In Memory of Ruthie...

I have been so saddened this week about the passing of a friend, Ruthie Watson Iannazzo.

Her family moved here from Kansas in 1962 and they attended my church, Bethany Assembly of God.   We were the same age when she moved here - 12 years old, and we became friends.

After she got married she moved away and I rarely saw her.  The last time I saw her was at a friend's funeral.  That was two months ago.  Who could ever have known that in two months' time she would be gone also.

This is a picture of our combined junior high Sunday School class, probably 1962 or 63.  I am in the back row - fourth girl from the left.  Ruthie is the fifth girl, right next to me.  Most of these kids were in the youth group also.  It's hard to explain what a bond we had with the kids in our youth group at that time.

I still feel that bond, all these years later.
#tillwemeetagain

Throwback Thursday - Remembering Billy Pentz

Last week our church family lost one of its long time members and a personal friend of ours, Billy Pentz.

This picture of Billy (bottom left) was taken with his family in the 1950's.  Happier days.  

His family was close friends of Paul's family.  Paul's parents knew them from church in Quincy, MA before either family moved to this area.  

His death was unexpected, only being in his 60's.  A reminder to never take anyone for granted.

Happier Days....

Our friend, Bill Pentz, passed away unexpectedly a few days ago.  Paul and I have known him forever.  Last May, we went on a double-date with Bill and my friend Pat.  There was a budding relationship there and I thought we would have a lot more time to watch it bloom.  It reminds me, again, to never take people for granted.  We'll miss you Bill.

Dot and Steph

Paul and I took Dot to visit Steph today to celebrate Steph's 90 birthday (which is tomorrow).  They have been friends since they were teenagers.  In fact, when I came to live with my grandparents at 9 months old, Steph was living with them.  My grandfather gave her away at her wedding as her father was too ill to make the trip from New Jersey (where Steph was from).  I think it is wonderful that they have stayed close friends for so long.

Then.....

and now.

Throwback Thursday - Milly Bennett

Our church family lost another wonderful woman on Sunday, Millie Bennett.

The daughter of one of our former pastors has been posting pictures to Facebook from when her father was the pastor of our church.  This is one of those pictures.  From left to right is the Pastor's wife Doris Flower, Lucille Choquette, Milly Bennett (at the time Carvell), and lastly Dot Burt (my son-in-law's grandmother).  All of these women are gone now - our loss, Heaven's gain.

Throwback Thursday - My friend Judy

Recently a childhood friend of mine, Judy, had some scary health problems. It hit me that we are much too young to have these kind of problems. Or are we? 63. We are getting up there. It reminded me to take as good care of my health as I can and to appreciate every day.

This picture was taken in our Pastor's kitchen. Kathy, the pastor's daughter, was having a birthday party. They moved in 1965, so this picture was some time before then. We were probably about 13 or 14, so the year was 1963-64.

My friend Judy is in the center with the whitish sweater on. I am in the back, second over from Judy on the right.

Good memories. Judy lives in Florida now and I haven't seen her in years, but I still consider her one of my best friends ever.

Throwback Thursday - I love these women

We all have people in our lives that we feel have been influential.  That's how I feel about these three women.

This is another one of my aunt Dot's slides and, again, I remember them talking about how this was at a bridal shower for "Alliree Eide."  She was the daughter of one of the pastors of our church. 

In this picture, left to right is Lucille Choquette (I wrote about her funeral here), Jennie Lockerby, and Daisy DiLorenzo.  There were all mothers of girlfriends that I had growing up.  I spent time in all of their houses.  Most importantly, they were all role models when I was young, and friends when I got older. 

Throwback Thursday - Remembering Lucille

Last week we went to the funeral of one of my favorite Sunday School teachers as a child.  I posted about her before here. 

It was good to remember the life of a woman who had given so much of herself to her family and to her church. 

As we were driving home I was struck by the fact that I had known most of the people at Lucille's funeral for most of my life.  My friends' parents were all my parents.  I felt so lucky to have had such a wonderful heritage in knowing these people and worshipping with them in our church for so many years. 

I have thought of this before, but on that day, driving home from her funeral, I realized just how grateful I am for this.

Throwback Thursday - Happy Birthday Chris

Chris and Deb, 1990

My friend Chris's 65th birthday is this month.  Her daughter sent out a Facebook message saying that she and her sister wanted to make a scrapbook for their mom's birthday and asked if anyone would like to write a well-wish, memory, photo, etc. to contribute to it.

I sent this picture and wrote the following:

Chris,


Here we are, you and I, sitting at your little white metal kitchen table having coffee. How many hours do you think we sat there, solving all of the problems in the youth group? I loved sitting at that little table. Thanks for being such a big part of my life at that time, and also for so many of our church kids. You had a way of being a role model without them really knowing it. They just thought of you as a friend they could talk to. Nothing really rattled you and they knew it, and that is why they could talk to you about things they would never talk to their parents about.

You were then, and continue to be, one of my favorite people!

Debbie Radtke

Happy Birthday Chris!  I hope you enjoy your 65th birthday scrapbook.

Throwback Thursday - Sister Gibson



Christine A. Gibson (1879-1955)

Sister Gibson was the Founder of Zion Bible College in East Providence, RI, in 1924.  After high school, Dot went there for, I think, one year.  I never heard Dot talk much about Zion or Sister Gibson, but evidently she made a big impression on her.

When we brought Dot to the Atrium, it was a very difficult time, and something that she had no idea we were doing.  On the day of the move-in, she was very upset and friends of ours that go to our church were there visiting a relative.  They knew how upset Dot was and before leaving they went to her room and prayed with her.  I really believe that prayer was what caused Dot to think that the Atrium was a Christian organization.  She began to talk about Sister Gibson and how she built this place for people who needed a place to live.  Even now, a year and a half later, she still talks about her and what a wonderful thing she did to build this place, how she remembers it from when she was young.  I can see her thinking; it is kind of like a dorm!  I am so thankful that she thinks that, because I can tell it is a comfort to her.

This a picture of Dot (far left) at Zion, probably around 1941 or 1942. 

Throwback Thursday - Twilight Bible School

VBS was quite a shock to my system yesterday. I wondered what in the world I had gotten myself into. Today was much better.

It got me thinking about the only VBS that I remember going to when I was a kid. It was at night, and was called Twilight Vacation Bible School. The girl in the front with Kathy written on her was our Pastor's daughter.

Many moons ago!

Throwback Thursday - Christmas Musical 1946

When Toby's grandmother died last year, his mother found this in her things. Barbara gave it to me after I asked her if I could scan it.

Front row left to right is Daisy, my Aunt Dot's friend; Priscilla, my mother-in-law; my Aunt Dot; and above my mother-in-law is my Aunt Ettie. So many of the people I grew up with are in this picture.

Bethany has been doing Christmas Musicals for a long time!

252/365 - Ann Martin

Tonight Paul and I went to a wake for a special lady. We have known her since we were kids. She taught Sunday School, junior church, worked in the kitchen and a lot more at our church. I was looking in my aunt Dot's photo album and found her wedding picture. She is a part of my past that I will surely miss.

Throwback Thursday - Mt Tom, Choquette's

I had today off from work because I have to work Saturday. Paul was feeling a little better today and since it was such a beautiful day, we decided to take a short drive. We ended up on Mt. Tom Reservation. This reminded me of one of my Sunday School teachers who lived very close to the reservation. I think I was in 5th grade. She had her Sunday School class over for a sleepover (brave woman). Her daughter was in my class also. We all slept in the living room and the next day we hiked from her house up the mountain to Goat Peak, an observation tower. It seemed like the longest walk I had ever been on (we timed it today, it was 2 miles). This was probably when I found out that I was scared of heights. We all climbed up the tower, but when I got to the top I was so scared that I sat down in the middle of the floor. My friend, Karen, was sitting on the edge of the fence around the top of the tower (until her mother made her get down). I was horrified. I didn't know if I was even going to be able to get down the tower. I thought my friend was the luckiest person in the world to live in such a neat place!

My friend Karen's house at the base of Mt. Tom