My name is

Ethel Ketchum Noble Priaulx.

 

I'm 80 years old and this is my story.

 Russ, Ethel, Bill, Mildred c.1933

 

 

 

 

 

 

Richard Ketchum postcard; c.1910-20

I was born on May 11, 1921, to Richard & Lulu Mae Rutherford Ketchum.

I am the fourth of their nine children.

My friends call me Terry.

Lulu Mae Rutherford & brother Ray in 1899

 

 

Family at Shoop Park in 1931

I graduated from Beebe Grade School in Racine on May 23, 1935. At that time, Beebe was a one-room school for grades 1–8 and our teacher was Beulah Rodes.

As a teenager, I cared for and raised my younger brothers and sisters. Mother was ill and dad was a couch potato listening to ball games on the radio. I did the laundry and ironing twice a week before going to my jobs at Woolworth's Dime Store as a candy counter cashier and at Zahn's Department Store in the jewelry and cosmetics department.

Ethel & Walt Sr. - early 1950'sI met Walt Noble Sr. at Rhrode's grocery store where my folks traded. The store sponsored a ball team and that's where Walt and I dated. He sure was a good guy! People knew him as the best mechanic in Racine, but the doctors told him that getting under those cars and in the cold weather wasn't good for his health. He worked at Racine Belle City Malleable where he was a boss. Later he became a Mason and I was a UCT.

We married in 1938 when I was just 17. Many friends and teammates from the Rhrode's team came to our wedding. We had our big reception in the back of the store with a big band orchestra and received some very nice gifts. We honeymooned for a weekend in Chicago at the Aragon & Trianon Ballroom & Hotel. We took the North Shore train down and we danced all night to a big band. Stars like Tommy Dorsey, Glenn Miller, Harry James, and Wayne King shared the stage.

Aragon dancefloor

Trianon Ballroom in Chicago

Walt Jr. was born the following year. He was supposed to be an April baby but came early on March 13, 1939. My 14-year-old sister Mildred used to love pushing him in his buggy.

In August of 1939, Mildred and friends attended the opening of the Washington park swimming pool—a large, modern pool with diving boards in the center. In the commotion of the opening-day crowd, with no lifeguards on duty, Mildred went to the deep water and drown. The park has since redesigned the pool to help prevent others from the same tragedy. Mildred's death adversely effected my mother's health and to this day, I still don't care much for swimming.

In my first year of marriage to Walt Sr., I was operated on for three T's: in-grown toenail, tonsillitis, and ovarian tumor. Walt Sr. and I had a second child name Don who lived for only 1 day due to a malformed duodenum—a relatively simple operation to fix these days. He looked beautiful and I held him for only a few minutes but declined having a photo taken in the casket.

Kate photographed by a traveling photographer Richard & Lulu with friends in 1940

Lulu, Richard, Bill & Lolita, Lucille, Kate, TrumanMy mother, Lulu Mae, was in poor health and died in 1941 from Albumin poisoning in the kidneys. She had given birth to my sister Kate a few years earlier but hadn't received prenatal care, which I believe caused the poisoning. Kate has also suffered from various health problems all her life—perhaps due to the same lack of prenatal care.

After my mother's passing, I once again helped raise the younger ones. I sent little Truman, Lu, and Kate off to school with a lunch every day and cared for a little one of my own. Walt Sr. and I lived in the house in back of my dad's who had several housekeepers helping with the chores.

Dad eventually remarried after meeting Blanche—a godsend who brought a 15-year-old daughter, Marquarite, to the household mix.

When Walt Jr. was 5, we took him with us to Niagara Falls for a 2nd honeymoon. I remember buying these darling little pansy earrings that I later gave away (pansies were my mother's favorite flower).

Walt Sr. was ill with Multiple Sclerosis for most of our 16-year marriage and he died in 1954. For several years afterward, I served on the board of directors for the Racine MS chapter.

Ethel, Helline, and friendsAround the time of Walt Sr.'s passing, I had an office job at Massey-Ferguson and met several wonderful friends. That's where I met my current husband, John Priaulx. John worked as a timekeeper at Massey-Ferguson and then worked at Rainfair for over 20 years. We married in 1956 just before I turned 35.

Rich baby pictureI worked at Massey-Ferguson for 7 years, Feige's coat department when Walt Jr. was 16, and worked at Lee's Charcoal as a waitress for another 7 years. Those were some great times and I enjoyed my workmates very much.

An interesting note: I, and both my sons started working at age 16.

My love of serving others and being a caregiver never faded. Years after raising my younger siblings, I took care of my older brother Rich and got into home nursing for several dear people. Names such as Mrs. Styberg, Olson, Dremel, and Dominick are still good memories for me. Their gifts of gratitude still adorn my home today. The Sisters at St. Mary's Hospital invited me back several times to volunteer, and I later had some schooling at Lincoln Lutheran Convalescent Home as a CNA -Certified Nursing Assistant (where my dear Mrs. Dremel passed on).

Meanwhile, my son Walt Jr. attended Park High School in Racine, married his high school sweetheart, Joan, served in the Air Force, and went on to have 9 kids -- 6 in Racine and 3 in Mesa.

Donnie & Juli in April 1968

I gave birth to son Donnie on December 27, 1962 when I was 41. He grew up as an only child but his nephew Russ (Walt's 3rd son) was also born in 1962 so they spent a lot of time together. Noble's and Priaulx's often baby-sat for one another.

Don was into sports like his dad. Don was captain of his football team and we all enjoyed our time together on bowling leagues, baseball and golf leagues, and even picked up a few trophies along the way.Don & the girl Ethel really liked

While raising Don, I also served in several clubs and organizations. I was the chairman (and a model) in the Y. Wives club, was a member of the Homemakers club, transported mentally handicapped Belle school kids for the Red Cross in their van, volunteered with the Cancer Society, and taught bible study at my church, the First Evangelical Free Church on Ohio St. in Racine.

Don worked at Randall's market since age 16 and earned enough money to buy a new car and partly pay for college. He graduated as part of the first graduating class from the University of Wisconsin Parkside and then joined the Air Force in 1985. He is currently a major and is again up for promotion.

We occasionally traveled to California to visit my dad and Blanche and then to visit Walt Jr. in Arizona. Years later, John and I would take the bus to Riverside to visit Don in the military. Don had such a nice home there with beautiful new furniture.

In 1980, I attended Beebe's 45-year reunion—the same week as my grandson Russ' high school graduation. The class of 1935's classmates met at Guido's restaurant in North Bay, Racine. All were there except for Mildred McNaughton who they couldn't locate. Bob Verhaege was president of his company and many others owned their own businesses. It was quite fun being together once again and finding out what everyone's up to and seeing who 'got fat' and who didn't. A 'crazy boyfriend' of mine was there and it was very interesting to see him again. We recognized each other at first glance and remembered. It's so interesting how the years can melt away and the same personalities are there. I'm looking forward to another reunion.

Dad and Blanche moved to Mesa in the early 1980's and lived next to sister Kate. Dad died in 1987 at age 93 and is buried at the Mountain View Cemetery in East Mesa.

Rose Simmons - Joan's motherJuli, my dear granddaughter, died in February of 1986, and John was retiring so we decided to leave Racine and move to Mesa to be closer to family.

In Mesa, I continued volunteer work at Sirrine Day Care Center where Rose, Walt's mother-in-law, was spending most of her days there among the other participants. Walt & Joan cared for her for 10 years in their home. Rose passed away in 1999 at age 86.

My brother Truman passed away on July 20, 2000 in Texas. Five of us kids are still living (Russ, me, Bill, Lucille, & Kate) and we all look forward to visiting Truman's family during our next trip to Apple Valley.

Kate, who also lives in Mesa, has been ill with a lingering heart condition. She too is looking forward to visiting her older brothers and sisters in Wisconsin.

Xmas '63 - Donnie, Russ, Kenn, Mike Xmas '72 - Juli, Russ, Mike, Lynn, Kenn, Dale

Xmas '75 - Gene, Pam, Kate, Juli, Joan, Walt, Dale, Lynn, Kenn, JessI do enjoy being close to family here in Arizona but do not like the hot summers. I miss my dear sister Lucille and my brothers Russ and Bill in Wisconsin. Several dear friends back in Racine have now passed on but I hope to be able physically and mentally to travel back to Wisconsin and then to Georgia to visit dear son Don and his family.

Looking back over my 80 years, my favorite times seem to be after my teenage years and even after my marriage to Walt Sr. It was probably after my marriage to John for a few years that I finally started to feel happy since I had for so long been caring for the younguns and my first husband.

To this day, caring for others is still in my blood. I look after my husband John who has diabetes and look after Don's cat, Tabby, who's also getting up there in age right along with us. If I live another 20 years, I'd love to continue to be a caregiver.

 

TIMELINE

1921 Born in Racine

1935 Graduated from Beebe Grade School

1938 Married Walt Sr.

1939 Walt Jr. born; Mildred died

1941 Mother died

1954 Walt Sr. died

1956 Married John Priaulx

1958 Worked with cosmestics for Avon

1958–59 Served on Local MS Board as chairman of the Visitation committee in charge of social and family welfare counseling; met at St. Luke's Hospital

1962 Donnie (Don) born

1962–68 Was a member of Y. Wives; made tote bags for Belle school kids; helped out the Shepherds school; gave a speech during service night; asked Western to donate books to kids

1972 Received Certificate of Appreciation from American Cancer Society

1980 Attended 45-Year Beebe Grade School Reunion

1985 Don joined Air Force

1986 Juli died; John retired; we moved from Racine to Mesa

1987 Dad Ketchum died

1996–2000 Received several Certificates of Appreciation and Volunteer Recognition certificates from Sirrine Adult Day Health Services; Invited to a dessert reception for volunteers

2000 Brother Truman died

 

PLACES

Racine, Wisconsin (3104 Olive, 820 College, 1508 Park, 1400 Lathrop, 807 Illinois)

Mesa, Arizona (4104 E. Broadway)

Riverside, California

Apple Valley, California

Burkburnett, Texas

Macon, Georgia

 

PEOPLE

 Richard Ketchum

  Dad

 Lulu Mae Rutherford Ketchum

  Mom

 Blanche

  Dad's second wife

 Edith

  Oldest sister

 Richard & Dorothy Ketchum

  Oldest brother and wife

 Russ & Kay Ketchum

  2nd oldest brother and wife

 Ethel & Walt Sr. Noble

  Myself and first husband

 William & Lolita Ketchum

  Younger brother and wife

 Truman & Joan Ketchum

  Youngest brother and wife

 Lucille & Tom Gasgoine

  Younger sister and husband

 Kate Covington

  Youngest sister

 John Priaulx

  My Second husband

 Walter & Joan Noble

  First son and wife

 Don & Aeran Priaulx

  Second son and wife

Edith baby (died within first year)

Thanks.

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