Our family began in 1946. Harry was in the Navy and I was in Dallas at Baylor School of Nursing. I graduated in July of that year and he was separated from the Navy a few months earlier. He came to Dallas and took me home to Itasca. We were married August 20, 1946 in Itasca at the Central Baptist Church with Rev Charles Goss as the Minister. After the wedding we went to Nogales Arizona where we had planned to live. Mother almost lost it when we left. However it was short lived, as Harry could not find work as he had planned so we returned to Itasca. I could work in Dallas at the hospital so we left and got an apartment there. He worked in a laundry and in a novelty shop until he interviewed for Halliburton Oil Well Cementing Co. He was employed as a Maintenance man in Duncan. That is how we got here.

I worked 4 days at the hospital here and outgrew my uniforms, guess why? Working pregnant was not an option then. So I stayed home and sewed clothes and got ready for our baby to arrive. We had a one-room apartment at first and the landlady finally let us have her dining room as a kitchen. We bought a washer and had to rinse the clothes in the bathtub. (Incidentally, we shared a bath with a couple and their 10-year-old son.) There were no available apartments in Duncan at that time so we had to put our name on a list to get one.

The Baby Boy, Larry, was born in May and we were able to get an apartment in September of 1947. In January of 1949 we moved into our new home on “A” Street. It was so nice and had 2 bedrooms. So that year brought another sweet Baby Girl, Sue Ann. Harry’s mother and Step-Dad came that year also with Betty, Eddie and Fred.

In the fall of 1951 Harry suffered a Nervous Breakdown and had to have Psychiatric Treatment in Oklahoma City with Dr. Prosser. We were fortunate that our insurance paid everything and the company never missed a giving us a paycheck every two weeks. It was wonderful knowing that we didn’t have to worry about food on the table.

The children were growing and I had only done Private Duty at night through the years we lived here. I was ready to get out and work regularly. Betty had married and had Ronnie and she agreed to keep house for us so I could go to work at the Cheatwood Hospital. In July of 1954 I went to work as Director of Nurses for the big salary of $200.00 a month. As the children grew and were in Lee School, they only had to walk two blocks and I could see them get onto the school ground from the front door. That was encouraging to see that they arrived safely. We never locked our doors in the daytime. No one bothered anything and we felt safe. No keys were necessary for anyone to come and go.

I worked there for several years, during which time Physicians and Surgeons Hospital was built. In 1958, I was tired and decided to stop working for a while. I only worked in the doctor’s offices or relieved for vacations for about two years. It was good to be home more with the children. One day a friend, Addie Alexander, called me and said they would like for me to interview for the opening at the Health Department. I did and was employed as a County Health Nurse for 4 years. I worked the south half of Stephens County and did the schools in that area. I did eye tests, hearing tests and made home visits to elderly and chronically ill patients and new born babies. That was a real life experience in that I saw and heard how the other half lived and died.

During all these years Harry continued to work at Halliburton. He did Mechanical Maintenance and Plumbing Maintenance and then on to Fire Chief. Time passes and Larry finished High School and went on to OU. We lost my Mother in January of 1967 and Daddy came to live with us. Sue graduated and went to OU in 1968. We moved to the farm in January of 1970. Daddy died in June of 1970. He had a stroke while Sue and I was at the Miss Oklahoma Pageant in Tulsa.

The children graduated from OU and Sue got married in August of 1972. They lived in Norman for about two years and moved to Bartlesville. Joshua and Julia were born there. Larry married in July of 1979 in Denver. Christy, John Jacob and Jonathan were born the next few years and Larry went into business for himself in Denver.

Time passes so fast and Sue and Don left Bartlesville in 1999 to move to Katy Texas. Don’s work took them there. It was a hard move for them as they had been in Bartlesville all the children’s lives and all their friends were there.

Larry’s business has grown and he has done well financially. Christy in is College at Crete NB and Josh and Julia are in Norman. Josh will graduate in December 2000 and Julia in two more years. Josh and Miranda were married April 22 2000 in Hobart Ok and are living in Norman. She was graduated in May 2000 with a degree in Special Education. Josh joined the Oklahoma National Guard to get his college paid and continues to serve in the Intelligence Unit at Edmond Oklahoma at the present time. Julia is working for Congressman J.C. Watts in Norman and doing a great job. She received a $2000. Scholarship from the College of Business for the 2000-2001 school term.

We are proud of our family and know all will serve the Lord as they have all been taught.