Letter or Postcard – Letter
Sender – Ralph Peterson
Recipient – Phyllis Grant
Postmark Place – Green Bay, Wisconsin
Postmark Date – 18 Nov 1942
Letter Date – 17 Nov 1942
Text:
Dearest Sweetheart,
I got your letter and was I ever glad to get it. I was getting so damn lonesome for you that I didn’t know what I would do with myself. I was lonesome for you before I got to Redgranite, and that means only one thing, that I cannot live without you any longer and it will be just four more days before I see you and can bring you back with me for good. And that is forever. Isn’t it? [?] I could write about ten pages on how much I love you, but I suppose I will have to tell you some of the things you want to know. I found your mother’s purse the minute I got in Green Bay. I didn’t know what to do with it but I was going to send the whole thing back. So I will send the money back now and will bring the rest along Saturday night. I got in town at 11:30 Sunday night so I had some sleep, about six or seven hours, and that’s enough for me as long as I could be with you a little while longer honey. I would have liked to take you along back with me but that will come next weekend. That will be the happiest weekend in my life. I hope it will be yours, too. About that suit. If Avis takes it down to the cleaners I could pick it up Saturday night. You better stay and tell them that I will be down there about 8:30 or 9:00. I will have my check then and that will be about 25 or 30 dollars so you don’t have to worry about the money part of it. By the way, Marvin cannot make it down here on Sunday so I guess you will have to get Cal, if he wants to. You said he would so I guess it will be alright. Marvin has to work Saturday night and that is the reason he couldn’t make it. About this last week, I know what I am going to do about it and it is what I am doing now. I come home from work, I wash up, eat supper, and then take care of kids and also think a lot of you. Mostly about you I guess. I hope you are doing the same. I know you are. By the way, Marian missed the clock the other morning and had breakfast made and my lunch put up before she looked at the clock. It was half past one. That’s the second time she has done that. Well sweetheart, that’s all I can think of now, so will have to close with loads of love to the sweetest and swellest girl in the world from her soon-to-be husband.
Love and kisses, Ralph
PS – If you can’t read this save it until I come down and I will explain it to you
I love you
I love you
I love you
I miss you
I miss you
I love you
I love you
Night sweetheart, Ralph
Notes: Avis is my Mom’s younger sister, Avis Grant. Cal is Avis’ future husband Cal Woodward. Avis and Cal were, respectively, maiden of honor and best man for my folks. Marvin is my Dad’s younger brother Marvin Peterson. Marian is my Mom’s older sister. It is my understanding that prior to the time my folks got married my Dad was living with my Mom’s family. Among other things, I think my Dad used to drive my Mom’s Mom to the big city (Oshkosh?) for medical treatments. This may explain why her purse ended up in my Dad’s car. Or he was a purse snatcher. Regardless, this doesn’t seem to have been a big deal. It is interesting to note that my Dad was living with his future sister-in-law Marian in Green Bay, most likely because of the new job he mentions in the postcard from a few days earlier. By this time Marian was married to Donald Leigh and they had three kids already [Sharon, Donna, and Wayne]. These would be the kids my Dad mentions taking care of.