Friends and activities!

Since I am temporarily dedicating the front page to the Berger Bicentenniel, I will be using this page for personal events and activities as well as friends!

My brother, John, and his sweet wife, Mae

I must share a picture of John and Mae.  John and I grew up with the same parents in the same house.  Often, it is clear and other times our particular personalities surface!  Regardless, he is extremely intelligent and talented and mirrors our dad in so many ways.

Mae, his bride of 50 years, is a perfect match and the best mother to ever walk the earth.  Together, they have 5 very charming and talented children.

John and Mae have been successful partners at home and in business.  The Red Barn has been a perfect "business" fit to showcase their many interests and talents.

They were also there in my parent's last days on earth and along with their children were my parent's pride and joy.

Fran Ford at the Missouri Botannical Gardens 6/28/17

Fran at the Garden of Glass by Craig Mitchell Smith

Fran is a really good friend and neighbor.  This was just one of our summer adventures!

Ruth Jasper Dunn 2016

When I graduated from college, got a divorce and moved to St. Louis to work, I was excited to find what the future would hold, and yet very much alone.  Ruth's story was not too different (even though she is a St. Louis native) and we both gravitated to a modern dance continuing education class in University City.

We met there and quickly became friends.  Through Ruth, I met some of her other MANY friends (Cathy Wall)  and her sister, (Karen).  Ruth and I continue to treasure our friendship that started some 46 years ago.  Sadly, Cathy and Karen were both cancer victims.  RIP.

June Howard Williams. 2017

June wrote this about my book.  Our dad's were great friends who met through my mother.  Here she writes about visiting my Mother's family as a child.

Mary, that was so interesting about your father. He and your mother were lovely people. When I was little we used to neighbor a lot'   It was always such a treat to go visiting and play with all those children! Your grandmother was such a jolly person....and SO loud...heaven knows, she had to be with a brood as large as hers. Those were kinder, simpler, and gentler times than now. I am so glad I grew up in the country in those days of kerosene lamps, water from a well which had to be drawn by hand. Ours was 90 ft. deep. It took several months for the men to drill through the flint rock before hitting water. I remember dad took it to Jefferson City to have it tested to make sure it was pure.Food was produced in gardens...we were fortunate to have the island, so never suffered from droughts. We planted potatoes on St. Patrick's day...snow could be flying, ut potatoes went in! The island grew everything, especially watermelon. Grandfather Howard was famous for melons. He was known as ''Watermelon Howard".

This is my mischievous cousin Sidney.  Not much older than me, we were so close as youngsters.  Lots of gigling, and secrets, and dancing to the radio music while doing dishes.  Our bonding is forever and I treasure the hours we spend together!

Kathy Wilding Meuth 2017

Kathy and I are cousins and we are more than cousins!  Though as youngsters, she was "much" younger, our dad's were the closest of the 6 brothers and Kathy and I have become close kindred spirits over the last 10 years.  It worked out like this.  I would take Ed to work at Citicorp and it was relatively close physically to where Kathy lives with her husband, Bill.  Once a week, Kathy and I would meet for breakfast after I drop Ed off at work.  Kathy and I have become "spirit" sisters in the absence of blood sisters.  I see her more frequently than anybody else and cherish our times together especially the reminiscing, the planning, the shopping trips to Aldi's and elsewhere and the times Bill, Kathy, Ed and I go to the Hermann area wineries for music, food and fun!

Gail and Bill

Gail is another person I met soon after moving to Saint Louis.  We met when we both worked in Medical Research at Jewish Hospital.  We became friends and when her roommate moved to join a commune, we lived together until she got married.  Our friendship has become richer with the years!

My dear friend, Linda Eschenfelder

We met at Our Lady of Guadalupe Ladies Club and have shared many fun times since.  She and her husband, Ed, are the dedicated Ready Readers that inspire me to read to preschoolers in the Saint Louis Area.  It is fun and rewarding to reach out to these precious future leaders!

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