Did You Know?

When your great Grandmother Elizabeth Jane Hickey (Betty Jane) was about 8 years old her Aunt Grace asked her father if they could take one of their five children to live with them.  I don't know how it was decided but mom was sent to live with the Ellis family.  My mom said that each Sunday night she went to live with them and on Friday's her Aunt Grace would bring her back to spend the weekend with her family.  I asked her one time if she felt bad that she was chosen to go and she said she was very homesick for her parents and siblings but Aunt Grace and her Uncle Bill treated her really good.  She said each day when she got home from school Aunt Grace would say "you better go check your bedroom because I thought I heard some noise in there."  When she would go look there would be some new clothes, or a toy or a book for her.  Until the day Aunt Grace died my mother loved spending time with her and she was often included in our family activities. (later I will share an interesting story about Aunt Grace).  My mom said that Aunt Grace was an absolute committed Catholic and thought part of her motivation was to get at least one of her brothers children to become a Catholic.  One of my moms' favorite memories was one day at school they were giving vaccinations and she was so scared and trying hard not to cry.  As her turn came up she walked up to the nurse and someone put her hand on her shoulder and squeezed it.  She look up and there was her Aunt Grace beside her.  As soon as the shot was given,  Aunt Grace said good-bye and left.  Mom lived with them for one school year, completed her catechism classes and didn't go back the next year.  No other children in the family went to live with them.  

Uncle Bill, Aunt Grace, and Bob Ellis