Family history (1959-1962)

I hate to rehash this but anyway...Mom (Viola) was living with her father, Henry Weiss, and mother Margaret Weiss (right photo from late 1950's)and Dad was living with his mother Freda Paul, and his older brother, Lawrence "Bushy" Paul. I love these photos because, first of all, I never met my grandfathers, and I loved my uncles on my father's side so much. I think we are all a chip off the same block.
Below, the Paul gang (minus oldest sister Marcella who was busy raising a litter of babies). Left photo, shot at 1107 Edgar Street in Evansville, Indiana in about 1959. Left to right: Donald, the youngest, with daughter Debbie, and then Richard(Dad), Lawrence my favorite uncle, and Ben who had moved to Denver, Colorado and was obviously visiting this time. Photo to the right is the same gang with their Mom holding Debbie, and Lawrence holding Darlene, another Donald product. Lawrence was always close to Donald's kids, as you can see, and later, my brother and I. At the age of 31 his hair was already turning gray, possibly from the time he spent in the Korean War. Or...rubbing against too many airplanes.





Uncle Donald was the baby, the cute one with curly hair. Dad was the one picked on the most. As you can see he's the skinniest and always had an issue with self esteem which I believe greatly limited what he did in life. Nevertheless, he did well. Lawrence was the last married (at 42), and was the only socialable member of the family. He read a lot, was the first to graduate high school in the family, studied watch repair and also stopped just short of getting his pilot's license when he found out it would cost too much to fly. All three eventually ended up with a career in the Postal Service. They went Postal. They were also very loud! Ben loaded trucks in Denver. He was a bit odd, but harmless and funny. Their Mother loved her boys! Their Dad died in 1951 at the age of 48 from a stroke and so her boys were her life. They took care of her. Left photo, you see a timid face peeking from behind my Dad's Mom. That's Viola (Mommy). Apparently the conversation got a little too loud and her hearing failed and that's why she looks like her water just broke. No worry though...that wouldn't happen for another 3 1/2 years. At this point she was just dating...uhhh... engaged to my Dad. Boy, doesn't this look like a Loretta Lynn biography! You see Lawrence who, although he was very socialable, always seemed oblivious to the picture taking around him and here, once again, is seen shoving food in his mouth. Donald seems to want to either check out the camera or punch out the photographer. At this point it's hard to tell. Those are Donald's kids. He was cute but he could breed!

Left is a cute photo of Mom and her future mother-in-law doing a Carol Burnette pose in the late 1950's. Old Miss Paul was sick or something and so Viola (pre-Mom) came down from Fort Branch, Indiana to stay with her and help around the house. They look pretty cozy...perhaps this photo was taken before Viola stole Freda's boy and got an engagement ring from him. Or...maybe that's why Freda's sick and she's on so many drugs she'd hug Adolf Hitler if he could mop. It's hard to say. I wasn't even a sperm at this point...but things change.

Here's where all the fun ends...May 5, 1962, after seven years and four days of being together, Richard Paul and Viola Weiss committed to a life of bondage. Dad was always a little nervous about marriage...okay...well, very nervous, evidence by his bright smile! Reminds me of myself when I married, the first time.
Following the theme from the
Begginnings section of this website, you can see...one picture they're happy, eating cake and the next day...suddenly...