Grandma Remembers
February 12, 2008 5:14 pmI was born at home, not in a hospital. That was a usual event in rural Alabama. My father, Albert Comer Haskew, was a farmer. My mother, nee Olive Bertha Davis, was a devoted housewife and school teacher. I have three brothers – Percy, James, and Ned; and three sisters – Maggie, Alma Ruth, and Frances. I was born in Nettlesborough, a town with one store, but attended grammar school in Thomasville. I have to mention that my sister Maggie lives in Lower Peach Tree – a bit of a strange name as there is no Upper or Middle Peach Tree.
I enjoyed the usual pastimes. There was swimming, horseback riding, hiking and games. We were often told not to climb trees because several boys in the area were hurt seriously doing just that. As is often the case, when told not to do something, it becomes irresistible. My sister Maggie, my brother James, and I climbed a tree. Maggie and I got down without trouble, but James was stuck there. We solved the problem in the country way. We chopped the tree down. Luckily, he was only unconscious for a day or so.
Several of my close friends went into nursing school. I decided to join them. This drove my father a bit wild. He exclaimed, “Only whores go into nursing.” Well, I proved him wrong. I went into nursing school at Providence Hospital in Mobile, and I certainly wasn’t a girl of the night.
After graduating, I joined the U.S. Navy Nurse Corps and started my duties at Bethesda Maryland Hospital. While there I met a navy dental intern, John McVeigh. He made eyes at me, and I made eyes at him. We were in love. After a relatively short courtship, we became one. We have three children: Ruth, Susan, and John. We have seven grandchildren. John and I will have been married 58 years this December. We’re shooting for twenty more.
To be continued …
6 Responses to “Grandma Remembers”
Hi, Nita!! Happy Birthday!! Thanks for sharing some of your story. I hope you add to it tomorrow! My mother was a nurse, also, and taught nursing at UCLA before she went back to school and got a PhD in Psychology. I am sure she never heard of your father’s views on nurses!
Warm Birthday greetings Nita!
We see where Ruthie gets her beauty! amazing resemblance.
Interesting how times have changed… risque nurses!
And good thing your brother was out for only a short
time. Congratulations on 58! years with Popums too.
Blessings of a good long healthy life to you both.
You did a great job in raising Ruth. What a conscious
fun and fabulous human being on planet earth!
janeO
xoxoxo
Hello Nita and John…..
Happy Birthday! Congratulations for being 82!
Thank you for the wonderful stories you wrote.
I really enjoy stories about US history. I was born in Indonesia and just became a US citizen recently, so whenever I get the chance to read about the US in the early times, especially personal stories like yours, I just love it. Thank you!
Looking forward to reading more of your posts in this fantastic blog.
Sammie.
I like the story about chopping down the tree to get your brother out, very funny. Having been to Lower Peach Tree, I can imagine there was some deal of culture shock moving up to Bethesda. “some” culture shock may be a huge understatement. I wonder if people in that part of Alabama still have such colourful names for their children today, Zula May Pea indeed. Then again, she may not.
Your story was really very interesting to me. Especially as I’m researching my family history and my Grandma was Mary Cecilia Haskew from Narrandera, NSW, Australia. One of her great aunties went to Chile where her husband died in the Santiago Cathedral Fire. Some of the Haskew siblings followed her from England to Chile to help her out after his death. Could you be a descendant of this same family?
Hello,
I believe that you may be my Great Aunt. I am the daughter of Barry Wayne Haskew and Shelia Cassity Haskew. My father is the son of Coma Ned Haskew who is married to Elinor Ann Haskew. I found it intersting that I stumbled onto this site and was curious if the Ned that you mention is your brother might possibly be my grand-father. I would be very interested to find out.
Regards
Sarah
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