Wednesday, April 22, 2015

A to Z April Challenge: S is for Strole



“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 Strole. Blanche Marie Rucker Strole, to be precise. Blanche attended the funerals of both my grandfather in 1963 and grandmother in 1990. She was my maternal grandmother’s first cousin. I say “first cousins,” but that’s not exactly accurate. They were first cousins on their Rucker side because their fathers were brothers. However, they were also second cousins on their Eppard side because their mothers were cousins.

Blanche was the sixth of ten children born to Walter and Ada Rucker in Rockingham County, Virginia. My grandmother was understandably close to this Rucker family. The names of some of the children are so familiar to me as I remember Grandma talking about them – names like Edith, Beulah, Nellie, Lee, and, of course, Blanche. 

Blanche was born in 1905 and grew up in the Furnace #2 area of the county. She completed seven years of education, which was fairly common in that time.

In 1924, Blanche married a railroad man like her father. Willie B. "Bill" Strole and Blanche rented one half of a house on Fifth Street in Shenandoah, Virginia; the other half was rented by Blanche’s brother Frank and his wife.  Frank and Bill were both brakemen for the Norfolk & Western Railroad.

Bill and Blanche had one daughter, Doris Jean, born in 1929.  

Blanche Rucker Strole 1966 http://jollettetc.blogspot.com
1966 - Blanche and Bill Strole on the left
photo courtesy Jane Rosson

Bill was not the only Strole to marry into the family.  His brother Vernon Clyde married my grandfather’s cousin Pearl Sullivan. 

Jane Rosson Sweet Sixteen cake by Blanche Strole  http://jollettetc.blogspot.com
Sweet Sixteen doll cake by Blanche Strole
photo courtesy Jane Rosson

Blanche was a professional baker and made beautiful cakes out of her home. In researching Blanche, I met a cousin through Ancestry who sent me a number of photos of Blanche’s creations. My newfound cousin Jane Rosson is Blanche’s grandniece. Blanche made Jane’s “Sweet Sixteen” birthday cake 

Jane tosses her bouquet
from Blanche's front porch
photo courtesy Jane Rosson











Cake and flowers by Blanche
photo courtesy Jane Rosson











and her wedding cake. In fact, Jane’s wedding reception was held in Blanche’s beautiful home in Shenandoah.


Another wedding cake by Blanche
photo courtesy Jane Rosson
Jane described Blanche exactly as I remember her: “a wonderful cook and a ball of energy. She always had a smile and a laugh going on. She had a vegetable garden, a cherry tree and lots of beautiful flowers, all of which she shared with friends.” Blanche often made flower arrangements for the EUB Church where she was a faithful member.

Blanche is buried at Coverstone Cemetery in Shenandoah along with many others in my family. 



The sagacious among you sedentary spectators should slip on over to the A to Z April Challenge to scrutinize some scintillating and sardonic selections that will surely leave you feeling satiated.


© 2015, Wendy Mathias.  All rights reserved.

19 comments:

  1. How fun that you met your newly discovered cousin Jane! And how sweet of her to share these wonderful photos with you.

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  2. A newly discovered cousin - how wonderful. What a wonderful cake maker - great wedding cake.

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  3. How cool with her talents with decorating cakes!

    betty

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    1. I know! I love learning little tidbits like this - so much more interesting than dates.

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  4. That whole thing with cousins...first, second...is so confusing to me.

    Awesome pictures. That doll cake is so cute!

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  5. Where is Furnace #2? Great cakes!

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    1. Shenandoah had a number of iron ore furnaces and so the communities that grew up around them often went by the name of the furnace. Furnace #2 was in Rockingham County, probably near Elkton (not far from the Skyline Drive).

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  6. What a cool post. I love the old photos. Especially the doll cake!

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    1. I like that doll cake too. Thanks for visiting.

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  7. Yep, Grandma really did love those girl cousins! I remember their names very well. What a beautiful bride, Jan made, and so lucky to have one of those doll cakes, I had always wanted one!

    Great post. I am learning so much about our family. You are doing a wonderful job. =)

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    1. I'm learning a lot myself!

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    2. Oh Mary, could you share your enthusiasm with my siblings? Sometimes I feel like I'm talking to a brick wall where they're concerned :-)

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    3. Debi, I'll give them a good talking to, if you want! ;-)

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    4. Believe me, Debi, she is the ONLY cheerleader in the family.

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    5. My siblings seem to like it for that fleeting instant when they read my blog and then poof, off they go again. I don't think my kids are all that interested, either. How can people not be interested in their own family when it is handed to them on a silver platter?

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  8. Gotta love all the resources on the net that bring cousins together these days and good for you for seeking her out! You put it all together for a great post.

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