A to Z April Challenge: Z is for Zone

“We need to get together more often and not at a funeral.” How many times have you and a cousin said that? Funerals are much like a family reunion. You can learn a lot about a family just by looking at who showed up. Using my grandparents’ guest books and sympathy cards, I’ll be exploring “Who came to the funeral?”

is for Zone, the neighborhood zone. When I was going through the cards from when my maternal grandfather died in 1963, I was especially touched by one in particular. The neighbors had all chipped in to send flowers to my grandmother.

My grandparents lived at the corner of Gillis and Frailey. The list of names on that card is the geography of Frailey Place.

From Google Maps street view
Left to Right: Davis, Louden, Harris behind the trees

On the “peninsula” between Frailey Place and Travis Place was the Louden family. They had a daughter much older than the majority of the kids on Frailey, but she would always speak if we were out in the street jumping rope. She would even take a turn holding one end for a game of High Water-Low Water.

Mildred Harris lived at the corner of Gillis and Travis, to the right of the Loudens’. Her yard was like a garden in the 1960s. She was a friend from church, so I’m not surprised to see her name included in the list of “Your Neighbors” which seems otherwise to be families along Frailey.

I believe the Bowens lived on Travis, probably next to either Mrs. Harris or the Loudens.

From Google Maps street view
Left to Right: Harris, Cummings, Foltz, Hornick

Across from my grandparents and right behind the Loudens were the Hornicks. They were accountants with an office in their home. With a paved driveway that looked like a divided highway, they had the best rollerskating surface in the neighborhood. The covered carport at the end of the driveway was perfect for twirling and skating in circles. The Hornicks never complained about our intrusion. Occasionally they closed the kitchen door, but that was the worst that ever happened to us kids except, of course, when they were actually parked in the carport. Bummer! The Hornicks always prepared my parents’ and grandparents’ taxes, and when their son took over the family business, he did the same for us until he retired a few years ago.

Next to the Hornicks was Mrs. Foltz and her son and daughter. Sonny was one of the few boys in this girl-heavy neighborhood. He often joined us in our games of tag, and he came to all the birthday parties. I’m not sure whatever happened to Mr. Foltz. He came and went until one day he went for good.

Debbie, my sister Mary Jollette, Donna

Next to the Foltz house were Russ and Tess Cummings and their four kids. Donald and Barbara were teenagers, so I didn’t know them as well as I knew Katherine and Donna. Barbara and Betty Foltz next door were cheerleaders, and they practiced cheers out in the yard. They were the cool girls making everyone want to be a cheerleader. Katherine always had good paperdolls, but my favorite toy of hers was a cute pink metal kitchen set. Donna was at that funny age – a couple years too young for me and a couple years too old for my sister, but despite the difference in age, Donna was easy-going and always a good companion willing to play whatever part she was assigned in our many make-believe games.

The last house on that side of the street was the Harris house. What I remember most was playing in their ditch that ran parallel with Victory Boulevard. That ditch seemed deeper and wider in the 1960s than it does today. Still, what a dangerous place to play – where were our parents?

From Google Maps street view
Allen house was the only two-story on Frailey.

Next door to my grandparents was Earl and Betts Allen and their four kids. Big brother Dickie was too busy with Little League to bother with us girls. I played with Peggy, Mary, and Anne probably more than with any of the other kids on the block.

Anne, Mary, Peggy, and Me
in dress-ups

The card reminds me of what a fine time and place to grow up. While I don’t see the Frailey Place kids often, we are still Facebook friends. Too often we see each other at a funeral. One by one, we have buried all the parents now. Mr. Cummings was the last one, just a couple weeks ago.

We need to think of a more cheerful reason to get together now.

Zip, Zoom, or Zigzag over to the A to Z April Challenge Zone for Zillions of Zesty Zingers by Zealous Zanies before they are Zapped.  But the challenge is now over, so it’s time for me to catch some zzzzzzzzzzzz’s.

Now give me my Survivor Badge!

© 2015, Wendy Mathias.  All rights reserved.