"Crappy Toshiro" (aka Dick)

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When I first saw this photo of Tommy, I assumed he must have been wearing dad's old army jacket and cap.  But then I saw the next photo:

As you can see from the date stamp at the bottom, the photos were taken in May 1967.  Dick and Tommy were outside our home in San Gabriel (that's my bedroom window in the background).

The next photo I found was taken a little more than a year later, in August 1968.  Here, Dick is in Vietnam. 

And on the back of the photo he'd written this:

"Woke up this morning and had the hardest time deciding what to wear - Hope you approve.  What do you think of my landscaping?" and it was signed "Crappy Toshiro of Phu Bai."

Somehow I loved seeing that progression - from Tommy being swallowed up by a military jacket, to Dick and Tommy together, to Dick standing in a world we couldn't imagine but with the same smile he had shown the camera on Ruthlee Avenue. If you're going to go into a war, best to carry along that kind of a smile, and the sense of humor that ended up on the back of that photo.  We love you, Crappy Toshiro of Phu Bai!

Betty Benson in Catalina 1947

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My mom used to love going to Catalina Island in the mid to late 40's. The Casino Ballroom had all the latest big bands and she and her friends would go there to dance. They befriended a local legend named "Pops" and mom always spoke of him as if he was actually related. So it was no surprise to find yet another photo of her on the island. What was a surprise was what she was doing in the photo. 

Here, she's apparently borrowed hat and violin from the local mariachi troupe.  She was 17 years old.  I think she wore that same style bathing suit for the rest of her life!  This is not exactly how I remember her. And maybe that's why I love this picture so much. It's the mom I never knew. And the mom my dad fell in love with. How great is that?

Jeff's speech at the Heritage Foundation

Jeff recently gave a talk at the Heritage Foundation - "Hope Growth and Enterprise: Social Justice Lessons from the life of Jack Kemp."  He was introduced by Jack's good friend, Bob Woodson.  He manages to get football, Joanne, Lincoln, Churchill, Bertha Gilkey, The Kemp Foundation, California Delivery Service, Albert Einstein, Jackie Robinson, Martin Luther King, and Gideon into one talk.  The apple didn't fall far from the tree, that's for sure.  Enjoy!!

CLICK HERE for a link to Jeff's speech

Kemps are the answer to 80-down!

It's not every day that we Kemps are an answer in the L.A. Times Sunday crossword!!

[click puzzle to enlarge]

More Pope slides

Here are more of the Pope slides.  I'm pretty sure these were Jim and Marjorie's slides, which might explain why Jim isn't in many of the shots...  I haven't had time to clean them up but I'll do that later.  Elmer Pope was Frances' cousin and Grace tells me that Myrl is a cousin too.  Enjoy!

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Myrl and Frances

Myrl, Frances, and Elmer

Myrl, Jim, Frances, and Elmer

Marjorie, ??, Myrl, Frances,  ??, ??

Jim, Elmer, ??, Clarence, Paul

Dinner

Pope Slides

These slides were found in the deepest, darkest part of the laguna attic.  They were housed in a really cool looking slide box, with six drawers of slides.  The good news is that someone wrote a list of what is on each slide.  The bad news is I can't always read their writing.  I don't know who this belonged to, and I don't know many of the names.  So any help with deciphering the code would be greatly appreciated.  My favorite is the last one - of Frances laughing...  [click on photos to enlarge]

Clarence Pope (Frances' brother)

Jean Pope (Clarence's wife)

Grace (Pope) and Bill Tiernay

Sandra, Jean, Grace, Bill, Clarence

???, Jean, Grace, Bill, ???, ???

Jean, Clarence, Sandra

Marjorie Pope

Mryl, Frances, Paul

Frances

Frances

Frances (definitely click on this one!)

Balboa 1964

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Grandma and Paula

Betty

Nancy

Jack

Paula

Tommy

Susie McPhail

Anne, Tom, Jeff

Jeff, Nancy, Jennifer,  Paula

Kemp Boys 1965

Tom, Dick, Paul, John, Jack

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Kemps in Washington circa 1969

I love this photo - signed by a mystery (to me) Congressman no less.  I remember my dress.  I remember my pin.  I think I just ran across mom's camera in the attic.  And, oh, her white gloves!  Love Jeff's tie, too!

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Nita's Rolls and a note to Dickie

I'm scanning all of Frances' recipes and will make them available to you all in the months ahead.  Fortunately for us, on many of the recipes she wrote the name of the person who gave her the recipe.  So far we have recipes from Nita, Doll, Dorothy, Caroline, and Mary.   (click on images to enlarge) 

On the back of this recipe for Nita's Rolls, I found a note from "Mom" to "Dickie."  It reads:  "Dickie - Mom & Dad have gone to Long Beach with a trip.  We will be back about 9.  Eat your breakfast & don't wake Tom or Jack.  Why don't you set up your train.  Love, Mom"  Wonderful!

Betty Benson in the snow

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Ahhhh... on a hot summer day, there's nothing nicer than finding an old negative to scan and discovering that it's a photo of mom in her late teens/early twenties throwing a snowball at the camera.  Heaven.

4th of July news

 Dad with two of Daoud's sisters, Najla and Lema, holding Sameel, Najla's son

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Rob called Daoud today, on the 4th of July, just to let him know that we are thinking of he and his family this day. His wife Nadia answered the phone. Daoud has left his job as car salesman and now works for the US Army in Afghanistan! His proficiency with languages and Afghan dialects, along with the fact that he is now an American citizen, makes him a wonderful asset to the army. No matter where he goes in Afghanistan, people think he's from that region. Plus he speaks at least 7 other languages. Most of his work is top secret so when Nadia goes over there with the children (tomorrow!), there's a chance she may not see him.

How proud dad would be of what Daoud has chosen to do - using his unique talents for such an important cause. We will keep Daoud, his family, and Afghanistan in our prayers.

Frances in the kitchen

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Since my last post was about grandpa, I thought I'd give grandma her turn in the spotlight.  I love this photo. She seems to be in deep contemplation of that bird.  The platter is ready at hand.  As are the half-filled glass milk bottle, the upside down can of "Butter Kernel Succotash," strawberry jam, some potatoes on the windowsill.  I'm sure the orange rolls are in the oven.  I tried to make out the year on the "Lindy's" calendar but couldn't.  It's November, so chances are pretty good this is Thanksgiving.  I love that she's got her good jewelry on.  Along with an inside-out apron.  Perhaps she's thinking - all this work and it will be over so fast.  Anyway, I love this little quiet moment in time.

A wonderful and surprising find!

As you know, the TPK kids are in the process of dividing up the contents of the laguna house.  I had claimed the carved wood table that sat in the living room between the two blue plaid chairs.  It has a great secret drawer which I emptied out.  But when Tom Jr carried the table out to my car, we heard something rattle and realized that there must be more inside.  I managed to get my arm in there and found a few pieces of jewelry.  Then Tom noticed that at the very back, tightly wedged up against the furthest wall, was a piece of paper.  Turns out that it was a letter from Paul Sr. to dad.  It was written as if to the Coca Cola Bottling Co. upon dad's promotion to president.  It is vintage grandpa.  And I wonder if it's been sitting inside that table since 1975...  Here's the letter.  Click on the image to enlarge it.  (Transcript below)

3-15-75
To whom it may concern: -

I would like to congratulate the Board of Directors of the Coca Cola Bottling Co in their selection for President: He is young, aggressive, honest, brilliant, kind, humble, intelligent, loving, a great compassion for his fellow-worker, a devoted husband and a marvelous father:-

Page after page could be written extolling his outstanding qualities, but I know you are aware of them.

The new President is one of four of the world's greatest young men.

From one who is not predjudiced.

P.R.K.

Adventureland, 1955

Here's a great photo of Lorraine, me, and dad at the entrance to Adventureland in 1955.  See the photo below for comparison.  [Click on photos to enlarge.]

121 Ridgewood Photos

Here are some slides from when Dick returned home in uniform, and the Tom Kemp and Paul Kemp Jr families were there to greet him.  What a great welcome! [Click on photos to enlarge.]

Class Photos

Here are some class photos from various years.  I love the hair!

They were in a painted cigar box where Grandpa kept some notes and articles and a few photos.  I'll be posting scans of some other things from the box too.