They Don’t Forget To Write

Dear Ann Landers: A while ago, you printed a letter from a woman whose grandson was in the service. He kept making expensive long distance calls home, and she wanted him to write instead. You said, “Letters written while in the service become part of the family history. Your grandson will be awfully glad he wrote them.”

Your answer was right on target, Ann. Let me tell you about our family. In 1924, my mother and her seven siblings began a round-robin family letter in which everyone wrote about the week’s happenings, added their letter to the others and sent them on to the next person. Every month, Mother would get a letter from all of her siblings. When the mail arrived, everything stopped while Mother had a “visit” with her family.

With my four brothers in the military during World War II, it was only natural that my family start our own letter. After 72 years, our family still has a round-robin letter going. My parents are gone now, and three of my brothers have died, but the letter continues with my surviving brother, me, the widows of my three brothers and two very special cousins. It is a joy and a delight to us all.

In the mid-‘70s, I started a third letter with our own six children. There has even been talk among some of our 18 grandchildren of starting their own. I wouldn’t be surprised if they did since they come from a long line of persistent communicators. Perhaps you would like to pass this idea to your younger readers. - Virginia in Cedar Hill, Texas

Dear Virginia: What a splendid idea. How I wish someone had suggested it to me when I was much younger. Such letters would have been priceless today. So much family history is lost if no one takes the time and trouble to write it down. How sad.

Dear Ann Landers: You asked your readers to tell you how they met their spouses. I’d like to tell you about my “fairy tale” courtship.

When I retired from my job of 17 years as administrative assistant to the publisher of the daily newspaper in Scottsbluff, Neb., the paper ran a full-page photo of me with a write-up about my retirement. I had been widowed for almost four years, and the prospects around this area were pretty limited.

I was pleasantly surprised when I received a call from a gentleman who had lost his wife the previous summer. I knew him only by reputation, which was stellar. He had seen my photo in the newspaper. A mutual friend had informed him that I walked every day, and he asked if he could join me. I accepted immediately. Although we had worked within a block of each other for the past 17 years, we had never met.

Well, we did meet - and fell in love almost immediately. We have been married almost four years and are still sailing along on a cloud - living the very good life. But my husband still tells people that “it pays to advertise,” and he’s sure glad I did. - Bernice Lessman in Gering, Neb.

Dear Bernice: So am I. What a heartwarming story. I did a little research and found out that the paper you worked for is the Star-Herald. I am happy to give it a little free advertising.

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