Featured Very sweet packets of love letters.

Yes, ladies did still keep their love letters tied up in blue ribbons as late as the 60s. My cousin, Blanche, was born in 1919. She got married, had a child and divorced when Sylvia turned 18. Sylvia died childless a few years ago. I inherited all their stuff. Just came across love letters from her second husband when they were 'courting.' They were both 44 years old. They had gone to elementary school together and lost touch until 1963. I feel as though they should be made into a book. He only lived across town when he wrote these. How romantic.

 

That is so sweet.

 

They stayed together for the rest of their lives - he lived to be 84 and she lived to be 87.

 

Lovely letters!

 

Thanks for sharing, just lovely.

 

Totally brought a tear to my eye,in a good way . How sad that people dont speak to each other like that anymore.

 

Very sweet, thank you
@Bev aka thelmasstuff

 

My husband does to me.
He is not one for romantic gestures, but tells me several times a day how beautiful (etc.) I am. Even when I know I look (and feel) terrible, he kisses me and tells me I am still beautiful. He is the sweetest and most caring man, and I am so very lucky.

 

Alright, I'm going to rain on the parade here.

"Suppose you noticed fat stuff giving us her usual dirty look..."
I am always irritated/offended by people who mention weight while insulting someone else.

Bob seems pretty obsessed with looks. Lots of showy compliments on how pretty Blanche is and how he enjoys showing her off like a trophy. He says he loves to go out with her in public because everyone looks at her, there's no mention of enjoying her company. There's not even a hint of any admiration for personality traits, ie: how kind or generous or loving or smart Blanche is. Don't get me wrong, I like being complimented on my looks occasionally, too, but I prefer being complimented/appreciated for who I am.

I'm truly glad they had such a happy and lasting relationship and I'm sure he must have been a "good" guy, like he predicts he will be. I suppose this letter just underscores some of the differences between the times. But perhaps some of his other letters show more admiration for who she is rather than only focusing on what she looks like.

(Edited to correct Blanche's name.)

 

Since I know these people, I can say that nicknames were quite common and often derogatory in the 60s. These were factory workers after all and a somewhat rough bunch. The women in my family always had a cigarette hanging out of their mouth and a bottle of beer in their hand and their swearing would make a truck driver blush. Blanche was, indeed, the beauty of our family. She was a head turner even into her 80s, so he's not exaggerating and there was one waitress in their hangout who was nasty to everyone. I was 13-14 during this time period and spent a lot of time with relatives because my mother couldn't take care of me. It was an interesting life.

 

I hope I made it clear that I was speaking from my perspective as a 2010s woman with no personal knowledge of the parties involved. It's great to hear some more background and I'm glad your family could provide you with a good home when your own mother wasn't able to care for you!

 

When my mother gave me her cedar chest (filled to the brim with mementos), her only request was that I not read the included love letters (between my mom and dad) until after they were both dead.

A promise I made and kept.

Mother and Daddy met on a blind date. Daddy proposed within two weeks and they married within sixth months. These letters were the nearly daily writings (from each of them) the two months before the wedding... when they were seeing each other every weekend.

I finally pulled out those letters today and for the first time read them.

Good lord, my parents wrote boring letters.

 

I have a wooden crate full of letters my parents wrote to each other over the course of the year leading up to their wedding. Some are very sweet, particularly the one my father wroth after his stag party.

Some are very boring, lots of letters with my mother talking about what they will hang on the walls of their first apartment.

My mother said I could have them if I promised not to read them while she was alive, I know why now. One letter made it clear they didn't wait for the wedding night

 

BEAUTIFUL letter, Bev !!!

 

Wonderful, thanks for sharing Bev

lol Jivvy

 

I read some letters my dad wrote to my mom(she'd be furious if she knew,but I was a nosy kid!) when he was in the marines and lets just put it this way,they were very frisky ! My mom has always been rather prim and it certainly put her in a whole new light !

 

Gosh. I'm going to have to burn a bunch of my journals before I die so my kids don't find out what I was really like!