1948 11 25 Thanksgiving greetings to Walter J. Schnack

Imagine, just 25¢ to send a letter air mail!  Today, the cost is $1.10 for 3 ounces.  What a difference 65 years makes!

 

Various family members contributed to this letter to my father, Walter J. Schnack; when they gathered together, in his absence, for Thanksgiving dinner.  My father was in the United States Merchant Marines.  The names in this letter and their relationship to him, in the order of appearance, are:

• 'Son' or 'Jake' or 'Junior' was Walter J. Schnack, self
• 'Mother' was Olive Letha Rose Schnack, his mother
• 'Charlotte' was Charlotte Grace Rose Mackey, his cousin
• 'Chuck' was Charles Elbert Rose, his cousin
• 'Lena' was Lena Mae Carrington Rose, wife of Clifton
• 'Mrs. Carrington' might have been Sarah J. DeMond Carrington, mother of Lena
• 'Viv's better half' was Harry Donald Cope, his brother-in-law
• 'Harry's better half' was Vivian Eleanor Schnack Cope, his sister
• 'Clifton Rose" was Clifton More Rose, his uncle
• 'Ward' was Ward Orna Mackey, husband of Charlotte
• 'Dad' was Jochim Walter Schnack, his father
• 'Doris Rose' was Doris Jane Rose Hastings, his cousin
• 'Katie' might have been Katharine Rose Schnack Jones Gall Hammon, his sister
• 'Gerald Rose' was Gerald Arthur Rose, his cousin
• 'Eddy' was Edward Alexander Schnack, his brother
• 'Larry' was Larry Ward Mackey, son of Charlotte and Ward
• 'Cheryl' was Cheryl Marie Mackey Parsons, daughter of Charlotte and Ward

Thanksgiving Day
Milford

Dear Son,
Wish you were here today to help eat our Thanksgiving dinner.
Mother

Dear Jake,
I bet you are having a good dinner too, but wish you were here with us.
Charlotte

Hello Jake,
Wishing you and Chuck were here today.  Come to the farm and see us.  Thanks for the letter.  Really will answer it.
Lena

Hello Junior,
Eating dinner at your house.  Wish you could be here with us.
Love,
Mrs. Carrington

Hey fatso!
If I eat another dinner like I did today, I would weigh about as much as you do.  Sorry you couldn't be here but maybe you _____ have your on the high seas.
Viv's better half

Hi Jake,
There wouldn't have been anything left if you and Chuck had been here.
Harry's better half

Hello Jake,
Wish you could of been here today, also could have used you for the past month.  We are working on that barn.  Milt Heller has been helping me.  Don't over eat.  I just did.
Clifton Rose

Hi Jake,
We had lots to eat today.  Glad you are getting to see the world.  Quite an experience.  Come to see  us sometime when you're home.
Ward

Greetings!
Can't seem to eat as much per sitting as I used to.  But, I enjoy it just as much.  We're having a fine family gathering.  Hope you're enjoying yourself.
Dad

Hello Jake,
Just had a swell Thanksgiving dinner.  Hope you had the same.
Doris Rose
Katie
Gerald Rose

Wish you were here.
Eddy

Larry says "Hi" and Cheryl says "Soo"