Name/Title
AU Harris, Paul Joseph - 1954-04-26 letter to Patricia June (Harris) FarrisEntry/Object ID
2003.1.4Context
[P. J. Harris, Henning & Cheadle, Inc., A Creative Organization, 1060 West Fort Street, Detroit to Mr. & Mrs. Earle Farris, Box 2, Avila, California]
217 Phillips Place
Royal Oak, Mich 4/26/54
Dearest Tish:
Margie says I have to write this one, and of course she is right.
The first thing I must tell you, is that your grandmother Harris was buried in Westerville last Monday, April 19. She died on the 15th, in Westerville, of a coronary thrombosis. She was in a nursing home, just two doors from her brother's home (Uncle Otterbein's). She had visited her sister, Carolyn (Aunt Carrie) in another nursing home that day. Uncle Otterbein had taken her there.
She was very confused. She didn't even recognize Aunt Carrie, and at times wondered who Otterbein was. She had just completely worn out, and her death was due only to deterioration.
Jerry Spears handled the funeral. It was held in the college church. The ladies of the church served luncheon to all the relatives at noon before the funeral. Nancy Ricketts, Cassie Harris, Aunt Minnie and Madge with Uncle Leonard and Aunt Maude were the Harris group present. Uncle Otterbein served as a pall bearer along with us four boys and Philip Charles (Aunt Carries oldest son). He has a daughter in Otterbein College.
Grace Selby Smith from southern Illinois was there, as well as George Selby and his wife, and Bertha Selby Wagner and her husband, Roland, the Quaker. Charles Lambert's wife was there too. Warren & Hazel Embree were also present.
Phil Charles had his wife with him, and your Uncle Jim had brought Carolyn and Diane.
Your Uncle Dan brought young Danny (14) but Aletha was too ill. Margie had to stay home, too, Midge just recovering from the mumps, and Skip just starting.
Many of the Westerville people, most of them very gray or white-haired, also attended the funeral. Mother looked as though she had just gone to sleep — much better in fact than she had looked for a year or two.
There were no tears. Many People expressed the idea that a poor confused worn out old lady had at last found rest.
Your Uncle Dick and Dan had handled all the details. Uncle Otterbein was the only one of the family with her when she died.
I arrived in Westerville Sunday evening and spent the night with Uncle Leonard and Aunt Maude. They are both very frail. Uncle Leonard is the only Harris of his generation left.
Aunt Caroline couldn't attend the funeral, but we all stopped in to see her after the funeral. She had a broken hip and some bad burns, but is making an excellent come-back.
Many people asked about you. Some of them even wrote down your address, and then announced that they might look you up if they went west.
I'm still at Henning & Cheadle, Inc., and still writing.
Margie is not very well. There is some source of infection which just knocks her out every so often. I hope the warmer weather will help.
Skipper is learning to read, and making excellent progress in that direction.
Midge is progressing beautifully. She is much interested in her special school, and the teacher says she is learning the printing and writing strokes. She draws a great deal, and frequently draws something we can recognize.
At the time of your anniversary, we were in the midst of chicken pox. This was followed by Margie's strep throat — a bad one — then the mumps.
5/3/54
Well, that was as far as I got! I thought Margie had finished and mailed it. She thought I had.
Nuts!
I'm going to mail this as is — and try to write some more some day.
We talk about you a great deal.
Loads of love —
Dad
{Paul J. Harris}
