Two of my favorite grandaunts were these two ladies, Aunt Kate and Aunt Bill. Kate and Bill were the 8th and 7th children born to Owen and Minnie Williams and were lifelong best friends.
Aunt Bill--sometimes called Aunt Billie--was born Alfreda Eliza Williams on 18 Aug 1912 in Fairbury, Illinois. The Williams family moved to Indiana soon after she was born. In the 1920 Census Billie was an 7-year old with four brothers and four sisters. For some reason her name was recorded as "Lena" when the enumerator wrote it down (maybe Alfreda was misheard as Lena???). When the 1920 Census was taken, 17-year old Billie was no longer living with the family but wasn't yet married. On 8 Mar 1937 Billie married for the first time to a man named Teddy Miller but the marriage was short and not mentioned later in her life. In 1939 Billie married Clarence Bernhardt Keehn. Billie's last marriage took place in 1954 when she tied the knot with Gerald "Whitey" White. She and Uncle Whitey were married until he passed away in 1979. Aunt Bill retired from the Kingsbury Furniture Company after working for 23 years of work as a sewing machine operator.
Aunt Kate was born Florence Kathryn Williams on 13 Sep 1914 in Jasper County, Indiana. Five-year old Kate was recorded in the 1920 Census but was nowhere when the 1930 Census was taken. Had she left home as a 15-year old? On 23 Mar 1933 18-year old Kate married Sherman Walters in Cassopolis, Michigan. Uncle Sherm died in 1956 and two years later Kate married Orville "Ope" O'Pelt. In 1982 Kate was widowed when Uncle Ope passed away. Aunt Kate retired from the Kingsbury Furniture Company after working for 22 years as a furniture inspector.
The Williams sisters found themselves widowed about the same time. They had both been living in Kingsbury, Indiana for many years so it seemed logical for the two of them to move in together to share expenses and companionship. They were both heavy smokers so that wouldn't be an issue. They could smoke and cough together. Both women liked to spend their days in sensible house dresses and comfortable slippers. As soon as breakfast was done they planned what lunch would be. When lunch was cleaned up, it was time to plan what they'd cook for dinner. Because they sat for so many hours every day Aunt Bill started cutting off the tops of tube socks to wear over her elbows as they rested on the table. When any of their grandnieces or grandnephews came to visit there would be a silver dollar for them to take home as a prize. When their knee arthritis flared up the cure was to rub the knee with WD-40 "until I can taste it in my mouth".
Hmmm. Sure, WD-40 is a popular product. It has many house-hold uses and works wonders on squeaky hinges, rusted bolts and tools and stiff door locks. But does it make stiff, sore, squeaking arthritic joints work better? According to the makers of WD-40:
FALSE. WD-40 Company does not recommend the use of WD-40® for medical purposes and knows no reason why WD-40 would be effective for arthritis pain relief. WD-40 contains petroleum distillates and should be handled with the same precautions for any product containing this type of material.
Oops.
These two best friend sisters had big and generous hearts. They loved to laugh and talk. Neither had given birth but they dearly loved Billie's adopted daughter and their many nieces, nephews, grand-nieces, and grand-nephews.
Aunt Bill passed away on 10 Sep 1994 when she was 82. Aunt Kate lived for sixteen months after Billie died, passing away on 24 Jan 1996.
and an example of the tube sock on the elbow!
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