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Note: My mother was born in the Lowell General Hospital. She, and her twin brother, Francis were born on the same day. Francis (Frank) states that he was born first. We have a copy of her birth certificate. Her family was living at 155 Butman Road in Lowell, Massachusetts when they were born.
Everyone called her "June". When she was younger growing up with her brother Frank, they were called "June" and "Junior". She grew up in Lowell, Massachusetts, and attended an all-girls school (grades 8 through 12) named Rogers Hall. She had no further education. She lived in Lowell at 155 Butman Road, with her parents until she moved to Alabama to get married, in 1943.
Her father had a beautiful 31 foot sailboat "Molly May" moored in Marblehead Harbor. He was an excellent sailor (as was her brother, Frank), and Mom loved the ocean and loved to sail. They spent many hours on the Atlantic Ocean sailing the "Molly May" together.
Our family lived both on Peaches Point, and Marblehead Neck, while in Massachusetts. We family moved to Scottsdale, Arizona, about 1953, when dad was transferred "out west" by his company. Our ranch home there was about five miles north of the town (it was not a city yet) of Scottsdale, on Berneil Drive. We lived about four miles from Darthea Ravenscroft (Dad's mother).
Before long, we had five horses, western clothes and hats, and we were no longer "easterners". Mom seemed to take on Arizona with ease, except she eventually became allergic to just about everything that grows out here. Mom had her own horse, "Princess". She was a tough woman, putting up with snakes and scorpions, dirt everywhere and no ocean. She, (and we kids) did have the chance to fly back to New England, (Massachusetts), almost every other summer though, to visit with her parents, go sailing and eat seafood.
Our family moved to Tucson, Arizona in the early 60's. After the children grew up and moved out, she occasionally volunteered at different businesses to keep busy. I don't believe that she ever had a job. She was always a stay-at-home mom, taking care of the home and kids. She was an avid reader, and loved to swim (most of her homes in Tucson had pools). She made friends easily and always had "the gang" over for meals (although she always said she didn't like to cook, she was a terrific one).
She was hardly sick a day of her life (good New England Heritage), until 1988. It was then that she was diagnosed with cancer. She passed on, very soon after that. We loved her dearly, and we all miss her very much.
She is buried in the Green Acres Cemetery in Scottsdale, Arizona, next to her son Harry. It is at 401 N. Hayden Road. She is in the Garden of Flowers Section, Lot 406, Space 4.
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