The Accident - Summer 1942 - A Letter From Marie Willoughby

Marie Wiloughby and James Waning - about 1925 - Wendling, OR

In July 1942 old family friend Marie Wiloughby sent Jim a letter.

Envelope

Letter - Page 1

"1518 Minon Street

Hoquiam, Wash.

July 17, 1942

Dear Jim,

I thought I would write you ever since we got home.  But it seems everything has been in quite a hubbub.

I sure had a lot of fun with Barbara.  If you ever don't want her anymore send her up here.  We wouldn't mind a bit.  I took a whole roll of film just before we left and she's in every one but two.

We were going to stop in and see you as we came out but by the time we got all our stuff rounded up and got going the time had kind of slipped away.  You probably know how it goes.  How have you been getting along?  Fine I hope.

You tell your Ma for me the next time you see her I'm not going to write to her any more till she writes to me." 

Letter - Page 2

"I was sure dissapointed(sic) about not getting to see Newman.  If you can come up after you get out of the hospital try to bring Newman too.  Will you?  We'd love to have you all.

We stopped at Aunt Edna's that night.  And headed north the next day.  Taking our cousin Joyce with us.  She's Reva's girl.  We stopped at a zoo out of Salem aways.  There was some new little fawns there.  We had stopped there on the way down too and tried to get them to come close enough to take some pictures.  But all in vain.  But this time they came right up to the fence and posed pretty as you please just because I was all out of film I think.

We went to Aunt Florence's and got there just in time for a big picnic dinner.  There were 6 people and 2 little girls about Barbara's size and they had 5 fried chickens.  I guess they must have been..."

Letter - Page 3

"... expecting company from some direction.

We stayed there all night and got home about 10:00 the next night.  Daddy just got the garage doors open when the neighbor lady came running out to tell us Ray Fleming (our friend in the navy) was home & had been up a half a dozen times to see if we'd got home.  He left word with her to call his house as soon as we arrived.  Mom went in and called and got no answer so we drove down to his girl friends house and caught him just as he was getting ready to leave.  He had to be in Portland for revielle(sic) at 6 the next morning.  He came up to the house for a few minutes but he didn't dare stay long.  He got last weekend off and came come again.  He's been assigned to a ship and I guess he's going out to sea practically any way now.  He's first loader on a..." 

Letter - Page 4



"...gun crew on a merchant ship.  From what he said I guess he'll be at sea anywhere from 3 to 6 months.  He left one of his hats here.  I got a letter yesterday from him and he said sailors believe if you leave something you'll always come back.

Mothers been pretty buzy(sic) canning and getting things back to normal.  I wonder why it is when people take a vacation there always seems to be a lot of work stacked when they get back.  She's had a good little helper in Joyce.

Well I guess I'll have to close now.  Say hello to every body for me and tell Barbara I blew her a kiss.  I'd like to hear from you and Margaret if it isn't too much trouble.

Sincerly (sic)

Marie"