Letters 1962-72

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There’s no text to read here

Onionskin filled on both sides with words flowing from a fountain pen had given way to computer printouts. Hand written notes and post cards persist but telegrams delivered to the door disappear and the colorful riot of colorful, often large postage stamps wanes. By the end of the last millennium, most correspondence – whether everyday family history, personal thoughts, business transactions, or travel plans – had moved on line. Thank you notes and post cards have enjoyed slightly better longevity.

The first batches of letters date from my mid-teens to the meager financial independence that came with marriage. Most were saved by my mother in the attic of our house in Whitesboro, New York. A few I carried with me or found in old files or among my postcard collection. Most were my own letters to my family, but there are also letters to me, and others exchanged among family members.

The volume of correspondence tapers off in the mid-1980s owing to increased affordability of long-distance phone calls combined with and my shift to journal keeping. The exception is fairly robust correspondence with my sister.

For letters that bear simply the day of the week with no month or year indicated, the postmark date on the envelope is used. As I transcribe excerpts or make notes on certain letters, however, I will likely save ‘working posts’ as drafts and password-protect them.

Letters from Europe (1962-63)

1962

  • 1962-7-30  first letter
  • 1962-7-31 postcard to Goldsmith grandparents
  • 1962-8-6
  • 1962-8-12 to RGF
  • 1962-8-23 letters, pen-pals, hiking accounts
  • 1962-8-31  edit and record, advice on trip to France, saving money,
  • 1962-9-12 to JJF, ambition, seat-of-pants stuff
  • 1962-9-18 sent surface mail out of money concerns
  • 1962-9-21 hike in Lotschental Valley, 
  • 1962-9-26  trip ideas
  • 1962-9-28 long letter, family dynamics at home and at G, expenses explained
  • 1962-10-4 
  • 1962-10-8   money crunch, joy, emancipation
  • 1962-10-13  
  • 1962-10-16 to RGF, no envelop, perhaps enclosed with G letter to M
  • 1962-11-5  to JJF
  • 1962-11-20 to RGF, sent w Mme G; very frank, pleading to stay on; 
  • 1962-12-7
  • 1962-12-14
  • 1962-12-18 letter to grandparents
  • 1962-12-31 to JJF

1963

  • 1963-1-10
  • 1963-1-25 parent-child dynamics
  • 1963-2-9   Mireille’s return
  • 1963-2-23 M fun, Verbier
  • 1963-3-1  M
  • 1963-3-7
  • 1963-3-13 excellent overview, letters for jobs and travel
  • 1963–3-18
  • 1963-3-20 money conniving, clothes wearing out, Jan’s broken ankles, pensions, headscarf
  • 1963-3-28
  • 1963-3-29
  • 1963-3-31 Dutch culture
  • 1963-4-9
  • 1963-4-14 postcard to grandparents from Holland
  • 1963-4-18 BJF broken ankle, 48 photos taken, quote Mini, Dutch & Swiss compared
  • 1963-4-27 exam 6-23, changed plans, money, skiing, confident sign off
  • 1963-5-6 to Hoohoo, (has Grammy died?), double ski race
  • 1963-5-9  skiing,money,clothes,scouting,wishful thinking about a job
  • 1963-5-17 barb has leg in cast? Lots of logistics
  • 1963-5-22 to JJF, plans, nothing on why Mom isn’t coming
  • 1963-5-28 plans, Swissair,too many shoes, at home many places
  • 1963-5-31 postcard to grandparents
  • 1963-6-2  early rising, swimming, “I am wrong”, come to my senses about getting my way
  • 1963-6-9 Farel House Student
  • 1963-6-15 L’Abri life, Frankie, written in ball point pen
  • 1963-6-18 hosteling, brass bands, trains, Holland
  • 1963-7-5 Le Chalet, quotable parts, Scouts, Californians, make-me-a-skirt request
  • 1963-7-13 life at L’Abri, food requests
  • 1963-7-18 Express letter home
  • 1963-7-25  Dad arrives in Europe
  • 1963-7-29 from Italy, Peter Schott?, AmEx lines, scheduling a call with Europe
  • 1963-8-2 postcard of Rome Coliseum, written to grandparents in Cologne sent from Amsterdam
  • 1963-8-1 Dad’s letter to Mom, finds Carol unchanged but heavier
  • 1963-8-8 Dad’s letter home, observations, dates
  • 1963-8-9 Dad’s letter home, tell Mom not to tell friends return date
  • 1963-8-17 travel inconveniences, esp AmEx


Letters from College, Europe, & Summer Jobs (1964 – 1968)

1964

  • 1964 post card from New York World Fair, China, Caribbean,Swiss gondolas overhead
  • 1964-7-22 from Camp Skanatati
  • 1964-8-5 from Camp Skanatati, Sherburne, NY
  • 1964-8-21 postcard from Cooperstown, NY
  • 1964-9-17
  • 1964-9-21
  • 1964-9-25
  • 1964-9-29 Gary for Thanksgiving
  • 1964-10-2 yellow post card
  • 1964-10-7 yellow post card
  • 1964-10-14
  • 1964-10-30 letter to Mom
  • 1964-11-10
  • 1964-11-12
  • 1964-11-14

1965

  • 1965-1-11
  • 1965-1-16
  • 1965-1-21
  • 1965-1-27
  • 1965-2-1
  • 1965-2-9
  • 1965-2-10 
  • 1965-2-27
  • 1965-3-2
  • 1965-3-10
  • 1965-4-20 perhaps new phone? Number noted on envelop
  • 1965-4-20 Deerpath Inn envelop
  • 1965-5-5
  • 1965-9-24 accounts related to this letter or one of 
  • 1965-9-27
  • 1965-10-20
  • 1965-10-30
  • 1965-11-16 

1966

  • 1966-1-14 interesting encl Mentor w notes
  • 1966-1-26 no envelop
  • 1966-2-10
  • 1966-3-5
  • 1966-4-11 to folks from LFC
  • 1966-4-19 envelop has multiple letters
  • 1966-5-2
  • 1966-5-16  postcard home from LFC
  • 1966-6-1 postcard home from LFC
  • 1966-8-26 postcard home from Liège (in transit)
  • 1966-8-31  from Haarlem, The Netherlands
  • 1966-9-9  arrival chez Mme Violette in Dijon
  • 1966-9-17 
  • 1966-9-30
  • 1966-10-11
  • 1966-11-5 (in env from Vatican City 1966-10-31)
  • 1966-11-5 postcard home from Dijon
  • 1966-11-16 letter home from 
  • 1966-11-23
  • 1966-11-25
  • 1966-12-3 studies difficult, exam stress
  • 1966-12-5 
  • 1966-12-? exams over, still headed home
  • 1966-12-18 to HooHoo from Huémoz – still headed back to LFC!
  • 1966-12-19 from Huémoz, Switzerland
  • 1966-12-26 from Territet, Switzerland

1967

  • 1967-1-11 To parents from Greenwich CT
  • 1967- 1-17 To family from Huémoz
  • 1967-1-31 from Huémoz
  • 1967-2-7   from Huémoz to Barb
  • 1967-2-15 from Huémoz
  • 1967-2-28 from Huémoz
  • 1967-4-1?
  • 1967-4-3
  • 1967-4-30
  • 1967-5-15
  • 1967-5-24
  • 1967-9-21 with phone bill enclosed
  • 1967-9-26 
  • 1967-10-17
  • 1967-10-23 postcard
  • 1967-10-30 
  • 1967-11-9 
  • 1967   Undated letter on violet stationery
  • 1967-12-26 express letter postmarked Territet (check?)

1968

  • 1968-1-15
  • 1968-2-5  Peace Corps acceptance
  • 1968-2-19
  • 1968-3-10 To parents on LFC stationery, no envelop
  • 1968-4-13 printed matter
  • 1968-4-13 To parents from LFC
  • 1968-4-21
  • 1968-5-1
  • 1968-5-1   to BJF, long typed letter 
  • 1968-5-13 Printed matter-school paper,PC Volunteer
  • 1968-5-23  letter to RGF with birthday card
  • 1968-5-22 To parents, Grant Wood postcard from Lake Forest.

Letters from the Early Morocco Eras with a Sejour in Manhattan

  • 1968-6-27 To parents from Morrison CO
  • 1968-7-1 To BJF from Morrison CO (contains key
  • 1968-7-10 To BJF, typed in French from Morrison CO
  • 1968-7-10 Letter to BJF
  • 1968-7-15 Postcard to parents from Flushing NY
  • 1968-8-3 To parents from Morrison CO (encl clipping)
  • 1968-8-31 Postcard of Tetouan to Mom & Dad from Tangier
  • 1968-9-3? To parents from Rabat, PC office
  • 1968-9-6 To Fillips, aerogram from Tangier
  • 1968-9-11 Aerogram to family from Tangier
  • 1968-9-21 To BJF from Rabat, waiting for assignment.
  • 1968-9-22 Postcard of Chaouwen to family from Tangier
  • 1968-9-28 To Fillips from Fez
  • 1968-?-10 Postcard to Barb on settling Casablanca
  • 1968-?-10 Postcard of Goulemine to parents from Casa
  • 1968-10-10 Postcard of Casa to parents from Casa
  • 1968-10-21 Postcard of High Atlast to Fillips from Rabat
  • 1968-10-28 To Fillips from Casa
  • 1968-11-6 Envelop to Fillips from Casa (no letter but news of cousin Patricia)
  • 1968-11-12 To Fillips from Casa
  • 1968-11-22 To Fillips from Casa
  • 1968-11-25 To BJF from Casa
  • 1968-12-4 To parents from Casa
  • 1968-12-9 To Fillips from Casa
  • 1968-12-16 To Fillips, postcard of Marrakesh from Casa
  • 1968-12-16 To BJF from Casa-Mers Sultan
  • 1968-12-22 To Fillips, postcard of Middle Atlas woman sent from Casablanca

1969

  • 1969-1-6 To family on Terry’s Xmas stationery
  • 1969-1-16 To parents from Casa
  • 1969-1-26 To family on PC stationery from Casa
  • 1969-2-2
  • 1969-2-19 To family from Casa
  • 1969-2-? Empty typed long envelop to family from Casa-Ppl
  • 1969-3-24 To parents, on impulsive bus travel
  • 1969-3-8 To parents from Casa
  • 1969-5-19 To BJF at Skidmore from Casa
  • 1969-3-31 1969-5-11 Postcard to parents, Jama’a El Fna, from Marrakesh
  • 1969-5-19 To Fillips, postcard of woman from south
  • 1969-3-31 To parents, postcard of Saharan women sent from Tan Tan
  • 1969-4-6 To Fillips on Easter Sunday from Casa
  • 1969-4-14 To BJF from Casa
  • 1969-5-26 To parents (encl Aunt Mary letter, clippings, etc)
  • 1969-summer To BJF from Casa-Mers Sultan
  • 1969-6-? Postcard of Agidir to BJF from Agadir
  • 1969-6-19 To BJF,
  • 1969-7-8 ?  To parents from EIRENE, Agadir, Morocco
  • 1969-9-16 To Fillips from Av 2, Mars, Casablanca
  • 1969-9-30  To Mom & Dad, Jack’s visit
  • 1969-10-27 To Fillips from Rabat
  • 1969-10-3 To parents
  • 1969 -11-7  To JJF
  • 1969-11-11 To Fillips
  • 1969-11-24 To Fillips
  • 1969-12-12 No envelop. To BJF, Aid el Seghir in Casa, town decked for Xmas
  • 1969-12-31 New Year’s Eve with Jack in Essaouria

1970

  • 1970-1-15  To parents from Casa
  • 1970-2-19 To parents from Casa
  • 1970-3-4  To parents from Casa
  • 1970-4-13 To parents from Casa
  • 1970-4-27 To Fillips from Casa
  • 1970-5-27 To RGF from Casa
  • 1970-7-6 To parents from Casa
  • 1970-7-18 To family from Casa
  • 1970-7-28 To Barbara in Moillesulay CH re plans to meet – from Casa
  • 1970-8-7 To parents fromLuc-en-Diois, France re visit to Curtets
  • 1970-9-16 To parents from Benni Mellal
  • 1970-10-19 To parents from Beni Mellal
  • 1970-9-21 To parents from Rabat (no envelop)
  • 1970-5-10 To parents from Beni Mellal
  • 1970-10-19 To parents from Beni Mellal
  • 1970-11-5 To parents from Beni Mellal
  • 1970-11-20 To parents from Beni Mellal
  • 1970-12-10 To parents from Beni Mellal (no envelop)
  • 1970-12-20 Postcard to family from Gran Canaria
  • 1970-12-30 To family from Dakar

1971

  • 1971-1-11 To parents from Beni Mellal
  • 1971-1-25 To parents from Beni Mellal
  • 1971-2-23 To parents from Beni Mellal
  • 1971-3-20 Postcard top family from Essaouria
  • 1971-3-28 To parents from Beni Mellal
  • 1971-4-7 To parents from Erfound ?
  • 1971-4-14 To parents from Marrakesh
  • 1971-4-19 To parents from Beni Mellal
  • 1971-4-20 To parents from Beni Mellal
  • 1971-5-13 To parents from Beni Mellal
  • 1971-5-23 To parents from Beni Mellal
  • 1971-5-28 To parents from Beni Mellal
  • 1971-6-4 To parents from Beni Mellal
  • 1971-6-15 To parents from Beni Mellal
  • 1971-6-21 To parents from Marrakesh
  • 1971-6-28 To parents from Marrakesh
  • 1971-8-1 To parents from Rabat
  • 1971-8-14 To parents from Rabat
  • 1971-8-27 Postcard to parents from honeymoon in Algeria
  • 1971-9-18 To parents from Marrakesh
  • 1971-10-1 To parents from Marrakesh
  • 1971-12-8 To parents from Rabat
  • 1971-12-14 To parents from Marrakesh

1972

  • 1972-3-16 To parents from Marrakesh
  • 1972-3-30 Postcard to parents from Mhamid
  • 1972-5-15 To parents from Marrakesh
  • 1972-5-27 To parents, “new contraceptive loop and gold tooth”
  • 1972-6-18 To JJF at work from Morocco
  • 1972-6-14 To parents from Marrakesh
  • 1972-10-30 To parents from New York
  • 1972-12-12 To parents from New York

1973

  • 1973-1-22 Letter to parents from New York
  • 1973-3-22 Letter to parents from New York
  • 1973-5-31 Letter to parents from New York
  • 1973-6-11 Letter to parents from New York
  • 1973-6-29 Letter to parents from New York
  • 1973-7-9 Letter to parents from New York
  • 1973-8-25 Postcard to parents from Luc-en-Diois
  • 1973-9-7 To parents form Marrakesh
  • 1973-9-23 To parents form Marrakesh
  • 1973-10-12 To parent from Marrakesh
  • 1973-11-4 To parents from Marrakesh
  • 1973-11-11 To parents from Marrakesh
  • 1973-11-28 To parents from Marrakesh
  • 1973-12-17 To parents from Marrakesh

1974

  • 1974-2-11 To parents from Marrakesh
  • 1974-4-27 To parents from Marrakesh
  • 1974-5-19 To parents from Marrakesh
  • 1974-7-16 1974 To parents from Marrakesh
  • 11974-7-23 1974-4-27 To parents from Marrakesh
  • 1974-5-19 To parents from Marrakesh
  • 1974-8-6 Postcard to parents from Meknes
  • 1974-9-9 To parents from Marrakesh
  • 1974-10-14
  • 1974-10-12 To parents from Marrakesh
  • 1974-11-20 To parents from Marrakesh
  • 1974-11-31 To parents from Marrakesh
  • 1974-12-19 To parents from Marrakesh

1975

  • 1975-1-16 To parents from Marrakesh
  • 1975-2-24 To parents from Marrakesh
  • 1975-4-21 To parents from Marrakesh
  • 1975-?-18 To parents from Marrakesh

Letters from the Late 1970s and the Addition of Children

  • 1977-10-2 Letter to Kinza from 225 North Isabel, Glendale.
  • 1977-10-30 Letter to Philip from 225 North Isabel, Glendale.
  • 1979-5-10 from Monette
  • 1981-1-12 to BJF in Whitesboro from 4105 So. 36th St, Arlington VA
  • 1981-2-4 to BJF in Whitesboro from Arlington Va
  • 1981-3-30 to BJF from Arlington VA with encl clippings
  • 1981-6-10 to BJF from Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
  • 1981-10-4 to BJF from Jeddah
  • 1981-10-16 to BJF in Whitesboro from Jeddah
  • 1981-12-7 to BJF in Whitesboro from Jeddah
  • 1982-4-19 to BJF from Saudi Arabia
  • 1982-10-1 to BJF, Saudi to Tel Aviv?
  • 1982,-6-1 to BJF with earlier one that bounced
  • 1983-1-11 to BJF from Riyad, Saudi Arabia
  • 1983?-7-24 to BJF in Whitesboro from Sana’a
  • 1984-5-1 to BJF from Sana’a
  • 1984-5-3 to BJF from Sana’a
  • 1984-8-1 to Monette, copied for BJF with note added
  • 1984-9-19 to BJF from Sana’a
  • 1984-10-10 to BJF from Sana’a
  • 1984-11-1 & 3 to BJF Downer St w 1/2 letter from Monette encl
  • 1984-11-15 to BJF Downer St. from Sana’a
  • 1985-1-7 to BJF on Downer St
  • 1985-3-6 to BJF on Downer St
  • 1985-4-10 to parents from Sana’a
  • 1985-4-? to BJF on Downer St
  • 1985-4-15 to BJF from Sana’a

Letters from Others to Others (1962- )

  • 1962-5-14 Mme G in English re M getting work
  • 1962-8-13  Claudie B to folks. Found me happy, fine w/o sibs, Gs happy w my help
  • 1962-10-14 Mme G C appetite, quotes Mom on “wonder of exchange”,both growing to maturity,trusts Mon on the question of relations with black people, C’s Canadian boy, advocates for Riviera trip, wants response ASAP
  • 1962-11-19 
  • 1962-12 Mme G onionskin Xmas card to Mom & Dad on exchange of daughters
  • 1963-2-1 Mme G on questions, house cleaning M’s return,**
  • 1963-2-2 Mme G thx for all done for M, worries about “dating”, knitting not heartache for C; worst winter in 50 yr, Zurich lake frozen, 
  • 1963-2-5 short thank you card from Mireille as she returns to Switzerland
  • 1963-2-28 Mme G to parents
  • 1963-3-25 Mirielle to Fairacres, Paris job, homeless men, rich people
  • 1963-4-14
  • 1963-5-10 Mme G to Mom & Dad in anticipation of Dad’s visit, good observations.
  • 1963-5-27 M to “Mom” on birthday
  • 1963-6-11 Annie Wansink inviting Mom and Dad to Holten
  • 1963-8-8 from M in Switzerland to Mom and Barb
  • 1963-9-8 from M to Fillips Family
  • 1963-9-11  Mme G to parents in French.good newsy letter. Plus ote to me.
  • 1963-11-28 Mme G to parents with interesting observations
  • 1966-9-23 postcard from Loretta in Switzerland to Fillips
  • 1966-12-4 postcard from Vanessa and Ralph in England to Fillips
  • 1969-5-9 From Mrs. C.V. Bowes Jr aka Diane (Ivers?)to parents 
  • 1969-6-16 From Aunt Mary Tiberio to JJF and RGF
  • 1971-5-16 From Jane McCrerary in Glendale to parents in Whitesboro
  • 1971-6-27 From Jane McCrerary in Glendale to parents in Whitesboro
  • 1972-1-10 From Jane McCrerary in Glendale to parents in Whitesboro
  • 1972-2-6 From Jane McCreary in Glendate to parents in Whitesboro

Letters from Others (1964-2023)

  • 1964-2-21  from Claudie B
  • 1967-9-28 from Miss C.M. Grant (?)in Brighton, England to me in Lake Forest
  • 1967-4-9 (or 9-4) from Norma (?) in Kent, England to me in Whitesboro
  • 1970-3-6 from BJF to parents re connecting with Carol and Jack
  • 1970-3-16 from Aunt Ned in Casablanca
  • 198?-12-30 card from Robin and Jerry (Miriam almost crawling)
  • 1983-9-26 from Barbara Larson in LA to Jack and me in Sana’a
  • 1984-4-13 from BJF from Fairacres to Sana’a
  • 1984-5-29 from BJF from Fairacres to Sana’a
  • 1984-5-13 from Monette in France to Yemen
  • 1984-5-14 from Terry Angleys in Veigy, France
  • 1984-6-1 from Diane Ellerton in Saudi to me in Yemen
  • 1984-7-1 From Barbara Larsen
  • 1984-7-2 from Simone (Monette) Besset in Villeurbanne
  • 1923-5-20 Note from Kinza returning letters from 1977

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