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!