Gram and Pap were Brett's great-grandparents. Here they are on their wedding day circa 1925.
Hazel was the oldest of 13 kids and grew up a few miles from here. Johnie grew up in a house that sat just a few feet away from the house we live in now. After Hazel and Johnie were married they bought an old schoolhouse (Fairview School) and moved it to this farm. They put on a 2nd story and raised Mabel (Brett's grandma) here.
Hazel and Johnie farmed and doted on Mabel, then Mabel's daughter Betty, and then Betty's kids Brett (my husband) and Sheila. Johnie died in 1976.
Gram was 92 years old when I met her and Brett was living here with her. He moved in shortly after he graduated from high school. Gram couldn't have been more than about 5 foot tall and she was spunky. I never got to know her well, because she started to show signs of dementia and didn't remember who I was. When I came home from work she would say, "Brett that nice girl is here to fix us supper again." LOL
We lived here with Gram the first year of our marriage and it was rough. Gram had fallen and broken her hip a year or so before Brett and I were married and her health steadily declined. She couldn't be left alone for long. She started needing blood tranfusions. I still feel guilty that we couldn't take care of Gram and she had to go to the nursing home, even though I know it was the best thing. She lived there the last few months of her life. Brett visited Gram every day until she died in 1996 at age 96.
I am so grateful Gram left us this home and that we can live here with our girls, their kitties, and our horses. I love knowing that Mabel, Betty, and Brett played here and I hope someday I see my grandchildren playing her, too.
