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Tape of Betty May Jesch 03-19-05 Interviewed by Terra Clarke Side A 0-11 12-31 32-48 49-63 64-88 80-90 91-113 114-135 136-150 150-178 Introduction, Betty born December 1933 during the depression in Berkeley California were her father, Horace Crookem was attending school, working on his PhD in Mathematics. Discussion ofher grandparents. From father's side Nelli Crookem, Mother's side Edward Turner and Lilly Archard who were both teachers the Philippines. Discussion ofher mother. Betty Jesch's mother, Clara May Turner, who lived in the Philippines most of her youth, but would come to the states to visit family and school. Clara May would from rich Philippines to farm in \Vashington. Continued about her mother, Clara May. She could not into the kitchen in the Philippines because the servants had inappropriate language for young ears. Went from servants to having to do chores on the farm once in the states. Clara May moved back to Philippines until she attended college at the University of Washington. Betty May's parents met in Seattle were they were both attending UW. They were married and had a son named Horace. was a news article about Horace Ayers graduating with a BA and MAin mathematics in only three years even with a 'handicap.' The paper had called his wife and son a 'handicap' and Clara May was not happy this. They then to Berkeley. Clara May had her degree her RN, from Then went to John Hopkins University to get her BA UW did not offer that at the time. Around this time Clara May's mother died, so Betty never knew her grandmother. After Berkeley, moved to Reno then Minneapolis. Remembered one room in Alabama. moved to Alabama Minneapolis earliest childhood memories. Her sister Evy was born when she was five years old, but never jealous because she got to attend school, which she absolutely loved. She fond memories of riding seat with her father to school. In grade school, her best memories were with her girlfriends. There were four of them, and they all got along wonderfully. During grade school the 'love of her life' was ballet. At end of fifth moved to Bay area, then to Seattle. She stopped ballet -1- 179-194 195-207 208-225 226-236 237-246 247-257 238-270 271-285 286-305 then. Once in Seattle met Was only in a year, but her girlfriends from Minneapolis wrote her all the Moved back to Minneapolis and was there from seventh to ninth grade. Father was hired at a junior "-'V'""""'"'' so the family to New Jersey. It was an excellent but ended up a corrupt system. She finished her sophomore and junior year here. Her father went to active duty in the Navy during World War II. during this time. served at Sea When father was away, her and her stayed with an aunt in Eugene Oregon. They lived there while their mother packed up and moved everything to the west side. She credits her mother for teaching them to be independent. She attended high school in Eugene. She was involved in a lot of activities high school. Betty said she was always busy. She was involved in journalism, drama, and other clubs. Betty said she was bad at sports unless they were individual like swimming and such. Betty remarked that she always liked school. Betty explains why she was a non-smoker. In Jersey, the girls were very 'sophisticated' and you were already a 'smoker' or a 'non-smoker,' so she was automatically put into the 'non-smoker' category when she moved there. Jersey City her family did not have a TV, but when used to babysit she would be allowed to watch . She thought this was wonderful, especially since she made seventy-five cents an hour and was allowed to eat junk food. She babysat in Eugene as well. In Eugene during the summers, Betty used to pick cherries. She liked that job, but once she tried to pick beans and quite after the first day. She said a lot people use to do that for extra money. Since Betty's mother was a nurse, job was flexible. She sometimes worked and sometimes did not. Her mother had hobbies as well. Betty went to school at Louis and Clark College for a year. remembers really liking the school, but the social life was terrible. Her folks then moved to the east coast. Her older brother was a reporter out on the east and her sister was still in high school so with her parents. Betty decided she would move out east as well and attended Washington College. 306-316 317-329 330-343 344-355 356-366 367-381 382-384 385-388 389-404 She enjoyed the at Washington College a lot. Betty remarked that everyone would hang out at not card you there. Blue Bird Tavern during weekends. Betty added they did Betty met her future husband his name being William Clarke. was a chemistry major, while Betty was a Physics major. She majored in Physics because she loved it and found it interesting. Betty noted that Washington College was very small, everyone knew everyone, and she found that if you could stand eating with someone for three meals a day then your marriage usually lasted. Betty was involved in drama at Washington College and did a lot of different stuff She added that suffered through P.E. though. said that Washington College was not a very rigorous, but loved the liberal art school. Betty's senior year in college her and Bill were married. She attended University of Pennsylvania, but then transferred back to graduate from Washington College. Her graduation gown was a maternity outfit. After graduation, moved to Philadelphia where Bill worked during the day and attended night classes. Steven Clarke was born a 'blue baby,' meaning he could not breathe They were poverty stricken, so she had to go to work when Steve was only six weeks old. Betty worked as a research engineer for Phil Company. While there, a team developed first Betty was hired by Boeing during a 'head hunting' in Philly. They offered her a raise and to move the family to Seattle. This worked out well because Bill wanted to go to Pharmacy school and University of Washington had a good program and would be cheaper than University ofPennsylvania once they lived in Seattle a Betty did not like leaving her children to work She decided that if they had any more children they would eat "beans and hot dogs," because she would not work full time with children. Once Bill graduated from University ofWashington, moved to Purdy and had four more children. Betty chose to stay home with them. Betty was at Boeing for three years and the only woman her group. She remarked that the culture was like the comic strip Dilbert. Betty never had a problem the woman; she said she was only woman in her Physics class as welL She said she never had a problem with harassment, and if there were remarks, they just rolled right off her so it was never a problem. -3- 405-417 418-439 440-449 450-454 455-482 483-501 502-512 513-525 526-539 Betty was paid well at Boeing, a hundred dollars a week during 1957. She did but she was so unhappy leaving she asked to work three days a week with full benefits and keep her regular pay. Boeing agreed and as far as Betty knows, this is the first time they had every done that anyone. At the University ofPennsylvania her advisor was also one of her Physics professors. He her special treatment for being a woman- giving her four credits instead of three. Betty remarked that did not mind this special treatment and was happy to take it. She also recalled the final exam and being pregnant. She received an in that class, impressed people he was a well known professor. Another time she received special treatment for being a woman happened while she was working for Boeing. They decided she did not have to a mandatory experiment in Alamo since she was a mother. When kids were went nuts surrounded people to a part job with children. She is not full time however. Betty would advise she did not work When her one went to pre-school, she decided to teach at the local community She then taught full at the shipyard Bremerton. The current One math teachers at the shipyard told students that there would never be a female instructor there. There were forty applicants, she was the only female and she got the job. She thinks that the state was pressuring them to hire a female, but that did not bother her because she was qualified. Betty really enjoyed working the apprentices. Betty did not have a snobbish attitude about academics. Betty did not feel academics were more important than blue collar labor. She felt she was well suited for the job at the shipyard because she respected the Betty her parents for this attitude, her father's brother was good with hands and her dad always respected him. Her father never spoke ill of people who worked with their hands. Betty also her ideas about money from her parents. always praised people for managing their money. Betty's mother was and caring. Her mother lives close by her now so she is able to her Betty said her mother is a very happy person and they have nice visits together. Betty said her mother has a wonderful outlook on life and believed in independence which she instilled in her children. Betty told another about mother. mother use to breast feed and rock -4- 540-551 552-570 571-587 588-594 595-606 607-618 619-638 639-647 children, which the 'enlightened' women at the looked down upon. Betty learned about sex in fourth grade. She came home to her mother and asked about it after hearing a word on the playground. Her mother, being a nurse, got out her anatomy book and explained physical act was sex was. She could not remember her mother talking about birth control with her. Betty said that was something the men dealt During that did not have the pill and the men were the ones who worried about having a condom. Once Betty was married she went to the doctors and got a diaphragm. Betty said that her and Bill would say "oh this baby is so cute, maybe we should another one," so they would hang the diaphragm on the Christmas tree. After the fifth child, Bill said no more. They named the fifth child Gregg William after Bill as to say that was the end. Bill then had a vasectomy. Betty enjoyed having a house full of kids. Betty said if knew now she knows about their actions then she would have guessed they would have all been in jail. But today she sees that they are all successful and doing fine. Betty said as she gets older she realizes rare it is to have five children all functioning in life, as well as having a tight knit family. Betty thinks all of her children are independent. Most of her kids working with science and math, besides her son Alan who is a pilot. But just in case that did not work out he got a degree in math as well. Her father's sister, was a young widow who also had kids. She decided to go back to school and major in math too. Betty goes on to explain that if math comes easy to you, it's a wonderful major that does not require a lot oftime. To keep sane \Vith used to with a friend who had four children. One time they decided to join a bowling league, and Betty remarked that just thinking about it now makes her tired. Betty appreciated her company because they understood each other and help other out. When the children older, Betty was able to more activities with other females. She was in a social club called Idaca which met once a month. It was helpful with her social life because Gig Harbor was so small, so she was bound to run into someone from the dub. Betty also explained a with a basket that allowed women to have lunch together without the stress of hosting. Betty said many of the women the club had children. Bill worked a store that had a lot of toys and It was the first time they could afford to buy these things for the family, and soon enough their children had way too many toys. -5- 648-658 659-664 665-670 671-685 686-693 694-701 702-725 726-737 Side B 738-764 765-796 then moved to Bremerton. Betty told a story about her youngest Gregg being a climber. When were Gregg was only a old but managed to climb out of his crib, out the window and was climbing up the fence. Betty was scared to say the least, of what would in the future. Betty said it was a miracle her children were never injured and does not know how they survived. She was never a companionate mother, she just kept things children had each other to play with. Bill and her would take the to the Seattle Center or beach, but were there only to "herd the little sheep." She liked over at didn't care what did to the house she knew where her kids were. There was a crowd, and Betty enjoyed it Betty recalled a funny story where one woman was irrate because Betty sent her daughter home lunch and demanded to why. The mother thought Betty was running a Parks Department Free Daycare. Her sister Evy did not have any children, but had grandchildren because her husband had children from a previous marriage. Dad was a smoker, and eventually died from health problems at the age of sixty-five. said he watched screens during WWII he was at sea. Betty noted that no one in the family had good eyes besides her son Alan who is the pilot. was when kids were up. The kids walked to school and had friends close by. Bill opened up Drugs and played "Mr.Mom" while Betty went to work full time. Bill let the kids work in the store starting at age fourteen. Around this time, the family moved to a different on Marine Drive in Bremerton. Betty believes Bremerton was a good to raise children. The kids were active in peewees. Gregg and Bruce played roc•roc:m and Betty use to help in the concession stand during weekends. Something the kids remember fondly would have been walking to the movie theater where they had double feature movies on Saturday for only ten cents. Betty would enjoy these kid mornings. During these mornings would work in the garden or mop the floor. The family had a dog named Lady, who was a major part of the family. Lady use to play the out fielder when they would play ball in the backyard. Betty recalled a time -6- 797-853 854-875 876-901 902-963 964-993 999-1027 1028-1038 1039-1056 1057-1066 when Bob Dumas, a good mend of the family, IGcJKea the ball and Lady caught it getting out. Betty's last job before she retired was teaching. was eyes were bad. At of was eligible security, so Betty decided it was time to quite her job. She did a transition stage however. She had a one year contract to revise the lab reports had been working on. The following year, the to teach one and she agreed, but that made her tired so decided she could no longer teach. After retirement, Betty was busy all time. She babysat her grandchildren often, did a lot of knitting as well as yard work. She also did a lot of traveling. Once her children were out of the house, Bill and her a They both went their separate ways, and she got a little apartment on water. made a list of things she wanted to do, starting with things that did not cost money. She also began to put money away for savings. Three years after her divorce, Betty was remarried to Chuck Jesch. Chuck had three children in school, so she became a mother once more. Betty has a of eight children and thirteen grandchildren. Betty said really to your grandchildren when parents are not there with them. She continued to talk about her grandchildren how she their cmnmmv Betty about a bit her family how her and his family were in the concentration camps in the Philippines during WWII. Betty's father did not talk about the war. He was a strict man who did not reveal emotions. Betty tried once to have a to heart could not do it. Betty thinks he would only open up to Clara May. Betty and her brother were both well behaved, was spanked once when she 'sassed' mother. To discipline her own children she would have them go to their room. Betty never tried to find out who was at fault because she did not want the children being mad at each other. This the children did not and she would be the enemy. Once asked how she was able to stand the noise, learned the difference noise, and 'lets killing." Betty did not notice it. She prevent someone from 1067-1097 During she never asked help. She to do homework She never pushed academics onto available to help with homework if the children asked. but was always 1098-1112 Bill was the TV watcher so not a super available person. He children would a pharmacist like uu •.• ., ....... hoped one of his 1113-1148 talked about children and their academics how never pressured them. She mentioned her oldest and her only daughter Sue. 1149-115 7 Betty said daughters are more frightening to raise, but as she has gotten older she has realized that it usuaUy is daughters that relationships going when you get older. 1158-1197 Betty touched on religion a bit. She talked about what attended 1198-1206 1207-1212 growing up, as well as her backgrounds with church. She believed that church was more of a event for her father rather than theological. Betty said she believes people to church for social reasons and not theology. Betty went to a funeral at a Lutheran church said that nothing her friend did life mattered and all believed in Jesus. Betty does not believe this When the were young, cause trouble at the church. because they mattered was if you her opinion. The kids would 1213-1232 After she married her current husband she stopped The long drive was not worth it to her. Betty liked going to church for her own benefit, not to 'save her soul.' She also mentioned some of the in churches now days. 1233-1243 Betty said churches offer for many people a very valuable part oflife, but it can also be destructive. 1244-1247 At the moment, Betty believes percent. aw~ndmg church. she does miss the music. who can nPI1P'lJ'P their one hundred 1248-1264 Bill and her signed up for a through Theological Center. In the program read on the subject and she discovered man denominations are open to learn about anything can, not from a spiritual but interested in the history of the bible and such. 1265-1267 Concluded she is not to a church, although are she could feel -8- 1268-1275 1276-1314 131 1317 131 1328-1354 1356-1366 1367-1371 1372-1380 comfortable at. Betty's latest passion is trying to learn how to play poker. She also loves to knit, her social besides her family is a knitting club. Bill was community and Bill and her went to a workshop for massages California. During sessions had to nude. While they were there they met a few of the Beatles who carne to a session. Bill and Betty were in a video once for Ravi Shankar. clothes sitting in background. Betty talked about vintage clothing and She made them herself Betty does not have a happiest time in her is life. Betty said she has never thought about it before an optimist. She likes to the good in day. Betty decided wanted to talk a bit about a•w' .. "'"'· of peoples lives are always important. Betty was never into politics, but loved were in hippy wished she kept all hers. happy in general with her she would consider herself are a big part Betty talked about her knitting retreat she enjoys going to. 1381-1390 Betty said she has a good but stores. Knitting is her creative and really enjoying that. 1397-1403 Betty's last remark is that she wished she how to decorate a horne. End of Interview -9-
Object Description
Rating | |
Title | Jesch, Betty May Oral History Interview, 2005 |
Interviewer | Clarke, Terra |
Date | 2005-04-30 |
Description | 107 minute oral history with Betty May Jesch, conducted for a Women in the West (HIST 398 course at Washington State University). She talks about her early childhood and her parents. They were both well educated and worked. Her father was in the Navy, so the moved frequently during her childhood. She attended Lewis and Clark College, then transferred to Washington College, where she received her BA in Physics. Betty May married and raised five children. During that time, she worked as a research engineer at Boeing, where they accommodated her family. She divorced after their children were out of the house, but later remarried. She was the first female instructor at the Bremerton Shipyard. |
Subject | Education; Working mothers; Internal migration; Teachers |
Coverage | North and Central America--United States--California--Alameda County--Berkeley; North and Central America--United States--Washington--Kitsap County--Bremerton |
Type | Sound |
Genre | Interviews |
Publisher | Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries: https://libraries.wsu.edu/masc |
Rights | http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/InC/1.0/ |
Rights Notes | In copyright. Item is in copyright until 95 years after 2011 publication date. |
Identifier | ua262b09f94 |
Source | Is found in Archives 262, Women in the West Oral Histories https://libraries.wsu.edu/masc/finders/ua262.htm at Washington State University Libraries' Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections (MASC) https://libraries.wsu.edu/masc |
Holding Institution | Manuscripts, Archives, and Special Collections, Washington State University Libraries |
Contributors | Digitization and description funded through a National Endowment for the Humanities We the People grant for Washington Womens History to the Washington Womens History Consortium, a part of the Washington State Historical Society. |
Language | English |
Digitization | Original audio cassettes were converted to wav files using Audacity and a USBPre interface. Mp3 files were then created from the wav files for online access. Film clips were created as mpeg-4 files using Adobe Premiere Elements 9 to add selected images to the wav audio files. Print documents were scanned to pdf format using a Xerox Workcentre 5030 copier/scanner. |
Description
Title | ua262b09f94_Abstract |
Full Text | Tape of Betty May Jesch 03-19-05 Interviewed by Terra Clarke Side A 0-11 12-31 32-48 49-63 64-88 80-90 91-113 114-135 136-150 150-178 Introduction, Betty born December 1933 during the depression in Berkeley California were her father, Horace Crookem was attending school, working on his PhD in Mathematics. Discussion ofher grandparents. From father's side Nelli Crookem, Mother's side Edward Turner and Lilly Archard who were both teachers the Philippines. Discussion ofher mother. Betty Jesch's mother, Clara May Turner, who lived in the Philippines most of her youth, but would come to the states to visit family and school. Clara May would from rich Philippines to farm in \Vashington. Continued about her mother, Clara May. She could not into the kitchen in the Philippines because the servants had inappropriate language for young ears. Went from servants to having to do chores on the farm once in the states. Clara May moved back to Philippines until she attended college at the University of Washington. Betty May's parents met in Seattle were they were both attending UW. They were married and had a son named Horace. was a news article about Horace Ayers graduating with a BA and MAin mathematics in only three years even with a 'handicap.' The paper had called his wife and son a 'handicap' and Clara May was not happy this. They then to Berkeley. Clara May had her degree her RN, from Then went to John Hopkins University to get her BA UW did not offer that at the time. Around this time Clara May's mother died, so Betty never knew her grandmother. After Berkeley, moved to Reno then Minneapolis. Remembered one room in Alabama. moved to Alabama Minneapolis earliest childhood memories. Her sister Evy was born when she was five years old, but never jealous because she got to attend school, which she absolutely loved. She fond memories of riding seat with her father to school. In grade school, her best memories were with her girlfriends. There were four of them, and they all got along wonderfully. During grade school the 'love of her life' was ballet. At end of fifth moved to Bay area, then to Seattle. She stopped ballet -1- 179-194 195-207 208-225 226-236 237-246 247-257 238-270 271-285 286-305 then. Once in Seattle met Was only in a year, but her girlfriends from Minneapolis wrote her all the Moved back to Minneapolis and was there from seventh to ninth grade. Father was hired at a junior "-'V'""""'"'' so the family to New Jersey. It was an excellent but ended up a corrupt system. She finished her sophomore and junior year here. Her father went to active duty in the Navy during World War II. during this time. served at Sea When father was away, her and her stayed with an aunt in Eugene Oregon. They lived there while their mother packed up and moved everything to the west side. She credits her mother for teaching them to be independent. She attended high school in Eugene. She was involved in a lot of activities high school. Betty said she was always busy. She was involved in journalism, drama, and other clubs. Betty said she was bad at sports unless they were individual like swimming and such. Betty remarked that she always liked school. Betty explains why she was a non-smoker. In Jersey, the girls were very 'sophisticated' and you were already a 'smoker' or a 'non-smoker,' so she was automatically put into the 'non-smoker' category when she moved there. Jersey City her family did not have a TV, but when used to babysit she would be allowed to watch . She thought this was wonderful, especially since she made seventy-five cents an hour and was allowed to eat junk food. She babysat in Eugene as well. In Eugene during the summers, Betty used to pick cherries. She liked that job, but once she tried to pick beans and quite after the first day. She said a lot people use to do that for extra money. Since Betty's mother was a nurse, job was flexible. She sometimes worked and sometimes did not. Her mother had hobbies as well. Betty went to school at Louis and Clark College for a year. remembers really liking the school, but the social life was terrible. Her folks then moved to the east coast. Her older brother was a reporter out on the east and her sister was still in high school so with her parents. Betty decided she would move out east as well and attended Washington College. 306-316 317-329 330-343 344-355 356-366 367-381 382-384 385-388 389-404 She enjoyed the at Washington College a lot. Betty remarked that everyone would hang out at not card you there. Blue Bird Tavern during weekends. Betty added they did Betty met her future husband his name being William Clarke. was a chemistry major, while Betty was a Physics major. She majored in Physics because she loved it and found it interesting. Betty noted that Washington College was very small, everyone knew everyone, and she found that if you could stand eating with someone for three meals a day then your marriage usually lasted. Betty was involved in drama at Washington College and did a lot of different stuff She added that suffered through P.E. though. said that Washington College was not a very rigorous, but loved the liberal art school. Betty's senior year in college her and Bill were married. She attended University of Pennsylvania, but then transferred back to graduate from Washington College. Her graduation gown was a maternity outfit. After graduation, moved to Philadelphia where Bill worked during the day and attended night classes. Steven Clarke was born a 'blue baby,' meaning he could not breathe They were poverty stricken, so she had to go to work when Steve was only six weeks old. Betty worked as a research engineer for Phil Company. While there, a team developed first Betty was hired by Boeing during a 'head hunting' in Philly. They offered her a raise and to move the family to Seattle. This worked out well because Bill wanted to go to Pharmacy school and University of Washington had a good program and would be cheaper than University ofPennsylvania once they lived in Seattle a Betty did not like leaving her children to work She decided that if they had any more children they would eat "beans and hot dogs," because she would not work full time with children. Once Bill graduated from University ofWashington, moved to Purdy and had four more children. Betty chose to stay home with them. Betty was at Boeing for three years and the only woman her group. She remarked that the culture was like the comic strip Dilbert. Betty never had a problem the woman; she said she was only woman in her Physics class as welL She said she never had a problem with harassment, and if there were remarks, they just rolled right off her so it was never a problem. -3- 405-417 418-439 440-449 450-454 455-482 483-501 502-512 513-525 526-539 Betty was paid well at Boeing, a hundred dollars a week during 1957. She did but she was so unhappy leaving she asked to work three days a week with full benefits and keep her regular pay. Boeing agreed and as far as Betty knows, this is the first time they had every done that anyone. At the University ofPennsylvania her advisor was also one of her Physics professors. He her special treatment for being a woman- giving her four credits instead of three. Betty remarked that did not mind this special treatment and was happy to take it. She also recalled the final exam and being pregnant. She received an in that class, impressed people he was a well known professor. Another time she received special treatment for being a woman happened while she was working for Boeing. They decided she did not have to a mandatory experiment in Alamo since she was a mother. When kids were went nuts surrounded people to a part job with children. She is not full time however. Betty would advise she did not work When her one went to pre-school, she decided to teach at the local community She then taught full at the shipyard Bremerton. The current One math teachers at the shipyard told students that there would never be a female instructor there. There were forty applicants, she was the only female and she got the job. She thinks that the state was pressuring them to hire a female, but that did not bother her because she was qualified. Betty really enjoyed working the apprentices. Betty did not have a snobbish attitude about academics. Betty did not feel academics were more important than blue collar labor. She felt she was well suited for the job at the shipyard because she respected the Betty her parents for this attitude, her father's brother was good with hands and her dad always respected him. Her father never spoke ill of people who worked with their hands. Betty also her ideas about money from her parents. always praised people for managing their money. Betty's mother was and caring. Her mother lives close by her now so she is able to her Betty said her mother is a very happy person and they have nice visits together. Betty said her mother has a wonderful outlook on life and believed in independence which she instilled in her children. Betty told another about mother. mother use to breast feed and rock -4- 540-551 552-570 571-587 588-594 595-606 607-618 619-638 639-647 children, which the 'enlightened' women at the looked down upon. Betty learned about sex in fourth grade. She came home to her mother and asked about it after hearing a word on the playground. Her mother, being a nurse, got out her anatomy book and explained physical act was sex was. She could not remember her mother talking about birth control with her. Betty said that was something the men dealt During that did not have the pill and the men were the ones who worried about having a condom. Once Betty was married she went to the doctors and got a diaphragm. Betty said that her and Bill would say "oh this baby is so cute, maybe we should another one," so they would hang the diaphragm on the Christmas tree. After the fifth child, Bill said no more. They named the fifth child Gregg William after Bill as to say that was the end. Bill then had a vasectomy. Betty enjoyed having a house full of kids. Betty said if knew now she knows about their actions then she would have guessed they would have all been in jail. But today she sees that they are all successful and doing fine. Betty said as she gets older she realizes rare it is to have five children all functioning in life, as well as having a tight knit family. Betty thinks all of her children are independent. Most of her kids working with science and math, besides her son Alan who is a pilot. But just in case that did not work out he got a degree in math as well. Her father's sister, was a young widow who also had kids. She decided to go back to school and major in math too. Betty goes on to explain that if math comes easy to you, it's a wonderful major that does not require a lot oftime. To keep sane \Vith used to with a friend who had four children. One time they decided to join a bowling league, and Betty remarked that just thinking about it now makes her tired. Betty appreciated her company because they understood each other and help other out. When the children older, Betty was able to more activities with other females. She was in a social club called Idaca which met once a month. It was helpful with her social life because Gig Harbor was so small, so she was bound to run into someone from the dub. Betty also explained a with a basket that allowed women to have lunch together without the stress of hosting. Betty said many of the women the club had children. Bill worked a store that had a lot of toys and It was the first time they could afford to buy these things for the family, and soon enough their children had way too many toys. -5- 648-658 659-664 665-670 671-685 686-693 694-701 702-725 726-737 Side B 738-764 765-796 then moved to Bremerton. Betty told a story about her youngest Gregg being a climber. When were Gregg was only a old but managed to climb out of his crib, out the window and was climbing up the fence. Betty was scared to say the least, of what would in the future. Betty said it was a miracle her children were never injured and does not know how they survived. She was never a companionate mother, she just kept things children had each other to play with. Bill and her would take the to the Seattle Center or beach, but were there only to "herd the little sheep." She liked over at didn't care what did to the house she knew where her kids were. There was a crowd, and Betty enjoyed it Betty recalled a funny story where one woman was irrate because Betty sent her daughter home lunch and demanded to why. The mother thought Betty was running a Parks Department Free Daycare. Her sister Evy did not have any children, but had grandchildren because her husband had children from a previous marriage. Dad was a smoker, and eventually died from health problems at the age of sixty-five. said he watched screens during WWII he was at sea. Betty noted that no one in the family had good eyes besides her son Alan who is the pilot. was when kids were up. The kids walked to school and had friends close by. Bill opened up Drugs and played "Mr.Mom" while Betty went to work full time. Bill let the kids work in the store starting at age fourteen. Around this time, the family moved to a different on Marine Drive in Bremerton. Betty believes Bremerton was a good to raise children. The kids were active in peewees. Gregg and Bruce played roc•roc:m and Betty use to help in the concession stand during weekends. Something the kids remember fondly would have been walking to the movie theater where they had double feature movies on Saturday for only ten cents. Betty would enjoy these kid mornings. During these mornings would work in the garden or mop the floor. The family had a dog named Lady, who was a major part of the family. Lady use to play the out fielder when they would play ball in the backyard. Betty recalled a time -6- 797-853 854-875 876-901 902-963 964-993 999-1027 1028-1038 1039-1056 1057-1066 when Bob Dumas, a good mend of the family, IGcJKea the ball and Lady caught it getting out. Betty's last job before she retired was teaching. was eyes were bad. At of was eligible security, so Betty decided it was time to quite her job. She did a transition stage however. She had a one year contract to revise the lab reports had been working on. The following year, the to teach one and she agreed, but that made her tired so decided she could no longer teach. After retirement, Betty was busy all time. She babysat her grandchildren often, did a lot of knitting as well as yard work. She also did a lot of traveling. Once her children were out of the house, Bill and her a They both went their separate ways, and she got a little apartment on water. made a list of things she wanted to do, starting with things that did not cost money. She also began to put money away for savings. Three years after her divorce, Betty was remarried to Chuck Jesch. Chuck had three children in school, so she became a mother once more. Betty has a of eight children and thirteen grandchildren. Betty said really to your grandchildren when parents are not there with them. She continued to talk about her grandchildren how she their cmnmmv Betty about a bit her family how her and his family were in the concentration camps in the Philippines during WWII. Betty's father did not talk about the war. He was a strict man who did not reveal emotions. Betty tried once to have a to heart could not do it. Betty thinks he would only open up to Clara May. Betty and her brother were both well behaved, was spanked once when she 'sassed' mother. To discipline her own children she would have them go to their room. Betty never tried to find out who was at fault because she did not want the children being mad at each other. This the children did not and she would be the enemy. Once asked how she was able to stand the noise, learned the difference noise, and 'lets killing." Betty did not notice it. She prevent someone from 1067-1097 During she never asked help. She to do homework She never pushed academics onto available to help with homework if the children asked. but was always 1098-1112 Bill was the TV watcher so not a super available person. He children would a pharmacist like uu •.• ., ....... hoped one of his 1113-1148 talked about children and their academics how never pressured them. She mentioned her oldest and her only daughter Sue. 1149-115 7 Betty said daughters are more frightening to raise, but as she has gotten older she has realized that it usuaUy is daughters that relationships going when you get older. 1158-1197 Betty touched on religion a bit. She talked about what attended 1198-1206 1207-1212 growing up, as well as her backgrounds with church. She believed that church was more of a event for her father rather than theological. Betty said she believes people to church for social reasons and not theology. Betty went to a funeral at a Lutheran church said that nothing her friend did life mattered and all believed in Jesus. Betty does not believe this When the were young, cause trouble at the church. because they mattered was if you her opinion. The kids would 1213-1232 After she married her current husband she stopped The long drive was not worth it to her. Betty liked going to church for her own benefit, not to 'save her soul.' She also mentioned some of the in churches now days. 1233-1243 Betty said churches offer for many people a very valuable part oflife, but it can also be destructive. 1244-1247 At the moment, Betty believes percent. aw~ndmg church. she does miss the music. who can nPI1P'lJ'P their one hundred 1248-1264 Bill and her signed up for a through Theological Center. In the program read on the subject and she discovered man denominations are open to learn about anything can, not from a spiritual but interested in the history of the bible and such. 1265-1267 Concluded she is not to a church, although are she could feel -8- 1268-1275 1276-1314 131 1317 131 1328-1354 1356-1366 1367-1371 1372-1380 comfortable at. Betty's latest passion is trying to learn how to play poker. She also loves to knit, her social besides her family is a knitting club. Bill was community and Bill and her went to a workshop for massages California. During sessions had to nude. While they were there they met a few of the Beatles who carne to a session. Bill and Betty were in a video once for Ravi Shankar. clothes sitting in background. Betty talked about vintage clothing and She made them herself Betty does not have a happiest time in her is life. Betty said she has never thought about it before an optimist. She likes to the good in day. Betty decided wanted to talk a bit about a•w' .. "'"'· of peoples lives are always important. Betty was never into politics, but loved were in hippy wished she kept all hers. happy in general with her she would consider herself are a big part Betty talked about her knitting retreat she enjoys going to. 1381-1390 Betty said she has a good but stores. Knitting is her creative and really enjoying that. 1397-1403 Betty's last remark is that she wished she how to decorate a horne. End of Interview -9- |
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