Sepia Saturday #322: John and Ewald

 

 

 

 

 

 

Three little lambs celebrate Aunt Sadie‘s first birthday in September of 1938. The card was sent from Sadie’s Aunty Kitty. I have a post about her planned for later in the year.

So, this week I’m going with “two kids and an animal” theme which allows me to introduce you briefly to my two uncles from my maternal line.

The two boys in the picture are the sons of Etta Pauw and Albert Westra. John Westra is the boy on the right and his younger brother, Ewald, is on the left. They are posing with the family dog on one of the dairy farms their dad worked in Sussex County, New Jersey. Substitute a lamb for the dog and it’s pretty much the same pose from the prompt picture!

John Westra was born 21 April 1929 in Little Falls, Passaic County, New Jersey,[1] the oldest of four siblings. John served in the military in the Marine Corps as a private during World War II.[2] A memorial plaque at his grave site commemorates his service.

He married Marjorie J. Rude and they raised their own family. As you can see from the picture above, he passed away on 11 January 1992. He was buried in Tranquility Cemetery.

Younger brother Ewald Westra (second son, second child) was born on 05 March 1933 in Newton, Sussex County, New Jersey,[3] where the Westras were now living. Ewald married Betty Van Auken on 27 September 1952[4] and they raised their own family. Ewald worked as a contractor and mason for many years in Sussex County. He passed away on 16 August 1997 in Andover, Sussex County, New Jersey, and was buried in Tranquility Cemetery.[5]

The geraniums by the grave stone are a family favorite. Ewald’s mother always had geraniums sitting on the porch and hanging in planters.

The concept behind these weekly Saturday posts can be found at Sepia Saturday Intro.
Theme taken from Sepia Saturday photo: Two kids with an animal

---

[1] Newton, New Jersey, Sussex County Clerk’s Office Naturalization Record Book 1152-1204:1164, Albert Westra, 14 March 1944, petition for naturalization; Hall of Records, Newton.
[2] Tranquility Cemetery (Maple Lane off Kennedy Road, Tranquility, Sussex County, New Jersey), John Westra marker; photo taken by Jodi Lynn Strait, July 2006.
[3] Newton, New Jersey, Sussex County Clerk’s Office Naturalization Record Book 1152-1204:1164, Albert Westra, 14 March 1944, petition for naturalization; Hall of Records, Newton.
[4] Tranquility Cemetery (Maple Lane off Kennedy Road, Tranquility, Sussex County, New Jersey), Ewald and Betty Westra marker; photo taken by Jodi Lynn Strait, July 2006.
[5] Ewald Westra Memory Card, 1997; privately held by Jodi Lynn Strait, Tucson, AZ, 2016. Paper memory card created by Smith McCracken Funeral Home  in Newton, New Jersey.