| Our Dynamic Dugas Decendants |
| Long Ago.... |
| SOME MEMORIES of Grandparents Dugas |
| JOYCE REMEMBERS: I remember that Grandma Dugas lived right down the street from St. Mary's School, and I took off one day, when I was 5, and visited her and got into trouble. I remember the bush by her porch that had really sweet-smelling bright pink flowers on it...I remember the Mortuary was near-by her little while house, and it seemed that her house was on a corner. I remember peppermint balls in a can on her bedroom dresser really, really wanting one, and I remember that I could not understand her when she talked, because of her stroke. I can remember one incident only, when mother and I (and I don't know who else), were visiting her and she was laying in bed, and we were standing around. Mother said to Grandma Dugas, "Do you remember when I used to love to twirl around so that my dress would swing way out?" And mother swirled as she said that. I also remember seeing a gun on the wall...as small guy. That is all I remember of Grandma Dugas. Plus a few stories that mother told us of her. I gathered, from those stories, that Grandma was loving, yet stern and Grandpa Dugas was very affectionate.. |
| SYLVIA REMEMBERS: When I was living in Valley Acres, I had a friend over on Maple Street (Billie Jean Autrey) who had relatives in Ventura. When her family would plan a trip to visit their relatives, they would invite me to ride with them to visit Grandma and Grandpa. I loved doing that but think it was very few times. (I realize, now, that we took very few trips - anywhere - but I think that was because we didn't have enough money to do that, and there were four of us kids to crowd in our car. (Backthen the interiors of cars were very small. Three in the front and three in the back and you were packed like sardines!) Grandma and Grandpa (remember this is my MEMORY) had very pretty little cottage homes that they rented out. I believe they were like a plaster (now called stucco) exterior with a mission look to them (arches and red tile roofs). I remember that there were like three or four of them right down the driveway from the big house. I think they went straight back. Their property was separated from the property next door by a tall hedge. They had a really neat front lawn. (Remember, we lived out in Valley Acres and had no lawn.) Their yard was trim and neat, and the fog and mist kept everything so nice and green. They lived in the "big" house up front at one time, but later moved into one of the cottages and rented the larger one to a family. I think it was mostly Navy couples who rented from them. I'm not absolutely sure about that fact, but I think that is the case. As much as I loved going to visit them, I felt very uncomfortable on these visits because Grandma and Grandpa spoke nothing but French in their home. Mom and Dad had NOT taught us kids to speak nor to understand French, and I felt very cut off from what was going on. They would say it in English if I asked, but I didn't ask, much. They did let me know I was loved and welcome, though. I enjoyed watching Grampa build a fire in their fireplace. He would stoke it, bank it, and do all the things needed to get a cozy fire going. (I guess this stands out in my mind 'cause we didn't have a fireplace and I loved being in front of it getting warm.) He liked to sing while he did his chores. I won't say he had a good voice, but he loved to sing. (You guys remember when we used to gather around your Mom's piano and she would invite EVERYONE to sing? Remember when Uncle Jean would sing at the top of his lungs? Well, he didn't have a good voice either, but he must have inherited his love for singing from Grandpa!) Grandma always seemed to be busy in the kitchen. But I can't recall a single thing she cooked. Do you suppose she wasn't a good cook? She may have been, but nothing stands out. I don't remember a single meal. I mainly remember their French conversations. I feel like she was always bustling about, but doing what? I can't get an image at all. Why did I even like going down there? Well, 'cause they were my very special Grandma and Grandpa. (The other set lived in Louisiana, and I saw them once in my lifetime---when I was four.) These visits happened between the time I was nine and when Grandma moved to Taft after Grandpa's death. Oh, gosh. Now I have to go research the date Grandpa died. |
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| SYLVIA ANSWERS SOME OF JOYCE'S INQUIRIES ABOUT GRANDPA AND GRANDMA: When I was a little girl, Grandma and Grandpa Dugas lived in Ventura. They used to drive to Taft in an old brown Dodge coupe to visit all of us. I don't know, I guess I was four or five when I started really remembering. Anyway, when they would drive up in front of our house waaaaaay out on 33-G Lease, I was always thrilled to see them, and I would run out and get my hugs from Grandma and Grandpa (who always smelled like his pipe....but it was a good smell to me.) I think Grandma always wore a dress or suit that she had knit. (That is all I remember as a little one.- I later remember her in several outfits.) All four of us kids would run out to greet them. Years later, Mom told me that Grandma appreciated me more than she did the boys because I used to run out for hugs and my brothers (supposedly :-) would run out and say, "What did you bring us?" (Grandma and Grandpa Dugas owned a store in Ventura and had lots of candy and cookies available to bring us.) I do believe that I had already figured out we would get something from them, but it wouldn't hurt to go for the hugs first! That is it for this memory! And, yes, Joycie, Grandpa was a gruff old love and Grandma was a stern old love. |
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| DICK SHARES SOME THOUGHTS ON OUR GRANDPARENTS Well Sylvia has jogged a few memories for me about Grandma and Grandpa Dugas. I agree with everyone that Grandma was quite stern and Grandpa was a happier kind of peson. He died when I was pretty young, but I do remember sitting on his knee once and this large carbuncle that he had on his foreheard. He died of complications of prostate surgery..being operated on one day and being sent home to rest, because of loss of blood, then operated on again shortly after (a day or two) and dying in surgery. The talk in the household was that "daddy knew that he was not going to survive the second surgery." That was the first contact that I had with death, and I found it all very mysterious and quite sad. I remember seeing him in the casket in a "home" in Taft but I don't believe that I got very close to him then. I often wished that I had known him better because he seemed to have a smile and a cheerful disposition. Once when my mother and dad were visiting G and G in Ventura, they left us with them for an afternoon while they did something (something sexy I hope), and anyway, Joseph, Rosalie and I seemed to feel quite lonely, and I was frightened and not comforted at all by these g-parents....I began to cry and was punished for it and cried more and ended up crying myself to sleep....a great retreat even today :-). I really didn't like their family atmosphere much at all...but I do remember the home and the apartments. At the end of W.W.II, when we lived with G and G Dugas for about two months. Joseph and I spent an afternoon making mud-pies in the backyard. We were very, very proud of ourselves and our production. It was frowned upon by Grandma Dugas and I believe that we had to destroy them all. Mother would not let us play with the kids next door (across the hedge/fence) because they were not judged to be good company. So we were lonely and Joseph and I spent a lot of time exploring in the reeds of the kind of marsh that was near by. I don't believe that Joseph lit any fires at that time. :-) The highlight of that two months for me was getting to know Pip and Ruth who I think lived in one of the apartments. One day Pip took Joseph and I to the end of a street and let us steer the car while he drove slowly ahead....WOW! I have never forgotten it, nor him. I believe that he is still alive in Bakersfield, and now that I remember it, I am going to see him on next visit to Taft. Later, in Taft, after my father died, I think, I was raising pigeons in the back yard. Grandma Dugas offered to buy my baby squabs for .50 cents each. I was horrified and said no. Mother protected me from the slaughter of my birds. :-) I remember Grandma Dugas after her stroke...still a woman of very strong will and a presence which I have not forgotten. I once spent an entire evening with Eloise, Sylvia's mother, in about 1975 or so, asking her questions about G and G Dugas. I wish that I had been recording it all, but it was clear that Grandma Dugas was quite a strong woman...and when they first arrived in California, she cooked for oil field workers over in Maricopa. Boy, Eloise remembered everything and told it all. I had a lot more respect for Grandma Dugas when I heard more about her life, than I did when I was a part of it....:-) My last memory of them came about 5 years ago when I was out in the back room in Valley Acres, where mother kept a trunk of old letters, photos and the like. I was reading through them one night about 2:00 in the morning, and came across a love letter that my dad had written to mother...in it he was saying how sorry he was that he had not gotten something for Grandma Dugas birthday, but he had no money.....Those were poignant evenings, reading those letters, but Grandma Dugas! awesome presence came through even then. |
| DUGAS FAMILY HISTORY |
ROSALIE'S MEMORIES OF GRANDPA AND GRANDMA DUGAS I should have been old enough to remember more then I do about my mom's parents.... but I don't. I do remember the house in Ventura when we lived with them till daddy got out of the service, but I don't remember them being there. I only remember the couple Pip and Ruth, whom lived there too, and how Pip would tell ghost stories to us. After Dick mentioned those marshes...I remember "cattails", I got a flashback of being among them. Yes, the little house on the corner in Taft is only a slight memory. I do remember going there and seeing grandma laying in bed, I guess, after having her stroke. I can remember that she couldn't say words, just noises, it sort of scared me. I also remember the "special" gun that Joyce spoke of, but I seemed to remember it sitting in some kind of a gun holder on her dresser.....Joe loved that gun...hum, he must have been into guns and warlike things at a very young age. :>) It saddens me that I don't remember more about grandma Dugas, and remember not one thing about Grandpa Dugas. Guess my memories won't let me go back that far....just as well, I do not take loses very well. Memories make me sad rather then comforting me. One thing that I sort of remember is a beautiful lady figurine that use to be on grandma's dresser also....am I dreaming that, or was there one? |
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| Below is: A recent picture of Aunt Elosie 7/2000 |
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| Evrard Dugas and Bertha Sanarens marry December 10, 1900 Grandpa and Grandma Dugas, smooching! |
| Trying to get a close up here. Thank you Sylvia for this picture!! |
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