Share more of our family stories

 
I had the opportunity Monday to spend a short time with a Park Rapids woman celebrating her 99th birthday. Two of her daughters were there to share a few short stories about their mother. Ruth Rooney, 99, lives in Heritage Living Center and her story and glimpse at who she is is on the front page of today’s Enterprise. It was interesting learning a little about Ruth which got me thinking about my own Grandma Kathy, also 99, who turns 100 in September. Too often we forget to share stories within our own families so I asked my mother to re-fresh my memory of some stories I heard growing up. I recall hearing my grandmother never had a driver’s license, something that always struck me as odd. Grandma left Mandan, N.D. as a young woman, I’m guessing early 1930s for beauty school in St. Paul. She lived in a boarding house and across the street in another boarding house lived my future grandfather. As the story goes, my Grandpa Leo was quite smitten, as my mother puts it, with Grandma Kathy. She finished beauty school and moved back to Mandan to work as a beautician. My mother recalls hearing many times Grandma had several “ladies of the night” as customers, and they tipped very well. My future grandfather left Minnesota for California to work at one of the aircraft plants. Still smitten, he “sent for her,” and grandma took the train to Los Angeles where they were married in 1940. Times were tough during World War II with ration books and blackouts. After marriage, grandma never worked out of the home. They moved back to St. Paul, then L.A. again, before settling in Mandan. She raised three children but never got a driver’s license. I imagine that has to do with jumping a curb with the car during the first driving lesson. Grandpa never took her out again. Not a very patient, nor understanding man apparently. As the story goes, my uncle (5 years old at the time) commented on the driver’s education incident, “Can’t you even drive a car?” Grandma replied: “Well, you can’t even tie your shoes!” Simply learning little details here and there are critical to painting a picture of how each one of us come to be who we are. By asking for a couple stories I learned from my mother that my grandmother once loved to draw and paint. She was very frugal and really pinched her pennies – probably started that during wartime. My mother and her siblings used to tease grandma about clipping and saving every box top. She had drawers full. She sent the box tops in for all those free offers, and if the offer was for toys she would save the stuff for her grandkids’ birthdays and Christmas. Who does that in this day and age? She was once a recipe hoarder, cut out and saved every recipe she came across. I didn’t know any of this but learned simply by asking. Grandma is still with us at 99, no longer living at home, and her own storytelling is mostly gone as she nears 100. Her physical skills diminished and mentally sure to fade, she’s still known in our family circle for her famous green Jell-O with green olives at every holiday meal. A woman who styled hair for “ladies of the night,” never bothered with a second driving lesson, moved across the country for a man, and frugal to the point she probably still has her confirmation money. Today’s visit with Ruth Rooney’s family unexpectidly prompted me to ask about my own grandmother. I need to hear more family stories. We all do. By Kevin Cederstrom 
I had the opportunity Monday to spend a short time with a Park Rapids woman celebrating her 99th birthday. Two of her daughters were there to share a few short stories about their mother.Ruth Rooney, 99, lives in Heritage Living Center and her story and glimpse at who she is is on the front page of today’s Enterprise.It was interesting learning a little about Ruth which got me thinking about my own Grandma Kathy, also 99, who turns 100 in September. Too often we forget to share stories within our own families so I asked my mother to re-fresh my memory of some stories I heard growing up.I recall hearing my grandmother never had a driver’s license, something that always struck me as odd.Grandma left Mandan, N.D. as a young woman, I’m guessing early 1930s for beauty school in St. Paul. She lived in a boarding house and across the street in another boarding house lived my future grandfather.As the story goes, my Grandpa Leo was quite smitten, as my mother puts it, with Grandma Kathy. She finished beauty school and moved back to Mandan to work as a beautician. My mother recalls hearing many times Grandma had several “ladies of the night” as customers, and they tipped very well.My future grandfather left Minnesota for California to work at one of the aircraft plants. Still smitten, he “sent for her,” and grandma took the train to Los Angeles where they were married in 1940.Times were tough during World War II with ration books and blackouts.After marriage, grandma never worked out of the home. They moved back to St. Paul, then L.A. again, before settling in Mandan.She raised three children but never got a driver’s license. I imagine that has to do with jumping a curb with the car during the first driving lesson. Grandpa never took her out again. Not a very patient, nor understanding man apparently.As the story goes, my uncle (5 years old at the time) commented on the driver’s education incident, “Can’t you even drive a car?”Grandma replied: “Well, you can’t even tie your shoes!”Simply learning little details here and there are critical to painting a picture of how each one of us come to be who we are.By asking for a couple stories I learned from my mother that my grandmother once loved to draw and paint. She was very frugal and really pinched her pennies – probably started that during wartime.My mother and her siblings used to tease grandma about clipping and saving every box top. She had drawers full. She sent the box tops in for all those free offers, and if the offer was for toys she would save the stuff for her grandkids’ birthdays and Christmas. Who does that in this day and age?She was once a recipe hoarder, cut out and saved every recipe she came across.I didn’t know any of this but learned simply by asking.Grandma is still with us at 99, no longer living at home, and her own storytelling is mostly gone as she nears 100. Her physical skills diminished and mentally sure to fade, she’s still known in our family circle for her famous green Jell-O with green olives at every holiday meal.A woman who styled hair for “ladies of the night,” never bothered with a second driving lesson, moved across the country for a man, and frugal to the point she probably still has her confirmation money.Today’s visit with Ruth Rooney’s family unexpectidly prompted me to ask about my own grandmother.I need to hear more family stories. We all do.By Kevin Cederstrom