How wonderful to see a picture of your mother as a young woman. I often
think of those young couples all together in that little area of the
Turtle Mountains. I remember my mother, Irene Hiatt, talking about moving
to the hills when she and dad got married. She said Bob and Elaine Stokes
had been married for 5 years at that time and she couldn’t imagine being
married for that long. We would laugh because both my folks and yours had
been married for well past 25 years and heading for 50. I know both
couples eventually made it past 50. Did your folks make it to 60 years?

As I think of your mom I just want to let you, Allen, and Darrel know I
always thought the world of her and admired her in so many ways. I always
could tell people who knew me from before I could remember. I believe
there was a time when I was very young I was called Marlie. I do not ever
remember being called Marlie by anyone except two ladies – Elaine Stokes
and my mother’s sister Dorothy Berg. I always felt this was a special
connection to them from a time before I could remember.

Marlys