Last week I read my hometown newspaper online that an old neighbor of mine had passed away. I have not seen this woman for at least 35 years but her story explains how families dealt with difficulty in the 1950’s.
Her mother died in childbirth, leaving a newborn and 5 other children. That left a father alone to raise 6 children under the age of 10, one of which was a newborn. This was an impossible task for a man who had to work every day.
He turned to his family and his church. As hard as it must have been, he allowed the newborn to be raised by the child’s aunt and uncle (wife’s brother). I’m sure it was not an easy solution but he clearly was thinking of the baby first.
The other children went to live in a home for orphans in a city about 100 miles away. These children were technically not orphans but the sisters who ran the home made an exception for them.
The tragedy of the mother’s death split this family up but only geographically. The father visited his children in the orphanage as often as he could. He was also a part of his infant son’s life as well.
My family as well as other friends and neighbors went to visit the children in the home. This kept these children aware that they were really not orphans.
My neighbor who passed away was the oldest girl of the siblings and when she turned 14, the children were brought home again. The reasoning was everyone was old enough to live in a home without a mother.
I know it must have been hard but they were able to stay together. They visited with their father, relatives, friends, and neighbors as a family. And were returned to their home as soon as feasible.
The baby boy grew up knowing his siblings too, although he never lived with them and was adopted by his uncle and aunt.
This was a true tragedy with no easy solution but family, church, and community stepped in and met the need.
Reading my neighbor’s obituary, I learned she never married and is survived by all of her siblings (including her baby brother) and numerous nieces and nephews.
I have always admired this family because they stuck together through terrible adversity. I have a feeling they will deal with losing her in the same way. What could be better than that?