Wednesday, 12 December 2007
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Gustie
Yesterday was my paternal grandmother's birthday. She would have been 111.... She died when I was almost a year old.
Nevertheless I've been thinking more about her ever since I watched Sweet Land. And so, I had to keep my promise of calling my aunt for some details about their love story.
As I suspected, my paternal grandparents union was unlike the mail-order bride situation of Olaf and Inge. Gustie and Sheffield grew up knowing one another, living in nearby towns and going to the same school, although she was eight years his junior. In 1918, Sheffield was preparing to go to France (WWI) and that's what prompted the proposal. My aunt intimated that his impending absence is the reason Gustie accepted....because Sheffield was leaving, she perhaps thought she could get used to the idea of being married. She may have thought that she was not ready, still holding in the back of her mind that she wanted to be a nurse.
As we prepare for our annual celebrations of the most important love story of all, let me encourage you to connect with a loved one in your life and ask him/her to tell you a story.
For we were indeed preceded by one.
Added later.....I had the chance to read a letter from Gustie and Sheffield written to her aunt (her mother's sister whom I did know). The letter detailed the simple wedding ceremony in the family living room and their ride in a sciff to get out of town (for their honeymoon) because the river had flooded.
Currently
Sweet Land - A Love Story
By Elizabeth Reaser, Lois Smith, Patrick Heusinger, Stephen Pelinski, Tim Guinee
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Comments (7)
Go to our family website.... www.danjordanline.com
BaaBee has her full name and DOB and DOD as well as lots of other information :)
I called DanDan's sister, Jane.
Gustie is indeed lovely.
I don't think we have anyone left....to ask.
Have you shared your love story with your girls?
I believe they have heard it....but it may be that later in their years, they will want to hear it again...with ears more finely tuned.
Wait, Donna, that uncle that was in the birthday picture with Janet and Janice? Would he know about y'all's folks?
Uncle Mel is still living in Chicago and Arizona.
My sister Nancy has the chance to see him often....and his wife Loretta was friends with my father (I think they were in the same class at school)
My Aunt Sunny might be able to shed some light...she also lives in the Chicago area.
Aunt Barb lives in Texas and I haven't seen her in a really, really long time...but she is a kind woman and I wonder if I wrote her she would tell us something about her big sister's "courtship" with our dad.
Thank you for thinking of that Dana.
(hugs)
Donna
FYI I sent a Christmas card ahead of time and kind of warned my aunt that I wanted to call. I was hoping that she would have had time to think/remember....
It was a good conversation :)