Saturday, November 6, 2021

Sympathy Saturday: It's Been Four Years



Frederick Henry Pape, February 4, 1929 - November 6, 2017, with unknown man


This image is from a Kodachrome slide I found, among others from Korea (1952-53) and of Pape family in Chicago (1953-1956), in a paper bag in my parents' study after he died rather suddenly three years ago today.  There are no markings on the slide to indicate place or date.  

However, I am pretty sure it was taken in Houston, Texas, outside 4632 Norhill Boulevard about 1953-1955.  

The date is based on Dad appearing to be wearing the same clothes as in another photo, also from a Kodachrome slide, taken sometime between 1953 and 1955 inclusive.

The location was determined with a guess.  My mother, Geraldine Margaret Guokas Pape, 1928-2019, was living at 4632 Norhill from at least 1951 (based on a city directory listing) until my parents married in September 1954.  It was the home of her mother, Sara Melzina Wolfe Guokas Archibald (1907-1997) and stepfather, Wallace Frankline "Archie" Archibald (1896-1970), from at least 1951 to at least 1955 (also based on city directories).

Notice the reddish brick house at the end of the street?  That's 1039 Le Green Street, at the corner of Le Green and Norhill, and it has distinctive brick arches on the front porch that helped me match it up with the 1950s view in the picture.



Dad and maybe George Kaiser - September 1954?


I'm not sure who the other man in the photo is.  He might be George Joseph Kaiser Jr. (1928-2006), a classmate of Dad's at Loyola Academy and Loyola University who also lived down the street (2415 W. Lunt in November 1946) in Chicago.  He was Dad's best man at my parents' September 1954 wedding.  This photo could have been taken just before that event.  Below are George and Dad at the wedding.



Best man George Kaiser Jr. and groom Fred Pape at Fred's wedding, 11 September 1954


I wish I'd found these slides sooner, so I could have asked Mom and Dad about them.  It's been four years now since I lost my dad, and I miss him.


© Amanda Pape - 2021 - e-mail me!

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