May 18, 2023
Many scribbled notes are forthcoming that I will be combining into a future book and possibly videos for later. I may even post these as I do them onto the Back to Basics Group in Facebook, encouraging others who are elderly to do the same. These are NOT the end writings… but a guide in a book plan.
I watch our history being rewritten as I type this, and the truth of how we lived, information we were taught by family, pastors and teachers… may soon be lost forever. Even old television shows such as The Waltons, Little House on the Prarie, Happy Days, Mayberry and many others, could be buried in time or rewritten.
I predict old Hard Copy Books will soon be worth a fortune as they can’t be easily changed. They must be preserved! On line information is easily edited in what ever direction the on-line editor chooses.
The birth of this inspiration happened when my daughter Tiffany asked about my Father with the following question in a text message on (May 14, 2023); “What was Grandpa’s (your dad) job? And I’m sorry for asking this…. AGE of death?”
*Side Note: Tiffany has carefully saved and preserved many family pictures over time.*
Tiffany asked this question after sending an “ancient” portrait of me at age 4, taken with my parents. Picture attached. (Note: Picture taken in 1963 at the American Evangelical Lutheran Church in Phoenix, AZ. for a “Church Members Directory”.
The church still stands today, but looks very different now.) It’s the church I grew up in, went to weekly Sunday School, Summer Bible Camps and graduated Catechism.
Right behind the church building and on the opposite side of the Canal, was a large, privately owned swimming pool called “Nelson’s Pool” where Grandma would walk David and I each weekday during the Summer for Swimming lessons for many years. I became a very good swimmer because of it. Nelson’s Pool is also where I met your dad at the age of 15. They have since torn it down and filled it in. Nelson’s Pool was truly a Phoenix icon and featured many times in the News Paper. This freezing cold pool filled with well water, was where they had huge tractor inner tubes, and the teenagers would play “King of the Tube” The idea was the guys would wrestle each other off the tubes until only one was left, and the winner would then be joined by people he invited up onto the inner tube. Your Grandpa Charlie ALWAYS won, and always invited me up afterwards. Your Grandpa was a big, strong, muscular guy who spent 4 years in high-school as a gymnast on the rings.
Note: I JUST found a picture on line with me in it at Nelson’s pool! I was wearing the Pooka Shells necklace your dad got me! I don’t see him in the picture though. *attached*
I ultimately responded to Tiffany with a flood of memories, building up with answers far above what she asked for. I tend to do my best work when flashed with inspiration… and then run with it. Who knows where this will lead? LOL!
***Reminder to self to add a separate section that includes names, a bio, birth/death dates and geographical locations or each person later. ***
Mom ~ Yvonne Xxxx Xxxxxxx(Maiden Name: Xxxxx from Oshkosh, Wisconsin).
Birth: January 4 xxxx – March (?) xxxx
Dad ~ Paul Russell Stovall (grew up in San Diego). Birth: April 22 xxxx – April 6, 1981.
Self ~ Linda Ann Stovall. I was Born in San Diego, CA. April 29, 19xx at Mercy Hospital. Put up for adoption as a newborn. Adoption placement the same year with my parents on Father’s Day. Here is a picture my parents must have taken when the Stork delivered me to them…
My text answers (with some edits) to Tiffany as follows:
Text #1) He died one week (either before or after) the date you were conceived. April 6, 1981. I remember this one small point because your grandpa never knew I was pregnant when he died. You would have been his first grandchild that he had wanted so badly. It was also you Tiffany, that helped to get Grandma out of her very deep depression after his passing, because she also badly wanted a grandchild. Remembershe could never get pregnant.
Your Grandpa’s birthday was April 22nd and he died two weeks before he would have turned 62 years old. He was going to retire. He and your grandma had great plans for travel etc. (I had a talk with your other Grandma (on your dad’s side) when she and your Grandpa came to the house after the funeral. Remind me to tell you about it.
Your Grandpa Stovall worked at Brunswick Drug Company for many years in the warehouse fulfilling orders for drugstores. I’m not sure but I think Brunswick was a wholesale supplier. I remember he sometimes would come home with a box of supplies packed up with great care. Even as a little girl, I was impressed by his attention to detail. I found some of his microbiology drawings from when he was in college of various cells and microbes…and his work was meticulous. Looking back on it, I am surprised he accepted such a menial job. He was a very quiet man, kind of distant, but very honest, hard working and loyal to a fault. He never once lied, only heard him swear once in my entire life, and NEVER drank. He was a good dad and provided for us well. Grandma was a “stay at home mom” and we never lacked for anything because of her incredible budget and money management skills. She never missed a good Department Store sale to scrounge for great deals. We had a nice middle class home that was well kept up on 1737 W. Hazelwood in Phoenix, Az. 85015. I still remember our rotary dial phone number that was a “Party Line”! (602)274-4723. Out of boredom as a child… I sometimes would listen into other party line, juicy conversations.
Anyway… Thank you for helping me remember! Most wives at that time were stay at home moms taking care of the family, while the dad worked. Most had nice homes with at least one car.
(Side Note:Things have gotten WAY out of control with inflation and taxes that have forced a two wage earner income, which forced children to be brought up by childcare workers by default and later to become what was called, “latch key kids”).
Back then, it was the mom staying at home taking care of the family, that made all the difference in how children were raised with wholesome values, respect and ethics.
Text # 2) I spelled his work wrong. Bergen Brunswig Company. It was south of the Phoenix fairgrounds. (Don’t miss my post above this one!) ☝☝☝
Grandma would take Grandpa to work and pick him up on days she needed the car as we only had one. It took 15 minutes each way… so she was gone only 30 minutes by the time she returned dad’s friend to work who drove him home the day he died on the living room couch. Dad’s friend Eddie brought him home with flu like symptoms which NEVER happened before. He never was sick or stayed home from work. Looking back… he was probably in the beginning stages of a heart attack. Grandma took the route of going south down 19th Ave. taking a right at the light after the fairgrounds… would pass the train tracks, on (Van Buren)? and then hang a left to go to grandpa’s work. I traveled it MANY times as a child. You may want to keep all the information I’m telling you for posterity purposes or it will be lost forever in time. Future generations will want to know. In fact, I should tell you who some of the people are in all your pictures so you can document it. Here is a link to the history of the business he worked for FYI. https://www.referenceforbusiness.com/history2/24/Bergen-Brunswig-Corporation.html
Text #3) After reading the above link, grandpa started working at Brunswig Drug Company in 1962 when they moved to Phoenix (I was two). The company merged and became Bergan Brunswig in 1969. I’m beginning to understand why he chose that job because remember grandpa worked in the drugstore in San Diego that bought out his record store he owned. Uncle David inherited Grandpa’s large supply of records from then (33’s) that are probably worth a significant amount of money now! They were in pristine condition, each record in a cardboard sleeve that held 12 sleeves in a bound hardback book cover. It’s amazing me what I’m remembering! They were all lined up in a row in the family room book cases.
Oh my gosh… I also just remembered he created his own orchestra! He was the conductor and had his conductor’s wand held in the family room cupboard he would get out and start waving it around when playing orchestra music. When in San Diego, during the summer, he would make me sit down and listen to the “Big Band” music or watch Lawrence Welk on TV. on Saturday nights. I hated it then but now I have so many questions! Grandpa also taught me how to play the piano for a couple years. He was really good!
*** End First Batch of Notes***
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