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| Emuel Melvin Bachman, early years |
Susan and I first remember
them when we were very young in Washington. We would go see them or they would
visit us. Sometimes Sis and Dick would babysit us while the grownups went out.
Uncle Mel in my memory was jolly and a jokester. He could play the piano by ear
and I remember him singing “Milwalkee in the Morning.” I thought he was a
wonderful piano player and always begged for more. He was the inspiration that
led me to learn to play.
In later years after we had
moved to Payson and Mel and Violet were in Whittier we would visit them there.
Usually we got together with Grandma Ethel and Vera and Gib. We had tacos for
the first time at their house. They were the latest thing and I wasn’t sure I
liked the strange taste of the tortillas. Aunt Violet was gentle, soft spoken
and fun to listen to with her slight southern drawl. She worked as a nurse in a
mental hospital and we couldn’t wait to hear her latest stories about the
patients and the unusual things that went on there. We liked to admire her
mortar and pestle collection and the beautiful glass .
paperweights on her coffee
table. And we were always amazed at the avacado tree in the back yard with real
avacados on it. We took some home with us. She was a good cook. I especially
remember a grape jello salad with walnuts and fruit and cream in it that she
made.
Dick was artistic and his
drawings were impressive for someone so young. Susan says he was patient and
forgiving when she painted some sky on a map he made for a school project and
told her not to cry about it. He was also a tease. One time at breakfast he ate
a whole boiled egg in one bite and then dared us to do it. Our last fond memory
of him was a trip to Disneyland. His girl friend had come
too and she was so nice to us. Dick was ill by then and had to sit and rest a lot. But he tried to be a
good sport.
Sis was so pretty and just
enough older for Susan and Tina and I to admire her hair and real makeup and
fashionable clothes. We all remember when she and Mike were married. There were
so many people there having a good time and lots of good things to eat. Then we
enjoyed seeing Aaron and Kimberly a couple of times when they were little kids
so cute and finding ways to get into trouble.
There are the sad
memories--the shock of Uncle Mel’s death and Dick’s untimely passing at such a
young age. We admired Aunt Violet so much for going on with her life as she
did. I still have the gold ceramic creche scene that she made that I put out
every Christmas. We still have some of the dolls that she gave us with the
clothes for them that she had crocheted. Mom always considered her a good
friend and looked forward to having her come to Vegas for visits. Photos are
Violet in later years and Melvin when young.
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| Violet in her later years. |