Mother and Dad enjoyed the atmosphere and living in Santa Fe. They made many friends. Dad did some appraisals for houses as he had done before in Waco. They were really into the pottery of Maria Martinez from San Ildefonso Indian Reservation. Often trips were made to the reservation and Dad especially liked to collect the small animals that she made. There were also bowls and other pieces. I believe that Elizabeth Herman now has the collection of the pottery. Irvin and I also went to the reservation at times with Mother and Dad.
Dad also liked taking pictures of the scenery of New Mexico and did a lot of looking for good opportunities to add to his collections. He was really enjoying life and retirement.
In March of 1962 John Caperton Pace III, was born in East Northport Long Island. Mother and Dad had gone to be with Vivian and John and take care of Elizabeth when the baby came. The day John went home from the hospital, my Dad went into the hospital. He had prostate cancer. He had an excellent doctor and all went well. For a while everything was just fine. From then on Dad was the optimist that thought everything was going right. He planted roses in the back yard as well as raspberries. The house was a nice 3 bedroom house and we stayed there several times throughout the years that followed.
Dad also liked taking pictures of the scenery of New Mexico and did a lot of looking for good opportunities to add to his collections. He was really enjoying life and retirement.
In March of 1962 John Caperton Pace III, was born in East Northport Long Island. Mother and Dad had gone to be with Vivian and John and take care of Elizabeth when the baby came. The day John went home from the hospital, my Dad went into the hospital. He had prostate cancer. He had an excellent doctor and all went well. For a while everything was just fine. From then on Dad was the optimist that thought everything was going right. He planted roses in the back yard as well as raspberries. The house was a nice 3 bedroom house and we stayed there several times throughout the years that followed.
But cancer came back, along with other health problems. He had specialists in most fields of medicine and even went to Mayo's for a checkup. This went on for about 5 years. At one time, just before the Presbyterian General Assembly in Portland, to which Irvin was to be a commissioner, Vivian and I arranged to go to Santa Fe without any children or husbands. We had a wonderful time and Dad seemed very good while we were there. As I was leaving Dad said to me: "Enjoy the Assembly and come back and tell me all about it."
I went home and we had arrangements made to leave on a Saturday to go to General Assembly. I'm not sure when Dad was taken to the hospital, but we got a call on Friday saying that they weren't sure Dad would make it through the night. Friday night Ken was in a play at the high school. I made arrangement to fly out on Saturday morning from Grand Junction. Irvin would stay until after services on Sunday and then bring the kids down.
When I got to Santa Fe, I went to the hospital and Dad was still alive. He was not very responsive and the time would be short. Irvin brought the kids to Santa Fe. Ken was the only child that wanted to go in to see Dad. That was fine with us. Irvin and the kids stayed with a family who were friends of the folks. (I remember that they had a beautiful white carpet in their house.) Aunt Mabel and I stayed with Mother. We took turns staying with Dad at all times. Monday we celebrated John's birthday and Monday night Irvin said that he would stay the night with Dad and then take the kids back to Delta the next day. He and Mabel came home shortly after midnight just after Dad had died. So we all stayed and Mother quickly arranged a service for Thursday morning, and got it in the paper. The service was held in a packed church. The family had dinner in a restaurant and we packed up and left. Mabel assured me she would stay with Mother until I returned. Mother insisted that Dad would have wanted us to go to the General Assembly and we must go!
We stopped in Gunnison for supper. Irvin said he wasn't hungry and only wanted a bowl of chicken soup. When they brought it, it was not hot. So he sent it back to be reheated. When it came back it looked and tasted like condensed soup that had no added milk or water, He tried to send it back again, but the waitress was afraid of the cook and just went and got a pot of hot water! Irvin would add a little water, take a few bites and then add more. We were all tired and we got the giggles, except for Jean. After all, Irvin didn't want much to eat, and he was still eating soup when the rest of us had finished. The waitress brought the check, and Jean told the rest of us to go ahead, she'd come out after we left.
We got home and had a good night's sleep. Did washing the next day and packed our bags and headed with another couple to Portland and the General Assembly on Saturday. One of the church members stayed with our children while we were gone.
When got home I called Mother, she had sent Mabel home. She said she would have to adjust sometime and as long as she slept in Dad's bed she was fine. It was OK for her bed to be empty, but not Dad's.
Mother enjoyed being in Santa Fe and we didn't press her to move. But after a few years Vivian became concerned about something happening to her. Mother went to visit in East Northport and then came to Lakeland to see us. She asked one day if we worried about her being alone, and I told her I could get a plane out any time she needed me. Vivian's children were younger and it would be hard for her to come. Vivian had told Mother that she worried about her being alone.
I took Mother to see the plans for the new high rise apartment building in Lakeland which was being built for moderate income people. She could put down a $25 returnable deposit and reserve an apartment. They were to be finished in February. It was just a couple of blocks from the Westminster Presbyterian Church which we attended and that was less than a half mile from the Presbyterian homes where we were living at that time.
She made the decision to come and everyone was happy about it. She sold her house in Santa Fe and Vivian and I helped her get rid of some things and decide what she would need in Florida. I think she gave her car to a fellow worker from Ghost Ranch who had a young family and needed a car. She didn't want to drive in a new place (and we agreed it would be best for her not to).
The Apartment building wasn't finished when she arrived in Lakeland so we put her things in a room off of our garage and she stayed with us until it was finished. They were moving people in from the top down. Mother didn't like heights so she had selected a 3rd floor apartment.
But I think she was so ready to move in that when she found they had an apartment on the 13th floor and looked out of the window and decided that it was a lovely view of the lake and the height didn't bother her, she took it. We were all very happy that she was with us.
Mother enjoyed being in Santa Fe and we didn't press her to move. But after a few years Vivian became concerned about something happening to her. Mother went to visit in East Northport and then came to Lakeland to see us. She asked one day if we worried about her being alone, and I told her I could get a plane out any time she needed me. Vivian's children were younger and it would be hard for her to come. Vivian had told Mother that she worried about her being alone.
I took Mother to see the plans for the new high rise apartment building in Lakeland which was being built for moderate income people. She could put down a $25 returnable deposit and reserve an apartment. They were to be finished in February. It was just a couple of blocks from the Westminster Presbyterian Church which we attended and that was less than a half mile from the Presbyterian homes where we were living at that time.
She made the decision to come and everyone was happy about it. She sold her house in Santa Fe and Vivian and I helped her get rid of some things and decide what she would need in Florida. I think she gave her car to a fellow worker from Ghost Ranch who had a young family and needed a car. She didn't want to drive in a new place (and we agreed it would be best for her not to).
The Apartment building wasn't finished when she arrived in Lakeland so we put her things in a room off of our garage and she stayed with us until it was finished. They were moving people in from the top down. Mother didn't like heights so she had selected a 3rd floor apartment.
But I think she was so ready to move in that when she found they had an apartment on the 13th floor and looked out of the window and decided that it was a lovely view of the lake and the height didn't bother her, she took it. We were all very happy that she was with us.
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