Hospice - Expressive Art Therapy Volunteer Interview
Notes from interview with Natalie on Friday, Aug 13, 2017.
Australia
My family came to visit from Australia in February.
I've traveled all over Australia.
It's a very beautiful country. They grow lots of food, sheep, wine and beer.
FIying
I learned to fly when I was about 32 through the GI Bill. I bought an Air coupe and
the next one was a Tri-pacer. At Montgomery field, I'd fix them and make them air
worthy.
I liked the challenge of learning something new. It improved my life. Bill Schenkle and I would go down to Baja to look at the crash sights, to San Quintin hospital and fly supplies
for the phone systems. There were people to meet and things to do.
The Telephone Company - Pacific Bell
I worked for the phone company for 36 years. I started in LA and then moved to San Diego. They'd take us out to the sand dunes in Ocean Beach and we had to learn to climb the poles by ourselves.
Jean-Marie
I met my first wife in high school. She was a senior in high school and I was working
for the telephone company. Her family moved to Seattle and I transferred to the
phone company there. I didn't like the weather and we moved to San Diego. We got
married and had two kids right off the bat - Cathy and Bill.
Dorothy
I met Dorothy who was working at the Marine Corps. She was a telephone operator at the MCRD. She is a very talented woman. She would weave, crochet and knit. Dorothy had a
daughter Marilyn who was a nurse in the Peace Corps, Dorothy's mom used to sail
as a stewardess. Keith spent most of his time with the Air Force. He likes cars,
motorcycles and airplanes. Doug works with electronics and computer networks.
June
I would meet June for lunch on Fridays when I worked for the telephone company.
When I was in Santa Maria, she called to have dinner together. She wanted me and
she got me. We were married almost thirty years. He daughter Yvonne was married
to a Navy pilot. Her mother owned a cotton mill house in South Carolina where
they set up a factory and hired employees.
LaVerne
Joan introduced Laverne to me at the Turkey Ranch and we were married for about
fifteen years. She was married twice before and cared for both husbands who had
physical conditions. It was a great marriage. We travelled to Australia about six to
eight times, installing a telephone system. We travelled all over Europe, China, Japan
and Africa. [pointed to a photo of gorilla on the wall]
Family History
My great-grandfather was from Germany. He came to Iowa to a farm community. He owned a bank then sold the bank and bought a hotel in Long Beach. They came to California when my mother was just a baby. They had relatives there after the war and they brought this trunk [pointed to trunk in entry way]. In Anaheim they owned a 25-acre property with an orange farm. I was an only child and my cousin lived across the street.
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"I've Had a Great Life"[patient's words - arranged into a poem]I played football in high school I've climbed telephone poles I've seen a lot done a lot |