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 Say Happy 92nd Birthday to Lottie Weekes Meredith!

Oct. 1, 1978 - Sunday
"Mom's birthday (Meredith) - 1886
Mom 92!  We got there about 1 P.M. & put candles & 'Happy Birthday' sign on the small Lemon Coconut loaf cake.  We 4 sang the song & I cut the cake & we had ice cream with it.  She rec'd 9 cards.  Ken & Nellie gave her (on Thurs) small chain & imitation diamond in silver setting.  We played some Silly Solitaire.  Left about 3:30."

By 1978 the Kelloggs were well into their retirement years in Clearwater FL.  Ruth's mother, Lottie, and her son, Jimmie, were living together in nearby Largo FL.  Jimmie, a schizophrenic since his teen years, was 67.   Ruth and John were 72 and 79, still fairly healthy, able to see friends, play cards, enjoy tennis, take vacations in the US and other countries.

John loved to take walks. One of his favorite walks was to the library once a week, taking a book bag.  He would return books and pick up another 6 or so.  At one point his goal was to read all of the books in the Clearwater

Library, in alphabetical order.  When he ran into the new-to-him "Avon Romances", he decided that he could skip any books that didn't appeal to him - like those.

In the picture are Ruth and John with Dan after playing tennis. (I was the photographer,)  Ruth's diary entry and the picture aren't in Pieces of a Life, my book.

Two Thanksgivings - 1925 (diary) and 1957 (photo)

The 1957 photo, taken in the dining room at 1210 N. Euclid, Oak Park,  misses most of 2 people on the right - Jimmie (46) and Lottie Meredith (71), Ruth's brother and mother.  The others are:  (left side, going around table)  Diane Kellogg - 21 , Ken Kellogg - 26, John Kellogg - 58, Esther Wood - 79 (John's mother), Ruth Kellogg  - 51 (turned toward camera)

Thursday, Nov. 26, 1925 - Thanksgiving Day
    "Got up at 5:20.  Evangeline got here at 6:00.  We went for Mrs. Diehl shortly afterward and got at the Oak Park church at about 6:25. Out at 8:30.  
     All but I went to the Chicago this afternoon.  Papa had never seen the inside before.  Irene came out and helped me with my dress.  She had dinner with us at 5:00.  
     At 8:00 Willard rang the bell and came in.  He had come about the ticket, but asked me to go for a ride for 1/2 hour.  I did.  We had a fine ride in the country.  We sat in car in front for a long while.  Irene stayed all night."

The Kelloggs had lived in Oak Park for 16 years when the photo was taken.  Esther Wood lived in Ann Arbor where she and her husband, G.A. Wood, had operated a boarding house for male college students at the University of Michigan.  By 1957 she had retired.  Ken had married in 1956, but his wife, Beth, took the picture, so is not shown.

In Ruth's diary, she speaks of getting up early, which must have been for the Sunrise Service.  A friend, Evangeline, and Ruth picked up a neighbor, Mrs. Diehl and drove to First Baptist Church in Oak Park. Lottie may have prepared some of the dinner that morning or perhaps was reluctant to go to church be-
cause she was increasingly hard of hearing.  The "Chicago" is the Chicago Theatre downtown.

The ticket Willard mentioned was for the prom.  Ruth invited Willard, whom she seemed to have a crush on through the end of high school.  Willard and Ruth sat in the car one time too many.  In early December Ruth's parents, Lottie and Jim, both reproached Ruth for sitting in the car with him, telling her she could not do that for more than 30 minutes.  They may have been concerned about what the neighbors would think too.


   

Ruth Celebrates Turning 73 in Clearwater FL

The picture (1978) shows us about to leave Clearwater FL after a visit with Grandpa (John) and Grandma (Ruth) Kellogg.  Dan, Lynn, Cindy, Kate are shown with Diane as the photographer. This isn't in Pieces of a Life, nor are Ruth's diary entries.

Thursday, July 5, 1979  - "A year older - 73.  Busy!  Hair done while Mom baked chicken thys while Jim & I shopped.  We got Pepperidge Farm pineapple cake and Mom put 5 candles on it.  Later John phoned to get flowers - none at our store!  I did and hurried home for the Kelloggs - 3 of whom came.  

Philip phoned to say 'Happy Birthday' and how old are you?  He had to work from 4:30 to 1:30 A.M.!

Ken brought cake they ordered & got as requested by John.  Gave me a silver bracelet.  All went well.  Took pictures."

My mother meant "thighs" rather than "thys" in the second line of her diary entry.  She was a good speller most of her life, but later on dementia gradually impaired her language skills.  Evidentally they ate with Lottie Meredith, Ruth's mother, and Jimmie, her brother, at lunch in their small home in Largo FL to celebrate Ruth's 73rd - and then dinner with son Ken Kellogg, wife Nellie and younger son Roger (15) to light the candles again.  Ruth and John lived on the 7th floor of Horizon House in Clearwater FL for many years after leaving Illinois.

I looked for the pictures Ruth mentions, but haven't found any.  I'm not sure if copies were sent to me.

A Big Family Birthday Party for Ruth's Granddaughter Cindy - 1968

The photo shows Cynthia Jo Pellettiere with her mom, Diane, in  Cindy's bedroom in their first house in Mt. Prospect IL. Cindy (probably 18 months) is wearing a green jumper made by Grandma Ruth Kellogg.

Floridians Ruth and John were visiting us to enjoy and help with Cindy's first birthday party (July 13). Ruth's diary entry is not in Pieces of a Life, nor is the picture.

Sunday, July 14, 1968
"A hot day.  I fixed deviled eggs while Diane arranged the buffet table this A.M.  Lynn wouldn't nap so had to be amused somewhat while Cindy slept.  I phoned Mom & arranged to get them at 3 P.M.  

It was bedlam here after Vi's Schnauzer dog arrived on the scene.  Then, even though they put the dog downstairs behind gate, Lynn hung on Dan & Diane, so it was very hard for them to handle food end of the party.  The crying was bad & D & D very nervous.  We couldn't do anything to relieve them.  All the P. family was here and we had 4 tables in yard.  I took (finished) one roll of movies with some help from Marie & John's daughter, Debbie.  Vi & I did up dishes before they had to leave for another party about 8."

My recollection is a little different.  I was walking in and out of the kitchen with food, drinks often - and on one trip, saw that Cindy was crawling on the grass under the tables, chasing the dog, Hughie.  Before I could get to her, Hughie had finally had enough - turned around and snapped at Cindy - but did not bite.  Everyone saw it and that's when Hughie was "jailed" behind the gate.

The "Mom" that Ruth refers to is her mother, Lottie Meredith, age 81.  Ruth picked up brother Jim (age 57) and her mother, who had moved to Mt. Prospect, living there briefly before moving on to Florida near the Kelloggs. Lynn was 2 years and 2 months old.  The house didn't have air conditioning, so was very uncomfortable in that hot summer.  We did have it put in later that year.