[SEE NOTES AT END – ALSO NOT THAT THIS LETTER BEGINS IN HANDWRITING OF DOROTHY, VICTOR’S WIFE]

7 November 1952
Friday P.M.

Dear Woodie,
We were very pleased to hear from you. Since we haven’t been too good about writing we needed a good reminder. Guess you like most to hear about David from us. He’s sitting here at the table with me writing a letter to Uncle Woodie, which I shall enclose. We have your picture on David’s dresser in our bedroom + he gets it and carries it around and talks to you a lot. He calls that little truck you gave him his “thank you Uncle Woodie, truck.” The dog he named “Elsa.” It’s his “thank you Uncle Woodie, dog.” Whenever he sees a picture of a man in any kind of uniform in a paper or magazine, it’s Uncle Woodie.
Hope you like the pictures. We’ll try to send some occaisionally. David talks all the time and says everything. His most recent achievement is a turkey gobble.

He love trains and knows which car is the “red caboose.” He’s writing about the turkey gobble-gobble right now to you. Ann sits up alone and has 3 teeth now. She’s a real little fatty too She’s about the same age David was when you first saw him, but doesn’t get around as much – too fat. She’s cute, though. Bet Brenda is a little cutie. Did she inherit her mother’s red hair?
A little about us in general. When we first got to Ohio, Vic made application at the banks and went to work at Lennox Furnace Co. machine shop – nights. Spent days looking for something days + keeping contact with banks. Got a day job in blueprint office at Baldwin-Lima-Hamilton (former Lima Locomotive Works) where they make cranes, shovels, etc. Vic loved the locale – trains, trains + more trains, but didn’t think much of the job. Too much time idle, not enough to keep busy. Finally the Metropolitan Bank of Lima came through with a job – almost $100.00 less per mo. but a secure job and more to Vic’s liking so he left B-L-H, and is now a teller in the Metropolitan Bank of Lima, Ohio. And we are all very happy! We rented an unfurnished 3 room apt. 2nd floor. Most of all we needed furniture and furniture we got. My folks, friends of family + neighbors came through with

everything but a refrigerator – So $2.00 down + $2.00 per week we got a 2 yr old refrig. We just started paying for the refrig. this week – got the interest + carrying charges paid now!
We have a couch, easy chair, 2 rocking chairs, coffee table, end table, library table, floor lamp, wall lamp, 2 table lamps, chest of drawers, bed, springs, mattress, dresser, dressing table, 2 book cases, 6 chairs, 2 high chairs, crib, gas range, kitchen cabinet, table, pictures, curtains, draperies, dishes, pans, and more stuff people just didn’t want or need any longer. Had 3 iron beds we sold for metal. Also got 2 old rugs. Not much to look at but keep floor warmer and quieter on people downstairs.
September + October were beautiful here. The weather has finally gotten to the “stay-cold” point. We had temperature in high 60’s even after the 1st couple of days in November.
Ann just made a fragrant odor in her britches that is escaping into the room so I’d better fix her up and let Vic finish this when he gets home.
Just think of the diaper changing you don’t have to do! Seriously it would be a pleasure compared to Korea, we know. We got to see “Ike” get elected to Presidency on television. Spent Sun. thru Wed. at my brothers house this week. While his wife was in Chicago we kept house for him + my nephew. They have a television set, so we didn’t only hear the acceptance, but saw it. Except for the mob – you almost felt

as if you were there.

[VICTOR’S HANDWRITING]
Boy! We know it’s going to be cold over there — When I walk home from work I just thank God I’m in Lima – we wait for the day you get home — about rotation, maybe we can make a date to see you in Vermont next Sept. or Oct. — as you know Eisenhower is in – and that means every one of you guys will be home sooner than any of you dare hope.
Boy this guy is staying in Lima till they bury me. — Wonder how your family is and shall write before we mail this. Don’t hear much from Maine but then we don’t write much. Thought maybe if we move into a house next spring and you aren’t home we would get Dorothy + Brenda to come stay a few weeks — of course that visit would depend on what is doing at that time
Boy! I should tell you about my in-laws! Last Sunday Dot’s brother’s wife Dot, went to Chicago so we moved over to their house until Wed.
Well I spent my time watching the voting + results, of course Dot + I voted absentee ballot in Florida. Any way one afternoon Dot’s nephew – the other Dot’s boy wanted to play football, so I played football – my team consisted of one four year old and myself <-how old? – the other team was two 12 year olds — my team won 32 to 0 but me! Next day I’m like a 90 year old man at work couldn’t even stand up straight

More about in-laws – Dot’s youngest sister and her husband are regular cowboy fans — they drive up from thier town, 30 miles every Saturday night and park thier two kids 3 + 4 – at our place so they can go to jamborees — consequently we can’t get out – they come after thier kids between 1 – 6 AM! One day they didn’t come after them until the next night so we took them to church — then there is Dot’s oldest sister, they don’t have any kids but when they think I’m out of work early there they are – waiting for me and usually it’s painting or lugging something Dot does thier laundry and I’ve been mowing the grass
Then there is school – the American Institute of Banking has a course in Commercial law so am taking it; of course the very nights I’m going to study is when Dot’s Relatives come to call —. Then every so often the bank has some kind of a meeting – at night – take next week for example – Monday night a meeting – Tuesday is supposed to be a holiday, but what happens now the relatives find out. So I work Tuesday Wednesday night is school night Thursday is supposed to be a night off but you wait, somebody’ll show up — Friday night study – Sat night baby-sit. Sunday – Collapse -!

It’s not just the wife’s relatives even her old school friends Sat. afternoon I usually get home by two P.M. and there they are lined up at the door waiting so I can roof a house or push a car or lug a boat – anything Woodbury’ll do
———-
Move over brother here ah come sure nuff!
Will write again later — boy wait till I’m somebody’s relative!
Nuff for now — could you use a few Dirty old Fifty dollar bills heh! heh! Love from
Vic, Dottie, David, + Ann
[DOROTHY’S HANDWRITING AGAIN]
P.S. If you weren’t one of them I’d tell you about my in-laws. Ha!

[NOTES: “Mom’s hangout,” Hotel Pieroni, refers to Vic and Woody’s (Wesley’s) mom, Clarice Woodbury, who lived in Portland but evidently spent a lot of time in Boston. Dorothy, who started this letter is Victor’s wife, Dorothy Miller Woodbury, also referred to as Dot. Dorothy and Brenda, mentioned together, are Woody’s wife (Dorothy Rutledge Woodbury!) and daughter, not to be confused with Vic and Woody’s sister, Dorothy Woodbury Kinney, (who is not mentioned in this letter. Whew!) The in-law who went to Chicago is Dorothy Miller – maiden name unknown, wife of Dot’s brother, Dan Miller. The in-laws who dropped their kids off on weekends are Roy Hume and Dot’s younger sister, Glenna Miller Hume, and their kids are Georgia and Janet. And the other in-laws mentioned are Charlie Bay and Dot’s older sister, Irene Miller Bay.]

Menu: Woody – WRW Letter 1 – WRW Letter 2 – WRW Letter 3 – WRW Letter 4 – WRW Letter 5 – WRW Letter 6 – WRW Letter 7 – WRW Letter 8 – WRW Letter 9 – WRW Letter 10 – WRW Letter 11 – WRW Letter 12 – WRW Letter 13 – WRW Letter 14 – WRW Letter 15 – Brenda Woodbury – A Parting Tribute

=DAVID A. WOODBURY=