Wednesday, May 24, 1978
My dear son, Michael,
I write this letter to you
with love in my heart for you. I want to dedicate this letter
with these thoughts of you.
“MOST MEMORABLE DAYS IN THE GROWING YEARS OP MICHAEL APKE".
Michael Apke, born on October 2, 1956. Weighed 9# 8 oz. Parents, Verne & John
Apke.
This was a most
happy day for your Dad & I. We were
so proud to have a son.
You were a good baby.
At 6 months, you had pnernonitis, you recovered quickly. We gave you very special care.
You were a very
inquisitive baby. In examining any toy,
you would take it apart and try to put it together again. You preferred looking how a carpet sweeper
worked then a small toy.
At 3 years old, we
found you in the garage painting a small maple rooking chair.
In Kindergarten,
you never wanted to take naps, but always wanted to play.
Remember 1st grade, when you told Sister Editha that the kids
in the classroom could take a tour through our trailer which was parked in our
back yard it certainly was a thrill to
all of them.
Remember you get the chicken pox the day before we were to
leave for Florida to visit Big Grandma in our trailer? We decided to leave you with little Grandma
until we came back. When we arrived in Florida we
missed you and had you fly down by yourself in your first airplane flight (of
course with the consent of the doctor).
I remember you enjoyed the plane so much; you wanted to fly back instead
of going with us in the trailer.
Remember you were
an altar boy, paper boy, Boy Scout, and little league. You helped shovel the
sidewalks and would almost shovel half the block.
In sixth grade you
one the 1st place Science Fair award for the whole school in RADIO
APPARATUS. In the seventh grade again you won second place. It was the working
of an engine. In 8th grade* you won 1st
place again in. the Science Award for the "Atoms."
When you graduated 8th grade at St. Richards School, you were presented an
award for "The most cooperative boy in school". We were so
proud.
Your choice of high schools was St. Laurence. You were accepted and graduated from
there. Your sports activity was
wrestling.
Remember, the trailer trips we had
taken, almost every year. You were always at Dad's side. He showed you how to fish, swim and of
course auto mechanics.
Remember
too, hot much you enjoyed 0le in
Wisconsin* You. Loved to hear him tell
tales about fishing and hunting,
When you
were 16, you took your driver’s license test and passed. You started working at
16 at South End Carthage, You enjoyed
saving money. At 18 you bought a car.
Remember
graduation of High School. At the
ceremony, you were the only one without a tie.
Before they called you to get the diploma, you, borrowed the tie from
the guy behind you. We found out later,
that one of your friend’s car broke down, and you were fixing it and left the
tie in the back of their oar.
, Remember,
when you had the toe operation. The
doctor said you should ware
gym shoes* that made you the happiest
guy in high school. You even teak your gym shoes along with you to your school
prom. You wore them after the prom was
over.
In1973,
at our 26th wedding anniversary, you wanted to surprise us with a 1948 Ford car
you purchased (the year of our wedding :,) you and Ray Kaszuba were working on
it for 2 months. You got it in front of
our house but it wouldn’t start*
These are memories of you that I can never forget*
When you became 18, you wanted to be independent. You
moved away on your own*
I want to tell
you that you’re Dad & I loved you and did
what we thought was best for you*
Some other incidents
I recall now:
•
Remember when you took speech lessons from Mrs.
Smith. You had a
Slur that was to be
corrected. It improved your speech in
the few
Lessons
you took.
Remember also, the speech class had a
play and your barn door was open and the white shirt sticking out of it. That was the last time, you vent to speech classes.
Remember
when you wanted to type your
homework? You drew a keyboard on a piece
of cardboard and learned how to type*
Remember
when you had a difficult time doing fractions. I would work with you every day and
then one day you said, to me “Mom thanks for allowing me how to
do fractions* I'm good at. it now*
I remember when you ware camping with
the scouts and you sent ma a poem on a bark, from a tree, "Roses are red* violets are blue I miss
and love you". It warmed my heart*
Remember when the sewer in the front
lawn was blocked* Dad was sick, and we
hired someone to unclog it* you were
about 11 then* you said to Dad that the guy didn't know was a ratchet
wrench was.
Remember when little Grandma broke her
hip and you visited her at the hospital and told her she could have
your room until she
was up and around
These momenta in your
young life I want to remember.
Some other incidents I
recall now:
•
Remember when you took speech lessons from Mrs.
Smith. You had a
Slur that was to be
corrected. It improved your speech in
the few
Lessons
you took.
Remember also, the speech class had a
play and your barn door was open and the white shirt sticking out of it. That was the last time, you vent to speech classes.
Remember
when you wanted to type your
homework? You drew a keyboard on a piece
of cardboard and learned how to type*
Remember
when you had a difficult time doing fractions. I would work with you every day and
then one day you said, to me “Mom thanks for allowing me how to
do fractions* I'm good at. it now*
I remember when you ware camping with
the scouts and you sent ma a poem on a bark, from a tree, "Roses are red* violets are blue I miss
and love you". It warmed my heart*
Remember when the sewer in the front
lawn was blocked* Dad was sick, and we
hired someone to unclog it* you were
about 11 then* you said to Dad that the guy didn't know was a ratchet
wrench was.
Remember when little Grandma broke her
hip and you visited her at the hospital and told her she could have
your room until she
was up and around
