Letter

My very dear 6 children,                                                                 Thursday Dec. 8, l966

Thanksgiving dinner with Lieutenant General C. W. G. Rich and wife, Betty Rich in their handsome home in Ft. Myers, Va. has never been sur­passed in my 84 years of life! Betty first planned to have 13 guests, and then everyone said that would be bad luck. Alice Sampselle was visiting her roommate in Halifax so she invited her that made 14. The Army & Navy tablecloth bought in Hong Kong was exquisite. Red & green with a lace stripe through it. Same in the napkins. Betty wore white & deep pink flowered satin dress fitted very tight & looked lovely at the head of the table. Charley wore full uniform with all of his ribbons and pin of the Air Force & sat at the foot of the table & looked very handsome. I sat on Charlie’s right & Tee Keenan sat on his left & helped him serve. Betty first bought a 15-lb. turkey. Then returned & bought a 25 lb. Turkey. The largest I have ever seen. I told him he should ask Bill to ask the blessing as he is going to study for the ministry, but Chas. said “No. It was his house so he would ask the blessing himself, which he did repeating the one my father, Dr C. W. Gleaves used for 8o years. Then he stood up & carved the turkey & did it beautifully as carving is an accom­plishment that every Virginia gentleman should possess .He cut large thin slices & flipped them over on 2 dinner plates in front of Tee Keenan & she & Charlie distributed them on the other plates .The rest of the menu included dressing & gravy that have never been surpassed, whipped white potatoes, candied sweet potatoes that were crisp, peas, beets, boiled onions, green beans, perfect rolls, real butter, ice water, champagne, rose vine, cranberries. The dinner was cooked & served by 3 colored sergeants trained in the Army School of cooking. Each dish was perfectly cooked & served piping hot. Salad, dessert was mince pie & lemon pie. Covers were laid for Lt. Gen. & Mrs. C. W. G. Rich, Mrs. John Rich 1, Mr. & Mrs. W. F. P. Keenan, John Keenan, Jim Keenan, Mr. & Mrs. Bill Hale, Courtney Armstrong, Ricky Armstrong, Alice Sampselle, Mr. & Mrs. Terry Smith.

After dinner the 3 married couples took off their shoes & danced in silk stockings on the rug. They swayed so gracefully, it was a joy to watch them. Riches, Keenans & Hales. It was a joy to watch them.

Charlie served large, thin slices & flipped them over on the 2 plates in front of Tee Keenan. Then Tee & Charlie transferred them to the other plates.  3 colored sergeants cooked & served the dinner. They had been trained in the Army school of cooking so everything was perfectly cooked & served piping hot. Dressing & gravy have never been surpassed. Cranberries. Rolls were perfect and real butter. Dessert, mince pie & lemon pie. Hot coffee, champagne & rose wine. Charlie & Betty expended much money & hard labor to give us pleasure & certainly succeeded. John Keenan, Jim Keenan, Courtland Armstrong, Ricky Armstrong, Alice Sampselle sat at small table. 9 adults at large dinner table.

My telephone was installed yesterday and my number is Area 703 5279. Balmer Kelly has been elected President of Union Theological Seminary in Richmond, VA. I know his mother is a proud and happy woman.

Love to all.

Nana Rich.