The Life of Joseph Ate Westra

The Westra kids never knew their Grandpa Joe. Scott was just a baby when he passed away. The original history written by Grandma Lucille (I believe) is on family search, as are all these pictures and more. I've included the history here, but rearranged a couple of items and wanted to include a few bullet points of items of interest at the top ...

• Joseph was 6th of 10 children. Only four survived to adulthood (in the picture in the top left, older brother John is not in the photograph).
• Joseph and Lucille were born only two days apart, both at LDS hospital.  They likely "met" at the nursery there, and would re-acquaint 19 years later and be married for almost 30 years.
• Joseph and Lucille were engaged while he went on his mission to the Southern States.
• While he was a marble champion when young, golf was his passion, followed by fishing. He liked all sports though. Football in the fall, basketball in the winter. Baseball in the summer.

LIFE OF JOSEPH A. WESTRA Joseph Ate Westra was born October 23, 1911 in Salt Lake City, Utah, and died May 24, 1965 at the age of 53 of a Coronary Heart Attack. 

His mother was Geeske DeHaan, born February 23, 1878 and died August 16, 1955 at the age of 77 (see her history). His father was Ate Obe Westra, born December 5, 1868 and died December 11, 1946 at the age of 78.  There were 10 children born ...

• Wilhelmina was born in 1904 and died in 1908
• Obe was born in 1905 and died in 1907
• Egbert was born in 1906 and died in 1907
• John was born Dec. 31, 1908 and died in 1998.
• George was born in 1909 and died in 1910 
• Joseph was born in 1911 and died in 1965
• Allen was born in 1913 and died in 1914
• Alice was born Jan. 28, 1914
• Alma was born in 1915 and died in 1916
• Edward Paul was born July 23, 1923.

Of Joseph's seven brothers and two sisters, only two brothers (John and Edward Paul) and one sister (Alice Louise Heller) survived to adulthood.

Joe's father was called on a mission to Holland and his mother took a job at the Forest Annex to help support her family. She kept the school clean and Joe had to help bring in the coal for the stoves. His mother was real strict and they were never allowed to go in the front rooms unless they had company. She kept a spotless home. They always had a nice garden and planted lots of vegetables. They had chickens and a cow. At a picnic at Lagoon Joe’s mother was badly burned when coffee was spilt in her lap. She was in bed for weeks, and Joe had to come home from school each day and scrub the kitchen floor. They had a nice bungalow type home at 2256 South 8th East. It had a long front porch and the family enjoyed sitting out there and visiting friends and relatives. The Westras had lots of friends from Holland, and they would always talk Dutch. Joe never learned the language, but could distinguish some of the words. His brother John went to Holland on his mission.

Joe had Rheumatic fever as a child and was sickly. He had to stay out of school one year. He was a marble champion and won a Hubbard Denn Medal in 1924. He liked scouting and went on lots of scout trips in the summers, along with his brother John and friends George and Seig Springer. While growing up, Joe's friends were Boyd Ostler, Laird Snelgrove, Frank Howard, Clyde Furner, Seig and George Springer and Clyde Campbell.  

Joseph went to Salt Lake City Schools: Forest, Irving Jr., LDS High School, L.D.S. Business College and then took the LaSalle Extension Course in Accounting. His business acquaintances were Cal Rasmussen, George Weidner, George Webb, Jack Lake, Adam Jacobs.

Joseph and Lucille were 19 years old when they met on the 9th East Street Car which both of them rode to work each day.  It was 1930. Lucille and Joe would double date with Clyde and Audrey Campbell. He had a roadster and Joe and Lucille always sat in the rumble seat. They would go to the Old Mill in Big Cottonwood on Saturday nights and dance, go on picnics, play tennis, and go hiking. They were engaged December 24, 1931, and he was called on a mission to the Southern States from June 1932 to June 1934. Lucille waited for him to return to her and enjoyed writing to her missionary. They were both just shy of 24 on their wedding day.

Joseph was married to Lucille Erskine in the Salt Lake Temple, September 5, 1935, by Elder Charles A. Callis of the Council of the Twelve. They had a wedding breakfast at Aunt Ivy McAuliffe's, and a beautiful Reception at the Belvedere Lounge. They didn't own a car, so didn't go on a honeymoon, but had a lovely apartment at 1258 Emerson Avenue. Seven months before they were married they started buying furniture, and by the time September came, all their lovely furniture was paid for. 

In 1936 Joe and Lucille bought their first car. It was a Grey Chevrolet Coupe. They were so thrilled to own a car. Now they didn't have to take the streetcar or walk. He was working for Snelgrove Ice Cream Company in Sugarhouse at the time, and Lucille was working for the Government WPA at the building that houses Deseret Industries now.

They were married for 29 years and had four children, two boys and two girls.

• Joseph LaMar, born May 28, 1937
• Sharon Lucille born September 16, 1938
• Diane born March 10, 1943
• Steven Arthur born June 22, 1946.

Golf was Joseph's first love in sports - he lived close to Forest Dale golf course and caddied there for many years while growing up. He really didn't take up fishing until his son LaMar was 10 years old and was selling nightcrawlers. They didn't even own a fishing rod, but decided to go to Mill Creek Stream and try their luck. Joe fixed two willows with line, hook and bait. LaMar pulled in a 21 inch German Brown. He had his picture taken with the fish, as one of the largest caught on opening day. That did it. They went out and bought fishing tackle and have enjoyed the sport ever since.

Joe went on some wonderful fishing trips. Each opening of fishing season they would go to Fish Lake and camp out. His brother Ed loved fishing too. While on a vacation to the northwest, he went to Westport on the Ocean and fished for salmon with his brother John. He went on lots of fishing trips to Strawberry, Yellowstone, Wyoming and Montana. Now he enjoyed fishing as much as he did golf. He loved all sporting events, and would work the High School Basketball Tournament each year, as an usher.

As a child, Joe suffered from a broken arm, and rheumatic fever. This may have been the cause of his heart problems later in life. In 1933, while traveling through the Everglades in Florida he was bitten by mosquitos and got Malaria. He was very sick for two weeks, and they gave him quinine and milk of magnesia with ice. When he got overly tired each summer the Malaria would come back again and he would be down for 2 weeks again. This lasted for 7 years. In 1945 he got a blood clot following an emergency appendectomy for a ruptured appendix and was in St. Marks Hospital for one month under oxygen. The doctors only gave him a 50-50 chance to pull through. President Richards came and administered to him and he recovered, showing the power of the Priesthood and faith that he would get better.

In 1957 Joe had Hypertension and was hospitalized for 2 weeks. His blood pressure was 230 over 130 on May 30th. In 1959 he had Bleeding Ulcers on Thanksgiving Day. In 1961 he had a heart attack in February. In March 1962 he had Bleeding Ulcers,  and in July of that year, he was hospitalized with wrenched shoulder and a broken hand following a roll-over car accident. In March 1964 he had another heart attack. In 1965 he had his third heart attack and passed away May 24, 1965. For his last stay in the hospital he went in on May 17, and died May 24. He said he would only stay one week.

Back in 1964 after his big heart attack, Joe was unable to work full time. He would come to the office when he was able, and they were very good to him. They continued his paychecks coming in each month. They finally had to bring in an assistant, Dale Curtis, to take over in purchasing. After Joe came home from the hospital in 1964, his good neighbor Coke Willardson would come over each day and give him a shot. She continued this all summer. Joe was beginning to fill up with water, and he had a geographic tongue. He had a hard time sleeping and he was taking a lot of medication every day for his heart. His appetite was poor and he was miserable. His cardiograms showed a lot of heart damage.

His father was Custodian at L.D.S. Business College. He and his brother John worked as Deseret Newspaper boys while growing up, and helped support the family. His father passed away December 11, 1946. His mother worked in the Temple after that. In 1950 she had a bad stroke, which left her unable to speak, and for 5 years she was this way. It was heartbreaking seeing her try to let you know what she wanted. She couldn't write either and was partially paralyzed. The family put her in a rest home, but she was not happy there. Joe would bring her up on Sundays in her wheelchair and have dinner, then take her to church and then back to the rest home. She died Aug. 16, 1955.

• Residences - Born in a home on 9th East, grew up at 2256 South 8th East, 1258 Emerson Avenue, 837 Sherman Avenue, 1261 Malvern Avenue, 246 East 21st South, 2740 Grandview Circle.
• Places of Work - Lauren W. Gibbs as a typist, Snelgrove Ice Cream as Ice Cream Dispenser and Manager, Garden Gate Ice Cream as Ice Cream Dispenser and Manager, Presiding Bishop’s Office, L.D.S. Church as Bookkeeper, Kennecott Copper, shift work during 2nd World War, Bingham-Garfield Railroad as Bookkeeper, Granite School District as Purchasing Agent, and was with Granite for 17 years until he passed away.
• Church positions - Elder, Seventy, High Priest, and Ward Clerk for 3 Bishoprics - Bishop H. D. Lowry, Bishop O. E. Aylett, and Bishop Feron Olson. He was also Sunday School Superintendent. His Wards - Forest Dale, Emerson, Wasatch, Hawthorne, Highland Park, Burton, Columbus, Grandview and Grandview II.

Joseph really enjoyed his mission and the wonderful people he met. He had a faith-promoting experience when he blessed a tiny baby with a growth on his head and he was healed. President Charles A. Callis headed the Mission. He got to love him and his wonderful family. Then President Callis was released and President Le Grand Richards headed the Mission. Joe lived right in their home. It was a wonderful experience. He was Mission Secretary. President Richard’s first mission to Holland made him acquainted with Joe's folks. He stayed right at their home and got to love them. They ran a laundry in Holland, and saved their money so they could come to Salt Lake City for their religion. They were converts to the church.

Joe and Lucille had a wonderful marriage and enjoyed their four lovely children.

• LaMar married Marjorie Norman June 29, 1962 in the Salt Lake Temple. They have four children, Scott, Christopher, Wendy and Jenny. 
• Sharon married Kent Amann June 27, 1957 in the Salt Lake Temple. They have three children, Randy, Ricky and Alyson. 
• Diane married Jon Mauss October 17, 1962. They have two children. Mauri and Brad. They lost one baby (2 days old), Leslie Ann, their second baby. 
• Steven married Diana Wathen June 28, 1967 in Frankfurt, Germany. They were divorced in July 1970. No children. He married Jan Thompson February 1, 1972. She has a boy Mike. As of August 15, 1973 this brings his grandchildren to (11). 

Joe was the first to leave this existence. What a wonderful homecoming with his mother, father, 5 brothers and 1 sister and his in-laws to greet him. He is working hard and making a place for his posterity.

Joe's siblings stories ...

• John married Melva Saunders in the Salt Lake Temple, and they had three children, Dorene, Jerry and Janet. John died in 1998.
• Alice married Paul Heller in October 1935, and they had two sons, Ronald and Bruce. Alica died in 1989.
• Edward Paul married Doreen Cobb in the Salt Lake Temple and they had four children, Kathy, Kenneth, Karen and Kyle. Edward died in 2011.

Sharon wrote a tribute too ...

Daddy loved fishing. He would go fishing practically every weekend during the summer when he was in better health. Quite often he would take the family along. And as most fishermen do, he would say he would be back at 6:00 but would really mean 8:00.  Lamar used to sell nightcrawlers when we lived on 21st South. Daddy would take Lamar to the golf course at night and help him catch worms.

Daddy was good at arithmetic. He would always help us with our homework. We probably never would have passed Algebra without him. 

 Daddy enjoyed doing things with the family. Every holiday he would take us all, and usually our friends too, to some resort for swimming and having fun. He would also take us, the whole family, on drives every Sunday; and we would always talk him into buying us an ice cream cone.

Although Daddy would take the boys fishing, he didn't neglect us girls. He was always willing to go with us to the daddy-daughter parties held in school and the ward. This meant a lot to us. He was always interested in the things we were doing.

1965 Summary

 

In 1965, the war in Vietnam continued to worsen and the Anti-War movement grew. On November 13th, 35,000 protestors marched on Washington. There was also continued civil unrest with rioting, looting and arson in Los Angeles. This was the first year mandated health warnings appeared on cigarette packets and smoking was looked on negatively. The latest craze in kid's toys was the Super Ball and The Skate Board. Fashions also changed as women's skirts got shorter men's hair grew longer as the miniskirt makes its appearance. The word "Hypertext" is created to describe linking in early computer systems and computer networking. (The People History)

On the Westra homefront, LaMar turned 28 in May 28, 1965, Margie turned 23 in November and Scott turned 2 at the end of the year in December. Home was still the house on 2031 Rainier in Richland Village. Joseph Ate Westra passed away 24 May 1965. The family drove to SLC the next day. The funeral was Friday, 28 May 1965, on LaMar’s 28th birthday. They returned to Richland 12-13 June 1965.

LaMar had a bicycle, and they purchased one for Margie too. Add a baby seat for Scottie and they would ride all around the town. Mom/Margie mentioned that Scott loved the bike and would ask "Go bye-bye on bike?" Mom wrote in Scott's baby book that Dad/Lamar would ride his bike to work every day, and that she and Scottie would go meet him. Mom also mentioned "I remember on the bike rides, with him in his little bike seat, he would give me directions on where to turn on our way to his friend Kevin Pickard's house, at such a young age. It was quite a ways away, with many turns, and I was amazed he could know the way and tell me!"

Why is there a picture of a volleyball included in the photo collage for the year? LaMar was playing on the ward volleyball team. He wrote "We won our stake tournament and went to Portland to play in the Regional Tournament, 18 April 1965. We stayed at a motel in Portland. We also played some golf in Portland. The flowers in Portland were gorgeous. Our ward volleyball team went to Salt Lake City to play in the all-church tournament, 23 April 1965. We got trounced by teams from Hawaii and Oakland, California. Those players hit the volleyball so hard that they sometimes split the volleyball." Being in Salt Lake, LaMar was able to see his dad one last time before he died. 

Pixy PinUps from Penneys

These cute pictures of little Scotty weren't unfamiliar to me ... I'd seen them before, and they are saved in Dropbox (1964). While going through the "kid boxes" from the folk's house, I stumbled upon the originals. They were still stored in the initial envelope, which added some interesting information ...

Pixy Pin-ups! I did a Google search of Dunbar-Stanley Studios to see what was available about them, and found some unusual results. There were several lawsuits listed, although they all seemed to be the same one (Dunbar-Stanley Studios vs Alabama) dealing with licensing and taxes. There was another article on an antiques/collectables blog that gave some additional information on the company (Portraits by the Pound) indicating a gimmick for sales, where they would weigh the child, and that was the basis of the cost! Looking at the envelope holding Scotty's pictures, it looks like here in 1964 at this location they had switched to a flat rate for said photos. 

Dunbar-Stanley Studios were the exclusive photography studio of the J.C. Penney department store franchise. Some larger stores may have had a full-time photo studio, but the smaller stores made appointments with Dunbar-Stanley to send out a photographer for a few days at a time, several times a year. J.C. Penney actually made the sale, sharing a portion of the profit with Dunbar-Stanley Studios, and all the film was shipped off to North Carolina for processing.

According to an interview in the Victoria Advocate (TX)  in 1960, the business was tightly controlled to make baby photography as effective as possible. 

 The company would only employ “…young and unmarried women, many of whom are recruited from airline hostess schools”, and their training went beyond just clicking a shutter. Training included child psychology, and by the end of their training, whether literally or figuratively, the employees are “required to dismantle and reassemble the camera with her eyes closed.” 

A 1966 “Help Wanted: Female” listing from Eugene, Oregon, listed requirements as “Single and over 18; High school graduate; Have good character references.”

The ad outlines the benefits as well: salary during training, a company car with all expenses paid, and after 3 years a free trip to Europe to employees with ‘satisfactory service’. This army of young ladies, high-tech camera in hand, cruised the backroads of America from J.C. Penney to J.C. Penney, trying to get kids to smile. They were certainly successful with young Scotty!

The ‘Pixy’ name remained well into the 1990s, but the current J.C. Penney portrait studios aren’t run by Dunbar-Stanley anymore. Still, when I Googled "Where can I get portraits taken" today... JC Penneys was the first option to come up!

1964 Summary

What were the big news stories in 1964? Well, in the world, the Vietnam War was going on, there were race riots in many big cities, the Beatles topped the charts, there was a huge earthquake in Alaska, the U.S. Surgeon General reported that smoking may lead to lung cancer, and the Boston Strangler was apprehended. A little closer to home ...  LaMar turned 27 in May, Margie turned 22 in November and Scotty was experiencing his first year of life. The Westra family was living in Richland Village, 2031 Rainier.

From Dad/Lamar's notes:  Easter Sunday was 29 March 1964. Vacation trip to Utah, 22 May to 7 June 1964. The trip to Salt Lake took two days. We stayed at a motel in Ontario, Oregon. The trip back to Richland took two days. We stayed at a motel in Mountain Home, Idaho.  We purchased a freezer, 28 Aug 1964, GE, $225. We still had that freezer until 2010 or so. Bought a Christmas Tree 14 Dec. $1.50 Margie was teaching primary.  Bowling on Tuesdays.

It looks like they got a lot of family visits in during the Utah trip. Pictures with Grandpa Joe and Grandma Lucille (and Cousin Mauri), four generation shots ... Scotty, Margie, her dad Rex and his dad Herbert.  Scotty, Margie, her mom Zada, and her mom Hannah. Apparently the guys (Lamar, Arnold and Rex) had success fishing too! Back home to Washington where Scotty learned to crawl and walk and talk (check out the "When Scott Was Small" blog post for details). 

More Scott pictures from 1964 ...

The Blue Sweater

Uncovering old photographs, this picture of Mom/Margie and baby Scott surfaced. This would have been early 1964. Fun to see Dad/Lamar's shadow taking the picture too. But it was the blue sweater that sparked some memories and conversation.

Margie: Dad(Lamar) had a sweater like that. He can't remember if he got it in Europe someplace (he didn't go to Norway during his post-mission tour) or through his friend Jim Peterson (who went to Norway on his mission) after Dad got home. Soon after we got married, Dad got a contact through Jim, and had a Norwegian lady copy Dad's sweater and make a matching one for me.

Jen: I totally remember that blue sweater - although I didn't know there were two of them, I just assumed you were wearing Dads!

Margie: It hasn't fit me for many many years, so I am not sure what happened to either of them or if they are around here somewhere. Dad's probably fits well since he weighs about 15 lbs. less than he did back then!

 

A Letter from "Scotty"

While the Westra's have had these classic photos of baby Scotty typing away ... until now, it was unknown what exactly he was writing up. That mystery has been solved as this letter was uncovered!

 

I *think* Daddy may have helped with the writing of this letter ... although in future years, we'd see some fun writing from Scott (check out Covid-Free world, Covid Limmericks, 2020 Father'sDay Invitation and Dad's Moles and his new verses to "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day"). While many things are recorded in journals and baby books (see "When Scott was Small" for tidbits from his baby book), a little letter like this includes some of the day-to-day things that could easily be forgotten. It's a fun peek at the past! 

Here's a transcription if the typed copy is too hard to read ...

Dear Grandma and Grandpa,

This is your little grandson Scottie writing you a letter. I just learned how to type last week so you’ll have to pardon any of my mistakes. My daddy just took a picture of me typing this letter and he said to tell you he’ll be sending it as soon as he finishes the roll.

This has been quite a hectic week for me. My first tooth is still coming in and is bothering me quite a bit. I’m quite restless at night and this cuts into my sleepy time; my folks have been missing a little sleep too. I really enjoy our new air conditioner; it keeps me cool man, cool.

My daddy has a holiday today so he’s been home working in the garden. I’ve been out supervising and helping once in a while. I took my shirt off and have been getting a nice sun tan. Lots of my little friends came to see me while I was outside, and some of us went for a little walk together.

Tonight Vaunn and Laurie next door and I are going to have a barbeque. We’re letting our folks come too, of course.

I like my walker better now; and, boy, can I ever scoot around fast!

We got a jug of root beer yesterday, and it sure is yummy. I didn’t know what I was missing all this time!

We went water skiing today, but my mommy and I were too chicken to try it. My daddy went up twice and got dunked once. My daddy and I both got sunburns. We went with Jeff and Craig Downs, and they brought their folks to help put in the boat.

I got up at 4:00 this morning and made my daddy get up and play with me. He and I typed up some genealogy information for Uncle John and we are enclosing it with this letter. Since I got up so early this morning I’m pretty tired so I’ll hit the crib early tonight. Be sure and return my letter and tell me all the news from Salt Lake.

Love you all,

Scottie

Check out more of what was going on the year this was written

... pictures and recaps in the 1964 Summary.

1963 - Move to Richland and Welcome Baby Scottie

1963 is called "the year that changed the world" by some. There was the historic March on Washington, Martin Luther King's "I have a dream" speech, and the early involvement of the U.S. in the Vietnam War. Beatlemania had started up. Then, on Nov. 22, the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. On a more "Westra" note ... 1963 was the year the young Westra couple left Utah for Washington, and added their first baby to the family! LaMar turned 26 on May 28, 1963. Margie turned 21 on Nov. 7, 1963. Scott was born on Monday, Dec. 16, 1963.

In the Spring, Dad/Lamar was interviewing for a new job. 

Here's memories from both Dad and Mom:

From Dad: I started interviewing different companies for a job. There were three main possibilities: IBM in SLC, 14 March. Shell Oil in San Francisco, and Marathon Oil in Denver. In the summer of 1963, I went on two interview trips. One was by myself, flying to Denver, Colorado to interview Marathon Oil, and then Margie and I drove to San Francisco to interview Shell Oil Company. Then we accepted a job offer from General Electric in Richland, Washington, one of the three cities making up the Tri Cities. We moved to Richland, Washington on our first anniversary: 29 June 1963. We moved into a little house in Richland Village, 2031 Rainier. The house was on the corner. It had two bedrooms and a basement and a detached garage. We paid $79 a month for rent. 

 From Mom: Around the time of our first wedding anniversary, we moved to Richland, Washington. LaMar had 3 job offers, one in California, one in Denver, and the one in Richland. He visited Denver to interview, we both made the trip to California to interview----then accepted the Richland job offer from General Electric without even visiting there. I was 3 months pregnant with Scott. It was difficult to find a place to rent. Apartment complexes didn’t want people with children or expecting one. We finally found an old house to rent on Rainier Street. LaMar had to start work, so I had to spend the days in the empty house, waiting for the moving truck to arrive. I had morning sickness and ate barbecue-flavor potato chips while waiting at the house----I haven’t been able to stand them for the next 50 years! We had some nice young couples as neighbors and enjoyed life there. LaMar was a stake missionary and took classes a couple times a week, so I got tired of being alone a lot. I joined a ladies bowling league as I needed to get out of the house. Bowling Tuesdays.

The house (taken a few years later/Chris in the window)

It's always interesting to see how the different write-ups compare *Ü* What details are written down. Here's a little more from Mom and Dad, and more about Scott's birth:

From Dad: 22 Nov 1963 – President John F. Kennedy was assassinated. I was working in the plant, and everyone was in shock. Scott Edward Westra was born: on Monday, Dec. 16, 1963, 12:50 AM. Scottie was born in Kadlec Memorial Hospital, which had been built years before by the government. Margie and Scottie came home from the hospital, Friday, 20 Dec. Christmas 1963 We bought a Christmas Tree, 11 Dec, $4.

From Mom: Scott was born on Monday, Dec. 16, 1963, just before midnight, at the Kadlec Methodist Hospital. It was an old military hospital, all on one floor, with many wings. 3 women in a room. You had to get out of bed and go to the bottom of the bed and use a crank to raise or lower the bed. They didn't do epidurals in Washington--they were behind the times. The husbands couldn't even be in the labor or delivery rooms! I hated being alone in labor and in pain. I remember when the doctor told me "It won't get any worse than this" at one point. He lied! It was a fast labor and delivery. They had to wake LaMar up in the waiting room to tell him he had a son! I remember the ride home from the hospital, feeling scared that this little helpless baby was up to me to care for. My parents came up for a visit after he was born. After they returned to Salt Lake, I developed a fever and weakness on my left side and was re-hospitalized. They did a spinal tap, etc. to check for meningitis, etc. Our pediatrician arranged for baby Scott to be admitted also, so I could nurse him, and so LaMar didn’t have to care for him. The doctor put the bump on Scott’s ear as the reason for the hospital admittance. I had a couple more episodes of the fever and weakness over the next few months and my doctor had me go to a neurologist in Seattle. I was never really diagnosed—just “an inflammation of the brain.” It hasn't reoccurred but has left me with a slight weakness on my left side.

Mom wrote that "Christmas was just a blur for me in 1963, having a baby and all and going back to the hospital." Years later, Jen would have a similar situation with a December baby (Colton) and rehospitalization a week later (but it was baby Colton being admitted ... no excuse needed to let Mom stay, and Dad/Gray was in charge of taking care of four little boys at home!)

Adding to this post with a few finds from the baby book ...

Mom/Margie had mentioned in her memory that Scott was born just before midnight, but in the baby book, 12:50 am is listed as the time. Weight was recorded as 7 pounds 1½ ounces, but noted that it dropped to 6 pounds 14 ounces while in the hospital, and was 7 pounds 3 ounces at discharge. Length was 19½ inches and head circumference was 13½ inches. Not much hair. The baby book kept a very good history of weight and height over the coming years. There will be more to come in another post showcasing Scott!