Chalkboard Thoughts

       She was born Catherine Johanna Mueller in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on the 9th of June in 1915. Her brother was named after her father. Her sister was named after her mother. But, Catherine was called Kitty. She was a self-assured, smart, and pretty go-getter. She knew what she wanted out of life. She also knew what she didn’t want out of life.    When she was 30, she married 35 year old Dominic Ventura Bevilacqua in 1945 in Pennsylvania. The two later parted ways.  Dominic later married another lady later and passed away decades later in Georgia in 1993.    On June 1st, 1949 she married 85 year old William Henry Crutchley. The two were married almost ten years. He passed away in January of 1958 making Catherine a widow at 43 years old.    On the 26th of June, 1958 she was wed to 38 year old John Vanasky. They did not remain married, for whatever reason.  (He passed away in 1990.)    ...

      Madeline Stalker was born in 1905. Her maiden name was Madeline E. Rogers and she went by the nickname “Betty”. I haven’t found a photo of her yet but I will continue to look.    Madeline married Dale Stalker in 1926. She was a cashier and he was an assembler.    They had a son in 1927 that they named Kennard R. Stalker.    All three of them survived the Great Depression. That’s a big accomplishment for a family coming through such incredibly difficult times.    Kennard served in the Navy in World War 2. He survived that too. Worrying about Kennard’s safety must have been difficult for Madeline and Dale throughout WWII. But, he made it. Over 400,000 soldiers and sailors did not come home.     In 1954, their only child, Kennard R. Stalker married Barbara Owen. That must have been a very joyful day.    Their joy would be short-lived, however. Life has its ups and downs. Bu...

        In 1966, Alice Hochhausler was so concerned about so many recent reports of attacks on and rapes of women that she was regularly giving her daughter, a nurse, a ride home from work. Even if it was late at night she didn’t want her daughter walking and taking the bus.     Alice was a mother of nine children. Her husband, Carl J. Hochhausler, was a local doctor.     On October 12th 1966, as her husband sleepily watched T.V., Alice left the house around 11 p.m. to go pick up her daughter, Beth. She was in her pajamas and robe. It was dark out already so no one would see her clothing.     Alice picked her daughter, Beth, up at Good Samaritan Hospital. The two noticed a car that seemed to be following them too closely. As Alice pulled over at Beth’s apartment the car pulled up behind them. Then it pulled around them and seemingly left. Alice watched her daughter enter her apartment safely and then...

       Sylvia M. Herr Jones lived alone in her apartment in 1969. She was about 63 years old. Her year of birth was 1906. In the 1910 census she was 4 and living just a few blocks away at 312 Race Street. Her current address of 1231 Vine Street was in the neighborhood known as Over The Rheine. She lived her whole life in Cincinnati.     Sylvia was a widow. Frederick, her husband, had already passed away but I haven’t been able to find the year. Silvia had children and grandchildren. She kept fairly busy in her community there.    She was seen alive on Tuesday April 22nd 1969 at 5 p.m.    Sylvia was described as small and frail. She kept to herself. She had gone out, it is believed on Wednesday the 23rd of April and was returning home when a man attacked. If she kept to herself and was frail then she was likely cautious. I imagine that she did not go out at night. It’s more likely that she stepped out Wednesday mornin...