Grandma Holtzman, Jan, and Phil
"I remember acting out Bible stories when we stayed with her. I was the little servant girl who told Naaman about the prophet Elisha. Phil was Naaman who jumped off a chair into the "River Jordan" and was cleansed of leprosy. Sometimes we would line up chairs and "visit" different sites that Grandma told us about." (recollection by Janna Hey Dean)
(excerpts from Grandma Holtzman's diary)
Nov.19, 1927: "Ruth-Abe Hey married--left for Los Angeles Nov. 21-nite. Got home again Dec. on Sat 6 P.M. gone just 4 weeks--cold, oh so cold. Slept here with me Sat. nite. left for Dixon their home Sun. P.M. They seem so happy--why not--Abe is a dear good soul. Hope Ruth will always keep sweet."
Jan 20, 1928: "Can't help but feel bad. 3 yrs. since our Dear J.L. left us for his better home. Was with Ruth tonight. March 7 J.L.'s birthday."
Aug 2-28,1928: "Came to Parkersburg, Iowa from Dixon today. Enjoyed my train trip. I left Sterling Sunday evening after church. Abe came for me--we left for Dixon and stayed there..."
Sep 2, 1928: "Ruth-Abe came for me. It's wonderful to me to have a dear loving and kind daughter and son-in-law. May they ever love their dear Heavenly Father with more love. Had a delightful time. Sister Jennie was so good to me in fact all the dear brothers George-Henry and their dear companions..."
Sunday P.M.: "Abe-Ruth-I left Parkersburg, Iowa at 2:30 p.m. Got home to Sterling at 9:00. I was a little tired, went off to bed in no time."
Mar. 10, 1929: "Sunday noon--after a wonderful sermon, Ruth-Abe-I took dinner at the YMCA, Abe's old home for 7 years. It seemed good to him. It was Hello Abe every now and then. Dinner was very good. After dinner we drove around town, came home--had a nice time, spent P.M. chatting.
(Comments by Jan Hey Dean on photo at right and Grandma's handwriting on back) Why she wrote "Mary Sue, Gertje grandma" I am puzzled. "Camp meeting" would have been Oakdale Campgrounds near Freeport, one of those old-fashioned tabernacles where the Evangelicals held summer Bible meetings with preaching throughout the day. There was a "dormitory-dining hall" when I was there one summer with Grandma. (I probably stayed only a day or two and remember nothing more about it.) Aunt Mary Hey Harshman had paid for building one of the cabins (held about four beds) and others could use it when she was not using it. The tabernacle had wood shavings on the floor and many rows of wooden benches. The platform was large with chairs for the preachers and a piano. The entire building had huge doors all around that would be opened and propped up with poles to allow breezes to blow through. The campground was still there in the early 1960's. Dad and I and Rev. Larson were there in the late 1950's when we took a group of teenagers there for a picnic (you boys stayed with Grandpa and Grandma). Sue and I went back sometime in the 1990's just to reminisce, and everything was gone. Apparently it is owned by Freeport and there is just a regular park there now.
Children: Sue, Phil, Janna
Back Row: Grandma Ruth, Gertje, Gertje's daughter Grace, Grandma Zwaantje Holtzman
"At Ruth-Abe's when Sister Gertje came unexpected. I was at camp. August, 1937. A happy surprise. Mary Sue says Gertje Grandma. [Sue used to call Aunt Gert "Gertje Grandma."] Abe came got me." (back of photo in Grandma Zwaantje's writing)