Remembering Mom - It's Been Five Years

Geraldine Margaret Guokas Pape (1928-2019) on Thanksgiving Day, 2016.

I'm writing this very early in the morning on Thanksgiving Day, 2024, before I head to Austin, so I guess it is fitting that I'm using a photograph from another Thanksgiving in Austin, in 2016.  Mom looks good in this photo (taken by my brother Mark on my late husband Mark's and my digital single lens reflex camera), despite being in the early stages of the nonfluent/agrammatic primary progressive aphasia, a form of fronto-temporal degeneration, that would take her life at age 91. 

Next year, NO-vember will have the anniversaries of four family deaths - Dad on the 6th, my maternal grandmother Sara Wolfe Guokas Archibald on the 16th, my maternal aunt Jo Ann (Sister Jean Marie) Guokas on the 23rd, and Mom on the 30th.

© Amanda Pape - 2024 - e-mail me!

Sister Jean Marie (Jo Ann) Guokas, C. V. I., September 12, 1030 - November 23, 2024

My maternal aunt, Sister Jean Marie (born Jo Ann) Guokas, C. V. I. (1930-2024), lived a rather remarkable life.  Her official obituary gives most of the facts, but in this blog post, I'm going to quote from an autobiography she wrote in 2009 and added to in 2013.  I'm also posting a few of my favorite or most significant pictures of her that I haven't posted elsewhere in this blog (check for the label "Sister Jean Marie" for all those posts).

Above and below:  Sister Jean Marie was interviewed by Tracy Hatfield for an article entitled "A Wii bit of fun" published in the December 2008 issues of The Bellaire Buzz and the West University Buzz - and was the cover girl for both!

Revised version of my 67 years (1946-2013) since I entered the Incarnate Word Congregation as a 15-year-old young girl, having just completed my sophomore year of high school at Incarnate Word Academy (IWA).  How best can I summarize these years for a web page [no longer in existence] that a young woman might read and become interested in a religious vocation?  Guess at this point in my life, I want it to serve as my autobiography.

Up until the time that I retired (July 1, 2011) from active ministry, my answer has always been the same: "Would not want one thing to change."  Many people weaved in and out of my life that really helped to make my life significant, even the ups and downs helped me experience a fullness of life far from what I expected at age fifteen.  Hopefully they made me be a stronger, faithful servant of the Lord for all these years.  

Today, I do not believe that I can truthfully say that I would not want one thing to change.  There have been several events and actions that I wished could have been different.  This appears to be the challenge that faces me now.  Asking myself what is God asking of me at this time in my life - what changes in my attitude must I let go of to bring more peace and joy into my life.

During the 2012 year, I was finally able to take a long desired sabbatical.  Because of my age [82] and health limitations, I did not want to attend two four-month programs.  So I set up my own type of sabbatical,  I found a six-week program entitled "Sabbatical Journey in the Southwest" in Albuquerque, New Mexico.  That suited my need at the time.  It gave me the opportunity to pray, eat, sleep, and have morning classes on a variety of topics that were interesting to me, all in the same building.  Included were lots of free time to rest, visit with the other participants, travel to surrounding places to take in the history of this New Mexico city, and be exposed to attitudes and life experiences that are extremely significant as one begins to age.

My second program was to spend at least ten days in the other Incarnate Word Congregations, in Corpus Christi and Victoria, Texas; and in Cleveland, Ohio.  I wanted to experience how they lived their religious lives in community.  I found their meals, prayer times, and community sharing were somewhat different.  As a result of my visits, it gave me a greater appreciation of my own life here in the C. V. I. Houston, Texas, community.

Now for more of the traditional stuff needed for one's autobiography.  My decision was to start backwards.  I want whoever is reading this to want to continue to the end.  I believe that this personal web page must not only be factual but hopefully very interesting reading.

- Retired from active ministry from St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Church in Houston on June 30, 2011.  The Parish and my CCE/LDP staff gave me the most wonderful send-off farewell reception.  I served for 14 years as the Director of Religious Education (DRE) for two-year-olds to eighth-graders.  This assignment definitely broadened my understanding of the Church (both pre- and post-Vatican II).  For the past 20 years, I have presented the National Retirement Appeal for Priests-Brothers-Religious Sisters.  I am very proud to say that St. Vincent de Paul has been the top parish in funds collected all of these years.

- Served as chairperson for the Archdiocese of Galveston-Houston Sesquicentennial (150 year celebration) from 1994 to 1997.

- Had the privilege of serving as the Superior General (CEO) of my Congregation for eight years (1986-94). Being Superior offered opportunities to travel to several countries, such as:  Guatemala where we had a mission in the city of Huehuetenango; a pilgrimage to Medjarogie; French cities such as Lyons, Belmont, Avignon, and the chateau where our foundress, Venerable Jeanne de Matel, was born.  Each have played a significant part in the founding roots of our Houston community, and especially our Incarnational Spirituality.  I joined three other superiors from the U.S.A. to travel in Nairobi, Kenya, and even a Swahili village.  Finally, I attended two International Union of Superior Generals from all over the world in Rome.  These two visits gave me the opportunity to actually meet Mother Teresa of Calcutta. (She sat next to me, and, being the table monitor, I had to ask her to let the other sisters give their input on the questions!)  The group was privileged to have a private audience with His Holiness, Pope John Paul II.

Above:  Sister Jean Marie with Pope John Paul II (now St. John Paul II).

Below:  Mother Teresa (now St. Teresa of Calcutta) with Sister Jean Marie.

Above:  Swim contest at the International Union of Superior Generals in Rome, Italy - Sister Jean Marie is at right.

Below:  A fundraiser at St. Mary in LaPorte, sometime between 1983 and 1986 resulted in a street in a new development being named for Sister Jean Marie, at least for a while.

- Served as a Councilor in my Congregation for the eight years previous to that (1978-86). These community experiences enabled me to follow the advice of our foundress, Jeanne de Matel, to be an "Extension of the Incarnate Word."

- My first experience with parish life started at St. Mary parish in LaPorte when I was the DRE and Assistant Pastoral Administrator for three years (1983-1983).  

- Before this my early years were in elementary education at Annunciation (1948-50 and 1952-53) and St. Vincent de Paul (1951-52), both in Houston; St. Joseph's in Baytown (1950-51), and St. Joseph's in Bryan (1953-55).  

- In September 1955, I found myself teaching science and math at Incarnate Word Academy (IWA) in Houston, my alma mater.  In 1960 I transferred to Bishop Byrne High School in Port Arthur (my first experience teaching high school boys science and math), and was principal my last two years there.  In 1964 I returned to IWA to serve as principal until 1978.  I was principal at IWA's Marian campus the following year, then the first President (1979-80) and first Development Director (1980-83) at IWA.

So what background was provided to me by the congregation?  B.S. and Master of Religious Education from the University of St. Thomas (UST) in Houston; Master of Education and counselor certification from the University of Houston; and the Spiritual Direction Institute at UST.  I was a member of the first graduating class of the Catechetical Leadership Institute in 2002.  I attended IWA, entering the convent at the end of 10th grade at age 15 going on 16 (this doesn't happen any more).  Graduated while in the convent with my 1948 class.  I usually handle getting the group together for our annual noon luncheon.

Some extra activities very significant to me:  Served as a counselor for the Foreign Study League for four years (1969-72), responsible for eight students spending the summer in Europe; became the Administrator of the program for nine years (1974-1982), responsible for the whole group.  This gave me the opportunity to visit London and other England towns, Paris and many surrounding cities in France, Italy with emphasis on Rome and other places of historical and religious interest, Holland, Austria, Germany , even to Spain for a flamingo and Teresa of Avila, and Greece to visit the Parthenon and a trip to Delphi for the famous Oracle.  [My earlier blog posts on this are here and here.  I always thought it was so cool that she went to Europe nearly every summer when I was a teen, and a little jealous that she made it possible for my mom and youngest sister to go too.]

In Rome (above) and Holland (below) on Foreign Study League trips.

Hope you have enjoyed letting me live my past years with you.  Really helped me to see how blessed I have been by my Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ.  And I hope my story will in some small way serve as an Extension of the Incarnate Word.  "Praised Be the Incarnate Word!"

My favorite Scripture passage is...."God is love, and whoever remains in love remains in God and God in him." - 1 John 4:16

More photos of Sister Jean Marie over the years are (and more will be) here.

© Amanda Pape - 2024 - e-mail me!

Remembering Dad - It's Been Seven Years

Seven years ago, my father, Frederick Henry Pape, died rather suddenly at age 88.  It's the anniversary of the first of three family deaths that happened in NO-vember.  This photo was taken March 12, 2006, when I visited my parents at their post-retirement home in Fredericksburg, Texas.  Every time I visited, Dad would clean my windshield before I left.

© Amanda Pape - 2024 - e-mail me!

An Old Well on the Granbury Courthouse Square

Earlier this week, I got a sneak peek at the new location of local/my favorite restaurant, Christina's American Table, which will be on the first floor of the recently-restored historic Nutt House Hotel.  In the men's room, there is a window in the floor with a view of an old well (see the photo below).

Above:  View through a window in the floor of the men's room of the old well underneath the Nutt House Hotel and Christina's American Table.

Below:  A wider view of the men's room and the "window to the well."

Apparently, one of the stone pier-and-beam supports when this stone building was constructed (sometime between March 1893 and July 1898) was placed right over the old well opening, and the well was rediscovered in the recent renovation.  So of course I immediately wondered if the well showed up in any old Sanborn fire insurance maps.

Well, it is not specifically marked on any of the available maps.  However, I have a guess on where it was located.  First, look at this map from July 1898.  The building is on the northwest corner of the intersection of Bridge and Crockett. It first appears, in its present stone (indicated by the blue coloring) form, on the July 1898 Sanborn map. Note the location of the wooden posts down the middle of the building (where the red arrow is pointing - click on the image of the map to enlarge it).  They are still there, and this well is to the west (left on the map) of them.

Above:  excerpt of the July 1898 Sanborn fire insurance map for the building that is now the Nutt House Hotel and Christina's American Table in Granbury, Texas -  https://maps.lib.utexas.edu/maps/sanborn/g-i/txu-sanborn-granbury-1898-2.jpg

Below:  excerpt of the March 1893 Sanborn fire insurance map for the site of the building that is now the Nutt House Hotel and Christina's American Table in Granbury, Texas - https://maps.lib.utexas.edu/maps/sanborn/g-i/txu-sanborn-granbury-1893-1.jpg

The building in present form (see the photo below) was constructed sometime between March 1893 (based on the Sanborn map above) and July 1898. Its predecessor was two wood frame (indicated by the yellow coloring) buildings. Note that the one on the left does not extend as deeply into the lot as the one on the right. Although no well is indicated on this map, the well could have been constructed after March 1893, and then the stone building of today built over it.

Above:  Nutt House Hotel on March 2, 2023, after the March 1, 2023 fire that nearly destroyed it when its restoration was nearly complete.

Below:  Nutt House Hotel on October 24, 2024, about to reopen, with Christina's American Table on the first floor.

© Amanda Pape - 2024 - e-mail me!

Success in a Remote Cemetery in Oklahoma

On the way home from visiting my late husband's first cousin in Oklahoma City last Friday, I went almost to the state of Oklahoma's eastern border with Arkansas, in search of the Vaughn Memorial Cemetery in Le Flore County, near the community of Gilmore, which is east of Poteau and north of Monroe.

As I wrote in an earlier post, I found my husband's great-grandfather, John L. Gresham, listed in a 1937 inventory for this cemetery.  I made a photo request through FindAGrave, but it hadn't been fulfilled in some time, which made me think that perhaps the grave marker didn't exist any more.

Well, it's there.  Here's a photo of the top of the marker, which has toppled from its base and now lies flat on the ground.  It reads:

J. L. Gresham

Born Feb. 1, 1855

Died Feb. 15, 1892

Above:  Photo of the top of the grave marker for J[ohn] L Gresham, showing the inscription.  Click on the image to view it larger.

Below:  The sign for the Vaughn Memorial Cemetery on Le Flore County Road N4780 (also known as the Gilmore Road), near Poteau, Oklahoma.  The red arrow points to the toppled grave marker for John L. Gresham (which I also marked for this photo by placing a water bottle on it.  Click on the image to view it larger.

Amazingly, between my GPS, a map on my phone, and notes about mileages and turns, I didn't get lost finding this (but I did learn that there are NO rest stops with restrooms on Interstate 50 between Oklahoma City and Sallisaw, near the Arkansas border).  My strategy upon arrival was to search near the cemetery sign pictured above, which was next to the road.  The older graves appeared to be in this area, and it made sense to me that burials would have started closer to the road.  This turned out to be a good strategy, because as you can see from the red arrow, John's grave WAS close to the front.

What I noticed first was the footstone, pictured below, which was propped up against the base of a toppled monument.  "J. L. G." - John L. Gresham - this had to be it!

Above:  Footstone for the grave of J[ohn] L G[resham], leaning against the base of a toppled monument

Below:  Looking over the base to the toppled monument.

I was amazed to see that the front of the monument was quite detailed!  (Click on the image below to enlarge.)  Although somewhat worn from the weather, there is clearly a flying dove carrying a banner that reads "At Rest" flying under an arched roof made by multiple columns leading into some sort of room with a tiled floor. At the bottom of the front of the monument, these words are engraved: "Resting in hope of a glorious resurrection."

Above:  the detailed front of the grave marker for John L. Gresham

Below:  Looking at the toppled monument from the top down - the inscription with the name and dates of birth and death is upside down at the bottom of the photograph.

I was thrilled to find this, and I've updated John L. Gresham's FindAGrave memorial with these images.  

I also visited the nearby Monroe Cemetery (just 3.4 miles due south), where my husband's great-great-grandmother Mary Malissa Hallmark Self is buried (along with one of her grandsons).  I did not find her husband, Vincent Garner Self Jr., there, nor did I find their daughter, John L. Gresham's wife (and my husband's great-grandmother) Lucinda "Lulu" Vina Self Gresham Young, in the Oak Hill (aka Kiowa City) Cemetery in the town of Kiowa in Pittsburgh County, 89.4 miles southwest.  It's possible they never had markers, the markers are long gone, or the newspaper accounts of their deaths were incorrect about the burial places.

© Amanda Pape - 2024 - e-mail me!

Mom Would Have Been 96 Today

Geraldine Margaret Guokas Pape (1928-2019), about 1952, Houston, Texas.  

She is wearing a hat with a face veil, popular at that time.

© Amanda Pape - 2024 - e-mail me!

Happy 94th Birthday to My Aunt!

My aunt, Jo Ann (Sister Jean Marie) Guokas, was born September 12, 1930, so she is 94 years old today.  She's also been a nun for 75 years.  In 1949, she made her first profession of religious vows as a member of the Congregation of the Incarnate Word and Blessed Sacrament.  This photo of her and me was taken on June 8, 2024 at a celebration of the event (her 75th Jubilee) at the Villa De Matel in Houston, Texas, where members of her convent now reside.  Normally this event might have been held closer to her feast day (which is is that of her patron saint, Jean-Marie Vianney) on August 4, I'm glad the event was held in June, so that my late husband Mark was able to attend.  Unfortunately, there was not a good picture of the three of us at the event.

© Amanda Pape - 2024 - e-mail me!

70 Years Ago...

...my parents, Geraldine Margaret Guokas (1928-2019) and Frederick Henry Pape (1929-2017) got married, September 11, 1954, at Annunciation Catholic Church in Houston, Texas.  This photo is from their reception at the Milford House.  The photo is by Kaye Marvins.

© Amanda Pape - 2024 - e-mail me!

Happy Birthday, My Love

Mark Gresham would have turned 83 today.  This photo was taken at Bell's Studio in Corpus Christi, Texas.  I think it may be from 1946 - although the shirt he is wearing is similar, Mark looks a little younger here than he does in his 1947-48 Travis Elementary first grade picture.  Bell's Studio is listed in the 1946 Corpus Christi city directory.

© Amanda Pape - 2024 - e-mail me!

My Beloved: Mark Edward Gresham, August 24, 1941 - August 2, 2024

Mark Gresham, May 29, 1981

Budget Director, City of Corpus Christi, Texas

photo by Sammy Gold of Gold's Studio

Mark Edward Gresham, of Granbury, Texas, died Friday, August 2, 2024, in Fort Worth, Texas, just three weeks shy of his 83rd birthday.  Mark was born on August 24, 1941, in San Antonio, Texas, the oldest child and only son of Francis Edward Gresham and Jewel Moore Gresham.

As a result of his father's Navy service and civilian military defense work, Mark spent his early years in Corpus Christi, Texas; Suitland, Maryland, near Washington, D.C.; and the Myrtle Grove area of Pensacola, Florida.  In 1954, his family moved to Guam, where Mark was a Boy Scout.  He graduated from George Washington High School in 1959 and attended the Territorial College of Guam the next year.  In 1964, he earned a Bachelor of Arts degree from Texas Technological College (now Texas Tech University), majoring in political science, government, and public administration, and minoring in sociology and Spanish.  He completed all requirements except the thesis for a Master of Arts in public administration at North Texas State University (now the University of North Texas).

While in graduate school, Mark began his career in Texas city management.  From 1965 to 1969, he served as administrative assistant to the city manager in Garland, including one year as acting city secretary.  He was city manager of Terrell from 1969 to 1971 and of San Marcos from 1971 to 1973.  He was the budget director for the City of Corpus Christi from 1974 to 1985, and senior deputy city manager in Grand Prairie from 1985 to his retirement in 1993.  He spent the next twelve years in California, where he served on the Orange County Grand Jury.  In 2005, he moved back to Texas, settling in Granbury.

Mark was an active member of the Texas City Management Association, the Texas Municipal League, the International City/County Management Association, and the Government (formerly Municipal) Finance Officers Association.  Mark also taught courses in public administration, local government financial management, and urban economics at Del Mar College in Corpus Christi.  

In retirement, Mark was a member of the Grand Jurors' Association of Orange County, and served as vice-chairman of the Charter Review Commission for the City of Granbury in 2018.  He volunteered as a shipbuilder with the Twin Brigantine Project of the Los Angeles Maritime Institute.  He also volunteered with the Friends of the Library of Hood County, building a sales countertop for their store and auditing their financial records.

In his free time, Mark was passionate about sailing.  From 1978 to 2002, he co-owned a 22-foot Catalina (The Wagon) and (from 1981) solo-owned a 27-foot Pearson (Contagious, also known as Contigo), both in the Corpus Christi Marina.  He was an avid photographer who set up his own black-and-white darkroom in his homes.  He also enjoyed fishing, reading, cooking, gardening, dining out, playing the guitar, and listening to music.

Mark is survived by the love of his life, his wife of 18 (and friend of 45) years, Amanda Pape; and by his two younger sisters, Ann Gresham (Michael) Beug of Husum, Washington, and June Gresham (Gregory) Crane of Red Hook, New York.  He has three children, Kim Gresham (Mike) Williams of McKinney, Texas, Noël Gresham (Philip) Blaschke of Fort Mill, South Carolina, and Drew (Carolyn Shierk) Gresham of San Antonio, Texas; and two stepchildren, Eric Bolme of Charlotte, North Carolina, and Diane Kulju of Washington, D.C.  He is also survived by ten grandchildren, Holly Brown (Lindsey) Watson, Heidi Brown (Ryan) Mason, Austin Blaschke, Jennifer Williams (Christopher) Cain, Adam Brown, Drew Brown, Madison Blaschke (Daniel) Nicholson, Lindsay Williams, Evan Blaschke, and Luke Williams; three great-grandchildren, Walker Mason, Rylan Nicholson, and Noah Mason; and by four nephews, three cousins, four siblings-in-law, and their families. 

© Amanda Pape - 2024 - e-mail me!