Letter from Charlie Lalumnondier

Above is my dad's cousin Martha McKay Lalumondier with her husband Charlie. This is at my grandparent's place on Flad. Martha accompanied my mother to Portland, Oregon early in 1945 by train so Mom could see Dad before he shipped overseas. Mother promised her that if she got pregnant and she had a girl the girl would be named after her. Well, I didn't get the name "Martha", but I did get her middle name "Ann" added to Dad's name: "LeAnn".
Again "Mart" is Martha McKay and "Arkie" is my mother Louise Wicker Long (her nick name because she came from Arkansas). The photo below was taken when dad was home which Charles mentions, but I'm not sure when. One of the interesting parts about this is that he warns Dad to stay out of the "P.T.'s" made famous by John F. Kennedy. P.T's were patrol boats armed with torpedos---they had to get close to the enemy and then fire. They had a great risk of being blown up before that happened.
He, too, mentions Bob and Gladys expecting. Charlie would be the uncle of the baby. He also mentions Charlie Maupin who was Dad and Martha's cousin. Below is another photo of Martha with one of my mother's friends Rosemary behind her.

Letter from Bob McKay

Although I don't have a photo of Bob McKay (that's his brother Junior), the woman on the right is his wife Gladys Wilson McKay. To the left is Martha McKay, Maxine Huskey Maupin and my mother Louise Wicker Long (Arky) Double click on the pages below if they are too small to read.
Bob was one of the few of dad's Maupin cousins in the Army. His wife, Gladys, was pregnant with their first child Michelle and was living with my mother in an apartment.
The second page urges Mom to go to Chicago where Dad was stationed. He thought it would be "just like being on a second honeymoon."
The third page tells about how much he's looking forward to fatherhood. I don't really know who Alice is in the letter.
The last page says that "Aunt Viv" (my grandmother) wasn't feeling well and "I truly love her and you could never find another mother-in-law like her." The article below is about Cpl.Bob McKay, his brother Cpl. Jack E. McKay and their cousin LeRoy Long.

Letter from Junior 1944

(Vennie Wicker on porch, Hampton Adams, Norma Long Adams, Junior McKay)

Hal Floyd McKay SK 2/c was my Dad's cousin "Junior". They were about the same age. Apparently Junior had been in the Navy for some time---the letter says he "hasn't seen the states in 20 months." Since he says that's it's like spring all year round, I'm guessing he's in Hawaii since I know Dad saw quite a number of his Maupin/McKay cousins there---even waving to one as their ships passed.

Mostly the first page is talking about the women who write him and his drinking habits.The second page talks about my Aunt Maxine (pictured below) and her husband Bob Delaney. Junior says he had intended to get married when he got home but his sister "Mart" told him "what the score was." The "Charles" he mentions was Martha's husband Charles Lalumondier. I remember Mom saying that Junior had sent grass skirts and thought there were photos of her wearing one, but I can't find them.

Hampton Adams, Junior McKay, Norma Long Adams
Maxine Long Delaney, Louise Wicker Long

Birthday Letter to LeRoy from Rachel

If you read the letters from Dad's siblings, they talk about their older brother and how he influenced them. The letters from 2 of his children talks about his cars and laid back personality. His grandchildren almost all remember his cycling, train room and decorating the pontoon for July 4th. Click here for Rebecca's memories.
Double click on Rachel's letter to read it. She included the photo of LeRoy (beardless) and herself as a baby as a part of her letter.

L-R: Rebecca Morgan Lewis, Rachel Morgan Twenter, Jaclyn Long Morgan, Leah Morgan Warren

Here we are getting ready to cheer Dad on during his bicycle race.
Dad had a model train room that all children loved, but he was especially proud of showing it off to his great-grandson Brett Twenter.

Birthday Letter to LeRoy from Jaclyn

I wrote this letter to my father for his 75th birthday. Last year, I wrote about my brother Jim's letter to Dad. Click here and you will notice a similar theme in mine---our cars and our family trips! Double click below to read about my memories.
The next section of the letter is about cars I had to drive and the cars/trucks my children remember.

(L-R: Rebecca Morgan Lewis, Rachel Morgan Twenter, Leah Morgan Warren)

"Rachel's favorite---the orange truck. She remembers the time you asked her if she wanted air conditioning. She said yes, so you opened the floor vents and let in the outside air."

Birthday Letter to LeRoy from Ron

L-R LeRoy Long, Ronald Long, Roy Long

When my Dad turned 75, various members of the family were urged to write special memories. I already did one with my Aunt Mary (Dad's sister Mary Long Wassmund)---click here. And his sister Norma Long Rodgers---click here. This one is from my Uncle Ron (Ronald Walter Long) on August 9, 1993.
There were about 20 years difference in their ages. Ron wrote: "Initially it was Baby Brother and Big Brother. This period last from your 19th to age 42. During these years, you served in the U.S. Navy and I was very proud of you as a boy.
Ron continued: "The intermediate years of our relationship was as an older brother---almost a parent figure. these years ranged from your 42nd year to your 72 year. During this period many things changed in transition."

"Now our relationship is as brothers of comparable years and hopefully many pleasant years ahead. Sincerely, Brother Ron"

Vivian Maupin Long letter, Dec. 26,1945

This was a Christmas card my dad got from me---the brown on the left had my footprints on it---knowing Mother, she had bought the card and took it to the hospital in November when I was born! So, the footprints were probably done by the hospital staff. She was always thinking ahead!

(This letter is in pencil, so I transcribed it below)

St. Louis Mo
Dec. 26, 1945

Dear Son:
I will write a few lines today. I have been sick--had the flu. I had 103 fever, was pretty sick for a few days---was in bed.

Norma & Bud & Steve, Louise & Jackie, Bob & Max and Bob, Mary, Dad and Ronnie was here for dinner. the babies was so cute together. Little Jackie is a real little girl. She sure looks like you. she has big eyes like you. [photo from Feb. 1946---L-R: Norma and Steve, Maxine and Bob, Louise and Jaclyn. Bob was in a shadow---I couldn't make it any better]

Billie and her husband came over and got Louise and Mr. Wicker. Still it was not completed without you.

Uncle Hal and Aunt Mattie, Junior and Sadie and Jerry came over last night. We had a nice Christmas.I guess you might be home before you get this letter. I hope so.

Max & Bob are still with us. They are waiting on the house. Mary got her dad a brown leather chair for Christmas. It sure is nice. Well, Lee, next Christmas we will be all together. I will close.

Love from all
Mother.

[Billie is my mother Louise's sister and Mr. Wicker is my maternal grandfather. Mattie Maupin McKay was Vivian's sister---Hal was her husband, Junior and Jerry were her sons, Sadie was Junior's wife. Max (Maxine Long Delaney) was my father's sister. His other siblings mentioned were Norma Long Adams Rogers, Mary Long Wassmund and Ronnie Long]

Mary Long Wassmund letter to LeRoy Long, 1993

This letter was written to LeRoy Long on his 75th birthday by his sister Mary Long Wassmund. This photo was with the letter, so I assume it is my aunt in her bicycle competition. Yeah, Mary, Dad tried to make us competitive cyclists, too, but. . . .

He and his cousin Andrew Baum (Mamie Reed's son) were the family cyclists! Here's Dad with some of his medals from the Senior Olympics.

Pictured below are Mary and Bill Wassmund with their medals from the Golden Games.

Mary Long Wassmund and LeRoy Long at Lake Sherwood where they lived next-door to each other.

Letter from Norma Long Rogers to LeRoy Long

The sketch was done by my daughter Rachel for her grandfather LeRoy Long---it is from a photo of his grandfather's barn (Thomas Long) where he played as a boy.

My mother asked many of us to write my dad, LeRoy Long on his 75th birthday. The following was from my Aunt Norma Long Rogers written in August 1993. (Double click to see it larger and then use the back arrow to come back to this page)

My dad used to say that eventhough he and Norma were only two years apart in age, they sure remembered things differently. He'd listen to her stories and just shake his head. To my knowledge, Mary Reiter Long was not a school teacher. Norma may have confused her with Thomas Long's first wife who may have been one.
Jep Long was Thomas Long's younger brother---their children, grandchildren and great grandchildren were and have remained friends. Web Long was Jeptha's grandson, though.
The Long-Wiley farmhouse that Norma remembers visiting with my dad is pictured below as it looks today. It is on Stone House Rd. outside of DeSoto, Missouri---just down the street from the Old Stone House that Thomas Long grew up in.
This was the site of the barn which my daughter drew. It blew down in a tornado a few years ago.


My mother was with me when I took this photo. She said, "Take a picture of where the barn used to be. Your dad had a lot of wonderful memories playing in that barn." Well, at least Dad and Norma agree on that.

Vivian Maupin Long Letter Dec.18, 1945

This is my favorite photo---don't know the names of the hogs, but my dad, LeRoy H. Long, is the boy on the left, the young man in the middle is Uncle Curtis Long and the older gentleman on the right is Thomas Henry Long---my great-grandfather. It was taken by Uncle Lawrence Long on the Long-Wiley Farm in DeSoto, MO. There is a tie-in with the letter!


Double click on the letter to read more clearly---in ink so I don't think I need to transcribe this.