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Note: Letters from Selma Diehm
Letter #1 Mrs. Ferd Diehm Lincoln Sanatarium 14th & M. Streets Lincoln, Nebraska Room 85 Sterling Nebr Dec 12, 1921 Dearest darling Mother: - I meant to write Sunday, but as Sunday is always the busiest day in the week for me, I didn't have time. I was so home sick to see you Saturday but I simply had too much work, and a very bad cold, so let the kids go alone. Well Dear how do you feel today? I can hardly wait until I see you. Julia & Gus said you looked so much better and felt so much better that I can hardly wait to see you for my self. I hope you can sit up pretty well now. We will get you in a car and bring a whole bed with us so you won't ever get a breath of cold air. Oh Dear - It almost seems too good to believe to have you back home with us again. You will never believe how dreadfully we have missed you. I never knew what it meant to speak of sickness before, but the Good Lord has spared you to us again, and I know that after all your patient suffering He will bring you back home to your dear ones. You have often said to us children that we were grown up now and beyond the need of a Mother's care, but how sadly mistaken you were in this, for we missed you in every thing we attempted to do -- and I am convinced that no matter how old I may grow to be, I will never be too grown up to need and appreciate your loving care and advice. Your absence has seemed like so many years instead of weeks, but if you will be profited by it, which I know you will, we will only rejoice the more when you will come. It will certainly be a Happy Xmas for us after all if you can come home by then, for Anna's coming down, and it will seem like old times to have the kiddies and Xmas toys etc at home again. Well Dear, papa is coming up Wed., and you can find out for sure then what day you can come on, and Paul and I, and if need be the whole family will come up to bring you comfortably home. My school work keeps me busy but is running smoothly so will say it is O.K. Well Dear it is way past bedtime, so I will close this, asking the Dear Lord to hasten the day when you may again be home with us, well and happy.
Lovingly -- Selma
Letter #2Hastings Dec 16, 1966
Dear Marvel & Family,
So happy to hear from you, but sorry to hear of Cecile's death. This undoubtedly was a terrific shock to Bill. I am glad you brought her body back with you. That will make him feel he has done all he can, and in some small way make up for not being there. I too am teaching which will partly excuse us for not getting our Holiday Greetings off on time. I hadn't intended to teach -- and so have really had very few clothes & one pair of shoes all fall. When we got back from Europe they all but dragged me back to school. They were short four lower grade teachers. They gave me my old room & 2nd grade. I was spoiled as you can be, and it seemed terrifically hard at first. So glad you got to see Bob and his family. Aren't they nice? They can cook, keep house, model, win in sport's events, and even win honors for excellent work in school. Jule & I got such a kick out of Bob. He carved the baked chicken and served it beautifully. Even he has learned to do that -- which I have always admired in a well kept household. They have a lovely home -- Pat and Bob have a King sized bed and lovely furniture. In fact they have four bedrooms. (At any rate -- we enjoyed being there, and learning to know them better.) I can't recall having written you about our trip, but it was well planned. We had excellent guides and bus drivers. We saw more than I thot possible in three weeks. The food was good -- a bid different than we are used to. We did have quite a time getting adjusted to their coffee. I got so I always ordered a bottle of German Beer. We could always get it, and it was cool & tasty. I never did like their wines. We especially liked Holland, Germany, Austria & Switzerland. Italy is terrifically "Artish" -- over shadowed by Catholicism. I am glad to have seen all their art treasures, but they left me cold. I really should have "read" up on their museums and Art treasures more before going. (It is really so overwhelming - you just can't imagin how they ever came by all of this painting, tapestry & statuary -- that has lasted through the centuries.) I understand that a great many of the museums were flooded this fall. They already smelled moldy -- now they really will. The old ruins too surprised me. They are really well preserved -- and so exceedingly big. You could recognize all those old Ruins -- from your Ancient History Books. All the streets in Rome still are paved with the same cobble stones it was built on. The Appean Way looks just like I thot it would. Our pictures (we each had an instamatic camera) of Rome are perfect. So much of our trip was taken on the move. But we really saw Venice, Florence, Rome, Milan & Paris, with all their Art Treasures. We saw "Aida" in an open air opera. We estimated there were 5 or 6000 people there. The stage easily accommodated 300 actors & spans of horses at one time. We had a few "quams" going over. The fog was so heavy -- we couldn't land in London -- and had to fly back to manchester -- which is 300 miles. Several hours later we flew back and this time they let us land. Then the North Sea was terrifically rough the night we crossed over to Holland. Jule & I were down in the second hold -- which put us near the engines, but we slept in spite. Everyone on 1st deck got sea-sick. (It takes 12 hours to cross over to Holland -- I thot that was just a cat's leap -- but not so.) (Enough of this.) We are going to have a couple in for "Bridge" tonite. Jule is making up a dip for chips. Perhaps I ought to go supervise a bit. It is real cold today (10 degrees) and we have had some snow. We plan to go into Lincoln Wed. -- to do some shopping. We will take the bus. We really planned to go down to Paul's -- but the roads are too hazardous. We talked to them Sat. They are quite well. Paul still hasn't had his eye operation. He seem to get along, but should have it done. Wayne's & Harold's are OK. We never get to see them. John is in Univ. He still has two years to get his engineer's degree. They very often go home for weekends. John and Elizabeth's (the baby) pictures were in the last Table Rock paper. She was getting a treat from Santa. Jule & I are contemplating renting a small apt. on our basement floor -- for a sewing room & storage. She still balks at the idea of ever moving out to our Retirement Village -- and we do need more room. This would give us room for Paul & Pearl now & then -- as we would put in a roll away - and a chance for a bit more storage. We won't do anything about it until spring -- but if it isn't rented -- we may try that. I'd love to have a place to sew and do some oil painting. How is your job, Marvel? Is it heavier than at the other school. You were a bit fearful of it -- but have never said. Had a nice card from Tracy's. They didn't say they had moved but I noticed the address was different. We had quite a nice letter from your mother several weeks ago. She had written it herself, and it was not too bad. (With a magic marker.) They were both pretty well also -- had a nice letter from Wanda. I'll be glad when Vern gets out of Greece. Sure hope they don't send him to "Saigon." We had a Christmas Card from him. Must stop now & help Jule. Wishing you and yous the Best of everythig in 1867. Love, Selma
OBITUARY
Selma Diehm Dies
Selma Josephine Diehm, daughter of Ferdinand and Anna (Flegler) Diehm, was born on her parents' farm south of Adams, Gage County, Nebraska on April 21, 1899. She passed away on July 14, 2001 at Blue Hill, Nebraska. Selma was 102 years of age at the time of her death. Her parents immigrated from Germany in the early 1880's. For several years they lived with friends in the Hopewell Community, Johnson County, Nebraska. In 1891 they bought a farm in nearby Gage County. Selma and her siblings were all born on this farm. In 1905 the family moved to a farm in Johnson County near the town of Crab Orchard. In 1918 her father gave up farming and the family moved to a house in Sterling. Selma graduated from Sterling High School and obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree from Peru State College. She continued her education at the National College of Education in Evanston, Illinois, the University of Colorado at Boulder and at Colorado State College in Greeley, Colorado. Selma's teaching career began in her hometown of Sterling. Later she taught at Bayard Nebraska, Plattsmouth, Nebraska and, for 23 years, at Longfellow School in Hastings, Nebraska. She was a member of the Hastings Retired Teachers Association, the National Education Association and a life member of the Nebraska Educational Association. In 1945 her sister Julia moved to Hastings and they have lived together ever since. After retirement Selma and Julia continued to make their home in Hasting In early childhood Selma united with the Methodist Church, of which she remained a loyal and devout member. Since moving to Hastings, she has been a member of the First United Methodist Church of Hastings. Selma was also a member of the YWCA in Hastings. Selma was preceded in death by her parents, a sister, Mrs. Robert Hillman, and two brothers, Gus and Paul. Survivors include her sister, Julia Diehm, four nieces, Mrs. Doris Humpal of California, Mrs. Clarice Pullen of Idaho, Mrs. Marvel DeVault of California and Mrs. Wanda Cartwright of California and two nephews, Harold Diehm of Lincoln and Robert Hillman of Colorado. A Memorial Service will be held in Hastings, Nebraska at a date to be announced. Interment will be in the Sterling Cemetery, in Johnson County, Nebraska.
GRAVE STONE
SELMA J. APR. 21, 1899 JUL. 14, 2001
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