Transcription of Document FFDoc-1279.pdf

Sunday, Nov 4, 1979

Dear Rosemary,

By now, you must believe I dislike letter writing as much as you do - "look at my phone bill" you said! Well, I won't contest you for the title of "world's worst correspondent," but my last phone bill - $102+ - must put me in your league, anyway!

Seriously, my high phone bill is about twice its usual "maximum" value, and it's ascribable to a particular and current family situation. I hope that my peak phone expense has passed!

My phone bill says I talked to you by phone on Sept 28 - that's five weeks ago - and my remembrance is that I promised to get back in touch with you about the possibility of taking advantage of your invitation to visit in Lynn. To my dismay, I have not yet been able to plan a definite date, because the "family situation" referred to earlier is still in an indefinite and changing state. And I will estimate that the pressures of year-end (Thanksgiving, shopping, Christmas, and finishing some projects at GE) will not enhance my prospects to visit before 1980 rolls in. But I am keeping a flexible outlook, and am hopeful I may be able to pry a 2- or 3-day weekend free for a visit before year-end, accompanied by my youngest daughter (and the only child presently at home), Dorothy - or "DOT" as she insists on being called. Since she is a senior in high school, her attendance there puts constraints on my ability to just "get up and go," even though I still have 6 days of vacation to use up this year.

I don't want to take the time in this letter to explain the  "family situation," but it may well be that a turn of events there will require me to go to Maine, and possibly offer a chance to visit you for a short while. If so, I will call you and let you know ahead of time.

Summing up, Rosemary,  I am still quite aware of my commitment to visit to renew acquaintance with you, and I look forward to fulfilling it. I hope I may arrange it sooner than seems possible now. I will keep  in touch with you on this.

Rosemary, I was saddened to hear of John Milo's death. I had been aware of his illness, as I had mentioned in an earlier letter, and had been remembering him in my prayers. I much admired and respected John, and valued his friendship.

You may remember Bill Mallon, who worked with me for a while in Lynn in the early '50's. Bill Mallon and Walt Huening and I have been following one another around GE for 25-30 years. Right now, Bill and Walt and I are all in the same building at GE Schenectady. Bill is on the second floor of Bldg 6 - a manager in the Service Shops Dept., headquarters, while Walt and I have adjoining offices on the 3rd floor of Bldg 6. Walt's a gem, and a brilliant engineer. But we will talk of him (and my sisters (not related stories)) in a later letter. For now, I want to say Bill Mallon brought the enclosed newspaper article in to show Walt & me, since he had known Al Howard, as we did, at Lynn. Bill lives only a few miles from Pittsfield, since he never moved his home to Schdy when he was transferred to here some 15 years ago. Quite honestly, both Walt and I had to look hard for a moment or two to recognize Al's picture. But sure enough, it's the old Al underneath. As to change, neither Walt nor I can lay any claim to being unaltered by the years that have passed. We shall, as I said, say more of Walt (and Margaret, too - who is not really as well as she might be) at another time.

As to Martin Burrows - I saw him in 1967 or 1968 on a trip to North Carolina; he was in business for himself as a consulting engineer - (the same old Martin, with his gestures, mannerisms and speech!; I enjoyed my visit with him). But I have not heard since what happened to Marty; he may still be there or half a world away. Somewhere around that time I also visited Ralph Fisk at Hendersonville. He was well settled in as plant engineer there, and I think he planed to stay on in the south, even when his family was grown - he seemed to like the area very much.

Rosemary, I've been wondering when your mother ("Nance", to Martin Burrows!) passed away. I can't tell you how many times over the years I've thought of her, and of her kindnesses to me, and her gracious hospitality. I have also recalled at times her anguished concern for your welfare, as she expressed it to me personally, when our relationship was deteriorating in 1952. (mea culpa!). She was a memorable woman; I hope her death was a peaceful one.

I must terminate this in favor of preparing for tomoorrow's work - I have a lecture to present in Syracuse tomorrow night on a technical subject, and I'm not quite ready.

For now, Rosemary, a "good-bye." As I noted earlier, I shall keep in touch with you regarding a chance to visit. I hope it may be soon.

Love, Frank.