Clarence Kooi <cfkooi@hotmail.com>
To:Kathy Peter,Lynda West,Rachael Afman,Joel and Ashley King,Sarah Afman
Sat, Jul 18 at 10:53 PM
Dear Family,
During the past year or two the President has claimed that immigrants could be carrying diseases into the U.S. mentioning tuberculosis among others. Sounded like he was talking about my mother, Ida Kooi, who immigrated from a tuberculosis infested Netherlands. The disease can be latent, then suddenly develop into a full-blown disease. I speculate that she carried the latent disease when, in 1908 at the age of eight she immigrated from The Netherlands, and that it developed into the full-blown disease in 1945 under the enormous physical and mental stress of WWII.
In January 1945, I began flying bombing missions from England to Germany as a ball turret gunner on a B-17. Almost simultaneously I first heard of mother’s illness in letters from home. The cause of her illness was unknown and remained that way until May, after the war in Europe had ended, when it was determined that her illness was tuberculosis. Mother went to Bethesda sanatorium on June 4, 1945.
During this five-month period the letters from home usually mentioning mother’s illness kept on coming and I kept on flying missions over Germany. See the Microsoft Word document which is attached for an account of her illness and my missions over Germany. This information is from the letters from home and from my diary.
Love,
Clarence
Clarence Kooi<cfkooi@hotmail.com>
To:Kathy Peter,Lynda West,Rachael Afman,Joel and Ashley King,Sarah Afman
Sat, Jul 18 at 10:53 PM
Dear Family,
During the past year or two the President has claimed that immigrants could be carrying diseases into
the U.S. mentioning tuberculosis among others. Sounded like he was talking about my mother, Ida
Kooi, who immigrated from a tuberculosis infested Netherlands. The disease can be latent, then
suddenly develop into a full-blown disease. I speculate that she carried the latent disease when, in 1908
at the age of eight she immigrated from The Netherlands, and that it developed into the full-blown
disease in 1945 under the enormous physical and mental stress of WWII.
In January 1945, I began flying bombing missions from England to Germany as a ball turret gunner on
a B-17. Almost simultaneously I first heard of mother’s illness in letters from home. The cause of her
illness was unknown and remained that way until May, after the war in Europe had ended, when it was
determined that her illness was tuberculosis. Mother went to Bethesda sanatorium on June 4, 1945.
During this five-month period the letters from home usually mentioning mother’s illness kept on
coming and I kept on flying missions over Germany. See the Microsoft Word document which is
attached for an account of her illness and my missions over Germany. This information is from the
letters from home and from my diary.
Love,
Clarence
barbarahouwer@gmail.com
To:Clarence Kooi
Cc:Kathy Peter,Lynda West,Rachael Afman,Joel and Ashley King,Sarah Afman
Sun, Jul 19 at 6:33 AM
Dear Uncle Clarence,
I so appreciate you sending this doc to us. It is fascinating! Every generation has crises to live
through. Many people today are getting impatient but to read about the stresses your generation
endured and know how long that lasted puts current events in perspective.
Thank you very much.
Barb Afman Houwer
Kenneth Gritter<kgrit1@gmail.com>
To:'Clarence Kooi','Kathy Peter','Lynda West','Rachael Afman','Joel and Ashley King'
Mon, Jul 20 at 11:41 AM
Hi Uncle Clarence. Thank you for sending excerpts from the letters back and forth in the Spring of
1945. Fascinating to learn more about Grandma Kooi’s TB and about your missions over Germany,
France, and Belgium.
We have been going through a difficult few months. Mari’s only sister, who was 71, got Covid-19 and
spent nearly 3 weeks in Holland Hospital ICU. Her husband also got the virus, was in the ICU, and
died on June 2. Mari’s sister died on June 4.
In addition, I have been very fatigued and lost 10 pounds this past winter. A Neurologist did testing
and has diagnosed me with Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS, also known as Lou Gehrig’s disease).
That is a motor neuron disease which causes muscles to stop working, leading to loss of use of arms
and legs, difficulty swallowing, and lack of ability to breath. The Neurologist was unable to give me a
definite prognosis, but said most people live 2-5 years after diagnosis, although some die sooner and
some live longer. We are now working on moving to a retirement/nursing home in Grand Rapids so
that I can get continuing care.
Ken Gritter
Mother’s Tuberculosis
November, 1944, on the farm of Fred and Ida Kooi in northwestern Iowa. World War II
is on and the three oldest children Ray, Gladys and Clarence are in the navy and army.
The other children, in order of descending age, Bernice, Peter, Stanley, Verna Mae,
Mildred, Irene and Glenn, being too young to be in military service, were all at home.
It was near the end of corn-picking time. The work load was enormous especially for
Mother who now lacked the assistance of her eldest daughter. Additionally, she took
charge of caring for her children in the service being sure they received a letter or
package almost every day. She was overworked. She appeared to be in good health. But
six months later she was in Bethesda sanatorium in Denver with tuberculosis.
Ray and Clarence were both scheduled to go overseas; Ray as the newly-minted radar
officer on the newly-built heavy cruiser, Columbus, headed to the Pacific theater of war
and Clarence as ball-turret gunner on a B-17 heavy bomber headed to the European
theater. We were both home in November on final furlough before going overseas. A
time of heavy work and high pressure on Mother.
Mother was born in the Netherlands in 1899 to an impoverished family. At the age of 8,
in 1908, seven siblings and her parents had died, probably from infectious diseases such
as tuberculosis. The remaining five immigrated to the United States. I am guessing that
she carried the tuberculosis bacteria in a latent form from the Netherlands and that it was
activated by the tremendous strain she underwent in the last few months of 1944.
In late January, 1945, the first indication that Mother was not well came in a letter from
my sister Verna Mae informing me that Mother asked her to write me a letter since she
“is sick & can’t”. Letters mentioning Mother’s illness kept coming but it was May before
a diagnosis of tuberculosis was reached.
Following are pertinent excerpts from letters written by family members (at Sheldon,
Iowa) to me in England concerning Mother’s illness during the period January 13 to June
4, 1945.
January 13, 1945, Mission # 1 to bomb a railroad bridge across the Rhine river at
Mainz, Germany.
V-mail from Verna Mae dated Jan18, 1945: “Dear Clarence, Mother said I should
write you a letter since she is sick & can’t.”--- “Mom will write you again
tomorrow night if she feels better.” ---
V-mail from Mother dated Jan. 19, 1945: --- “Verna wrote you last night because
I have the flu. I’m not feeling so well yet but am up and around.”---
V-mail from Mother dated Jan. 22, 1945: --- “We’re all quite well again. I still
have pain on the right side of my face but hope it will soon be gone. Doctor thinks
it’s sinus trouble.”---
•
January 28, 1945, Mission # 2 to bomb marshaling yards (railroads) at
Hohenbudburg, Germany where a Panzer division was moving through
presumably to assist at the failing (for Germany) Battle of the Bulge.
V-mail from Mother dated February 3, 1945: “Dear Clarence: Now after all the
addresses are put on I’ll start this letter. We received three letters from you today.
One of Jan 22 for Bernice, one of Jan 24 for Verna Mae, and one of Jan 24 for
myself.”
February 6, 1945, Mission # 3 to bomb an oil refinery at Chemnitz, Germany. On
the way back to England multiple things went wrong: navigator passed out due to
oxygen mask freezing up so we didn’t know where we were, command radio,
radio compass and No, 3 turbo not working, 110 mph head wind, low on gas.
Result: we landed at a recently liberated German airfield in Belgium and slept in
the recently vacated German headquarters that night.
V-mail from Pa, undated, app. Feb. 12: --- “We had a cow butchered by
Verschoors Meat Market so they {the women} have been busy canning meat.”---
V-mail from Mother on Feb. 13, 1945: “Well, I don’t have much news, only I’m
busy alone. I’m canning hamburger today, and tomorrow I’ll wash. I must be
getting supper now, so goodbye and God keep you safe.” Bernice was working at
the Sheldon Hospital Feb. 3 to Feb. 24 leaving ailing Mother to can (in quart jars)
the meat from a cow.
February 14, 1945, Mission # 4 to Chemnitz again in support of the Russians
(Soviet Union) who were advancing just east of the Elbe river. Thirty miles to the
northeast Dresden was burning after a massive bombing by the Royal Air Force
the previous night. A giant black stovepipe of smoke reached up to the
stratosphere where it spread out.
February 17, 1945, Mission # 5 to bomb marshaling yards Frankfurt.
V-mail from Mother on Feb 18, 1945, Sunday: “Dear Son Clarence, I haven’t
written you for two days, as I haven’t been feeling very well. I had a cold and it
settled on my lungs, so I had quite a pain all day yesterday. I am much better
today, but didn’t go to church.” --- “We haven’t had a letter from you since last
Thursday, only two this week, one of Jan. 28 and one of Feb. 6. Didn’t you write
anymore or aren’t we getting them?”---
February 21, 1945, Mission # 6 to bomb marshaling yards at Nuremburg.
February 22, 1945, Mission # 7 to bomb marshaling yards at Ansbach.
February 24, 1945, Mission # 8 to bomb submarine assembly yards at Bremen.
February 25, 1945, Mission # 9 to bomb an underground oil storage depot in a
patch of woods near Munich.
Letters from home for period Feb. 19 to middle of March do not mention illness.
February 26, 1945, Mission # 10 to Berlin.
•
February 28, 1945, Mission # 11 to Kassel. Target was the Henschel aircraft
engine factory.
V-mail from Glenn dated March 2 does not mention illness: ---“Do you have a
big airplane? I saw a big B-17 in the sky. Maybe it was a Jap. It was so lowdown.
I was scared when it came over. Love and kisses Glenn.” (written by Bernice,
Glenn was five years old)
March 4, 1945, Mission # 12 to Ingolstadt.
March 8, 1945, Mission # 13 to bomb an aircraft factory at Frankfurt.
March 9, 1945, Mission # 14 to bomb marshaling yards at Frankfurt.
V-mail from Milly on March 10 doesn’t mention illness but gives advice, “Well,
Clarence are you ever going to get a girl friend, I hope so, otherwise you will be a
tramp.”(We grew up during the Depression when unmarried, unemployed men,
tramps, would regularly walk past our farm looking for work, food, anything.)
March 11, 1945, Mission # 15 to Hamburg. Target: oil refinery.
March 12, 1945, Mission # 16 to Swinemunde. Target: battleship anchored in the
harbor.
V-mail from Bernice (no date, middle of March): “Dear Clarence, Mother is sick
again and doesn’t care to write and so she asked me to so that is what I’m doing.”
--- “[Your] letters are a good tonic for me these days because I’m a dragged-out
overworked housewife with dishpan hands since I have to care for Mother, do the
housework and try to get some house-cleaning done.” ---
March 14, 1945, Mission no. 17 to Neinhagen. Target: oil refinery.
March 17, 1945, Mission no. 18 to Fulda. Actually because of clouds over the
primary target we dropped on marshaling yards at Plauen.
March 18, 1945, Mission #19 to bomb a freight station about two miles north of
the center of Berlin. As we hit the I.P. (Initial Point, where the bomb run starts)
No, 2 supercharger went out and we were on three engines the rest of the mission.
The flak was heavy and accurate. We had a little less than fifty holes in the
airplane. One piece of flak hit my turret near my left foot, another opened a six
inch hole in a gas tank. When we got back our pilot, James W. Stevenson (Steve,
age 22) was informed by telegram that his wife back in North Carolina had
delivered a seven pound daughter. He had carried a gallon of North Carolina corn
alcohol on the flight over which we duly consumed in honor of the newborn.
V-mail from Mildred on Monday, March 19, 1945: “Dear Clarence, Mother is
very sick. She is in bed all the time, maybe we will call the doctor tomorrow, she
said I should write you a v-mail because she could not write you.” In the margin
in Bernice’s handwriting; “She just has the flu. Don’t let Milly worry you.”
Typical: Mother making sure letters got sent out, the younger sisters telling it like
it is, and the older sisters trying to keep from worrying us.
•
V-mail from Verna Mae on Wednesday, March 21, 1945 (she writes 1944):
---“We are all fine although Mother is still quite sick. She doesn’t have as much
fever as she did Sunday night.”---
March 21, 1945, Mission no. 20 to bomb an airfield near Marx, Germany.
V-mail from Irene on Thursday, March 22, 1945: ---“Mother is very sick, she was
a little better this after noon.”--- In the margin is written; “Dear Clarence: I’m
feeling some better. Mother.”
March 22, 1945, Mission # 21 to bomb army barracks near Mulheim.
V-mail from Mother on Friday, March 23, 1945: “Dear Clarence, This is the first
evening I’m up a little while, and I thought to write you. I’ve been down in bed
since Sunday evening with a lot of fever. Today my temperature was normal
again, so I’m almost O.K. again. I still cough quite a bit yet, but that will get
better when I can go outdoors.”---
March 23, 1945, Mission # 22 to marshaling yards at Holzwickede.
Letter from Mother dated Sunday, March 25, 1945: ---“I’ve sufficiently recovered
from my illness that I’m up and around, but do get very tired yet. As soon as I’m
able to go to town I’m having an examination by the doctor, as my cough still
persists.”---
Letter from Mother dated March 26, 1945: ---“We’re all well, I’m getting better,
too.”---
V-mail from Irene (no date, end of March, probably Mar 25): --- “Mother is still
sick, but is (unreadable words) well, the doctor is coming tomorrow.”---
V-mail from Irene on March 28, Wednesday: ---“Mother is sick and is laying in
bed”---
March 31, 1945, Mission 23, to Brandenburg. But actually went to the secondary
and hit a railroad.
Letter from Bernice, Sunday Afternoon, April 1, 1945: --“I’m really busy now.
Mother has been in bed for two weeks except for a few days this week when she
was up once in a while. That leaves all the work to me besides taking care of her.
Dr. Balkema was here Friday and Saturday morning and he’s coming again
tomorrow morning. She’s a little better now. The real trouble is in her left lung.
The doctor said she once had pneumonia which left her lungs weak. There is a
good deal of fluid in that lung and it has to drain out. She’ll be okay soon so don’t
worry about her.”---
Letter from Verna Mae on Sunday, April 1, 1945 (entire letter): “Dear Clarence,
Mother said that I should write you a letter since she can’t. She is taking her
temperature now. The doctor was here Friday morning and Saturday morning. He
said that Mom had a weak lung. She is in bed all the time now. Doctor Balkema
•
was here. He is coming again tomorrow. Mom said that she was feeling better
now. This morning Bernice stayed home with Mom and this afternoon Milly
stayed home with her. Did you receive the box already, that we sent you? We
have had beautiful weather all week, but now the weather is getting colder. I am
sitting in the bedroom, by Mom, writing the letter. Peter and Stanley are doing
chores – it’s just about supper time. We always eat supper before we milk. I help
milk now, too. I didn’t milk all winter. We made some playhouses in the grove. I
made one and Milly made one. Irene didn’t make any yet. We also made some
roads in the grove. Milly is going to have a “Bakery Store”, Irene a “Grocery
Sore” and I’m going to have a furniture store. At school we play kitten ball. We
have a girl’s team. I’m the pitcher. Mother wants to say “Hello” to you since she
can’t write you. I hope she can soon be up again. Well, it’s supper time – so
Goodby. Your sister, Verna Mae”
April 3, 1945, Mission # 24 to Kiel. The intended target was the battleships
Admiral Scheer and Hipper. They were out of the port taking evasive action in the
Baltic. Apparently they knew we were coming. My diary says, “---the Jerries have
a good spy system around here.”
.
April 4 to 11, 1945: At flak home, Walhampton House, Lymington, England.
Nine B-17’s from our group, the 486
th,
lost over Germany during my absence. By
far the biggest losses of the war for the 486
th
.
V-mail from Mother on Sunday, April 8, 1945: “Dear Clarence, This is the second
day that I am up for a while and I feel quite weak yet, but gaining some strength.
The Lord has been good to give me back my health thus far. May He give further
health and strength! Man does not realize how frail he is, until he is cast upon a
bed of sickness. Pray with and for us for complete recovery.”--- “The weather
here is quite nice, although we had snow yet last week. Do not expect too much
mail from us as long as I can’t write so regular. Ray called up from Sheldon that
he got in this morning. He will stay home until Friday morning. Love Mother”
Ray’s ship, the new heavy cruiser Columbus, had gone down to the Caribbean on
its shakedown cruise. A main drive shaft was found to be defective so the ship
returned to port for several months of repair during which Ray was able to get
home before heading out to the Pacific.
Letter from Bernice dated April 13, 1945: ---“Mother is getting better. She was up
almost all day. She’s starting to do a little work now.”--- “Maurice Scholten,
Clarence Sinkey, and Clarence Bonnema, all reported missing in action, are
prisoners of war. I saw Mrs. John Verbrugge last night. We just got news over the
radio that the president died this afternoon. I could hardly believe it at first but I
suppose even a president has to die sometime. The radio is full of it and they are
playing ‘A Mighty Fortress is our God’ now. Write soon. Love, Bernice”
April 15, 1945, 25th mission to Belmont, France. Target: a pocket of German
resistance far behind the front lines.
Letter from Mother on April 15, 1945: “We had communion in church today, and
I was sorry I couldn’t go. I haven’t been off the yard for nearly six weeks. We
•
heard Uncle Ben has been sick, too.”---“I am slowly gaining strength a little, but
feel very tired all the time yet. I’m using cod liver oil tablets, and if the warm
sunny weather continues, I hope my health will improve. Ray came home last
Sunday and left again on Thursday morning”--- “Well, my dear boy, I must stop
now as my strength fails me just now. I hope I feel better after a few weeks. Love
from Mother.”
April 16, 1945, mission # 26 to Coubre Pointe, France.(Pockets of German
soldiers were still holding out far behind the front lines right up to the end of the
war.)
Letter from Irene dated April 16, 1945: “Mother is feeling a little better, but she
can-not work yet.”
April 20, mission # 27 to bomb marshaling yards at Wustermark, Germany.
April 21, 1945, mission, # 28, to Ingolstadt, Germany. We were told our tour of
missions was complete and we turned our plane, MISS B HAVIN, over to a new
crew. It was Verna Mae’s 13
th
birthday. It also turned out to be the last combat
mission for the 486
th
.
V-mail from Mother dated April 22, 1945: ---“The small grain is up nicely, and
the men-folks are getting the fields ready for corn planting. Stanley put in some
garden yesterday and they are putting a fence around it.”--- “I’m getting some
stronger every day but haven’t been off the yard yet. I hope to get out once this
week, if the weather is mild. We got your check last week. Write soon again.
Love, Mother”
Letter from Mother dated April 24, 1945: ---“This afternoon Rev. and Mrs.
Geerlings were here to visit a while. And then after lunch time Mr. and Mrs.
Kreykes came awhile. So I’m getting visitors even if I can’t get out. I’m getting
better tho, and I can soon go out, if the weather warms up enough.”--- “Stanley
and Verna Mae are milking, Peter is plowing, the kids are all playing on the
yard.”--- “Well, it will soon be supper time now, Clarence, and I must rest a bit
again. My temperature is about normal today. I hope it stays there. Be a good
soldier of Christ, my dear boy, and may we all meet in the not too distant future.
Love from us all, Mother.”
V-mail from Mother dated Thursday, April 26, 1945: “The grain is all up and
Peter is getting the corn land ready. I was in the garden for the first time today,
and the lettuce, radishes, and onions are all up. Stan also planted some cabbages,
already. They’re rather small, but will grow, I guess. I plan to go to Sheldon
tomorrow to the doctor. That will be the first time I’m out in 6 1/2 weeks. Love
Mother.”
April 26, 1945: The new crew collided our old plane, MISS B HAVIN, with
another B-17 while on a practice mission wrecking the front end but returning to
base. The other plane crashed with the loss of five men.
•
Letter from Mother on Monday, April 30, 1945: “I went to church again
yesterday, after being home six weeks. It feels good to get out again. I went to the
doctor Friday and had an X Ray picture taken of my chest. He sent the picture to a
specialist, and we shall see the results this week. I may not do any work at all, but
must try to strengthen and build up, in other words, put on some extra pounds.
That will not be easy. I wrote letters to Gladys & Ray also today.” “Stanley has a
very nice garden. I’ve only been there once yet. We ate our own lettuce today out
of the hot-bed. Can you beat that? Well it’s almost ten and bed-time. Pray for and
with us, Clarence, that my health may be restored soon. Lovingly, Mother”
V-mail from Mother on Wednesday, May 2, 1945: “We received an Airmail from
you yesterday. The young folks are gone to Sheldon to roller skate tonight. We
had lots of rain today, and it’s quite cool all the time. We had a letter from George
(Gritter, also in the navy, who would marry Gladys in 1946) and Ray today.”
“We haven’t received the pictures from Savannah yet, but we’ll have patience.”
(Mother did not refer to her illness.) (I had pictures taken in Savannah, while on
my way to England about five months earlier, to be sent home but they never
arrived.)
Letter from Mother on Monday, May 7, 1945: “I went to church yesterday
morning again, but was tired when we came home.” “I’m feeling quite well, but
am not supposed to do anything at all.”
Letter from Bernice on Monday, May 7, 1945: “Mother is the same as usual. She
is up all the time, and she feels alright but she just isn’t supposed to work.”
War in Europe ended on May 6 - 8, 1945.
V-mail from Irene May 16, 1945: “It is nice weather only the north-east or north
and that makes it cooler. What kind of weather is it where you are? Mrs. Addink
got a baby girl named Ruth, it died after a day or so. Mother has T.B., and us kids
need – to get tested for it, today Bernice and Glenny were tested for it. Saturday
maybe the other kids will be tested. Mrs. Smit died last week Thursday morning,
her funeral was Monday after-noon.”
Letter from Mother dated May 16, 1945: “The X-ray I had taken a few weeks ago
showed that I had tuberculosis in both lungs. Now I am going to a Sanatorium as
soon as everything can be arranged. Then I will be away from home for quite a
while, but if I can regain my health that way, I must do it, also for the family’s
sake. I’m feeling well enough to be up, but can’t do any work. Pray that this rest-
cure may give back health and strength.”
V-mail from Irene May 17, 1945: “Dear Clarence, Cornie Van Veldhuizen was
killed. Mother got a record from Gladys from Mother’s Day. Mrs. Smit died last
Thursday her funeral was Monday afternoon. Gwendolyn may come to the
program but may not take part in it. Glenn had the flu a few days ago.”
(Gwendolyn Woudstra had to stay in bed for three months because of ‘leak in her
heart’)
•
V-mail from Verna Mae on May 19, 1945: “Dear Clarence, It was beautiful
weather today and I hope it will be nicer weather tomorrow yet. Mom is still in
bed although she is feeling much better than yesterday. Today us school kids and
Stanley got shots in our arm for T.B. The doctor said we should all be tested. I
don’t think any of us has it. Peter, Bernice, and Stan went to town tonight. This is
all the news for now so – Goodby – Verna Mae.”
Letter from Mother dated May 24, 1945 (Thursday): “My Dear Son: It is quite a
few days since I’ve written you. I’ve been sick and in bed a few days again. The
weather is very nice here today. The corn is just about ready to come up. The men
are still dragging yet. Pete planted soybeans today. This afternoon Bernice, Peter ,
and Stanley went to the Memorial Services of Cornie Van Veldhuizen. It was held
in the Reformed Church. A large crowd was there. Cornie was killed in an
accident on the Pacific somewhere April 28. They’ve had no further word beside
the first letter from the government. Gilbert is home in furlough, but is leaving
today I think. Eddie is somewhere in the Pacific. Irene received a v-mail from you
today of 14 May. Tomorrow night we have the Program. Verna Mae graduates. I
certainly hope I can go. Yesterday afternoon Aunt Gertie Bierma, Aunt Stena &
Betsy Sybesma were here. Last Sunday Aunt Gertie B., Kathryn and Bill were
here a little while after church. Allie Van Bruggen was here too yesterday. As
soon as I’m stronger and able to travel I must go to Denver Sanatorium, as I have
T.B. and don’t get much better. May the Lord give me back my health and
strength there. The rest will do me good. Now when you come home you must
come and visit me there. (Actually, I went to live there.) I hope I won’t have to
stay there too long. The children have their picnic next Wednesday at the church
grounds I think. We had a letter from Raymond Monday. He was still at
Philadelphia, but was going back to Boston this week. Well, this will be all and
I’ll try not to wait so long again. Lovingly, Mother”
Letter from Mother dated June 1, 1945 (Friday): “Dear Son: I have been in bed
quite a bit lately, so I didn’t get much chance to write. I’m feeling quite well
today. The sun is out bright and warm. Saturday and Sunday it rained a good deal,
also last night we had a big rain. Clarence Van Kalsbeek’s were here last night.
Uncle Sam and Aunt Caroline were here Decoration Day and stayed for supper.
Betsy and Gertrude brot them here in the afternoon and in the evening Jim, Bertha
and Aunt Gertie got them again. They had come with the train. Aunt Mattie was
here from Monday till Tuesday evening. Pa took her to Sioux Center then, where
she visited with relatives and went home again with S. Gerritsma. Gladys came
home on an Emergency leave last week Friday and will leave again on Monday. I
plan to go to Denver the same day if I’m able. I hope and pray I will be cured
there, so when I come home I will be able to do some work again. Uncle Ellis’s
were here too this week. Well I must stop. Write often even if I can’t write.
Lovingly Mother.”
Letter from Bernice dated June 2, 1945: “Dear Clarence, Yesterday we got your
first uncensored letter letting us in on a few things we’ve often wondered about.
So you’ve made 28 missions. That’s quite a few for a little kid like you. When
you come home I hope you’ll tell us all about them. I’m eating dinner and writing
this at the same time. You see, Gladys is home and so there isn’t room for all of
•
us at the table. So I sit at the dining room table and that gives me a chance to read,
write or do whatever else I please.”--- “My dear brother, you ought to come home
and help me. Gladys is probably getting a discharge so that will help. Also Milly
& Irene are going to Uncle Gerrit’s for the summer months.”--- “Mother is up
today and feeling pretty good. Hope you are home before this reaches you. Love –
Bernice”
Letter from Verna Mae dated June 4, 1945, Monday: “Mom and Gladys went
away this afternoon at about 3:30. It sure was a sad occasion. Papa brought them
to Sioux Center with the car. From Sioux Center Pa, Mom, and Gladys went with
the ambulance to Omaha. Then papa went home again and Gladys and Mom went
on to Denver.”
Three quarters of a century ago!
At Bethesda Sanatorium, Denver, CO in the summer of 1945 surgery collapsed her
infected lung thereby curing the disease. She lived another 39 years with one functioning
lung.
I moved to Denver in 1946. The family sold the farm and moved to Denver in 1947.
Clarence F. Kooi, June 4, 2020