I have written before how my grandma and grandpa got married despite the fact that my grandma was Lutheran and my grandpa was Jewish. Grandpa’s mother, Esther, was really upset about the two of them being together. This letter was written by my great aunt Bernice, who was living with Esther during the war while her husband Ralph, my grandpa’s brother, was serving in the Army.

Dear Joe,

Well here I am again reporting from the Ackert home on Payne Avenue. As for the weather it is terrible, in fact it is way below zero right now. Mother is laying on the davenport and I am catching up on my writing. I wrote a letter to Ralph and when I’m through writing to you I’m going to write to your aunt Sarah. They are in Arizona and seem to like it very much. She feels well now and says your uncle Louie doesn’t want to go back to Minnesota.

We haven’t heard from Ralph for over a month now so God knows where he is. We hope to get a letter soon.

Say, did you get the cookies your mother sent, and how did he like them. Sylvia is leaving for California Wednesday evening, as Julius has finally found a place to live. They have been at your aunt Linka’s and I guess the kids have been driving your aunt crazy.

Say Joe I sure hope you can forget DeLores for your mother’s sake. She feels bad about you and her. I still think you should find yourself a Jewish girl or maybe you have one in mind already.  I know you must love DeLores but you are young yet and have lots of time to get married. After all there are lots of fish in the sea at least I have found that out for myself and I’m not sorry I married well. Love is a lot of baloney if you ask me, I mean a love for one certain person, the thought that you will never find anyone like him or her again. But as time goes on you soon find someone to take their place. Someone even better.

Ralph sends me money every month and I bought us a $50 bond and we now have a bank account started. So when he comes home we can start on our own.

Say Joe don’t think I am butting into your affairs, because I really am not. I know you are hurting your mother. Well goodbye for now and write soon.

With love,
Bernice