Did You Know? (Aunt Seddie – The Mail Must Go Through)

That Aunt Seddie, on the other side, must really be enjoying the delivery of her long lost 1945 FDR Grimsland cover almost 66 years after it was mailed, probably more than if it had arrived  while she was still alive?  I received this letter from Jim O’Donnell, nephew of Mrs. S.E. Lawrence (Aunt Seddie):

Being a nephew of Sarah E. Lawrence, I just wanted to add some additional insight to the “Mail Must Go Through” topic. 

I believe my Aunt Sed would have thoroughly enjoyed all this interest in the letter and the attention it has received. Because she had a great sense of humor, I think she would have been quite amused with the reference to a “Secret Lover”. Contrary to the initial speculation, she was, however, a devoted spouse that wore her wedding ring until the day she passed which was more than 30 years after her husband’s death. Although all other family members wanted her wedding ring for various reasons, my brother, Bob, and I insisted that it remain on her finger forever as her marriage was very important to her. 

My cousin Sylvia mentions Aunt Sed bringing crafts to the Senior Center. Several family members found this to be lovingly paradoxical as she was much older than many of the seniors for which she was providing crafts. She would always say ” I am going to the Senior Center to help the elderly”, when she, in fact, was the “elderly”. Chronologically, she was older, but mentally she was “sharp as a tack”.

 Several other humorous instances give evidence of her highly independent “spirit”. In her early 90’s she tried to apply for a 10 year mortgage with a local bank to do some repairs on her house. Needless to say, the Commercial Loan Officer could not justify a 10 year mortgage to someone in their early 90’s. In another instance, she was having some repairs done to the roof of her house and while the repairs where underway, she climbed the ladder up to the roof to ensure things were being done “right” and to provide some “instruction”. This was when she was in her 80’s.

 As has been mentioned, she was an avid stamp collector. In fact, she collected and saved everything because “someone might need it someday”. Several times each summer, I would take the early morning drive from NH to Gloucester to help her with a yard sale. She valued every item, and every item had a story to go with it. Because of this, every item for the yard sale was overpriced, non-negotiable, and typically most items were brought back into the house for a sale on another day. Especially any items related to Gloucester or anything else deemed “old”.

 In the latter years of her life, she did not have a lot of money. Yet, she remained generous as she consistently sent $1 or $2 each month to 8 – 10 different charities such as the SPCA.  She also gave my son, Kevin, a number of First Day Covers from her stamp collection when he first started collecting. Although Kevin is not currently an active collector, he hopes to someday pass these on to his two sons as one of the family treasures.

She particularly loved Annisquam, Gloucester, and the history of the area as she had lived in Gloucester all her life. Her uncle’s (John B. Foster) paintings of Gloucester in the early 1900’s were also treasured by her. Although it hasn’t yet been discussed with other family members and because the envelope most likely belongs to Aunt Sed’s estate, my brother, Bob, and I, and our spouses, think it would be most fitting for the envelope to be donated to the Annisquam Historical Society where it was first delivered. Because of Sed’s love for the area, we personally believe she would be content with such a decision.

 Jim O’D