Taking the good and the bad.

July 30, 2012

From Richard

We have had a good weekend in Willcox.    Leona is recovering remarkably well and she is getting better every day.    Peggy and Patty Jo and Marty , Dale and Ray, John, Loretta and kids, Megan and Jason were all here this weekend.      

  

I have been there for 40 years minding the store.    I will be 88 this year and we are getting pretty decrepit.    (Leona says, call me decrepit but be sure to call me to dinner.)     The future is always uncertain and this is no different.   

Its nice here.   It has not been too hot and has been raining on and off.   Lots of good food and good family relationships.   

 

Lightning n the clouds.

 Patty joking by being on her knees in the water over the street. 

 August 5, 2012

I am always talking a good talk about Willcox.    I won't do that tonight.   One of the worse things I can think of about Willcox is that a couple of days ago a big chasm,  a crack, happened close to the road north of town.     It is about 4 or 5 foot wide and several hundred feet deep.   It’s pretty long….  I didn’t see it so I am making that up as I go.  They have put several dump loads of debris in there so far and still haven’t filled it up.    The water from the subterranean area has reduced and caused the land to be disrupted.   It is kind of scary especially since the city water comes from near by there.   But so far so good.  Everybody has water problems somewhere.    But I don’t like it here!   

Fissure north of Willcox 

Its nice that everybody from the family is here taking care of me and Leona.   We are spoiled rotten.   Marty and Peggy and Patty Jo.    I just can’t have it any nicer than that.   

And they are going to go before long and that is bad.    Marty will go back to her boat in Florida.   Peggy will go back to California to be with Mark her husband.   Patty Jo has to go back to school teaching school in Willcox before long.     

Is that enough bad news?   So it is time to do some changes again.  

All of our businesses in Willcox are getting less.    The tourist business is off considerably partly because of the forest fires near by.  And automobile expense has hurt our motels and our eating places, filling stations and everybody who is associated with that is hurting too.    We hope that things are getting better but so far they haven’t revived to any great extent.     

Patty and Drew, her boyfriend, have been up in Cloudcroft with brother John this weekend.   I expect them back before long.    Loretta and kids will be back next week.     Marty and Dale and Ray are staying another week here.   They are getting their boat repaired in Florida before they sail again.  

Leona is getting better every day…   (that is not pessimistic)  but she still isn’t taking care of me.    

This is Dick Seidel on historic Railroad Avenue

Willcox influx

July 24, 2012

From Richard

Just keep it up and we will have more people than the party in Florida has.   Megan and Jason , her new husband, have now arrived.   He is Jason Friend.   The Friends are friends.  They are a wonderful couple.   Megan says when you are married to a Friend you will have a wonderful relationship.   

Marty, Ray and Dale are expected in from Florida on Saturday.    My son John from New Mexico will be here Saturday as well as Peggy and Patty.    I haven't figured them all in yet.        

Leona is back from the hospital yesterday.   I think she has had a successful operation on her spinal stenosis.  We are sure glad to have her back.   We are glad that Patty and Peggy are here to help with her.   They have been exceptional helpers.  

I hope you all have a good time in Florida.  

This is Dick Seidel on Historic Railroad Avenue 

Arizona Monsoons

July 15, 2012

This is Richard.    It is pouring down rain on Railroad Avenue.   I have my dog inside and I am inside on my new recliner and I am comfy.    

Peggy will be here tomorrow.    I guess she is going to take good care of us cause Leona will be in surgery the next morning.     Joe says she will dance but I don’t think she will the next day.     But if she walks straight without pain, without falling down we will be happy about that and our surgeon is very encouraged that he can do it.   It looks kind of complicated to me so I won’t try to explain it to you.   

The next couple of days will be busy with Leona and so on.    Too bad you can’t hear the rain pattering on my patio.   It sounds pretty good.    Monsoon season is just getting started good.   Peggy will be happy cause she likes to hear the thunder and lightning and rain.   Mya the dog doesn’t like it.   The Lightning is so loud you can hardly hear me so this is Dick Seidel on Historic Railroad Avenue.   

PS from Leona,    Thanks for your good thoughts and encouragements,  Love.  

Midwest drought

July 8, 2012

This is from Richard.  Everybody is complaining about the dry area in the Midwest.     I remember back in 19….    1936 was a dry year.    It was soooo   dry…   Dan and everyone says it is dry now but you could have seen it then.    It was blowing up all the ears of corn as if you had popcorn.    It was my first experience with farming.   My dad gave me 10 acres if I would help him out.   I had soybeans and it didn’t make anything.    I made about $30 off the ten acres and that was all the summers work.    They had dust bowls in the west and they had dry bowls in the Midwest cause it never rained.   But it did  get better by 1937 we had the best wheat crop so far and so that brought it us out of the Hoover depression.  

We have gotten a little bit of monsoon, not much.   A little bit yesterday.    Nothing that covers the streets with water yet.     The rains are just starting but it is coming.     If you hurry you can see thunder and lightning and rain.     

This is Richard from Willcox Arizona…  Historic Railroad Avenue

William Max Seidel

June 24, 2012

Peg asked me to say something about my dad and I can do that.

This is Richard talking about William Max Seidel

He was like my grandson who is named after him.   He is smart and likes to talk.    Our grandson asks Leona…   “Lets talk awhile”….   “What do you want to talk about?” Leona says.   He says.   “Pick a category”.    So if he gets a category he can talk for a long time.    But my dad was pretty smart too.    He knew a lot of different categories to talk about.   

He never did go to the army but he did go to the CMTC which is the Civilian Military Training Corps.   It was in Battle Creek, Michigan.   It might have been 2 or 3 weeks.     He would talk about his experiences at CMTC till I got tired of it after a while.    

He started out as a chicken farmer.   He would send his chicken’s white eggs to a New York market.   We probably had 400 or 500 chickens.  Every chicken had a band on its leg and Dad kept track of which chicken was laying eggs.   He would write down the numbers and it took him a long time.   Even if it took him all day he would still do it.   But during the depression they couldn’t afford to send them to NY anymore so he went out of business as far as his chickens were concerned.    The depression was his business misfortune.

He was pretty handy.  He would rather work a half a day than go to town to fix something.    He was more handy with machinery and tools than I was cause he could do  things so quick that someone else wouldn’t even get started fixing it.    He was a hard worker.    Only problem was that he couldn’t utilize his time very easily.    I would want to go to the field to farm and he would still be working on the tractor or something or the other.  

I suppose most of my siblings remember him having this loud voice all over the neighborhood calling the cows or horses or when he got mad.  (at me).    But most of his tantrums were about his tools or his equipment.  He had a good hollering voice.     But he was nice to work with.  He was a hard worker and he knew how to do things faster, better and quicker than anybody else.    I would work pretty hard with him most of the time.    He never talked deep about anything with me except when he took me to the Y for me to go into the army and he wept before I was picked up.    He told me later when he was older and in Florida that he still remembered that and that he was afraid he wouldn’t see me again.    Lucky me,  I made it back.    Sometimes I used my intuition and sometimes I used my training but it got me back.        

This is Dick Seidel on Historic Railroad Avenue

Happy Fathers Day

June 17, 2012

This is Richard the honored patriarch of the week.   It has been a nice fathers day.   Patty is here,  Peggy called and Marty talked to me from Florida.   John is here too.  

This is my fathers day present…   a recliner, it’s new and I have been sitting in it ever since it got here.        It is a nice recliner.    It automatically shifts and does everything for me since I am too lazy to get up.   

Thank you Dan for the check I got yesterday from my wheat.    It was a nice fathers day gift too.   I hope you get  lots of good rain during July so we will have a good corn crop.   

It was good to hear from Dale and Ray on the phone today.   I have been kind of lonesome for them as they have been on the ship for quite a while.    

We got our first monsoon yesterday.   It didn’t amount to much but a little lightning and a little rain.    It is just a start.    

This is Dick   on historic railroad avenue.   The oldest father around.   

June

June 3, 2012

It’s hot here.   Warm Arizona.    It is cool inside though because the low humidity makes my swamp cooler really cold.   They work really good till it gets really hot and humid in July or August.  

My mom’s and my mom-in-laws birthdays are this week on the 6^th.  Thelma was born in 1905.   Martha was born in 1909 I think.

 Thelma   1905 - 1986

 Martha 1909 - 2001

I have to write something because I would like to hear from everybody.   First thing in the morning I read my email and hear my markets.  And Leona reads them to me every day.     Bless her heart.    I like to hear from everybody by usual and unusual methods such as somebody visiting in the store saying “Joe says hello Richard” from somebody in Atlanta whose kids were students of Joe.   That was good that I got to hear from him that way.   

Leona and I are content to just sit down and watch the TV and the computer.   We are getting older.   Someone on the street said ‘being old is in your mind’.   I am not sure of that… I think it is more in your body and bones than in your mind.   Maybe I have used my bones and body more because they are worn out and my mind is still good.  

I am bragging pretty much to say that.   

I may have to get a new recliner.    Me and my dog have about wore out the old one.   

This is Richard Seidel on historic Railroad Avenue

Memorial Day

May 27, 2012

This is from Richard.     This is for my next 67 years.     This is a story of 67 years.    I had a close shave on Memorial Day back then and thank goodness for some reason or other I survived.    So thankfully for my grandkids and my kids I lived.   

 (Picture is missing 2 of my grand kids but the rest are here.)

 

 The 67 years have been productive.   I have a nice family and nice grandkids and I have been moderately successful.   I thank my stars on Memorial Day in 1945…   my story is too old.   It’s a good 67 years.    I was 20 when I was on Okinawa.  

But I am home and alive and I have had a good life so I am grateful.   

We have been home alone this week.     Everyone had a great time at Peggy’s but everyone is back home except for Patty and Drew (who is really Mark but there are too many Marks so we call him Drew).  

Had some activity yesterday on Railroad Avenue because of a car show.   Wasn’t real big as it seems like everybody left town for the weekend except me and Leona and we are happy to be here.    We have just put our feet up and took it easy.          We watched Memorial Day activities in Washington DC on TV till they called it off because of a storm there and just re-ran last year's show.  

This is Richard Seidel on historic Railroad Avenue.  

This is the old story gleaned from past writings……

Memorial Day memories…..  

We used to call it Decoration Day and it was on May 30th. I can remember mom picking up flowers to take to the cemetery. She went to Heinrich’s yard; they had lots of flags (iris) and lots of other perennials which old houses were noted for.

         (Richard's grandparents, Sebastian and Friedericka Seidel's grave in the old Sandoval cemetery.)

What I remember most is Decoration Day, May 30, 1945 on Okinawa.   When I had last been home, it was obvious that my mom was pregnant.    I hadn’t heard anything yet though it was past time for the baby to come. 

 (Thelma Seidel, mother of Richard, Emma Lou, Jean, Sue, Joe and Dan.)

 This day is still hard to write about or talk about even now.   It took me 40 years to tell it for the first time. When I thought of it the tears would always come in the eyes and it was impossible to talk about.  It was an hour of danger, horror and spiritual guidance, the love of two men, death and above all life which came in a letter from mom.

I was in the ‘chemical mortar company’ in the army but we were stationed with the Marines.  We were doing good. We were extending our firing range from one fourth to one half mile. Our observer said we had accounted for 14 nips and 3 gun emplacements.

A man named Patsy showed up. He was being transferred from the first squad though that was a little odd. Most of the men knew him as they had been in a couple campaigns before Okinawa. I also thought Patsy was unusual for a man’s name. He was also a little different. He didn't wear his steel helmet. He said liked to feel the wind in his hair.

I was keeping a supply of shells prepared for our mortars and when I wasn't busy I sat in the doorway of the house that was only a few feet to the right of my mortar. I heard incoming enemy artillery. As if by instinct I hit the dirt. The shell exploded on the hill in front of us. I looked up as I saw Patsy dropped another round into the mortar.

He shouted "You fellows be careful where you put those things".
A second shell wined in and explode 100 yards to our left. Patsy said "Now that's not nice".

I picked myself off the ground the second time. My legs were tingling and I felt an undeniable pressure I must move, I felt I was being motivated by an unseen force toward the open tomb. I crawled inside and sat one the one side of the 2 by 3 foot entrance.

Another shell came tearing through the air. Whoom--a shaft of dust and air shot into tomb through the 2 by 3 foot entrance. I looked out. The cottage where I had been sitting was a two foot high pile of red tile roofing. Our mortar was out of action. Patsy's body lay just in front of the entrance of the tomb. A thick mixture of blood and brains puddled out of his head.

Tony who was Patsy's best friend (and lover) from the first squad was the first to arrive. He said "What happened? Oh my god."   He threw his face on Patsy's heaving chest and sobbed uncontrollably. It took forever for Patsy to quit twitching and stop breathing. His shirt became wet with Tony’s tears. Patsy finally lay still. Tony was able to recite some prayers.   

The profound love and prayers I observed between these two men was something I had not seen before or even thought about until that moment.  Tony then stepped aside for the company commander who came from the rear headquarters to report on the death of Patsy. . "Here Seidel is a letter for you. The captain brought some mail when he came".    He handed it to me where I was still confined in the tomb by Patsy's lifeless body. Patsy was a brave man. He was still pumping shells in our mortar until the enemy artillery shell landed on it.    

I squinted as I held the letter to the shaft of light coming through the tomb entrance. It was a new letter--only 10 days old--and it was from mom. It hadn't been chased all over Hawaii, Siapan and Okinawa trying to find a G.I. in a Marine outfit.  It had passed over some older letters that hadn’t caught up with me yet.    Wow--now I will find out what happened. My trembling fingers opened the envelope.

Dear Richard
We haven't heard from you in over a week. We hope everything is going ok. We are all busy. Sue is studying for final exams school will be out on Friday.
Yes mom but what happened.

Your white face cow had a nice heifer calf. We put them out on pasture last week.
Yes mom but what happened?

Dad got some corn ground plowed but we got another big rain so it be awhile before gets it planted.
Yes mom but what happened?

Evelyn got your new address yesterday so you should be getting a letter from her soon.
Yes mom but what happened?

I will write more later as I must sign off now. Your brother is a little wet on the bottom.

Love

Mom

 

(Father Bill,  Mother Thelma and probably Joe who was announced to me on Memorial Day. )

So much for Memorial Day memories
 
 Brother Richard

Wedding

May 20, 2012 Sunday

This is from Richard.    From Woodland CA.   It has been a fantastic week for most of us.    It was my middle granddaughter's 12th birthday.    We generally make a lot of noise on birthdays and we did but it was sort of anti climatic because  she was a brides maid at my oldest granddaughter Megan (and Jason’s) wedding on her birthday.      

 

The wedding was at Peggy and Mark’s house and they were super duper duper hosts.   

 

Jason is the new grand son and   I am proud to be his grandfather.   He is a splendid man.    

I will soon be home on Railroad Avenue in historic Willcox Arizona.

Richard   

Leona 's wedding report.....   It was just a beautiful garden wedding with lovely wonderful people.    

Lots and lots and lots of good food.  

  

Miles officiated and he did such a good job that a dear uncle who had been married for 25 years re-did his vows with his wife right there.   

The dining area was festooned with hand made string lanterns,   (made by Megan with her artist friends)     and   clear sparkly lights.     

And Peggy’s calla lilies, some 4 foot tall were beautiful and  geraniums and lots of succulents.   

 

Richard says not to for get the eclipse of the sun that we witnessed Sunday afternoon....    oh and did i mention the food?  

 (Eclipsed sun reflected on the house from a mirror.)

 (Megan made the cakes too!   Yum!)

Wonderful vacation with so many wonderful people.    We roomed next to my sister Grace and we called my sister Vera on her 80th birthday.    

Leona 

Getting Old

May 6, 2012

Sunday

This is from Richard.   We are talking about getting old.    Leona took about an hour to read all the obits from around Sandoval and Willcox.    Some of the deceased were older than me and some of them I knew.   http://www.wjbdradio.com/index.php?f=obits 

We read about Harold Joyce.    He was a banker in Sandoval.   He was a good one to have.   I missed him when I moved to Willcox.   I would tell the people here in Willcox that I missed my Sandoval banker more than anything else when I moved.     Before I went to Arizona I had a pad of blank notes from him at the bank and he told me that you could put the amount here and date it and sign it and he will take care of me.   He always said that if I wanted to buy some machinery or some cattle,   just to write a check and when I came to town we would take care of it.   He would hold it till I could come to town.  (He knew I was a good customer.)   

  (Sandoval National Bank 1960s~)

In my early years in Willcox, I was trying to work with my big banker here.  He was giving me a hard time. I told him about my pad from the Sandoval Bank.  He couldn't believe me.   I should have told him that all he had to do was give me a pad of notes like Sandoval did for me.   And we would take care of it.      The banker came to the store a few days later and said he wanted to see that pad of notes I had so I had to pull it out of the drawer to show him.   

(Picture of the store as it looked like when we acquired it. Filming a movie named "Dalton" on Railroad Ave.  )

John and his family went up to the Chirichua Mountains today and tonight for a picnic so we were by ourselves.    

 (Chirichua Mountains October 2011)

 

Well Dan, I hope you have some soybeans sowed though I am not pushing you cause it is still early.   

 (Soybean field July 2011)

This is Dick Seidel on historic Railroad Avenue

Public Service

April 29, 2012

This is from Richard on Historic Railroad Avenue.   Peg asked “How did you get involved in politics Dad?”   Well, I was sitting there listening to the radio and was listening to John Kennedy.   He was the president and he was giving a speech, it was his inaugural speech I guess.    He inspired me.    He said ‘Ask not what your country can do for you but what you can do for your country”.   So I thought I would go down to Carrigan to the caucus there and someone nominated me for supervisor.    I think I was the first Democrat elected from Carrigan township since 1932.  

(Carrigan township hall in 2007)

Carrigan township had a small population.  We had a road commissioner and 3 officers and a clerk and had a meeting once a month.   I was the township supervisor and served as a county supervisor.   They have since changed the county supervisors  somewhat as they wanted the  to  representation to be aligned to the  population.   So now it can’t be just one from each township as there wasn't enough representation for the larger townships.   I served as supervisor for 11 years, until we moved to Arizona. 

(Marion County Court House in Salem Illinois were the County Board of Supervisors met.)  

In Arizona, I was on the city council for a bit.     My family got so involved with the police that I had to get on the council to find out what was going on.    Leona said they followed our daughter every time she left the driveway.  They were picking on my kids.    They stopped my kids 15 times one year.    Half the police department had to go.   

(City Hall in the old train depot in Willcox, Arizona 2012) 

I got a Facebook note from one of the folks that served in WW2 in the first chemical mortar company with me in Okinawa.   He  was from Streator Illinois.   I haven’t seen him for a couple of years.   Last time I was in Illinois I was busy at the anniversary party  in Northern Illinois and I stopped in to see the farm and relatives in southern Illinois so didn't see him.   He tries to keep us all together as far as the mortar company is concerned.      It would be good to see him again as so many of my world war two folks are gone already.   

(Sandoval Veterans Memorial in 2007  with Richard, Leona and Daughter Patty)

(Richard's block at the Memorial)

I would like go out to see if my farm is as good as last year .   But the first thing I have to do is go to California to help my oldest grand daughter to get married in May.  We are usually here at the oldest store in Arizona but we will be stepping out for that happy event.   

Oh and Happy Birthday Megan!  

This is Dick Seidel on historic railroad avenue