1950's memories...Williams Family!

The handsome young man on the left is my Dad, Jack Williams.

The happy family pictured on the right is my Dad's siblings...the younger ones are Ruth, Bobby and Dennis. Dennis is the youngest. My Dad was like a father to them, as his own dad was so old when he had these children very late in life! (in his 60's) My Dad bought them the lovely toys from Woodward's store in downtown Vancouver BC.

I'm having a lot of fun fiddling with PicMonkey!

This will keep me happy for a while...

I even added "snow" to the above photo. This is just so neat.

By Loretta Williams Houben

A new hobby...sort of...

As you all know, I love old photos!

Tonight while browsing online I discovered a neat FREE website; http://www.picmonkey.com/

It allows you to create collages. Here are my results.

The above is Christmas in 1961, 1962 and 1963 and shows myself with my gifts.

This collage shows my handsome Dad, Jack Williams, striding down Hastings Street in downtown Vancouver BC. Herb Braun, his best friend, is with him on the left, and his younger brother, Dennis is with him in the other two photos.

By Loretta Williams Houben

An old photo

My 2nd cousin, Janet Trotter, sent me a bunch of vintage family photos to scan. I just love this one. I asked my Mom about it, and she said that's her Mother's Grandma, which makes her my Mom's Great Grandma, and my Great Great Grandma! Her last name on the back of the photo is Heins. We don't know her first name. Can you believe that? It isn't written down anywhere.

There must be a way to find it out. I would love to learn how!

My Mom said that her Mother used to have the original photo sitting on her dresser in her bedroom. My Mom would look at it often when she was a little girl, because she wondered why the little girl in the photo was making such a funny face.

One day she asked her Mother and she was told the little girl was chewing gum! Isn't that funny? The little girl is a cousin but we don't know her name either.

My Mom told me today that this picture was sent from Germany, after my Mom's Grandparents had moved to the USA. My Great Great Grandma Heins moved back to Germany after the rest of the family emigrated to the USA. It's a good thing, too, if you know anything at all about Joseph Stalin.

July 1954

Do you have photos like these in your family albums? This was taken by a street photographer. On the back of the photo, which is a reprint, my Aunt Ruth has written:

"Tolem Photos, 867 Granville St, Van. 2"

I Googled the name, but could find nothing. I don't know if she meant "Totem" but couldn't find anything for that name either.

Anyhow, this is my elegant Grandma, Alma May Williams, striding along the street with a very purposeful but tired look. I love how women used to dress; hat, suit, gloves! Oh how I wish we still dressed this way when we went out. I wonder why she was alone; where was her large family? Where was she going? She was 46 in this photo.

A treasure trove!

Last night my Mom brought over some old family photos from my Dad's side.

His sister, Ruth, had reprints made. I was delighted to see these photos and asked to scan them all in. They don't have dates. This photo shows my Grandparents in the back; John and Alma May Williams, with some of their family. My Dad, Jackie, is standing in front of his Dad, around 12 or 13 years old. Next to him is Audrey; in front of her is Harry, and next to him is Glenys, clutching her doll. Do any of you know what kind of doll this is? I love this photo! (around 1943)

A lovely evening

I was expecting to spend the evening quietly at home on Saturday night.

Lo and behold, Leona invited me over to our parent's home; she had prepared the delicious supper of salad, rolls, and Alfredo chicken lasagna, a recipe she made up. Yummy!

It was delicious.

I roamed around the house, taking many pictures of things which caught my eye.

I love this photo of my parents in June 1955, taken a few days before Rita and Herb Braun's wedding. They are at the Oregon coast for a picnic lunch. Here is my Dad's collection of Japanese dolls, from the 1950's. He loves these so much he won't give them to me! Japanese sailors from the ships he visited gave them to him for souvenirs. Aren't they darling? Zoe came along for the night out. She found many things to play with at Grandmere's home!

Isn't this darling?

I love my Mom's dolls.

Circa 1936, with the brand new family pick up truck, on the old homestead in Amity, OR.

My Mom, age 3, is on the left; Frieda, age 11 is on the right.

Myself on the left; Leona on the right. Aren't we cute?

Circa 1965.

And here we are in 2010, but not quite as cute.

Leona on the left; myself on the right, trying to finish a Teal Challenge item for the latest BSC January project. We had a lot of fun together. Leona is trying her best to complete a tricky puzzle. Robert was at a Scouting activity.

Vintage school photos

I was scanning in a few old photos, so thought I'd put these in my blog.

The picture above is my Grade Two class at Sir Wilfred Grenfell School.

I loved school! Can you guess which one is me?

The picture above is Leona's Grade Two class.

Which one is she? Here's Marlene's Grade Two class. We all attended the same school. I wonder if Marie has her photos? I scanned Leona's in tonight; I got Marlene's from her Facebook page. I love how the fashions changed.

Pony pictures

Do you remember when the pony man, with his cute pony, would visit your street?

I never got to sit on the pony. My mom had no money for the picture.

But here is a cute photo of my Uncle Bob Williams sitting on the pony. I don't know the year. I don't know how my Grandma could afford the money either.

It's a mystery, but I have a copy of the cute photo!

Do YOU have a picture of yourself on a pony?

I'd love to see it!

Vintage photos of my sisters and I from long ago.

Aren't these photos cute? Well, I'm biased, so I think so! I do wish my mom hadn't curled my hair in ringlets! I think I would have been quite cute with my natural hair style, or short hair and bangs, which is what I secretly wished for back in 1970. My nose isn't half bad at this age, but alas, it didn't stop growing. In October 1970 I had 2 sisters. We all knew another was on the way, and she arrived Dec 19. I'm currently going through my parent's photo albums. I will soon reach the ones that have Marie Yvonne in them. I think we were all so cute back then. I always thought Marlene was the beauty of the family, with her big blue eyes!

Memory Monday

 

This is Robert; one of the earliest photos we have of him; I don't think there are any baby photos. Robert will be 50 years old on April 4th! Isn't he cute? I just love this picture.