Ghosts of Christmas Past-1952

In keeping with last night we jump ahead 18 years and a generation in my family. My parents John and Anna were married on February 3, 1951. Here is the lovely couple on their wedding day on the left side of the picture. The Maid of Honor was my aunt Sally. The best man was one of my dad's navy buddies Charlie Owen. He's where my middle name came from.

In 1952 they were blessed with a son. My older brother John Jay. This is the story of his first Christmas. If you look closely you may notice some things you saw last night. Mom, Dad and baby Jay left Connecticut in November for the farm in Illinois. Dad had to return and left the navy in early December.

The picture above is the proud new father with his 5 month old new son experiencing their first Christmas together.

If you look closely at the wall to the left you may notice the pictures hanging on the wall are the same ones that were hanging there in 1934. Tree looks similar as well. I had to call mom to confirm all this. She stated some of the items in the 1934 picture are still in use and are in my younger brother's bedroom.

The picture above is the best I have of my brother on his first Christmas.

No Christmas would be complete without a visit with the great grandparents. This picture is my brother Jay, Great Grandmother Byrd Oyler and Great Grandfather George Washington Oyler. They were the parents of my Grandmother Byrdis. My brother has memories of them from his childhood. Mr. Oyler passed away in 1955 when I was one and Mrs. Oyler passed away in 1957 when I was three.

So there is my older brother's first Christmas. It was also a special Christmas for my mom. She had moved away from her home and family in Connecticut to live in BFE with a young farmer. He had deposited her in rural Illinois with a 5 month old infant and returned to the east coast to complete his term of service with the United States Navy. I cannot imagine being 22 years old and on my own in a strange place with a young child. It is easy when you don't take the time to consider everything how strong and brave your mother had to have been. So 1952 was a year of change and new experiences.