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“The almost four years we lived in that little apartment at 208 Walthall Street were fun years, filled with dreams and plans for the future, a home of our own and children. We pored over house plan books but always … Continue reading →

“Botts Blackstone loved to tell jokes and laughed harder at them than anyone else. He had performed as a blackface comedian in local minstrel shows and had sung with a quartet with the three Hinman brothers known as the Blackstone-Hinman … Continue reading →

“I enjoyed the eight years at the Chamber of Commerce. Our office was upstairs at the City Hall, and I got to know all the city personnel, the officials, the police and firemen and almost felt like I was working … Continue reading →

“Russell’s army buddy, Joe Labello, who made tombstones and whose wife Bernice worked at the Mars Candy Factory, met us and showed us all around Chicago. We went to a striptease joint, where we really didn’t have any business being. … Continue reading →

“We saved our money ($400) and made plans to take a trip to Chicago and other points in the summer of 1948. G. D. and Helen [Russell’s oldest brother and sister-in-law] were to be there for the furniture mart at … Continue reading →

“The first morning I got up to cook some bacon and asked Russell how much grease to put in the skillet, and he realized right then that I did not know how to cook. Since Mama was right next door … Continue reading →

“As it turned out I was glad we had waited to marry until he had had a year back home to get adjusted after four and a half years in the army, with two of them overseas and in combat. … Continue reading →

“I met Russell in Jackson in September after he had been discharged at Camp Shelby, the same spot where he had been inducted. We came home on Sunday afternoon, and Mama and Big had fixed everything they thought he would … Continue reading →

“The war in Europe was winding down and it looked like it would soon be over. On May 8, Victory in Europe was declared and we celebrated V-E Day. Botts [Blackstone], my boss, did not like to give holidays any … Continue reading →

“Big, who had been a nurse before her children were born, went back to her profession when the war started and there was a shortage of nurses, since many had joined the Army Nurse Corps. She did volunteer work at … Continue reading →