FROZEN PIZZA AND BEER

So far the source of most of what I have been writing for the Miklo Family History has come from stories that Steve told me over the years. I have supplemented this with research from websites, such as Family Search https://familysearch.org/ and the Ellis Island Foundation http://www.ellisisland.org, where I have found official documents.  These include immigration records, birth, marriage, and death certificates and draft registrations.  My visits to the Czech Republic and Slovakia revealed more direct information.  I also have gathered stories from those who knew Steve and his parents, including Helen Miklo, Steve’s sister-in-law, my brothers, sisters and cousins.

We are at the point where Steve is about to meet Betty Jondle, who became his wife.  The next several posts will include direct quotes from Betty. Late in her life I tried to visit her once a month. During my weekend visits, we would spend Saturday evenings around the kitchen table with a pizza and beer or wine (Miller High Life was Betty’s favorite).  She would tell me stories about their courting and early married life and the family’s years on the farm north of Clare.  Knowing the importance of her stories to our family history, I began to record them on a small digital recorder.  I have had them transcribed word for word and will be quoting from them.

Betty spoke some about her father-in-law, Steve, Sr. Her stories did not paint a very favorable picture of the “old man” as she called him.  She said that he drank too much and, in her opinion, he did not treat his oldest son well.  Although Steve never said anything directly against his dad, some of his stories seem to confirm Betty’s opinion. I do not intend to offend any of Steve, Sr.’s, relatives by reporting these stories, but I am trying to write the story of my father’s life - both the good and bad.  The stories about Steve, Sr., are brief episodes in his and our family’s complex life.  Others knew Steve, Sr., in different contexts and may have a more favorable opinion of him based on their experiences.