Sepia Saturday #99: Uncle John Hedrick

This week's  SEPIA SATURDAY prompt is guys with musical instruments (on closer look, one of the group is a woman).  I found the photo below in my Grandma Florence Hedrick Traylor's photo album.  Though the studio imprint says Cottage Grove, I think that this was taken on the steps of the Drain Normal School.  Nobody jumps out at me, but my Mom is taking a look to see if my Uncle John or Uncle Homer are in this band.  Mom just happens to be the "Jolene" in the letter below.

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

So, here is my post about my great-uncle John that I have been promising.  Uncle John is the eldest of Ben and Litha Letsom Hedrick's three kiddos.  Uncle John was a sweet, gentle all around nice guy.  They said he took after the Letsoms rather than the Hedricks, like Uncle Homer.  Grandma was a blend of both sides of the family.

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

Uncle John lived in Hardscrabble, Drain and then in Eugene for most of his life.  After the war he worked as a radiologist until he retired.

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

During World War II, Uncle John was stationed in Brazil.  Here is one of the letters that he wrote to his sister-in-law, Flora Fletcher Hedrick in 1944.  Flora was married to John's half-brother, Hobert, and they had two boys, Lyle and Danny.  The couple later separated, and Danny died during the war.  Years later, Lyle transcribed all of the war letters that the three boys had sent back home, as well as other letters and family diaries.  I'll tell you more about that at another time.

I just picked this letter from Uncle John out randomly.  Times have changed ... people were categorized by slang and nationality; I think that is just how things were before we tried so hard to be politically correct in the way we speak.  I hope that nobody will be offended; this is just such an interesting part of history that I wanted to share it with you:

Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

Uncle John married Aunt Signa Woods Hedrick.  They never had children.  Aunt Signa was quite fascinating to me.  She was a telephone operator, and when I was around eight or nine, they had four phones in their home.  One of these phones was a pink Princess phone, and oh, how I wished that I had one of those for my very own!  Aunt Signa had pretty bad asthma, and there were always several little inhalers laying around.  I never knew anybody else who had even one of those.

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

Uncle John and Aunt Signa drove Cadillacs and had a little white poodle named Sugar.  After Sugar died, they got another one, and named her Sugar Two, aka:  Twoey.  

After Aunt Signa died, Uncle John met and married Aunt Mary.  They were a great match, and seemed to have lots of fun together. 

 Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

The first picture below is of Aunt Mary and Grandma T.  The second one is with Uncle John too.  These pictures were taken in the mid-80's.

Oregon Gifts of Comfort and Joy ~ Kathy Matthews

Uncle John died around 1990.  He was a writer, loved his extended family, and was a very nice man.  I do miss him.  Mary lived another ten years after the died.  She was super nice.  Now, throughout our home are furniture pieces and reminders of Uncle John.

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