2270 South Vine
Come with me as I meet my Mother through this series of letters, she died when I was 6 months old and this is my very first real glimpse into her world, who she was, who she wanted to be and how she loved my Father.
A collection of 36 letters hand written by my Mother Joyce at University of Denver and sent to my Father Earl at University of Colorado Boulder when they were first engaged in 1952. The letters span from September 1952 - January 1953. My Mother died from Breast Cancer in 1971 at the age of 40. The original language of the letters is read intact to maintain the integrity of the authenticity of her words, 1952 is a very different time culturally and economically.
2270 South Vine
Letter 28 12/18/1952 Stamped, Sorted, and Homesick
December 18th, 1952 — Joyce writes late at night from Kankakee, Illinois, balancing exhaustion, work, and homesickness as Christmas approaches. She’s working long shifts at the post office, sorting letters by state, city, street, and block — monotonous, finger-numbing labor she calls “a great big pain in the neck.” The money is helpful, but she misses practicing piano, visiting friends, and simply enjoying being home.
Her mother is ill with a bad cold, her stepfather as difficult as ever, and her sister Ina still finding trouble with men. Amid the chaos, Joyce finds solace in small things — trimming the tree, choosing slippers for her mother, knitting Earl’s socks, and writing to him by lamplight. She muses about family history, discovering her late father had once been a Mason, and reflects on how strange home feels after time away.
Even while she grumbles about sorting mail and her aching back, her humor shines through: she jokes about “bare shoulders” in the engagement announcement and laments running out of the yellow-and-navy yarn for Earl’s socks. It’s a portrait of mid-century womanhood at its most tender and resilient — juggling work, family duty, and love across hundreds of miles.
Topics Include:
- Working temporary holiday shifts at the Kankakee post office
- Sorting mail and the monotony of repetitive labor
- Mother’s illness and family responsibilities
- Planning Christmas shopping and gifts
- Learning her late father was a Mason
- Family tension with stepfather and sister’s relationships
- Missing Earl and Denver during Christmas
- Knitting progress on Earl’s socks
- Worry about yarn colors running out
- Reflecting on engagement announcement and modesty norms
- Practicing piano and preparing music pieces
Okay, another e-mail from Kankakee, Illinois to Denver, Colorado, Alcott Street. So family home to family home. December 18th, 1952. Dear sweetheart, it's 10 45pm. So this probably won't be exceptionally long. I planned on going to Ina's tomorrow, but I'm working at the post office now.
I started yesterday and it's a great big pain in the neck. The money will be nice, but this is my last time home practically that I will have much time and I wanted to see Whirlene and Louise and practice the organ and piano and go to Chicago. Now it seems like all I get done is housework and post office work. I think I'll work tomorrow and Saturday and quit.
Mother has a very bad cold which has slowed her down and made her feel worse than usual. She got me out of bed early this morning to finish some work she had started around the house, which isn't like her at all. She has never asked us to finish anything she'd started. In the post office, I sort mail. First, it's separated by states, then cities.
K3 is separated alphabetically by streets, then each individual street and blocks. We are behind in the work, especially in delivering incoming mail. The work isn't hard, but it's most tiring and tedious. The same motion constantly for five hours at a time is monotonous to say the least.
It doesn't take experience nor brains. We have our tree, but it isn't up yet and trimmed. I guess I'll do it tomorrow. Your letter came yesterday and it took two days by air mail and I was sure glad to get it. I guess I owe you an apology for waiting three days to write you my love. The last letter I wrote was Monday, but with mother sick and all, I just didn't get it done.
A neighbor lady who works at the post office and I have taken turns driving back and forth to work. We got home around 6.30 or so. One of these days I have to finish my Xmas shopping. I've done everything but my own family now. I think I'll get mom some slippers, because she doesn't have any. And Smits wants Revereware cooking utensils.
So if I can find a small saucepan, I'll get it for her. So far, I haven't looked for my, for your liquor either. Mother's not so sure she's going to like bare shoulders in the paper to announce our engagement. no, not Sludy's shoulders.
My stepfather will scream too. well, I never did think I was quite nice. He never did think I was quite nice. Mother told me daddy had been a Mason. So daddy is my grandpa Ralph who was a minister and died when my mom was a kid. Before Uncle Marcus clearly.
I was absolutely floored as I had no idea he was. He gave it up when college expenses got high and a family came along. But after they went to Peoria, he was hoping to get ahead and go back or go active or whatever they call it. So Masonry was one of the original, right, like clubs of the time. Mother wanted him
wanted to join Eastern Star too, but poor daddy died and that was that. Ina wants to bring John home sometime. Honestly, she needs her head examined. She's brought two other fellows home and what a time we had with Uncle Marcus. You'd think she'd know better than to try it again. When you are away from home, you forget how things are. I realize.
but she's been close enough for long enough to have memory well renewed. Now that I'm here again, I'm awfully glad you didn't try to be here too. The nervous strain of trying to keep Uncle Marcus from becoming rude or unpleasant or violent just isn't worth it. Girl, that's why I left home when I left too. And the aftermath of all yelling about how dread
the poor boys are is not pleasant either. There's one thing I'll say for working over Christmas vacation time, Christmas vacation time sure flies by. My love, at first these two weeks looked like eternity, but time is passing and my mama is so thrilled to have me home. So it's sure worth the trip. Honey, are you getting enough sleep? What was school and work and going back and forth?
I hope your cold is better and not worse. It's my fault you had it, I guess. It's 11.30 p.m. and I reckon I'll be running along to bed pretty soon. I hope Laura got the package I sent and that everything was intact. It didn't amount to much, but the spirit was in it. Your sock is not too far along. Tomorrow I...
Tomorrow the instep will be done and there's the heel and foot left to do. Besides the yellow line, the yellow and navy blue is running out. If I can't find it in K3, that must be Kankakee, I'm sunk. But they should have it somewhere.
So far I haven't touched the piano. If I don't work next...
week. I should work at it pretty hard. There are about 10 more pages to memorize and two others, pieces not pages, to smooth off. One of the others I memorized last year and will come back easily enough, I think. Darling, it is now 11 45 and it's off to bed for me. Good night, my sweet and goodbye for now. All my love and thoughts are with you always.
All my love always, Joyce. P.S. I love you lot and miss you lot. Bye. Love always, Joyce.
