An Anniversary to Remember

Seventy five years ago today my parents, 

Melvin Kallman and Grace Sevald, became husband and wife.

75th is the diamond anniversary.

The happy young couple

Mr. & Mrs. Melvin Kallman

married: October 1, 1949

**click on photo or document to enlarge for easier viewing**

Remembering Mom

 Today is March 4. My mother's birthday. Gone way too soon I remember her today with love.

Mommy and me 1956

52 Ancestors in 52 weeks - #9 "Gone Too Soon" - Grace Sevald Kallman

 Prompt #9 (Feb 26-Mar 4): "Gone Too Soon" - Grace Sevald Kallman

My Dad was twelve years older than my Mom and had had several heart attacks while in his early fifties. To him this foretold that she would likely outlive him. It was not meant to be. In fact he lived some twenty five years longer than she. In the fall of 1974 my Mom was 47 and had recently been diagnosed with cancer. I think she did not want to frighten us and kept the severity of her illness to herself. Added to that is the fact that I was recently married and caught up in my own newlywed life. She died. My Dad was in disbelief, as was my grandmother, Mom's mother. I just felt numb, even as I helped my Dad notify family and friends, make arrangements, pick out a coffin etc.

The next year I was pregnant with my first child. I wanted to tell her she would be a grandmother, I wanted her advice, I wanted her to be with me when I delivered, I wanted her and the reality hit me that she was gone. I cried.

I selfishly had cried for myself but in the following years I came to see how much she had missed. I came to see how my children had missed out on having her as a grandmother. She would have been the best grandma She would have loved them so much. 

"Gone Too Soon"

My Mom
Grace Gunhild Sevald Kallman
1927-1975

From Amy Johnson Crow, a genealogist, far more experienced then I. "The data that we've accumulated in our genealogy software and in our binders and folders doesn't do a whole lot of good just sitting there. We need to do something with it." Each week she sends out a prompt to share a bit about an ancestor, collateral relative, or family friend. 

1950 Census - Mel and Grace Kallman

 By law in the U.S., to protect the privacy of individual citizens, census records are not released until 72 years have passed. This year, 2022, the 1950 census was released. 

My parents were married in 1949 and in this census I find them as a young married couple. And me? I was their firstborn but in 1950 I was not even yet "a twinkle in my father's eye".

Chicago, Cook, Illinois 

822 N. Lavergne 2nd floor apartment

line 5: Kallman, Melvin, head of household, white, male, 33, born in Illinois, married, worked 40 hours last week as a floor sander for a retail department store

line 6: Kallman, Grace, wife, white, female, 23, married, born in Illinois

  Hardly a pair of fashionistas were they? 

  Dad, really? socks and shoes on the beach?

  Love you both,

Grandma and her girls

In the middle is my Grandma Lydia Kallman with my aunts Ebba, Eva and Laverne welcoming the newest member of the family, my Mom Grace.

 Grandma and her girls,

Mel and Grace Kallman

 As we are coming up to October, I remember fondly, my parents, who were married October 1, 1949.

I know this photo was taken not long before they were married. I don't know what the occasion was or if it even was an "occasion"? As I sit here on my computer sans shoes, in jeans and an old rather faded but favorite T-shirt, I am reminded again, how much more thought folks put into how they looked and dressed in the past, particularly when they went out in public. Looking good, Mom and Dad!

my parents:

Melvin Carl Kallman

1916-1989

Grace Gunhild Sevald Kallman

1927-1975

Happy Birthday Mom

Happy Birthday Mom - Grace Gunhild Sevald Kallman

 My mom died young. Way too young. Mom never had any grandchildren. One of the greatest joys of my life has been my grandchildren and until I had them I never really knew how much my Mom had missed out. The greatest loss however was to those kids. She would have been a wonderful grandmother and loved them so much. Knowing and loving my grandma and being a grandma myself I can tell you that no one loves, accepts, understands and worships you like your grandmother does. I hate it that my kids never had that opportunity to have a special relationship with my Mom.

Today she would have been 90 years old. Happy Birthday Mom! 

We, your children remember you with love and pass your love on.

Grace Gunhild Sevald Kallman

b. March 4th 1927 Chicago, Illinois

d. April 21 1975 Park Ridge, Illinois

Kelvyn Park HIgh School, Chicago, Illinois - class of 1945

A "shaky leaf" hint on Ancestry is often just a distraction for me but this time it looks as though my mother's Chicago high School yearbook was scanned.

Kelvyn Park High School, Chicago Illinois

Class of 1945 - my Mom, Grace Sevald

                 "GRACE SEVALD ...spends spare time inside, curled up with a good book, or outside cutting up the ice...tells unfriendly people to 'go fry ice'... blue eyes may brighten an office, but if prayers are answered she'll go to Bible school."

She didn't get that particular prayer answered. Mom entered the working world.

Mother's Day

Mothers hold their children hands for a short while

but their hearts.........forever.

- unknown

Remembering Mom with love this Mother's Day

Grace Sevald Kallman

04 Mar 1927 - 21 Apr 1975

A Swede + A Norwegian = Me

Today would have been the 66th anniversary of the marriage of my parents. My mother was 22 years old and my father was 33. My Dad, Mel, might have married earlier as he told me he had a girlfriend in his 20's  but life intervened, as it often does. Dad enlisted in the Army after the bombing of Pearl Harbor and President Franklin Roosevelts declaration of war. His girlfriend? Well,  Melvin was in France, part of the great Normandy invasion, marching across Europe towards their final destination Berlin and the girlfriend was home all alone. She found another. Home from the war in 1946 Dad spent the next year getting re-established, looking for a job, catching up with family and friends.

My Mom, Grace, was a quiet, sheltered, "Daddy's girl". The only daughter, she was adored and very close to her "Pa", my grandfather Paul. Sunday nights they would  attend various Sunday evening services together, possibly stopping for a bite on the way to a particular church. As much as Pa loved their closeness and outings together, Grace was now twenty and he worried she should find a nice Christian husband. She, however, was shy and seemed content to be at Pa's side.

Sitting in a predominantly Swedish church one Sunday night he asked her, "What kind of man would you like to meet? Do you ever see a type that interests you?" Perhaps she had already been looking because to Pa's surprise she immediately pointed toward the church choir. "See that one, not so tall, smiling, with the very blue eyes and blond hair? I wish I had a boyfriend like that."

Pa hatched a plan. The next few Sunday evenings they attended the same church. Before services one evening he pointed out another young lady attending. "Grace, do you see that girl there? That is the sister of the blond fellow in the choir. She comes with her brother on the streetcar to church every Sunday. When she goes to the ladies room, you follow her. Start a conversation with her, ask her where she lives and offer her a ride home because you and your father are going that way. She, of course, will say she is with her brother. You then, very off-hand say, that's okay we have room for him also."

Melvin Carl Kallman and Grace Gunhild Sevald married in the Philadelphia Church 

on 5437 N. Clark street in Chicago, Illinois on October 1, 1949

The maid of honor on Grace's right? Of course it is my Aunt Ebba, the sister who needed a ride.

Happy Anniversary October 1, 1949!

- Ranae

**clicking on photos will enlarge them for easier viewing**