Amid all the crazy politics today, I had to stop and wonder what the political climate was in the house when the Zielke kids were growing up on the farm. As I put the question to Aunt Grace she said that she didn't really know what "politics" was, because it didn't used to be "dirty." Then again, she recognizes the fact that without all the social media, the parties didn't have the immediate access to divert the attention of the public that they do today.
Undoubtedly, in the early years, the family was definitely aligned with the Democratic party. Republicans were seen as the party of the wealthy, while the Democrats were of the common people, like farmers! While not deeply involved in any political campaigns, Grandma and Grandpa Zielke always voted; they always voted for the Democratic candidate and they always waited for a ride to the polling place!
Franklin D Roosevelt, first elected in 1932, is the first president that Aunt Grace has clear memories of. She remembers the whole family going to attend a Democratic Rally at the Masonic Temple that was put on by other Democratic Candidates. With Roosevelt's defeat of Herbert Hoover, he became the president of the people. With the end of the Depression and his New Deal policy, Roosevelt took full advantage of new technology of the day, holding 30 Fireside Chats through the course of his presidency to enter the homes of the American people; confirming to the nation Happy Days were here again!
Aunt Grace has clear memories of the family sitting around the radio listening to President Roosevelt as he offered ideas and hope to bring America out of the Great Depression. He left them with feelings of hope as he talked about making the country better through plans like building the infrastructure and establishing national parks.
She remembers FDR as a man who was wealthy, but not snooty. Born in 1882, he was stricken with polio in 1921 and his legs were permanently paralyzed. His mother, Sarah Delano spoke publicly about Franklin's polio, earning a degree of sympathy for him, but there was always conflict between Sarah and Franklin's wife, Eleanor.
The family remained loyal to the Democratic party through the Roosevelt and Truman years, but some began to switch to the Republican party during the 1952 and 1956 elections when World War II hero and 5-star General Dwight D Eisenhower beat the democratic candidate from Illinois, Adlai Stevenson II in back-to-back elections.
Dedication to the Democratic party took another blow with the nomination of the first Catholic nominee, John F Kennedy. In addition to the blow of a Catholic nominee, he was a womanizer, known to have had an affair with movie star and sex symbol Marilyn Monroe! This was really hard for Ray to swallow and Grace recalls being disgusted that JFK left his wife Jackie sitting alone during the inaugural festivities.
With 2020 being the 100th anniversary of the 19th Amendment, I wondered if Aunt Grace grew up with a feeling of how important the Women's Suffrage movement had been. While she knew her parents always voted and that someone from the campaign came to the farm to pick them up, she doesn't recall it being a major point of discussion or that election results had any particular impact on farm life.
She DOES recall the first time she got to vote in November, 1948! Voting age was 21 back then, so her first presidential election wasn't until she was 23. She was THRILLED to vote for the first time where there were no lines to get into the little Town Hall on Routes 47 & 52.
Aunt Grace did more to exercise her patriotism as she worked as an election judge for many years after her retirement. Some of her routine responsibilities as an election judge were training sessions, schedules, tallying votes and accounting for all the ballots. She had to verify that the number of ballots in hand matched the count of people who had voted and then before the end of the evening, ballots needed to be delivered to the county seat in Woodstock, IL. She recalls that one night, it had been snowing all day and the roads were terrible! They requested special permission to deliver them the following day, but were declined because all ballots needed to be turned in that day!
Election days were long! Grace needed to report to work by 5:00 am to have everything ready for the polls to open at 6:00. Polls closed at 7:00 pm, but her day would typically go on until at least 11:00 pm to get all the counts in. One would think someone would provide the workers with food at some point between 5 am and 11 pm, but, no. If they wanted to have anything to eat through the day, they needed to be sure they brought it themselves!
She also worked early voting for 3-4 years. Early voting wasn't available during the early years of her work as an election judge. Responsibilities were basically the same for early voting as at the end of each day, she needed to verify that the number of ballots matched the number of voters that day. The difference came in the reporting process; results were faxed in daily.
Politics have changed over the years. Election processes have changed. One thing I think many of us would agree has stayed the same however. Our beloved patriarch, Grandpa Zielke, who was a quiet, calm man who didn't really get involved or say too much made one statement about politicians that Aunt Grace remembers to this day. Grandpa's words of wisdom regarding politicians was: "If they're not a crook when they go in, they're a crook when they come out."
After our venture into World War II memories, I really began thinking about what the world our parents (grandparents) grew up in looked like. Of course we've all seen pictures of those years, but it was fun to learn about it all through Aunt Grace's eyes. In the photo above, Aunt Bertha was obviously dressed in the fashion of the "Roaring 20s," when she was around 17 or 18. Compare her dress to those worn by Aunt Grace and Aunt Marge in the early 1940s below.
Grace & Marge for Marge's Confirmation circa 1941
Dresses were normal attire at all times for the Zielke girls growing up. Even barn chores were done in dresses, although the older ones were worn for barn chores and their newer dresses or skirts were saved for school and church. Just imagine climbing up into the silo to throw down stinky silage while wearing a DRESS!!! Dress length was closely monitored until the late 1960s when mini-skirts were the norm. Aunt Grace remembered that she and Marge shared all their clothes in high school to double the number of outfits each had to wear. They each had 4-5 skirts with blouses and sweaters to match.
Grace, Mary Ellen & Dorothy Hill at Lake Geneva (Dorothy was Mary Ellen's younger sister & Grace's birthday twin)
Grace's outfit in the photo above (pinkish bib overalls worn with a blouse underneath) was her first pair of pants. She got this outfit when she was about 16!
Saddle shoes were also already popular, although no one is wearing a pair for their Lake Geneva outing. Grace said that she and Marge would save their babysitting money to buy their own shoes for about $7.99 for a good pair. They could be purchased cheaper at Kresge's (an old 5 and Dime precursor to KMart).
Random people in 40s fashion.
While women today think nothing of waxing their whole bodies to eliminate body hair, you may be surprised to find out that the Zielke girls didn't learn how to shave their legs properly until Dorothy went to college, in the early 50s, and learned from a roommate!!! Initially when Aunt Grace said this, we thought she meant they didn't use shaving cream or soap... nope. She meant they didn't shave at all! What a simpler life that would have been!!!
Pin Curls and Pompadours
These hairstyles weren't easy to come by! George would take Grace into Aurora twice a year to get a perm. Between perms, Grace and Marge cared for their hair by washing with Suave shampoo (that they also purchased with their babysitting money) and a vinegar rinse for shine. Styles were created by pin curls where they would wind their hair into desired curls and hold in place with clips or bobby pins.
Pompadours made a great fashion statement in both men's and women's hairstyles. Male heart throbs of the day: Clark Gable, Cary Grant & Jimmy Stewart set the trend for the "pomp" in men's hairstyles. Admittedly, it was the wave in Ray's pomp that weakened Mary Ellen's knees.
FADS: MUSIC, MOVIES & RADIO
Since the Zielke family didn't have money for frivolities, a record player (or victrola) was not a feature in their home. The Zielke kids were only exposed to music of the day when visiting friends or listening to the juke box in select diners or restaurants. Some hits Aunt Grace does remember though are: Bing Crosby's "White Christmas," "Mairzy Doats" and "I'll be Seeing You" by Dick Haymes (Talk about a heart throb! Check out the wave in his pomp! Bet he made my mom swoon.)
Going to the movies was not a normal pastime for the Zielke kids either. Aunt Grace remembers Grandma taking them to see a Shirley Temple movie at the Parmount Theater in Aurora in about 1935-36 and Ray gave Grace and Marge the money to go see "Gone with the Wind" in the theater. She also remembers that several phrases from the movie became popular in conversation.
They did offer free movie night in downtown Oswego on Wednesday nights in the summer. She remembers the movies all to be westerns, probably starring such greats as Tom Mix or Hopalong Cassidy. Casual dress was the best for free movie nights as they all sat on the grass. When they went to the theater, dressier clothes were in order, movie previews were accompanied by newsreels reporting on the war effort and popcorn was not a treat they indulged in.
The Zielke family did own a radio and all gathered around when President Franklin D Roosevelt gave one of his Fireside Chats. The chats were well publicized so no one would miss them and, as Grandma stayed up to date on current events, she made sure all were able to listen to the broadcasts. Church dinners were another means of interacting with the community.
FANTASIES
Remembering my own teenage dreams, fantasies and celebrity crushes, and those of my children, I wanted to get Aunt Grace's take on her dreams or which celebrities of the day might have held her interest. Her thoughts for a career were simple. Had it not been for the war and had she not become a homemaker and helpmeet for Uncle Austin, she may have pursued her education a bit further and become an English teacher.
As far as teenage crushes go, that was a folly she didn't really have time for or access to. She does remember all the girls swooning over Frank Sinatra and crooner, Bing Crosby. If she had to choose one celebrity to consider teenage fantasy, she would probably choose Don Ameche. She thinks she imagines herself choosing him though, because her Home Ec teacher always talked about him! 😁 As she thought about it, though and remembered going to see "Gone With the Wind," she did have a second thought about one of the male stars she might have had a little bit of a crush on. I won't say who, but she never did understand all the hubub over Ashley!
Clark Gable or Leslie Howard? Rhett or Ashley? Who would YOU choose?
Imagining the life of a Zielke teenager from the 30s and 40s through Aunt Grace's eyes, makes me realize how much I really had and how much life had changed by the 60s. Yet, as I listened to her talk, it was obvious that she didn't really feel deprived. She knew she had a home. She knew she had food to eat. She knew she
was getting a good education. And she and Marge were forever grateful that Grandpa had chosen to buy a farm close to town and that they always had INDOOR PLUMBING! It helps put life into perspective and makes me wonder if our children and grandchildren have the same appreciation for all of the blessings and advantages they have in their lives today. I don't know that I truly appreciated all that I had, but, in retrospect, I do appreciate it all now. Even more than an appreciation for possessions and opportunities, I have a far greater respect and appreciation for our Zielke heritage and the opportunity to learn more about that heritage from the most amazing, loving matriarch a family could ever wish for.
For some reason, whether it's the upcoming election or the situation we've been living with during the Covid-19 pandemic, lately I've been thinking about United States history more than I usually do. So, as I was thinking about what to discuss with Aunt Grace today, I decided I'd like to know more about her life as a teenager during World War II. I asked her about the time leading up to the war, fears/concerns at the time war broke out, women in the workforce, rationing... well, you get the idea...
News wasn't as "available" in the 1940s as it is today. They were aware that there was trouble in Germany, but that was a long way away and didn't seem to have any real impact on day to day life. George's Emily was the most aware and concerned about what was happening there as her father still had family in Germany; in the area that would come to be behind the Iron Curtain. News of the conditions in Hitler's Germany came through radio broadcasts, newspapers or newsreels at the occasional movie. A friend of Grace's who came to America in 1956 told her that her father had gotten out just in time before war broke out and she remembered the fear; the need to make sure shades were all pulled at night because they never knew who or when they might be being watched.
Grace learned of the attack on Pearl Harbor (7 December 1941) as she went out to the barn and ran into Ray, standing in the barn door. He had been listening to the radio while doing his chores and told her about the attack. It came as a shock to everyone. Ray's friend, Ralph Randall was home on leave from the Army at the time and Ray needed to drive him back to camp that evening. It was a snowy evening and Grace wanted to ride along, but she was told she couldn't go. At this point, no one knew what was really going to happen or what wartime America would look like, but Monday morning, life went on like usual. Parents went to work; kids went to school and life went on.
By January, 1942, however, every phase of life began to change in the United States to support the war effort. The country changed manufacturing, rationing began, women went to work and men went to war. Five young men who went to school with Grace, quit school to join the war effort. One never came back home. For months, it was unknown if Ray would be drafted; finally getting his deferral after he and Grandpa Zielke went to the draft board between his wedding and wedding reception on September 11. Austin's brother was serving and Austin's mother, who was on the draft board, thought Austin would go as well. He was on 24-hour call to have to go in all through the Korean War. He went through two physicals; his father sold all the cattle in preparation for Austin being called up and when Austin was finally released from call, he had to go to work for another farmer! Fortunately, none of the Zielke or Staffeldt men were called to serve, but worked in other areas to support the country and the war effort. That luck held true for the next generation of Zielke men as well and none were drafted to go to Korea or Viet Nam!
Chrysler Manufactured Tanks
Through the "War Production Board" in January, 1942, President Roosevelt directed manufacturing plants all over America to begin manufacturing equipment and materials to be used in war or to support the war effort. In 1941, three million automobiles were manufactured in the United States. Through the entire course of the war, only 139 cars rolled off the assembly lines. Automakers instead were used to manufacture guns, trucks, tanks and aircraft engines. Shipyards turned out fleets of aircraft carriers, battleships, destroyers, submarines and other vessels.
WWII Ducks were designed to travel on water from ships to land where they could travel at speeds up to 50 mph.
Many surviving "Ducks" have been repurposed and are used for sightseeing tours in port cities today.
The Lionel (Toy Train) Company produced compasses and other items for warships. Ford Motor Company produced B-24 Liberator bombers and Alcoa Aluminum produced airplanes. Even an upholstery nail manufacturer converted to producing cartridge clips for Springfield rifles.
The purpose of the
War Production Board "was to convert the factories of peacetime industries
into manufacturing plants for weapons and military equipment for the
fight. The second goal was to conserve materials like metal, which soldiers,
sailors and Marines would need for the fight in such things as guns, ordnance,
tanks, ships, aircraft, tactical vehicles and so on. Other items considered
essential for war included petroleum products, rubber, paper and plastic. That
meant strict rationing for civilians, such as limiting vehicle usage and the
purchase of luxury items."
By the end of the war, the US was responsible for half of the allies industrial production due to factories in the UK and the Soviet Union being bombed.
"Rosie the Riveter" was an earned nickname.
World War II opened the door for
the feminist/women's lib movement of the future as women took on essential jobs
for the war effort enabling more men to be available to go to war. While not
all women took on traditional manufacturing roles, they did fill other vital roles
like sewing parachutes and assembling medical equipment. Grace worked for a
time in the War Bond Office in Chicago, across from Union Station. She
remembers that just like delays during our pandemic, there were delays in getting war
bonds in a timely manner and she spent days and weeks, hour after hour, retyping the
same letter to people who had contacted the office wondering where their bonds
were. She had to take the Civil Service exam prior to being hired and she
provided rides to two friends who also worked there. They would drive to Aurora
where they would catch the train to take them into Chicago. Sometimes after
work, they would walk somewhere to get some dinner as they felt safe walking in
Chicago and taking the train home late at night in those days. When her friends
quit, Grace found it necessary to quit as well, because her gas rations were
reduced. Unfortunately, when she quit, she was prohibited from getting another
job anywhere for thirty days.
From the War Bond Office, Grace went to work for International Harvester doing secretarial work. She initially worked in an accounting office, balancing the books and eventually transitioned into billing, to which she was better suited. As other manufacturing plants, International Harvester transitioned to contribute to the war efforts, limiting the production of tractors, making it almost like a lottery to get one!
Conservation and rationing became a way of life to our parents. Grace recalls that gas was rationed with A, B or C stamps and the quantity of gas you were allowed to buy was determined by the type of stamp you could present. With an "A" group, a #7 stamp would allow you to buy 4 gallons of gas. When she provided the rides to her friends to get to work, she was able to get "B" stamps. When they both quit and she would no longer be giving them rides, her gas rations decreased, making her unable to purchase the gas to drive to Aurora each day.
Ration Stamps
Pictures on stamps indicate what
the stamps could be used to purchase. Aunt Grace recalls that sugar and flour
rations were the most challenging for the family. As they lived on a farm, they
were able to raise/preserve most of their own food, but they used a lot of
flour and sugar. One good part of those days was that people worked together
and shared their ration stamps. What one might be short on, another may have an
excess.
Sample pages from Ration Book Note "If you don't need it, DON'T BUY IT!"
You needed to register to receive your ration stamps. Other items that were rationed were cars, tires, gas, fuel oil, coal, firewood, nylon, silk, shoes, meat, dairy, dried fruit, jam/jelly, lard, shortening and oil. For all other items, if you could find them and you had the money, you could buy them. Spam made its debut in the war days, although Grace said that they never had it. (Ray and Mary Ellen had it!) Rather, Grace remembers that Grandma always had canned salmon on hand and a typical Sunday meal was canned salmon with bread and canned peaches or cherries for dessert. The trick to finding items that weren't rationed was that since manufacturing was aimed at the war effort, usual household items were scarce. Clothing was scarce, although pea coats were pretty easy to come by; they were mass produced for use by the Navy. Aunt Grace recalls being on "the list" to receive a refrigerator for a loooong time. The refrigerator never did come in! As during the Depression, Americans learned to do without.
As I've mentioned, Grace worked for a time in the War Bond Office. War Bonds were sold to get money for the government to pay for materials and the manufacture of supplies/equipment to successfully fight the war. Bonds could be purchased at 75% of the mature value; a $25 War Bond cost a citizen $18.75. People could buy bond stamps at the post office to save in a book (like our old S&H Green Stamps) until they filled the book and were able to trade it in to purchase their bond. Aunt Grace said that a War Bond was used by many as a savings. You might be interested to know that War "E" Bonds continued to earn interest until 2010. If you happen to be in possession of any of your parents' old bonds, a $1000 Series E Bond, purchased for $750 is now worth $3623!!! Since they no longer accumulate interest, you may want to consider cashing it in, BUT be mindful that some collectors or private investors who would be interested in the bond from the historical perspective may be willing to pay more!
To encourage people to purchase War Bonds, the country looked to entertainers of the day. Frank Sinatra, Jimmy Cagney, Abbott & Costello, Greer Garson, Irene Dunne & Hedy Lamar all lent their celebrity to the sale of bonds while Jimmy Stewart, Joe Louis, Jackie Coogan and Tyrone Power all joined the call to serve. All in all $185.7 billion were raised through the sale of the bonds.
VE Day: May 8, 1945
Finally, the end of the war was in sight. VE day on May 8th ended the war with Germany. Aunt Grace remembers that day more clearly than VJ Day when the war with Japan ended on 2 September 1945. VE Day was more memorable because they attended a special celebration at the Paramount Theater in Aurora to celebrate the end of the war in Europe. There were no big celebrations in Aurora or Oswego as the soldiers came home, but imagine how special Armistice Day/Veteran's Day would be two months later as they celebrated the end of World War I with their newest war heroes back on American soil; when they could truly say that they had all come back because "it's over, over there!"
"Over There" was written in 1917, but was a favorite during both World Wars.
Zielke Family; Early 1950s Back Row L-R: Helen, Dorothy, Henry, Ray, Grace & Marge Front Row L-R: Bertha, Reinhold, Martha & George
You know that feeling when you go to a new doctor and they hand you that paper (or tablet) asking you about your family health history? Most of us know the basics about our parents and siblings, but as scientists learn more about DNA and ancestry sites link us to more family members with genetic connections, maybe we all need to know a little more about our total family health history.
With that in mind, a few weeks ago, I put Aunt Grace to the task of remembering what she could about the health (and cause of death) of her grandparents, parents and siblings. Not a very pleasant topic, mind you, but one that proved to be interesting and, hopefully, beneficial for each of us! Here we go!
William Zielke 24 Mar 1843 to 14 May 1929
Great-Grandpa Zielke lived to be 86 years old. He suffered from dementia in his later years. Aunt Grace remembers him becoming quite senile and actually came after Ray and her one day when he was quite grouchy. He ultimately died of a stroke, probably a complication of his "hardening of the arteries." (Alzheimer's is the term more commonly used today for hardening of the arteries.) He was a large man; between 6' and 6'2" in height. One fun, fond memory she has of him was his ability to scoop his peas onto his knife and slide them into his mouth!
Bertha Guse Zielke 30 Mar 1845 to 12 Jan 1938
Great-Grandma Zielke lived several years after William passed away; living to the age of 92. Aunt Grace remembers that she had come down with pleurisy or pneumonia and suspects she may have had congestive heart failure. After William's death she lived alone until she moved in with her son, Rudy in the fall of 1937. The home where she lived until moving in with Rudy had no bathroom, no hot running water and no furnace! In spite of all that, Aunt Grace fondly remembers that whenever they went to see her, she always had cake to offer and there was ALWAYS green Jell-o!!! Not an easy feat since her only oven was in the wood cook stove and she had no refrigerator!
Wilhelm Staffeldt 20 Dec 1850 to 27 Jan 1919
Aunt Grace isn't able to offer a lot of information about Great-Grandpa or Great- Grandma Staffeldt as they had both passed away prior to her birth. Grandpa died at the age of 68, very possibly due to some complication of his alcoholism. He was blind from drinking wood alcohol in desperation. He always worked on farms before his blindness, but never had a farm of his own.
Wilhelmina Arndt Staffeldt 7 July 1852 to 24 May 1922
Great-Grandma Staffeldt also died fairly young, at the age of 69. Aunt Grace assumes she had diabetes and may have died from complications. She remembers hearing about Grandma's "open leg" and assumes that was in reference to ulcers on her leg, that would typically be attributed to diabetes.
Reinhold Rudolph Zielke 30 May 1880 to 10 Apr 1961
Grandpa Zielke was almost 81 when he passed away. He suffered from Parkinson's Disease the last 7-8 years of his life. He shuffled his feet when he walked (possibly related to imbalance from the Parkinson's), which led to frequent falls. Aunt Grace believes he also had hardening of the arteries. Ultimately, he died due to a fall down his basement stairs, which resulted in a broken back and neck. He lived for ten days in the hospital, but was delusional from the medications. They had to put sheets over the mirrors in the room to prevent him from seeing things that were driving him crazy. Aunt Grace believes that he may have also had several mini-strokes to further complicate his situation.
Louisa Staffeldt Zielke 14 Dec 1880 to 7 Mar 1917
Grandma Louisa Zielke had pneumonia at the time she gave birth to her fourth child. She and the baby died. She was 36 years old. Unfortunately, we don't have any additional information about her health prior to her death.
Martha Staffeldt Zielke 18 Dec 1890 to 7 Mar 1972
Grandma Martha Zielke was 81 when she passed away. She suffered from rheumatoid arthritis in her back from the time she was 12-years-old. The arthritis apparently spread as Aunt Grace doesn't remember her ever being able to get down on her hands and knees. Apparently the last time she was down on all fours was when she refinished the floors in the farmhouse where they lived in Plainfield where Grace was born. Unable to get down, she did all her work/ gardening by bending over at the waist. It's hard to imagine continuing to work so hard with such limitation. Grace remembers that one time she mutilated a new can of baking powder just trying to get it open. She would have arthritis flare-ups that would put her in bed for 2-3 days at a time. She wore orthopedic shoes and "big" Emily always had to cut her hair and nails.
Living across the street, Marge saw to most of Grandma's needs through the week, but toward the end of her life, her other children took turns staying with her on the weekends. She had a commode in her bedroom, but when Grace was staying with her the 6th/7th of February in 1972, Grandma really wanted to use the bathroom instead of the commode. The bathroom in Grandma's house was quite small and hard to maneuver. Grace lost her hold on Grandma and she fell, breaking her hip. They were unable to set the hip and Grandma remained in the hospital for a month with nurses turning her every two hours. Eventually, pneumonia set in and Grandma passed away.
If you're able to curl your tongue, you can thank Grandma for that genetic trait! I remember being fascinated at her ability to hoot like an owl through her curled tongue. I can do the curl, but have never been able to do the hoot; I just blow air!
George Zielke 2 Apr 1905 to 22 Aug 1992
George lived to the age of 87 years old. He was quite healthy his whole life with the exception of some spots of skin cancer on his face. He developed blood clots in his lungs and was hospitalized. On Easter Sunday, March 30, 1986 George suffered a stroke which led to rehab and stays in a couple of different nursing homes until he passed away. (Update provided by Heather Roth Swenson, granddaughter)
Henry Zielke 27 Aug 1908 to 5 Nov 1976
Like George, Henry was healthy his whole life until the illness that caused his death. He was the first of three siblings to die at the age of 68. Henry attended a family reunion in August of '76. He had lost a lot of weight and Grace told him he needed to go to a doctor. Later, he and Aunt Emily (aka Miem) were at the cabins in Cornucopia, Wisconsin, but they came home in early October because he felt it was too cold. When he came home, he was treated for ulcers until October 17th when he had been laying down and came out of the bedroom, complaining that his right side hurt. In early November he went into the hospital for surgery when they discovered he had pancreatic cancer. He passed away shortly thereafter.
Bertha Zielke Wood 6 Dec 1911 to 26 June 1980
Aunt Bertha (aka Berdie) was the second sibling to pass away at the age of 68. Unlike her older brothers, though, Berdie was not blessed with good health. She suffered from diabetes and high blood pressure. The diabetes led to diabetic ulcers on her legs and in 1974/75 her leg was amputated. She never mastered the use of her prosthetic leg, so spent her days in a wheelchair. She began to exhibit symptoms of problems with her pancreas and went into the hospital for a few months. Grace went to see her over Memorial Day weekend in 1980. She had been experiencing elevated blood pressure and shortness of breath and they had installed a pacemaker per Uncle Burdette's request. She passed away less than a month later.
Helen Zielke Hudson Skeeters 15 May 1919 to 2 Apr 1988
Helen was the third sibling to die at the age of 68. Other than a ruptured appendix that almost took her life about 1950 and diabetes that she was able to control with diet and medication (did not require insulin), she was fairly healthy as well. Penicillin was still a fairly new discovery and not readily available at the time her appendix burst, but they were able to fly some in to treat her before it was too late.
Helen had come home to Oswego in September, 1987 for her 50th class reunion and wasn't feeling well. She got in to see the doctor and she was found to have pancreatic cancer too. They began giving her radiation treatments and chemotherapy, but the treatments made her so sick, she told the doctor to stop. She was in a lot of pain. They had a hospital bed moved into the dining room of her home. Janet was there to help much of the time, but Aunt Helen couldn't stand the smell of meals being prepared, so Margie Lou would do most of the cooking and take it to her mom's house. She lived about six months after her diagnosis.
A memory of Aunt Helen: Helen and Garnett always had a large supply of ice cream in their freezer. She made the first biscuits and gravy that I (Tina Kaetzer) ever had. When Jim's brother Tom was getting married to Catherine in Alexandria, LA, Bob and Marge in one car and Jim and me, plus baby Tim (1985) in another car, stopped in Louisville to pick up Aunt Helen. She rode with Bob and Marge and we traded Tim between the two cars. If they had Tim and he needed a change, they'd pass us and hold their noses.
Ray Zielke 27 May 1922 to 31 Mar 1975
Ray was the first and youngest of the siblings to pass away at age 52. Like his brothers, he enjoyed good health most of his life. He had his tonsils out as a child and got false teeth in his mid-40s due to the gum disease, pyorrhea. About 1973-74, he began to suspect he had arthritis as he began having problems with his legs and knees. His work as a contractor was becoming increasingly difficult, especially in the winter months. The fall of 1974, he had gone hunting with friends in Colorado, but was having back pain, so they made him the "lookout" by a tree. When he got back from the hunting trip, his friend, Ralph Weber, arranged for him to see a doctor friend of his in Chicago. Ray was unaware that Ralph had warned the doctor that if Ray had cancer to not tell him, because he had said that if he ever got cancer he would kill himself rather than go through everything Mary Ellen had experienced with her cancer treatments. He was diagnosed with arthritis, given medication and sent home.
From there, Ray reached out to a hospital in Ottawa, Illinois that specialized in the treatment of arthritis. He was told he'd be there 2-3 weeks as they worked out a treatment plan, but he was sent home after just a couple of days. The medication that the doctor in Chicago had prescribed was not for the treatment of arthritis. Ray had prostate cancer. Ray was hospitalized a couple of times before his death in March, 1975. Between hospitalizations, he was cared for by his fiancee, Ethel McDowell, at her home in Genoa.
Grace Zielke Pope Born 23 Apr 1925 Alive and Kicking at 95!
Fortunately for all of us, Aunt Grace was blessed with very good health until age 75 and has only suffered manageable health issues for the past twenty years. Over the years, she suffered some residual effects, mostly discomfort, from the broken hip she had as a toddler. She has lipodermatosclerosis in her right leg. A form of lupus, it has caused a change in the skin color of her leg. In more extreme cases, it can result in pain, hardening of the skin, swelling and a tapering of the legs above the ankles. It can also lead to venous insufficiency.
When she was 75 and preparing to go to Texas, she wasn't feeling well and had no pep. She went to the doctor to get some cough medicine and they were going to do a stress test. She went to Texas, but was still having problems with her energy levels. As they would take walks on the beach, Uncle Austin suggested she not go so far so that she wouldn't get so worn out, but her response was "How do I know when I'm half-tired?!?" Good point! They then discovered a mass in her chest and thought she might have pulmonary fibrosis. She started seeing an Ear-Nose-Throat doctor who sent her to a specialist at Loyola. They learned that she had a goiter that was internal presenting, rather than external like the goiters we may be more familiar with. Upon removing the goiter, they learned that it was cancerous, but they were able to remove all of the cancer with the goiter and she was sent home with a drain. The doctor told her that she had gotten the opposite of her sisters who had diabetes and that it was a good thing. She then went on to the Wisconsin Dells on vacation and had a good time.
The things she deals with on a daily basis today is her sleep apnea, arthritis and a restrictive lung disease for which she does have an oxygen tank, but does not need to use it at all times. She does use it at night and has found that it helps with her sleep apnea as well. I'm sure you all join me in praying that her health continues to hold out!
Marge Zielke Kaetzer 29 July 1927 to 15 Apr 2004
Marge, who lived to be 74 was also in good health overall until her later years when they moved to Arizona. She was diagnosed with Type II Diabetes sometime after 1995, but like Helen, was able to control it with medication. She had high blood pressure and wore hearing aids since her mid 50s. After moving to Arizona, she began having severe back pain and was initially told to live with it. The pain was so severe, she would cry because of it. She was finally diagnosed with Spinal Stenosis, which is a degenerative process (as arthritis), typically found in the lower spine or neck. It is a narrowing of the spaces within the spine and can put pressure on the nerves in the spinal column. This disease can resolve itself over time or with the help of medication, but, unfortunately, this was not the case for Aunt Marge. Her husband, Bob, drove her around "desperately looking for some procedure that would provide relief." She lost three vertebrae and eventually was on a respirator until the decision was made to remove the tube. She passed away with the family and her pastor by her bedside. (Updates provided by Beth Kaetzer Froelich, daughter and Tina Kaetzer, daughter-in-law)
Dorothy Zielke Hendrickson 22 Dec 1933 to 21 July 1994
Aunt Grace commented that at times it seemed like Dorothy had the bad health for the rest of the family. Born later in Grandma's life, she sometimes wondered if perhaps Grandma's body just wasn't able to give Dorothy everything she needed while she was carrying her. Living only to the age of 60, Dorothy suffered a multitude of health problems. She had high blood pressure and diabetes as well as pancreatitis between her pregnancies with Jayne and David. Her diabetes got worse after that and she began having problems with her eyesight and her legs. Finally, her kidneys began to fail and she went through dialysis for 5-1/2 years, before she passed away.
I always remember Aunt Dorothy as having an infectious laugh and I credit her with teaching me to see things practically, with a bright side. One time when Beth and I were staying with her, we were taking a bath, horsing around and using the back slope of the tub for a slide. At one point, I noticed a razor blade had fallen into the tub. It was Beth's turn to slide, but I told her to wait while I picked up the blade. In doing so, I cut my finger and began to cry. Aunt Dorothy came to see what was wrong and saw my bleeding finger. After cleaning the cut and putting on a band aid, she wiped my tears, smiled at me and said, "It could have been worse. You could have cut your butt!"
As I've been reviewing Aunt Grace's memories and writing this blog, I've gained an appreciation for the overall healthy stock we come from! Most of the family has enjoyed good health until their later years or the onset of a terminal disease. Cancer has taken too many of our family. Symptoms of diabetes and arthritis are things we all need to be aware of and ensure our doctors know the family history. As the awareness of genetic health becomes more prevalent, perhaps oversharing with our doctors could become important in diagnoses. Doctors rarely ask for family health histories beyond grandparents, yet diseases of great-grandparents are now being diagnosed in some our children! I hope you'll all find this information interesting, helpful and, although no one has sneezed, I'll add gesundheit!
* Corrections and updates provided by other family members are written in red with the source of the correction at the end of the paragraph. Thank you to those who are helping to ensure the accuracy of this post!
