Counting the Stars: The Book of June

Today is my Mother June's birthday. She is 86 years old. In 2007 I made this book for her (I actually made 4 of them at one time). I interviewed her via email and took excerpts from a scrapbook my cousin Toni made for my Grandmother's 90th birthday.

I visited on Sundays and drove my parents around the various places they lived over the years (so I could get pictures). Since they were born just a block or so apart, the book became a book about them and their extended families.

"When I was almost 4 years old, Daddy bought the grocery store and we moved there." Memories of the store by Mom and her 3 siblings.

Mom says "we didn't go to the doctor. We were the great generation. There was not much money. Lots of moonshine, smoking and booze were the thing in the thirties." Her Dad Vista was a hard worker. He passed away at age 42. Mom was only 12 years old and was told he had a nervous breakdown.

Mom's Mother took over the store. There wasn't any Social Security at that time. "We had the store but everyone was hurting with the Depression. Our neighbors needed help with food and we were there." A prayer said at the table:
"A little head, a little heart
Bowed down in simple prayer
Thank the Lord for food and drink
And loving daily care."

Mom trained her graduating year of high school (in 1943) to run the lathe and drill press and even learned welding. After graduation, she went to Akron, Ohio and made pieces for fighter planes.

After the war, Mom married James William Reeves on September 5, 1946.

Mom and Dad's first house together was next door to Pop Pop Harry & Grandma Maries'. This was the house I lived in until age 5. When my parents built a new home 1 mile down the road, my Grandparents built a new house next door.

The 4 children.

Dad's brothers.

(Inside back cover) These are the kinds of candy sold at Vista Mullan's Grocery in the 1930s. (Penny Candy) Mom remembers eating spearmint leaves, orange slices, red dollars, peppermint sticks and tar babies. The favorite spot in the store for the kids was the candy case. Grandma Marie was sometimes forced to slap their fingers when they took too much.

(Cover) "Counting the Stars" is the title written by Grandma Marie under the photo of June taken in Akron, Ohio, at age 19. Mom said she didn't open her mouth as her teeth were crooked, but she couldn't hide the smile. June had fun as a child despite the hardships of the Great Depression and loosing her Dad at a young age. She wasn't sure what lay ahead, but looked forward to it with that sparkle in her eye.