my heart would be affected, today they know I needed to live a healthy life, to run and play to jump and scream and roll around and just get worn out, that didn't happen and my heart well, I still have a heart murmur and a slow leak..maybe someday it will close.
Well I don't remember too much of the first years of my life. My one and only memory of my Grandma Terwey was at her house, she was picking me up and I didn't want her to, I squirmed and kicked my feet and tried to get away, she just held me tighter. I didn't like her much. Barb and I talked about it and we agreed that she was such an aggressive woman that when she came at me it must have felt like she was snatching me up instead of lovingly picking me up, my Grandma Terwey was a German woman who didn't show here feelings, I guess that's where my dad got it from.
Linda and Tim started to become the ones who did the house work, mostly Linda because she was older and a girl, OH, and Linda's friends, Barb, Judy and Cindy, they were more like our sisters that her friends.
Mom told me that Cindy kept sitting in my high chair and she told her if she kept it up she was going to put a diaper on her, I guess Cindy laughed, she thought my mom was kidding, NOT, she made a diaper and pinned it on Cindy. I'm not sure what Cindy did but I heard she never sat in my highchair again.
The house was getting too small and another one on the same block became available it was just around the corner a couple houses from the fire station and Ms. Alice's house. It was actually a duplex and they rented the whole thing, mom was getting sick again and dad thought she was pregnant. He took her to the hospital and she miscarried and was told she shouldn't have anymore kids, her health would be at high risk. I think my dad was a bit relieved.
I know Linda was, she didn't want anymore kids, she was 12 and Timmy was 9, Barb 4 1/2 and I was 2.
Linda was a good student with a beautiful singing voice. She would go to Chicago with Mary Ann as a chaperon in 1964 I think it was to, with her music class record an album.
But...mom was pregnant again, on Nov, 16,1961 Carol Lynn was born and Linda wouldn't look at her.
She was so mad at my mom and dad that she wouldn't even hold Carol. Carol was a hazel eyed dark haired little girl, her features were striking, it must have been because she had a darker complexion than the other girls with their strawberry blond curls and blue and green eyes. That made her stand out.
Mary Ann would never be the same.
My dad said he was so upset, because 2 things happened in that moment, My mother and I would have been killed AND he realized that he had been living for the last 8 months completely unfeeling.
He didn't think about the tiny 6# 4 oz baby girl with reddish blond looking fuzz on her head. He didn't think about Linda, Tim or Barbie and how this baby would change the house. As he let go of the mans shirt, it all hit him. He went to the hospital in a cab to bring his wife and new baby daughter home.
When he told Mary Ann about the accident she was rightfully upset, but for the rest of her life she was convinced that her baby was going to grow up and drive and be killed in a terrible car accident, she even had nightmares about it.
Jean was born with a heart murmur ( a slight irregular heart beat, there was a pin size hole in a valve that was to heal ) nothing to worry about they said.Jeannie will out grow all of this.
Barbie was told not to get me over excited because I might die, I couldn't run fast or for a long time.
I guess they didn't know how my heart would be affected, today they know I needed to live a healthy life, to run and play to jump and scream and roll around and just get worn out, that didn't happen and my heart well, I still have a heart murmur and a slow leak..maybe someday it will close.
Well I don't remember too much of the first years of my life. My one and only memory of my Grandma Terwey was at her house, she was picking me up and I didn't want her to, I squirmed and kicked my feet and tried to get away, she just held me tighter. I didn't like her much. Barb and I talked about it and we agreed that she was such an aggressive woman that when she came at me it must have felt like she was snatching me up instead of lovingly picking me up, my Grandma Terwey was a German woman who didn't show here feelings, I guess that's where my dad got it from.
Linda and Tim started to become the ones who did the house work, mostly Linda because she was older and a girl, OH, and Linda's friends, Barb, Judy and Cindy, they were more like our sisters that her friends.
Mom told me that Cindy kept sitting in my high chair and she told her if she kept it up she was going to put a diaper on her, I guess Cindy laughed, she thought my mom was kidding, NOT, she made a diaper and pinned it on Cindy. I'm not sure what Cindy did but I heard she never sat in my highchair again.
The house was getting too small and another one on the same block became available it was just around the corner a couple houses from the fire station and Ms. Alice's house. It was actually a duplex and they rented the whole thing, mom was getting sick again and dad thought she was pregnant. He took her to the hospital and she miscarried and was told she shouldn't have anymore kids, her health would be at high risk. I think my dad was a bit relieved.
I know Linda was, she didn't want anymore kids, she was 12 and Timmy was 9, Barb 4 1/2 and I was 2.
Linda was a good student with a beautiful singing voice. She would go to Chicago with Mary Ann as a chaperon in 1964 I think it was to, with her music class record an album.
But...mom was pregnant again, on Nov, 16,1961 Carol Lynn was born and Linda wouldn't look at her.
She was so mad at my mom and dad that she wouldn't even hold Carol. Carol was a hazel eyed dark haired little girl, her features were striking, it must have been because she had a darker complexion than the other girls with their strawberry blond curls and blue and green eyes. That made her stand out.
Friday, April 13, 2012
Barbara Jean- born April13th 1956
April 13, 1956 Mary Ann was cleaning like crazy. Mopping the floors on her hands and knees. Kids in school and Bill at work. All was well.It was a long month,.Bill kept his word and was not drinking, he came home after work and spent time with the kids. Didn't say he wasn't crabby because that he was, he knew he wanted a drink, but a promise was a promise.
The sweat poured down Mary Ann's forehead as she stood to dump the last of the wash water for the floors.
The water seemed a bit heavier now and as it poured she stepped back because she was pouring water on her feet. She grabbed a towel to wipe it up when she realized the water was running down her leg and then there was a gush of water and lots more on the floor, she was in labor.
Everything was packed and ready to go because the baby played an April fools joke on her and decided not to come on April 1st. She picked up the phone and called Bill, while she waited she wondered if this was going to set him off again or would he now be happy.
Bill wanted a son, Mary Ann thought it was to replace the son he didn't get to see, he said it was because girls were too hard and boys were just easier. Mary Ann didn't care as long as it was healthy.
Barbara Jean Terwey was born on April 13th 1956, she was their 1st born child together and Bill was disappointed but loved her none the less. Mary Ann counted all her fingers and toes and Bill told the nurse to check one more time and make sure it was a girl. The nurse laughed but cordially obliged.
Bill had also started working for Hertz rent a car as more than just a runner, he was now a mechanic and stopped window washing. Mary Ann just stayed home now and took care of the kids, that was a handful alone. Linda and Tim rebelled a bit more especially Linda. It was hard for her to share her mother and she didn't want bothers and sisters.
Mary Ann's best friend was Pat she was Art's daughter in law.The neighbor she didn't like. I knew him and he ironically became Barbara's Godfather.
Mary Ann had a dog as well by then her name was Cocoa and she was a beautiful red Cocker Spaniel.
Barbie loved Cocoa, she shared food off her spoon or fork with her and let the dog lick her lips ( yuck)
and she could sit for hours and pet Cocoa and she wouldn't move.
It's Feb. 1958 and Mary Ann thinks she's pregnant again. This time she was really terrified to tell Bill she was pregnant, Pat told her to do it in a public place so he couldn't go to crazy.
So Mary Ann met him at the corner Rexall drug store and had a glass of coke with him. It was nice for them to be a bit alone," I'm pregnant, we're going to have another baby in October, I'm a month late." Bill just sat quiet, he didn't know what to say so he just didn't say anything.
Mary Ann thought it was a bit odd, but it was better than the last time. Things were better now.
Thank you Lord, is all she could muster.
The sweat poured down Mary Ann's forehead as she stood to dump the last of the wash water for the floors.
The water seemed a bit heavier now and as it poured she stepped back because she was pouring water on her feet. She grabbed a towel to wipe it up when she realized the water was running down her leg and then there was a gush of water and lots more on the floor, she was in labor.
Everything was packed and ready to go because the baby played an April fools joke on her and decided not to come on April 1st. She picked up the phone and called Bill, while she waited she wondered if this was going to set him off again or would he now be happy.
Bill wanted a son, Mary Ann thought it was to replace the son he didn't get to see, he said it was because girls were too hard and boys were just easier. Mary Ann didn't care as long as it was healthy.
Barbara Jean Terwey was born on April 13th 1956, she was their 1st born child together and Bill was disappointed but loved her none the less. Mary Ann counted all her fingers and toes and Bill told the nurse to check one more time and make sure it was a girl. The nurse laughed but cordially obliged.
Bill had also started working for Hertz rent a car as more than just a runner, he was now a mechanic and stopped window washing. Mary Ann just stayed home now and took care of the kids, that was a handful alone. Linda and Tim rebelled a bit more especially Linda. It was hard for her to share her mother and she didn't want bothers and sisters.
Mary Ann's best friend was Pat she was Art's daughter in law.The neighbor she didn't like. I knew him and he ironically became Barbara's Godfather.
Mary Ann had a dog as well by then her name was Cocoa and she was a beautiful red Cocker Spaniel.
Barbie loved Cocoa, she shared food off her spoon or fork with her and let the dog lick her lips ( yuck)
and she could sit for hours and pet Cocoa and she wouldn't move.
It's Feb. 1958 and Mary Ann thinks she's pregnant again. This time she was really terrified to tell Bill she was pregnant, Pat told her to do it in a public place so he couldn't go to crazy.
So Mary Ann met him at the corner Rexall drug store and had a glass of coke with him. It was nice for them to be a bit alone," I'm pregnant, we're going to have another baby in October, I'm a month late." Bill just sat quiet, he didn't know what to say so he just didn't say anything.
Mary Ann thought it was a bit odd, but it was better than the last time. Things were better now.
Thank you Lord, is all she could muster.
Thursday, April 12, 2012
The Honeymoon Is Over
Mary Ann thought things would be so different with her new husband Bill. Things couldn't have been worse for both of them. Bill drank heavily and Mary Ann couldn't stand it. It affected everything in their life. Linda was giving them a hard time, she was 7 and talked back terribly. It seemed she hated her new father and her Grandma Moberg didn't help any, always telling Linda that she didn't have to listen to Bill because he wasn't really her father, He was just her mom's new husband. Timmy was just 3, he was a quiet boy, Linda always told me that my dad would try to spank her but she fought back, so Timmy would get the worst spanking because he couldn't fight back.
I always thought that was so hard to believe because dad never spanked most of us kids. He hardly punished us in anyway, he let our mom do it.
I guess his drinking just made him abusive. He started not going home and hanging out with his friends again. Mary Ann told him that it had to quit and that she wasn't in her marriage to be alone it was to have a man who cared for her and her kids, and have kids of their own.
Bill came home drunk one night, and as usual they fought, this time worse than before. Bill had told Mary Ann he didn't want anymore kids that Linda was more than enough for him. Mary Ann started throwing things so Bill left.
Linda went to school and Mary Ann and Bill just worked. Timmy, was growing into a gentle child, but a little brother non the less and he was driving Linda crazy. He followed her everywhere and she did not like it. Linda would tell her Grandmother that he was bothering her, Grandma would make him play alone, He didn't want to play alone so he found Ruthie, she was a young woman who had a very severe stutter and she couldn't walk she would hang on things to get around. Ruth had just been fit for braces and shoes for her feet, so she could walk. It took her years to be able to walk again. she was 34 years old. Her thick black hair was very curly and she kept it short so she could brush it because her hands were crippled as well. Most kids were afraid of her for a few reasons, besides as she got older she was scary. Her voice was deep and she was only 4'8". Ruth never went to school of any kind, she was always child like.
Linda taught Ruth to right the first two letters of her name and Linda could write hers.
Christmas that year Linda and Ruth went down after the Christmas presents had been put under the tree at Grandma Mobergs house and they opened all the gifts that had Linda's name on it and the packages that had the RU...Grandma was not happy.
Mary Ann was so sick, she couldn't keep any food down so she went to the Dr. ,Yup, she was pregnant, she was due April 1. 1956. Bill was going to be mad.
It was a cold winter night and Mary Ann decided it was now or never, she made all Bill's favorite foods and lit candles just like many woman have done, she was nervous, she knew he didn't want any more kids, but maybe he would be ok with it.
Well it was getting late. Bill didn't come home after work. Mom told me it was like a bad movie, very predictable, she knew he was drinking so she ate and put everything away. It would have to wait, another day another time she thought. Just as she was about to fall asleep she heard him stumble in.
She climbed out of bed to try to get him to be more quiet, Timmy was sleeping and Linda was at Grandmas house sleeping over, she didn't want him to wake up Timmy.
One look at him and she knew it was going to be bad, she asked him to quiet down and he yelled louder," I don't care if the whole damn world hears me he said!" Mary Ann didn't back down," Timmy is sleeping, Bill , please don't wake him", she pleaded. He went to get something to eat, Mary Ann put on coffee and he sat at the table, she asked where he'd been, he told her he'd just stopped to get a beer and met a few friends and here he was. Mary Ann started to cry, she just couldn't believe this was her life," SO is this the life you want for your kids?", she asked," Those are your kids Mary Ann not mine, hell they don't even like me, Timmy is afraid of me and Linda is always at your Moms house, what kids? I don't have any..", she cried harder and said, "The one that I'm going to have, we're going to have a baby in April". Before she could get all the words out he jumped out of his chair and grabbed her throat, he shoved her against the wall and tried to choke her," I said I didn't want any kids, NONE...I told you that before we got married, how could you let this happen?"
Mary Ann was reaching and feeling for anything she could grab, he was going to kill her if she didn't stop him some how. Her hand felt a handle she got the tightest grip she could and swung it back and hit him, she was aiming for his head but it hit his arm.
He let go and she dropped to the floor. When she looked up at him she saw him sitting in the chair with his head down, she picked herself up and the Cast Iron frying pan she hit him with and sat next to him. They were both crying, she went into the bedroom and got Timmy up and took him across the street to her mothers house.
The next morning Bill went to work, he couldn't move his arm so he was sent to the ER by his boss. Mary Ann had broken his arm.He went home and Mary Ann was there packing hers and the kids clothes. That was never going to happen again. He could have killed her, then what? And the baby inside her would have died too.
Bill grabbed her and held her, he cried again," Please don't leave me..I promise I will never drink again. I will stop right now, I promise Mary Ann I won't drink, you just can't leave me", he begged her and she stopped packing.
He asked about the baby and she told him when she was due and he said he would be a better husband, and a better father to all the kids.
No more drinking and he would never lay a hand on her again. Then they laughed that she broke his arm, even though it wasn't really funny at all. I guess it was out of relief.
Bill had said he was tired of drinking anyway, and he loved her more. Over the years this story was told a few times.
I always thought that was so hard to believe because dad never spanked most of us kids. He hardly punished us in anyway, he let our mom do it.
I guess his drinking just made him abusive. He started not going home and hanging out with his friends again. Mary Ann told him that it had to quit and that she wasn't in her marriage to be alone it was to have a man who cared for her and her kids, and have kids of their own.
Bill came home drunk one night, and as usual they fought, this time worse than before. Bill had told Mary Ann he didn't want anymore kids that Linda was more than enough for him. Mary Ann started throwing things so Bill left.
Linda went to school and Mary Ann and Bill just worked. Timmy, was growing into a gentle child, but a little brother non the less and he was driving Linda crazy. He followed her everywhere and she did not like it. Linda would tell her Grandmother that he was bothering her, Grandma would make him play alone, He didn't want to play alone so he found Ruthie, she was a young woman who had a very severe stutter and she couldn't walk she would hang on things to get around. Ruth had just been fit for braces and shoes for her feet, so she could walk. It took her years to be able to walk again. she was 34 years old. Her thick black hair was very curly and she kept it short so she could brush it because her hands were crippled as well. Most kids were afraid of her for a few reasons, besides as she got older she was scary. Her voice was deep and she was only 4'8". Ruth never went to school of any kind, she was always child like.
Linda taught Ruth to right the first two letters of her name and Linda could write hers.
Christmas that year Linda and Ruth went down after the Christmas presents had been put under the tree at Grandma Mobergs house and they opened all the gifts that had Linda's name on it and the packages that had the RU...Grandma was not happy.
Mary Ann was so sick, she couldn't keep any food down so she went to the Dr. ,Yup, she was pregnant, she was due April 1. 1956. Bill was going to be mad.
It was a cold winter night and Mary Ann decided it was now or never, she made all Bill's favorite foods and lit candles just like many woman have done, she was nervous, she knew he didn't want any more kids, but maybe he would be ok with it.
Well it was getting late. Bill didn't come home after work. Mom told me it was like a bad movie, very predictable, she knew he was drinking so she ate and put everything away. It would have to wait, another day another time she thought. Just as she was about to fall asleep she heard him stumble in.
She climbed out of bed to try to get him to be more quiet, Timmy was sleeping and Linda was at Grandmas house sleeping over, she didn't want him to wake up Timmy.
One look at him and she knew it was going to be bad, she asked him to quiet down and he yelled louder," I don't care if the whole damn world hears me he said!" Mary Ann didn't back down," Timmy is sleeping, Bill , please don't wake him", she pleaded. He went to get something to eat, Mary Ann put on coffee and he sat at the table, she asked where he'd been, he told her he'd just stopped to get a beer and met a few friends and here he was. Mary Ann started to cry, she just couldn't believe this was her life," SO is this the life you want for your kids?", she asked," Those are your kids Mary Ann not mine, hell they don't even like me, Timmy is afraid of me and Linda is always at your Moms house, what kids? I don't have any..", she cried harder and said, "The one that I'm going to have, we're going to have a baby in April". Before she could get all the words out he jumped out of his chair and grabbed her throat, he shoved her against the wall and tried to choke her," I said I didn't want any kids, NONE...I told you that before we got married, how could you let this happen?"
Mary Ann was reaching and feeling for anything she could grab, he was going to kill her if she didn't stop him some how. Her hand felt a handle she got the tightest grip she could and swung it back and hit him, she was aiming for his head but it hit his arm.
He let go and she dropped to the floor. When she looked up at him she saw him sitting in the chair with his head down, she picked herself up and the Cast Iron frying pan she hit him with and sat next to him. They were both crying, she went into the bedroom and got Timmy up and took him across the street to her mothers house.
The next morning Bill went to work, he couldn't move his arm so he was sent to the ER by his boss. Mary Ann had broken his arm.He went home and Mary Ann was there packing hers and the kids clothes. That was never going to happen again. He could have killed her, then what? And the baby inside her would have died too.
Bill grabbed her and held her, he cried again," Please don't leave me..I promise I will never drink again. I will stop right now, I promise Mary Ann I won't drink, you just can't leave me", he begged her and she stopped packing.
He asked about the baby and she told him when she was due and he said he would be a better husband, and a better father to all the kids.
No more drinking and he would never lay a hand on her again. Then they laughed that she broke his arm, even though it wasn't really funny at all. I guess it was out of relief.
Mrs Wilbert Terwey
Linda was a happy little girl and she loved her little brother, but he was so different from her that people would always comment about how cute he was, the little blond haired boy.
Linda also had to start competing for attention from her grandma as well. Since Linda was Grandma's favorite she wasn't happy sharing her Grandma with anybody, not even Timmy.
Mary Ann worked hard trying to give her children a good life while she tried to move on with her own.
One hot summer day, Art was working on a car with his friend Bill, the heat was intense and working on the cars made it much hotter.
Mary Ann was outside with the kids watching them play, she also was interested in the men working on the cars next door, She went back in the house and came out with a pitcher of lemonade and 3 glasses, she offered up some cold drinks to the men. As she got closer she noticed Bill had taken off his shirt. The sweat was running down his chest, as she approached him she said," Well. I brought you a drink to cool off, but I guess I should have brought the hose."
Bill hit his head on the hood of the car and Art just kept on working, he had little time for the woman he had grown to dislike," Thanks I needed a break", Bill said as he took a drink and winked at her.
Mary Ann had forgotten what brought her outside to begin with until a little hand pulled on the bottom of her rolled up shorts, " I'm thirsty too Mommy", he said as he tried to grab a glass, Linda just sat in the shade and watched her mom. Mary Ann poured a small amount in the glass and handed it to Timmy, he ran over and sat down next to Linda, they shared the ice cold drink.
Mary Ann stayed as Bill finished his drink, she decided she gave him enough to think about. As she walked away, her checkered shirt tied at the waist, just above the band on her short shorts barely showed off her porcelain skin. Just enough to tease a young man.
Bill was having marital problems so Mary Ann was a nice diversion from his homelife. As time went by Mary Ann worked and the kids grew. There wasn't much time for dating, but there was for flirting with Bill, she knew he was married but she knew he was having problems, so to her it was OK.And fun! Something she had little of in those days.
1952 came and gone. 1953 was coming to an end...the kids got bigger and Mary Ann and Bill seen more of each other. Myrtle wasn't happy she knew Bill was a married man but Mary Ann thought he was safe, after all he was married.Right? Wrong. Bill's wife filed for divorce, and named Mary Ann as the reason for why they were breaking up, not a good thing in 1954.
Bill's mother wasn't happy. Mary Ann was a "floozy" she had kids and was a wild girl. Bill had a son John, what would become of him? Bill wouldn't know until years later when John grew up, his mother kept him away from his dad and he never got to know him.
On October 15, 1954 Bill and Mary Ann were married, it was a small wedding mostly family.
The honeymoon was short lived.
Linda also had to start competing for attention from her grandma as well. Since Linda was Grandma's favorite she wasn't happy sharing her Grandma with anybody, not even Timmy.
Mary Ann worked hard trying to give her children a good life while she tried to move on with her own.
One hot summer day, Art was working on a car with his friend Bill, the heat was intense and working on the cars made it much hotter.
Mary Ann was outside with the kids watching them play, she also was interested in the men working on the cars next door, She went back in the house and came out with a pitcher of lemonade and 3 glasses, she offered up some cold drinks to the men. As she got closer she noticed Bill had taken off his shirt. The sweat was running down his chest, as she approached him she said," Well. I brought you a drink to cool off, but I guess I should have brought the hose."
Bill hit his head on the hood of the car and Art just kept on working, he had little time for the woman he had grown to dislike," Thanks I needed a break", Bill said as he took a drink and winked at her.
Mary Ann had forgotten what brought her outside to begin with until a little hand pulled on the bottom of her rolled up shorts, " I'm thirsty too Mommy", he said as he tried to grab a glass, Linda just sat in the shade and watched her mom. Mary Ann poured a small amount in the glass and handed it to Timmy, he ran over and sat down next to Linda, they shared the ice cold drink.
Mary Ann stayed as Bill finished his drink, she decided she gave him enough to think about. As she walked away, her checkered shirt tied at the waist, just above the band on her short shorts barely showed off her porcelain skin. Just enough to tease a young man.
Bill was having marital problems so Mary Ann was a nice diversion from his homelife. As time went by Mary Ann worked and the kids grew. There wasn't much time for dating, but there was for flirting with Bill, she knew he was married but she knew he was having problems, so to her it was OK.And fun! Something she had little of in those days.
1952 came and gone. 1953 was coming to an end...the kids got bigger and Mary Ann and Bill seen more of each other. Myrtle wasn't happy she knew Bill was a married man but Mary Ann thought he was safe, after all he was married.Right? Wrong. Bill's wife filed for divorce, and named Mary Ann as the reason for why they were breaking up, not a good thing in 1954.
Bill's mother wasn't happy. Mary Ann was a "floozy" she had kids and was a wild girl. Bill had a son John, what would become of him? Bill wouldn't know until years later when John grew up, his mother kept him away from his dad and he never got to know him.
On October 15, 1954 Bill and Mary Ann were married, it was a small wedding mostly family.
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Linda and Tim are born
Bill drank almost daily. He would joke over the years how he had a running tab (credit limit) at the liquor store his friend owned and that he would pay it off every weekend and start over because he'd be close to broke. He was also a womanizer. He was handsome with his green eyes, black hair and his slight olive complexion, he was of German descent. He washed windows and ran cars. There was something missing in his life and it was Mary Ann, she was just too young for him and he didn't know it anyway.
With her red flaming hair, and beautiful green eyes, she was also a shapely young girl and when she could she wore the taboo RED LIPSTICK she was an eye catcher.
I remember she had told me about some of the boys in her life and the soldiers she dated.
The one I remember she talked about was Bobby. He was from down south, he went back home when his time was up and she lost him. Her sisters always competed for boyfriends and my mom, Mary Ann always thought that she could get anyone she wanted and tried.
In 1945, she met Earl Dolquist, My mother always talked about how awful things were in her younger years. My grandma Moberg, would have men at the house who drank and needed a place to stay. Bad thing was that the men would try to force the girls to have sex with them. My grandma would catch them but allowed them back because she needed the money they gave her to help support my mothers younger sister Marilyn and her crippled sister Ruth.
Earl, married her and Mary Ann could now leave her house and be free. They moved to I think it was Mississippi. There she became pregnant, or was she already? Rumor has it that she may have been pregnant before she got married by a handsome young mulatto man that her sister Loretta had dated.
Loretta had a son out of wed lock, Darrell. The rumors were also the same, that Loretta had gotten pregnant by the young man that might have fathered Mary Ann's child.
Earl sent her home on a bus, back to her family to give birth alone. Mary Ann said she hated it there that Earl had become abusive to her.There would be one more visit from Earl later when he was to see his grown child.
Mary Ann gave birth to a beautiful dark haired, darker skinned daughter on May 5th, 1947, She named her Linda Lee.
Grandma Moberg spoiled Linda and Darrell terribly, it was nice to have babies in the house again.
A couple of years later Mary Ann met another man whose first name I don't remember but his last name was Webber and he was to father another of Mary Ann's children, this time she wasn't legally married because her divorce from Earl wasn't final. She would never see Tim's father again and neither would he.
Timothy Michael Dolquist was born on June 1, 1951, to an unwed Mary Ann. Timmy was a blond haired, green eyed baby the complete opposite of Linda.
With her red flaming hair, and beautiful green eyes, she was also a shapely young girl and when she could she wore the taboo RED LIPSTICK she was an eye catcher.
I remember she had told me about some of the boys in her life and the soldiers she dated.
The one I remember she talked about was Bobby. He was from down south, he went back home when his time was up and she lost him. Her sisters always competed for boyfriends and my mom, Mary Ann always thought that she could get anyone she wanted and tried.
In 1945, she met Earl Dolquist, My mother always talked about how awful things were in her younger years. My grandma Moberg, would have men at the house who drank and needed a place to stay. Bad thing was that the men would try to force the girls to have sex with them. My grandma would catch them but allowed them back because she needed the money they gave her to help support my mothers younger sister Marilyn and her crippled sister Ruth.
Earl, married her and Mary Ann could now leave her house and be free. They moved to I think it was Mississippi. There she became pregnant, or was she already? Rumor has it that she may have been pregnant before she got married by a handsome young mulatto man that her sister Loretta had dated.
Loretta had a son out of wed lock, Darrell. The rumors were also the same, that Loretta had gotten pregnant by the young man that might have fathered Mary Ann's child.
Earl sent her home on a bus, back to her family to give birth alone. Mary Ann said she hated it there that Earl had become abusive to her.There would be one more visit from Earl later when he was to see his grown child.
Mary Ann gave birth to a beautiful dark haired, darker skinned daughter on May 5th, 1947, She named her Linda Lee.
Grandma Moberg spoiled Linda and Darrell terribly, it was nice to have babies in the house again.
A couple of years later Mary Ann met another man whose first name I don't remember but his last name was Webber and he was to father another of Mary Ann's children, this time she wasn't legally married because her divorce from Earl wasn't final. She would never see Tim's father again and neither would he.
Timothy Michael Dolquist was born on June 1, 1951, to an unwed Mary Ann. Timmy was a blond haired, green eyed baby the complete opposite of Linda.
Monday, April 9, 2012
1930-45 Mobergs & Terwey families meet
I was born in Swedish Hospital south Minneapolis. Jean Marie Terwey, although I was supposed to be named Jeanne, a typo was made during the registering of my birth certificate.
My father Bill, told me that I was a very lucky baby.
He had been in a car accident on his way to get me and his car was totaled, from that day on my mother was convinced that I was going to die in a car accident as a driver so she always told me about the nightmares she had about my horrific death.
I had an older sister Linda Lee Dolquist an older brother Timothy Michael Dolquist, my mother had been marries before and I will tell you all bout this and how my parents got together, I also had a sister Barbara Jean Terwey, there would be more to be born after me.
My father had a son John Terwey, from a previous marriage, a son that would walk in and out of our lives so that we only knew of him and would never know him!
My mother let Barbie, as she was known then, help feed me so she wouldn't be jealous of me, she helped bathe me and change my diapers. We napped together and loved each other, but things wouldn't stay that way.
Let me take you back to the days when Cedar Ave and the Riverside area was where men in uniforms and women with fashionable hairnets gathered at the corner drugstore which was called "The 7 Corners Area". My grandma worked hard she had been widowed 3 times and had many children, mostly girls. One of her daughter came down with polio and child services would try to take her all the time and my grandma would fight them often.
Ruth, was her name, had to be careful, she couldn't go to school because she couldn't walk. When she was 2 she lost her ability to walk. She drug herself around until she was strong enough to pull herself up and my Grandma, Myrtle Moberg, retaught her to walk again.
My grandma worked many jobs but the last one she had was at a place called the " Warn A Bit Shop" Second hand close and household things that could be reused, were sold from there.
My grandma lived off Cedar Ave near what is now the "Mixed Blood Theatre" , which is a refurbished Fire Station. As a little girl I used to visit the fireman from that station and they would squirt us gently with the fire hose on hot days and played with all the kids in the neighborhood.
We had such respect for those men!!! And they did us kids as well.
There was a man, Art, who lived next door to my grandma, they never had anything nice to say about each other and the kids, whom were mostly young women were told to stay away from him.
Across the street another family had moved in and they were a German woman and a couple of her children that had moved from St. Cloud Minnesota to the Cedar area.
Myrtle met Bertha Terwey she had several children as well but only 2 daughters lives with her, and a son who visited often and became friends with Art, his name was Wilbert, aka Bill Terwey.
And a young Mary Ann thought he was a very Handsome man and flirted with him until her mother found out she was only 14 years old and Bill it turned out was 25. He was to be off limits, and he was married.
My father Bill, told me that I was a very lucky baby.
He had been in a car accident on his way to get me and his car was totaled, from that day on my mother was convinced that I was going to die in a car accident as a driver so she always told me about the nightmares she had about my horrific death.
I had an older sister Linda Lee Dolquist an older brother Timothy Michael Dolquist, my mother had been marries before and I will tell you all bout this and how my parents got together, I also had a sister Barbara Jean Terwey, there would be more to be born after me.
My father had a son John Terwey, from a previous marriage, a son that would walk in and out of our lives so that we only knew of him and would never know him!
My mother let Barbie, as she was known then, help feed me so she wouldn't be jealous of me, she helped bathe me and change my diapers. We napped together and loved each other, but things wouldn't stay that way.
Let me take you back to the days when Cedar Ave and the Riverside area was where men in uniforms and women with fashionable hairnets gathered at the corner drugstore which was called "The 7 Corners Area". My grandma worked hard she had been widowed 3 times and had many children, mostly girls. One of her daughter came down with polio and child services would try to take her all the time and my grandma would fight them often.
Ruth, was her name, had to be careful, she couldn't go to school because she couldn't walk. When she was 2 she lost her ability to walk. She drug herself around until she was strong enough to pull herself up and my Grandma, Myrtle Moberg, retaught her to walk again.
My grandma worked many jobs but the last one she had was at a place called the " Warn A Bit Shop" Second hand close and household things that could be reused, were sold from there.
My grandma lived off Cedar Ave near what is now the "Mixed Blood Theatre" , which is a refurbished Fire Station. As a little girl I used to visit the fireman from that station and they would squirt us gently with the fire hose on hot days and played with all the kids in the neighborhood.
We had such respect for those men!!! And they did us kids as well.
There was a man, Art, who lived next door to my grandma, they never had anything nice to say about each other and the kids, whom were mostly young women were told to stay away from him.
Across the street another family had moved in and they were a German woman and a couple of her children that had moved from St. Cloud Minnesota to the Cedar area.
Myrtle met Bertha Terwey she had several children as well but only 2 daughters lives with her, and a son who visited often and became friends with Art, his name was Wilbert, aka Bill Terwey.
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