Alice’s Suitcase

Alice was a wonderful woman. She was my father’s mother, and she had the kindest heart and soul. She would have gladly given the clothes off her back to help someone in need. She met my grandfather, Jerry, in 1951 on a blind date. At the time, she was training to become a nurse, and he had just been drafted in the army and was sent to Indiana. He wrote Alice many letters, one of which was addressed to Alice’s parents asking their permission to marry her. Through this correspondence, they planned a wedding and when he returned home, they got married in 1952. Alice and Jerry were married for over 53 years when Alice passed away from an aggressive form of Lupis. A few years later, Jerry followed her.

After they were married, they lived with Jerry’s parents for a while before moving into University housing and then to a rental house near the site of their future home that was being built. After their third child was born, they moved into their new home and spent the rest of their lives together in, what the family calls, the red house (due to the paint color). Now that they are gone, the family is left to go through memories and reminisce of times past. While going through some of my grandmother’s things, they found this suitcase and some of the following: 2 evening clutches, 2 hats, and one handkerchief which is thought to have belonged to Alice’s mother before her. Along with these, a Singer Dress Marker, and a black cocktail dress with a matching belt were found.

When they celebrated their 50th wedding anniversary, their original wedding attire was put on dressforms and displayed for guests. Below my grandmother’s wedding dress were her shoes, which were turned into a silk flower arrangement. I have those shoes now, and every time I look at them, I am reminded of the day she wore them, and how excited and happy she must have been.