1942.6.15

Monday, June 15

Dear Folks,

I am feeling fine and hope you all are. I have been wondering how long it takes my mail to get through. I have received the package you sent with the blue point book in it, and I believe I acknowledged that in the last letter I wrote.

Esther Holmquist Halversen

I went down to Blue Island and visited Aunt Esther* and her husband Sat. night and stayed until 6 o’clock Sunday night (or afternoon). We went out for a ride in their car Sunday afternoon. The country is pretty out that way. There are a lot of trees and everything is nice and green. I believe I told you in the last letter that I went to Ingrid’s the week before.

I am going to be a metalsmith. At least that is what I am going to go to school for besides math. The math is the hardest. In fact so far that is the only thing that is hard.

I got your letter the other day and am glad you gave one of the pictures to Aunt Ruth. I forgot to put in that Esther and her husband came down to the loop with me and we stayed and looked at the parade awhile before I went back and another thing is that I can ride all over Chicago on the regular street cars and buses free.

I sent my dress uniform to the cleaners and had it cleaned and pressed last week. They really do a nice job and it only cost me fifty cents. They did it a lot better than in Grand Rapids. They clean the cloth so clean that it looks better than new and they press it with a mangle or whatever it is. Anyway it sure looks good. I have some low dress shoes now.

Well I can’t think of anything else that is worth writing about so I will say so long and with love your son,

Erwin Holmquist

*Esther Halversen (pictured above) was another sister of Erwin’s dad. She was born in Cadillac, Michigan in 1903 and lived most of her childhood in the small town of Tustin, MI. She moved to Chicago in her early 20s. She married Henry Halversen, a man 26 years her senior, in the fall of 1941 at the age of 38. On the marriage certificate, Esther’s occupation is listed as registered nurse. Esther and Henry would have one daughter born in 1946. Sadly Henry passed away the following year.