I Am My Beloveds and My Beloved is Mine

I’ve been a little busy the last month and dates have slipped up on me.  I rarely miss remembering dates, at least to myself, but June 19^th flew by without a notice this year and without my annual utterance out loud….."Happy Anniversary Grandma and Grandpa….thank you for the foundation and the roots and the love and the high standard which seems impossible to keep sometimes!"

All of my kids have always been intrigued by the love story of my grandparents and the fact that my Grandfather died evidently of a broken heart exactly four weeks after my Grandmother passed.  Years later, as we were standing at their grave, my daughter, Ashli, noticed something that no one in our family had ever noticed to my knowledge.  She said, “Mama, no wondered they died so close together…..look at their names.”  Their gravestone showed that their names were intertwined just as their lives were ~ Walbert and Alberta ~ they were one in the same . . . separated only by a W at the beginning and an A at the end.  I wonder if Grandma ever realized it as a giddy teenager who was falling in love and being courted by this handsome young man. 

Regardless of if they did or not, there was a deep connection between them that everyone recognized and even when they bickered, you saw the twinkle of love in their eyes (and believe me, they could bicker!)  One of the very first formal celebrations of their marriage that I remember was their 40th anniversary.  It was held at the First Church of God in Vincennes, Indiana and everyone except my Aunt Mary Nell and cousin Sue Ann was there.  My grandmother had the added surprise of her sister, Helen flying in from Colorado. For this celebration, Ruth Bobe (I believe) wrote this mini history of their life from 1927 - 1967:

                Once upon a time, away back in June 1927, a shy little maid of Arvada, Colorado married a handsome young fellow who was also a resident of Arvada.  However, this young man was a native of a famous secluded spot called “The Beech Hills,” just six miles south of Monroe City, Indiana.  Honeymoon days were spent in the mountain cottage with frequent trips into the capitol city.  The couple also spent a few months with Grandpa and Grandma Wyant on the old home place before the young groom began his garage work in Arvada.  Five years later, in 1932, the couple had returned to the Indiana farm for keeps.  They now had three little blue-eyed boys, Denny, Dicky, and Doyle.  They loved to play hide-and-go seek in the upstairs rooms of the old farm house.  This family made friends quickly in the Hamline Chapel Church and vicinity.  To the north was Nelsons; to the west, Campbell’s and Uncle Harb and Aunt Cora; to the south, the Holman’s; to the southeast, Will and Lora and their three sons; and directly east lived three women, Grace, Nelle, and Ruth.  In a few days a close friendship began to grow between these two families.  Soon it was a proven fact that neither family could get along without the other.  When a new baby arrived or a sudden illness (unreadable text) from the Poland farm was needed. An exchange system of work often the rule, such as taming a kicky cow or ringing an old sow for the three girls as they were called.

The Colorado mountain cottage where Walb and Bertie began their marriage.  Diane and Dick are pictured.

To the east: the home of the three girls as they were called, Ruth, Nelle, and Grace

The three blue-eyed boys

                In 1937, the family had another member, a brown-eyed boy who had arrived in April 1934, Duane Eugene.  A tragic fire had destroyed the old farm house and a new one was built nearer the highway.  Tricycles soon made beaten paths around the house while mom kept the family well-cared for as well as caring for the neighbor boys.  Dad was busy with Kate and Jewel, rotating crops and fields.  Even though the family was almost 2000 miles away from close relatives, they kept in touch by mail.  Frequent visits by the Miller family as well as the Edwards’ were made.  Likewise, the Indiana Wyants also motored back to Colorado several times.

The new house built closer to the highway. It also burned due to a house fire.

Walb and Bertie with their four boys

1947 found many changes, another house had burned and been replaced with the present home site.  A darling little girl, Diane joined the family in October 1941 then to complete the family, brown-eyed Dwight was added in November 1943.  The four big boys were big enough to go to Petersburg on Saturday night, providing Dad would take them.  They too were big enough to get in on that “exchange work” at the Poland farm. They often wondered how those three women could wear out so many post holes, and Dad demanded that all post holes must be three feet deep or maybe four.  Dad was now plowing with a tractor and mom had a new white range.  Denny and Dick had been graduated from Monroe City High School and Denny had gone in to the armed service in January 1946.

Diane and Dwight playing with real toys.

                As we move into the year, 1957 – my, the changes.  Denny returned from his three years service in 1949; Dick had served two years, returning from Trieste, Italy in 1953; Doyle had graduated in 1949 and completed his three years service.  He returned from Korea in 1955. Duane was graduated in 1952 and was serving in the National Guard. Diane and Dwight were still enjoying their school days.  Dad had rented the farm and was the full time operator of a Phillips 66 station and mom was head cook at Brackens’ Café, selling coffee by the full cup or half cup. In 1954, Melinda arrived and in 1955, grandson, Greg was welcomed into the Wyant family. 

Dick and Doyle home from the service with Dad, Mom, Dwight and Diane

Diane, Dwight, Walb, Bertie, and Doyle at Grandpa's Phillips 66 Station

First granddaughter arrives and is introduced to the life of chickens on the Wyant farm.

Melinda and Greg with Grandpa and a really cool car in the background

Fashionable Aunt Diane and Uncle Dwight with his "Pat Boone" shoes

Christmas get-together at Ruth and Nelle's

                And today, June 19, 1967, marks four decades of your married bliss.  During this last ten years, Duane, Diane, Doyle and Dwight have married bringing Joyce, Jerry, Mary Nell, and Cherry into the clan.  Eight more grandchildren have joined Melinda and Greg, namely Denise, Brent, Michelle, Lisa, Terri, Andy, Sue Ann and Chris.  There have been dark days of sickness, misfortune, accidents and Walb got knocked out and robbed in St. Louis etc, but bright days surpassed the dark days.  Dad was proud of his Saturday help in the corn husking seasons as well as the milking contests which helped fill the old cream can.  Mom kept rigid rules for her teen age boys even if she had to resort to the “Hoot Owl” shift to corral them. Proud moments which you recall are the six commencements when you had reserved seats in the gym.  You are pleased with the accomplishments that each one has made and still is making.  You are to be complimented highly on the fine job you have done in rearing this outstanding family.  Truly, we all say “Happy Anniversary” to a wonderful couple.

Duane, Diane, Dwight, Alberta, Walbert, Doyle, Dick, and Denny

The In-Laws: Joyce, Jerry, Cherry, Alberta, Walbert, Betty, & Mary

The Grandkids up to 1967: Denise, Greg holding Chris, Bertie, Walb, Brent, Melinda
Little Ones: Terri, Lisa, Andy, and Michelle

June 19^th gained double significance when thirty-three years later; Alberta (who was an amazing seamstress) designed and sewed a wedding dress for the only girl in family, Diane. On June 19^th of 1960, Diane slipped the lace and satin dress on and Walbert walked her down the aisle to begin celebrating her marriage to another handsome Indiana boy.

Newlyweds, Jerry and Diane Van Lue ~ June 19, 1960

The seamstress and Mother-of-the-Bride enjoying her daughters receiving line
as flower girls, Star and Melinda look on.

The only Wyant girl - she grew up with 5 brothers and still looked every bit the lady!

Walb and Bertie would celebrate not only their 40^th, but their 50^th and 51^st anniversaries together before they passed away in September and October 1978.  When I remember my grandmother, I think of the verses in Proverbs 31 that speak of a capable wife and when I remember what I saw of the way they lived their lives, I think of this:

Bertie's hands were always busy and she was industrious.  And as a couple, I believe they modeled fairness, caring and integrity to their children and grandchildren so it's very easy to think of them when I think about these things.  

It is so easy to fall short of just these two simple standards in today’s world.  It seems more difficult to be married, to raise children, and to just plain live in general.  Yet, we are supposedly living in improved times.  I am not such a nostalgic animal that I think everything was better in the “old” days, but I frequently do wish for the simplicity of life that seemed to dominate the world of the Wyant children; a time when the issues you dealt with primarily involved your immediate family and your neighboring community.  The shrinking world has brought some amazing things into our lives, but it has also brought the complexity of the world’s problems into our backyards and living rooms.  Life does seem more complicated but I have to believe that if we work to hang on to just a few simple principles, maybe we too can share the same joys that marriage and family from the 20s to the 60s brought. I've sure tried with my own children and plan to keep the family tradition alive and well.

Happy June Anniversary to:

Jerry and Diane ~ June 19^th,

Brad and Beth Wyant ~ June 23

Duane and Joyce Wyant ~ June 3 (we miss you Aunt Joyce)

And to Walbert and Alberta on what would have been their 86^th Wedding Anniversary

We know you are celebrating in heaven with Denny, Doyle, Dwight, Greg and Brent.

Happy 86th in heaven!

Author's Notes: I have always heard that the family returned to Indiana after Denny was born and before Dick was born but Ruth wrote after 5 years and it was read that day.  I will have to check that as well as ask someone to explain "the Poland farm."

Addition from my Aunt Cherry: In 1968... another grandson, Bradley Kent, was added to the family and in 1972, another grandson, Norman Todd, who we all thought was the last grandchild was added. 

He held that position until 1984 when the Wyant family had a great surprise... Diane and Jerry, having been married for 23 years added the last grandson, Jeremy Duane. We only wish that Grandma and Grandpa Wyant could have seen and known about him.

Additional notes from my Uncle Duane: The Poland farm referred to Ruth and Nelle's farm where they raised Poland pigs.  They were prize-winning pigs and according to Uncle Duane, Ruth and Nelle knew how to raise them better than anyone. They are now evidently known as show pigs and they even have their own blog at: http://www.polandshowpigs.blogspot.com/  I wonder what Ruth and Nelle would think of that.....they probably started a trend without knowing it!