Dallas/Fort Worth Airport - 14 Oct 1994

October 14, 1994

Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport
DFW Airport Police, Fire-Rescue Paramedics
DFW Airport
Dallas, TX 75261

Dear Rescue Squad and your BOSS:

On Friday, October 7, 1994, while in an airplane on my way to DFW Airport, my tongue swelled until I could not talk. Delta called you and four of you delivered me in your ambulance to Irving Memorial Hospital.

Everyone connected with your squad was so very kind and thoughtful. I had never been in an ambulance before, nor had we been to Dallas/Fort Worth before. And I certainly had never heard of a tongue swelling so much there was no room in my mouth for all of it. So I looked particularly ridiculous – and no one laughed! Once we were in the ambulance, one person set an IV, another took my blood pressure, someone spoke to the doctor at the hospital. Another person helped put our suitcases aboard the ambulance (a job that was over and above the call of duty): my husband was allowed to ride up front – and away we went.

All of you acted professionally. I was impressed, as was my husband. It’s horrible to be ill in a strange city and you were so very kind to the both of us. I know it’s all a part of your job, but I am most grateful.

I was glad I had a list of my medications with me and in the end, the doctor felt that I had an allergy to my hypertension pill, Prinivil, because it is an ACE inhibitor and I also have asthma. Since my son is a firefighter-paramedic for the City of San Bernadino Fire Dept in California, he tells me he seldom hears the end of the story and I wanted you to know. We’re back home now. We had a grand weekend in Fort Worth and enjoyed seeing our friends, thanks to you.

Bless you all,

Sibyl G. Beaumont



Answer received Oct 29, 1994:

October 26, 1994

Dear Ms. Beaumont,

Thank you for taking the time to share your observation of Corporals Gary Cunningham, Jeff Morris, George Smithwick and Pam Roach, and for commending their efforts on your behalf. Your comments are truly appreciated by our officers, and the members of our Staff who supervise their work. Your letter, which recounts a professional service to the airport community, will be considered in their annual employee review and become part of their permanent personnel files.

Thanks again for sharing your experience. I am glad to hear that you recovered and were able to enjoy your visit to Fort Worth.

Sincerely,

Alvy J. Dodson, Asst Director
Department of Public Safety

State Hermitage – 12 Jun 2005

The State Hermitage – View from the Neva

Lovely weather and scenery – river trip starts later today – Moscow in a week. Soups and breads delish!

Love,
Aud and Beau

Mt Everest – 6 Oct 1977

Oct 6, 1977 Kathmandu

Dear Bill,

We just finished our 72-day wonder! Came through really fabulous countryside yesterday, but the driving took us all day to go the 100 miles! The local busses which we had to transfer to because of the narrow, winding mountain roads were not the most comfortable, but the drivers were super. Please thank your parents for the newsy letters here. Will write them later.

Love,
Mom and Dad Ketteringham

US Capitol Building (Greeting card) – 30 May ??

Dear Chuck

Congratulations for being among the top students contesting for the drawing awards. I am sure it was disappointing not to be one of the top three representing your school but you just remember you were “in there” causing the judges to be aware of your work and that is a step toward the top.

I am sure you have talent along that line, so keep at it and you will reach your goal. I am proud of your try and I will bet on your winning as a senior. Don’t forget the other subjects along the way.

Lots of love.

Always,

Mumu

US Shakespeare Festival Theatre – date unknown

Dear Shonnie,

When you are a little older and study Shakespeare in school, you will have to attend one of these Shakespeare Summer Festivals. I hope you are having a wonderful time at camp. Have you been doing a lot of riding?

Lots of love,
Mumu

The Piggery #2 - Sibyl age 8-10ish

Dear Daddy

The letter at home you thought was from a child was from Mrs Welch, Audrey’s school teacher. How is everything at home? Please get another salamander before you come back. The pigs “Jack and Jill” are growing very big and fat.

I am making a house out of a chick box. I have the inside of it almost finished. It is papered and furnished.

When are you coming?

Love,
Sibyl

The Piggery #1 - Sibyl age 8-10ish

Dear Daddy

Friday we went to Westbrook to the piggery to get a pig. They had two baby pigs three weeks old. We got one pig and are going to let them keep it for a week. Then we are coming for it Saturday. It can’t eat anything but sweet apples, grass and sour milk.

It poured down rain just as we got started. Sunday we went to Higgins beach and had lunch and supper. We jumped the waves with Herbert. When we were coming home I saw it rain far away. But we didn’t get any rain. We saw a race a (at) Barns beach and Cherry Locker won and got a medal with a red ribbon on it.

Love and many kisses

From Siby

(She left the “L” off of her own name!)

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

Santa – 14 Dec 1998

Dear Sybil and Charles

Late getting started this year. Not to much to write, been real busy, babysitting a few hrs everyday with 3 great grandchildren.

Ed’s doing pretty good, has a small leak in his Mitral valve which makes him short of breath and gets tired easily.

We do keep busy, just don’t travel.

Hope this finds you all OK. Have a wonderful holiday.

Love,
Dot and Ed

Cos Cob Cove – 25 May 1968

Dear Jimbo

Uncle Beau and Auntie Auddie picked me up in their boat! It is kind of like the brown one in front.

Love,
Mom

Snowy Barn - 6 Dec 2007

From: Herbert Woodbrey
PO Box 343
Standish ME 04084

Ho! Ho! Ho!

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year!

We spent 10 days over the Thanksgiving Holiday with our youngest daughter and family in Bend, OR.

Wishing you good health in the coming year.

Herb and Audrey

Grave of JFK – 14 Nov 1971

Dear Bill

I think this is the only card of the series that you do not have. I will have to hunt some new ones. Certainly wish you were not so far away from Nena and me. Are you doing well in school? I hope you are still interested in music too.

Lots of love from us.

Mumu

Coming Soon....

30 years of letters written by Sibyl to her father, and grandmother.

31 Sept 1956

Wednesday 31st

My Darling.
Your long wonderful letter came today. What a way to boost a guy’s morale, especially your ever loven! We’ve been listening to the news and Ike’s speech for 2 days. Frankly, I’m just a little bit worried. Heaven knows where it will go from here and I shudder to think of the consequences of everyone else loses their heads. I pray it will stop in a hurry.
I’ve been thinking about the part where you said a boy once told you that you weren’t capable of falling in love. Once when I was nearly out of my teens I thought that no girl would ever fall in love with me. I can’t remember the reasons for it but it worried me. Even after my “mistake” I felt that way even more so. You, my darling, are the first and only woman who ever fell in love with me – I mean really love not just infatuation – and yet I don’t think either of us knew how completely two people can be in love at the time we were married.
We’ve both learned in the past 8 years what real love really is, for this I am very thankful. Your friend was just young and inexperienced when he said that; for you, my sweet, are not cold, and incapable of loving, but are the warmest, most loving and lovable woman in the world. No man could ask for a better wife. My love for you and the family has never cooled – I just lost my perspective and for a while material things became more important. Maybe this is the fling us 29 year olds go through. With me is wasn’t other woman – just material things. I fell for you the first day we met and each day I fell deeper and deeper until I was in love. Now that love has ripened and matured to where it is the most natural thing in the world. I promise you I will tell you frequently and also try harder to show you how much I do love you. You mean everything to me. Without my family I would be a lost soul.
As you know we didn’t get to DC but have talked to Mury on the phone. We hope to go this weekend but won’t know until tomorrow evening.
Bob Browning is a wonderful guy but I still don’t care for that type of work. I told him this when he asked me to go to work for him. I wish I had his optimism about a promotion this year. The lists are to be out 15 Nov so we’ve heard.
Looks like Bev and Jack are losing their heads over money again. I can’t think of a duller job than wiring IBM machines. That’s a laborer’s job. You were right whether he agrees or not, I need a $10,000 a year position in civilian life. Guess that hurts his ego since I only has a BS degree instead of a PhD. I was always of the opinion you judged a man on his abilities, no his salary! Some of the best brains in the country are working for a $1 a year in Washington, or hasn’t he heard!
I feel sorry for your Alpha Xi’s who can’t manage. I’m glad I have a dependable wife who can stand on her own two feet when she has to instead of a clinging vine. Helpless women irritate me sometimes.
Tell that Jimmie boy I’ll be home to throw him around in just a few days more than 2 weeks. It won’t be long now.
You’re doing a fine job finding out about the flood policy. We’ll select one when I come home. Good work!
I will need one more $25 check about Tuesday. Then when I get home we should have about $200 coming to us. Now you can see why I said we were going to have a “honeymoon?” To get there on the 4th we’ll have to leave Denver early on the 2nd. If we go to Sierra Madre we can’t get through in less than 12 days. Take out Sierra Madre and we could do it in 9 days. We can decide that when I come home too.
You keep having those dreams – one of these nights I’ll actually be there to wake you and take care of that ache. Course you’ll have to promise to take care of mine. I ache and yearn too. Just 2 more weeks and I’ll squeeze the breath out of you, baby! I’ve been having those dreams quite often.
I’m afraid my letter Monday nite didn’t make sense. I’m sorry, but when a bunch of homesick guys meet a 1/5th those things happen!
They re evaluated that exam we took Friday and I ended up with a 100%. Their solution had a slight error in it. I felt much better since I thought I was right originally.
I won’t comment on Adlai’s suggestion since I’m wondering now what his new approach will be in light of the Middle East situation.
We have another 8 hour bombing problem tomorrow so I’d better stop and go to bed. These are daily affairs for grades and are real toughies. Got 100% on yesterday’s. Today’s was a humdinger.
Hold on for just a while longer, honey, its nearly over. Keep those letters coming – they are helping me keep up my grades and daddy needs this course to help his career. You’re a doll for putting up with my TDY. I love you –

Hubby

P.S. Mail your last letter not later than 12 Nov. That’s the last one I’ll get here before we leave. We intend leaving 2am Sat 17 Nov. Home Sunday.
Hubby

Upbound Frieghter – 3 Aug 1965

Dear Shonnie

We crossed into New York today in order to have a look at the Eisenhower locks and it was well worth the trip. Tonight we are in Montreal. Will mail this from New York in a few days.

Love
Mumu

Berlin – 5 May 1965

We just thought you needed a card of Checkpoint Charlie – Nowadays they call it an “Allied Checkpoint” and have the 3 flags over the shack and the British and French MPs also add a dash of colour!

How are you all?

Love pour

Chris, Wally and Sarah

Queen in Blue Gown – 25 April 1987

Dear Mary

Isn’t the Queen wearing that Bulova white gold watch we used to have? We haven’t seen her Majesty. She was out when our tour bus drove by the palace the other day. Arrived on Wednesday after a cramped flight. Have packed in a lot – Harrods where Joe had me copy down a recipe as displayed in one of the food halls, Tower of London and today Portobello Road (I can’t read that).

The weather has been marvelous. I can’t believe that we are going everywhere everyday and evening bare armed – Joe finds the coffee and tea too strong and was not delighted with the steak and kidney pie. However there are a lot of foods to choose from. We are walking so much we can afford to eat. Joe weight 13 stone today!!

Love,
Barbara

Kon-Tiki Museum – 28 Jul ??

Kon-Tiki Museum, Oslo, Norway

Wed July 28th

Dear Chuck,

It was so nice to get your letter – also one from your mom. You can’t imagine how nice it is to get mail at various ports. I began saving coins for you from the beginning so should have a nice collection.

This picture shoes the basket that the men who took that funona Trip in Kon Tiki. The sharks were so dangerous that they went down that way. We saw this raft in the museum. When are you going to stop growing?

I’ll (two words I can’t read) you when I next see you.

Love
Aunt Irene

Daliath el Carmel – date unknown

Daliath el Carmel

Dear Shon!

In this post-cad you see the Druzes. They sell their hand work. They works beautiful, and you can see it in this picture.

Your friend,

Haya!

Forum des Halles – 27 May 1983

Forum des Halles

Dear Charles and Sibyl,

We were so glad to hear the results of the operation and we will write later in more detail. I just had to write on picking up your letters.

I was NOT too surprised by ISC action. Sometimes having IOU’s pays off.

But in the immediate future it seems to me that SCJ will be in the tangled situation portrayed on the opposite side!

Having a fine trip. Paris (parts) is still beautiful.

Fraternal affection

Kit
PM?

Washington Cathedral – 29 May 1971

Washington Cathedral

Dear Jimbo,

I am glad you had such fun celebrating your birthday. Nothing could please you more than two ballgames on one weekend. Your letter was just fine – who said you write a sloppy letter? It was great, and I hope I won’t have to wait too long for another. I’m hoping for that C in German for you. Your pictures are wonderful and I will treasure mine.

Much love,
Mumu

George Stubbs – date unknown

George Stubbs – date unknown

Dear Shonnie

I know you like horses. George Stubbs has some beautiful paintings of horses in the Tate Gallery and I thought you might enjoy a copy of one.

Have a nice summer and enjoy camp.

Love,
Mumu

Bowdoin College Library – 9 Jun 1967

Granddaddy at Bowdoin Commencement

1967 – 55th Reunion

View on Cite du Havre – 4 Aug 1967

View on Cite du Havre, Montreal, Canada

Dear Chuck,

You would find this housing project interesting. It is different. I am sure you have read about it.

How do you like your new home?

Love,
Mumu

Kenai Lake – 5 Jul 1967

Kenai Alaska

Dear Shon,

Just a card – I’m here on Kenai Lake camp as a C.I.T having fun. Letter follows sonly. Rainy here and cold last night. Write me at:

Mel Davidson C.I.T.
c/o Camp Fire Girls
Coopers Landing, Alaska