Memories of My Childhood

I was born August 1, 1919 in Minneapolis at Swedish Hospital (now part of Metropolitan Medical Center).  The first home I can remember (even dimly) was at 4125 Columbus Avenue, although I apparently lived in three apartments earlier.

In 1923 (I think that's the correct year) my mother became ill enough that my sister and I could no longer stay at home.  Marcella  stayed in Minneapolis with a family, about three blocks from our home.  I have a very faint memory of being taken to Republic, MI, on an overnight train and of sleeping in a berth on the train.  Aunt Pearl (George Utberg's wife) and cousin Neil took me to Republic to live temporarily with my Utberg grandparents and Aunt Ellen .

My grandmother took me to the Republic Elementary School at the age of four to enroll me in kindergarten.  The principal refused to enroll me because of my age.

The memories I have of Republic were well re-enforced over the year by the telling and re-telling of stories about my stay there by Grandmother and Aunt Ellen.  One such incident was that of my biting my cousin, Clyde, because he teased me.  Another was of my telling the Swedish Methodist minister after service on Sunday, that I couldn't understand why he yelled at people in church.  Of course he was just doing what ministers did then to make a point from the pulpit (I know now).

Aunt Ellen had no children as she had never married.  She enjoyed sewing and found me to be a willing little girl, eager for new clothes.  Someone had given me a Little Red Riding Hood doll.  Every picture I posed for in my new clothes included the doll.  The pictures were sent to my parents in Minneapolis. Grandmother took me to funerals, Ladies Aid Society meetings, and the homes of friends for coffee.  Mrs. Jacobson and Mrs. Gustafson were the women I remembered.  I know now that Grandmother enjoyed showing off her blonde, Scandinavian-appearing granddaughter.

Some of the foods I ate while living in Republic have remained life-long favorites, although I don't necessarily eat those foods now.  Canned salmon with vinegar on it was served often.  Raw milk was delivered to the house daily.  Grandmotherput it into a large bowl and skimmed the cream off the top.  Each night at bedtime each of us had scalded milk to drink.

Grandfather owned and operated a general store in a large building just west of the house.  The Utberg General Store seemed very large in my child's eyes.  I can still see and smell the store as I think about it.  On the right side of the store were bolts of fabric on wall shelving.  In display cases there were sewing supplies.  In the center of the store was a wonderfully aromatic large red coffee grinder.  On the left side there were candies and groceries displayed on wall shelving and in display cases.  In the rear of the store itself were boots and shoes, also the store office. 

On the far right wall a door went through to a walk-in cooler.  Behind the store was a large warehouse space.

Grocery orders were delivered to customers by Hugo, the teamster.  He drove two horses hitched to a large wooden wagon.  The horses were kept in a stable across the alley and a bit to the east of the store building.

My memories of my grandfather are dim.  I do remember an incident at Easter time in 1924 when he teased me about my chocolate candy bunny.  As I think of him, I remember a tall man with white hair and a kindly manner.  I thought he must also be a very important man as he had a very large church key hanging on a nail in the kitchen.  When I mentioned the key to a school teacher in Minneapolis, she suggested Grandfather was a "sexton".  I didn't know what a "sexton" was, but I was sure he wasn't one.  He was more probably the chairman of the church board.  At one time I thought he "owned" the church.

I have letters written in Swedish by my grandmotherand sent to my mother.  Mother read and re-read the letters, and saved them with the notation that she had done so.  Hazel Ranstrom translated the letters into English for me.  One letter was written during the time I was living in Republic.  The others were written in the 1930's and concerned family matters. 

Living with my grandparents and Aunt Ellenat a young age laid a foundation of love for them which has lasted through the years.  I cherish the braided rugs my grandmother made, the decorated plates Aunt Ellen painted, the pendulum clock from the kitchen wall and the many other pieces of furniture, glassware, flatware and fabrics from the Utberg home.  All these objects make me feel just a bit closer to those whom I loved.