My sister, Gail, and her husband Bill visited Mom for her 85th Birthday and Thanksgiving. In the picture below, Mom and Bill are showing us the beautiful flowers that Mom's granddaughter, Jan (Sarah's daughter), and her husband Scott sent for her birthday. (Click on photos to enlarge, then click your browser's "back" arrow to return to the blog.)
Mom and Dad made the 14.5" Jennie June doll pictured below from a kit from the Mark Farmer Mfg. Co. in El Cerrito, California when she was living in Atlanta, Georgia. When Mom was sewing the body, Dad put a heart inside. Dad glued the head, hands, and feet to the body. Barbara Gail had a dress made for it with a contribution from Chuck and Cyndi. Later, Mom found the original pattern and material for an old-fashioned print dress, so Gail will have that made also.
Rosemary (below) was Mom's doll when she was growing up. Pearl Wallace Meyer, Mom's mother, had very long hair until it became the fashion to cut hair into a bob in the Roaring 20's. Many women saved their hair and had dolls made for their daughters, using their hair for the wigs. Pearl did this for her daughter, Mary, so Rosemary has Pearl Wallace Meyer's hair. Barbara Gail remembers playing with Rosemary as a child and took her to a doll hospital to be restored. Rosemary's dresses, which were made by our grandmother Pearl, were also restored.
Gail and Bill took Mom to Hollyhock Hill, an old favorite Indianapolis restaurant, for her birthday.
Marcele Everest, who has been a friend of Barbara Gail's since 1970, joined them. Marcele and Barbara Gail met when their husbands were both teaching at DePauw University in Greencastle and they were in the League of Women Voters together. Marcele was a great help when Gail was going through Princeton Theological Seminary. Marcele brought Mary roses for her birthday and generously hosted Gail and Bill during their visit.
Gail and Bill used to live in Indianapolis 30 some years ago so they have many dear friends in the area. Beth Cope Lawrence, Barbara Gail's friend from her career at Indiana Bell, met them for a reunion at Summer Trace. Beth got to know Mom when Barbara Gail was in the hospital for a month in 1973 and she has known Mary for over 30 years.
They all enjoyed the lavish Thanksgiving buffet at Summer Trace.
L to R: Beth Cope Lawrence, Rosemary (doll), Mary, Gail, Jennie June (doll), and Bill
While Gail worked on Mom's Christmas cards, Bill worked with Mom on her speech therapy. (I love this picture. I have not gotten to see Bill for years and we were out-of-town while they were here!)
Whiskers, which is what Mom has taken to calling the cat, loved Bill!
Thank you, Gail, for sending these great photos and story for Mom's blog!
