Memento Mori: James Robert Strait 1949 - 2017

Cousin Jimmy* is the little guy being held up by his half-sister Nancy Lee Peterson (1937-1974), while I'm standing next to Jimmy's half-brother Charles Frederick "Freddie" Peterson, Jr. (1940-2008) in this photo taken sometime in 1950.

[Photo taken on the front lawn of the Currey grandparents' house on 69th Street from my personal collection.]

Jimmy lived across the street and was my most constant playmate until his family moved to Arkansas in 1961 and we lost touch completely. Last year I traced his residence to Virginia and passed the information on to a cousin who had hoped to make contact. This morning I decided to see if there was anything more to learn about him and found this:

James “Jim” Robert Strait, 67, USN, Ret., died suddenly at Lake of the Woods, April 16, 2017. Survivors include a son, two daughters and five grandchildren. 

I shared this sad news with Dad's nephew and his son today.

May you rest in peace Jimmy.



*He was the youngest child of Dad's sister Marguerite and her second husband Roy Strait.


© 2017 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Sunday Drive: Trip to Oregon 1954 - June 7th

Here's Mother's entry for the first day of our trip to Oregon. (Note: Mother's spelling was never her strongest point, not was it Dad's either.)

And Kodachrome slides we can connect to the events of the day.

[Dad's caption: Margurite, Dad, Freddy, Mother Poncheti Min

Pat Jimmy

Start on Trip 1954]

Back row, left to right: Dad's youngest sister Marguerite Helen Currey (1913-1999), his father Delbert Artimus Currey (1869-1954), Marguerite's son by her first husband, Freddy (Charles Frederick Peterson, Jr. 1940-2008), Dad's mother Ethel Viola Plank (1882-1961), neighbor Bernard Ponchetti (1907-1994), and Mother Bernice Evangeline Grenfell (1902-1979). I'm standing next to Marguerite younger son Jimmy** who lived across the street and was my constant playfellow.

Our first night was spent at Doheny State Beach (98 miles away). It's likely the photo below was taken while Mother was napping as Dad always most of the pictures.

[Dad's caption: Pat Dohney State Park 1954]

*Mother hated being called Min though Dad never let that stop him. And all those people were close neighbors--notice how far away she placed herself from her in-laws with a empty space and Mr. Ponchetti as insulation.
**As far as I can tell Jimmy is the only other person in this photo who's still alive so I'm not sharing any personal information about him.

© 2016 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.

Working on Wednesday: Strait

He's not in the photo (because he's undoubtedly the one behind the camera), but Dad Currey obviously asked his brother-in-law Roy Strait (1920-2009)* to give him a hand with a load of lumber some time in 1952. I wonder if the boards were being bought or sold?

[From my personal collection]

Although no location in mentioned in the notes I think this was probably taken at Whiting-Mead, the only lumber yard I can ever remember going to with him.

[San Diego Union Classifieds, 23 Jun 1952]

Note the shovel on the side of the truck's bed. An axe was similarly attached to the opposite side. Both were therefore readily at hand in case of need. I recall one time when someone's campfire got a bit out of hand and Dad was right there with his shovel to put out the small blaze.


*Second husband of his youngest sister Marguerite.

© 2016 Copyright, Christine Manczuk, All Rights Reserved.