LeeAnne is special:
It would seem that many think so. Just when she needs it family comes through. Mom Proffitt is going through a difficult time and LeeAnne
is there to help. As she conversed with family about her mother, and shared where she was and what she is going through,
Howard said just a minute, I have something for you. What a choice time to share this expression of love and support.
Thank you.
Howard, at this time in your life we let you know that we love and appreciate you.
Thank you for a well timed boost to LeeAnne.
In spite of all that above this is supposed to be about my life.
We will start with LeeAnne's Treasure of Truth book.
I will pause here. The following pages were not scanned to optimize the photos and I will have to rescan
then I can continue.
I was born on the third of July 1948, in Pocatello, Idaho
My dad would always say that when the Dr. swatted my bottom at being born I turned around and said
"Don't hit me!"
However the earliest memory that I recall is being at a place where there was someone in what I thought was a bassinet.
Knowing more as I do now I understand that it was a funeral/viewing but I am not sure whose it was.
It must have been Grandpa Hirschie. But that is my earliest memory. The next thing of import is that I was blessed
in being able to talk early. So much so that I was always with the adults and talking with them rather than
going off to play. Grandmother Hirschie would ask "Where is that girl that talks ?"
Here is a photo of me at 2 months.
I don't recall where we lived in Pocatello. I have been told we lived in Portneuf Park.
We don't know how long I lived here but this next photo is me at 15 months.
Next here is a photo of dad and I in Blackfoot, at Grandma and grandpa's
house in 1950, at least that is what the caption says.
The earliest place that I can recall is the apartments in Euclid, Ohio. I was there long enough to be able to find
and recognize them years later. We went back to Ohio in 2013 and I found the apartments even though they had been
painted. The area had changed but the hill was still there.
This is me with Leslie and Sheree in front of the apartments in Euclid.
The next memory is a mix of being told and memory.
When Leslie was born dad stayed home from work to look after Leslie and I. Two things really stand out from this time.
Dad made me wear the same slip two days in a row. I really hated that. The other thing that was a problem was my
lunch. Dad wrapped my cake in with my sandwich and I had cake on my sandwich. I did not like that.
A couple of things I remember. First mom used to follow me around with a wash cloth. She was always washing
my hands and face. The next memory was that I used to eat dirt. Think these two are related? Someone told mother that
if she added pepper to the dirt, I would quit. No I just got my dirt somewhere else.
There was one time when mom was busy scrubbing the floor and the door was shut so I couldn't bother her.
The neighbor from upstairs knocked on the door and I answered it. When she asked for mom, knowing mom did not like this lady
and didn't want to be interrupted , I told her mom was not home. I heard about it later! Not because mom was upset because I lied,
but because I didn't I didn't tell mom about it.
While going to school I started asking mom for cookies for on the way to school, when she didn't have cookies then I asked a slice
of bread or anything. When it came out that I was being bullied dad wanted to teach me how to fight, but being small I wanted him
to teach me how to run fast. I did not want to fight.
When I first started school I rode the city bus. The school was Thomas Jefferson. It is still there but the old one has been torn down
and replaced with a new building.
Being young you are influenced by your friends and how you think others see you and your family. Leslie was a tomboy type and
liked odd things, at least to me they were odd. She also acted different than I did and I was embarrassed by her actions. So much
so that I was mean to her. I told her that she could not walk with me. I also told her that if she would not do the things that she
was doing then she could walk with me. On the way home from school we would walk along the road and then go into the woods
that were along side the road. Leslie did not like the woods but I would make her walk there with me.
The apartments had a row of garages in back against the hill, and we would play in the parking area as well as climb all over that big hill.
Turns out that when I returned the hill was not really that big. However as a young girl it seemed big. One time mom told me to stay with
the neighbor girl from up stairs and we had gone gone up the hill and over the top to play on the ice in the gravel pit. I fell through the
ice and got wet and she didn't want to go home and told me to sit and wait until she was ready to go home. Fortunately a truck driver
came by and asked me what I was doing. When I told him that I had to wait for my friend he called her over and told her to go
home and take me right then.
There was another time when I was with this girl and we decided to go to the strip mall that was across from the school. We lived
on Euclid Ave and the school was on East 2600th St. The bus stop was on 2600 th. and there were two bus routes. From the bus stop
we lived to the left. However the first bus to come along was going to the right, we told him our address and asked if he went by there.
Yes he did but that was after he went through the route to the right. My friend didn't want to wait for the next bus so we took that bus and
went on a ride through the streets of Euclid. When we didn't show up when we were supposed to mom and dad got concerned.
I don't remember all that happened other then when we got home there were police cars at our house. I do remember telling
mom don't yell at me you told to do what she said and stay with this gir from up stairs. I thought riding around Euclid was dumb too,
but I just did what mom told me to do. That was to stay with this girl and do what she said.
It was in Euclid that I had my first date! I was in fifth grade and they had an after school dance and his name was Frankie.
I remember he was fat and asked me, so I went with him.
From Euclid we moved to the valley in LA. And just like that I became a Valley girl.
We moved across the country to Canoga Park in the San Fernando valley.
While a valley girl for some reason a girl friend and I decided that we did not like Patty McDonald. One evening
we decided to throw rocks in her pool. When we started for her house we decided it was too far and as we passed a
neighbors we threw rocks in his pool. He heard us and chased us home and told mother what we had done.
Mom was upset and chewed me out. Why did I do it? I have no idea.This happened in the middle of the fifth grade.
We lived there until I was 16. Then we moved across LA to the Palos Verde Peninsula.
Out of all the places we Lived I loved PV the best. I had a bedroom all to myself there. When I looked out the window I could
see the ocean. I also had sliding glass doors to the back yard. My friend Don always wanted me to sneak out, after all
it would be super easy. I was chicken and never did. I didn't know what my folks would have done, but I also did
not want to find out.