Dedicated to the citizens of Mason County, Washington since 1886
Dedicated to the citizens of Mason County, Washington since 1886
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I was helped by Billie Howard, who was head of the Shelton Mason County Historical Museum at the time. The original diary is there with the typed version that was done by Irene Davis in the 1990s. Irene's little typewriter is at the library too. Mary wrote in her diary for nearly 20 years and then Irene typed up a transcript of all 20 years in the 1990s, and then I came along and digitized it, and the Shelton-Mason County Journal printed it. I'm sure if Mary was alive, she would not have...
The first person I contacted to view the Thelers' 16mm home movies was Vie Cokelet. Vie had been a school bus driver, and she and her husband also owned a small gasoline station on the canal so people could fill up their boats. Her husband worked in the Navy Yard. She recognized Bill and Flossie Cady and their children. Mary had been a sponsor for Vie in getting into the Masons. She also shared that Mary was angry at Sam for quite some time and made Sam live in the apartment above the garage. I...
For you that have been reading Mary's Memoirs for the past 19½ years, I received several emails last week when they ended. Mary Theler was killed July 27, 1950, in an auto accident in which she was burned alive. It all started 20 years ago when we had a hard winter with snow. It snowed March 7 and people who lived in Belfair had said it never snowed that late in the year. I was working on restoring Theler's 16mm home movies for an independent study to get my degree at The Evergreen State...
This is the last entry in Mary Theler's diary. She was killed July 27, 1950, in a car accident coming home late from a meeting in Bremerton. I have included the newspaper article that give the brutal details of her death and tells how the community reacted. I have been writing from her diary for 19 years. It started in 1931. Mary was 48 years old. Monday, July 24, 1950 An extremely warm day and I went in the canal four times between tying up my phlox which is all completed. Up to Mae Housen's...
It was pretty hot, and Mary and Sam concentrated on getting the pump house done. They made a trip to Long Beach and spent the night and attended a meeting. They took the dogs. Mary's mother has an incredible garden. Was a nice week. Monday, July 17, 1950 Today I went up to Ruth Small's a little after 9 a.m. and made a lot of phone calls. Ordered the fern for McCallum. Then I drove to town and delivered the fern but only the housekeeper was at home. To town and did some shopping. It was terribly...
Must be hot because the water supply from the well ran low. Two more deaths this week. Girl Scouts came out for the day and enjoyed the canal. Mary went swimming several times. End of the raspberry season and the beginning of the wild blackberry season. Baking was done. Monday, July 10, 1950 This was a cold windy day and I got up early and ironed. Then at 9 a.m. ran up to Mae Housen's where I called on the phone for about 45 minutes. To Belfair, got my money orders and home. They had breakfast...
Just a pleasant summer week. It did rain a bit one day. Mary mentions that it would be nice to put the fires out, so they had fires back in 1950, too. Blackberries are in season, so they bought some for Clara to can. Mary and Sam had lots of company during the week. Monday, July 3, 1950 Very warm all day. It was 77 in the garage. We baked the ham and have potatoes ready for salad. The Jell-O is made. So, we are all set for the 4th. Sam rode with Pink Williams to Port Orchard so was gone part of...
Several deaths this week. Mary attended several chapter meetings and Sam got home from his trip to L.A. The days before the Fourth of July saw some bad traffic. Some Girl Scouts came out to Mary and Sam's property and went swimming. Monday, June 26, 1950 This was a busy day. Up very early and went to Mae Housen's where I phoned for 2 hours. Finally got all the required number of officers for Alice Lord's funeral. I called Walter Miller, and he will try to get the pall bearers for us. It is good...
Sam leaves for Los Angeles. Alice Duckwiler passed away this week. Lots of Chapter meetings. The weather is dry and so Mary does lots of watering. Monday, June 12, 1950 Today Squires boy came down and planted annuals. I cleaned house and cabin good and threw out all the old flowers. Looks very good. To Bremerton and called on Bertha Zoe Els and delivered her a baby cup in the name of the chapter. Met Eliza Jane and Helen Hanberg there so heard all about the weddings, etc. To Maimee Gould's but...
This week is pretty much the same ole same ole for Mary and Sam. Attending meetings and working in the yard. Mary went to a meeting in Vancouver B.C. May 29, 1950 Today I arose early and went to Bremerton. Saw Alice Duckwiler and gave her some lilies. Then saw Lulu Thompson about addendum for Dolores during her official visit. She seems to like the idea so I think it will turn out O.K. She always does things well. Over to Maimee Gould's and we checked on our refreshments. Called Mr. Jordan for...
Pretty much a typical week for Mary and Sam. Johnnie Pope got married this week. Monday, May 22, 1950 Today was warm and I cleaned house good. Made potato salad to take to White Shrine. Sam washed clothes and now this evening he is mowing the lawn. It surely looks good. Mrs. Rose Mann and Mr. and Mrs. Irish of San Diego came down to see the flowers. Eddie Fischler and Al Orie were down also. Rec'd our pictures of installation so officers can have them Thursday. Wrote quite a few invitations to p...
Monday, May 15, 1950 Today started with Tom K. waking Sam up to go to Port Gamble. Then Joe Buldoc called. Seems the state lost a paper which shows his first 10 years of work, so he came and signed that. Then Sam ate and he and Tom went off in a cloud of dust. So, I cleaned house good, and Skenes came just as I was half done. They stayed just half an hour. So, I ironed and now everything is done. Very cloudy this a.m. but warm now at 2:30. Put away all my gifts and it was quite a task. Then I fo...
Mary was quite a social person. She loved to talk with people, and I always love how she mentions "it was a good chat." I remember when people came over to our house they would go outside with Mom and look at all the flowers. People do not seem to do that as often these days. I wonder what two new dances Mary learned? Monday, May 8, 1950 Very warm out but just as I took all my work outside it began to blow so I did part of it and took the rest inside. Sam came home with all my parcels but one....
Sam goes to Boise, Idaho, for a couple of days. People do not go out and look at each other's flowers like that anymore. People do not go outdoors that much anymore either. Especially kids. Sunday, May 1, 1950 Today I cleaned the house and left for Cleora's before Sam got out of bed. He was so tired from the trip. Called on Alice Duckwiler and found her not at all well. She must have a nurse all the time, so I stayed but a short time. Then to Cleora's and we had a lovely lunch together. Saw her...
Windy, rainy and cold. Just like it is now. Not much is going on this week. Meetings and company stopping by the house. Sunday, April 24, 1950 Ironed before breakfast then ate and dashed to get hair combed out. Wilma gave me a gallon of milk to take home. At home I finished all mending and cleaning and put everything away. Squires came down and sprayed for worms and helped Sam put up the vines on new grape arbor. Florine and Marie Tracy came just as I was ready to vacuum. So we went over ideas...
Just another week of attending functions and making decorations. Mary does like to socialize! Sunday, April 3, 1953 Today was a busy one. As soon as I ate, cleaned house and got ready to go to Havasu Club Installation. They served a nice lunch and I sat next to Ruby. She had some delicious shrimp and potato salad there. I left as soon as Ruby was installed as chaplain as I wanted to get my hair done. Wilma Westing's mother-in-law had passed away, so she said as the funeral was Tuesday, she had...
It snowed this week in 1950! This week is a continuation of the same old, same old. Sunday, March 19, 1950 Today there was such a cold wind we could not be out all day. I ironed clothes and put them all away. Then up to the Masonic Temple where I watched the girls go through their addenda for Alice Pope. It is so clever. I'm sure it will be well received. Home and ate venison steak for dinner. Very good. Took a box of weaving to Eunice Duffield's and she will exhibit it at social club Tuesday....
Rained a lot! Even had puddles in Mary and Sam's yard. Loved that their dog Queenie was in the box with the cat. Sam waxed all the floors while Mary dusted and cleaned house. Mostly just more meetings and Mary and Sam attending them. Sunday, March 12, 1950 Arose early and made waffles. Sam did not sleep well because he ate 2½ hot dogs last night. Pressed, ironed and put away all the clothes. So now I'm through for this week. Boiled the 5 hens for salad and 9 eggs. Just as I was through...
This week 78 years ago, was very rainy. Kind of like it is now. Attended meetings and a little shopping in Seattle going on. Had to remove Queenie from the washroom. She was barking, wanting to get out. Other than that, not much was going on. Sunday, Feb. 19, 1950 Arose late and got breakfast. Sam went up to the gun club as Bill Cady had sent work down by Emmett to be sure to come up to the shoot. I raked about 45 minutes on the lawn and then drove to Bremerton. The White Shrine had a practice...
Wet and icky for most of the week. Mary attended chapter meetings all week. Sam had to fix a pipe down at the tavern. I am wondering whether Mary and Sam owned what is now the Woodshed Tavern? Does anybody know? Sunday, Feb. 12, 1950 Today was very wet. It was dark all day. Simply poured down! Made ham waffles and we ate about 12 o'clock. Then I ironed and mended all the clothes. Sam went up to Belfair to see Emmett about the bread man who stole bread yesterday. There is still snow on the lawn...
More snow. There was lots of ice on the canal. Doing chores like cleaning house and the wash and attending lots of meetings and a dance. Hey! Did you see that the ground hog didn't see its shadow? We can only hope spring is on its way. Sunday, Jan. 29, 1950 Arose at 8:30 and looked at the temperature, 8 above. Let out dog and cat and fed them. Turned up the stoves and slept about an hour more. Then Sam got up about 11:30 so we ate late. Cleaned house, made fire in wood stove and oh, it's so...
Wet, cold and snowy. Mary and Sam had to drive with chains. Sam has too much alcohol while hanging out in Belfair. Mary hates that! Sunday, Jan. 15, 1950 Today it warmed up some so the water runs in the cabin bath and on our back porch. Last night we hung up the clothes so today I ironed all the handkerchiefs, made applesauce and dusted the house. The snow is still coming down. Sam went to Belfair, so our road is clear. Nichols poison oak is bad again so I called Newkirk for him saying he could...
They were having very similar weather as what we are having. The power would be off for a while and then eventually come back on. Thank God they had their wood stove. Feeding the birds, Chinese pheasants and keeping Queenie inside was part of their curriculum. Let's hope next week is better. Sunday, Jan. 8, 1950 Today was cold and all day it tried to snow. We had Blanche's Vermont maple syrup on hotcakes, and it was delicious! In the morning I cleaned house good so now everything is back to...
Mary and Sam have been down south for the better part of the week still hunting ducks and geese. Sam did pretty good. They came home to snow. Sunday, Jan. 1, 1950 Sam got up early and went hunting. He came in about 9 with 2 geese and 5 ducks. Was he proud! Said it was very foggy out and the birds flew very low. Queenie really had a good work out. We ate breakfast at the other hotel, but it surely is poor. Then to the field where Sam shot a snow goose. Queenie got so excited. It was very cold...
The end of the year has come. No birds to hunt, so Mary and Sam go to Los Angeles to see friends. Mary got embarrassed when their dog Queenie dug up a couple of bushes. I had the same experience when I was visiting my parents at their new home in California. My German shepherd was a puppy and she dug up several rose bushes my stepdad had just planted. Oh gosh! Sam's birthday Dec. 29. Happy New Year to all! Sunday, Dec. 25, 1949 The sun was warm and bright when we arose, so we ate breakfast and...
