Donley Lathrop

Donley Lathrop

Both my mom and dad had siblings.  My dad had a brother and sister.  Both he and his brother Donley had served in the U.S. Navy toward the end of the Pacific conflict.  After his four years in the Navy Donley remained a member of the U.S. Naval Reserve for over 38 years.

 I remember visiting Grams and Gramps for a picnic outside and Donley had brought back a submarine periscope, which he had hung up in the tree in their front yard.  I must have been two or three and I cannot remember if my parents were still together at this time or not.

I remember being quite excited to look into the device but also puzzled when the view wasn't much different than what I could see by just looking around the tree.  I don't think that I really understood that it was for looking around while underwater.

Both my dad and his brother had nicknames.  My dad was nicknamed "Jiggs".  I do not know where it came from, but everyone called him Jiggs, without fail.  Accordingly I was nicknamed "Jiggsie" which is intended to mean "little Jiggs".  This was my nickname with the Lathrop family and it was used about half the time by members of the Hanson family as well.  Grandpa Lee had also nicknamed me "Bub" and it was used about half the time.

Donley's nickname was "Donk" and I don't remember anyone calling him anything but that.  Donk seemed to be a really nice fellow.  I am sure I encountered him only a few times as a toddler and once again later in life.

Donk's was married to Olga Lewandowski but everyone referred to her as "Dusty".  She was a very sweet person and everyone seemed to love her.  I think that my mother was very fond of her.

Donk and Dusty had eight children and I do not think that I've ever met any of them.  Eight first-cousins that I've never met!  I am working from Grams' list, provided in her book to me for their names and I believe she listed them in order from oldest to youngest.

Grams listed Frances as living in San Francisco; Christine as living in San Diego; and Cecelia as in the U.S. Navy.  I would not be surprised if the older two were in the Navy as well or married to sailors.

Next came Dudley, nicknamed "Dud" and named after his grandpa.  Then comes Mike and Catherine before Donley Jr, nicknamed D.J. and finally Dianne.  Grams listed them all as living in Grinell, Iowa.

Donley passed away at age 72 in Madison, North Carolina.  His obituary lists his son D. J. and his daughter Frances as preceding him in death.  Christine was listed as living in Las Vegas; Cecelia (Blankenship) in Peterstown, West Virginia; Cathy (Walsh) and Diana (Bullins) in Eden, North Carolina; Dudley III in Stoneville, North Carolina; and Michael of Madison, North Carolina.

He had, at the time of his death, six grandchildren and one great-grandchild.

I have been able to make contact with a couple of these first cousins and hope to learn a bit more about my uncle "Donk" and these eight cousins.