Letter

Dear Family!                                                                                     June 18, 1962

Phil Cou]ter sent 12 postals of the Union Carbide Building, 52 story skyscraper, world’s tallest stainless steel building, 270 Park Avenue, New York City, N.Y. Phil Coulter’s office is on the 48th floor. The wall behind his desk is of glass, to throw light on his desk, and by turning around he can view New York City, Hudson River and boats coming  in to dock.  He says it is stimulating to work in New York! An old man here told me that it would shake so the pencils would roll off his desk. But John Rich denies that although there is a certain amount of vibration. Pete Keenan’s office is on the 37th floor.

Thursday night in Darien, we dined at Howard Johnson’s Restaurant. Phil was In Princeton, N. J. It poured rain and car was parked some distance away. So Belisa gave Bob keys to bring car to door. 2 tall boys he knew laughed and pointed because Bob was driving car as he will not be 16 until August!

Saturday night Phil took Belisa and myself to Halfway House for Lobster Dinner. It was the most delicious meat in the world but very hard to extricate from inside of claws.

Sunday morning all attended Presbyterian Church and Lisa also to Sunday School.  Lisa sang In Intermediate Choir of 30 children, and wore red and white vestments. Communion  Sunday and I was shocked to see it passed to the pews by 7 men and 3 WOMEN! For several years  Presbyterian Church, in the North has had women for elders. All feminine elders were old, plain  looking women, in sober black dresses and simple black hats. No color, no flowers on them!

 Mrs. Mulcahey introduced Colonel John Ray, Class of 1939 at West Point. He is going to Burma and is studying Burmese language, with native teachers. Colonel Ray said that “General Rich was well known in the Army and highly respected”.

Caroline Sydnor and Sara Rich beat John Rich and myself Monday night playing bridge in my apartment. When Caroline and Bill Sydnor were en route to Stamford, Conn, last of April they spent night in Philadelphia and dined with the bride and groom, Gleaves and Tom Rhodes. They have an “Auntie Mama” apartment decorated in bright blue. Living room, bedroom, bath and kitchen. Parents arrived on hot afternoon. So they took "blender” which was a wedding gift, and mixed them a drink.  When Gleaves started to prepare dinner she had forgotten to defrost the meat but soon thawed it with water. She prepared Stuffed Cabbage. Hamburger and onions in a cabbage leaf, plnned, tomato sauce poured over it, and baked, and it was very good. They set up a table in the living room to serve dinner and proudly used wedding gifts of flat silver, china and glassware. Caroline and Bill spent night in a friend’s house, who was out of town, but left key. Caroline is leaving this weekend to visit Belisa Coulter in Darien, Conn. for a few days. Then Caroline, Bill, Jeannie and Bucky will spend 5 weeks in their summer home in Onteora, New York.  Carol and Sarah Sydnor will stay in Alexandria, Va. home and work in Washington, D.C.for summer. Carol has same position she had last summer typing, and prefers it to any other job she has had. Sarah works in “Tall Girl Shop” where you have to be 5 ft. 9 in. tall to qualify for a position.

Nana Rich spent delightful weekend in Bethesda, Md. as all the family were very happy for 3 reasons! 1. John Rich has had a raise in salary from I. B. M. 2. John Rich has bought a new car-a Chevrolet Station Wagon, upholstered in greenish blue, with Automatic Gear Shift.  3. School closed Friday and all the children received excellent reports. Laura Anne has one A,  and several B’s and C’s. John Rich, III, had one A, and several. B’s and C’s. “William Rich” is in Kindergarden so received checkmarks on everything. He will enter school in September. I enjoyed Sara’s delicious meals, attended Presbyterian Church, and Sunday afternoon we went to the Swimming Pool at the Bethesda Country Pool, where John II, Laura and John III swam and Bill was carried in the water by his father. 4 children enjoyed milk shakes and candy bars. John II and Sara were invited to go out for a 9 hour sail with 6 other people from IBM on a Chris Craft Saturday, which was a sunshiny day. They took lunch and saw Mount Vernon and had a grand day, accumulating some sunburn, but not enough to make then suffer.

Anna Bob Sampselle and 3 daughters visited Aunt Laura Keene Robinson, in Wytheville, Va. from Monday, June 11th until Thursday June 14th. Anna Bob attended a Presbyterian District Meeting and Delegate told her news of Princeton, W.Va.  Dr. Frank Holroyd, divorced his first wife, now has divorced his second wife, to marry a married woman, who was divorcing her husband. But married woman changed her mind, dropped divorce suit, and went back to her husband! So Dr. Frank Holroyd is now alone but I imagine it is only temporary!  Dr. Gordon Todd confines his drinking to the weekends but his wife drinks all week. Jim Sampselle was elected Commodore of the Yacht Club which keeps him quite busy but also is their chief pleasure. We are invited to Hampton Yacht Club for Open House and also to Dinner and Dance at Cavalier Hotel, at Virginia Beach. Kyle McCormick writes Column for Princeton Daily Paper, also for Sunset News, in Bluefield. He wrote article on people who had been on staff of Princeton Observer, and what they had accomplished after leaving his employment.  Much about Charlie Rich and also about Carrie.

Love to each and everyone, Nana Rich.

P. A. Early-Mr. Minnick has never placed marker for my husband’s grave and I do not think ever will do so. Where did you buy one for your Mother, and how much was it?  I would like to cancel order with Mr. Minnick and buy it elsewhere if you will help me.  Yours, Nana Rich.