5-30-92
Las Cruses, N.M.
Dear Marcia;
I’m writing this in response to your letter requesting, what, where, when & how’s of our experiences as brothers in fulfillment of our national duties during World War II and beyond. To clarify the point of origin of this writing please note: Grace and I came here to the Good Samaritan Village for about a 10 day stay to help care for a very dear friend of ours while her regular contact has gone to California to visit her own family. This is not a high level emergency situation, but rather one of giving loving care, and assist Priscilla to Dr’s visits etc. We had briefly visited here in early April following our attending Archers funeral. From Denver we came South to Las Cruses after an overnight stop in Taos N.M. to see Connie & Elizabeth.
Priscilla Jenness Mitchell at age 92 has been diagnosed since that visit as having also a heart condition that bears watching. In our Easter card to her Grace stated that we could come if needed. Paula her (daily guardian angel) called us, advising of the heart condition and suggested if manageable, we come to be here in here absence.
To review our relationship with Priscilla, and how this ties in with the service
connected experience, I’ll explain it as briefly as I can. If I were to elaborate on all parameters of brothers, sisters, & others, it would take about a 40 page book to cover it all.
Grace was about 12 yrs old when Priscilla & family moved next door to them in
Norristown Pa. The two formed an almost instant bond. If you knew this Quaker Lady you would instantly know why.
When I transferred to the Norristown State Hospital from Hill City S.D. project, I attended the church in Norristown. This was the Schewnkfelder church. As you probably know this is one of the Four Peace Churches along with the Mennonite, Quakers, & Brethren. During a Christian Endeavor meeting my eye caught sight of a beaming young lady in an off-white dress. I was destined to meet her, and was invited to her house that evening. As our relationship grew to full blossom, resulting in wedding plans, it was apparent that I would not have anyone from my family represented at the wedding.
Priscilla was such a positive influence in Grace’s life during her teen years, that
when she learned of our marriage plan she insisted on giving a formal dinner in our honor at her home which now was north of the city. Priscilla being an active Quaker, understood my C.O. Position. She and her family attended our wedding and we cherish their signatures in our wedding day book.
While I had chosen the 4E classification in the beginning, it placed a heavy burden on Dad and others to provide my necessities, even as I served without pay in work of national importance. However now with the responsibility of a wife, I realized the practicability of a change to 1AO classification which would put me on government pay and supply for necessities.
Others also made similar changes. For instance Oliver (Uncle Johns) had served in CPS at least a year longer than I and while at this same State Hospital late in 1943 switched to 1AO and took non-combatant duty in the Army Medical Core. Consider this: -Had Dad from the very beginning strongly suggested or even insisted 1AO for me:-that course of action would have altered my whole life. Most likely I would never have met Grace (the most important person in my life). Early on I did not recognize her heritage as steaming way back to Mennonites who came to America by invitation of William Perm. Grace & Ida’s family share mention in the book “The History of the Mennonites.” So you see the truism of Dad’s admonition to us brothers when he said to each of us “Whatever your choice, alway remember you are brothers”.
Bill took it to heart, while I was at Hill City, every once in a while I got a letter
and inclosed was a “fin”. This gave me the luxury of small expenditures, like a cup of ice cream at bedtime. Abe Friesen from Meade Ks and older CPS’r had duties to go into Rapid City for supplies quite often. He worked this private enterprise project on the side, buying in bulk and selling at profit . In closing; it might be well to remember, that our daily choices translate into eternal consequences one way or another.
We still have the 4 leaf clover I picked on the day I met Grace. On our 1st anniversary I wrote a corny little poem, place the clover thereon and had it laminated. So you see—whatever will be will be.
Sincerely Uncle Dan.
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