"Out of a Job, Wife Gone, He Ends His Life..."

Ruth Kellogg and Kenny in Ann Arbor MI in 1934...

One day when I was leafing through my mother's 1935 diary, a yellowed newspaper clipping fell out.  It was tucked between the Nov. 18 and 19 diary entries.

Monday, Nov. 18, 1935  - "Did some cleaning, but am getting a cold and cough and it doesn't give me much pep. Afraid Kenny is also getting a cough.

Charlie Beal called up tonight to say they couldn't come this following Sunday as his brother (on north side) committed suicide last night & they were quite broken up about it for the time being."

The clipping itself tells more about this sad story...
"Out of a Job, Wife Gone, He Ends His Life With Gas"
William R. Beal, 28 years old, 1350 Argyle street, committed suicide by inhaling gas in the kitchen of his home yesterday.  His body was found by his sister-in-law, Mrs. Ruth Holland of Hammond, and by policemen who went to the house to investigate the disappearance of Beal's wife, Marion, 25 years old, which was reported by Beal last Thursday.  A daughter of the couple, Roberta, 3 years old, was left in care of neighbors by Beal Sunday night.  In notes left by Beal he said he was taking his life because he was unable to find employment."

On the following day, Ruth said she was filing the clipping in her diary and added, "It's quite sad."  This was still in the aftermath of the Great Depression, with jobs in short supply.   Ruth was about 3 months pregnant with her second child, which would be me.

President Reagan Shot!

Mon., March 30, 1981
"President Reagan shot plus 3 others.  He has bullet wound into left lung, but is doing well in the hospital.  TV has been all about the shooting by a young man ever since it happened about 3:45 PM."

I think the idea was to calm the public, reassuring them that all was well with the President.  The picture on the right is of John & Ruth 4 years earlier in 1977 in front of their car in Florida.

Tues., March 31, 1981
"I played bridge at Em Frost's - our 4-sum - this afternoon.  No luck, but a few good hands were fun for me.

Pres. Reagan's bullet was removed and is carrying on the office from the hospital room.  The culprit was caught immediately & the other victims are in various degrees of serious hurts."

Every once in a while Ruth's phrasing seems odd - such as the "serious hurts" sentence.  At this point she was 74, gradually moving into dementia.  Her handwriting began to change in 1982, another hint of what was to come.  In the picture, she and John are 70 and 77.

Wed., April 1, 1981
"Both Reagan and Brady (his Press head) are doing very well after the shooting.  The young man Hinkley is in custody.  He has wealthy parents to hire good lawyers.

J & I went to dentist for a check up & I had him (Dr. Faklis) grind down sharp back tooth.  That's all & no charge!  Letter from Marge Homer re: her Mom Bea - not good at all - a shame!"

Older than Ruth, Bea Newton was one of her closest friends when the Kelloggs lived in Oak Park.
These entries are not in Pieces of a Life. 

Newlyweds Are Busy (But One Is "Fussy") in 1929

Pictured: John and Ruth Kellogg honeymoon in Detroit and Ann Arbor (June,1929) after their wedding in Chicago.  Ruth is wearing her flapper-style cloche, coat and dress.

Saturday, Aug. 10, 1929 - "I hated to get up this morning.  Too tired.  I was busy finishing up work in the office this morning.

This afternoon I baked a pineapple upside down cake and ironed some clothes.  After the dishes were all washed, John and I got ready & went to Rose Roberts' home where we met her husband for the first time.  We had supper right away & then all of us did dishes & then played bridge.  Had good time.  They are so nice.  Home 12:00."

In one of Ruth's diaries - perhaps in the 1930s - she mentions that Rose Roberts "is getting a divorce."  Ruth and John were both working on Saturday morning for Montgomery Ward, so a 5 1/2 day work week.

Sunday, Aug. 12, 1929 - "Read paper before I did anything else after getting up.  I was on the run and had John busy too until about an hour before Fullers came at 4:00.  Papa called up this morning and told me to stop fussing so much.

Fullers, especially Mabel, were very appreciative and we all enjoyed ourselves.  The meal was good too.  There wasn't a thing that Mabel hadn't seen, but she was good company while I was preparing meal.  They had all gone by 8:30."    The "fussing" may be something Mama (Lottie) mentioned to Papa and had him pass on to Ruth.  She and Ruth were very close - only 19 years apart in age.  I'd think the fussing was part of adjusting to marriage while working, taking care of the apartment, entertaining friends.  These diary entries were not in Pieces of a Life.

Ruth is Busy with Friends, Family, Clubs in 1964

Ruth is shown feeding Philip Alan Kellogg here in late 1960.  She was helping with his younger brother, baby Roger Winslow Kellogg, at the time of the diary entries in 1964.

Ruth (57) and John (64) had just returned from 7 weeks in Florida when the diary entries were written.  They were still living in Oak Park where Ruth was involved with many First Baptist Church activities and other friends as well.  She was also the guiding hand for her mother and brother, who lived 2 miles away in Chicago - and helped Ken and his family in Westchester.  Diane and Dan Pellettiere were living in NYC.

Monday, Feb. 24, 1964 - "Letter from Diane with Beth Israel Hospital return address.  We phoned her tonight.  She's to be there a week and home a week.  Sounded good.  Went to Mom's for a few hours and forgot to bring my plants home!"    I think I had a bladder or kidney infection when I was at Beth Israel.  Lottie Meredith was 77 by then.

Friday, March 13, 1964 - "Letter from Diane asking if her room is available when they come in for first 2 weeks of July.  Of course we are writing right back that it is and always has been.  She is leaving 'sleeve' question to me - so I'll try to satisfy her with a small sleeve in dress.

Advised Mom to take tranquilizers to calm down.  Flat still not rented as of A.M."  Ruth also mentioned helping with the church circle meeting in the Colonial Dining Room that day.  I had asked Mom to make me a dress a week or two earlier - which is what the sleeve query is about.  Lottie Meredith had a small 2-bedroom flat above their 3-flat on Iowa St.  That caused a lot of stress on Lottie and son Jimmie, but provided some income.  I am surprised about the tranquilizers.  Both Jimmie and Beth were probably taking them.  Lottie's husband, Jim, had died about 20 years earlier.

Friday, May 16, 1964  - "Beth phoned - was depressed - so I drove out and brought Roger back for the nite.  (Philip was napping.)  Roger coming down with a cold.  He settled down by 9:30 for the night."   In skimming through the 1964 diary, I saw many entries about taking one or both of Ken's little boys for a day or two.  Beth was having a rocky time in those years.  Her own mother, Vera Tharp, a dietician, was most likely still working and was not from the Chicago area, so Beth called on Ruth for help.

Ruth Meredith Kellogg Turns 24 in 1930

The photo shows Ruth in 1930 wearing a black fox stole John had given her for her birthday.  They had been married one year in June.  
Saturday, July 5, 1930 - "I'm 24 years old today.  Folks gave me hose -- also rec'd 3 birthday cards.  Made a big bowl of potato salad.  More varnishing & polishing.  Went to show with folks & had ice cream at Walgreen's."

On June 25 Ruth and John had moved from 4705 Byron in Chicago to 5841 W. Superior St.  The "varnishing and polishing" is in their new apartment.  Ruth's parents, Lottie and Jim Meredith, helped too.  They did not live far from Ruth and John.  The unpacking and getting settled went on for several days.

The Great Depression was in full swing, but John and Ruth still had jobs in July.  Ruth bounced from one job to another at Montgomery
Ward as the sales dropped and people were fired.  She must have been well thought of because it would have been easy to fire her when a job she was in was eliminated.

Tuesday, July 8, 1930 - "Very tiring day.  John brought a mirror and end table home without consulting me!  He was late too!  Started to eat without him.  Took hot bath."

John is the kind of guy who wants to get things done right away - very industrious.  To him, it doesn't make a lot of difference which mirror or end table is picked, just that the task is done while Ruth would be concerned with the color, style, etc.  Neither the picture nor the diary entries are in Pieces of a Life, 

June (and May) Wedding Bells

Left:
1965 - Daniel and Josephine Pellettiere

Right: 1929 -John and Ruth Kellogg






"Something borrowed, something blue..."   June used to be the traditional month of weddings.  Perhaps it was because so many married right out of high school or college.  Or maybe it was just because June is a beautiful warm month with trees and flowers bursting into bloom.

I didn't wed in June, but my parents did.  Ruth Meredith and John Kellogg tied the knot at her parents' home on Iowa Street in Chicago on June 1, 1929.  Another June 1 wedding, but in 1947, was that of Vi (Veronica) Pellettiere and Charles Saletta, who had been in World War II.  They were married in Chicago at Our Lady Help Of Christians Church.  Vi and Chuck were married 36 years and Ruth and John 58 years.

Vi was the daughter of Daniel and Josephine Miraglia Pellettiere, shown above on the left at their 50th wedding anniversary in 1965. They are also the parents of my husband, Daniel Jr. and two deceased sons, John and Joseph. To add some perspective, Dan and Josie were married right before World War I on May 30, 1915, which would have made this their 102nd anniversary.  Their wedding was in Chicago too.  Josephine was born here, but Daniel sailed to America from Italy with his mother and 2 brothers in 1899.  What a journey he had in his lifetime!

Just for fun, I counted the number of friends and relatives who have June anniversaries.  Including the Salettas and Kelloggs, there are 17 of them, though several are no longer among us.  Only 3 of them are divorced or separated, so their divorce statistics are much better than average.  Why?  Maybe because most are 60 or older?  There are a few younger ones, such as our daughter and son-in-law, Lynn and Jim Waldman, whose anniversary was a few days ago.

If you have a June anniversary, happy day to you!

Two Dates: Wedding pic from Feb. 1963 and Diary from Jim's Birthday June 1962

This wedding picture was taken on Feb. 1, 1963 in the Kellogg house in Oak Park.  From left to right:  Dan Pellettiere Sr., Josephine Pellettiere,
Dan Pellettiere Jr., Diane Kellogg, Ruth Kellogg, John Kellogg.

The diary entry was 8 months earlier.
Sunday, June 17, 1962 - "I picked Mom up at 8:15 a.m.  We got to Elgin by 9:05.  Nice time to drive - good weather but got warmer and warmer as day progressed.  

Jim surprised to see us so early on his 51st birthday.  He is now getting dissatisfied where he is - says nothing to do but sit and hear others troubles.  We told him to wait for the doctors to say he is ready to leave.

Brought Mom back to Oak Park and 4 of us (Diane) had salad dinner for Father's Day before Dan P. came for her to play tennis at O.P. High courts.  Mom & I attempted to dye a light green dress of Diane's a royal blue.  It is spotted!  Now what to do!

Diane has borrowed Packard until tomorrow night to go to Nancy & Bernie's & to Evanston to have 5:30 dinner at Fanny's. She took Mom home on way."

Jim Meredith, Ruth's brother, is back in a mental hospital, Elgin, at this point.  He has been in and out several times and is under psychiatric care when he is at home as well.  His schizophrenia started in high school.  "Mom" is Lottie Meredith.

The couple we went out with are Nancy and Bernie November.  Nancy was a very close friend, starting at AOII in my University of Illinois days.  I didn't have a car and was living at 1448 Astor St., Chicago.  The graystone that housed my apartment was torn down years ago.

My bridal dress is pale blue satin with a matching lace jacket.  The diary entry is not in Pieces of a Life, but the picture is.

Ruth and John's Adventure in Brazil, 1980

The picture was taken in FL a year before Ruth (73) and John (80) flew to Rio De Janeiro from Miami.  They arrived on May 24.  After some touring in the area to Sugar Loaf Mountain, the Copacabana area and the Botanical Gardens, the picture changed dramatically.

Mon., May 26, 1980 - "CATASTROPHE!!!  We walked to the beach walk to see hang gliders & take pictures.  As I got tired, I sat on bench and John went the last block.  Suddenly my shoulder bag was snatched from my arm from behind!  I jumped up and screamed as I saw a barefoot fellow dashing to a VW with my bag!  A native woman came up and told me she saw it.  Then John came about 5 minutes later.  He was very upset as was I.

Saw a police car by hotel and took a policeman inside to learn from English-speaking Porter of our troubles.  Porter wrote on paper and gave to police.  All our money, passports, eye glasses, my driver's license and many other items were gone.  So John phoned tour man to cancel rest of trip and change our plane reservations to Wed. night.  Luckily, he had our tickets!!We gave them to him to confirm flight home on Sunday next!  

The tour man came over in his wife's car and took us way downtown to American Embassy to get new passports - also to a photographer and later to Brazilian Consulate for visas.  Just made it to last one a minute before closing!  Then we taxied to a bus station where tour man told us to take the St. Conrad bus to our hotel as he had to go to airport next.  

We got a scare on the bus.  The girl ticket giver (thru interpreter in seat near us) said we were on the wrong bus!  But before we could decide to get off or not, she found out we were O.K.  She had given out wrong tickets!  So - we got back after dark, but O.K. as the bus ride ends by our hotel area.  What a day!  Glad it's all over and we are all set to leave for home - partly packed.  Played
cards again to relax."

The thief also took Ruth's diary for 1980, so she reconstructed what happened on the brief trip.  They
never forgot that adventure!

Ruth and John Kellogg Visit the Pellettieres in Palatine - 1973

1973 - Katie (3), Lynn (7) and Cindy (6) Pellettiere sitting in the family room at the house in Palatine.  Grandma and Grandpa Kellogg flew in from Clearwater FL on May 19.

Friday, May 25, 1973  - "Today was not quite so hectic but still - it had its moments.  I went with Diane to her beauty shop to have haircuts for all 3 girls this afternoon.  It took an hour longer than it should have due to the operator having a long, unscheduled customer.

It was fortunate that I was there to help.  Lynn & I went out for candy and gum, which also helped.  Katie got the "prize" haircut - cute as a button - short & shaped to the natural curl she has.  

The two older girls were an hour late to a naborhood birthday party.  This bothered Diane enormously, knowing how much such things are planned by mothers.  Also we were late in getting the spareribs into oven for supper, but we ate a little later, which was O.K.  I shortened a new long daytime skirt for Diane.  Dan phoned his flight time for early A.M. arrival tomorrow - John to go for him at 5:30 A.M. from here."

Ruth and John were 67 and 74 at that time and still functioning well, though the pace in Palatine was much faster than in FL.. With Dan in to Las Vegas twice, it was helpful to have them visit.  Dan and I both went to Las Vegas on May 28th for the pro-am golf tournament he was in charge of,

As much as everyone else liked the haircut, Kate did not.  Looking back, she probably wanted her hair to be longer like Lynn's and Cindy's.  This diary entry is not in Pieces of a Life.

Ruth Visits Diane and Dan in New York City, 1964

   Mom (Ruth Kellogg) and I are pictured on the roof of Rockefeller Center, looking north over Central Park.  On the left is the Hudson River.

   The Kellogg's next-door neighbor, Angela Lupi, tried to persuade 3 women to drive from Chicago to NYC in August, 1964 in her new Pontiac.  Ruth was the only one who could go.  It was a last-minute trip that turned out pretty well.

   Dan Pellettiere and I wed in Feb., 1963, moved to Philadelphia and on to NYC (Riverdale) for about 15 months.  We loved living in NYC.

Dan was in the Time-Life Building at 50th & 6th, working for N.W. Ayer, a giant in advertising history.  I worked on Maiden Lane near Wall St. for U.S.Life as the one and only writer in EDP (Electronic Data Processing).  This was a forerunner of the I.T. departments and companies that are so widespread today.  We loved living in New York.

Monday, Aug. 10, 1964 - "Angela Lupi & I left Oak Park in her new Pontiac for New York at 7:30 A.M.  I drove 200 of the 500 miles today.  Stopped for nite at New Stanton, Pa. - new 'Quality Court' motel - $14.00 nite - 2 others filled up - 7:30 PM.!"

Tuesday, Aug. 11, 1964 - "Started out 8 A.M.  Angela drove thru the winding Penn. turnpike and 7 tunnels!  I drove 100 miles.  At Holland Tunnel about 5:10 P.M. - very busy time of day in city traffic.  Found Belmont Plaza Hotel at 6 (7 N.Y. time)." 

Wednesday, Aug. 12, 1964 - "Breakfast at Waldorf-Astoria.  Bloomingdale's Dept. Store in A.M.  We walked to Time-Life Bldg. and I went to Dan's office to meet him and then to pick up Diane at U.S. Life bldg. in Lower Manhattan.  To their apartment."

Thursday, Aug. 13, 1964 - "Our day at World's Fair.  Some interesting - some not.  There about 9 hours!  Ate Indian curry dinner.  Our last exhibit was best - Illinois!  Had to phone Dan and cancel dinner plans for tonite.  Back by 10:45 P.M."

Friday, Aug. 14, 1964 - "Shopped in A.M. with Angela.  Met Diane at Rockefeller Plaza and treated to late lunch in their French restaurant.  More looking in shops and back to hotel for 45 minutes to rest until Dan came to take us to dinner."

Saturday, Aug. 15, 1964 - "Decided to start for home Sunday early after finding D & D had no
unbreakable plans for Sunday.  They took me to Rockefeller Center touring (TV studios & roof).  I treated to lunch at Schrafft's.  Am catching cold!"

Hmmm...Maybe Ruth meant that we had plans for Sunday rather than "no unbreakable plans"...Next time Ruth visited was in May, 1966 when Lynn Meredith was born.

Scenes from Ruth Kellogg's Life in 1937

The picture shows Diane with her one-year birthday cake on the back porch upstairs, next to the Kellogg's flat.  Grandma Meredith is holding the walker.

Ruth used a 5-year diary (1936-1940), with just 4 lines per day.  She did write regularly in 1936, but most of the rest of the diary is blank.  I suppose that having a second child to care for was quite an adjustment.

Monday, May 17, 1937 -  "Baby Diane now 1 year old - 4 teeth - trying to walk.  Had folks up for birthday cake I baked.  Baby rec'd 3 dresses, 1 swimsuits."

Thursday, May 20, 1937 - "Went to Bridal Shower on Evangeline at her Aunt Jaunita's house.  About 30 present.  Beautiful gifts.  Fun.  Home at 9:45."

Wednesday, June 30, 1937 - "BABY DIANE took her first independent steps.  About 3 to start, then several times she took from 3 to 8."

Saturday, July 3, 1937 - "Clyde phoned news of baby girl to Florence this AM.  Folks drove to Michigan."

Tuesday, July 5, 1937 - "Guess I'll stop recording my age!  Irene dropped in for few minutes.  Folks got back from Mich. about 3.  Left baby with Mama & Jim went with us to the Manor show."

Evangeline was one of Ruth's close friends, another member of the monthly Sewing Club that would come about in a few years.  Florence Childers Ballentine was one of Ruth's good friends from her working days at Wards.  She and Clyde were married on 12/31/30.  Her daughter, Bonnie Kay, was a friend of mine in our early years.

My grandparents were probably visiting relatives in the southwest corner of Michigan where Jim Meredith grew up.  Ruth's age was only a young 31 when she protested about recording it any more.  Little did she know that she had many decades ahead.  Irene Hertel was a little older than Ruth, but a long time friend of both she and her mother, Lottie.
 

Ruth Meredith Cares for Sick Family as a Senior at Austin High

This was 1926, Ruth's graduation time.  In the picture Ruth (left) is shown with a dear friend, Irene Hertel, who was bit older and also close to Ruth's mother, Lottie.  Irene's mother had died.

Ruth (19) had a cold early in February.  When it was ending, Jimmie (14) came down with the "Grip" (also known as LaGrippe) on Feb. 12 and their mother, Lottie, was laid low with it on Feb. 16.

Tuesday, Feb. 16, 1926 - "Mamma sick, got the same thing as Jimmie, Grip.  I had to stay home.  (Mamma wasn't sorry she let me) and be nurse, housekeeper & cook & shopper for two patients.  Papa called up at noon.   I'm tired now."

Wednesday, Feb. 17, 1926 - "Called Doctor.  He came at 10:35.  I'll probably have to stay home all week.  I've been busy between Jimmie & Mamma all day.  Had to shop this afternoon.  I'm getting to be some cook.  Wanda didn't call."

Thursday, Feb. 18, 1926 -  "I'm all tired out.  So's Papa.  We did the family washing tonight.  Doctor came again.  Jimmie got up for supper.  Haven't heard from Wanda.  It's no cinch caring for two sick people, cooking, washing dishes & clothes, shopping, etc.  After this I want some excitement and thrills!  Washed hair."

Friday, Feb. 19, 1926 - "Cleaned house while taking care of my two patients.  Had to go to the store this afternoon.  Went to choir practice.  Had coffee & sandwiches after.  Kough brought me home in Ford Sedan.  Patients better."

Ruth was anxious for her close friend, Wanda, to call because she was supposed to have a date.  As it turned out, Wanda's father would not allow her to go.

 In those days, the doctor did come to the house to see sick patients, as you can see from the story.  As late as the 1950s I recall a doctor paying a housecall when I attending Oak Park High and had a strep throat.

 "Kough" is one of the boys at church.  Ruth liked others better, but would sometimes take a ride from Kough.  She has yet to meet the man she would marry.

A small part of this and the picture are in Pieces of a Life.

Ruth & John Home from L.A. Vacation, August, 1977

Ruth and John Kellogg were 71 and nearly 78 when this picture was taken in Clearwater FL in 1977.  They were enjoying friends at Horizon House as well as son Ken and his family: Nellie, Phil and Roger.  Ruth also kept an eye on her mother, Lottie Meredith (90) and her brother, Jimmie (66), who also lived nearby.

Sat., August 6, 1977 - "We're HOME again.  A brief summary of the 2 weeks are on notebook paper herewith enclosed.  We had no trouble making connections with the 2 AIRLINES, but National was an hour late getting us to Tampa.  Again - we had much good food on planes plus a Jackie Gleason - Burt Reynolds movie.  We found 67 degree weather on our walk from United to National Buildings in Los Angeles Airport, but felt good.  Didn't like seats so when they let off a lot of passengers in New Orleans we got 2 good seats for the hour trip from there here.  

Had to take old Airport Limo as J. told Whitley Limo to meet us on the 5th, as was on our schedule by Oceanic Agency!  Their mistake.  We discovered it in Los Angeles Airport boarding ticket - stamped Aug. 6th!  Big lot of straightening, washing clothes, looking at mail.  Dan's brother, Joe, died Aug. 1st!"

As I perused this diary, which has both 1976 and 1977 in it, many little errors popped up in 1977 - such as repeating information within the same entry or in two different entries.  Maybe this is early evidence of the dementia that gradually appeared.  Should the Kelloggs have realized from other paperwork that the trip ended on Aug. 6, not Aug. 5?  We'll never know...

Dan's older brother, Joe, died suddenly at the age of 55.  We and the 3 girls, Lynn, Cindy and Kate, went to The Field Museum that day, Aug. 1, to the King Tut exhibit.  Dan had a strange sensation while were were eating a little later and soon afterward we learned that Joe had died.  This diary entry was not in Pieces of a Life, nor was the picture.

Around Valentine's Day, 1928, With An Engaged Ruth Meredith

In her 1928 diary, Ruth mentions that she and John Kellogg were engaged on Oct. 19, 1927, which is earlier than I had thought.  The picture shows Ruth in 1928 in a cloche and
fur-collared winter coat with a beaded purse.  She was in Chicago, but I don't know where.

February 12, 1928, Sun. - "Church with John.  We took snapshots this afternoon.  Took long drive.  After supper we strung beads.  Bed 10:30.  'Lincoln's Birthday' ."

February 13, 1928, Mon. - "Monotonous day!  Raining!  Bright spot - John came to supper and we poked fun at each other.  Didn't do anything worthwhile tonite.  Looked over old valentines."

February 14, 1928, Tues. - "More rain!  Got valentine from Wanda.  John is buying mine tomorrow.  Just answered Esther's letter.  Pay day!"

February 15, 1928, Wed. - John bought 1 1/2 lb. box of chocolates with a bit of verse, entitled 'A Dumb Man's Wail'.  Good.  We saw 'The Loves of Carmen' in the movies tonight.  Also good."

February 16, 1928, Thurs. - "Got my new swivel desk chair this morning.  Tonite I washed my hair.  Florence & Clyde were at same show last night.  Now to read.  I must write Wanda soon."

February 17, 1928, Fri. - "Snow!  John over to eat.  Teased me about something he has in hiding place till 19th, which is our 4th month of engagement."

February 18, 1928, Sat. - "Papa drove me around and I did Mam's shopping.  She has stiff neck. Mama stayed home & the rest of us went to the show in Papa's car."

February 19, 1928, Sun. - "John gave cast aluminum percolator for 'hope chest'.  John & I went to Oak Park church with Papa.  Took snow pictures & then took long walk together."

Ruth doesn't mention that she is working now at Ward's.  The little clues are "pay day" and the swivel office chair.  Florence worked there too and Clyde was her steady beau, who married her in 1930.  I'm not sure who Esther is - maybe a work friend.

I'm guessing that Ruth and John went to a Methodist church on the 12th, which was his faith, and then to Oak Park's First Baptist on the 19th.  Ruth was raised a Baptist, as was her father, Jim Meredith, who was from Berrien County MI.  Ruth and John finally chose to go to Austin Baptist Church when they married in 1929.  It was the one Ruth's parents had been attending since at least 1922.  Ruth and John switched to the First Baptist in Oak Park when they moved there in 1941.  By then they had 2 children: Kenneth and Diane.

Ruth Kellogg Is Happy and Busy at 64 in Florida - 1971

If you think this doesn't look like Clearwater FL, you're right.  The picture of Pellettiere grandchildren Lynn, Cindy and little Katie was taken on a windy day in Palatine IL in the same year - 1971.  Our house behind them on Skylark Drive was brand-new, as you can see from the lack of bushes, flowers, trees.

I loved reading this page of my mother's diary because she sounded so happy.  This diary entry is not in Pieces of a Life.

Sat., February 27, 1971 - "As I write this (Sun. 1:15 P.M.), it us a beautiful, sunny 80 degree day.  Boats are out in the Intracoastal waterway, which our apartment faces.  A girl is sunning on the lawn below us.  Also workmen are placing new seawalls on the west side of our parking lot.

Now for Saturday!   I wore my orange pant suit to Jennings tonite - surprised them, I guess.  Claire served bread-cheese souffle & cake with ice cream layer.  We played bridge and Merle won.  Nice time all told.

In afternoon I was unusually busy at the gift shop from 2 to 5.  A lady patient spent $15.42 on several items - two of which I gift wrapped.  She wrote a check."

Until I read this entry, I didn't recall that Mom worked in the hospital's gift shop.  I would guess it was the Morton Plant Hospital, which is the only one I heard about in their years in Florida.  The Jennings were long-time friends of Ruth and John's in Oak Park at the First Baptist Church.  Several couples moved to that area and others vacationed there for a few months in the winter.  Ruth and John joined the Methodist Church when they moved to Florida because it seemed more like First Baptist.
John had started out as a Methodist from boyhood until he married Ruth in 1929.

Ruth's Diary and Diane's - Hello to Kate, April 22, 1960

The photo is 4 months after the diary entries on April 22.  Diane (33) holding a smiley K - Katherine.  Two perspectives on Kate's day of birth follow. From my viewpoint now, it seems almost like a dream...

The 4 of us - Dan, Diane, Lynn (3) and Cindy (2) Pellettiere - had lived in Mt. Prospect IL in our first house since moving back from New York City in 1966.  Grandma Ruth Kellogg (62) flew up from Clearwater FL to lend a hand

Ruth's Dairy - April 22, 1970
"RED LETTER DAY!  Diane gave birth to 3rd girl.  Name is Katherine Diane - 6# 9 oz.  Dan took Diane to hospital at 8 and the baby was all day on the way until 5:18 P.M.  At 8:30 tonite Diane phoned here & we talked 20 mins.  Dan out to friends' celebrating.  I phoned Ken and Mom. Dan phoned John.  Both baby and Diane in fine shape.

I kept busy all day with Lynn & Cindy and food preparation, dishes, wash, changing clothes, shoes, boots (after a spring downpour).  Tired now.  Dan put girls to bed but I had them bathed and ready before he got here.  Girls & I made batch of peanut butter cookies and I froze some."

Diane's Diary - April 22, 1970 
"I awoke at 3 AM with labor pains - irregular and mild.  By 5 they began to settle down to every 10 min.  At 6 called Dr. Levan.  At 8:15 Dan drove me to the hospital.  Contractions were irregular until 10 AM.  Went into hard labor in afternoon, but didn't dilate to 5 cc until 3 or 3:30, so I was on a muscle relaxant and in great pain.  Then I got a shot, which helped lots. 

 At 4:15 or 4:30 the nurse checked me & found me fully dilated.  She flew me into the delivery room & called the Dr.  Baby was born as soon as I started pushing down - 5:18 - beautiful ruddy, brown-haired pudgy little thing - Katherine Diane - 18 3/4" long and 6 lbs. 9 1/2 oz.  Dan went home at 6 PM.  Called home & talked to Mom.  Dan at Farrell's.   

Lutheran General (Hosp.) O.B. very crowded.  A record 292 babies delivered last month.  May come close this month."