The Final Chapter
My grandmother, Jeanette Shrum Willett, left us a wonderful handwritten manuscript of her life which she wrote in the mid-1980s. She was born August 4, 1897, in Bloomington, Indiana, and died March 3, 1988, in Salem, Massachusetts. I have been transcribing her manuscript here. You can start from the beginning with Part 1.
The grammar, punctuation, and any spelling errors are left as Jenny Shrum Willett wrote them.
I feel incredibly lucky to have a manuscript of my grandmother’s life in her own words. It has been so much fun transcribing it here so that my entire family can enjoy Buba’s life. This is the final chapter in her manuscript.
Part 14
“In 1970 we went on Oceanic with Fred & Helen, Merah & Oliver, Marion & Joe Reynolds the first time Merah & Fred &I had been together for any length of time since I went to college. Harold drove to Providence & picked Merah and Oliver up – Reynold and Shrums went together and amazingly we drove up to the pier at the same time. Oliver was taken sick the last day and was operated on for cancer as soon as we got home. Merah had a stroke & died in 1972.
Our last trip was on Slatendam to Carribean in Apr. 1972. Harold played golf in Bermuda, entered bridge tournament & putting contest and seemed fine.
In Guadelope we were riding in a taxi when a car came along side and threw a pail of water on us. Our driver took off after him but we begged him to stop & take us back to the ship. We had seen all we wanted of Guadelope.
Harold began to have trouble breathing after our return. He went into the hospital and when he came home he was able to do some work. He would go into town late and come home early and I would go with him. Mary carried on his work & he did a lot by telephone. He never once thought he wasn’t going to get well. I moved his bed down in the dining room but he insisted on dressing every day – it might take several hours to get his clothes on but we made it. We had an oxygen tank by his bed. The day before he died, the Beisiouls & Reynolds came to see him and he was dressed and sitting in the living room. The next morning I knew he was worse. He broke out in a cold sweat and I changed his pajamas but he was having trouble breathing. I sat in the living room to be near if he wanted anything. His breathing became easier & I thought he was sleeping but when I went to him I realized he was gone – July 2, 1973.
Now I am living alone and missing him but I have two wonderful daughters and seven grandchildren who are very precious and I am truly blessed.”
I have joined an online challenge by Amy Johnson Crow to write about 52 ancestors in 52 weeks. I’m writing about the prompt “Diary.” I am hopelessly behind on participating, but Amy says there really is no “behind.” Writing at your pace and getting something out on the page is what is most important. You can join any time and find all the details here:
Click here to sign up for the 52 Ancestors Challenge