Valentine's Day Commemoration

Happy Valentine's Day

Let's use the holiday to look at a relationship that lasted over 77 years.

That of my grandparents Jim and Margaret Upton Waning.

James Waning 1930



Margaret Upton 1933





                      

I have decided to use Valentine's Day to commemorate the 77 year relationship my grandparents, Margaret Upton Waning and James Waning, shared together.

Margaret Upton's autograph in James Waning's album

They met in 1931 at at Pleasant Hill High School.  While my grandfather graduated in 1930, for two further years, he continued to takes classes in the hopes that he might be able to go to a state university. In the midst of The Great Depression, this was not to be.



James Waning's autograph in Margaret Upton's Album

Yes, he wrote in it upside down!

Here it is right-side up.

Margaret Upton's Album - a 1933 autograph

By 1933, as this autograph hints, the couple were dating.

1936 - The Wedding Announcement

They married on Margaret's 21st birthday in her parents' home.

James and Margaret Waning -1936

This is the photo they had taken to celebrate the marriage. 

It was a very small wedding.  The bride, the groom, the best man and his girlfriend, and the bride's family.  My grandfather's parents did not attend.  My great-grandmother maintained that she would cry without ceasing if she were there!  And yes, newlyweds moved in with my grandfather's parents after their short honeymoon.  

The Waning Family - Portland, OR 1943

Jim worked for his father-in-law as a logger until an accident in 1942.  He attended trade school and in 1943 the Wanings moved to Portland where my grandfather worked for Iron Fireman.

Jim and Margaret - 1945

By 1944 the family returned to Lane County, OR and Jim to logging.

Waning Family -1947

The family was completed in 1947 with the birth of their third daughter.

Reno 1954

Family trips included Reno, NV and Yellowstone National Park.  My grandparents had the amazing faculty of being able to recreate their many road trips using the road names.  (i.e. 'We started in Junction City on 99N and then took 84E to the Dalles.")  The trips were leisurely as my grandfather was constitutionally incapable of passing a viewpoint or historic market without stopping. 

Jim and Margaret about 1957

25th Wedding Anniversary

25th Wedding Anniversary - 1961

By their 25th wedding anniversary Jim and Margaret were grandparents.  Yep, that's me in the frilly dress.  My Mom is in black as is my grandmother's mother, Elsie Greenwell Upton.       

1962

Gramps continued logging which made for lots of early morning!

Jim and Margaret - 1966

Easter, 4th of July, Thanksgiving, Christmas - all holidays were celebrated at my grandparents' home

Christmas - 1976
Within a span of ten years the family had grown to include nine grandchildren. (I'm in the back). 

Margaret and Jim and their camper "Me Too" -1980

Jim and Margaret camped frequently after the purchase of their little camper.    

1986 - 50th Wedding Anniversary

No one enjoyed a celebration more than my grandmother.   

Jim and Margaret and Friendly Islanders 1988

She also loved her U of Oregon Ducks and travelling.  This trip to Hawaii combined travel with sporting events.  Win-win! 

Margaret and Jim 60th Anniversary - 1996

Corsages, a new dress, what's not to like about a celebration?

Margaret's 90th birthday - 2005

And not just wedding anniversaries, milestone birthdays were also worthy of monster celebrations!

Waning Family - 2005

When Grams wanted family she got it.

Margaret and Jim - 70th Anniversary - 2006

Amazingly they celebrated 70 years of married life together.

The Newpaper Announcement

As an only child, I think my grandfather was continually amazed that he'd become the patriarch to three children, ten grandchildren, and twelve great grandchildren.  My grandmother on the other hand, relished her role as matriarch of a large clan.

Jim and Margaret - 2007

This is the last formal picture of my grandparents - taken for their church directory.  My grandmother suffered a stroke in July and passed away in September 2007.  My grandfather followed her in early January of 2009. 

I still miss them both very much.

Janet (Nettie) McAdam Waning 1875-1976

Elsie Greenwell Upton 1887-1964

Elsie Upton was born the 1st of February 1887 in Damascus, Clackamas County, Oregon. 

Elsie Greenwell and Fannie Greenwell 

About 1904

I thought that since Valentine's Day was just around the corner, it would be fitting to pay homage to the young, single Elsie Greenwell.  It the above photo she is about 17 years old.

A Page From Elsie's Autograph Album

The album contains autographs from friends and family members from 1897-1901.  I like this page, complete with a robust floral sticker.  It is signed by her maternal uncle, William Grim 

Christmas 1981

Merry Christmas!

Jim Waning and the Waning Family Table

Margaret Waning

Gathered 'round the table - right side

The table - left side

Margaret and Jim Waning - and Susie

Cousins 1943 and 1982

Joe Caufield, James Waning, and Waldo Caufield

1943 

Waldo Caufield, Joe Caufield, and James Waning

Spring 1982

A Golden Wedding Anniversary

Mary and Charles Waning  1926

Some times you have a photo of a distant relative, but you don't have any back story with it to "flesh" them out. 

Daily Kennebec Journal

Friday, April 22, 1921

That's when a chatty, small town newspaper article can help to add some meat!

"50 YEARS WEDDED

HE PLAYS BALL

THE OTHER BOYS"

{PHOTO}

Mr. and Mrs. C.H. Waning

"Unity, Maine, April 23 – On their

golden wedding day which was

recently celebrated, Charles H.

Waning, age 71, the groom of the

event, played baseball with his

sons and grandsons while his wife,

Mary, aided in the entertainment of

their 40 guests. A picnic dinner was

served at the Waning home on that

day. Music formed a nice part of the

day’s program and the men folks of

the party indulged in athletic stunts."

"It was 50 years ago that Elijah Pease,

Esq. of Knox united in marriage

Charles H. Waning of Knox and Miss

Mary A. Berry of Stockton. The

Wanings lived in Knox for several years.

From there they moved to Stockton

where they resided for a long time.

Then 31 years ago, they came to Unity

and here they have since made their

home."

"Of the union seven children were born

two of whom died in infancy, one little girl

died at the age of three years, and the

eldest son Fred, passed away at the age of

twenty six.”

Now we know that Charles and Mary Waning were a happily (I hope anyway) long-married couple.  Together, they suffered the loss of several young children.  After fifty years of marriage, Charles was still fit enough (and fun enough) to play a game of baseball with his sons and grandsons. 

Thanksgiving 1970

Jennifer & Kristi

Thanksgiving 1970

Thanksgiving 1966

Wishing Everyone 

A Most Happy Thanksgiving! 

James and Margaret Waning - Thanksgiving 1966

Thanksgiving 1959

Barbara & Beth

Thanksgiving 1959

Esther Greenwell Smith 1914-2012

Dortha and Esther Greenwell

Dortha Greenwell, Margaret Upton, and Esther Greenwell

"SMITH, Dr. Esther M. G. scholar, professor and author, died at the age of 97 on Sept. 29, 2012 in Tampa. Born on Oct. 22, 1914 in Portland, OR, Esther studied at Linfield College in McMinnville, OR and attended Andover Newton Theological School in Andover, MA. Dr. Smith received her Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Florida. Esther was preceded in death by her husband of 65 years, Dr. Elton E. Smith. She is survived by daughter, Esther R. Shaw; sons, Elton G. Smith and Stephen L. Smith; five grandchildren (Deane McDaniel, Benjamin Smith, Esther Smith, Mark Shaw and Elton Smith); and five great-grandchildren (Rachael McDaniel, Rebecca McDaniel, John McDaniel, Henry Smith, and Silas Smith). Memorial services will be held at the First Baptist Church in Downtown Tampa on Oct. 3rd at 2 pm. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made in Dr. Smith's name to the First Baptist Church, Memorial Endowment Fund."

Published in the Tampa Bay Times on October 2, 2012

Eleanor Seibert, Jane Greenwell, Bess Greenwell, Dortha Wease, Esther and Elton Smith

Dortha Greenwell Wease, Margaret Upton Waning, Esther Greenwell Smith