Dear Family,
Tonight we will visit your cousins, Stephen, Clare and Suzanne, children of John and Dottie Innes.
Our first cousin, John Innes (Minne, Elmer) spoke of his visits to Granddad Guernsey’s ranch. I refer to his homestead as a ranch, as I recall he did not like to be referred to as a farmer. His love raising a Hereford calves and having a cow/calf operation.
I quote John, “I must have been about 10 to 12 years old when I would spend summers at the home place to help out. Pauline was home while she taught in Strong City. She had a 1938 Chevrolet coupé with stick shift. I began to use that , beginning when I was 11, to drive Papa on errands because he did not drive. Among my other jobs was keeping the water bucket full and the garbage fed to the pigs. I also helped Pauline in the large garden and plowed the field across the RR tracks with a two-bladed sulky (riding) plow behind 3 horses – Papa’s work team plus the riding horse named Dan.”
“It was a big deal and a pleasure when you (Jim Lee) and Gene (Caffey) came to visit.” John’s story helped me understand who the driver was when we got into a little bit of trouble. Uncle Mike was harvesting when he asked us to go get the pickup and bring it into the field. I do not remember being able to drive at the age of 11, so it must have been John. Anyway we must have taken our time getting back to the field with whatever Uncle Mike needed, and I remember a mild scolding.
- Granddad (Papa, Elmer Guernsey) never learned to drive a car, but was mighty good on the horse.
Just like all the cousins, John and Dottie’s children are leading interesting lives.
STEPHEN l. (STEVE) INNES lives in McKinney, Texas. Steve did gravity and seismic prospecting for Molybdenum and Gold in the U.S. and spent 12 years overseas mapping oil reservoirs with Western Atlas in countries such as Gabon, Nigeria, Kuwait, Albania, Romania, Turkey, Pakistan and Siberia.
He met his wife at an air show in Russia. Steve now negotiates contracts for the Flexjet Division of Bombardier. His wife Inna is a senior Hardware/software interface engineer. Both are qualified for multi-engine and and sea aircraft and enjoy mountain bike racing. His folks would love for Steve to write a book about his fantastic adventures overseas.
CLARE E. INNES lives in Burlington, Vermont.
Clare has worked in book and magazine publishing and has had free-lance articles published in the Boston Globe and New York Times. Now she is responsible for PR, web site, newsletters and other communications for her employer —( Clare we would all like to hear more about your writing.)
Clare is an avid cross-country skier and kayaker.
SUZANNE L. INNES DYER lives in Plano, Texas
Suzanne has worked for many types of medical practitioners from optometrists to neurosurgeons. From that she went to practice management consulting, then software specialist for IDX medical software. She became a Director for medical labs specializing in pathology. She now works for a hospital chain in a similar function. Suzanne is also an aviation buff.
(It is interesting how many of the cousins have ended up in the medical field.)
Elmer Guernseys Children
Okay, John, George and Curt, can you help me identify Granddad’s children in this picture? I believe my mopther, Alida, is on the far right.
Have a good evening,
Jim
Who is my granddaddy? 