Audrey: I’ll be happy to be there for a week. It will be fun! I’ll be with Margie. We were always the best of friends. She was married to Stuart, Dad’s older brother. We do not know about Dad’s other brother Robert’s wife, Gladys. She had a bad spell and gave away her land to some creep. Maybe she is dead now. We do not know. Robert, he was sick and too fat and died young. Robert used to go hunting and he would talk with your father. Dad’s oldest brother Donald was great! Your Dad always loved his oldest brother Donald the best. Donald was always good to Dad – when Dad was a kid and all Dad’s life.

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.

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

Audrey: Crystal and the older ones were born at Lying-In Hospital in Providence. The cost was $65.00 a delivery. It was a baby place. Whether or not it was hitched to the hospital, I can’t remember.

It’s a nice day today. The sun is shining! I just rest. Get up and read. I eat very good! I wasn’t a big eater. I’d eat what was put before me! I loved red beets. I was a pretty good eater. Mother made good slumps. I loved her blueberry slump. She made vegetable soups with slumps. The rest of my life, I tried to make them like she did.

Audrey: Everything is going good. I couldn’t ask for a better day. It is nice and sunny. I went riding around last Sunday. I enjoy my life. Couldn’t be better.

Audrey: Spen tried to put a saddle on our dog, Dixie.  It hung all over the place. He hitched it to the wagon and the dog couldn’t budge.

Another time, Spen was on the roof. He put Dede on a seesaw.  Spen jumped down (on the other end of the seesaw) and Dede landed in the orchard.  It is a wonder she didn’t get hurt.

Audrey: No. When Dawn grew up, she wanted me to travel with her. I feared being up in a plane! I feared the railroad tracks! I didn’t think too much of the trolley either. Even Dad liked to travel. I will always remember when Dawn was a little girl and learning about death, she said to me “When we go to heaven, will you hold my hand?”

Audrey: Margaret Mitchell and her husband lived upstairs, and the mothers and babies were down stairs. Seems so I was alone! Her house was upstairs. She let me have her upstairs with the babies. She only let me up there. She gave me all the privileges that she could.

Audrey: Bobby Lucier used to come and play the organ before he went to CA. I could play I Love Coffee; I love Tea …

(Heather: Yes, all of us used to play that piece!)

Mitchell Maternity Home

Audrey: Yes. I went to Mitchell’s Maternity Home (90 West Warwick Avenue) to have my last three children, Vaughn, Deardra and you. Mrs. Mitchell was a Registered Nurse and operated the Mitchell Maternity Home in West Warwick.