Holy Cross Cemetery
Pomona, California
(picture taken July 9, 2010)
William O. and Dorothy H. Haines were my uncle and aunt on my mother's side. Dorothy was mom's only sibling and they were very close. Bill and Dorothy were married on July 6, 1935 and had 4 children - 3 girls and a boy.
From the time I was 12 until I moved away from home we lived within walking distance of Uncle Bill and Auntie Dorothy. Our only cousins and we 5 kids all went to the same schools together. Uncle Bill was always known as the disciplinarian in his family - I can remember feeling thankful that he wasn't my dad! We'd go to their house for backyard bar-be-ques and on the back porch would hang an ominous looking long leather strap. We kids knew exactly what it was for and I think we all breathed a sigh of relief knowing he couldn't touch us with it.
There was also an apartment - one room with kitchen, bath (I believe) above their garage. We'd climb up there and sit around and chat with the cousins for hours on end. I remember the huge orange grove they had on the property behind the house and garage. Rows and rows of trees...'delish' fruit growing from the trees...I don't remember if it was forbidden fruit, or if we were allowed to eat as much as we could. If it was forbidden I'm sure we stayed away with no problem for fear of that leather belt. We did take short cuts through the trees to get back on the closest street to our house. I remember an old wooden tree house built in one of those trees that the 3 boys (my 2 brother's and their boy cousin) would hide out in to get away from the girls.
Mary Post Warren© copyright 2010, all rights reserved
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