Tag: Kaiser

“We were 50 years old…”

LoraasMarie_KaiserMildred_50yrs5-31-1950
Marie (nee Lawrence) Loraas and Mildred (nee Lawrence) Kaiser on their 50th birthdays on May 31, 1950.

This photograph is from the day that my great-grandmother Mildred and her twin sister, Marie, turned 50 years old. Mildred wrote on the back, “We were 50 years old…” with the date. Family tales explain that Mildred was born just before midnight on May 30, and Marie was born shortly after midnight on May 31. Both of their birth certificates list May 31, and apparently both of them always celebrated their birthdays together on May 31. Even when they grew older, they still looked very much alike! It’s sometimes hard to tell them apart in photographs.

Nana was a WWII veteran

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At the age of 20, my Nana (Millie Kaiser) joined the Navy WAVES. She served for 22 months during WWII.

When I was in elementary school, my teacher asked us to interview a veteran as part of a Veteran’s Day project. While asking my grandpa and uncles if they were veterans, I was surprised to discover that my sweet, pie-baking Nana was the World War II hero of our family. She has recently passed away, and so I’d like to share her story in honor of Women’s History Month. Continue reading “Nana was a WWII veteran” →