JAMES & VADA APPLEBACH

JAMES & VADA APPLEBACH

Source: Ancestry 09/27/2022

Finally, I found the marriage certificate for my father and his second wife Vada. She was a sweet lady, and I enjoyed her happy spirit. 

My parents divorced on June 24, 1983. James APPLEBACH married again on August 26, 1985 to Vada JONES.

I was no longer in Montana when he remarried and chose to not attend. I find it interesting that they were married by Pastor TANNEHILL, who was a friend of both my parents.  No doubt mom felt very betrayed by that when she did find out.

It is interesting to me the untruths on the certificate that James gave. Birthplace of his father was listed as "unknown" - he was well aware of where Taylor Z. APPLEBACH was born. 

James is also listed as completing high school, but according to the high school records he dropped out during his senior year and did not go back. James did have some college, but it is unclear whether he did finish that. 

James would become an ordained minister in 1964. Mom told me he was always concerned that the lie of him graduating high school would be found out, and he would lose his ordination.

I believe Vada found out very quick that my father was not as nice as he wanted people to believe. He was a difficult person to be around. His siblings all believed that he had some sort of mental issues. 

My personal memories of him are seldom good. However, I find his family history interesting. And it took my ancestors to make me - nice or not.

James APPLEBACH died in January 2005 in Hood River, OR.

Vada died since 2010 in Oregon.  She had remarried so her last name would be changed, possibly to Henry.

Vada is listed on James' death cert as the receiver of his ashes. My sister was able to do some searching around the last time she was in Oregon. She was told that James' ashes were put in the river behind one of Vada's children's homes. 

Original Source: Ancestry

Source: Personal Collection

PLEASE NOTE: 
ALL PHOTOS AND WRITTEN CONTENT ARE MY OWN UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED.

GARNER, RALPH - HEALTH ISSUES 1967

As I was going thru the boxes of letters and photos trying to organize it, I ran across a letter written by Pappy (Ralph GARNER) to mom (Pauline APPLEBACH). I had never seen him write anything so this letter was special simply from that perspective.  I also found the letter from mom (Pauline APPLEBACH) that Pappy (Ralph GARNER) was responding to.  Thought I would put both on here simply to share.  I remember Pappy reading the newspaper and his Bible without problems, obviously writing was not easy.

Mom's letter to her folks was four pages long, below is the paragraph asking about Pappy's health. It is dated 10 May 1967. It's hard to read because of the thin paper and being written on both sides:

"In June's letter (meaning June KANN, sister of Jim APPLEBACH) she said she stopped at Watt & Shand's (Lancaster department store where Grandma (Reba GARNER) worked) to see you Tuesday and you weren't there. Another saleslady said Daddy (meaning Ralph GARNER) was sick....How is Daddy? Was he sick or is he sick? What is wrong? Get one of the kids to write if you can't."

Pappy responded on 20 May 1967:

"Dear Pauline.....I am Felling [feeling] Better naw [now] I was at the Dactar [Doctor] Friday and he said that I could go to work Monday = 22 He said brake [broke] a blood vesell [vessel] in my nose they did treatedit [treatment] with a electric rod At [at] Dactar [Doctor] Harnish office felling [feeling] much better naw [now] hope this find[s] yous all well naw [now] the wether [weather] here is 70 To day mother (I think he means Reba) can walk better naw [now] with ______ Daddy my test all came out ok no Hart[heart] trubell [trouble] my blood cant [count] all right sais [says=] Dr = Atkins"

A side note: around this time, grandma fell and broke her hip so I think that is what is being referred to "mother can walk better".