Aunt Helen Elopes

Aunt Helen took a teacher training class after high school which certified her to teach elementary school for three years. Later on she attended classes at Syracuse University. She then taught in one room school houses in central New York State. Her father, Grandpa Warner, did not particularly approve of her choice of Everett Henderson as a spouse. Consequently she and Everett eloped after having a small ceremony at her sister's house. She and Everett were married for many years but never had any children of their own. She was a wonderful Aunt to her nieces and nephews and in time to her great nieces and nephews. She made absolutely wonderful home made rolls, pies, and fudge, which she willingly shared and brought to all family gatherings. Grandpa Warner was finally reconciled to his daughter's choice of a husband and finally accepted Everett into the family.

Everett and his brother Orange owned and ran a small hill farm with a small dairy. It provided for them but they never made much money at the enterprise. I remember Everett taking us to town in his Studebaker truck, which he just loved to drive. That was their only vehicle and if Aunt Helen wanted to go see her folks, she had to walk the six miles to their farm and back. She always had a small garden and loved to raise Cosmos flowers. She also had a small raspberry patch and would hunt for other berries in season to make her pies. Everett wanted a slice of pie with every meal and it always seemed to us to be the height of luxury to have pie for breakfast. Uncle Everett would get down on his knees in an evening and play growley bear with his excited nieces and nephews. Aunt Helen always thought he got the kids too excited just before bed time.

We were staying with them for a few days when our younger brother was being born and I got sick to my stomach and threw up all over the bedding. What a mess. Aunt Helen just cleaned it all up and never had a sharp word for the extra work I had made for her. How could you not love such a wonderful person. They are both gone now but I have my memories and perhaps best of all, her four drawer Cherry chest that she always had in her kitchen for linens and other kitchen things. A treasure for sure.