February 14, 2013: Love Letters
Today I was cleaning out files on my computer hard drive and I ironically stumbled on a Word file dating back to 2001 titled "Happy Valentine". The file was the letter below that I had written to my Pick relatives. My Grandpa and Grandma Doc (Elmer and Marvel Pick) had just passed away and we stumbled on a box full of their love letters. Some of my favorite excerpts are included below...
_____________________________________________________________________
Happy Valentine’s Day!
February 14, 2001
The enclosed book is a compilation of love letters between Grandma and Grandpa Doc during their courting years. The letters span from 1941 to the week before their wedding in 1943. We stumbled across these letters following Grandma’s funeral. Since it was such emotional time, I decided to place the letters in “safe keeping” and then share these wonderful memoirs after a sufficient time had passed. And what better time than Valentine’s Day to celebrate the love that Grandma and Grandpa shared!
The enclosed book is a compilation of love letters between Grandma and Grandpa Doc during their courting years. The letters span from 1941 to the week before their wedding in 1943. We stumbled across these letters following Grandma’s funeral. Since it was such emotional time, I decided to place the letters in “safe keeping” and then share these wonderful memoirs after a sufficient time had passed. And what better time than Valentine’s Day to celebrate the love that Grandma and Grandpa shared!
I can’t begin to
describe the emotions I felt while reading these letters. There is so much I learned about their love
for one another and their deep faith in God.
There were even a couple of letters from Great-Grandma Mary Pick and lots
of mention of other family members.
I apologize if this
reaches any of you after Valentine’s Day.
I really “burned the midnight
oil” to get this booklet completed. I
had great intentions of having it reach all of you on a timely basis. But…I sure had fun putting it together.
As my mom would
say, “This one is from the heart, guys.”
Enjoy!
Love,
Sandy J
_____________________________________________________________________
Dearest Marvel,
I am writing this on your porch at 10 a.m. I tried to call you last evening, the line which connects to the campus telephones was always busy. I looked for a night number after eight o'clock but you don't seem to have a night number so I finally had to give up.....I first was going to ring the doorbell but thought that someone who may be sleeping wouldn't approve of answering the doorbell. So I'll try to put this note somewhere where someone may see it so it gets to you.
Forever Yours,
Elmer
_______________________________________________________________
January 20, 1942
Dear Elmer,
Today, Tuesday, I received your letter. You must have mixed your yesterdays because I really didn't talk to you yesterday.....Sunday night another nurse and myself saw the movie "They Died with their Boots on". Errol Flynn & Olivia DeHavilland.....People around here really are not very patriotic because when the National Anthem was being played and the flag displayed they did not even rise. If it is that way all over this war shall not be won because united we stand ununited we fall.....It is now ten-thirty so I shall go to bed.
With Love,
Marvel
P.S. I hate this letter writing business. Because I want to see you.
____________________________________________________________
February 20, 1942
Dearest Elmer,
Why couldn't I have started by writing Elmer dear? The other form just seems to be accepted by both of us. You are a dear dear aren't you?.....For Lent I'm also not going to eat candy if I can stick to exercises and not lunch between meals I may lose some weight. I would like to lose at least five pounds...Today I didn't get your letter until one o'clock. The patients mail was out but not the nurses. We might read our letters on hospital time perhaps. The way the nuns snoop!.....I shall be seeing you in the sweet by and by. (Love and Kisses) Sounds like some small kids letter doesn't it? You are my sunshine and "I love you".
Forever Yours,
Marvel
____________________________________________________________
February 22, 1942
Dearest Elmer,
Really it looks as if I were hard up for writing material.....Well nothing has happened but I love you and love you. If you were here I would kiss you goodnite as it is I shall write "Goodnite darling".
Forever Yours,
Marvel
P.S. I'm not giving up shows.
___________________________________________________________
June 25, 1942
Dearest Elmer,
when I made the remark that I was tired of trying to express my feelings on paper I meant it. I could write pages and pages to you and not mind but I still cannot or don't write everything that I would like to.....
Forever Yours,
Marvel
__________________________________________________________
June 14, 1943
Dearest Marvel,
.....This morning was the first morning that I ever was so sleepy that I couldn't keep awake in lecture. I dozed off about seven times. I suppose I'll get used to it. Greetings to your family.
Forever Yours,
Elmer
P.S. Please pray for our success in the future. I'm making the sign of the cross in conjunction with my prayers before and after meals regardless who is at the table I'm sitting at.
___________________________________________________________
June 15, 1943
Dearest Marvel,
This afternoon I went to the depot to try to get a refund on the train ticket.....Well you can imagine the lump I had in my throat after I had planned that possibly I would have been able to see you. But Marvel I know I have you coming to me and I can expect a lot more and just made up my mind that I'd take it and what comes in the future as separation.....
Forever Yours,
Elmer
__________________________________________________________
June 21, 1943
Dearest Elmer,
.....Well I'm just sending this note along for fun. I really don't have much to say right now because I'm scatter brained. It seems eternity since I saw you last. Couldn't you have taken a plane home? Or is it too expensive?....."I Love You".
Forever Yours,
Marvel
___________________________________________________________
June 21, 1943
Dearest Marvel (also "Dear Diary"),
This morning I awoke at 5:25 and called all the men in the barracks. Then made my bed. I am also the orderly of the second floor dormitory so I checked all the beds to see that they were made properly.....Now with everything seemingly quiet with the exception of some of the men repairing the street, I will try to study, of course thinking of you. Which I cannot do too much of if I want to study.
Forever Yours,
Elmer
____________________________________________________________
June 23, 1943
Dearest Marvel,
Today I didn't get a letter from you.....This morning Miss Hansen was helping give the shots and she asked while she was injecting the needle if I had heard from you lately. Of course I enthusiastically said "Oh Yes" but I didn't tell her that I heard from you irregularly and of course that cannot be helped. Ha! Ha!.....I am always asking you to pray.....I hope I'm not harping.....for our happy marriage and my not having to go into active duty when I graduate so that we can be happily married and establish a home, how seemingly I forget to thank God for the things he has already given us. Good night dear.
Forever Yours,
Elmer
_____________________________________________________________
July 7, 1943
Dearest Marvel,
I was very worried that something had happened that I didn't get a letter. I shall be able to see you from 2:00 until 5:15 every school day.....If you could be here I have a job for you sewing...Patiently waiting for you to come back, I will have to close for the time being.
Forever Yours,
Elmer
______________________________________________________________
September 9, 1943
Dearest Marvel,
Words cannot describe how busy I am.....I imagine that this is the last letter that will reach you before you come to northwest Iowa to be married. You lucky kid. Ha ha. As I said before I hope that you shall be made a happy girl and I promise to try my utmost to keep you that way. But as I also said before that scripture reads that God had said, "Without Me, you can do nothing." I must send this off now.
Forever Yours,
Elmer
_______________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________
Dearest Marvel,
I am writing this on your porch at 10 a.m. I tried to call you last evening, the line which connects to the campus telephones was always busy. I looked for a night number after eight o'clock but you don't seem to have a night number so I finally had to give up.....I first was going to ring the doorbell but thought that someone who may be sleeping wouldn't approve of answering the doorbell. So I'll try to put this note somewhere where someone may see it so it gets to you.
Forever Yours,
Elmer
_______________________________________________________________
January 20, 1942
Dear Elmer,
Today, Tuesday, I received your letter. You must have mixed your yesterdays because I really didn't talk to you yesterday.....Sunday night another nurse and myself saw the movie "They Died with their Boots on". Errol Flynn & Olivia DeHavilland.....People around here really are not very patriotic because when the National Anthem was being played and the flag displayed they did not even rise. If it is that way all over this war shall not be won because united we stand ununited we fall.....It is now ten-thirty so I shall go to bed.
With Love,
Marvel
P.S. I hate this letter writing business. Because I want to see you.
____________________________________________________________
February 20, 1942
Dearest Elmer,
Why couldn't I have started by writing Elmer dear? The other form just seems to be accepted by both of us. You are a dear dear aren't you?.....For Lent I'm also not going to eat candy if I can stick to exercises and not lunch between meals I may lose some weight. I would like to lose at least five pounds...Today I didn't get your letter until one o'clock. The patients mail was out but not the nurses. We might read our letters on hospital time perhaps. The way the nuns snoop!.....I shall be seeing you in the sweet by and by. (Love and Kisses) Sounds like some small kids letter doesn't it? You are my sunshine and "I love you".
Forever Yours,
Marvel
____________________________________________________________
February 22, 1942
Dearest Elmer,
Really it looks as if I were hard up for writing material.....Well nothing has happened but I love you and love you. If you were here I would kiss you goodnite as it is I shall write "Goodnite darling".
Forever Yours,
Marvel
P.S. I'm not giving up shows.
___________________________________________________________
June 25, 1942
Dearest Elmer,
when I made the remark that I was tired of trying to express my feelings on paper I meant it. I could write pages and pages to you and not mind but I still cannot or don't write everything that I would like to.....
Forever Yours,
Marvel
__________________________________________________________
June 14, 1943
Dearest Marvel,
.....This morning was the first morning that I ever was so sleepy that I couldn't keep awake in lecture. I dozed off about seven times. I suppose I'll get used to it. Greetings to your family.
Forever Yours,
Elmer
P.S. Please pray for our success in the future. I'm making the sign of the cross in conjunction with my prayers before and after meals regardless who is at the table I'm sitting at.
___________________________________________________________
June 15, 1943
Dearest Marvel,
This afternoon I went to the depot to try to get a refund on the train ticket.....Well you can imagine the lump I had in my throat after I had planned that possibly I would have been able to see you. But Marvel I know I have you coming to me and I can expect a lot more and just made up my mind that I'd take it and what comes in the future as separation.....
Forever Yours,
Elmer
__________________________________________________________
June 21, 1943
Dearest Elmer,
.....Well I'm just sending this note along for fun. I really don't have much to say right now because I'm scatter brained. It seems eternity since I saw you last. Couldn't you have taken a plane home? Or is it too expensive?....."I Love You".
Forever Yours,
Marvel
___________________________________________________________
June 21, 1943
Dearest Marvel (also "Dear Diary"),
This morning I awoke at 5:25 and called all the men in the barracks. Then made my bed. I am also the orderly of the second floor dormitory so I checked all the beds to see that they were made properly.....Now with everything seemingly quiet with the exception of some of the men repairing the street, I will try to study, of course thinking of you. Which I cannot do too much of if I want to study.
Forever Yours,
Elmer
____________________________________________________________
June 23, 1943
Dearest Marvel,
Today I didn't get a letter from you.....This morning Miss Hansen was helping give the shots and she asked while she was injecting the needle if I had heard from you lately. Of course I enthusiastically said "Oh Yes" but I didn't tell her that I heard from you irregularly and of course that cannot be helped. Ha! Ha!.....I am always asking you to pray.....I hope I'm not harping.....for our happy marriage and my not having to go into active duty when I graduate so that we can be happily married and establish a home, how seemingly I forget to thank God for the things he has already given us. Good night dear.
Forever Yours,
Elmer
_____________________________________________________________
July 7, 1943
Dearest Marvel,
I was very worried that something had happened that I didn't get a letter. I shall be able to see you from 2:00 until 5:15 every school day.....If you could be here I have a job for you sewing...Patiently waiting for you to come back, I will have to close for the time being.
Forever Yours,
Elmer
______________________________________________________________
September 9, 1943
Dearest Marvel,
Words cannot describe how busy I am.....I imagine that this is the last letter that will reach you before you come to northwest Iowa to be married. You lucky kid. Ha ha. As I said before I hope that you shall be made a happy girl and I promise to try my utmost to keep you that way. But as I also said before that scripture reads that God had said, "Without Me, you can do nothing." I must send this off now.
Forever Yours,
Elmer
_______________________________________________________________
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