| Notes |
- Celia Goodbout's Story...
My paternal grandmother, Celia, was perhaps the kindest, most generous woman I have ever known. She loved to spend time with her family and she was constantly giving us grandkids small gifts or money. I remember how she used to come up to me, give me a hug, and press money into my hand and say, "go have a hamburger on me" or "go fill up your gas tank on me."
She loved these small gestures and it was never about the money; it was about that sparkle in her eye and the warmth of her hugs.
I always loved my Grandma's attic. She would take me up there and show me all the wonderful mementos from her past. I was transfixed by it all, which always gave her a good chuckle. She would giggle and say, "I don't know why you love all these old things but I'll tell you all about them." She showed me clothing from her wedding day, clothes and handbags from her mother, family jewelry and bibles, and photos of family and friends long gone. I still have all of these amazing treasures.
I loved hearing stories about the past; I came to know my ancestors as real people through her words. She was so amused by my fascination that she gave me many family heirlooms at a young age. I think she sensed early on that I would cherish and protect them to hand down.
When you only know someone in the context of being "elderly," it is often difficult to imagine his or her life in their youth. While Grandma often told stories of how she met my Grandfather, Loren Thomas (they both worked at Cyclone Fence in Waukegan), I never really envisioned what they were like as young adults. They didn't have many older photos displayed in their house but there were many, many photos tucked away in that attic.
Before we moved to California, my Grandma gave my mother her "Memory Book," which was filled with photos from her youth. I was so touched by the love in the photos of my Grandma and Grandpa; they were full of tenderness, knowing glances, and lightheartedness. There were coy poses of Celia gazing up at the camera and my Grandpa who stood behind it. There were many poses of my Grandpa, obviously at the direction of my Grandma. It conveyed a sense of joy and fun that they shared, a romantic spirit that faded with age. There were so many photos of friends on camping trips, beach outings, picnics, and other organized events during their courtship. In an era when cameras were not at all mainstream, my grandmother was clearly in love with the art of taking photos.
My grandma had a running joke that she had "never worn pants," that she had always worn dresses. Well, I found several pictures of her in pants! True, she had never worn pants in her older years; she always wore dresses, “stockings” with a girdle, and matching jewelry. On one of her visits to California, my sister and I took her shopping and talked her into buying a skirt with a matching jacket. She had never owned a matching suit and it was a beautiful raspberry color. Every time she wore it while visiting, she commented on how much she loved it.
I wish I had been more into baking when I was younger so I could have gotten some tips from my Grandma. She made wonderful pies and regularly baked her own bread. There was nothing like a slice of Grandma's bread with butter. She also made a scrumptious “Sunshine Cake,” lovely jam cookies, and her wonderful molasses cookies are still a favorite of mine at Christmas.
As children, we always went to Grandma's house each Saturday. My dad did projects around the house, mowed the grass, and did small repairs as needed. We almost always had the same lunch as a family on these Saturdays: hamburgers. There was a small grocery store right across the street from their house and my Grandma always said that, "they had the best meat." I can tell you that those were the best hamburgers I have ever had.
I didn't know my Grandpa that well; his eyesight was quite poor and therefore he mostly sat in a big comfy armchair during our family gatherings. But before his sight was completely impaired, he did enjoy a rousing game of cards when I was a kid, and we would all gather around the table after dinner to play. Grandpa loved to watch the Chicago Cubs and we would often watch games as a family on those Saturdays at their house. He always seemed like the typical patriarch for that era as my Grandma did all that she could for him in his ailing years.
But as I look at those old photos, I sense that he once had a tender and very playful spirit. I think much of what Celia and Loren Thomas (“Whitey” as he was known in his youth for his ultra-blonde hair) shared in their youth will remain their own private secret; I am left to my own interpretation through their heartfelt photos.
I loved my Grandma – her sweet disposition was the core of who she was. She never said an unkind word about anyone. My mother used to tell me that she never had a single cross word with her mother-in-law Celia in the 40+ years they knew each other.
Most of all, I love my Grandma Celia for sharing all those hours with me in her attic, in her basement, and looking at old photos as I asked questions. She laid all this foundation for much of what I have in this website, and I am forever grateful.
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Simmons-Truax-Godbout-Ames Family Tree
1892 - 1989 (96 years)
