A Bit of Family History by Ann Mulder
On March 1st our family lost an uncle. To many of you he was a great-uncle and one you hardly knew. Probably the last event where Uncle Roger was present was Kenneth and Emily’s wedding reception at our home in October of 1999.
Your great-grandparents from the paternal side of the Mulder family were John and Mamie . Mamie was the oldest of eight children. From all the accounts of her siblings she was expected to do a large share of the child care, the housework and occasionally help in the fields of the farm which was their livelihood.
Her parents always impressed upon her that her role in life was to be the person who would care for them in their old age. Things changed when the attractive
widower across the road, a long time family friend, developed deep feelings for Mamie. His children from his first marriage were grown and no longer dependent on him.
Mamie’s parents were furious that she wished to marry so when Mamie was 32 and John 49 they eloped. When Mamie’s parents learned she was married they took all of her possessions and placed them by the road. This was in 1932 and Mamie would not see her father again until he was in a coma just hours before his death in 1955. Following that she began to resume a relationship with her mother.
In 1935 Mamie gave birth to her first child, Allen, and six years later in 1941 she and John had their second child, Roger. At that time John had become very ill, a lung condition that they attributed to allergies. He died in December 1941 leaving Mamie with a six year old and a six month old.
Mamie was forever grateful for those nine years of marriage and her two sons. As she had always been a hard worker and a good manager of money she made a life for her sons relying on Social Security (which had very recently been instituted) and taking in washings and ironings. There was a time when all clothes had to be ironed and washing clothes involved filling tubs with water, using a wringer type washer, etc. For women who worked this was a major problem and many hired persons to do these tasks.
Some of Al’s earliest memories are of hauling pails of water up the basement steps as his mother emptied the washing machine and rinse tubs. Later he washed windows and walls for neighbors, had a paper route and when he reached 16 worked in the pharmacy and a local garage .
When Roger was 6 he developed Rheumatic Fever. For the next few years Mamie had to make frequent trips to Butterworth Hospital where he received his medication and his progress was followed. Because of his health problems she did not want him to have a paper route, etc. However when he reached his teen age years Mamie took the custodial job at her church and Roger was a major help to her in this.
Roger took an apprenticeship program and became a carpenter. He built a two stall garage at Mamie’s home which definitely added to its value. He made a toy box for his nephews, Craig and Kevin, and he made a cabinet for my portable sewing machine. He worked as a carpenter for a builder.
He married Patricia Sprague in 1962. Their first child, a little boy, was born prematurely and did not survive. Later they had Becky, Eric and Kathy. Your fathers spent some great times with their first cousins. Our families got together for birthdays and always at Christmas. We spent Thanksgivings together and my parents would be there also.
Roger built a wonderful tree house in the woods behind their home and later took a job in the custodial department in the Caledonia school which was much more dependable than the often seasonal carpentry work.
Roger had back problems which began early in his life, his first back surgery was when Kathy was a baby. He subsequently had three surgeries but none really took care of the problem. However the loss of Pat to cancer was the most devastating thing to happen in his life.
The pain and incapacity caused by his back led to an early retirement. His last several years were spent in trips to the pain clinic and the pharmacy. He became increasingly incapacitated but his one big event was to do something for children.
He never forgot the way his family was helped when he was a child, especially the gifts at Christmas. Thus he began his Angel Tree ministry when he would load the back of his red pick-up with toys and deliver them to the Angel Tree. Even when he rarely went anywhere else he would make this annual trip. WOOD TV gave a wonderful tribute to him. Not sure how they found out about his death but they called Eric and told him they were going to recognize what Roger did. It was a beautiful tribute.
Uncle Roger’s last hours were quite peaceful considering all he had been through previously. He lapsed in and out of consciousness. He had a stroke followed by a massive heart attack but for the most part was not in great pain.
The end of a life should never go unnoticed. The years we have are precious and I firmly believe that we go on to even more wonderful years when we leave this world. So, Uncle Roger, you may be well aware of these words I am typing. Please know that you were loved and will be missed.
On March 1st our family lost an uncle. To many of you he was a great-uncle and one you hardly knew. Probably the last event where Uncle Roger was present was Kenneth and Emily’s wedding reception at our home in October of 1999.
Your great-grandparents from the paternal side of the Mulder family were John and Mamie . Mamie was the oldest of eight children. From all the accounts of her siblings she was expected to do a large share of the child care, the housework and occasionally help in the fields of the farm which was their livelihood.
Her parents always impressed upon her that her role in life was to be the person who would care for them in their old age. Things changed when the attractive
widower across the road, a long time family friend, developed deep feelings for Mamie. His children from his first marriage were grown and no longer dependent on him.
Mamie’s parents were furious that she wished to marry so when Mamie was 32 and John 49 they eloped. When Mamie’s parents learned she was married they took all of her possessions and placed them by the road. This was in 1932 and Mamie would not see her father again until he was in a coma just hours before his death in 1955. Following that she began to resume a relationship with her mother.
In 1935 Mamie gave birth to her first child, Allen, and six years later in 1941 she and John had their second child, Roger. At that time John had become very ill, a lung condition that they attributed to allergies. He died in December 1941 leaving Mamie with a six year old and a six month old.
Mamie was forever grateful for those nine years of marriage and her two sons. As she had always been a hard worker and a good manager of money she made a life for her sons relying on Social Security (which had very recently been instituted) and taking in washings and ironings. There was a time when all clothes had to be ironed and washing clothes involved filling tubs with water, using a wringer type washer, etc. For women who worked this was a major problem and many hired persons to do these tasks.
Some of Al’s earliest memories are of hauling pails of water up the basement steps as his mother emptied the washing machine and rinse tubs. Later he washed windows and walls for neighbors, had a paper route and when he reached 16 worked in the pharmacy and a local garage .
When Roger was 6 he developed Rheumatic Fever. For the next few years Mamie had to make frequent trips to Butterworth Hospital where he received his medication and his progress was followed. Because of his health problems she did not want him to have a paper route, etc. However when he reached his teen age years Mamie took the custodial job at her church and Roger was a major help to her in this.
Roger took an apprenticeship program and became a carpenter. He built a two stall garage at Mamie’s home which definitely added to its value. He made a toy box for his nephews, Craig and Kevin, and he made a cabinet for my portable sewing machine. He worked as a carpenter for a builder.
He married Patricia Sprague in 1962. Their first child, a little boy, was born prematurely and did not survive. Later they had Becky, Eric and Kathy. Your fathers spent some great times with their first cousins. Our families got together for birthdays and always at Christmas. We spent Thanksgivings together and my parents would be there also.
Roger built a wonderful tree house in the woods behind their home and later took a job in the custodial department in the Caledonia school which was much more dependable than the often seasonal carpentry work.
Roger had back problems which began early in his life, his first back surgery was when Kathy was a baby. He subsequently had three surgeries but none really took care of the problem. However the loss of Pat to cancer was the most devastating thing to happen in his life.
The pain and incapacity caused by his back led to an early retirement. His last several years were spent in trips to the pain clinic and the pharmacy. He became increasingly incapacitated but his one big event was to do something for children.
He never forgot the way his family was helped when he was a child, especially the gifts at Christmas. Thus he began his Angel Tree ministry when he would load the back of his red pick-up with toys and deliver them to the Angel Tree. Even when he rarely went anywhere else he would make this annual trip. WOOD TV gave a wonderful tribute to him. Not sure how they found out about his death but they called Eric and told him they were going to recognize what Roger did. It was a beautiful tribute.
Uncle Roger’s last hours were quite peaceful considering all he had been through previously. He lapsed in and out of consciousness. He had a stroke followed by a massive heart attack but for the most part was not in great pain.
The end of a life should never go unnoticed. The years we have are precious and I firmly believe that we go on to even more wonderful years when we leave this world. So, Uncle Roger, you may be well aware of these words I am typing. Please know that you were loved and will be missed.
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