Thelma & Axel, with George, Beverly (Tata), Peggy and Jimmy



Thelma again, the same day as above?

Maureen (Dusty's spouse) to the left, Nanny right, Thelma middle, 1986.            Nanny, Jimmy, Papa


Jimmy with his kids, Rodney & Roxanne 1993... Jim died of cancer not long after this photo.  
                                                    A shot of George in the navy.


George & Thelma's obituaries. George committed suicide, 2009, with his service revolver, probably due to
a prolonged illness.  Thelma died in May 1990 at 83, same year, as pointed out, as Floyd & Eleanor.


Orville very young, Orville quite old (poor shot, apologies) with Darlene (Gus') son Joe.
Orville spent time in Arizona where his son George lived and died there though
returned to Marquette sometimes... staying with Nanny/Papa after a stroke.


This is how I remember Patsy & Rusty Rustenhoven, their wedding photo, year unknown. They
moved to California while still quite young and I never saw them again though Rusty returned to visit
after Patsy died in the 90s.

Here's a shot somewhat younger. Maybe late 40s, early 50s?


two of their children, Bruce on left.... ? right can't remember.  There is a photo of Rusty much later
after Patsy had died of cancer and he was visiting Marquette down in the Marilyn section.
To the right of the California kids, Mary, year unknown.

more Patsy & Rusty kids, can't remember all their names


the son with the sailor hat always reminded me of a character in the movies, one of a comedy duo, can't thnk of their name either, Laurel & Hardy maybe?

Another shot of Mary. Not sure if it's high school grad or what but she looks like a tough one
which isn't how I remember her at all - kind of movie star tough.


Mary early on, then Ray & Grandma Ferguson with Mary?... and Ray/Mary later in life. They spent
time in Arizona, I suppose to beat the U.P. winters but after Mary's death Ray returned to Marquette.
I think he died that same year. Floyd & Thelma found him slumped in a rocking chair.


Their son Bobby, sadly, died age 12 of leukemia. Like our sister Marcia he was born with what
was called a harelip. Can't imagine the grief they must have endured.


Speaking of grief, this is Murph & Phil Matt's daughter Phyliss who died way too
young of cancer, a short time before both of her parents. As yet, no photo of Murph/Phil, just
one down lower when she was quite young.


Marilyn around the time of her 1943 marriage to Everett Synder. Everett pictured to the right
along with Eleanor and I think Ray above her.


A jump to 1993 then Marilyn, Nanny (in her kitchen) & Rusty, all having lost their spouses by then.


Betty Downey on the left with Nanny pulling the oars. Betty married Jack Downey and they
had three daughters, Mary Ann (Meme), Maureen (Enie) and Jackie.


Eleanor... not sure of the context but she's flanked by two men. Looks like she's being
held against her will.
The second shot she's second from left, with fellow workers, cook & waitresses,
in Munising where the family had a home before moving to Chatham.


Eleanor married Oscar, a very pleasant & funny guy as I remember him.
Seated on the left after the smiling woman... note on the back, "probably in Florida with friends"
On the right sometime after Oscar had died.


Getting on in years now, 1985 on the left, 1987 right. Reunited here with her adopted daughter
Barbara and husband Ray Nevela. They had been estranged for many years. Barbara was very close
to Nanny, living only a block away for many years, until she was hospitalized terminally.
Last time I saw Eleanor was at Floyd's funeral, October 31, 1990, she dying in December.


Photos below of Barbara & Ray with daughter Paulette, a sequence of aging
then that last shot of Barbara as a teen - wild as I remember. She refused to
have visitors during her terminal hospitalization. She was always out-spoken and Ray
was just this very nice man. He was on a tank crew in the Korean war. They also had
a son, Eddie, close friends with Steve Ferguson, rumored to have died 2014, too young, in Alabama.


Ray and Gus' husband Welch, at parties, would talk to each other in Japanese
or Korean(?) for a laugh. They were actually just listing cities, like Tokyo, Seoul etc;
Kept me in stitches. Below is a photo of Oscar's Parents.



This group shot (left) has Nanny, second from left, top row, Adabelle (only shot of her) second from right
with Betty first person, bottom row left and Tynne (Murph) second from left.
Right: Leslie Kallio, Betty Hill, Margaret Kia and Patsy Ferguson - no year.


second from left, Grandma Ferguson, Ray Morrin, Ruth Ranta, Clara & Harold Ferguson
flanked by unidentified women - no year. Probably Harold & Clara's wedding.
Clara died recently (2014) whereas Harold died 1971 in his 60s.
As I recall, he had a drinking problem.


1953 family reunion: Jack & Betty Downey lived at the golf course as caretakers
so gave us access for the party. The kids were sent off to a movie after dinner.
Jack is in the middle, top row, with Everett, Rusty & Oscar giving "ears" to Axel
with Floyd left second row, Howard Vanoverloop(?) and Harold Ferguson lower middle.
Floyd does not look like a happy camper. He did not like to drink much beyond a couple beers.
Top row, left of Jack is, maybe, Orville, unknown then Ray Morrin.


left to right: Judy LaBlue (Webb), Murph, Eleanor, Thelma and Maureen (Enie)
Betty/Jack's middle daughter & her husband Al Decker.


This must be Harold & Clara's wedding, flanking Grandma Ferguson. I don't remember
much about Harold but Clara & I had a friendly religious argument going for a long time
(she became a Jevovah's Witness). I never got to see the playful side of Margaret displayed here.

and time, as usual, passes, changing everything... both of 'em now wearing glasses.

Their kids, Pat, Mike & Bernie, Bernie being the elder (Pat & Bernie twice).
Mike grew up dyslexic and, unfortunately, in an acrimonious dispute
over child custody, murdered his X and himself. He left a video advising, "Don't
judge me until you've walked in my shoes."


Sharon Ferguson, daughter of Adabelle & Bob Johnson(?) Not sure of details but she ended up living in Naubinway with Marilyn & Everette, still lives there. I stopped by to visit, 2014, she served an incredible spread for lunch and
allowed me to photograph from her album though I foolishly didn't photograph her. Stopped briefly again in 2015
after I had battled cancer and found that she had had a stroke. Still traveling though. I created a page
from the photos I took at Sharon & Ron's (link below).

The woman to the right is "Aunt Ada Norton, Grandma Ferguson's sister. We used to gather and
she always had sugar cookies, pie and jello." - written on the back by Nanny. She also
identifies the child as Barbara.


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