Marian D.(Bittenger)Heike my mom made every holiday special. Mom was a class act. Mom use to bother dad about a red head he dated once and how she was a lesbian.
Mom and dad met on a blind date in Spencer at a bar. Mom was not a drinker. Mom’s first husband my half sisters dad was a lover of beating women. Mm and dad wed July first 1956. Mom married Leon Norbert Heike the youngest son of Agnes Kleeman Heike and Paul John Andrew Heike of Shawno,Wisconsin.
Norman Ervin Eric dad’s only brother and his wife were detained from coming to Iowa for the celebration although I betcha it was lack luster. See mom had no heart in marring dad my grandma force her into the marriage telling mom who was drop dead gorgeous it might be moms last opportunity what with Diana being eight years old.
Norman and Wava his wife were about to give birth to their fifth child. My favorite cousin Karen A. Heike(Karen was born the fifteen of July.)
Dad(Dr.L.N.Heike,Chiropractor)took the little family to Shawno to meet my grandparent and the family. My older half sister a born narcissists hated mom receiving her due. Diana always saw herself in the lime light. To achieve all the attention Diana , Diana at eight years old would have been coached by my grandmother(mom’s mom.) Diana told mom my new grandfather touched Diana inappropriately.
My mom went to her brand new sister in-laws and told them they could not leave they daughters with grampa he will feel them up. Diana got her attention mom appeared position back mom looked stupid.
By the time mom met the Wisconsin family grampa had been to war in Flounders field n WWI. He was a noncom officer. A first Sargent in the Medical Corps. Dad’s dad’s job as a young man was pulling dead and injured out of the trenches. Before he went into the US ARMY grampa was in the Civil Defense keeping his Wisconsin safe.
Before mom met the family grampa and grandma has had :The Rohrs (dad’s sister Gertrude her husband Charles were high school teachers. The Rohr’s lived in _Waukasha,Wisconsin_. The Rohr’s had five children three boys and two girls.
Norman also a Chiropractor had five children four girls and a boy. Then likelihood grandpa lay in wait for the chance his youngest son would marry a hottie with an eight year old daughter he could feel up proves at eight years old Diana Lee was a narcissist .
Mother never saw lies Diana fed the world. Mom was all about Christmas. It was a labor of love. Dad never saw that. Diana saw everything as what with the proper lie got her the most advantage.
Ellen was friend orientated and what was in. Ellen my kid sister lived life on her terms. Ellen never wanted to live anyplace other then Allamakee County her friends mostly were here. Her home,and dog and boys. I guess should say sons not boys.
I guess Diana saw Ellen in her own selfish eyes. I remember when Ellen got breast cancer,I called my friends and put it out there on my FaceBook for good wishes for Ellen. One of her little minded friends ratted me out. I see a prayer as a good thought. I’m older by three years to Ellen. Ellen like others in my family saw cancer as a failure. No not a failure but private. I see horrific things like cancer as prayable,
For Christmas mother always had everything grand. Mom would buy fruit for stockings. Mom always kept two boxes one was for Christmas presents and one was just for birthday gifts. I was always pleased she’d let me wrap gifts dad would just up and go to bed. See dad only ever got one gift,moms.
For me Christmas was a present beyond value. Even though dad saw me as a way to get out of helping. I fear dad saw booze as that too. Like to many humans they believe that booze covers up many sins. Its not an excuse not to be there for your family. Its not a friend.
Ellen would come always brought money never a gift. A rock wrapped would have took thought. I always got mom what she hadn’t or what she wanted. Dad got mom a robe or a lovely leather purse. Ellen gave mom money.
One year for mothers day dad had gone to a sale he spent to much so he told mom the tractor he bought was hers.
Mom was the little the little things. The pies , turkey and ham, candied yams simmering on the stove. The smells through out the house. The white potato’s boiling. Ellen would swoop in and mash them. I’d set the table. We’d have moms cranberry relish it was yummy and so simple to make it. A bag of cranberries ,one orange and one apple all ground up together. Or mom would make mine and Diana’s favorite jello salad.
The jello salad was cabbage,pineapple and lemon jello . Looked lovely tasted grand. Had a spoon of miracle whip lumped on top. Ellen always brought her bean casserole. On rare occasions Diana came she use to be a fine cook funny how in latter life her suckiness as a human being ruined her ability to cook.
I have mom’s salad bowl its the front window of an old washing machine. the machine use to sit in the kitchen when the kitchen was the elevator shaft of the office.
I was nine when the Heike family returned to Iowa from Wisconsin. The year was 1967. No. And dad bought the building at 504 W. Main,Waukon,Iowa 52172 for dad’s office and mom and dad designed the basement as our home. We were it felt last people on earth to get a color TV.
Our only window in the basement was a block thick glass window. The floor was always. cold and a drain in middle of floor(this might be an imagining because the basement was uses by a funeral parlor to sell coffins).
The kitchen table was white and oval. On the side of the wall stood the washer machine when a color load was in mom use to say TV is on!
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