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Bert & MaryBelle Fisher and
Lucy Manis
by
Ann (Orbaugh) Brewer
& Frances (Fisher)
McDaniel
This
is to reply to Frances (Fisher) McDaniel --
Of course, I remember her parents, Bert and MaryBelle, because they lived two
doors from Larry and me in West Elwood for many years. They were great
neighbors and their house was always immaculate. They set the standard for
the neighborhood. Larry and I did well to mow and trim at our house.
Actually, I have better memories of Francie's grandmother, Lucy Manis. She
and I (and others, of course) prepared many a meal for the Masonic Lodge.
Lucy was the veteran/expert as she was a school cook for many years. I was
young and dumb and I just did what she told me to do. My dinner specialties
were folding chairs and table paper. They didn't usually allow me to
actually cook. Lucy would be there early in the day to start the meal and
she would stay until the last dish was dried. She was amazing!
I can't say that I miss lugging those sacks of groceries up those stairs at the
Lodge. Since I was one of the younger ones--at that time, I got to carry
my share of groceries up the stairs and back to the kitchen.
Ann (Orbaugh) Brewer '59
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* * * * * * * *
Just
wanted to thank Ann Brewer for her very nice things she said about my folks and
grandmother. The only comment I have to make about her saying my folk's
house was a neighborhood example of the standard for the neighborhood, well, you
should have lived there. It wasn't the most fun. I had to be as neat
as they were. Have you ever seen a teenager's head spin or see them pull
out their fingernails? Ha! It was a trip, I tell ya.
As far as my grandmother is concerned, well, I should have written a book about
her. She was the best thing since peach cobbler. My grandfather died
when I was about 6 years old so she was by herself for the rest of her 93 years.
I stayed at her house more than I stayed at home. She made delicious yeast
biscuits and baking power biscuits. Her noodles and dumplings were as
smooth as silk and tasted like heaven. She fixed me bacon and eggs and
biscuits every morning. I slept until I wanted to get up and no matter
what time it was, she fixed me breakfast. We sat in the same chair and
watched television until I was too big to fit in the same chair with her.
On New Year's Eve, she fixed 7UP in champagne glasses and we had cheese and
crackers and we had our own party. We played school with the neighborhood
kids and she was the teacher. Incidentally the neighborhood kids were the
Brunson's and the Calls.
When I was older, we would sit across the kitchen table from each other,
drinking coffee and eating custard pie and we would talk for hours.
Custard pie was my favorite and she always had a couple made for me. Well,
she always had something baked. We colored together, she on one page
and me on another. She made lunches for the neighbor kids too. We
would have finger sandwiches of peanut butter and chocolate milk and carrots or
celery.
I never had to ask to go to her house. I could go whenever I wanted.
When I was driving and a bit grown up, I took her places. We would go to
the drive-in, or maybe to Anderson or wherever she wanted to go. Remember
the glass packs? I had a 1958 Chevy with glass packs. I would take
her rides in that car and shift down into 2nd gear and boy the exhaust would pop
and crack and she would giggle hearing all that noise.
She was always my support and listened to me in all of my growing up years.
I think often of everything she was and all that she did. There will never
be another Lucy Manis. I miss her even today. But she lived as long
as she could. Our family did agree by the time that she died that we had
used every bit of her up.
She loved her family to a fault. No matter what anyone did, she loved them
anyway. She would take you in and make you up a bed and feed you.
Well I haven't even scratched the surface when I talk of her but I will end this
with saying that I loved her so and I thank God that I was so lucky to have one
of "those" grandmothers.
Thanks for your time.
Francie (Fisher) McDaniel '61
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