The Paulsen Side

 It seems the Schmidt side of the family had volumes of photo albums. I credit that to my grandfather's interest in photography - he was an early-adopter of 35mm - and my grandmother's desire to carefully preserve photos in albums.

 In other words, there was a good record of my dad's early life. My mother, on the other hand, had many fewer photos taken, let alone preserved. Yesterday I decided to try and find the old albums that had been passed to us ... and found nothing. It turns out that Mom had removed the photos from albums and placed them in a Ziploc plastic bag. I suppose this was in the interest of saving space.

Many of the photos I reviewed I have seen before and I am thankful they were kept. But to ensure real preservation, I scanned them and will place the best here so that I can view them later and others can share in them.

The first photo of Mom?

Mary Catherine Paulsen - 1925

Then there is a gap ...

Mom - First Communion

 Then winter fun at 335 S Riverview in Miamisburg, Ohio ...

Mae (mom's sister), Jack (her father) and mom 

Mae, Katie (mom's mother) and mom 

Mae and mom

John Joseph Paulsen

 In 1932 tragedy struck. Baby John was born and died of yellow jaundice six days later (July 20 - 26).  I remember my grandmother showing me this picture and her comments were always tinged with deep sadness. I don't think she ever got over losing this baby. I've included the picture here only because the baby deserves remembrance.

Mom and Mae

 As usual, this picture was taken in the front yard of 335 S Riverview. It's facing east,

Mom, Katie, Mae

They're growing fast. This was taken by a friend and is the most professional photo in the group.

And just like that, they've grown up ...

Katie, Mom

 This must have been some sort of studio shot.

Dad, Jack, Kate, Mae

 Soon my father enters the picture. Mom and dad were married in 1945. It wasn't much later that Charles Boyer enters the scene, too ... Mae's husband.

Kate, Mom, Mae and Charlie

 This shot was taken behind 335 S Riverview and facing west. That's the Rammel farm in the distance.

 I arrive in 1949 ...

Katie, Bill

 At this point the focus moves away from Riverview. Mom and Dad get married and move in with his parents (810 Cottage Avenue in Miamisburg) and then, not much later, to 735 N Eleventh Street in Miamisburg. They'll move to the house directly across the street (734 N Eleventh Street) in 1956 just after my brother, Bob is born.

 Mae and Charlie live briefly with one of his aunts on Main Street (a second floor apartment with dark stairs that I found scary and difficult to climb) and then move to 552 Dee Avenue in Miamisburg where they'll spend their entire life.

 There are other pictures, of course, but these are the highlights.