DIY History | Transcribe | Campus Culture | Adelia M. Hoyt memoir and photographs

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Page 111

UNFOLDING YEARS, 111

The day after my sister's funeral, June 6, 1944, was V-E Day and each year as the anniversary comes around it has a double significance for me. Hoyt and Naoma felt they must leave that evening. As they took their departure a gentle rain was falling -- and when I turned back into the lonely empty house a feeling of utter desolation swept over me. But I would not give way to it. I knew I was not going to be left alone for long. Lucy Cardwell had promised to stay with me nights until I could make other arrangements. She soon arrived. 
Miss Cardwell had worked in the office with my sister. She had retired under a special ruling before she reached retirement age in order to care for an invalid mother. Her mother had now passed away and she was quite alone. I knew her to be a person of fine upright character. I had thought it possible she might be willing to give up her apartment and come and live with me as companion. I would gladly have given her a home in return for her company and for what assistance she could render. When I proposed this she very frankly told me that she preferred to live alone. Subsequent events proved the wisdom of her decision but she has remained my staunch friend. 
Lucy stayed with me at nights for two weeks. Then I realised she was becoming uneasy and anxious to be at home all the time, so I engaged an elderly woman whom I knew to take her place for awhile. I know my friends were anxious and did not see how I was going to manage. However, they did not try in any way to plan for me nor even suggest what I should do; they just stood by ready to help when and where I needed them. At first I had no definite plan. I only knew I wished to remain, if at all possible, in the home which Emma and I had so long maintained and where we had been so happy together. Where else could I be so content?
For some two years it has been necessary for us to have a lawyer come to the house to make out our Income Tax Returns and attend to other business. As soon as possible I placed my affairs in his hands. According to the terms of Emma's will everything was left to me, including the home, her bank account

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UNFOLDING YEARS, 111 The day after my sister's funeral, June 6, 1944, was V-E Day and each year as the anniversary comes around it has a double significance for me. Hoyt and Naoma felt they must leave that evening. As they took their departure a gentle rain was falling -- and when I turned back into the lonely empty house a feeling of utter desolation swept over me. But I would not give way to it. I knew I was not going to be left alone for long. Lucy Cardwell had promised to stay with me nights until I could make other arrangements. She soon arrived. Miss Cardwell had worked in the office with my sister. She had retired under a special ruling before she reached retirement age in order to care for an invalid mother. Her mother had now passed away and she was quite alone. I knew her to be a person of fine upright character. I had thought it possible she might be willing to give up her apartment and come and live with me as companion. I would gladly have given her a home in return for her company and for what assistance she could render. When I proposed this she very frankly told me that she preferred to live alone. Subsequent events proved the wisdom of her decision but she has remained my staunch friend. Lucy stayed with me at nights for two weeks. Then I realised she was becoming uneasy and anxious to be at home all the time, so I engaged an elderly woman whom I knew to take her place for awhile. I know my friends were anxious and did not see how I was going to manage. However, they did not try in any way to plan for me nor even suggest what I should do; they just stood by ready to help when and where I needed them. At first I had no definite plan. I only knew I wished to remain, if at all possible, in the home which Emma and I had so long maintained and where we had been so happy together. Where else could I be so content? For some two years it has been necessary for us to have a lawyer come to the house to make out our Income Tax Returns and attend to other business. As soon as possible I placed my affairs in his hands. According to the terms of Emma's will everything was left to me, including the home, her bank account