Friday, May 26, 2017

Aunt Karen’s Dash

I have an Uncle and Aunt who are twins who were born two month after I was born.

Uncle Kenny and Aunt Karen although I never called them that.

Karen and Kenneth #3 (2)

They were twins but totally different in personality.

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This photo in 1952 says it all.  Karen is crying, Kenny is wondering what she is bawling about and I am on my way out of the situation.

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Karen on the left and me on the far right in 1954, the little girl in the middle her name was Connie also.

Diane's Birthday (2)

Kenny, Carey, Me with Deb, Karen

Vickie, Diane and Maxine

It must have been Diane’s birthday party.

All of us grew up together, we saw each other just about every Sunday because everyone gathered at my Grandparents on Sunday for dinner.

I got along just fine with Kenny.  Karen not so much, she was always getting someone in trouble and I was often punished because she was a Miss Tattletail.

I was usually off with Kenny and my baby brother doing “stuff”…you know…jumping from hummock to hummock in the swamp, poking long sticks down into the oozey bog where the ground would move, playing games with sticks and balls, Anty I Over, Hide and Seek.  We could play outside all afternoon and be entertained until it was time to eat dinner or go home. Karen was mostly in the house playing with dolls.

Both Kenny and Karen were attendants when Far Guy and I got married.

Karen got married in 1970, she had two maybe three kids and while those children were little she divorced her husband. 

The last time I saw her was in May of 2004.  It was at her sister’s funeral visitation (Marion).  I expressed my sympathy and inquired about her children.  We really never had much in common.

My Mother had four sisters.

Toots Karen Elsie Skip Madeline Marion 1977 Drewes 50th Anniversary

Toots, Karen, Grandma, Skip, Madeline (My Mom) and Marion in 1977.  This photo was taken at my Grandparents 50th Wedding Anniversary.

My Aunt Karen died on May 24 2017, she was living in a Nursing Facility in Florida near her daughter.  She was 65 years old.

Now my Mom has no living sisters.  She does have two brothers still alive.  Once there were twelve children and only three remain.

I know that Karen was Confirmed in the Lutheran Church Missouri Synod because I was there.  I suspect that she eventually grew up a bit.  She had a hard life being a single mother. My Mother always tried to make her feel special.

 Karen and Kenneth jpeg older

I should know more about her dash, but I don’t.  Sometimes it is really hard to put childhood conflicts behind you. We co existed on Sundays because we had to “get along” growing up. I did not go out of my way to learn more about her once we reached adulthood.

I hope she had a good life and enjoyed her children and grandchildren.   

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13 comments:

linda m said...

I am so sorry for your loss of your Aunt Karen. May god welcome her into His Kingdom.

marlu said...

Always sad to lose a family member, no matter how close the relationship.
I love these old photos. Thanks for posting. Your first photo was taken the year we were married!

Mac n' Janet said...

I have a cousin like that, loved her Mother (aunt by marriage) but her not so much. Any time I stupidly shared a secret with her she sold on me. Recently her Mother died which was very sad, I'll probably never have contact with the cousin again.

Red said...

Interesting how the sisters do not look the same. I do like to see older photos of people as styles and colors were so very different.

Sam I Am...... said...

65 is young! She was in a home by then? So sad and they were so cute but life takes us and does what it will and it molds us and if we're not careful it can change us and not for the better.

Linda said...

I have family just like that...we got along because we had too...then we grew up...thankfully and never had to be or see each other again.

Rita said...

I rarely see my own immediate family members, let alone the rest of the extended family. Only had one aunt I was closer to. I don't mind and maybe they are glad of it--LOL! Dagan and Leah do love me and visit voluntarily. I enjoy their company immensely and love them to pieces. That's truly a blessing in my family, I guess--LOL!

Cynthia said...

Families are so interesting. We had a few clunkers in our extended family, too, that I haven't seen since I was required to play with them when we were children. They probably weren't that crazy about me either! I love your old photos.

Granny Marigold said...

I enjoy your old photos. I'm sorry about your aunt Karen, she sure died young. I've lost contact with my many cousins and could probably walk past them on the street and not recognize them. But we're the ones who moved 1500 miles away from everyone so if fault there be....

Linda Reeder said...

I have cousins on my dad's side of the family that I don't know at all. We did not grow up together and had completely different lives. Not all families are close.
Still, 65 is very young to get your "dash".

Anonymous said...

Gotta say the little kiddo photos are pretty cute! RIP Karen.

DJan said...

To me these days, 65 seems young to be passing on. I hope she didn't suffer. Thanks for introducing us. :-)

L. D. said...

It is interesting to see how things turn out in family relationships. The reason my wife and I are doing the hospital thing is because the cousin who is friends with everyone has a husband who totally withdrawn and the two kids have not been relating to any of the family. The sickness has the brother and sister talking again to each other and the husband is getting calls of concern finally after many years of silence from his kids. .