Remembering old classmates
</element><element id="paragraph-1" type="body"><![CDATA[I have a good friend who says that you only have one birthday, as the rest are anniversaries. Using that logic, today, July 10, 2008, is the sixty-ninth anniversary of my birthday which was July 10, 1939. To celebrate this auspicious occasion, I plan on having a small luncheon with a group of friends and relatives. There will be no silly hats or presents, just people I would like to be with.
Thinking back on it, in my short life, I have had only one real birthday party. It was in 1946 when I was seven years old. I have a picture of it, and I am sending it to the Herald Tribune in hopes that they will print it. If they do you will be able to see a bunch of children all wearing silly hats. As far as the presents were concerned, I know I got some but the only thing I remember were some plastic sailboats about four inches long. The horse I received when I was nine and the 22 rifle I got when I was fifteen were much better presents.
As a matter of fact, I don't remember enjoying the party all that much. Now I know that my Mother would not have come up with the idea of a birthday party. I think my Dad planned the party. Moreover, I think he enjoyed it much more than I did. One of the things he had me do was instead of sending out invitations, was to visit the homes of each invitee. And that was when postage was only 3 cents. It worked fairly well. The only problems that I remember were that at one house, the invitee and her little sister came to the door dressed only in their underpanties. I was horribly embarrassed. I really cannot figure out why a six-year-old boy would be embarrassed by seeing a six-year-old girl in her underpanties, but I was--big time! The other problem was when we got to the Allard residence, my Father took it upon himself to tell Mrs. Allard that I was madly in love with her daughter, Joan. This was true of course, but what six-year-old boy wants the girl he is in love with to know she is the object of his affection? It killed the romance.
Now 62 years later, I am surprised that almost all of the children in the picture are still with us and that many of them still live in Chester. Squatting down in the front row from left to right, the first person is my sister, Betty. She is now Betty McGee and she and her husband, Charles McGee are visitation pastors at Grace Church out in what used to be Camptown. The next handsome young man is me, 62 years ago. I seem to have deteriorated a bit. Next is my brother, Bill. He and Betty are twins, and even I have to admit that at age four, as they were in July 1946, they were cute. Cute is not the word I would use to describe them now. Bill came into Chester during the last week of May with three of his sons. They made the trip from Salem, Oregon, on motorcycles. Within a month, Bill will be a great-grandfather.
The next little girl, the one shielding her eyes, is Darla Link Wilson. She and her husband Larry still live in Chester. The next little boy is Don Bartels. He and his wife, the former Pat Durkee, live in Belleville, Illinois when they are not in Florida. They still have many friends and relatives in Chester.
Standing on the back row, first is Pat Wise Pautler. She also lives in Chester when she is not in Florida. Next is Sonja Benson. She is the only one on this picture who has died. Several years ago she moved to northern California but she got cancer and died. Next is her older brother Keith Benson. He lives in the Los Angeles area and is still active with the Boy Scouts, going on hikes, etc. Next, hiding in back a little is Leonard Dravis. I am not sure where Leonard lives. Next is Earl Dravis. He lives in Red Bud. Next is Eddie Ray Smith. I understand that he still lives in the Chester area. Carol Berry Usher is my cousin and I know she still lives in Chester. Next is Joan Allard Griffin. She and her husband, Dave, live in Conway, Arkansas. The next person is Dean Cook. He not only lives in Chester but is on the City Council. Last, but not least, is Bob Wittenborn. Although Bob now lives in Perryville, he still works in Chester.
Until next time,
Edward J. Berry
Cahokia, IL