A Gift of Memories Grandma Kay

A Gift of Memories

Childhood

Full Name: Mary Kathleen (Brunell) Cummins

Father: James Francis (Frank)           

Birthplace Concordia KS              Birthdate Aug 13 1919
Mother: Vera (Lorena Hinson) Brunell           Birthplace Concordia      KS           Birthdate March 21 1919

Were you named after someone and why did they give you that name? No

How old was your mom when you were born?

30

Who did they say you looked like?

My dad

Did you ever have a nickname?

No

What important event happened the day you were born?

I don’t know

Where were you born?

Date: ^{Sept 27 1949}

Birthplace: Concordia KS

Did you have any brothers or sisters and what are their names?

4 sisters Patricia,Anita, Jane, Nancy

Did you ever fight with your brothers and sisters? Who treated you the nicest, and who the worst?

Yes to the fights.  Nicest-Nancy
Worst- Jane

Did you have to share your room and your things?

Yes, with Nancy until we were older.

Growing up

  

What was the best birthday you ever had and why?

Can't remember any that were special

Can you remember your favorite birthday present?

No.

How much did the tooth fairy leave you for a tooth? 10c sometimes 25c

How old were you when you got an allowance and how much was it?  No allowance

How did your parents punish you? Did they spank you? Who was stricter? Spanked me/ Grounded me. Mom was the strictest. She spanked.

 What was the naughtiest things you ever did?

Raced my Camero and got caught by dad and grounded

What were your favorite games and toys?

A stick horse. Playing school and church with Nancy

Did you ever go sledding, skiing, or skating? What sports did you like? Were you on sports teams?

Yes we sled in the snow. Went to skating rinks. Played basketball in HS.

Did you get to stay up as late as you wanted to and watch TV or listen to radio or records?

No had a bed time

Did you ever argue about your bedtime?

Probably

Did you ever go to the hospital? Have stitches? Break bones?  Yes for tonsil extraction at age 18. No stitches or broken bones.

Were you scared of doctors or shots?

Yes of shots. Didn't go to Dr often.

What kind of transportation did you have? Did you ever ride in a plane bus train or boat? What else?

Car. Took a bus to NY at age 14. Took a train to Washington DC and NY at 18.

Did you ever run away from home or hide from your mom and dad? Why?

Nancy and I would pack a  lunch and a bag. Walk to the bridge, eat our lunch, then come home.

Where was your favorite place to go when you were angry?

Outside anywhere

What chores did you have to do?

Dust- help mom clean the house, clean our room. Gather eggs. Close up chickens at night and help dad when needed.

When you given money what did you spend it on?  What could you buy for a quarter?

We weren't given money. Mom or dad might buy us something like ice cream, rides on a stationary horse or sometimes candy.

Did you have a pet? What was its name?

Dog -Domino

What did you most like about your best friend? Did you have fights and secrets?

We had a club up in Aurora, played in it. Got to stay all night at a friends house.

Did kids ever tease you? Was there a bully who picked on you?

No

Your House Growing Up

What did your house look like?

Don't remember my first house I moved when I was 3. We lived in a brick house on a farm that my dad and Uncle Cecil built. It was beautiful. Our daughter, your Aunt Nedra, now lives there.

How big was your yard?

huge

  

How many rooms did it have? Did it have an attic or a creepy room that scared you?

4 bedrooms. An attic we were not allowed to go up in. A basement that was scary when dark.

How big was your room? What did it look like?

about 10x12 4 walls and a window

  

Could you keep it messy if you wanted?

No

How many people lived at your house?

my mom, dad, and us 5 girls with 1 bathroom

What was your favorite thing in the whole house and do you still have it? Can't think of anything that was my favorite

Celebrations

What did you usually do on Thanksgiving?

Interestingly I don't recall

Was your mom a good cook? What did she make best? Yes everything

 

Do you remember a special gift you made for someone?

Did Santa come to your house?

We always would put little smelly things in an orange and give them to mom. We made lots of things in school for Christmas presents for the family. I guess he must have as there is always gifts under the tree and stockings filled with nuts, oranges, and candy.

Did you ever see him or talk to him? No

  

Did you hang your stockings, what did Santa leave in them? Yes

Did you have a Xmas tree? How did you decorate it?

Yes Decorated with decorations and stringed popcorn

What did you usually do on Christmas?

open gifts and played

Did you make cards on Valentines day?

At school

  

Did you ever give or get flowers or candy from a boy/girl?

No

Did the Easter bunny come to visit? Did you have egg hunts?

Don't recall. I know we always had a new dress mom made.

Did you celebrate 4^th of July? How? Did you have fireworks?  Yes, with fireworks dad would lite. But we (Nancy and I) got to pop firecrackers and do snakes.

Did you dress up for Halloween or make your own costume?  What was your favorite?

Yes. We always were bums wearing dads clothes because it was always cold.

Did you trick or treat?

Yes in Aurora

What traditions did your family have?

Going to Grandma Sadies (moms mom) in the summer and to the Belleville Fair after harvest.

Did you ever have a big family reunion?

Yes on the Hinson side every year

What schools did you go to?

Aurora Grade and HS which closed my SR year so we went to Concordia Public HS

Did you get good grades?

Fair

  

What subjects did you like? Hate?

Like Science Hated History

Did you walk to school or ride a bus?

Dad brought us to grade school and then when I got my license I drove.

Did you ever tease your teachers or play jokes on them?

No

  

Did you play hooky?

No

Did you have lots of homework?

Yes

Did you travel growing up?

Yes to KC in the summer

What was your favorite trip?

Going to Grandma Sadies and spending the summer with her.

Did you go on family vacations? 

KC

Did you go fishing or swimming?

Went swimming in ponds and at the pool

What was the longest distance you ever went on a trip?

To NYC on a bus when I was 14. Stayed there for 2 weeks with my cousins.

Did you ever take a trip by yourself?

Yes when I was done with college I drove to CA for work.

Did you go the State Fair or amusement park?

KS State Fair in Hutch one time

How old were you when you learned to drive?

16

Did you have your own car? What was it?

Yes, 1939 Chevy Coup I drove to school in Aurora

 Did your parents ever ground you? What for?

Yes for drag racing

What did you and your friends do on weekends?

went to dances

Did you ever get into trouble with your friends? What happened? Yes we got stuck on a mud road and had to be pulled out by a farmer. Got home real late. Also went to a party and wasn't suppose to and got caught by my friends mom.

What did you think about most as a teenager?

Having fun

What time did you have to be at home at night?

midnight

How old were you when you started dating?  Did you ever have a boy/girl turn you down when you asked for a date?  How did you react?

15. I never ask - I was asked.

How did you feel when you met your date’s parents? scared

Who is the boy/girl you remember the most?

Dave Dutton - dated him a long time. Then met up with him in college. Stayed friends until he died.

When you met grandpa/grandma where did you meet and how old were you?I can't remember.

Were you serious from the start, or did you still date other people?

Dated others

Where did you go on your first date? What was it like? To a dance, fun

What was your favorite thing to do together?

Go to dances

Did your parents like him/her right away?

They never said

 Did you ever have a big fight while you were dating?  I suppose

When did you ask him/her to marry you? Where were you?  What did you do to propose?  How did he/she respond?

My husband asked me when we lived in CA We were in his apartment and I said yes.

What was your wedding like? When and where was it? Small. In the cold winter- snowing. It was at the Catholic Church in Aurora KS

Did anything funny happen that day?

We spent our wedding night on my parents front room floor.

Did you have a honeymoon? Where did you go?

later wen we returned to CA we went to the MaDonna Inn and toured Hearst Castle.

Where did you first live together?

In an apartment in Torrance CA

What was your first job?

As a young person a janitor in the grade school in Aurora. During HS worked at the Dr's clinic

After College an RN at St Joseph Hospital in Concordia

What was the worst job you ever held?

Janitor

What is your favorite funny story about the first years you were married?

Driving back to KS we kept hearing a banging noise in the back of the U-Haul truck. Thought the freezer blew up. It was only the top of the cab of the truck getting caught in the wind.

When and where were your children born?

Shannon: 1977 in Concordia

About my parents

What was my mom/dad like as a baby?

A good baby most of the time. Started talking and walking at age 1.

Did they get into mischief and get spanked?

Yes and yes

What chores did you make them do? Did you give allowance?

Sometimes for mowing the yard and picking up his toys.

Did they behave in school and get good grades?

Yes and mostly yes He could have done better if he applied himself more.

What thing did they like to do best?

Play video games and put together models and play outside.

Did they keep a clean room?

Sometimes

Did they ever do something special or surprise you to make you happy or proud?

Always. That's what is special about ones children. They are always doing something to surprise you.

What will you always remember about them?

There's so much. One that he saved the family from being asphyxiated by gas from a leaky furnace. He received an award for this.

If you could…

If you could spend a week doing anything you wanted, what would it be like? Going on a cruise

If you could, which age of your life would you most like to revisit and why?

Sr year of HS made lots of friends and had a few fun times

If you were elected president what would you do for our country?

Make everyone get along

What do you feel is the most significant change to happen in your lifetime?

Becoming a parent

If you could have dinner with anyone in the world even someone who is dead, who would it be?  Why?

My folks and my sisters Pat and Anita. I miss them

Can you tell me a funny story about my family?

No

Is there a place you always wanted to travel but never made it?

No we have been a lot of places

What is the most favorite place you have ever traveled?Germany

What is your best memory?

Visiting Shannon and you and showing us around Germany.

What advice do you have for me as I grow older and make my way in the world?

Be a good boy, respect others, practice your faith, and always be the best you can to make yourself and family proud.