Sunday, August 10, 2014

Sentimental Sunday: Betty and Gene Dunbar

Vergene Emerson Dunbar and his bride, Elizabeth Winifred Dalton,
 5 June 1937 in Marlborough, MA, (Frazel-Dunbar Family Collection)
 The Dunbar-Frazel Family Connection

Photo by Margo Reasner, used with her permission, taken 24 July 2014

My late father-law, Wilbur (Bill) Frazel, shared a close connection with his first cousin, Vergene (Gene) Emerson Dunbar. Their mothers were sisters and for their early years, the boys lived next door to each other. 

Bill's father moved his family to Dedham, MA and then to Bristol, RI before returning to the same house on Cherry St., in Hudson just a few years before they both passed away in 1949.

My husband's family was a great help with photographs and dates but organizing all this has been a big job. Gene and Betty's son, Billy and his sister Mary Linda and I have been trying to make connections and corrections for the four years we have lived here. 

Betty and Gene (shown here on their wedding day) helped Steve and I find a place to live for 7 weeks when we first got married. 

Steve changed jobs the week before we were married and that made a big mess to our plans as to where we were going to live. Gene made arrangements for us to rent part of a neighbor's house while we looked for a place to live in Bridgewater, MA. A few years later, Gene, who was a carpenter and a vocational education teacher, showed up at our house with a child sized table and chairs for our little girl.

She still has that table and chairs as she took them to use in her classroom. Recently, she took a photo of our grandson using the classroom computer which is on that table.


Little Anthony at his mom's table and chairs, 2014
Vergene's mother graduated from the Emerson (Hospital) School of Nursing which is probably why his middle name is Emerson. My grandsons were born at that same Emerson Hospital. More twists and turns in the family stories...

1 comment:

Nancy said...

That wedding photo is a prize for sure! Vergene looks thrilled. Look how his head tilts toward his bride. He adores her! I can almost guess his personality - pleasant, maybe a joker or a tease, and outgoing. His wife, on the other hand, looks very reserved. It would be fun to see a later photo of this couple.