Arthur Victor Rauma was born in December of 1902 in Fitchburg, Massachusetts, the son of Reverend John Victor and Suzzie Oikemus Rauma, pastor of the local Lutheran church. Arthur Victor was a gifted athlete with considerable musculature. The sixth of seven children, Arthur Victor was the third child born in the United States as well as the third boy. A younger brother died soon after being born resulting in Arthur growing up as the youngest child in the family. As an adult Arthur Victor developed a drinking problem which is the probable cause of the violence he committed against his wife and only child, John Arthur. One time my father, John Arthur was driving through Boston with the three of us in the back when he saw his father on the street. Stopping the car, he crossed the street to speak with him. He informed his father that his grandchildren were across the street in the car and asked if he wanted to meet them. Declining the opportunity he instead asked for money so my fath...
The last 2 days have been wonderful. Yesterday morning was delightful as Susan and I stayed in our room until late in the morning. A wonderful, relaxing morning. I'm not sure we even bothered to get breakfast. In the afternoon we went furniture shopping with Natalia, Maverick and Khloé. Afterward we had burgers at a new burger joint - a place Caroline and Kevin had frequented earlier. While Susan and I were inside asking some final questions, the children were outside patiently waiting. Kevin and Caroline drove by. So she called Susan to ask why her children were outside of a furniture store - alone. It was a funny moment. The burgers were great by the way. A pretty simple route from our home to the chapel. Then today we went to church; Susan had the closing prayer. We sat near the front so she'd have a short walk. Just before the meeting started I had a bloody nose so I scooted in my scooter around the front pews, all along the far side, basically the whole way around...
Cape Cod Aunt Quackie was an original. Born in 1913 in Fitchburg Massachusetts, the same town where my father would be born 16 years later. She was my grandmother's younger sister, the 5th girl and 8th child in a family of 11. The daughter of Andrew and Johanna Wahtola, she was the 2nd child born in the United States. She was a lot of fun with a great senae of humor. Quackie's father - Andrew I don't recall how she got the name Quackie since she was born Sylvia Maria. She had one child, Nadine, whose birth has been a bit of a mystery. When I knew Aunt Quackie, her name was Sylvia Hamaleinen, although she was a single woman and Nadine's name was White. I found 2 marriages for Aunt Quackie during the same year in different towns on Cape Cod while doing a records search but the man was not listed. My guess is her first husband was a White. We were told was Nadine's father was killed in World War II before she was born so he probably died soon after her concep...
I too was inducted into the National Honor Society in my senior year. They must have been scrapping the barrel by the time it got to you! LOL
ReplyDeleteMary Rauma Geake