Name/Title
1961.06.09 Letter from Gladys in Dacca E. Pakistan to Betty & Gus in Corpus Christi, TX.Description
Letter from Gladys to Betty&Gus with update and saying they coming to Corpus in Sept (1961). The letter states LAG is expecting another assignment after Pakistan; however it was not to be so. In 1961 he retired from foreign service, which may or may not have been of his choosing.. The contents reads:
Dacca, 9 June
Dear Betty and Gus:
Your letter arrived just about the time I went to the hospital for an emergency appendectomy-it had to be complicated with post operative infection, so I was in the hospital 11 days and home a week in bed and finally about the middle of May just beginning to feel like normal-then we had a round of entertaining to do for the people who were leaving or coming , Cottage Industries work, bridge, etc. Seems as though everytime (sp) I get in the mood to write, something comes up Your Dad just recovered from the pneumonia when I took sick, but now we are both all well again and dreading the thoughts of packing. No word yet as to where he will be assigned, but we are due to leave around September 5-have no plans as yet, depending on where we go next. Finally got our slides edited over Memorial Day Weekend-your Dad had two extra days because of some Muslim holidays and it took the entire 4 days to do the job, but it sure is a relief to know it is done.
We also heard from Margie about a week before your letter arrived. We sure were amused at your tales of the dog-you must have had your hands full.
Yes we got a few pictures, although forgot to take the viewfinder and photo meter, but they turned out very well-it was that night that Larry took sick-you should have seen us all hanging out the servants quarters porch watching the U.K. High Commissioner’s party for the Queen-it was held in their yard and it was decorated with colored lights, red carpet, the servants dressed like movie stars-the women with all their jewels and best dresses, it was quite something. Can’t imagine anything like that happening in the US-secret service men would have had the place for blocks around evacuated and here we were not more than across a 30 foot alley-no guns or soldiers in sight. She wore a pale yellow evening dress embroidered with flashing jewels and a diamond tiara which send (sp) out myriads of lights.
How’s the ice skating coming along and how many falls did Susie take before she learned to navigate.
Haven’t been doing much of anything except the usual round of bridge dinners, etc. The Springfields were transferred from Lahore to Dacca so we threw a cocktail party last Saturday night-she got so tired from moving that she was sick and unable to come, but we had fun anyhow-ended up dancing at midnight. Monsoon season is on, so everything is rained out. Had some excitement during the cylone (sp)-my first experience with one-was really something. It was my regular bridge day and we went to Paula’s-she had planned a luncheon for 12 and they all got so worried about their homes that they left before lunch was served-also her kitchen was flooded, also her dining, room, so the poor boys couldn’t have done much about cooking anyhow-but I really felt sorry for her. I waited out the storm with her as it was my first time out driving and I didn’t want to drive in that wind-80 mph with gusts up to 120 mph-trees down, electricity, etc., I arrived home to find Larry and Springfield enjoying the storm over martinis! They were sent home as the building the Consulate was in was a little shaky. When our electricity came back on it was 440 volts instead of 220-so our frig went out-your Dad was busy trying to cut down the voltage by wiring lamps together-he had all 10 of them joined in sequence, but it didn’t work-he finally came up with the idea of breaking the current with his tie spring which worked-we had 20 for dinner that night and it went out completely-meat spoiled, so had to dash round (sp) and get some more, scrounge for ice cubes-and light the house with candles-that was one time our phobia for collecting candlesticks came in handy. Will keep you informed of our plans, but should see you sometime around the middle of September, we hope!
(signed) Love
Gladys & Dad.Create Date
July 13, 2025Update Date
November 11, 2025
