Three Days Late . . . (long)

I had set a goal of June 14th to finish putting together my parents' memory album, after all, that was the date they were married in 1936. I've been assembling albums like this for years and one thing is certain--even though they are really time consuming to make--the end result is very satisfying. Here is a sampling of the pages in my latest album:

Pictures of my dad, Franklin R. Davis (1909-1992), when he was young. Also a certificate for a speaking contest he won at age 9, his grammar school diploma and the program for the commencement exercises in 1923.

The page from his 1927 high school yearbook. He played basketball for 4 years and he was the tallest one on the team. His coach, Roy Nickerson, was still a teacher when I was in high school!

Photos of his buddies who enjoyed the outdoors--hunting, fishing, swimming, skiing and driving my dad's Model T on a frozen lake. 

He was also quite adventurous. After high school he took a steamship from NJ to CA and ended up as a swimming instructor at a date ranch in Palm Springs. It was after he came home that he and my mom started dating.

Pictures of my mother, Etta Florence Bower (1910-1964), when she was young.

My parents went to the same high school and graduated two years apart. My mother was an art editor for the yearbook.

Here are two of her drawings.

My mom on her 21st birthday . . . 

. . . and a poem written by her dad.

Jump ahead to my brother and me. He is 6 years older and whenever I have any family questions he always seems to know the answers. 

A treasured photo of my mother with her grandson born 1963. She made a baby quilt and applique pictures with him in mind. She died one year later at the age of 54.

My dad often traveled south to do some serious fishing. 

In 1990 he came to live with us and we so enjoyed his company. Never one to interfere, he kept his distance.

Now that I have fulfilled my goal, I have mixed emotions about completing this album. It has 85 pages and is so final! 

But I also feel that with my brother's help, we pulled together the story of our parents' lives for future generations to enjoy. This is what happens when you are the "older generation" and no one else knows these things :)

Appliqued picture "Etta Florence Bower / Franklin Ralph Davis / Eng. 10/35 Mar. 6/14/36"

See you next week!

 

 

Copyright 2022, Barbara Schaffer