Monday, April 27, 2026
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Jeanie.
I am so very melancholy. First John, and now Jeanie. What this family meant to me was so much more than just a neighbor. If we weren’t at their house, they were at ours. We all grew up together, the “Ninth Street Gang!” We were lucky that we had a great group of families in our neighborhood. We played outside together (“step ball”, tag, etc.), played board games, card games (Rummy, Rook) inside together. We helped each other paint our bedrooms, and cleaned out our basements so we had “our own” place inside. We trick or treated together every Halloween, with the older kids going also to watch out for the young ones! And OH, the smell of Bettie’s pies every holiday!!! We lived near a cemetery, and would sleigh ride down the hills in the winter. John and I would go catch chipmunks, keep them for a night, then take them back and release them. Sheila and Jeanie decided to try out for cheerleading, and we all played flag football and other games on Casto’s field (that’s what we called it, our neighbor had a very large yard). And I remember when Matt was born! We all had a real live baby to play with, and Jeanie really loved him so much.
And as we grew older, graduated, and started our own families, we did our best to keep in touch. Jeanie met and married Ed (we thought he was a perfect match), came home with a video of Jessica being born, and we all went to their house to watch the birth and meet the new baby! Knowing Jeanie, I’m sure she had a video of Lorna’s birth as well. Sheila and Jeanie were the best at keeping in touch, and of course, I wish I had done a better job. Since Matt stayed in the area, I see him fairly often, and we always get the chance to catch up, and give each other big bear hugs. I could go on with all of my memories, but that would take too much time ~ I could write a book. So very much more than just a neighbor.
