Memoirs of Edward Obenhaus
I was born August 26, 1921, and lived in the same house with my parents, except the years I was in the army, until I married. I was the youngest child in a family of eight. I had five sisters and three brothers. One brother named Ruben died when he was 26 days old. Sister Mary died at the age of 56 with heart trouble.
The first school I attended was Haney and later I went to Kincheloe School. Sister Clara drove the car to school, as there were no school buses those days. I remember one day, I must have been about seven years old, I decided I did not want to stay at school so I started walking home. No one knew where I was and my parents, brothers, and sisters were all looking for me. They found me about one-half mile from home. Papa dusted my pants, with me in them, when they found me. That was the last time I played hooky from school.
I went to parochial school for two years. I was confirmed with a large class, and we had two Sundays of Confirmation services. I continued my education at Five-in-One School where I graduated in 1940.
I was lucky to have good Christian parents. They would not tolerate any back-sliding from their children when it was time to go to church. I always enjoyed going to Sunday School and Walther League at Zion Lutheran Church, and I still go to that same church today. Some of the customs of the church have changed through the years; one thing I still remember was the custom for men to sit on one side of the church and women on the opposite side.
Ever since I can remember Papa suffered with attacks of asthma. It was a strain on his health, but he did live until the age of 87. He was especially thoughtful of us children when we were sick. Mama broke her leg before I was born. It never healed completely, and she walked with a limp the rest of her life. She had a lot of work to do with a large family, but she always had plenty of good food on the table and lots of love and patience for all of us.
When I was young it was customary for families and relatives to visit each other at their homes on Sunday after church. We would always have a big dinner of home-cooked food. I especially remember how good the egg noodles and banana puddings were. There were always lots of children to play games with. Baseball was one of our favorites.
When I was about six years old, I drove the horses hitched to a wagon while the other children cut maize. I thought I was "big" and "important" because I got to ride and the others had to walk.
For a few years Papa ran a dairy. I had to milk seven cows by hand each morning before I went to school. I did not like that job and vowed that when I grew up I would not run a dairy.
I started go-deviling in the field when I was seven years old. I enjoyed the field work, even though it was very hard at times, but I learned how to farm and have made it my life's work.
When I was young, we had a black pony named "Coley," and I had much pleasure riding him.
Papa always raised lots of cattle. He hauled quite a few cattle in the truck to the market in Fort Worth. I always enjoyed going with him on those trips, and when I was older I hauled the cattle to Fort Worth by myself. Papa and I also made lots of trips to Aiken, Texas, our farm on the Plains, hauling bundle feed back home.
When I was about 12 or 13 I went on a trip to Carlsbad, New Mexico, with Sister Mary, Brother-in-law Paul, and their children. We went through the beautiful caverns and had a wonderful time. It was my first "long" trip to go on.
Many a winter night we kids would walk one-half mile across the field to George Streit's home to visit. We would play pinochle until late at night. We would get cold walking home, but Mama was thoughtful to put a warm brick or iron in the bed for us. That surely felt good to our cold feet.
My first car was a 1941 white Ford that Papa bought me. It was the last car sold in Vernon before they "froze" the sales of new cars because of World War II. We did not know the government was going to stop the sales so felt we were lucky to buy it when we did.
Sunday, December 7, 1941, I had carried my cousins to church to practice on the Christmas program. I was sitting in my car listening to the radio when I heard the news about the bombing of Pearl Harbor. One year later I was in the army and stationed at Camp Hann near Los Angeles, California. I stayed there six months and then I was sent to Orlando, Florida, where I also stayed six months. From there I went to to Azores Islands in the North Atlantic where I stayed two years. Jack Hightower, our state senator, was also inducted into the army at that time; I still remember how friendly he was. One time while I was on the train being transferred to another army fort, I became very ill and had a high fever. They took me off the train and put me in a hospital in New Mexico. The doctor said my tonsils had to be removed. Pee Wee Reese of the Brooklyn Dodgers baseball team was in the hospital room with me. He also had his tonsils removed. Papa, Mama, and Sister Tillie came to visit me while I was sick, and I was very glad to see them. I served three years in the army and was discharged at Randolph Field in San Antonio. Army life was not so bad, only I did get a little homesick at times. I was never in any combat or danger.
One year after my discharge, I started dating a girl from Lockett, and I married Audrey Lee December 15, 1946. She was also the youngest child from a large family. Everyone teased us and predicted that two "babies" would not live together. We have stayed together thirty years, and so far I think it has been a good marriage. Two children were born to us. Larry is now 28 and Dennis is 23; I am very proud of them.
After we married we lived in a small house by my parents for twenty years. One year after their death, we built a home two and one-half miles to the north where we still live today.
Eighteen years ago Brother-in-law, Paul Graf, asked me to go deer hunting with him and Brother Otto. He said, "If you don't want to continue going every year, then don't go the first time." I went that year and have looked forward to going every year since.
About fifteen years ago I went to the barn, just before dark, to get a bale of hay to feed the cattle. There was a little rattlesnake by the door, and it bit me on the leg before I saw it. I had to stay in the hospital several days and was very sick from the serum that the doctor gave me. After that experience, my health was never as good as before. I developed diabetes about a year later and that is a disease I will have to live with. I think I have had a good life and hope the good Lord will let me stay here a few more years.
Reprinted from The Otto and Alvene Obenhaus Family History compiled by their children April, 1977 pages 41-43.