Stories and Photos of the Waite Family
Dorothy Mae Carlson weds Wilbur George Waite
(l to r)
I found my parents Wedding picture and their Marriage certificate today. They were married on January 19, 1951 at Bethany Lutheran Church in Erie, Pa. The witnesses were my Uncle Roy Carlson and his wife,my Aunt Elizabeth. My Dad was 29 years old and my Mom was 28 years old. The Pastor of Bethany Lutheran Church was Rev.Walter B.Ohman.
Roy and Elizabeth became very close to my parents and our family. Elizabeth and Roy were my Godparents. We spent holidays and other times together and had fun picnics at Edinboro Lake and our homes.Uncle Roy was a painting contractor and i worked for him for 5 summers from 1969 to 1973. Aunt Elizabeth was a secretary to the Superintendent of the General McLane School District in Edinboro, Pa. She assisted in getting me to be a Substitute teacher in the District for one school term.
I think it is very fitting that both couples are at rest side by side at the Erie Cemetery.
More family stories to come!
Wilbur Waite- Pharmacist Mate
The other day I found my Dad’s Discharge papers from the US. Navy. He was Honorably Discharged as a Pharmacist’s First Mate from the USN Personnel Separation Center, Sampson, New York on October 25, 1945.
Wilbur George Waite enlisted in the US Navy on August 14, 1942 at Buffalo , New York. He entered his basic training at Great Lakes, Illinois. He completed 6 weeks of Hospital Corps School also at Great Lakes. On the form it lists, that he was stationed at Brooklyn, New York. It also lists that he served in the American Theater, European-African, and Asiatic Pacific with Good Conduct!
One story he told me about Brooklyn was that he had to drive an ambulance from the Brooklyn Naval yard with an Officer and his wife, who was in labor. He had to take the Officer and his wife to a Hospital in Manhattan. The Officer wanted to make sure his wife made it to the hospital,so he continued to yell, swear and scream at my Dad all the way to the Hospital.
He served on the USS Core as his final vessel. He talked a lot about the USS Core and their time in the Pacific Ocean. The ship came upon battles and a few times picked up Japanese sailors from the ocean. His job was to help the Japanese, to treat them. But many times they would refuse treatment or medicine. They were afraid of how they might be treated. They did eventually take food and medicine.
Another story he told me was that they had shore leave in an island port. All he remembered was waking up in a line outside a Tattoo parlor just in time to avoid getting a tattoo.
Years later in the 70’s and 80’s he attended the USS Core reunions. He got re-aquainted with a number of men he served with nearly 40 years before.
Also from discharge form it listed his last employer before enlisting as Johnson Metal Company in Erie where he had worked from April to August of 1942. When he was discharged he was paid $60.63.
I was surprised at how much information was on the Discharge papers.
Waite! Family History
My Grandparents,Florence Miller and George Waite, Edinboro, Pa. residents were married and settled on a farm just outside Edinboro..
This farm was located outside Edinboro, Pa. My Dad showed me where the farm was located on Waite Road. I went by the place when I was in college in the early 1970’s. When I went back in 2008 I could not find the road and got lost. When I was in college, a few of my fraternity brothers found this sign for me:
The story my Dad told me was that in the late 20’s they moved to Erie, Pa. and lived on East 25th street. Then in the late 30’s they moved to 624 Holland Street in Erie and my Dad attended East High School in Erie. I remember seeing the house on Holland Street when I was a teenager. It was a big house and my Dad said that during the Depression his Mother took in borders (people who had a room in the house and ate with the family). Dad told me they would also provide room and board for traveling Evangelists. One story I remember is that one evangelist was a ” Holy Roller”,one who was moved by the Holy Spirit to roll down the aisles of the Church.
My Grandparents are buried in the Edinboro Cemetery along with their parents and relatives.
Stayed tuned for more Waite! History.
Waite Family Photos
Here are some more pictures of our Dad- Wilbur- “Curly” and the whole Waite family.
Top picture is of the whole family, the only one I have found so far. I think it is a great one! Aunt Millie really got into the photo! No date or description but it is from around 1928.
Middle picture from WW II after basic training
Bottom is a great picture….. if I didn’t know better this picture looks like Ron! What do you think?
Hope you enjoyed this trip down Memory Lane!
Wilbur Curly Waite
I was going through file cabinet in basement and found this photo.
This is a photo of my Aunt Ruth and my Dad when he came home to Erie, Pa to visit after basic training during World WarII. My Dad was 19 or 20 years old and he weighed about 100 lbs. I know that because about 20 years later I wore his uniform when. I was about 100 lbs and in the 6th grade!
I’m sharing this picture because I would like my nieces and nephews to see a picture of their Grandpa. I think they might see some resemblance to a couple of them. Lol. At least I think so!
It’s fun to go through the pictures and reminisce. I found a lot of great ones that I’ll share at another time.
This picture was taken at their home on East 25th street in Erie Pa. My Dad was 6 or 7 years old in the picture.
