Friday, October 9, 1936

RONALD STAUFFER 2 1/2 IS LAID TO REST

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Raining again by noon.

Henry went to help Alex fill

silo. Rained off this P.M.

Cleaned my bed-room and

closet this P.M.

Morse went to Alto this eve

to practice in a play to be

given by Good fellowship SS class

of Alto entitled "The Blue Bag."

Helen went to Alto and had

finger wave.

The 2 1/2 year son of Marion Lacy

Stauffer who died of spinal

meningitis was buried

in cemetery this P.M.

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There are only seven sentences in this journal entry and yet so many things I want to know.

Morse, who is practicing his part in a the play "The Blue Bag," is one of three sons born to Edna including my grandfather (James Lawerence but everyone called him Bob) and Henry, Jr. (Hank).

I have been trying to find some more information about "The Blue Bag" but without much luck so far. I will keep looking.

I have such fond memories of my Aunt Helen. She was a tough broad with a kind heart and a great sense of humor. Like the other Johnson ladies, she loved baseball. Especially the Detroit Tigers. When I read the line about her getting a finger wave I thought about how "journaling" today (social media) would have included a selfie of the new hairstyle and secretly wished I had a picture of Aunt Helen sporting her new 'do.

But let's get to the heart of this post.

On this day in 1936, Marion Lacy Stauffer buried her two year-old son, Ronald.

Ronald died of spinal meningitis (see death certificate below).

Marion was just 24 when Ronald died.

Marion and her husband Emerson previously lost another son, Roger, who was born prematurely and lived for less than an hour (see death certificate below).

From what I can tell, Marion and Emerson never had any other children. Marion died in 1971. Emerson in 1986. They are buried together, near their son Ronald, in the cemetery at Bowne Center.