Documents: Odds and Ends

Documents not fitting into any of the other text categories. Some of the more interesting ones are highlighted below. The remainder are at the bottom of the page.

Death of Sr. Pancratia

Three news clippings announcing the death of Sister Pancratia, a Gesu teacher Dad was apparently fond of, who died the same year he graduated from grade school (1932).

Congratulations on Kevin’e Birth

A congratulation card on Kevin’s birth, with an incongruous request for a pair of pants. W. D. Wells, of Sellersberg, Indiana, accompanied Mom and Dad in 1945 when they drove from San Francisco back to Milwaukee two months before Jim’s birth. Mr. Wells can be seen in the “Yosemite National Park (June 1945)” album.

Dad and the Lordly Judge

Judge Harold Bode’s epic coffee pot tantrum (1968). The imperious judge wanted coffee served to a jury, and when it wasn’t done promptly enough to suit him, he jailed a County deputy sheriff. Dad was called in to represent the deputy but wasn’t given much of a chance to introduce a note of sanity into the affair.

A Letter Requesting Help

Odd, importuning letter to Dad asking for help of an unspecified kind, with his mystified but courteous and helpful reply (1969).

Letter From Dad’s Cousin

A chatty letter sent to Dad’s father from his nephew, Philip O’Donnell (October 1941). Philip, born in 1916, two years before Dad, was fourth of the seven children of Grandpa O’Donnell’s younger brother, Edward, and Ella Lloyd O’Donnell. His older brother was Fr. Edward J. O’Donnell, S.J. Philip was writing from Gowen Field, one of several bases in Idaho created by the US Army Air Force to train bomber and fighter crews for a war that seemed increasingly imminent.

Philip enjoyed the food, the light duty, and the frequent trips into Boise with its surrounding mountains, which must have been quite a sight for someone from Wisconsin. After war was officially declared a few months later, the pace of training increased dramatically.

A few years later Dad was also posted to Idaho to train for naval duty at the land-locked Farragut Naval Training Station.

Letter About A Second Canoe Trip

Dad loved canoeing, and his 1940 trip with Roman Renk along the Wisconsin River to the Mississippi was one of the highlights of his life. He started to plan another trip in 1942, this time on the Illinois River, and sent for information. The letter below is the helpful reply from the Illinois Department of Conservation. The trip didn’t materialize, presumably because WW II interfered.

Some Foreign Currency (WWII)

Two specimens of World War II currency, the top one in military scrip and an Italian 10 lira note at bottom. They must have come from Bill, who was stationed in Italy.

The Rest of the Odds and Ends

The rest of the items in this category. A number of them are about arranging several law school reunions.