Audrey Mae SpencerSpencer Historical CemeteryHenry Straight / William Spencer Family Cemetery
Vaughn Historical CemeterySpencers of East Greenwich, RI
23 October 2002

Heather: How is it that Anna Mirah* has Anna Maria written on her tombstone and in John Johnson Spencer’s Civil War pension plan, her name is also spelled with a “Y” as Anna Myriah?

Anna Maria Spencer

Audrey: I never remember seeing it with a Y! All I ever heard was Anna Mirah. The writing on stones was not professional. I don’t ever remember seeing a “y”, I was 1-1/2 years old when she died. I walked around the casket. I couldn’t see in but I walked around it.

*Anna Maria (pronounced Mar-eye-ah) was Audrey Mae’s paternal grandmother. Audrey always referred to her grandmother as Anna Mirah (aka Myriah).  An outside explanation of Maria being pronounced as Mar-eye-ah is in a book, “Play It As It Lays” by Joan Didion.
30 October 2002

Heather: How did you get to the School of Design in Providence from Coventry? After all, those were the Great Depression Years.

Audrey: I went (both ways) on the train.  We would get off the train and walk to school. We would cross over the bridge that was right before the School of Design. We went to the edge and there was a door there to go in the School of Design.  On my way home to the train, I would buy an apple for five cents from a handsome young man standing there selling apples.

I’ll never forget the time, Maisie and I walked home from the School of Design. We did it! We went along. We tried it!*

*The distance between RISD and 742 Washington Street in Coventry, R.I. where Audrey lived was around 15 miles.
 
13 November 2002

Heather: What will you be doing for Thanksgiving?

Audrey: Well, my taster is not too good, my (sense of) smell is not too good and I don’t hear as good as I should, but my eyes are good! I can read!

There is a newspaper article on shoats’ milk. (in the picture) It’s looks like a goat?

* Baby pigs are shoats.

20 November 2002

Heather: Hi Mother. How are you this week?

Audrey and Milton’s home, 420 East Greenwich Avenue, West Warwick, Rhode Island

“Aunt” Jeannie Campbell and her sister, Di Wicks

Audrey: I went to Spen and Bren’s house for the weekend. I go in and sit down in comfort. Julie now lives on Amanda Street with two other girls. Brenda takes medicine all the time, and she looks good, even though her stomach swells. We (Spen, Brenda and all) went to Doreen’s house for dinner. We had a lovely meal. David was puttering around his house. They have a three-sided room with half the wall being a TV. (When you kids were little) I had a big, old house. I didn’t know any better then. I didn’t feel put down at all. We had plenty of room and it was fine. Aunt Jeannie (Jeannie Campbell)* next door was just like another mother to me. Aunt Jeannie was an angel in disguise. She took care of everybody. Her husband (or son I can not remember which) was killed in a train accident going to the First World Fair in New York. Franklin, her first son, died. However, Aunt Di, Jeannie’s sister, was a pain in the neck. She had her mouth going. She was cross.  She was always coming into the house with a broom.

*Aunt Jeannie was not a blood relative, but we all called her aunt because she was so great to all of us.  Her name was Jeannie Campbell.  Her husband was killed in a train accident returning from the World’s Fair in 1939, I believe.
1 January 2003

H: Yes, I plan to be there for your birthday.

William J.B. Spencer, MaryJane Vaughn Spencer and Betty

Audrey: There are two people with a big dog and they are being yanked along by the dog. (Laughter) I always had Betty, a nice quiet dog. She died in the street. Doug left in his old Ford and Dixie (our dog) followed him. We’ve had our ups and downs with dogs. E-ow, our cat, could say his name! He followed Dawn with Vaughn in the doll carriage. E-ow used to go over to the Campbell’s* because Addy had a cat named Whitie. And then we had Sardy.

*Aunt Jeannie Campbell and sons, Addy and Dick, lived next door to the west when we lived on East Greenwich Avenue.  Aunt Jeannie also had a son named Franklin who died young. We as children never knew him.

Audrey drew the picture of family dog Betty


12 February 2003

Heather: Your parents cared for your father’s parents at the end of their lives. You and Dad cared for your father at the end of his life. I remember when I was in Columbia, Missouri and you called me to tell me that grandpa* had died and then you cried. My heart went out to you. You were so sad but wanted to be brave. You were trying not to show your tremendous sadness. Grandpa lived with you and Dad for some time before he died.

Tall man unknown and John Johnson Spencer

Audrey: John Johnson Spencer, my grandfather, walked and got along. He died in our house at 742 Washington St., Coventry. My father bought the house in Coventry when he sold the Spencer homestead on Middle Road in East Greenwich. I was twelve years old when we moved from the farm.

*Grandpa is Wm. J.B. Spencer, Audrey’s father.
24 August 2003

Heather: What are you doing now?

Audrey: I’m watching the clouds as they float by. I always loved looking up at the clouds. Aunt Alice gave a talk on the clouds. We used to crochet together.

19 October 2003

Heather: Hello, Mother, I tried calling you last Saturday, but there was no answer.

Audrey: We get along!  They (Alpine Nursing Home staff) take us places. They push us around. I stand up and turn around two or three time a day. I get a little bit of exercise.

26 November 2003

Heather: I have not been able to get you for the last two Saturdays. I even tried Sunday. So now I will call you at 8:30 AM sharp (EST) and if you have not finished breakfast I will call you back in 5-10 minutes. Once you leave your room for the day, it is hard to track you down.

Audrey Mae MacDonald

Audrey: I have a very good life. I have friends. We are always talking.  We are all one big family here.  I would rather stay in the house and look out the window. Spencer pushes me around outside.  When I am outside, I need a scarf, just like Grandma*. She always said her neck was cold.  I have a pink scarf that I tie around my neck and make a bow.

*Grandma is MaryJane (née Vaughn) Spencer, Audrey’s  mother.
7 December 2003

Heather: Yes, I’ve told Amber her middle name Joy fits her perfectly. Amber is a joy to have around! Her middle name, Joy, fits her to a tee.

Audrey: It is snowing outside. It is beautiful. So pretty.  The snow is piling up. It is snowing like the dickens. I have four little drawers and one is to keep papers. I can always tell when my (artistic display) stand has been looked at. The page left open has been changed. I love my little chair. I call it my other self.