1980 Family Letter -June 17

Tuesday --

June 17, 1980

Dearest Family,

Seems like we just wrote to all of you because we have been on the go to the hospital so often this past week.  Grandma got home yesterday and is recovering beautifully -- you would never know from any indication that she has been hospitalized -- says she feels no pain and has full use of her arm which she had initially feared might happen as did when she had the first mastectomy.  They came up for supper last night. 

The ice cream freezer refused to turn so Dad ran down to Daye's but they had nothing but an 8-qt. White Mountain so ordered new parts and borrowed Charles Thompson's electric and really made a big difference.  A new White Mountain non-electric is around $60 and the electric over $100.  We sure didn't save any money by getting the cheaper one the last time -- it is a Frost King but really inferior -- so many plastic parts -- lid, paddle and less room for ice, etc.

There wee so many people from New Vienna in the hospital or had some connection with it.  Edna Walls, Mae Rogers, Connie West's mother, Donna Cornelius's mother, and a couple of others that don't think you people knew.  Mrs. Howard Steritz was on another floor -- understand she has had a stroke.  Would like to have seen Pam Fisher Newberry but only father of baby and grandparents wear allowed in -- we did take a peek when the nursery window curtains but learned later that she had already gone home so didn't get to see her little boy either.

Sunday morning we went to Hillsboro Methodist Church -- thought it would be a good time as the Hortons were interested in seeing the church -- hadn't been there since they moved in 1952.  Had hoped to get in Joe Hiestand's Sunday school class but no luck there -- classroom was empty so went in another class -- turned out to be very interesting.  Among others there we knew several of the ones attending -- David and Lois Williams who had gone to family Camp at Francis Asbury ear Rio Grand near Gallopolis.  They have a son and daughter who is Serena's age who is studying engineering at Wright State and lives in Wilmington.  Did talk to Joe and Mary Hiestand later -- he did teach class but he and rest of the class came after we had looked in.  Their daughter-in-law sang a solo in church -- doesn't have an outstanding voice but quite a treat after our country-western groups that have been singing in New Vienna.  The associate minister spoke -- was disappointed that we weren't going to get to hear the older minister (he's not really hardly into middle age but Mary & Bill had said what a good job he had done at Paul's funeral).  The associate did a very good job and the Williams had been the lay delegates so David got up in the pulpit and officially welcomed them both back along with their families.

Uncle Bill went home after we all ate at the hospital for he wanted to see the golf tournament -- Aunt Mary thought we were out of our minds to plan to stay until 8PM but the time really went fast.  After seeing G'ma briefly we went to Extended Care to see Mrs. Matthews while the Hortons visited Grandma.  Then back to the hospital after viewing the new doctors offices that are being built just to the left of the entrance into the hospital.  The old frame house that was called the annex was torn down and this is really a nice addition.  Later we went to the county home to see Faye Thornburg and then to Quaker apartments and Prairie View to see some people at each of those places.  We got back just in time for Mary to see an old friend that she had worked with in Hillsboro years ago.  (Another person she saw while here was a sorority sister from Ohio U who taught at East Clinton while Catherine was there -- Roberta Peden).

We are to take the Hortons to the Columbus airport this after to get a plane -- for some reason -- probably because their original ticket was Allegheny Airlines -- they are flying to Pittsburgh then to West Palm Beach.  They weren't looking forward to going back to hot weather but it has been unseasonably cool here.

Your mother has done a good job for the "weekly news".  I appreciate all the Father Day cards and best wishes.  See you all sooner or later.  Had card from M.V. . . . all is under control south of the border.

Love,