Monday, May 2, 2011

Jessie Emilia Emma Reinhard

I don’t often do posts about my family on this blog, I have another one just for that, but I saw this photo on my computer just now and decided today was the day to introduce you to a very special lady….



Her name was “Aunt Jesse”, I only knew her as that as I was just a child….Aunt Jessie was my maternal grandmother’s sister. There were three Reinhard sisters:



Mamie, Josie, Jessie Reinhard 1892   2



The baby in the middle is my grandmother Josephine ( born in 1891) , the child on the left is Mae Lillian “Mamie” and the oldest on the right is Jessie.



The family story is that Jesse got Scarlet Fever as a child and her fever went too high and she came out of it mentally “different”. She lived with her parents Charles and Amelia Reinhard her whole life, and when they both passed within 48 hours of each other she came to live at my grandparents house. She never got past about 10 years of age….so to me a 8 or 9 year old she seemed perfectly normal! She loved puzzles, she did hundreds of them and they were all in my grandparents attic. . My grandmother was rough on her sometimes or so it seemed to me as a youngster, and I would get cross at Grandma, I hated it when I thought she was being mean. Now as an adult I understand what a sacrifice my grandparents made in taking her in, and how it was like having a forever child.



In the few photos I have of Jesse as a child, she has a somewhat different look on her face, but she was never excluded from anything! That was not the normal for mentally challenged children in the early 1900’s and I applaud my great grandparents for not putting her away, like so many children were that were afflicted mentally in some form or another in that time era.



L to R Jessie, Mamie, Josie Reinhard



Above photo, L to R, Jessie, Mamie and Josephine.



Reinhard Sisters and Friends



Josie Reinhard far right sitting down



This wonderful photo is at a Halloween Party, Jessie is the beautiful women in the white right in the middle, The woman sitting down on the far right is my grandmother.







BR Josie, Mamie, Amelia, Jessie FR Phyl, Bob, Chuck and Ione



Jessie is in the far right.





The photo that means the most to me is this one……



Grand Aunt Jesse Reinhard



This is how I remember my sweet Aunt Jessie….always with one of those very worn, very soft aprons on and that sweet smile…..



Jessie outlived both of my grandparents and ended up in a nursing home in Eau Claire, she lived to the ripe old age of 82. Having very little of life’s stresses, Jessie was able to outlive all of her family. I don’t know if that was a good thing or not, but it was how it happened. As long as Jessie had her coloring books, crayons and puzzles her world was good…. I miss her a great deal some days…..



19 comments:

Holly said...

Beautiful post!

Unknown said...

what a sweet story and wonderful vintage pictures. thanx for sharing. Tiff

Jill said...

Your sweet Aunt Jessie is darling! I loved this post~
Hugs,
Jill

Angela said...

How sweet! The dress and apron are exactly like my grandma always wore.

Nan said...

What a sweet story about your Aunt Jessie thanks for sharing and all the great old photos.

Jenny said...

She is beautiful. It sounds like she passed through life gently.

Daphne said...

Thanks for sharing Jessie's special story.:)

Unknown said...

Thanks for sharing that story....I love things like that. And the PICTURES....SO cool... I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE old photos and it's so great that you know all the people and stories behind them. Jessie sounds like a really fun person. :)

Pink Roses and Teacups said...

Hi Sandy,

thanks for sharing this sweet story about your Aunt Jessie. I love these old photos too!


Debbie

Suz said...

Sandy,
That was a really touching post. I was a special ed teacher for many years and loved the "Jessie's" so much. Everyone always asks me if I am patient and I don't think that was the case! She looks so sweet. I especially love the last picture, too. For some reason, she looks more present. I can see why you cared so much for her.
Thanks so much for sharing all of this!
hugs,
Suz

Unknown said...

Oh' Sandy, I love this sweet post and I especially love the last picture of Aunt Jessie. It reminds me so much of my own Grandmothers. The same kind look, the same way of dressing. So loving and sweet. I wish my Grandchildren could experience that sort of Grandma but at the same time I don't think I'm ready to be a Grandma like that.

I haven't forgotten you, I promise. I'm just very out of sorts lately but I think of you every, every day.

Love ya, Tracy

P.S. I love those cards you got. You did hit the mother-lode.

Sue H @ Astrachic Studio said...

HI, Thanks so much for the lovely family stories and photos of the past. Very special to have and memories last forever. It was very sweet.
Sue
Astrachic Studio
South Australia

Jenny's Heart said...

I think it's the Aunt Jessie's in our lives that show us God's heart, I think they help to make us who we are. Thanks for sharing.

Donna @ The House on the Corner said...

What a precious story! Your aunt was very special as was your family. What a testament to them all that Jessie was able to live such a wonderful life surrounded by her family.

Unknown said...

Sandy, This is such a wonderful post! You have so tenderly told us about this special relative. What a treasure to have such photographs. I want to wish you a wonderful Mother's Day! Elizabeth

SueLovesCherries said...

Great story, Sandy, glad you shared her with us!

Bargain Hunting Treasure Seeker said...

Thanks for sharing! I loved your post and the great old photos!!

Nanette Merrill said...

Aw Sandy, what a sweet post. I love love the photos.

Sweet Cottage Dreams said...

Sandy, I so enjoyed reading about your Aunt Jessie and seeing all of those old photos. She reminds me so much of women in my family, especially with her apron on. She looks to have been such a sweet, sweet woman. Thank you for sharing Aunt Jessie, and the others, with all of us.

xo
Becky

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