Life Story of Dorothy Evelyn McRae Keller, second installment

When Grandpa and Grandma Williams had four children, he was called to go on a mission to the Southern States and left his family for two years. He was supported financially by his father and while he was gone my Grandma learned to be a seamstress. This was fortunate for her as she was able to care for her family in this way after he died. I was always well dressed thanks to her efforts.

My father was a typical Scotsman, tall and of big build. My mother was short and she could stand under his outstretched arm. Mother was an excellent pianist and Grandma told me she was a good student. According to Grandma I am a lot like mother in many ways. I get my stubbornness from my father.

My home in Thatcher was across the street from the high school and close to the elementary school. I did quite well in school scholastically but did not get along very well with my peers. I didn’t have too many friends and had a somewhat unhappy childhood because of this.

During the summer when I was small, I went to Pomerene to stay with Aunt Mamie’s family where my sister was living. They had a wonderful, loving family and it was a lot of fun. I guess I had a funny temperament according to some of the stories I was told.
Uncle John was a farmer and one day he was plowing next to the onion rows to loosen the soil and make them grow better. I followed behind the plow and was pulling up the onions as we went. He told me to quit; he did not want them pulled up. As soon as he turned around, I started in again. When he saw what I was doing, he pulled a big limb off the tree and chased me into the house. My aunt protected me by letting me hide under the bed, but it was a good lesson for me. When Aunt Mamie finished her washing every week, she asked me to get a bucket and put the rinse water on the trees that were growing in the yard. My sister wanted to help and got another bucket to carry the water. I wanted to do this job by myself and told her to go away. Because she did not quit, I took a full bucket of water and poured on her. It seems I was always in trouble.

When I went to live in Thatcher, I got into the habit of running away. Grandma told me that they drained the canal two times looking for me. I’m sure I deserved to have problems with my own children. How could Grandma show so much love for someone so naughty?

The Latter-day Saint Church was very important in our lives and all of my ancestors were very faithful, staunch members of this faith. When I think of the sacrifices they made for their beliefs, it makes my faith stronger. I was baptized on 4 February 1928 in the baptismal font in the Stake Presidency office in Thatcher by Orson Tyler.

link: Life Story of Dorothy Evelyn McRae Keller, third installment