The Domestic Side of Berlin 1962

     Ray would go off and have his big adventure and leave Mary and the rest of us in Shawnee Village, a suburb of Kansas City. And that was what happened in 1962. His trip to Europe involved an absence of three weeks, weeks that not only included Father's Day, but also his 40th birthday.

     There was always the problem of trying to knit together the two far different experiences.Thinking about it, it was probably hardest for Ray.  While Ray was off touring Army Posts in Europe, sitting on the deck of the USS Shangri-La, and, if not meeting, at least seeing up close and personal well-known worldwide politicians, Mary and the rest of us were dealing with the details of domesticity.

Ray, seated on the right, is visible behind the sailor.

Through the letters of Mary, Ray and even Edna, or Gussie, as we called her, I'll try and illustrate that event. Previously I quoted Ray's story of going into the Russian-controlled sector of Berlin. About that time in Shawnee, Mary was dealing with the five of us and our various activities, Steve's baseball games, Sally and my days at camp, hers and Cindy's days at Blue Bird day camp, etc.

Letter from Mary to Ray June 4. Ray began his journey in Washington, DC, but then flew to Paris. In this summer of 1962, Steve was 14, I was 12, Sally was 11, Cindy was 7 and Scott was nearly 5. Mary and Ray were 38 and 39 with Dad having his 40th birthday on the trip.

        

We stayed awhile to watch the planes take off after you left but it kept raining on us and Steve let us come home. Pop had already given up and was sitting in the car.  The kids had the usual fights on the way home but after your folks left for Topeka they settled down.  Sue and Sally helped me pick cherries which we pitted, put in plastic bags with sugar and put them in the freezer.  I don’t know if they will keep until you get home or not.  After supper Scott and Cindy were in the backyard with me when Gussie drove in to stay until Friday morning.  I think there was some problem in Topeka between her and Allan but I don’t know for sure yet.

I enjoyed being an official at Day Camp and don’t think I mind it at all.  After Cindy and I got home we all went swimming.  We picked up our pictures at Katz and they were all good.  The pictures Steve took of your folk’s home came out real fine.  Just about 4:00 when Cindy and I were sitting in the water a big jet went over and we thought you would be leaving for Paris just then.  Cindy didn’t think you would fly this way.

Scott just chased her through the front room.  “She hit me with a “pool”.  I’m going to pick up Martha Shiverdecker to go to the baseball meeting tonight.

Dr. Leigh called about 7:30 to see what you wanted and thought it was real funny he hadn’t signed your polio shots.

                                    With All my love, Mary

You just might get this before your birthday.  Of course if you don’t you won’t get it all.  We hope you have a real Happy Birthday for we love you very much.  We thought we would send you the Easter picture but it doesn’t seem to have Steve in it since he took the picture.  Sue and Sally think it should be in anyway.

 Adults referred to Ray Morgan, Sr as Pop, but to us he was Grandpa. Since Dad had the movie camera with him on the trip, I've used others from before and after his trip.

The following is a letter from Edna to Ray, written June 10 when he was in Grafenwoehr, Germany.

Dear Ray,

Your family was so nice to me this past week. They are such a nice group. They were picking cherries when I got there Sunday evening and then we pitted them and put them in different sacks with sugar—later they were frozen and one day we took them out and made a pie.

Steve played such a good ballgame Thursday evening and they won—in more ways than one the other team failed to have one player they needed so it was forfeited and then Steve’s team scored a few extra times.

This should reach you in London and take a good look at things around there for me.  Father and Mother went over there when I was about 8 and seemed to enjoy it so very much.

When Sue answered the phone and some man wanted to talk to you and she said that you were in Europe the man almost fell off the other end of the phone.

Steve is very busy practicing with his typing--each morning out comes the card table and he goes in to high gear.  It sounds like a wonderful idea.

Steve got some mighty good grades.  His envelope came while I was there.

Allan and I went over to your folks and your father took Allan on the Grand tour—he was quite impressed.

Have a grand time—we shall be anxious to hear about it.  Sincerely Gussie

This is from Thanksgiving of that year and includes Gussie, the senior Morgans and all the rest of us.