Interview with Quica

What was the house you grew up in like?

The House at 2024 North 9th Street, Sheboygan, Wisconsin.

It was a wonderful house. It had a beautiful attic where one could go and play with all kinds of packages and momentos. It had a funny closet off of one of the bedrooms and we used to play in it. The closet had a slanting roof. My mother had a hope chest in which there were many fun clothes, beautiful lace petticoats and dresses.

My Bedroom

My bedroom was in the front of the upstairs. I remember my first new bedroom set. Blonde maple bed, dresser and bench and a chair. I had flowered wallpaper and on the ceiling of my bedroom was a blue wallpaper with white stars. I had a blue carpet. My brothers' bedroom had two twin beds, a lovely lamp between the beds on a wicker chest. We had storm windows on all the windows and I remember we always aired our beds. We opened the windows wide to air the bedroom and then later made our beds.

It was very cold in winter. The stairway going downstairs was very steep. A couple of the steps made creaking noises, which, as I grew older, I tried to avoid.

There was a tapestry hanging in the back hallway, and there was a doorstop that looked like a lion.

We used to love to play dress-up in my mother and dad's bedroom upstairs. One summer we made root beer and put the root beer bottles in the attic to cure. Some of them exploded, but the root beer was excellent. My brothers did most of the work, since I was quite small at the time.

The Music Room

Downstairs on the main floor, when I was very little, I remember mother and dad and all of us, knocking out a wall. We made the music room part of the living room. The music room had a piano. My brother, Kenneth, played the piano and "La Paloma" was my favorite piece.

The Dining Room

The dining room was connected to the living room and we had many, many family dinners there, and celebrated most holidays. We had a fireplace in winter, and it was very cozy and warm. There was a sun porch off the living room. This sun porch always held our Christmas tree, which Santa Claus brought. The sun porch had French doors, which were closed until Christmas Eve, which allowed Santa Claus time to bring our presents and put them around the tree.

Baby Doll

I remember my baby-doll. It was always in my baby-doll buggy. Every year my baby-doll got new clothes from Santa Claus, and I later found out that my mother made all of those outfits.

Christmas

Our tree was always the most beautiful in the world. When I got older I always trimmed under the tree with pretend houses and lights inside the houses, etc. We always went to church on Christmas Eve and I can still see the house with the Christmas tree lights on as we turned from Geele Avenue onto North 9th Street. I was very excited and happy. When I was older I taught bible class every Sunday and attended church with my children on Christmas eve. I gave them each a small present and in return received lovely little gifts from all of them. Our church was beautiful. I can still see the wonderful services we had in those days. But back to the house…

We always had stockings hung at the fireplace. After Santa Claus rang the doorbell we were allowed to go in and see the tree and our presents. Then all the relatives came over and the close friends. When I was older, all my girlfriends and boyfriends also came over for a visit. We had a lot of food and drinks, and everybody exchanged presents.

The Kitchen

We had a lovely big kitchen, with a beautiful breakfast nook and a marvelous pantry with a little slide, which was part of the stairwell that went downstairs to the basement.

Before we had a refrigerator, we had an icebox. The ice man came once or twice a week and delivered ice for the box. In the summer, all of us kids waited for the ice man and we were allowed to take chips of ice off of the ice wagon.

The Milk and Laundry Chutes

We had a milk chute. The milk man delivered the milk and cream and butter and he had a horse and wagon. In winter the cream would rise to the top of the milk bottle and extend up over the top, frozen. We also had a laundry chute, from the main floor hallway to the basement. It was fun to look down into the basement and throw things down there.

My Brothers

Near the clothes chute there was a broom closet. My brother, Howard, used to lock me into the broom closet! To this day I have a touch of claustrophobia! I called my brother Howard "Fat Tub of Lard." He teased me a great deal and I didn't like him, however that changed as I got older.

My older brother, Kenneth, was nice to me. The three of us used to pop popcorn over the kitchen stove and we would fill a large dishpan full and eat it all. The kitchen was wonderful and my mother baked and cooked and we always had good meals. My brothers would pay me a penny to press their trousers and shine their shoes. To me that was a lot of money because I could buy a lot of candy at Miller's Grocery Store for a penny.

The Basement

Off of the kitchen was the entrance to the basement. It was a large basement with a fruit cellar, which always had homemade preserves and in the fall and summer baskets of apples, cherries, grapes, corn and every wonderful kind of food. My dad would bring home fresh produce at the end of the week.

Doing Laundry

We did all our laundry in the basement, and hung them outside on the clothesline. My mother had a Maytag, which lasted her lifetime and was still good when she died. It had a wringer on it. We did not have driers. We hung clothes out to dry winter and summer. In winter the clothes would be stiff and frozen when we brought them in. Mother did a lot of washing by hand in washtubs with a washboard. On Tuesdays we ironed. I had a swing in the basement.

The Furnace

We had a furnace and my dad would start the fires with wood and coal. Sometimes they would go out in winter and he would have to go down and get the fire started early in the morning because it was very, very cold in the house. Sometimes my brothers would put potatoes into the furnace and when they were done, they were the best potatoes in the world!

The Garage and the Garden

There was a light in the back hall and that indicated whether or not the light was on in the garage, which was a considerable distance from the house off of the alley. My dad's car stayed in the two-car garage, along with all the garden tools. It was a wonderful garage. We often climbed up on the roof of the garage and played games.

My mother had a rock garden, with flowers. My father brought the rocks from all over the state of Wisconsin. We also had a fish pond with goldfish in summer. They were housed in the basement in winter. The yard had raspberry and current bushes, cherry and plum trees… the neighbors had strawberries that we would steal.. we had a beautiful trellis covered with red climbing roses. It was a beautiful big yard and I climbed the trees very often.

Who were your best friends and what games did you play with them?

My friends were in the neighborhood. Two houses down were the Johnson sisters. We were the best of friends, together day and night: Lois, Dottie, Ruth and Alice and their brother, Severin.

Next door was Buddy Grube and down further was Donald Echardt. Across the street were the Brosch brother and sister, also the Switzgables. We all played together, were best of friends and every now and then had a fight. We roller skated, ice skated together, played run-sheep-run, bicycled together, corner-corner, who's got the corner? Baseball, football, swimming at Lake Michigan together, skiing at Vollrath Park, every game imaginable!

I was a Girl Scout and a Mariner, and went to Turner's to learn acrobatics, bars, splits, ropes, and I was very good at it. We went twice a week after school and we had to walk to get there. We never had a car. I went to Catechism once a week, walking all the way downtown to get there. I went ice-skating in winter, roller skating everywhere, or I rode my bike to the beach to go swimming in the cold water.

Did you have any special pets?

I had a dog named Rex. He was all black. We went walking every night and I also took him for rides on my bicycle in my basket.

What was the best present you ever got when you were a kid?

I usually got what I wanted! Everything was wonderful. I was very happy. We didn't have TV or radio, so we were always outside playing.

What did you want to be when you grew up?

At a very young age, I wanted to be a history teacher. I loved history because of Mrs. Bailitz, who was my 4th grade teacher at Washington Grade School. I loved her very much and have never forgotten her.

What were your favorite songs?

Welcome Sweet Springtime… I can't remember the name! We sang a lot of nice songs.

What was your worst/best day in school?

Every day! I loved school! I got in trouble occasionally, mostly for talking! I would always talk to someone in Assembly, whispering about a boy, or something! They would send me to Mr. Urban's office, the Principal. He was the nicest man in the world. He never really scolded, but he would say, "June, what are you doing here again? You know you shouldn't be talking."

Who was the best teacher you ever had, and why?

My eighth grade teacher was very emphatic about pronunciation and taught us to say things correctly. Although I can't remember her name, I've never forgotten what she taught us.

What's one thing you know now that you wish you had known when you were younger?

PATIENCE! Think things over very carefully before I act.

What were your favorite books?

I read profusely. I was a great reader. I walked to the main library in south Sheboygan, beyond Prange's. I read all the books, Rebecca of Sunnybrook Farm, Little Women, Honey Bunch, the Jayne Eyre, …I loved reading.

What was your first job and how much did you get paid?

My first job was babysitting for nothing, because I loved children. I was very responsible with children and I sat for a family over a weekend, taking care of their little girl and baby boy. They trusted me because I was very, very careful.

My first paid job was at Sell's Department Store. I was a salesclerk in the handkerchief and glove department. I made $0.10 an hour. I enjoyed working and was thrilled at the end of the week to get my paycheck of about $4 for the week. I worked there in the summer, pretty much full time.

What's the best job you ever had?

Working for daddy!

If you could pick any job in the world, what would it be?

Being a Gemini, can't I have more than one? There are several I would like to come back and try! I would like to be a decorator, or an archeologist…that fascinates me. Travel agent would be fun too!

What achievement are you most proud of?

Living a good life.

Did you have a favorite relative when you were growing up? Tell me about that person.

My cousin, Milton Kummer. He taught me tennis, took me to the carnival every year, he was always nice to me. He was older. His mother, my aunt Clara was also my favorite. I would stay in her house. I locked her outside one time in the winter. She was outside hanging the wash and I went down and turned the key, and then couldn't un-turn it. It was very cold outside!

What were some of the challenges you faced with two older brothers?

SURVIVAL! (just kidding!)

They were gone a lot. There was a big difference in age, about 5 years between me and Howard.

What rules did your mother and father have that you thought were crazy?

I never objected to the rules. We didn't object to rules in those days! It was a different world. The boys were nice, and didn't try things like now. They respected you and were taught to respect you.

What were some of your favorite family recipes?

My mother made a lot of wonderful desserts, from scratch. I liked champtorts, merengues, my mother was a very good cook and we had wonderful meals. We were raised on bratwurst, German potato salad, picnics.

What's one thing you did that you never told your parents about?

When I was in college we had curfew, 10 p.m. during the week. If I didn't keep my grades above a B I couldn't be a Kappa. I drank more beer than I should have...now I don't even like beer! When I got to Chicago I may have stayed out late a couple of times.

What is the best lesson you learned from your own parents?

Morals. To tell the truth, lying always comes to light. Work hard, and you can achieve. I believe that. They instilled a lot of the correct morals. My daddy always told me to be soft-spoken.

What did you do on your first date?

I can't remember my first date! I remember my first formal. I had a long blue dress at Sheboygan Country Club, with Carl Ross. I started dressing at noon, to get ready! It was a big event! That's when my dad, my uncle Art, Milton, were all at the house when my date came over. They had their shoes off, their ties loosened, they were doing it on purpose to tease me, but I was horrified! That was incorrect! Then they rang the bell before my date got there to fool me and I came down thinking he was there already. They straightened up before my date got there, but you had to have a good sense of humor to live in my family!

Who was the first boy you kissed?

Jack Burrells. He used to walk me home from grade school and carry my books. He was the first to kiss me on the cheek…that was a big event!

What do you remember about your first meeting with Dad (Jene)?

He interviewed me for a job! He scared me. He was very solemn and strict looking and he was THE BOSS. I lied to him about salary. I told him I couldn't possibly work for what he was offering. I told him I needed to make more because I was making more in my present job with Tommy Tomlinson. My other boss told me what to say. He gave me the money! I told him I couldn't come to work until I found a replacement and trained them. I didn't work for Jene at first, I worked under Al Mitchell, and then worked my way up the line.

How did you decide to get married?

Daddy asked me! That was a couple of years later. I had been dating someone else. He kept asking me out, and I would lie, that I was busy, or tired or washing my hair. He said I was always washing my hair. I would try and escape him. He kept trying to pursue me. He kept after me, and I started going out once in a while with him.

One day, I called in sick to the office, very ill with the flu. I promptly flew to New York for an overnight trip. I spent the night at a hotel with two other girls, and then I was walking down the street on Fifth Avenue, looked up and about 30 feet ahead of me were three men, one of which was my boss, your father! There was no place to run or hide. The other two men were business associates of Franklin Supply Co. All I did was say, "Hi!" and he said, "I'm glad you're feeling better!"

I WANTED TO DIE!

He never mentioned that incident again. That made me think, "he's not such a bad guy"…and that was sort of the beginning!

What did you do on your honeymoon?

We went to Hawaii. We left Chicago on the train to San Francisco, where we stayed at the Mark Hopkins Hotel, and then left the next day on the Lurline, which was the luxury cruise ship. We stayed in Waikiki on the island of Oahu, at the Royal Hawaiian…which is the Pink Palace, still there today. It was very famous. We had a beautiful suite and stayed for a month.

Where did you first live together?

In Chicago. 1360 Lakeshore Drive, in an apartment overlooking Lake Michigan and Lakeshore Drive.

How long were you there?

I cannot remember exactlyb but believe about 2 years.

Where did you move to next?

We moved into a smaller apartment in the same building in Chicago, but also moved to Denver at 225 South Clermont.

Did you work outside the home after you got married?

No. I did continue some office work, but very little and for a very short time. I did continue to work at and for the ranch, entertaining the customers. I also helped hire personnel, manage the purchasing of supplies, programs, menus, etc.

Tell us about the early days in Denver.

VERY provincial! Shopping was very bad so would fly to Chicago to purchase clothes and stuff. Also no decent places to eat. There was one decent restaurant so we joined Cherry Hills Country Club, Denver Country Club, and entertained a lot at home and at the ranch. Denver has a beautiful climate, great people and more and more I realized I loved this place.

What about /J/ Ranch? What did it mean to you?

I loved the ranch and it meant everything to me. It was so beautiful.

What was the most memorable experience you had there?

No particular one. We had so many wonderful friends. I loved them all.

Who was your favorite guest there?

There were too many to single anyone out as a favorite.

Who was your best employee and why?

Can't remember anyone in particular as there were very many over the years. Most were pretty nice people, some characters, etc., but after 30-plus years of different people, it's hard to pick any particular one.

What was the most memorable moment you had with Dad?

My marriage, honeymoon, and when he asked me to marry him.

What happened the time you were the most angry with him?

We had a fight, but one time I threw something at him, but I can no longer remember what it was. We got along pretty well and I think a lot because your Dad would usually not argue. SOMETIMES I WISHED HE WOULD!

What was the best gift he ever gave you?

He gave me many beautiful things. Perhaps the first fur he gave me. I was thrilled. Our first year of marriage.

What was the most special gift you ever gave him?

A gold bracelet.

You and daddy traveled a lot… which trip was your most memorable?

My honeymoon to Hawaii.

Who were your best friends through the years?

We had many. The Birneys, the Beaches, Woods, Quans, Farrels, Blanes, Browns, Metzgers, Hanes... I could go on and on as we had very good friends in many places. The above were special and there were more, but now I'm tired!

Interview conducted in Denver, Colorado, July, 2001.