I hope to do justice with Curtie because he is special...he's my twin!!!!!We were never together growing up much because he seemed to be in one direction; and I in another. Does that mean it was because he's a boy and I'm a girl? Must confess something I have never admitted. I was always jealous because he had the blue eyes and blond hair and NO freckles. Ann, you may be the only one to understand that! We did inherit freckles from Nana so must be something good about that.I do remember hearing about Curtie running into a door facing and split his forehead open and Dr. came to the house and did stitches etc. Lala chased him around the dining room table and survived sure a lot of noise about that. we loved living on Main St. in the woods and near a creek and sorta had the area by ourselves. He built a tree house and and even tried raising 3 chickens. He named them Betty,Bob, & Mary. that was from a radio program. he had the unusal experience of having an egg lay in his hand! Nana was still selling lunches at Chamblelain school and the smell in the halls was something we all remember. That was OUR Mom! Moved to Washington St. and felt we were in the big city. Curtie was school patrol at Capitol and then on to Ros evelt Jr hi.He was busy with neighbor Johnny McDaniels building a soap box derby entry. they drove to Akron, Ohio in a rumble seat and even slept the night in that BUT the big news they came in 2nd and he won a Chev..car Bill Currence did you ever do that? He went 2 yrs CHS and joined the Iota Delta Fraternity(I thought they had the cutest boys) but are you ready for this? when he went thru initiation they coated his ???? with plaster paris and you can imagine how paniky Nana and Fafa were. bet he's blushing reading this. World War 2 was going strong and Nana was afraid the army would take him before he finished hi school sooo he went to Gordon Military School in Georgia.joined the Army and was in pilot training and gunman B29 and B17. After that he went to WVU and was a member of Kappa Sigma Frat. He waited tables ,etc. and loved it. decided on Southern College of Optometry in Memphis . WVA got him back and a little Betty Jones entered the picture. Let me tell you...you have never met a man who loved his wife like Curtie!!! He has spoiled her and just can't help showing his love when he looks at her. He is sooo cute, that smile of his is something else. Do you realize how lucky you are, Betty? they have 3 beautiful girls and we are all just have to make a point to meet each other. Curtie worked at Carbide for 16 yrs and they moved to St Louis for 20 yrs. we have all enjoyed fun weddings there and they have many good friends there. Betty retired as a librarian and Curtie was dying to get to Florida to garden and develop beautiful yard.He has a reputation now .He refuses to give up mowing his yard. no one can do it to suit him. More power to you!!! I am honored to say I am your twin You have always lived with high principles and guess your parents training payed off. Keep your Faith and I love you
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
Sunday, May 16, 2010
Thanks to Noni for all the Blogging ( Heather Mooney)
I just sat down to read all of the posts that Noni (Ruthie) has been writing about her family and I cannot tell you how fun it is to learn about my relatives. I am Heather, Ruth & Bill's second grandchild & daughter of Bill and Kris Green. I currently live in Phoenix, AZ with my husband Patrick and three children, Timothy William (9 1/2), Lauren Grace (6 1/2) & Elyse Clare (3). We moved here last summer after living in Monterey, CA for 7 years. Before that we were in both Colorado and Salt Lake City. I'm so excited that this blog was started. My son often asks questions about our heritage--when & where people were born, what they did, etc.-- and hearing it as written by his "great-Noni" is even more special! I don't have any info to add, but I did want to share a recent story about my daughter, Lauren... she is the only 1 of my 3 who wasn't given a name that was already in the family (William of course after my dad and Papa, and Elyse is my middle name). Her siblings have always called her "LaLa" though because Tim couldn't pronounce her name when she was born and that stuck. A few weeks ago Lauren asked me, "Mom why don't I have a family name?" I replied, "Well, Noni's sister was named LaLa just like you." And without batting an eye, Lauren said, "Oh, well then she must have been one special lady!" I assured her that she was indeed. Looking forward to reading more stories and perhaps sharing a few of my own memories. I do have a few from a visit to LaLa & Bob's house in WV... hiking through the forest by their house and catching a turtle that I insisted we drive all the way back to our house in Ohio when I was 5, and dancing down their staircase like I was in the broadway production of Annie... My stories though would mainly be about Noni (Ruthie) and all the wonderful times with her & Papa in Louisville! Happy blogging!
Posted by Heather at 6:33 PM
Posted by Heather at 6:33 PM
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Walker Girls
I have been negligent about adding to the blog recently. Ruthie has been so great with her posts and the information about our grandparents, parents, aunts. uncles..... so now it is time for the cousins to all contribute! I have much to add but have been busy lately with redoing my kitchen, going to the gym everyday and now getting ready to go back to work. More about that next week! Very exciting offer.
We have a time share in Harbor Town Hilton Head Island SC ( Ketch Court 887) . My parents originally had two weeks and gave one week to me many years ago. If you know anything about time shares, they are not worth anything if you try to sell them so for the past 20+ years we have kept this and enjoyed it so much. The week begins the Saturday before Labor Day and for the most part we miss any Atlantic coast storms and have a great time.
This past year Al and I were not able to go but the children did and I love this photo of Mary Ingles Walker Sievers, Katherine Walker and Ashley Walker.
Looking forward to Hilton Head 2010
Photos of the Rippetoe Children
Helen, Mary Virginia and twins Ruth and Curtis
note on back of photo reads...
"when twins 6 months old"
Not sure who the other child is??
Ginny - 1916
Helen - 1921
Twins Ruth & Curtis - 1923
Nana with Mary Virginia, Aunt Alma Rippetoe,Aunt Bertha Meadows ( Nana's sister) and one of her children
Ruth and Curtis on either side of the stroller
Helen and Ginny
child in the stroller is unknown
2217 East Washington Street, Charleston WV
Nana's house----thought some of our children or younger cousins might someday wonder where the Rippetoes grew up.The next time I am in Charleston I am going to drive up Washington Street, just about 2 blocks above the WV State Capitol and see if the house is still there and if so will take a photo to post.
Growing up it seemed like a large house; it was home to Ginny, Lala, Ruthie and Curtis. Two story and white with a large porch across the entire front of the house. It was set back from Washington Street and you had to go up about 4-5 steps from the sidewalk and then about so many steps onto the porch. On the right side of the porch was a porch swing and the front door was to the far left. There was also a small metal door to the left of the front door and I believe this was either for ice delivery or milk. I don't know the date that the family moved into the house but I believe they lived there during the mid 30's and Nana remained there until she moved to Lee Street sometime in the late 60's.
Nana had such a green thumb and loved flowers; she had a huge garden and beautiful roses in the backyard. I remember the huge hydrangea bushes in the summertime; they produced gigantic blue flowers. It must have been the perfect spot for them. As for the roses, I can remember collecting Japanese beetles in jars full of some liquid that would drown them, and Nana must have had dozens of rose bushes. Like hydrangeas, I have tried my gardening hand at roses and haven't had much success. I am still trying!
After dinners there, I remember sitting on the front porch swing with my cousins and John , my brother, and we would have contests counting either the makes of cars as they drove up and down Washington Street. Remember in the 50's, there were no foreign cars, so we counted mostly Fords, Chevrolets, Buicks, Cadillacs, and remember we did have some cars that are now obsolete brands like Studebaker, Rambler Nashes etc. I don't remember which cars were most popular or who ever won, just memories of sitting and swinging on the porch swing. Sometimes swinging to high and too fast. If one person was pushing harder than another the swing would get out of synch and start swaying all over the place; in all of the wrong places. In addition to the porch, there was also a nice flat yard in the front and back so perfect for catching lightning bugs during the summers and lots of games of hide and seek and tag.
Inside Nana's house, the hallway went straight to the back of the house to the kitchen. As you walked in the front door the living room was directly on the right and behind that a large dining room which I don't ever remember eating in as I think Nana kept alot of her sewing projects there. There was an open staircase upstairs and I remember spending forever sliding down the bannister, over and over again.
The kitchen was an old fashioned kitchen, fairly large as there was a table where we ate most of the time, and a pantry between the kitchen and dining room and a covered back porch for storage etc.
Upstairs, again a long hallway the length of the house at one end over the kitchen was a bathroom with a claw footed tub, I did not like that bath tub! At the other end of the house facing Washington Street was a small bedroom only large enough for a twin bed and dresser. Along the hallway between the bath and the front bedroom were three large bedrooms, Nana's being in the middle. I only remember sleeping in the front bedroom or in her room, not in the other bedrooms. Isn't that strange, I don't know why? She always read the Bible every night before going to bed.
Back in the 50's and 60's, there were such places as "rooming" houses, I think the predecessors to "Bed and Breakfasts" today. But the renters were long term, that is not over night guests. And Nana would have a group of boarders from time to time in her home. I can remember only men, and I think most were people who were working construction projects. Some came back from year to year. I am sure it was company for her and also provided supplemental income. I don't know whether she ever had any problems doing this but I don't remember hearing of any.
On one side of Nana's house were apartments that were probably built in the 50's, with no architectural integrity-rectangular boxes with casement window, and on the other side, her neighbors the Kirbys. Next to the Kirbys was a little neighborhood market that probably was no wider than the front door. I can't remember its name. They did have penny candies and how convenient for shopping. I would give anything today to have a little neighborhood market instead of Walmart. I can visualize then the fresh produce, good meats; none of which we can find at our local Walmarts, Krogers etc.
Living in South Hills (Charleston WV), we had very very few sidewalks and it is a wonder that we ever learned to ride bicycles. Even after we mastered the technique, the only place we really ever rode the bikes was over at Ruth and Bill's on Oakmont Road. Although there they had a sidewalk across the street, the streets were flat enough and not too curvy that we were able to ride our bikes in the street.... we'd ride to the Little League ballpark, the Jewish Cemetery, to friends and over to the "corner" at the top of the Hill where there were shops, our elementary school, Fernbank, Blakes etc. On a few occasions we did ride from our house on Observatory Road over to the shops at the top of the Hill, but not until we were much older and almost out of the stage of riding bikes. Anyway, I remember bringing bikes to Nana's because there were flat sidewalks and alleys perfect for riding and riding and riding.
Oh and I almost forgot the lemonade stands! As I mentioned above when living in South Hills (Charleston WV), there were no sidewalks near our house, curvy narrow roads, and no one walking anywhere. Just cars going by. 2217 East Washington Street was the perfect place, flat sidewalks and lots of people walking by....what a treat for us to earn a pocketful of change!
Lastly, I can remember Nana making the best hot rolls and me sneaking pieces of the unbaked roll dough; it was so tasty. She was an expert seamstress, no doubt self taught. She had such patience and enjoyed teaching others how to sew both by hand and by sewing machine. The style was boxed pleated skirts and she could make them without a pattern!
Nana was born March 10, 1889 and died 1972. Eighty four years... you can only imagine all that she saw and experienced during her lifetime.
If anyone else has anything to share about 2217 East Washington Street..please add a post. Maybe a photo?
Growing up it seemed like a large house; it was home to Ginny, Lala, Ruthie and Curtis. Two story and white with a large porch across the entire front of the house. It was set back from Washington Street and you had to go up about 4-5 steps from the sidewalk and then about so many steps onto the porch. On the right side of the porch was a porch swing and the front door was to the far left. There was also a small metal door to the left of the front door and I believe this was either for ice delivery or milk. I don't know the date that the family moved into the house but I believe they lived there during the mid 30's and Nana remained there until she moved to Lee Street sometime in the late 60's.
Nana had such a green thumb and loved flowers; she had a huge garden and beautiful roses in the backyard. I remember the huge hydrangea bushes in the summertime; they produced gigantic blue flowers. It must have been the perfect spot for them. As for the roses, I can remember collecting Japanese beetles in jars full of some liquid that would drown them, and Nana must have had dozens of rose bushes. Like hydrangeas, I have tried my gardening hand at roses and haven't had much success. I am still trying!
After dinners there, I remember sitting on the front porch swing with my cousins and John , my brother, and we would have contests counting either the makes of cars as they drove up and down Washington Street. Remember in the 50's, there were no foreign cars, so we counted mostly Fords, Chevrolets, Buicks, Cadillacs, and remember we did have some cars that are now obsolete brands like Studebaker, Rambler Nashes etc. I don't remember which cars were most popular or who ever won, just memories of sitting and swinging on the porch swing. Sometimes swinging to high and too fast. If one person was pushing harder than another the swing would get out of synch and start swaying all over the place; in all of the wrong places. In addition to the porch, there was also a nice flat yard in the front and back so perfect for catching lightning bugs during the summers and lots of games of hide and seek and tag.
Inside Nana's house, the hallway went straight to the back of the house to the kitchen. As you walked in the front door the living room was directly on the right and behind that a large dining room which I don't ever remember eating in as I think Nana kept alot of her sewing projects there. There was an open staircase upstairs and I remember spending forever sliding down the bannister, over and over again.
The kitchen was an old fashioned kitchen, fairly large as there was a table where we ate most of the time, and a pantry between the kitchen and dining room and a covered back porch for storage etc.
Upstairs, again a long hallway the length of the house at one end over the kitchen was a bathroom with a claw footed tub, I did not like that bath tub! At the other end of the house facing Washington Street was a small bedroom only large enough for a twin bed and dresser. Along the hallway between the bath and the front bedroom were three large bedrooms, Nana's being in the middle. I only remember sleeping in the front bedroom or in her room, not in the other bedrooms. Isn't that strange, I don't know why? She always read the Bible every night before going to bed.
Back in the 50's and 60's, there were such places as "rooming" houses, I think the predecessors to "Bed and Breakfasts" today. But the renters were long term, that is not over night guests. And Nana would have a group of boarders from time to time in her home. I can remember only men, and I think most were people who were working construction projects. Some came back from year to year. I am sure it was company for her and also provided supplemental income. I don't know whether she ever had any problems doing this but I don't remember hearing of any.
On one side of Nana's house were apartments that were probably built in the 50's, with no architectural integrity-rectangular boxes with casement window, and on the other side, her neighbors the Kirbys. Next to the Kirbys was a little neighborhood market that probably was no wider than the front door. I can't remember its name. They did have penny candies and how convenient for shopping. I would give anything today to have a little neighborhood market instead of Walmart. I can visualize then the fresh produce, good meats; none of which we can find at our local Walmarts, Krogers etc.
Living in South Hills (Charleston WV), we had very very few sidewalks and it is a wonder that we ever learned to ride bicycles. Even after we mastered the technique, the only place we really ever rode the bikes was over at Ruth and Bill's on Oakmont Road. Although there they had a sidewalk across the street, the streets were flat enough and not too curvy that we were able to ride our bikes in the street.... we'd ride to the Little League ballpark, the Jewish Cemetery, to friends and over to the "corner" at the top of the Hill where there were shops, our elementary school, Fernbank, Blakes etc. On a few occasions we did ride from our house on Observatory Road over to the shops at the top of the Hill, but not until we were much older and almost out of the stage of riding bikes. Anyway, I remember bringing bikes to Nana's because there were flat sidewalks and alleys perfect for riding and riding and riding.
Oh and I almost forgot the lemonade stands! As I mentioned above when living in South Hills (Charleston WV), there were no sidewalks near our house, curvy narrow roads, and no one walking anywhere. Just cars going by. 2217 East Washington Street was the perfect place, flat sidewalks and lots of people walking by....what a treat for us to earn a pocketful of change!
Lastly, I can remember Nana making the best hot rolls and me sneaking pieces of the unbaked roll dough; it was so tasty. She was an expert seamstress, no doubt self taught. She had such patience and enjoyed teaching others how to sew both by hand and by sewing machine. The style was boxed pleated skirts and she could make them without a pattern!
Nana was born March 10, 1889 and died 1972. Eighty four years... you can only imagine all that she saw and experienced during her lifetime.
If anyone else has anything to share about 2217 East Washington Street..please add a post. Maybe a photo?
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Helen Frances Rippetoe Hayne Jett
For someone so special, it is hard to know where to start or what to write. So if I leave something out, be sure and write and include it in the blog. Helen was born in Sharples, W.Va. d and 2 1/2 yrs. later she had twin sibblings arrive and I'm sure it was hard to adjust to that. We moved later to Charleston and life began. First thing I remember is her going to the river bank and bringing home babies to bathe and dress in her doll clothes. (that was when the very poor lived on river boats) Our address was Virginia Ave. and a block over was the Kanawha river. She grew to become a beautiful child and gorgeous teen ager. We loved living on Washington St later because the boys drove by and tooted to us or stopped to talk. Helen was Miss Everything!! Miss Charleston Gazette Miss morris Harvey, Miss Mt. Lion, Queen of the Mountain Laurel Festival in Elkins, W.Va. many more . At Morris Harvey, she dated the popular basketball players. She dated Frank Bradley and was engaged to him during the war. She had her teeth in braces while he was gone and it was dreadful. she had the rushed treatment and it was very painful. He was killed in Europe and she gave her engagement ring to Nana because she had never had a diamond ring! need I say more? She was the receptionist for two governors and very well known at the state house. Opps, got ahead of myself! She worked at Carbide and dated all the attraactive, well educated Ivy League boys. We local girls called them the DDD's (That stands for dam draft dodgers) loved them because that was all that was left in town. Bob Hayne entered the picture . a neat couple they made. they lived in many neighorhoods . had the 2 children they wished for ..Anne and John. Lala was always doing for others. started early and never slowed.She was easy to live with. I don't remember her ever losing her temper. She loved her church and the 3 Rippetoe girls went to church in their hats and little white gloves and always stopped by "Mikes" to have a coke where everyone gathered. Lala tanned so beautifully and asked me to join her in the back yard on the quilt . In about 20 min she looked over to me and said "Oh, Ruthie, I an soooo sorry" I was blistered and 10,000 freckles! She was in charge of "Meals on Wheels" and got Bob involved w/paper work. He loved it. Planned the routes,who? where? when? etc. Helen received the highest reward the Presbyterians give . Such an honor. The Haynes ended up being marvelous tour guides for Europe and others. made many trips and Bill and I were fortunate to go for 3 wks. Bob tricked us by recording our conversations on the balcony of our room in Rome. We were weary and with our Vino before dinner, he tricked us. Our main conversation was constipation!! I have the tape but too embarrassed to play, think I'll deep-six it.Helen Frances was such a loving person.beautiful on the inside as well. Bob Swiger wrote her a letter after Bob died and expressed what a wonderful person she was . Told her what a real lady she was at all times. She was a dedicated nurse taking care of Bob during his illness too. Later, Richard Jett swooped her off her feet. He had a plane flying over Antique w/banner saying "Lala, will you marry me?'" hOW ROMANTIC IS THAT? They moved to Louisville and we had many laughs and good times togetherWe went to Churchill Downs and that's when she had the stroke. Fortunately we got to the hospital in time for the necessary treatment.they moved back to Myrtle Beach and another home decorated with style. You must gather by now she had style, love and class in every move. She loved her children and their children more than anything! Am sure they will carry her goodness on.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)