2.15.1 Grandma Nellie’s Demise 1956

Grandma Nellie

Jan 2, 1956 • Chico ~ Freely extending her opinions and judgments of her ten children (and anyone else in the family), my grandmother never kept secret the litany of sins she held against them, and the lot of them feared her wrath and what she would say.

Nellie Belle Chatfield died at her home on Boucher Street on January 2, 1956, I’m sure of excess choler. The priest came to the house on three occasions to administer the last rites to prepare her soul for death with the absolution for her sins, and Grandma was highly vexed that she didn’t die the first two times after going to all that work preparing to meet her maker.

Two weeks before her demise she wrote her daughter Nella May, my mother’s oldest sister.

Letter from Grandma Nellie Chatfield:
Dec. 14, 1955
Dear Nella May,
For goodness sake don’t worry about me. Roy (Nellie’s son) gets worried excited so easy and there is no need notifying any others. I don’t know what really was the matter with me this last time. I was not in much pain, only just couldn’t seem to get my breath. I don’t suppose you ever heard a wind broken horse, well that is exactly the way I sounded. You could hear me all over the house.

The Dr. heard me before he reached the house. He gave me a BIG shot in each arm. Roy held my arms and said I never flinched, but it sent me out of my head. Those hypos never did that before, but if I said the things Roy said I did, I was out of my head. Those shots must have did the work because I was breathing alright by the time I reached the hospital. I was in no pain, but was still coughing and when I did cough you should have seen those nurses move off.

They took all kinds of X Ray pictures and blood tests and for 36 hours they fed me thru the veins. Then when they wanted to put tubes in my nose down my throat, that made me mad. Both were new to me and I didn’t like them and they didn’t like me. I told them if they put any down my throat I would throw up all over everything. (One of the Drs. is a Sheeny and one is a Wop). The Wop said, “your stomach is about 4 times as big as it should be.” I said all right, cut it open and take a chunk out. I suppose they thought I would say they could put those tubes down my throat and in my nose. Roy telephoned to find out if he could take me home.

Charles, Babe, Nellie Chatfield
1916, Chico, California

Well this is the 16th so I just as well quit. Roy turns the TV on so loud I can’t write. I am feeling the best I have in a long time. They have given me so many shots. I think that may have helped my head aches, but I have a terrible roaring in it all the time it seems others can hear it.

When we first came to California, Feb was the finest month of the year. I can get in and out of the car with a little help but I can’t get up and down steps and that is why I can’t go to church. If the weather ever gets really good and all can get together on the time, we may get over to see you. We often talk of it.

Now remember no presents this year. There is nothing I want or need and I think most of us are in no physical or financial position to do so. And now good night with love.

God bless you and yours, Your loving Mother, N.C.

Taken at family funeral in Nov 1948: Grandma Nellie at top, Verda, Leo, Charlie, Aunt Ada (Chamberlin) Whitaker, Noreen/Babe, Nella May, Ina, Joanne, Jim, Velma keeling in front

Grandma Nellie Chatfield

Nellie was buried in the Catholic section of the Chico Cemetery on January 4, 1956. The C. on her headstone stood for Chamberlin, her maiden name. The family never knew her middle name was Belle until after she died. She hated it. Nellie Belle sounded like a cow’s name.

to be continued…

© 2018. Catherine Sevenau.
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