|
a.
|
Note: [Dugan.FTW]
[Keens.FTW]
Gladys was born in Holyoke, Mass. in 1910. She lived at 21 Spring St and her grand parents and uncles Chris and Ralph lived at 26 Spring St. Her life was made difficult when her father walked out on the family in 1921. Gladys and her mother had to move when they could not keep up the payments and Gladys was sent to a foster home which was run in a girl scout format, then into two more foster homes the last for 3 years were she was treated well and she remembers them with affection. She baby sat their son at their cottage on a lake and this gave her opportunities to have fun. At 19 Gladys and her Mother came to Conn. shoreline and and they worked at domestic labor in Branford and Fort Trumble ,Milford hotels and late in the 1920's she met Ear l Dugan.
She married in 1929 in New Rochell , New York and honeymooned in NY NYC City.
She had returned to Springfield, Mass. to work and Earl Came after her there and asked her to marry him. Earl had been married previously and had two daughters, Rosemary 6 & Eileen 7 yrs. old. Dad's first wife died of cancer.
When Earl died in 1941 she took over driving one of the family truck hauling and delivering light freight to drug stores in Fairfield County, CT. and this meant long days of driving and trying to maintain a teenage family which she did successfully. When dad died I remember the only time I saw her in a weak moment which was when she was exhausted from a long day and she was doing the business books and found that the breakdowns on the trucks that week were costing most of the profits that month and she wasn't sure if she could make ends meet and keep the business going to support us all. Mom passed that crisis and then converted the 9 room house into two apartments and converted the garage into a five room house that we moved into. Her strong will and determination was an inspiration to her family and George ,Carol and I know how to try harder to overcome life's adversity because of her love, courage,strength and example that will never be for gotten . If she can do it so can I.
In 1950 she remarried and after several years, later she and Harold moved to Florida to live. She moved in with her mother to help her take care of her step father and then her mother until her death. She and Harold traveled around the south and trips to Conn. and Maine to visit with family. She is still active at a health spa where she swims for exercise there and at a pool near her apartment. At 88 year of age she drives her younger friends to places when they need her and drives long distances to visit old friends during the holidays . - Earl - her Son
|
