"The Book of Me, Written by You" - Parents

This is a journey of finding yourself and how your loved ones see you in their eyes. Further, this can be online and carried forward to share, if you wish, to future generations.

This is a journey of finding yourself and how your loved ones see you in their eyes. Further, this can be online and carried forward to share, if you wish, to future generations. - See more at: http://joannfitz.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/the-book-of-me-written-by-you-topic-1.html#sthash.2TuO2bVu.dpuf

This is a journey of finding yourself and how your loved ones see you in their eyes. Further, this can be online and carried forward to share, if you wish, to future generations. - See more at: http://joannfitz.blogspot.com.au/2013/09/the-book-of-me-written-by-you-topic-1.html#sthash.2TuO2bVu.dpuf

The prompt for the week is:    

Parents

The Brief:

• Names / Nick Names
• Where were they from?
• Where were they born? - 
• Were they migrants? Born somewhere else from where they were living
• How did they meet?
• Photos
• Anything you want to share about your parents

My Mother's Growing Up
My mother had told me growing up that her real name was Joan Ann and when she became an adult, she put the names together to create Jo Ann which she had gone by since then. However, upon finding the 1940 census, I found that she was known as Joanne then. I think the person doing the census misspelled her name (which is common) on the form. Also, as you can tell by the census, my mother was born in Pike County in Pennsylvania in the US. Her parents names were Louise and Janet Gauquie and she was the oldest child of the marriage.

1940's census showing where Joanne & parents were living

In the 1950's, my grandfather and grandmother moved their family from Pennsylvania to Newburgh, New York. I believe my grandfather transferred from his job in one of the Pennsylvania railways to a job at a railway in Newburgh, New York.



My Father
My father's name is Matthew Gerald. He was born in New York City; however, my grandparents actually lived in Linden, New Jersey. His parents are Matthew and Jean (Genevieve/Genowefa) Schmitz. He was the oldest child of the marriage.

1940's census showing where Matthew & parents were living

My grandparents moved from Linden, New Jersey to Newburgh, New York after my grandfather got out of the US Army (in the Medical area) and made a gentleman's agreement to buy a Bar & Grill in Newburgh, New York. In the mid 1940's the family moved to Newburgh.

Nicknames
His mother, Jean, had a few names - born Genowefa in Poland, migrated to US and then went by Genevieve or Gennie. It wasn't until she married, that she went under the name of Jean. My father is named after his father Matthew. He has many names he uses - Matt and Jerry/Gerry are the top nicknames. My mother usually just refers to him as Hardass. In fact, growing up I didn't know my father's real name and it wasn't until after my mother overheard me telling someone that my father's name was Hardass, she sat me down and explained what his real name was.

January 1956 - Jo Ann & Matthew with his parents and brother, John

How My Mother & Father Met
Upon the move, I believe sometime in the 1950's my mother met my father and they married. I do know they were dating in January 1956, as is shown in this camera labelled date.

They stayed married until the  mid-1970's when they divorced.



My Mother's Life After Divorce

My mother getting ready for work in 1996.

When my mother left my father, she had no real skills, so she tried to get a job that would pay anything, so we could have some place to live. My father would have Charlie live with him most of the time. However, this was not to last very long and in the 1980's, my brother came and lived with us until he moved out.

My mother eventually got a position as a factory working in Walden, New York. Its been several
names but two names that come to mind were Champion and AmPac, but everyone in Walden calls it The Bag Factory as they make the bags you buy to put gifts in for birthdays, special occasions and holiday. She worked there until she retired because of her knees in early 2000's.

My mother's also had some boyfriend's. There were very few in the first few years after the divorce, but eventually had a few long term relationships. The first long relationship was with Lyle Goldsmith, which lasted about 10 or so years. The other long relationship has been with Dave Weimer and this is her current relationship.

My mother and I in 2011

She loves her cigarettes, watching her crime TV and playing her online games. She does have a dog and loves dogs. Cats, as much as she likes them, she has allergies and they set them off. She used to drink; however, her stomach cannot deal with it since she reached her 60's.

My Father's Life After Divorce

My father and his second wife, Louise in 2011

My father kept the house we had lived in. In fact, he lived there until the 1990's and then moved. My father was single for a few years and remarried in the 1980's to a person called Louise. She had adult
children, so children were not a factor. They are still married today and have moved, like I mentioned, from Newburgh to Wallkill, New York.

As for employment, my father has his pension with the US Navy as he saw out his 20 years. After that he did some factory repair work with some employers. I do remember going to see him at his job with huge machines in Middletown, NY. He did that for a few years and then decided to slow down a bit. He did work for school districts where he ran the internal mail bags from school to school on a daily basis. He did this until he retired in the early 2000's.

My father in his suit for a VFW function in 2009

He loves the US Navy and the submarines and has been into serving via the VFW in different levels. He's also had memberships at the Black Rock Hunting Club for gun shooting and he was actually a registered gun trader until the 2000's. We also made bullets for the variety types of guns. In recent years he's slowing down and has given up formal VFW duties, but still goes to decommissioning of submarines and reunions.He does like his John Wayne and Elvis movies. He loves his dogs and his PT Cruiser.

My father and I in 2010.

  Check back for the continuation of "The Book of me, Written by You" series.