File:1945 - 12 21 Katharine Eberly to Clara.jpg

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source:Clara Hinderer collection.

Katharine Eberly wrote Clara Hinderer this letter in 1945. The main theme is her marriage and Mom and Dad just don't understand. There also appears to be some Hinderer family tensions at play. However, little Wally is so sweet.

Dec. 21, 1945

Dearest Aunt Clara and Ralph:

Mother just sent your card. I’ve wanted to write you for so long., but I just couldn't’ seem to accomplish much of a letter writing for many months.

I wanted to write you months ago and tell you of my marriage, but the situation has been quite unfortunate so I haven't written to any of the family. You see. Mother and Father have been very disappointed in me. They haven’t become even partially reconciled and they would tell of my my marriage to no one. So, somehow I didn’t feel like telling any of you because of the way they felt.

Do you remember the sailor I told you about who was at the time overseas? I had gone with him all through high school and believe mother wrote you he concern at the time. While he was overseas we stopped writing because of Month and Father’s opposition principally and because of some little argument of our own.

So last winter I thought it was Jim I wanted. But as soon as I heard Don was home I felt exactly the same as I had all the years before. I immediately told him and our paths parted there.

I had to see Don and so I planned to go to Long Beach, Calif. To see him on my way home. But I wouldn’t tell Mother and Daddy, because I had tried to make them see over and over again. Everytime it was the same result. So I thought it was best that way.

When I got to Long Beach I was sure, being with him. I had tried so hard to get over him but never had. We thought everything over. I didn’t know how to tell mother and Daddy - so we had a very quiet wedding in the Lutheran Church in Long Beach.

Don was stationed a short distance away. I stayed there until August. I rested completely, and had a perfectly wonderful summer. I worked a few weeks as typist at a shipbuilding yard.

Aunt Clara, it’s hard to explain this to anyone. I did this the only way I could. Mother and Daddy would never see. I always came to them but they’d never understand. And I knew this is what I wanted.

Mother and Daddy still won’t accept Don. It makes me so unhappy. Dorothy has been a great help to me. I don’t know what I would have done without her.

I started here at the University of Washington. I had been home precisely for a few weeks as Daddy had become seriously ill, and I had left California because of it.

I’m getting my degree in June in Zoology after all. If I get my teaching certificate I’ll have to go another year, but it more or less depends upon the sort of opportunities that present themselves at that time.

Don was discharged the last of September. He’s enrolling at the University next semester. Seattle hasn’t any sort of housing situation. We have merely been existing renting a private bedroom in a home with cooking privileges. Theoretically if would have been fine, but it has had a disastrous course.

At last our applications for an apartment in a housing project has been recognized so we move tomorrow. That’s about the nicest Christmas present we could have gotten. The apartments are very nice and quite inexpensive. At least its privacy and things as we’d like them.

How have you been. Honestly, I have thought of you both a great deal. I received Ralph’s letter when I was in Long Beach and I didn’t quite know how to write back so we waited.

We see a great deal of Uncle Fred and Ross. They have been so good to us. Ross is a lovely person. She seems very much to me like just a girl-friend. She’s so hired and has helped me so much. She’s so efficient in all she does and very diligent. There little Wally is so sweet. He’s a very sensitive little boy and sort of the person you want to love all the time. Dan and I threaten to steal him. He’s such a well behaved little boy.

Fred is still working at the waterfront and I believe he’s going back to the office the first of the year.

Uncle Ted and family are planning to come to Seattle after Christmas. It will be good to see them again.

I believe Mother and Melinda had quite a big break in friendly relations not so long ago. Aunt Marie has completely ignored me; I’ve called her once but she was coldly polite, so I surely won't waste precious time in that field. Ross said that Daryl had just gotten back from overseas. But I haven’t seen him.

We aren’t going home for Christmas. We’re going to get our little apt. fixed up, buy a little tree, have our own dinner and make Christmas for ourselves. We'll no doubt see a lot of relatives as Don’s Mother’s sisters live in Seattle and nearby. So I think if will be Christmas even in Seattle. We were a little doubtful and lonely for awhile, but I’m sure the world isn’t so bad afterall.

I do look back to my Christmas with you with such pleasant memories. I wish it were happening all over again.

I am looking forward to having you both meet Don. I hope it can be soon.

My thoughts will surely be with you this Christmas and I do hope the holiday season and new year will be very happy.

I shall love to hear from you and now that I’m back in that old groove, I’ll do my best to answer it quickly.

With much love,

Katharine