Cast of Characters

I am thinking that perhaps to keep us all on the right page, it will be easier if we know who the people are that I will be talking about so I shall endeavor to identify them to you.

The Bush Family - John and Neva Neal Bush and unidentified girl. 

This is my mother's natural parents - John and Neva Neal Bush -  I believe this picture would have been taken in the early 1900's.  Mrs. Bush died in childbirth in 1912, when my mother was born in December.  Mr. Bush took my mother to Gale and Marietta Gerow and asked them if they would keep her until after the funeral and they agreed to do so.  More on this later.

Gladys Bush Loomis, Dorothy Bush Elliott, Neal Bush, Leslie Bush, Wilma Bush Hawk, and my mother, Ethlyn Neva Bush Gerow Goodwin.  This photo was taken at one of the many Bush/Neal Reunions that we always attended.  I am not sure Aunt Wilma went by Bush growing up, as she was raised by a family in southern PA, but like my mother she was always in contact with her natural brothers and sisters.

Charles and Stella Spencer Goodwin

This is a  picture of my father's mother and father, I never knew them.  I know the stories Daddy has told me of them, the saddest of them that his father and Daddy's first wife, Feda died within weeks of each other and Daddy felt he didn't know if he could continue on with out them.  He had a little girl and a tiny son, the son Charles was raised by Daddy's mother-in-law, Daisy Ely and his daughter, Daisybelle (Daisy) stayed with Daddy and my dad's mother.

Goodwin Siblings

Left to Right:

Charlotte Goodwin Smith, Faye Goodwin Compton, Lloyd (Jinks)Goodwin), Burt Goodwin (my dad).  Back:  Ted Goodwin and Floyd (Jack) Goodwin

Daisy and Uncle Ted

Burt M. Goodwin (Daisy's and my father)

Feda M. Ely Goodwin (Daisy's Mother)

This picture of Daddy was taken in 1928.  Feda and Daddy were married November 22, 1925.

Gale and Marietta Gerow 1957

This is the only set of grandparents that I remember and remember them I do, I could write a book about these loving people.  Like my one daughter (Susan) tells me, there is nothing like the love from a grandparent and that is so true!!

Grandma told me it was a snowy cold day when Mr. Bush brought the tiny baby to their door and asked them if they would keep her (my mother) until after the funeral.  My grandparents had been married for five years and had not been able to have any children and therefore, they were delighted to have a baby in the house.  The baby girl didn't have a name, so Grandpa started calling her "sweet thing".  I remember sitting in the big wooden rocking chair with Grandma when she told me this story and she snuggled me close to her as she retold the story.  She said when she took that bundle of warm baby from Mr. Bush, the thought went through her mind, how could she ever give it back?

After the funeral Mr. Bush returned and Grandma was heart broken knowing she had to give the baby back, but God had other plans, Mr. Bush asked my grandparents if they would be willing to raise her for their own, and you know the answer to that.  They were delighted to have a daughter of their own.  Grandma was reading a book and the main character in the book was Ethlyn and that is how mother got her first name and her middle name for for her deceased mother, Neva.  Three years later Grandma Gerow delivered her own first child.

Gerow Siblings

Left to Right:

Grandma Gerow, Ethlyn Gerow Goodwin, Eloise Gerow Drew, Lucille Gerow Beeman, Norma Gerow Plumley, and Ardys Gerow Hazelton.  This picture was taken at the last place Grandpa and Grandma Gerow lived on the Bryant Road in Charleston Township in 1948.

Burt and Ethlyn Bush Gerow Goodwin

This is a picture of my parents when they were married in January 1934.  I can't say much about the day, other than I have been told that it was a terrible day weather wise and there were ruts in the roads and it made travel really difficult.  They were married in the parsonage in Whitneyville.

My brother and me.

Now you have the majority of the main character of the stories, so hopefully this will help you as we continue on with the stories to come.  I will add pictures that are pertinent to stories as we go along.