West Stories

An interview with Bob and Loretta

Bob’s sister Loretta came to visit from Peoria, Illinois in April, it had been three ½ years, since they had seen each other, this was a happy time for the both of them.

They were sitting around the kitchen table, laughing and telling stories of their life growing up.

Bob had moved to North Carolina when he retired from the US Marine Corps, and stationed at Camp Lejeune in 1950’s off and on, Bob decided North Carolina was where he wanted to retire.

Bob and Loretta were two of eight children, born during the depression and World War II. I asked if they would mind me interviewing them while they were together, they both agreed.

“Where were you born?“ I asked

We were both born in Anamosa Iowa, but later moved to Burlington Iowa where dad could get work.

“What kind of jobs was your dad able to find during this time?” I asked.

“I remember dad having a job on a farm, this was good because with that job, we lived in an farmhouse, and had plenty to eat.” said Bob. The pay was little, but at least we had a house, and food.

How were the winters living in the farmhouse? “I asked. “

“Cold,” said Bob and Loretta at one time.

“I remember walking down the train tracks looking for coal to put in the furnace,” said Bob. There were times; we did not have money to buy coal.

“In the winter how did you get food to eat?”

Our dad was something like a sharecropper. He would plant the vegetables in the spring, and summer. Mom would work all summer canning vegetables. He alsotook care of livestock, and we had plenty of meat during the winter.

Mom would make sure we kids had good food to eat; she could take a little of food, and make a big meal out of it.

“How hard was it to get clothes for the family” I asked.

We did not have fancy clothes; many times kids would make fun of us. Mom would make clothes for the girls, and most of the times the younger children got the hand-me-downs. We only got one pair of shoes a year, so we had to make them last. The boys would get a couple of shirts and pants and sometimes cousins would give clothes to our family that they had outgrown.

How were things when you went to school?” I asked.

Bob started laughing; I told the kids when they complained about having to ride the school bus. I had to walk to school, uphill barefoot, four miles both ways inthe snow. We did not have a school bus to catch, and it was rough.

Loretta started laughing, “You know Bob.” we had very little money for lunch. When we were going to school, I can remember when I would run all the way fromschool to where we lived and back to school in 30 minutes just to get something to eat.

Bob said. “I remember when I was a little person, I was very small, and the bigger boys would pick on me.”

When mom would bake an apple pie, I would take a slice to school for my lunch, the larger boys would say to me.” You give me that piece of pie, or I am going tobeat you up.” I may have been small, but those boys did not get my piece of Apple pie.

Both started laughing. “You were kind of a scrapper Bob,” said Loretta.

I had to take up for myself. No one else would.

The stories continued, and the kitchen always filled with happiness and joy.

Even Loretta’s husband, Harry would chime in the conversation occasionally.

They are older, and have accomplished so much in their lives.

No matter how poor they may have been, the love that this family has for one another is remarkable.