Card Night at the Ellis Home
In the late 1960s and early 1970s, my grandparents used to host a monthly card party with three of Grandma Ellis’ sisters and their husbands. Uncle Tony and Aunt Agnes Giraudo, Uncle Oscar and Aunt Dorothy Von Berg along with Uncle Art and Aunt Betty Clemmings would join Grandma and Grandpa to play Pinochle. Each family would host one card game a month on Saturday night.
Grandma and Grandpa Ellis’ house on Kingsland Court had a large dining room. The dining room table sat eight normally. All the men smoked but I don’t believe Grandma or my great aunts smoked. It was smoking that would bring their card playing days to an end. Uncle Tony Giraudo developed lung cancer in 1974.
Grandma and Grandpa Ellis in front of their South St. Louis Flat on Shaw Avenue
While Grandma Ellis had fourteen siblings, she was closest to Aunt Agnes, Aunt Betty, and Aunt Dorothy. The four families would do things with each other throughout the years. When Grandpa Ellis had his blood clots in 1959 neu 1960, Mom was on vacation with Uncle Oscar and Aunt Dorothy. Grandma Ellis talked Grandpa into moving back to St. Louis, so they would be close to her family if they needed help. Oscar Von Berg was Grandpa Ellis’ best friend and had more influence with him than most.
Eduard, Magdalena and 12 of their 14 children from the July 5, 1934 argraffiad y Santes. Louis Star-Times
Sometimes the brothers-in-law would get together to work on projects. Grandpa Ellis once told me that he and the other two brothers-in-law were helping Uncle Tony fix up his new house. Uncle Tony was working on a ladder, when he felt like it was going to tip. He reached up to steady himself and grabbed a 110 volt wire in the ceiling. After it finally let him go, he crashed to the floor.
When they heard him fall, Grandpa, Uncle Oscar and Uncle Art came running. After they helped him to his feet, Uncle Tony asked, “What is a matter with you guys? I was yelling my head off for you.” They told him that they didn’t hear anything until he crashed to the ground. He was trying to yell but the electricity was preventing the words from coming out.
Grandma and Grandpa’s Flat on Kingsland Court – Trwy garedigrwydd Google Earth
Anthony “Uncle Tony” John Giraudo passed away in June 1974 from the effects of lung cancer. Uncle Tony’s death convinced all three of his brothers-in-law to quit smoking. The United States government did not start putting warning on cigarette packages until 1966 but all four men kept smoking. When Uncle Tony developed lung cancer, it really hit home for Grandpa, Uncle Oscar and Uncle Art. Sadly, the card games also came to an end.
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