My Mother, Marian Frances Jones
Marian Frances Jones
b. 24 February 1923 West Pittston, PA
d. 8 April 1987
Eliot, ME
My mother, Marian Frances Jones, was born in West Pittston, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania. She was only 3 when her mother died in May of 1926 of systemic gangrene, the result of an abscessed tooth, or at least that's the reason I was given by Sheldon Jones II who was a teenager at the time. He remembered that she died in her bed at home. The five children were left with no mother, and a father who had a demanding job at the mines. My mother remembers that time as chaotic, the children running around unkempt and pretty wild with a string of housekeepers attempting to deal with some impossible demands. It was Sheldon's marriage to Isabel Maude "Maudie" Smiles, his secretary, that saved my mother's childhood. Marian was only 10 when the new regime began, and a tight one it was. Maudie managed to shape the children up with some tight reins. This was not her first chance at foster mothering, as her parents had died when she was in her 20's leaving her with 3 younger siblings to care for. She went to secretarial school and supported the family on her own at a time when few women had careers.
Marian's Childhood
graduated Magna Cum Laude (Valedictorian) from Kingston High School Class of 1940.
Mom was a “star” athlete and scholar in high school,a Varsity letter-earning member of the basketball team and member of the French Club, according to her yearbook. Her nickname was “Red”, because of her brilliant "Jones" red hair and she was definitely a very beautiful girl/woman- looks happy and friendly. She was also taking piano lessons and was very accomplished.
She entered College Misericordia in Dallas, and graduated with a Bachelor of Arts in Public school Music as Magna cum laude of the Class of 1944. She commuted from her home in Trucksville during college. She was "May Queen" in the traditional May Pageant.
She was an elementary school music teacher in the Bloomsburg Public Schools and lived with a Hungarian woman who’s name I can’t remember at the moment- she learned a lot of good recipes from her- like galumpies. She signed her first employment contract which began 26 July 1944 and paid a salary of 1200 annually (9 mo). Her position was Supervisor of music in the Bloomsburg public schools. I believe that she travelled between local schools, as most district music teachers still do.
Love of her life
I think that I remember hearing that Mom and Dad first met at a church camp. Early pictures show them looking so in love. They had met by the time my father enlisted in the army, for they corresponded while he was overseas. They were married on February 2, 1947 in the Trucksville Methodist Church. Mom had her first job as music teacher in the Bloomsburg Public School System. Dad was going to Bucknell on the GI Bill. They lived in Bloomsburg on College St. and Dad hitchhiked back and forth to classes.
The Family Grows
I imagine I came a little sooner than they had imagined, but my mother became pregnant with me fairly soon after their marriage. I was born early in the morning of June 24, 1948. Mom was up staying with her parents in Trucksville, and her water broke in the middle of a late night bridge came. I was born barely two hours later at Nesbitt Hospital in Kingston. I don't think my father made it to the delivery.
Dad first earned a Bachelor of Political Science from Bucknell University in 1949, and then quickly a Masters of Arts degree.
Marian's a Good Mom
Three children were born in a 6 year period, and during that time there were several moves as Dad began his career with General Electric and was transferred. It must have been terrifically challenging to pack up a household, and care for a growing family as Dad's career took off. First move was to Bridgeport, Conn. for his initial training, then to New Albany, Indiana, where we lived on a farm out in the country and Ellen was born. Another move across the river to Louisville, Kentucky, possibly because the farm was sold, or because I was ready to start school. We stayed there long enough for Robert to be born, but there was change in the wind after a year, as Dad then went for more training, and we went to stay temporarily with Nannie and BopBop. Back to Louisville, but to another house and elementary school for me, then the big transfer came through which would take us to Bristol, Connecticut. More change as us kids were parked with some family friends in Shavertown, Pennsylvania, while my parents found a house and it was completed. We moved into our new home- the first one that they owned in February of 1955.
Despite the demands of three young children, Mom began teaching neighborhood children piano lessons, though her own children resisted the call of the Muse! In Bristol she also directed the Children's Choir at Asbury Methodist Church, and maybe started playing organ at services. After four years in Bristol it was time to pull up stakes and move again. Just more stuff to move this time! Next house was at 123 Shady Lane in Syracuse New York. The week we moved in their was a major blizzard which dumped several feet of snow on us. The kids were in heaven, no school, and snow houses in the back yard. Mom had the job of setting up the house, making new friends, building a new life in a new place and helping the kids cope with the big change in the middle of the school year.
In Syracuse Marian was able to find a richer musical environment. She began studying organ seriously and became organist at a church. She was a very competent and gifted musician. She also taught nursery school and gave piano lessons. Just as she had been accepted to study with the famous organist Arthur Poister at Syracuse University, and possibly with hopes of earning a Masters Degree, Dad became involved with a new division within General Electric which led to his being sent to Wiesbaden, Germany. In Germany he managed a project which constructed a radar system along the newly constructed Wall between East and West Germany. This was Cold War days, but in the week before we were to leave the Cuban Missile Crisis had the United States and the armed forces on full alert. There was a possibility that families would not be allowed to come at this dangerous time, still we did go. Imagine packing and moving our complete household this time, including our grand piano. Some furniture was either put in storage or left to rent the house furnished, but this was one difficult move. It was August of 1961.
Moving an entire family to a foreign country, where she had no German language experience must have been quite an ordeal for her. There were some perks that were helpful, though we lived "on the economy", i.e. not in Wiesbaden Air Base housing, we had PX privileges and the children attended Air Force schools. This helped considerably as we were all thrown in the deep end without much preparation. Our house was fantastic, prices and a generous housing allowance allowed us to rent a much bigger house than we'd been used to in the States. We lived at Völkerstrasse 11 at the edge of Wiesbaden-Biebrich. We had a two story house, the rooms were large and each had a sink. Each of us kids had our own room- a real luxury. There was a balcony off Ellen's room that overlooked the apple orchard side yard, and a balcony off the livingroom on the first floor, that overlooked the street. We often had breakfast and meals out there with a lovely view of the gardens across the street. We had a live-in maid, Ursula (now Galucci), who helped Mom with chores and child care in exchange for her room, and a man who came to tend the furnace daily in the heating season. We took the bus to school. Junior/Senior High school was up on the Hainerberg where base housing was located. Ellen, and then Rob, went to elementary school on the Wiesbaden Air Base, not that far from our house.
