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Over the years that I have spoken with each Aunt and Uncle, along with conversations that I've had with my mom, I have always loved hearing their very personal and special family memories.
They include those of our great-grandparents ~ Nell and Charles, our Grandma, along with her siblings collectively known as Evelyn, Edmund (Eddy), Elenore, Eugene (Gene), Jeanette (Jane), and Norbert (Norb or Nobbie).
Several years ago, I sent an email to Uncle John to ask about his personal family memories of growing up in San Rafael and/or those of the relatives that lived in both San Francisco and Cloverdale.
Then last year during a phone call, he began sharing even more stories. Combining his memories with those that have been shared with me by our other Aunts/Uncles and older cousins............................
I Thus present
Vincent Earl Steele- later known as Brother Vincent was the third born son of Robert and Estelle Steele. His father, Robert was great grandma Nell's older brother.
Vincent's order was SM of The Marianists.
For those not familiar with the Marianists -they are a worldwide family of Catholic brothers, priests, sisters and committed lay people. The SM stands for the Society of Mary and is the male religious order of brothers and priests.
Although it was a religious order, according to my mom, Aunt Shirley, Uncles Bill & John, Vincent had a great sense of humor and a zest for life! While Shirley and John sat in the back seat, they would notice their older cousin Vincent whistling at the girls as he drove down the avenues in San Francisco!
Vincent taught at several schools as you can see in the above picture gallery. He helped guide the year book staff, was the student council advisor, taught history, religion, photography and also worked as a librarian. During his off times, he could be quite unpredictable.
Uncle John: I remember visiting Uncle Vincent, when was working as a librarian at Chaminade College in Honolulu. He was a real kick with a lot of energy. The time I went to visit him, the front desk administration informed me that Vincent wasn’t in at the moment because he was out rollerblading!
During the times when Uncle John would visit Cloverdale as a kid, he would ride with Grandpa Charles in the big old Ford pickup from the back road out to the main highway.
According to Uncle John, "Grandpa would ask me to check the road on 101 and give him the all clear before inching out. It was scary. At that time on that highway there was nobody on it so we would wait and give him the all clear before inching out.
Grandpa would look at me and ask, "So see anybody?!!" Uncle John would reply, "No" and Charles would move the gear shift and they sped off.
According to Uncle John, "I remember her as being a very, very beautiful lady. Anson was her son with Carl Weeks. Her second marriage to Art Gonzalez was her total dream. She ended up living in a trailer for some time after Carl died working in the cafeteria at UC Davis -a job she held onto for many many years."
Brother Vincent Steele
Charles Cook
A Pickup Truck Similar to
what Charles might have
had during that time.
GRANDPA CHARLES COOK
Jeannette Catherine Cook
Memories and Stories
As Told To Me
By Uncle John & other Bruemmer Siblings
PART 1
Young Vincent Steele At The Cook Farm
Hanging Out At The Swlmming Hole
High School Yearbook Photo
Junipero Sierra High School
Golden Jubilee of Brother Vincent
Brother Vincent Steele
Brother Vincent Steele
JEANNETTE'S FAMILY HISTORY
Jeanette Catherine (also known as Jane) Cook, was the youngest daughter of Charles and Nell. Uncle John remembered as being "a very, very beautiful lady." For my cousins who may not know much about Grandma's youngest sister here is a brief bio.
Jane's first marriage was to Carl Samuel Weeks. Born on May 19, 1915 in Sonoma, Carl was one of three children raised by George Albert and Mary Amanda (Williams) Weeks. His sisters were Laura Louise and Bertha. Their father worked as a ranch helper all his life in the Sonoma area. Below is the only photo I have of Carl. It came from a newspaper article dated May 21 1942
Just two months after graduating from high school, Jane and Carl ran off to get married in Carson City Nevada. The marriage took place on August 29 1934. Jane was 18 and Carl 19.
It may be speculation on my part, but I believe the reason why Carl married Jeannette was because she was pregnant. In those days, a pregnancy out of wedlock usually led to man doing the right thing by marrying the girl. Yet, rarely did these marriages last.
On March 26 1935 Jane gave birth to a son they named. Arnold 'Arnie' Anson Weeks. A birth certificate on ancestry.com shows mother's maiden name as Cook. The Weeks family moved to Oakland where Carl worked as a ship fitter for Kaiser Shipyard.
In 1943, Carl enlisted in the military. During that time, men were requested to enlist for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law.
While stationed at March Air Field base in Riverside CA, Carl joined the Army of Engineers as an Aerial Photographer as described in the article below.
Jeannette & son Anson
According to Cousin Clare: "After WW2 ended, it changed Carl. He got injured while in service, losing the use of his legs. While Jane was an easy going person Carl got moody and nasty. He soon he filed for divorce and moved to Nevada while Jane remained in their Oakland home raising her son Arnie."
To cover her living expenses, Jeannette took up work as a waitress at the State Training Center For Adult Blind in Albany (now known as) the Orientation Center for the Blind.
The job was fortuitous for two reasons: As a full time job, not only did it pay well but it was also where she met her future husband Arthur Edward Gonzales Jr.
Born on December 9, 1916 in San Bernardino, CA was one of two children in the family of Arthur Damascus and Cora Della (Sanchez) Gonzales. As with Jeannette , this would be the second marriage for Arthur. Below is their wedding photo taken on June 3, 1956.
Jeannette and Arthur lived in Davis California and their marriage lasted until his passing in 1994. According to Uncle John: "Jeannette lived in a trailer working working in the cafeteria at UC Davis- a job she held onto for many many years."
Jeannette eventually moved to Oakdale Heights Assisted Living in Redding CA where she passed away. She would be the last of the Cook family to go. Her sad little obituary read:
Allen & Dahl Funeral Chapel: Jeannette C. Gonzales (Died May 25, 2013) Jeannette C. Gonzales, 97, of Redding died Saturday at Oakdale Heights Assisted Living in Redding. Arrangements are pending at Allen & Dahl Funeral Chapel in Anderson.
Norbert was last born child/son in the Cook family. While living with his parents Charles and Nell, he worked as an auto mechanic, doing transmissions for a local company called Lampson's Garage in Cloverdale.
During one afternoon, a woman by the name of Sylvia stopped by the garage with her car. The mechanic on duty was Norbert. They began dating and over time fell in love.
She was born Sylvia Evelyn Kohonen in Annandale Minnesota on September 2 in 1917. Sylvia was first married to Albert Boss in 1937 but divorced in/about 1943.
Six years later in 1949, Sylvia was remarried to a Rudolph John Lampi. They had one son together named Donald Rudolph born on February 12, 1950. Five years later, Sylvia and Richard divorced.
I am certain, Norbert wondered if he would ever find true love, but when Sylvia came into the garage for help with her car, it was that chance meeting that led to love. Below is their wedding day photo.
Norbert thought the world of her son Donald (or sometimes referred to as Donnie) doing everything for him and taking him places.
According to our parents, Donnie loved to play the accordion.
Uncle John: "When Donnie was young, he was very good with the accordion. He was always asked to bring it at the family functions.
Once he started taking requests from family members, his mom Sylvia would get up and start dancing a storm. She was an energetic lady!"
According to Clare and Mom: "Sylvia had very bad health problems and smoked like a chimney! One of her legs had to be amputated (possibly due to cancer)." Sylvia died on March 26, 1999 in Healdsburg. Below is one of the last photos taken of her at the annual Cloverdale High School Reunion.
Uncle John: After Sylvia died, then Donnie turned to drugs and alcohol Taking advantage of his stepfather Norb.
As described Clare and Mom: "Donnie was a real trouble maker who took advantage of Norb. He felt that the house belonged to him not Norb." Norb was Clare's favorite Uncle who with Uncle Bill would visit Norb to check in on things. Donnie's room was filled with needles, pot and drugs. According to Clare, "Often Norb and Donnie would get into fights and the police would have to be called"
Uncle John "One day I came to see Donnie and there were a whole bunch of empty beer cans in the back of his truck. I asked him are you recycling them? Donnie looked at them and in reply said nope just finishing them!"
Donny also liked to get out the guitar and play. He and John took classes together at the Santa Rosa Junior College. Donnie used to work for one of the big wineries carrying the hoses for the tanks.
Nell, Charles, Jeannette, Arthur, his parents Cora & Arthur SR
Norbert Cook and Family
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