Note to myself
(10/28/2003) Talk about surreal; I feel as if Erral is communicating with me. For about two months, I have been trying to find the meaning of an abbreviation I used in a letter to her in 1946. It concerned something she had served me the first time I came to her house. It was so frustrating for me, not remembering what it was, I even asked her, mentally, to help me find the answer. While I was looking for something else, re-reading some of her letters, all of a sudden, there, in plain sight, was the answer. It had been written under the stamp on the envelope of a letter she had written. Writing under the stamp was something we both did; we called them stamp surprises. But, the message for that day was not in the ordinary format. It clearly expressed how tired she was, and gave me the answer to the abbreviation I'd been seeking for so long. It was as if she had guided me to that envelope. It was more than just fate that got me that answer. And, it was a very pleasant and satisfying revelation.
Email to Debra
(10/28/2003) I went to the hangar and looked through my Mom's things again. She had saved all my report cards from grade school plus one from my first term as a junior in high school (Benson Tech). I was above average in grade school, but high school in Portland was a completely different matter. I flunked math (algebra) that first term (Sep 1943 - Jan 1944), then switched to Lincoln High School for the second term. Thankfully, the later report cards were not saved.
I also found my mom had bought the house at 102 NE 83rd on April 25, 1944. That confirmed I lived in Montavilla the summer of 1944. It was that summer that I first saw your Mom at the Shake Shop. It also means that I must have come to her house the first time in the fall of 1944, and that I started driving her to school that fall. I remember how timid I was around her; different from any other girl I had ever known, and how much in awe I was of her. She was really special and I didn't want to do anything stupid that would make her dislike me. I guess I was shy and lacked self confidence like so many teenagers do. Anyway, I played it cool and worked my way slowly into her life. In retrospect, it seems it was a good way to go. We were "just friends" for a long time before I thought I could make the grade as a boyfriend of hers.
I put some words into the book draft last night about the special kind of respect I had for her. She really dazzled me, and I treated her like no girl I had ever known. It seemed like I didn't get a lot of encouragement from her. But, on the other hand, there was never any discouragement, either. She never "came on" to me. She just played it about as cool as I did. Funny, it took us so long to get to know one another. But, it's more testimony of how much alike we were.
In late April 1944 my mother sold her house in SW Portland and bought one at 102 NE 83rd Ave in the Montavilla district. She worked at Oregon Shipyards, and I got a summer job there. I worked graveyard shift so was able to have a lot of free time during the day. Before long, the 32 Chev gave way to a 33 Chev coupe and that was my transportation commuting to work and for socializing during the days.
Email messages to and from Betty Gene Gardner, Erral's close friend in high school
(7/21/2003) Dear Betty Jean,
Thanks very much for your card and note that came in today's mail. It was
very thoughtful, and your comments about the uniforms from the Montavilla
Theatre were right on the money. Also, your remembering dancing in the downstairs rec room at Erral's house and the Glenn Miller tunes struck a very respondent chord.
We are going to do a personalized book that will be a permanent memorial for
Erral, and the beginning chapter will be along the lines above. Your
comments about the theatre, the uniforms, dancing in the basement, etc. add
considerable dimension to my thoughts and I'd like to use them in the book.
The title will be "Memories of Erral" and we'll make sure you get a copy if
you'd like one. Going through all our old pictures and hearing from our
friends gives a certain kind of joy and comfort at a very trying time like
this.
-----------------------------------------------
(11/5/2003) Hi Betty Gene,
Since last writing, I found a cache of letters that Erral and I had written
to each other when I was in the Navy 1945 - 1947. There were 789 letters
altogether. We wrote to each other at least once a day and sometimes more.
Her letters begin with her senior year in Washington High, through her two
months in the hospital and recovery from the car accident, and through the
spring, summer, and fall of 1946. You spent a lot of time with her during
that period and it is well documented in her letters; you are mentioned
dozens of times.
The letters that were saved are rich with memories, and both Erral's and my
letters mention the first time I was ever at Erral's house. It was with
you, but there is no mention of when it was. I suspect it was sometime in
the fall of 1944. The only significant elements that were mentioned were
that I had come to her house with you, and that she fed me some apple jack
brandy. Do you remember that?
I'm sure I must have met Erral before that, at the Granada Theatre, or at
school, but my memory is sure fuzzy.
The book I am preparing is off to a good start and the letters sure help
with all the dates, etc. We apparently went to Nadine Koepke's senior prom
on Jan 17, 1945. I took her to Salem for the basketball tournament on March
16, 1945 and we came back the same night. We went to a May Fete dance on
May 11, 1945, and agreed to go steady on May 13, 1945. We became engaged on
Oct 25, 1945, and I shoved off for the Navy on Nov 5, 1945.
She was in the car accident on Nov 11, 1945.
I came home on boot leave in late Jan 1946, and was home for 6 days. Erral told you we had been secretly married while I was home. I was later stationed in Florida and you and her wanted to come to Florida as soon as you graduated in June 1946. Never happened, though.
I hope you can remember some of what went on back in those days. We sure had fun. Most important, though, is if you can remember anything at all about that first time I was ever at Erral's house. It has sure been bugging me.
-----------------------------------------------
(11/7/2003) Hi Glenn: To be honest with you I don't remember that first time at Erral's house. I remember the dancing. I also remember that Erral didn't want her Mom to know that she had a "friend"; so we kept it pretty quiet. Ha! I remember the times we had at Laurabelle's father's restaurant. We ate there before going to work and on our breaks. I remember our uniforms. Big pant legs, satin. Boy were we the Sexy Ones. Ha!
Mom and I moved in late '44 or spring '45 to 26th and Holman. I still worked at the theater. Then in the fall I started to work at the 30th Ave. Theater on Alberta Street. It was nearer to my house. After that we just saw each other at school. Then after we graduated in June '46, I went to St. Mary's College , on the North side ot Portland, for one semester, then I got married (like a dummy) in Dec. '46 and moved to Vallejo, Calif. as Don Hansen, my husband, was stationed at Treasure Is. Then we moved to Berkeley and later to San Diego. Erral and I never wrote to each other so I lost contact, except when I asked Selma about you kids.
My how time flies. We came thru Dallas in March on our way home from Parker, AZ. We haven't been down since. My husband, Bob, lost his sister this October and we have not even tried to make plans to head South. I am hoping we can come down your way after Thanksgiving. Bob's daughter & husband are so busy working that we come on a Friday evening and go home Monday am. Ha
I will keep in touch and let you know when we are heading your way. Till then, Happy Thanksgiving ! Betty
-------------------------------------------
(11/7/2003) Hi Betty,
Thanks for the quick reply. I can't remember that first time at Erral's
house either, except for what is written in the letters. Erral wrote that I
had come there with you but I don't know why that would have been. There
must have been only the three of us, or Erral wouldn't have treated me
(probably you, too) to the jigger of apple jack brandy. She wouldn't have
dared if her Mom had been around. I do remember knowing you from The Dalles
when you were there, and that you were a close friend of Selma's. That
would have been prior to the summer of 1943. My mom moved to southwest
Portland that summer, to a house she bought on S.W. Kelly Avenue, and I went to Benson Tech high school in the fall of 1943, then to Lincoln High School for the second semester of my junior year. She sold the house on Kelly and bought a house on NE 83rd Avenue on April 25, 1944.
During the summer of 1944 I worked at the Oregon Shipyard (graveyard shift) and hung
around Montavilla during the days. That summer was the first time I saw
Erral, and it was in one of those uniforms you wrote about: < Big pant legs, satin.
Boy were we the Sexy Ones. > I certainly have to agree with that statement.
But, I was only all eyes; I was too shy to even talk to her. It was only later, when I went to the theatre or saw her going to school that I got up the nerve to speak to her. She was really special and I treated her differently from any other girl I had ever known. I was smitten ... and almost tongue-tied.
Because of my shyness, I may have been using my acquaintance with you as a way of getting introduced to Erral.
< I also remember that Erral didn't want her Mom to know that she had a
"friend"; so we kept it pretty quiet. >
Now, that's a very interesting memory. And, it would put the first time at
her house pretty early in the fall of 1944. I don't think it was too long,
though, before our "friendship" was out in the open with her Mom. I got gas
ration stamps for taking a rider to school so I signed up Erral and I would
pick her up every morning. Many mornings, I got there at breakfast time and
would be invited in while they ate. And, they usually shared a few morsels
with me. I got pretty well fed that way. <grin>
Our friendship was pretty casual for several months. I didn't seem to know
her very well and interpreted her coyness to mean she didn't like me very
much.
However, the friendship began to blossom and I began to believe she did like
me. So, in May 1945, we decided we'd go steady. It was a pretty serious
commitment for both of us and by then we realized we were in love. After a
couple of months we began talking about wanting to be together for life, and
our commitment deepened. On our three month "anniversary" of going steady,
I gave her a gift of a hope chest. I can remember her mom's look of dismay
(disapproval) as I showed up with it, and carried it into her house and up
to her bedroom. It would be another six months before it was officially
"approved" by her mother. <grin>
I don't think the shock lasted very long, though, since a couple of weeks later I
was invited to accompany the Huffman's on their annual vacation to Vancouver
Island. My recollection was that Erral had told her folks she wouldn't go on vacation with them unless I went, too. But others remember a kinder and gentler version, that I was accepted as her steady boyfriend, and they invited me to go. We really had a great time!
Email reply to Claude
(10/9/2003)
Hi Claude,
Many thanks for your insights. You've given me some things to give more thought to.
<< I had always assumed that she had graciously gone along with your goals and dreams. ...... >>
The goals and dreams were almost always mutual. They came from first exploring our ideas together. However, she had the lead in several areas, and she would expand on ideas that I might have. It was a very synergistic relationship.
<< Flying obviously represented freedom to her. >>
That's a very good thought; something I hadn't considered before. She also knew how therapeutic flying could be. The letters were not always full of sugar. I could have bad days and she could have bad days, but we always wrote what we felt ... being honest and truthful. It was as close to face-to-face conversations as we could get. She could be amazingly understanding, and her responses could be full of sympathy for me if I was depressed or frustrated in the tone I had used in a letter. Anyway, one use she envisioned for our airplane was articulated in her letter of 7/12/46 in which she knew it might be best at times for us to have our own space:
<< I was also taken by her adaptability. No matter what ....., she was able to adapt her dreams to make it "perfect". >>
Yes, that's a characteristic she never lost. No matter what, she could always see the bright side. Her positive attitude provided immense inspiration for me in the things I was doing. She was a fabulous cheerleader.
<< Thanks for .....giving us a glimpse at the beginnings of your love affair. >>
Excerpts from both our letters actually detail the beginning of our love affair which was pretty well in place by the time the letters started. We had seen quite a bit of each other for several months but things moved rather slowly until we got to know each other better. Both our letters have memories of when we fell in love. Her letters say it was the first time I came to her house but she didn't know it until the first time we kissed, several weeks later ... ~11:00 am Saturday, May 5, 1945. My letters say she "had me in her clutches the first time I came down to her house" but I wasn't ready to admit I was in love. My letters also show the ploy I used to come to her house often after that. It was my records I would loan her. After a few visits with the records, I just came to see her, records or not.
I wrote about that first kiss, too, and it was pretty sensational. I described it as, "I got real bold and tried to kiss you [no contact]. But about five minutes after that, Wham! I kissed you. Something happened! And, when it did I knew I was a goner. I don't see what took me so long to talk you into going steady with me after that because from that day on, I
knew that you were for me and there wasn't anything I could do about it. The next Wednesday made me sure of that." At that point, I hadn't admitted to myself that I was in love even though many of the symptoms were showing.
Then, the pace picked up. Wednesday, May 9, 1945 was senior skip day and we decided to go to Blue Lake Park together. It was a favorite place for the high school crowd but no one else went with us. It was a cloudy day, threatening rain, and we were the only ones in the Park, even though it was in full operation. We rented a canoe to paddle around the lake, a new adventure for both of us. Big band music was wafting over the lake, playing dance music. I can even still hear Vaughn Monroe crooning one of his hits, Racing With The Moon. Before long, it started raining and we decided it was best to take the canoe back. We were both soaking wet but had not had our fill of the Park, so went to the large outdoor dance pavilion to get out of the rain and take advantage of the romantic music playing over the public address system. I wrote, It was so wonderful dancing in that big old dance hall all alone with you. Your hair was all wet with the rain and I was a mess too. And I would pull you up real close to me and kiss you and you kissed me. I said that was the day I fell in love. Even with such a romantic aura, it still took several days after that to talk her into going steady with me.
I was pretty keen on the idea of spending more time with her, and on Friday night, May 11, 1945 we had our first Friday night date. We went to a May Fete Dance and then out to the Canton Grill for another hour of dancing, and I had her almost talked into going steady with me then.
I had not yet confessed I loved her but on the next afternoon, Saturday, May 12, 1945, I was driving her to work at the Granada Theatre and we parked on the way to talk a little. I was angry that another fellow had called her and asked her to go to a party. In the course of our conversation, she gave me one of the biggest thrills shed ever given me; she told me she loved me. I dont know why; it must have been the way she said it, for I wrote, Something indescribable happened to me. My heart turned about three flip-flops and my stomach went into a spin. My head just lifted about six feet off my shoulders
.. The hook was set, pretty solid by then.
The next evening, parked on Mt. Tabor, overlooking the lights of Portland, ~9:30 pm, Sunday, May 13, 1945, was when we decided we should "go steady." This was a significant milestone in our relationship; I had never gone steady before and we both knew it was a fairly serious commitment. Note, above, I said it was me trying to talk her into going steady. Her version was slightly different, for she wrote, "I was convincing you that you really wanted to go steady with me ...." It is pretty obvious we were both on the same track and, so, from that moment on our devotion to each other became official. From that day on, she said 13 was her lucky number.
In my memories book from high school, she wrote (May 23, 1945, 4:30 pm), Dear Glenn, For the past week, two days, and nineteen hours, we have been together most of the time and I have certainly enjoyed you. By the way, when are you going to give me my first lesson on basting eggs? Best of luck to my little man. Love, Erral
Our going steady anniversary was a very important date, and we celebrated it each month. After a couple of months, our talks became more serious and we began discussing the possibility of spending our lives together. I broached the subject rather awkwardly with a very poor choice of words. We were parked one evening in front of her house at the corner of NE 70th Avenue and Davis Street. Without thinking in advance about what I was going to say, I asked her if she would want to give me her life. She looked aghast, and then I realized what Id said. No, no, thats not what I meant; not at all. What I was trying to ask was if shed want to spend her life with me. Then, she understood, and after some discussion we agreed it seemed that was the way we were heading; a lifetime commitment to each other. But, I almost blew it by leading off with such inappropriate words.
Obviously, we were considering the eventual consequence of such thoughts. We knew we would someday be married, but at age 16 and 17 it might be a while yet.
Anticipating the ultimate outcome of our understanding and feelings for each other, I gave her a ''hope chest" [the cedar chest we still have] for her three month "anniversary" gift. She was thrilled, and it fit perfectly in our plans for the future. She also thought of it as not her hope chest, but ours, and she always referred to it that way. The timing of the gift didn't go over real well with her mother, though; she thought I should have waited at least another six months before giving a gift as personal and permanent as a hope chest. But, after a few weeks her mother kind of got used to the idea of where destiny was leading her young daughter. In a letter only two months later (10/15/45), Erral wrote that her mother and sister, Jeanne, were quietly talking about how perfect you are and that they hope that we do marry.
By the time the letters started, we were deeply committed, she had an engagement ring, and we always thought of ourselves as husband and wife even though it would not be actualized until about two years from the time we started (officially) "going steady."
Time Line
Phase 1 - High school friends
Jan 17, 1945 Nadines Senior Prom, we went with Eula?
Mar 16, 1945 Trip to basketball tournament, Salem
May 5, 1945 First kiss. Erral found out she was in love
May 9, 1945 Skip day at Blue Lake. The day Glenn fell in love
May 11, 1945 First Friday night date, May Fete Dance, and Canton Grill, dancing
May 12 1945 Erral first said she loved me
Phase 2 - Going steady
May 13, 1945 We agreed to go steady
May 31, 1945 Glenns Senior Prom, all dances taken by Erral.
Jun 13, 1945 First Anniversary, Eagle Creek
Jul 13, 1945 Second Anniversary, Bonneville
Jul 30, 1945 Trip to the beach
Aug 13, 1945 Third Anniversary, The Dalles, gift of cedar chest
Aug 17, 1945 Trip to The Dalles
Sep 1-17, 1945 Vacation, with folks, Vancouver Island
Sep 13, 1945 Fourth Anniversary, Annex, Vancouver Island
Sep 18, 1945 Erral, 17th birthday, ankle bracelet and Tabu from Glenn
Oct 5 - 20, 1945 Glenn working in Bonneville
Oct 13, 1945 Glenn registered for draft
Oct 20, 1945 Thea Dance.
Oct 24, 1945 Glenn classified 1-A
Phase 3 - Engagement
Oct 25, 1945 Engagement ring for Erral
Nov 1, 1945 Glenn enlisted in U. S. Navy
Nov 5, 1945 Glenn left for boot camp, San Diego
Nov 11, 1945 Erral badly injured in car accident
Dec 22, 1945 Erral came home from hospital
Jan 23-29, 1946 Glenn on boot leave
Glenn to Jacksonville, FL, Aviation Fundamentals and Control Tower Operator schools
Jul 27 to Aug 12, 1946 Glenn on leave en route to NAS Whidbey Island
Jan 11, 1947 Marriage License, Washington
May 12, 1947 Marriage License, Oregon
Phase 4 - Marriage
May 25, 1947 Wedding
Oct 8, 1947 Discharge from Navy, moved in with mother
Nov 1947 Bought unfinished house trailer
Moved to Eugene
Jan 1948 Enrolled University of Oregon, School of Architecture
Nov 1949 Bought 1/4 share, 1947 Aeronca Chief
Dec 29, 1949 Glenn earned private license, first passenger, Erral, 12/30
Sep 18, 1950 Glenn received notice of recall from Navy on Errals birthday
Sep 25, 1950 Glenn reported to Navy in Seattle, assigned to VR-8, Hawaii, via San Diego, Treasure island, arrived Barbers Point ~10/28
Erral got drivers license
Erral stayed with her parents
Errals dad moved trailer to Corvallis, then to Portland
Dec x, 1950 Erral arrived in Hawaii via Northwest Airlines Stratocruiser
Glenn TDY, Kwajalein
Erral and Glenn returned to US via MATS C-54
Jan17, 1952 Glenn separated from Navy
Glenn, job with Oregon State Board of Health, Portland
Bought two lots, tax sale, Portland
Phase 5 - Children
Aug 15, 1952 Debra born
Moved trailer to Eugene
Sep 1952 Glenn enrolled in University of Oregon, School of Architecture
Moved from trailer to university (Amazon) housing
1954 Trip to California, Studebaker, research LAX terminal for architecture project
Jan 22, 1955 Jeff born
1955 Certificate of Completion, U of O
Moved to rental house on Potter St
Glenns mother passed away
June 1956 Bachelor of Architecture degree, University of Oregon
Nov 22, 1957 Claude born
Debra tonsillectomy
Jeff run over, Potter St
April 6, 1958 Baptism, Erral, Debra, Jeff, Claude, First Methodist Church, Eugene
1958 Built duplex, 36th and Willamette, Eugene
Moved to duplex
Nov 8, 1958 Bought Piper PA-16 Clipper
Trip to Beach, left kids with Huffmans, only stayed one day
Feb 7-20, 1959 Vacation to Guadalajara, Mexico in Clipper
Mar 20,1959 Bought 1/4 share, Piper PA-22-160 Tri-Pacer
Feb 5-20, 1960 Vacation to Acapulco, Mexico in Tri-Pacer
Bought rental house at 33rd and Willamette, Eugene
Jul 10, 1960 Won lot at Wakonda Beach airstrip
Jul 21, 1960 Bought 1/6 share, 1959 PA-24-250 Comanche N5971P
Aug 1960 Started building beach cabin
Mar 7-17, 1961 Trip to El Paso, San Diego, Riverside, Disneyland, 5971P
Jan 1962 Moved to Salem, Glenn took job with Board of Aeronautics
Sep 1962 Started building home on Shaniko Way
Moved to new home
1964 Trip to Guadalajara, Mexico with family in Piper Cherokee
1964 Erral took flying lessons, soloed in a Cessna 150
Jan 1965 Trip to Lake Tahoe, Oakland, Cherokee 235, to interview for job, visit McVeys
Apr 1965 Glenn took job with Port of Oakland, commuted to Salem
Erral visited Glenn in Oakland, rented house
Phase 6 California residents
May 1965 Moved to Alameda, California, 1209 Otis Dr
Jun 1965 CAAE convention, Oakland
Aug 18,1965 Bought 1964 PA-24-150 Tri-Pacer N3648P
Sep 4, 1965 Aunt Fleda, Uncle Harry 50th Anniversary, Lake Elsinore
Erral saved neighbor boy from drowning
Jun 21-24, 1966 CAAE convention, Catalina Island Jun 24-26, Fullerton
Jul 1-5, 1966 Tri-Pacer trip to TTD - Jul 7, Retrieve 3648P from Livermore
Feb 7, 1967 Glenn MEL rating
1967 Moved to 648 Westline Dr, Alameda
Apr 4,1967 Bought 1952 Cessna 195B N195K
Jun 18, 1967 CAAE convention, Concord
Jun 29, 1967 Bonanza charter to Oroville, return via SAC and landing at Travis
Jun 18-22, 1968 CAAE convention, Palm Springs
1969 Bought house, moved to 620 Westline Drive, Alameda
Jun 24-27, 1969 CAAE convention, Eureka
Aug 21, 1969 Inaugural flight to Hawaii, Western Airlines
1969 Claude, age 12, hurt on motorcycle
Jul 7-11, 1970 CAAE convention, San Diego
Jul 1-11, 1971 OAK airport strike
Jul 13-16, 1971 CAAE convention, Lake Tahoe
Nov 1, 1971 Glenn took job with Bechtel
Jan 1972 Glenn diagnosed with Gullion Barre' Syndrome
May 25, 1972 25th Wedding Anniversary, John Grace wedding, Palo Alto
Bought apartment house, Oakland
Cosmetic surgery
Dec 26-30, 1972 Trip to Tucson, Hermosillo, Punta Chivato, Calexico
May 1974 Erral joined Glenn for month in Hawaii, Illikai hotel
1975 Glenn assigned to project in Amman, Jordan (48th birthday en route London)
Phase 7 Children moved from home
1976 Erral moved to Jordan to join Glenn, after rendezvous in Copenhagen
Apr 23, 1976 Trip to Aqaba, PA-28 Cherokee 140
1976 Erral trip to Damascus; trip to Jerusalem with Glenn and Medveds
1976 Claude visit in Jordan, trip to Jerusalem
Aug 1976 Moved to Kuwait
Sep 1976 Trip to Egypt, meet Glenns dad
Jan 1977 Relocate to Alameda, meet Debra in Tokyo
Claude appendectomy
Moved to Alameda, bought unit on
Mar 1977 Jeff married in Alameda
May 6, 1977, Amber born in Sandy
Apr 14-16, 1977 Trip to Ensenada, N195K
Oct 6, 1977 Debra married in Las Vegas, trip in N195K
1977 Moved to Solomon Lane, Alameda
Bought rental houses in East Bay area
1978 Bought 1959 Piper PA-24-250 Comanche N5822P
May 26, 1979 Loren born in Boring
1979 AOCI convention, Hawaii
Nov 8, 1980 Claude married in Sonoma
AOCI convention, Philadelphia, New York, Glenn mugged
AOCI convention, Mexico City
AAAE convention, Reno, MGM Grand
Trip to Europe, World Airways
Phase 8 Transitioning to retirement
Oct 1984 Glenn retired from Bechtel
Dec 24, 1984 Glenns father passed away
June 2, 1985 Errals father passed away
1985 Glenn selected as Executive Director, SFFFC
Sep 1985 Trip to Germany, France, England
Oct 1986 Trip to Germany, inaugural flight to Stuttgart, Lufthansa, rendezvous, Debra
Erral broke ankle
1987 Two trips to Fort Worth to look, buy dually, rendezvous with Debra
Jul 31-Aug 7, 1987 Trip to Oshkosh, rendezvous with Debra in Granby, CO
AAAE convention, Las Vegas, 5th wheel trailer, Stardust
Nov 26-29, 1987 Trip to Tucson
Jul 30-Aug 12, 1988 Trip to Oshkosh, rendezvous with Debra, Falls Church, Atlantic City, Story City, IA
Nov 21-27, 1988 Trip to Tucson, met Jeff, returned in formation with 195K
Phase 9 Commuting between Oregon and California
1989 Started building Launch Pad, Independence Airpark, Oregon
Jun 1, 1989 Travis born in Falls Church
Oct 1989 Earthquake, Debra and Travis visiting in Alameda
Mar 2, 1992 Barrett born in Falls Church
Dec 19-26, 1992 Trip to Tucson
Jan 1993 Errals mother passed away
Oct 1993 Bought Twin Comanche
May 11-14, 1995 Trip to Tucson, PA-30
Trip to Sun N Fun, meet Jodi and Jim Girouard, Ed and Ann Lowell
Camping, New York, with Nutschs, Niagra Falls, drive to Florida, LAR, Epcot Center
May 25, 1997 50th Wedding Anniversary celebration, Portland
Oct 8-13, 1997 Trip to Sedona, Tucson, Phoenix, PA-30
Oct 19-21, 1997 Trip to Poway for Davis reunion, PA-30
Nov 24-25, 1997 Trip from Independence to Oakland, Overnight at Arcata due wx
Dec 1998 Sold 620 Westline Dr
Feb 1998 Caribbean eclipse cruise with Claude and Teresa
Mar 1998 Moved to 616 Westline Dr
Apr 14-15, 1998, Trip from Oakland to Independence, overnight at beach cabin due wx
Sep 1998 Reno Air races
Nov 1998 Bought Ultravan #499, Sacramento
Apr 1999 Trip to Missoula, Montana
Sep 1999 Reno Air Races
Oct 17-23, 1999 GMC rally, Mt. Hood, Avanti for local transportation
Erral had surgery to remove lump on groin
Phase 10 Full time residents of Oregon
April 2000 Moved to Independence Airpark
Oct 8-20, 2000 QB convention, Las Vegas, GMC motorhome, Circus-Circus, on to Phoenix, Tucson, rendezvous with Girouards
Erral had hernia operation
Sep 8-9, 2001 Hosted The Dalles high school mini-reunion
Oct 3-6, 2001 Trip to Yakima, GMC motorhome, rendezvous with Girouards
May 4, 2002 Trip to The Dalles, Pioneer Days, with Jeff
Sep 11-14, 2002 Reno Air Races, ICS flagship judging
Oct 2002 GMC motorhome rally, Belknap Hot Springs
Jun 2003 GMC Motorhome Rally, Silverton, wore matching RV shirts
Jun 2003 Trip to Halcyon Hot Springs, B.C. in motorhome
Please forgive this very belated notification of a very tragic event, but this is such sad news, I have been too devastated to let you know any sooner. You are very special in our book of friendship and I hope you understand.
In case you have not heard, Erral passed away on July 4th. Her passing came very suddenly and with absolutely no warning.
Our son, Jeff, came down on Thursday, July 3, and we had gone to our place on the coast to clear brush. It was an exceptionally nice day and Erral enjoyed it very much. On the way back, we stopped to have dinner at one of her favorite places, Spirit Mountain. We had our soup and, before having our salad, Erral collapsed. It was a massive stroke. She never regained consciousness. We were able to get her to the very best stroke center in the northwest -- Saint Vincent's Hospital in Portland. The facilities and medical staff were the best there is anywhere, but, in spite of the most advanced and heroic procedures, the help was in vain. Jeff, our daughter Debra, and I were with her all the way through, and the end came at 10 pm, July 4. In the final hours, she was comfortable and there was no suffering.
Our son, Claude, from Tucson, joined us on Saturday, July 5, to help with making funeral arrangements. Services were held in Portland on Thursday, July 10 at the Gateway Little Chapel of the Chimes, followed by a brief service at the Willamette National Cemetery.
The theme of the services was our wonderful memories of Erral. She was a remarkable woman, and two grandsons, our three children, and I all presented our loving thoughts about her.
In lieu of flowers, many friends made charitable gifts to the Air Safety Foundation. It seemed appropriate that gifts in her memory go to such a worthy cause in aviation, an industry that has filled our lives with so much pleasure, happiness, and good friends. Since then, weve established a permanent memorial for her:
ERRAL LEA PLYMATE MEMORIAL ENDOWMENT
AOPA Air Safety Foundation, 421 Aviation Way, Frederick, MD 21701
(800) 955 9115
It is an intriguing concept; a personalized endowment that generates income in perpetuity for the operation of the Air Safety Foundation and, each year, Erral will be recognized for her annual gift. We are quite enthused about the memorial, and Erral would like it, too. She always supported the Air Safety Foundation with our joint gifts, and because of her life-long affiliation with aviation, it seems fitting for her to keep on giving in this way.