Sisters Forever

Subjects: Lucy Traulsen Waswo (age 59) and Alma Reichardt (age 53).
Date: About 1950.
Occasion: Unknown.
Location: 2800 W. Grant Blvd., Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Photographer: Unknown.
Relationship to me: Maternal Grandmother and Grand Aunt.

I have very little information regarding this photograph. Once my mother retired, she went through boxes of photographs and created historical photo albums. She made one for myself and one for my brother. I am posting and commenting on the photographs from this album.

My Grand Uncle and Aunt lived on a corner lot with the front of the house facing Grant Blvd in a two story white frame home. They had a large screened in front porch. My dad in the summer would occasionally sleep on the porch when he did not want to venture home after a hot card game down at the club. As a very young child I remember spending a summer weekend with my Grand Aunt and sleeping on the front porch as well.
 
This is the only photograph that I have of the two sisters together.

Alma and Albert Emil Reichardt

Subject: Alma and Albert Emil Reichardt.

Date: January 9, 1945.

Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Occasion: Wedding.

Photographer: Unknown.

Relationship to me: Maternal Grand Aunt and Uncle.

This is a photograph from my Maternal Aunt Lucille's wedding. The wedding took place during WWII, while my Maternal Uncle George Waswo was serving in the US Air Force in India and China. I have little information as to the actual wedding. I found this photograph in a box while going through my mother's belongings after her passing. This is one of the few photographs I have of Alma and Albert.

On the back of the photograph is written: "Alma and Abby Reichardt. Taken on George and Lucille's Wedding Day, January 9, 1945. Photographed in the Reichardt's home 2800 W. Grant Blvd. Milwaukee, WI."

Joseph Forrai, circa 1934

Subjects: Fourth from the left, Joseph Forrai(age 21).

Date: 1934.

Occasion: Work Photograph.
Location: Cudahy, Wisconsin.
Photographer: Unknown.
Relationship to me: Father.

I have very little information regarding this photograph. I found this photograph in a box while going through my mother's belongings after her passing.

On the back of the photograph was written 'work 1934'. This photograph was most likely in the possession of my Grandmother Rose, and at one time passed to my father.

During this time, my father worked for Patrick Cudahy. Patrick Cudahy was a meat packer, and my father worked his way up to traffic manager. My father started at the company at age 16 in the mail room. My father only completed two years of high school, because his family was poor, he had to go and work to support his mother and siblings.

A traffic manager was responsible for the shipments of the product by truck, rail and even ships. Patrick Cudahy was a major player in shipping pork products both fresh and canned. My father continued to work for the company into the 1960's, until the company was sold and my father laid off.

Greetings Forrai's 1968

Subject: Louis and David Forrai.
Occasion: Christmas.
Date: 1968.
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Photographer: Joseph Frank Forrai.
Relationship to me: Parents, Joseph and Norma.

For the first four weeks in December, I decided to post the Christmas cards that my parents started sending in 1960. I think almost everyone is familiar with the photo holiday cards that some folks choose to send.

You may wonder where my father had these cards made? My dad had a dark room in the house where we lived. Photography was my dad's hobby since the 1940's. Each one of these cards were hand made.

How was the photograph taken? In the early years my dad used a portrait camera. There was a long cable attached to the camera. He routed it so it would not appear in the photograph. He would squeeze the button to take the photograph. In later years, he had a 35mm camera with a built in timer. My father aways used a tripod, and it would take him a good deal of time for the set up for these annual photographs.

This photograph was taken at the construction site of our new home on Scharles Avenue.  We actually moved into this house a few days before Christmas 1968. It was not quite completed, as rooms still needed to be painted and there was no carpeting or flooring on the first floor. The Luther Avenue house sold quickly, and we lived with my Uncle Leo and Aunt Elizabeth for several weeks before this house was complete. I still have the stocking cap in this photograph. The coat that I am wearing was a hand-me-down from my cousins Daniel and Richard Waswo.

You may wonder how my dad got the lettering on the corner of the photograph. He wrote it with a black marker on a clear piece of plastic and exposed it when he made each print.

It amazes me, how many of my relatives and friends of our family have hung onto these photographs. I am not the only one with a collection!

Seasons Greetings 1966

Seasons Greetings 1965

Greetings Forrai's 1964

Season's Greetings Forrai's 1963

Season's Greetings 1962

Merry Christmas 1961

Best Wishes 1960

Season Greetings Forrai's 1966

Subject: Louis and David Forrai.
Occasion: Christmas.
Date: 1966.
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Photographer: Joseph Frank Forrai.
Relationship to me: Parents, Joseph and Norma.

For the first four weeks in December, I decided to post the Christmas cards that my parents started sending in 1960. I think almost everyone is familiar with the photo holiday cards that some folks choose to send.

You may wonder where my father had these cards made? My dad had a dark room in the house where we lived. Photography was my dad's hobby since the 1940's. Each one of these cards were hand made.

How was the photograph taken? In the early years my dad used a portrait camera. There was a long cable attached to the camera. He routed it so it would not appear in the photograph. He would squeeze the button to take the photograph. In later years, he had a 35mm camera with a built in timer. My father aways used a tripod, and it would take him a good deal of time for the set up for these annual photographs.

This photograph was taken at our front door. My mother had a shear curtain covering the true leaded glass multiple pane solid wood door. The shirts we are wearing were western in design, quite popular for this era, and made by my mother. Notice the tall radiator and letter holder by our front entrance.

It amazes me, how many of my relatives and friends of our family have hung onto these photographs. I am not the only one with a collection!

Seasons Greetings Forrai's 1965

Greetings Forrai's 1964

Season's Greetings Forrai's 1963

Season's Greetings 1962

Merry Christmas 1961

Best Wishes 1960

Season's Greetings Forrai's 1965

Subject: Louis and David Forrai.
Occasion: Christmas.
Date: 1965.
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Photographer: Joseph Frank Forrai.
Relationship to me: Parents, Joseph and Norma.

For the first four weeks in December, I decided to post the Christmas cards that my parents started sending in 1960. I think almost everyone is familiar with the photo holiday cards that some folks choose to send.

You may wonder where my father had these cards made? My dad had a dark room in the house where we lived. Photography was my dad's hobby since the 1940's. Each one of these cards were hand made.

How was the photograph taken? In the early years my dad used a portrait camera. There was a long cable attached to the camera. He routed it so it would not appear in the photograph. He would squeeze the button to take the photograph. In later years, he had a 35mm camera with a built in timer. My father aways used a tripod, and it would take him a good deal of time for the set up for these annual photographs.

The early Christmas greetings centered around the fireplace. The stockings hung by the fireplace were knit by my mother, Norma Forrai. I still have that sock and it hangs on the door knob in my house each holiday season. The PJs and slippers that I am wearing in this photograph were handmade by my mother. My brother is wearing a PJ suit with the enclosed feet.

It amazes me, how many of my relatives and friends of our family have hung onto these photographs. I am not the only one with a collection!

Greetings Forrai's 1964

Season's Greetings Forrai's 1963

Season's Greetings 1962

Merry Christmas 1961

Best Wishes 1960

Greetings Forrai's '64

Subject: David and Louis Forrai.
Occasion: Christmas.
Date: 1964.
Location: Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Photographer: Joseph Frank Forrai.
Relationship to me: Parents, Joseph and Norma.

For the first four weeks in December, I decided to post the Christmas cards that my parents started sending in 1960. I think almost everyone is familiar with the photo holiday cards that some folks choose to send.

You may wonder where my father had these cards made? My dad had a dark room in the house where we lived. Photography was my dad's hobby since the 1940's. Each one of these cards were hand made.

How was the photograph taken? In the early years my dad used a portrait camera. There was a long cable attached to the camera. He routed it so it would not appear in the photograph. He would squeeze the button to take the photograph. In later years, he had a 35mm camera with a built in timer. My father aways used a tripod, and it would take him a good deal of time for the set up for these annual photographs.

The early Christmas greetings centered around the fireplace.  The stockings hung by the fireplace were knit by my mother, Norma Forrai. I still have that sock and it hangs on the door knob in my house each holiday season.

This photograph, 1964, was taken in the dining room on my childhood home on Luther Avenue. My father pinned the plastic Greetings to the curtain. This was the west end of the house. If you look closely you will see the radiator.

It amazes me, how many of my relatives and friends of our family have hung onto these photographs. I am not the only one with a collection!