Charlotte Manners

Charlotte "Lotte" Manners was two years younger than her sister Vivian. Unlike some families, the younger daughter wasn't the darling; Vivian held that title and didn't let Charlotte forget it. Vivian married Charles Edgar and Charles was perfect, not like Eddie, Lotte's high school beau and husband of three years. Charles worked in the local bank, a real up and comer. Eddie worked for Marleton Auto repair. But Eddie loved Lotte with all his heart and for her 26th birthday, used all the money he had saved to buy Lotte a Roto-Broil 400, the newest and best Rotisserie/Oven available. Lotte took this picture and sent it to her sister. Vivian received it the very day her husband was arrested for bank fraud.

Here is a special bonus image of a Roto-Broil 400 in action. Interesting true note: The Roto-Broil was invented and sold by Leon Klinghoffer and family. Leon died in 1985, during the Achille Lauro incident, when he was pushed overboard in his wheelchair.

Lillian Hanneman

Lillian was twelve when she wrote on the back of this photograph. "Grandma Gordat-Dad's real mother. She died when dad was only 3 years of age. She was very young when she died. She was my real grandma. I bet I would have liked her a whole lot." Lillian had a long life and saw all six grandchildren graduate college and start families.

Charlie Martin

Charlie Miller hadn't ever seen a real professional baseball game, though some traveling teams did occasionally play at Hinkel Stadium two towns over. However, on clear nights he could hear the Cubs at 670 AM on the Atwater Kent dial, beamed from the 50,000 watt powerhouse, WMAQ. Charlie's actual baseball playing was limited to his mom, Frances, pitching the ball, Charlie hitting the ball, and Rusty fetching the ball and returning it to the ball pail. His mother kept track of his hits and misses, just like a real manager. Such was life in rural Ohio. The closest thing to a happy ending came when Charlie, at age 24, got married to Gail, and they honeymooned at Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin. The route to Elkhart Lake takes you right through Chicago, where they spent two nights, one at Wrigley Field, watching the Cubs beat the NY Giants.

Lynn, Audrey, Marilyn and Jeanne

Lynn, Audrey, Marilyn and Jeanne were four of the real housewives of pilots in the newly formed Strategic Air Command, headquartered at Offutt Air Force Base, Nebraska. Military life was nothing new for Lynn, Marilyn, and Jeanne, but for Audrey, whose husband was just out of flight school, this was not an easy time. As much as the girls gave their support and swapped stories that all had happy endings, Audrey worried about the looming potential of the Korean conflict. Carl was smart, tough, and graduated with honors from flight school, but jet planes were still relatively new and untested. She needn't have worried though. Carl did two tours and came home from the second in time for the new arrival in the family. Lynn's husband was MIA, Audrey's husband became a commander, and Jeanne, who's husband was restationed shortly after this picture, finished his term and together they opened up a diner in Newark, Delaware.

Lars Gilden

Lars Gilden, and indeed all of the farmers living and working around Poseyville, in southern Indiana, could sure use fifty dollars. 1931 wasn't a good year, and about the only thing to look forward to was the county fair because it got people from the neighboring towns and counties away from the land for three days. The flyer at Musselman's Feed and Grain was where Lars learned about the fifty dollar prize. "Unhitch Dobbin, hitch yourself up, and race your buggy to the fifty dollar first prize." For a full week Lars pulled his buggy up and down the road leading to the farm. It was fully loaded with his wife, Margaret, and his daughter, Stella. They spent the prize money on real curtains for the windows and a hat for Stella. The balance, $31.67, went in the rainy day jar.