Card Night at the Ellis Home

בסוף 1960s and 1970s מוקדם, הסבא והסבתא שלי נהגה לארח מסיבת כרטיס חודשית עם שלוש מסבתא אליס’ אחיות ובעליהן. הדוד טוני והדודה אגנס 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.

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 או 1960, Mom was on vacation with Uncle Oscar and Aunt Dorothy. Grandma Ellis talked Grandpa into moving back to St. לואיס, 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.

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, סבא, 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.

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.

להצמיד אותו