|
|
Grant & Margo |
|
 |
Grant McLean Seely
& Margaret Pack | 
|
|
Doyle Grant Seely & Khris |
|
|
John McLean Seely & Paulette |
|
|
These handsome family-group shots appear to date from about the same time; one of them, moreover, is even dated. |
|
Grant and Margo both worked for the Post Office, in its happier days. Isn’t he handsome in his letter-carrier uniform? I do remember being told once that he also sold shoes for a living. I remember him mainly as my funniest uncle.
When Valerie and I became engaged, in 1961, the folks took us down to San Diego to introduce her to our folks there. |
|
Came to our wedding With Folks & Carters in San Bernardino |
|
|
Khris, Doyle, Margo, Paulette, John. Still need the names of the kids.
|
 Grant, John, Margo |
Grant, Leola  Verna, Grant, Margo |
| The classic expressions on the faces of my loved ones in this shot provide all the excuse I need to illustrate the special place that Uncle Grant holds in my heart and in family lore. The medical paraphernalia help, too. Please know that Grant and Margo adored each other, palpably and perennially; and that his legendary sense of humor sent her eyes rolling back in their sockets with great frequency. Beyond those facts, Valerie and I debate over a number of details, but they don’t really matter. Here’s the anecdote: |
|
|
1961. I’d just proposed marriage to Valerie, and she, mirabilissime, had accepted. Pappy thought I was in too big a hurry, but then it’s not clear when he would have felt otherwise. It may have comforted him that I was actively preparing to depart on my first mission, which would postpone any further marital innovations for at least a couple of years. Despite any misgivings in principle, Pappy and Mammy were eager to show off their first daughter-in-law-elect to everybody who’d pay attention, beginning with our most nearly local kinfolk. So, we five piled into the car
(Georgia, perhaps) and motored down to Spring Valley (San Diego, for all practical purposes) where, on Osage Avenue, dwelt the Grant Seelys.
He was serving as Bishop of his congregation, if I recall correctly. And he (or perhaps Margo) had suffered an injury or undergone a surgery that cluttered their domicile with crutches, wheelchair, and such. Once introductions were out of the way, we enjoyed a predictable, rollicking, Seely-style schmooze-session until it was clearly too late to drive back to San Bernardino that night. So Margo set about assigning to each of us a suitable sleeping accommodation. Valerie drew a comfy La-Z-Boy, into which she was just settling when Uncle Bishop Grant made his way to her side, bearing a stout cane. “Valerie,” quoth he, “ you’re a very pretty girl. I want you to keep this at your side [presenting the cane], and if I should bother you in the night, you’re to drive me away with it.” Valerie, unaccustomed to such banter, was startled and came hilariously close to taking him seriously! |
 Leola, Margo, Verna |
 Ken, Verna, Grant, Margo, Leola |
 Maurice, Ken, Duane, Leola, Grace, Jim, Verna, Margo, Grant With Babbs and Seelys at table |
From time to time (these shots seem to reflect two occasions), subteams of the Mad Seelys gathered at their most distant outpost in San Diego. Since I retain no memory of this assembly (at left), I’m guessing it dates from my absence in France, 1961-64. They’re all there but Elwyn. The chap on the left is
Margo’s brother Maurice Pack. Associated images display his two cute little daughters.
The two shots above look earlier, but I may be wrong. |
|
Back a Page (Ken & Verna) |
Such a
Life (Contents) |
Chapter
Six (People) |
Name index |
Next Page (Brent’s Thicket) |
| Welcome | Stories | Sections | Such a Life | People | Places | Site Search | Do You Know? |
| Updated July 2011 | [Grants.htm] | Page 67-042 |
