My Grandparents

Tracing my family history has given me a deep appreciation for ancestors. Never mind the obvious fact that I wouldn't be here without them; getting to know them has taught me a lot about myself. I've found pictures that tell me some of why I look the way I do. I've learned of ancestors who were kidnapped by Indians in 1755, a discovery that dispelled the long-held belief by some in the family that we have Indian blood in us. Well, Uncle Jerry still lives on a reservation, but that's another story. Now, as often happens the divorce of my parents resulted in a net increase in grandparents, so I shall endeavor to introduce all six of these lovely people here.

My father's parents were Samuel Benjamin Tobias (October 28, 1894 - October 16, 1952) and Barbara Ruth Deeds (August 13, 1907 - April 8, 1989). Sam was the son of George Milton Tobias and Margaret Matilda Hetrich. I never knew him - he died when dad was 17. It's my understanding that at some point in his teens Sam ran away from home and rode freight trains, eventually winding up in Aberdeen, South Dakota. Later his brother, Art, was sent out to make sure he didn't become a bum. He succeeded in becoming a mechanic by trade. It was in Aberdeen that Sam met and married his first wife, Alice Lee Monroe. They had two children together. Eventually, Sam decided to return to Pennsylvania. His plan was to leave his wife in South Dakota for good, but she and the kids followed him. They ended up getting divorced in PA. After a period of time he met Barbara and married her (he was considerably older than her). Dad's older sister, Ruth, was actually born a year before they married.

Sadly, Sam and Barbara were legally separately as long as dad can remember. They never did get divorced. When they were together they lived at 1253 Cotton Street in Reading. Dad remembers that his father made delicious tapioca pudding. At some point Barbara and the kids moved in with her mother at 651 S. 17-1/2 Street. On a side note, dad tells how his sister, Ruth, and their grandmother (Anna Leib) argued all the time. In fact, one time Anna fell and blamed Ruth for pushing her. Ruth swore that she did not. Unfortunately, Anna's hip was broken and she died shortly thereafter. I wonder how Ruth feels today about that...

Sam decided again to leave his family, packing up and moving to Hawaii in 1943. Dad remembers receiving some Hawaiian shirts from him one year. It meant so much to him that dad wore them all the time. Sam would send money home from time to time (probably out of guilt), along with photographs of his adventures (photography was his hobby). Dad has pictures of his father riding his Harley-Davidson motorcycle there. Sam found a job as a mechanic working on aircraft engines at Pearl Harbor, but he soon found it monotonous and grew to dislike it. So, he pulled up stakes once more and moved to Oceanside, California, where he became a truck mechanic at the marine base at Camp Pendleton. That's where he eventually died. He only ever returned to PA once - in 1951 for Art's funeral. Dad inherited the Harley, the only memento of a father that could have been.

Dad's mother, Barbara, was the daughter of Henry Jacob Deeds and Anna Leib (married in 1901). She grew up in tough times in a family that had very little as far as material things were concerned. Her first 5 years were spent with her parents and her grandparents on her mother's side in Fairview Township, York County, Pennsylvania. She had a sister named Elizabeth who, at age 3 in 1906, ate a poisonous plant called night shade and died. Barbara (or "Nanny" as I knew her) was born almost 11 months after Elizabeth's death. After her grandfather died in 1912 they moved to Berks County. My brother, Mike, has photos of huge family gatherings, so she must have spent a lot of time with family. Nanny knew Sam's brother, Ralph, who was a projectionist at the Bernville movie theater. It was Ralph who introduced the two. At the time, Nanny was dating a guy who planned on becoming a doctor, but Sam upset that apple cart. Believe it or not, she didn't learn how old Sam was until after they were married. Dad says it's because the Tobias side always looked younger. According to dad, Nanny always regretted not marrying the doctor. Dad says Nanny had a good knowledge of medicine and health. In fact, she worked in a doctor's office at one time.

Nanny didn't go to church, but she was a religious, moral person. Once while shopping she discovered a toy car in dad's hand when they left the store. She asked where he got that and ordered him to take it back. Dad says she was very loving and kind. Raising three kids by herself was very difficult. She would buy presents at Christmas even though she couldn't afford it because she felt sorry for the kids. As a result she was always in debt, something that caused great strain. She cried about it often.

Nanny was my godmother. She always gave us birthday cards, but mine was the only one with money in it. I remember how she kept her hair in a bun, unraveling it occasionally to reveal a beautiful blonde streak as she brushed it. She always called the car "the machine". When she blessed the food at mealtime she would say, "God is great. God is good. We thank thee God for all this food. Amen." Only, when she said "food" the "oo" sounded more like in the word "good". One thing about Nanny is she was a hoarder; the house was always full of stuff. It wasn't so bad you couldn't get around, but there were pathways to get through the house. Nanny was a great cook, too, although dad says it wasn't always that way. She was also suspicious of neighbors, something she evidently got from her parents. For years she lived in a bungalow by herself; dad says she was a person who kept to herself.

I loved Nanny very much. She gave great hugs and had a warm smile. I remember when the call came about Nanny's heart attack. We hoped and prayed she would pull through, but it wasn't meant to be. She held on, in a coma, until dad whispered in her ear that it was okay to go. Then, surrounded by loved ones, she slipped away into the eternities. One of the last things dad remembers her saying was to tell everybody she loves them. The nurses in the hospital said she was a very nice person.

Mom's mother, Estella May Conrad (October 22, 1915 - September 3, 1992), was born to James Benjamin Conrad and Eva Victoria Batz. She was the eldest of five kids. Estella (we called her "Nanny" too) was small like her dad, but her mother was even shorter. Nanny was very strict. Mom tells us how Nanny used to kick her around the kitchen floor for discipline. She was also a very hard worker. She was employed as head cook and caterer for Frymoyer's Hotel for 30 years! Dad enjoyed having dinner with them because she was such a good cook. Nanny and Pop Pop raised 6 sons and 2 daughters with very little. They lived across from a fertilizer plant on Frush Valley Road in Temple. Every time we went to visit the air was filled with the smell of pig manure. I got used to it. I remember that they had an outhouse at their home. When they finally moved the bathroom indoors it became an "inhouse" because it was still just a hole in the floor. They never had a flushing toilet as long as I knew them. Nanny had a large, purple birthmark that covered one side of her face. She was always on the go. When she died she went quickly. One minute she was doing fine and the next minute she was gone. Even with her no-nonsense exterior I loved her very much.

Charles Jeremiah Noll (July 25, 1915 - July 22, 1989) was the son of Wilson S. Noll and Rebecca Strunk (she was a twin). Wilson died of appendicitis (or complications therefrom) at age 39. "Pop Pop" had a very hard life. He was 8 years old when his father died. They were very poor, so Rebecca had to farm out the kids. Pop Pop stayed with a childless family that took good care of him. He apprenticed as a broom maker. At 21 he married Nanny, who was pregnant with Uncle Norman at the time. Pop Pop worked as a crane operator for Empire Steel, but had to retire early due to back problems. He got diabetes later in life and eventually became confined to a wheelchair. Pop Pop had a mischievous smile and a keen sense of humor. Mom says she was always daddy's little girl. Every time we came to visit he could be found seated in front of the television, watching one of his shows while listening to the police radio.

I will never forget the last time we spent time together. He was confined to a bed and could only listen as one spoke to him. I felt inspired to share what I knew of life after death with him. His eyes never left me as I explained about the spirit world and about our Heavenly Father's plan. Nanny and Pop Pop had never been religious, but I could tell that he was interested in what I had to say. He listened intently to the message. I could tell from his eyes that we were connecting. It was a very special moment that I will cherish forever. I can't wait to see him again.

Now let's meet my stepfather Rich's parents. Although not blood-related, I considered them family as much as anyone else. Walter Strunk Yoder was born in Lobachsville, Pennsylvania, on June 29, 1918 , to Thomas Rohrbach Yoder and Anna Ritter Strunk. He had one brother and two sisters. His father operated a still during prohibition and it was Walter's responsibility to fill the orders. He did so by putting the alcohol in the bottoms of baskets and covering them with produce. He actually grew up in a house a few doors down from the home he and Edna eventually shared. As a young man he worked at Bowers Battery in Lyons. He must have been good at what he did because when a personal friend of his started East Penn Manufacturing (Deka Battery) Walter was asked to work for him. 31 years later he retired from Deka. I believe his time card number was in the single digits! Walter was good friends with Edna's brother and that's how they met. The two of them spoke Pennsylvania Dutch to each other all the time. Pop Pop was very good with his hands. He enjoyed woodworking and made some beautiful furniture and clocks. I loved seeing his name burned into the bottom of his work! He liked to go to the auction and hunting, but wasn't much for fishing. He also loved baseball and was an avid Phillies fan. Gardening was another hobby he enjoyed. Every fall, he and Edna could be seen selling corn chowder at the Oley Fair. They attended Friedens Lutheran Church in Oley their entire life together. Pop Pop almost died several times, but always managed to pull through. However, at the age of 90, he fell and hit his head going down the stone stairs at his home and died a few months later. He wasn't a big man as far as physical stature is concerned, but when it came to talents and life experiences I thought he was quite large. I miss him very much.

Edna Viola Hafer Dierolf was born in Colbrookdale Township, Pennsylvania, on May 4, 1920, to Abraham William Dierolf and Martha Luella Hafer. She spent her whole life in Oley. Her family was pretty well-to-do, and she always said she gave up worldly things for love. She worked at Deka for 23 or 24 years. She, too, was an avid gardener and loved working at the fair. She also enjoyed sewing, crafts, and selling Avon. One thing about Edna is you always knew where she stood; she was never afraid to speak her mind. Both she and Walter were very involved with senior citizen groups and their church. Grandmom died from bleeding on the brain after a fall. She was 87 at the time.

Well, that's about it. I am grateful for grandparents who experienced both the good and the bad in life. I'm thankful for what they taught me, and for the terrific parents they gave me.