A 1006 Album
The days between late 1948 and early 1949 were busy and significant ones for Mom and Dad and their growing family. While still living on the farm in Hazleton they made a decision to move to Cedar Rapids. On Saturday, August 28, 1948 Mom and Dad signed papers to purchase "seven acres (moreless [sic] according to abstract)" from William and Clara Bray on the southeast side of Cedar Rapids for the sum of $5,250 - $750 down, $2,500 when the deed is delivered, and $2,000 carried for up to one year by the seller at 4% interest). The property on 42nd Street just off of Mt. Vernon Road included a barn, chicken coop and leanto.
In early 1949, Dad began building their first home on the property, a small square concrete block building with four rooms, a basement and a lightbulb. By late 1951, the family had increased to six, he had completed construction on the first house and drawn up final plans to expand it as seen in his drawing above. The house he ultimately built, as seen below, was where my brother, sisters and I were all raised.
The Bray's - we knew them as Ma and Pa - became our neighbors to the north between our property and 42nd Street. To our east lived Milo and Dorothy Kubasa, and beyond them the Pochobradsky's. To the south of our house was a large field, a small pond and a hill rising to a group of homes I knew collectively as the Scalaro's. Across 42nd Street to the west was the Whitney Pump Company, a family-owned business run by Louis and Margey Whitney. The Brays had a daughter, Pat, who was about Judy's age and the Whitney's had an older son, Jim, and a daughter Caroline.
Forty-Second Street, itself, situated just outside the city limits of Cedar Rapids, was graveled with large overhanging oak trees. In the evenings there was a noisy chorus from the frogs in the pond and a cloud of fireflies or lightning bugs in the field.
Dad and Mom bought about seven acres of existing farm land on 42nd Street SE from William and Clara Bray who became our neighbors to the north. The family timeline is fuzzy here since I can't determine exactly when Mom and Dad moved from Hazleton to Cedar Rapids or how long it took to build the house at 1006. But build he did since the family was about to get bigger again - Mom was pregnant with Tony’s "baby brother"
The photo below shows the view from 1006 to the South. Forty-Second Street is along the right edge of the photograph and the hill where Scalaro's lived is near the center of the photograph on the righthand side. The foreground shows the remains of the last seasons corn crop. The land between the house and the pond at the bottom of the hill was often rented out for a corn crop which provided a small income. Just visible in the left foreground is the barbed-wire fence which corralled the cows that I learned how to milk with a small stool and a metal bucket. I also learned how to keep my feet out of the way so they wouldn't get stepped on!
The photo below shows the view back toward 1006 from the top of the hill. Forty-Second Street would be along the lefthand edge of the photograph and Mt. Vernon Road runs across the photograph behind the trees near the top. The current corn crop is seen near the center of the photograph and above it is our barn. The house is, unfortunately, hidden behind the trees on the left hand side. The pond at the base of the hill, which at this point was quite small, is barely visible because of the shadow of a tree. The house visible to the right of the barn belonged to Milo and Dorothy Kubasa while the next house to the right was Charles (Chuck) and Henrietta Pochobradsky.
Shortly after purchasing the property Dad began working on the initial house. Like the Snoble house where Mom was born, this first version of 1006 consisted of four rooms, kitchen, living room, and two bedrooms. In the photo below, the living room is on the left, with the large window, and the kitchen is on the right with two windows and the entrance. The two bedroom at the rear. At this time Dad was working at Wilson Packing Plant - so did Dorothy Kubasa - and he worked on the house evenings and on weekends. I'm not sure where the they lived before they could move in.
In this photo, Tony is sitting on the stoop shading his eyes from the bright sun. The house has been completed and the family moved in. The house has yet to be painted but there is electricity (the electric meter can be seen above Tony's head). On the extreme right of the photograph one can see the edge of the barn and the roof of the Kubasa house while through the trees to the left of the house one can see the front porch of the Brays. Also note that there is no white picket fence between 1006 and the Brays. That would be coming.
In this photograph, which must have been taken about the same time as the one above, Mom, Judy and Tony sit on the front stoop. In the background to the left of the house is a view of the Whitney's while to the right is a view of the Bray's. And note the little red wagon in the lower righthand corner.
Here is a proud Dad, in front of the completed 1006. The house is now painted, steps and a sidewalk added, plus flowers in front protected by a small border fence. The little red wagon has been upgraded to larger model. I'm not sure what to think about the vehicle on the right side of the photo. Dad is sitting on a rocking chair he built for us. A compulsive wood worker, building is something he did his entire life - a different animal step stool for each child and many grandchildren, wooden cartoon characters colorfully painted and displayed in the front yard, lawn furniture, etc. Even years later and near the end of his life, he made large cathedral clocks for each of his six children building all the necessary templates and forms to "mass produce" the clocks and protective packaging.
And here is the big picture including the house, barn, leanto chicken coop, a large garden plot with a white border fence, new toys in the yard and a car in the driveway, possibly the pale green Plymouth station wagon I can barely remember. The white picket fence has been added between 1006 and the Brays and a teeter-totter and swing installed in front of the barn. At this point it was still a small but operational farm with cows, chickens and a horse. Note that the purchase agreement included the right to tear down the barn and chicken coop which was, in fact, done later. I think it was another example of the planning that Dad and Mom put into the house at 1006. They intended to be there a long while although I'm not sure they both planned on being there for the rest of their lives.
This completed phase one of 1006. But Dad and Mom had more plans for both their family and their home.
On August 30, 1949 Mom gave birth at Mercy Hospital, not to a new "baby brother", but twin sisters Linda and Leslie. It would be almost twenty more years before our family was finally complete with the addition of brother Kenny and then sister Kelly.
Mom in the Hospital
Linda and Leslie (circa 1950)
Tony and Judy
Tony, Dad and Judy
GreatGrandMa Kellenburger with (l-r) Dave,
Mark, Leslie, Judy, Doug, Linda, and Tony
Family (circa 1954)
Judy with pet kitten (circa 1955)
Square Dancing! (circa 1957)
Judy, Linda, Dad, Leslie, and Tony (1949)
Judy, Tony, Linda and Leslie (1951)
Tony, Linda, Mom, Leslie, and Judy
Linda and Leslie sharing the swing
Tony with Susie (circa 1955)
Family Camping (circa 1956)
Easter Ladies (circa 1956)
Linda and Leslie (circa 1957)
Mom and Dad decide to move to phase 2 of their plan for 1006 - adding a new kitchen and a master bedroom over a full basement.
Many wonderful things were created in this kitchen. I especially remember Czech rohlíkys, kolaches (koláče) and braided Christmas hoskas, rolling out and slicing up sheets of home-made noodles, dumplings with tomato sauce, strawberry-rhubarb pies, oatmeal-raisin cookies, carrot cakes, zuccini bread and Sunday night popcorn from the old pan with wavy bottom.
Dad continued building things after the house was completed. He built this fireplace in the backyard, the picnic table and all of the chairs for both kids and adults. Other projects included the cupola over the breezeway, the wagonwheel hanging lamp in the breezeway, Mom's quilting frame, the kitchen table and bench seats, a bandsaw, turned lamps and candlestick holders, etc. He was nearly always in the garage working on something.
Leslie, Mom and Linda (circa 1956)
Mom, Linda and Tony painting the picket fence
(circa 1957)
Leslie, Dad and Linda
(circa 1957)
Linda practicing her accordian
(circa 1958)
Leslie, Dad and Overhead Door truck
Kenny (1966)
Kelly
Linda and Leslie with Susie (circa 1956)
Judy, Leslie, Tony and Linda
eating a "giant" ear of corn (circa 1957)
Mark, Leslie, Deborah, Judy, Doug, David, Tony and Linda
Christmas at Grandma and Grandpa Tschopp (circa 1958)
Linda, Judy, Tony and Leslie - Screentime (circa 1958)
Aunt Ruth, Judy (hidden), Tony, Dad, Leslie, Linda,
Mom, Grandma, Uncle Ozzee, Grandpa (circa 1959)
Snowman with Linda, Tony, Leslie and Judy (circa 1959)
Mom showing her prowess with a hula hoop
Kelly
Kenny and Kelly - Halloween 1966
Christmas 1967 - A doll for Kelly
Mom and Kenny
A new generation of campers!
Leslie, Mom, Linda and Judy in 1973
Kelly
Tony, Sandy, Phil and Stephanie (1973)
Dad on Vacation
Kelly, Mom and Dad
Mom on Vacation
Mom and Dad with their camper
Christmas 1967 - Lincoln Logs for Kenny
Kenny
Mom and Dad with Kenny and Kelly
Kelly and Kenny
Four Generations:
G-ma Tschopp, Dad, Leslie, and Alyssa (1974)
Kenny, Kelly, Leslie, Judy, Tony and Linda (1974)
Dad hand-built these three-foot tall tower clocks and Mom created beautiful quilts for each of us. Dad built her a quilting frame and she sat in the breezeway and sewed quilts including those for many of her grandchildren.
Dad hand-made one of these clocks for each child
and turned candlesticks, lamps, etc.
Mom hand-made a quilt for each of her children
Kenny and Mom
Mom and Dad
Tuesday, February 25, 1992
[NOTE: The following is my record of Dad's final days.]
Sunday - I'm writing this down so I won't forget to tell someone something which they might find of comfort and because I can say on paper things which I could never say face-to-face.
Dad grows weaker each day. His breathing is shallow and labored. His rare trips from the bed cause him severe discomfort until he can catch his breath again. His body is now visibly thinner - the flesh and muscles, which I used to envy so, are now sagging on his arms and legs and even his chest. Despite his weakened condition he rests only rarely. Most of his hours are filled with "hallucinations" - tactile, auditory and visual. The hard part is that he knows that he is hallucinating. During his clear moments he is aware that he has been seeing and hearing things that aren't there but there is very little he can do about it - he sees, hears, and feels them as though they were real.
Triumphs are now very modest - he eats only a little and eliminates a correspondingly small amount. When he is able to fight through his haze, his humor and wit remain. Given his pills at 2pm today he asked if he had been talking (i.e., had been hallucinating). When Mom told him that he had been he said "Well, I hope everyone was listening because I'm not going to repeat it". He told Kay, the hospice nurse, that he has had so many visitors he was thinking of putting a jar by the door and charging admission. He also told me that I'm going to have to go to work soon -- "in two or three days". I take that to mean that he thinks he will be dead by then and I'll have funeral arrangements etc. to take care of. I smile and tell him not to worry, everything will be taken care of. Mostly he talks. He lays for hours, eyes open only for brief periods and he talks. He talks to family members, he talks to friends and for all I know he talks to God and to the creatures which run along the floor in his world. He questions, counsels, and argues with them just as he always has. He has always been an oral person and when he wrote, he wrote like he talked.
Even in his current state visitors invariably elicit a spark from him. He becomes lucid and animated, he sits up and generally responds very well. But his periods of activity are declining in both frequency and duration. Wednesday, Thursday and Friday he went for radiation therapy but real questions exist about whether he can handle the remaining 3 or 4 sessions scheduled for next week. The nurse just says "We'll see." They brought oxygen on Saturday. A brief jaunt to the bath room for a bath exhausted him and he spent long minutes fighting to regain his breath. When the hospice nurse (not Kay) came out she was able to measure his oxygen level and found that it was quite low (63 instead of the more normal 90 by whatever measure they use for such things). The oxygen is helpful but does not appear to be doing anything to slow the inevitability of his decline.
Mom "sleeps" in the room with him. All the visitors and well-wishers are justifiably concerned about her health given her history of back problems but so far she has been a tower of strength. I believe that she will not let herself get sick. As long as he breathes she will be at his side, supporting and helping him as she always has. She grabs sleep in minutes as best she can. I'm torn between trying to be helpful and trying to stay out of the way. In the final analysis dying is a very personal thing.
Monday - I heard Mom and Dad in the other room last night. Early on he called to her repeatedly and only when she answered did he realized he was "dreaming" and didn't really need her. He was angry - I guess because he was losing control or bothering her unnecessarily. Later during the night when she came to help him he asked "Are you getting along ok?".
Yesterday and last night he was very tired but very coherent when awake. He still hallucinates but is very clear when he can make the effort. We had a long talk last night at 10:00pm. He told me that I had been very easy on them (i.e., I had not cost them a lot of money) and had not given them much trouble, "at least as far as I can remember". I held his hand and tears streamed down my face when he thanked be for being a good son and I assured him that we would all make sure Mom was well taken care of. To show his gratitude he squeezed my hands in both of his. Later during the night I overheard him thank Mom for being such a "super" wife and to remark on how she is able to think about others even now - I think this pleased him very much. I felt like a voyeur eavesdropping like that but I couldn't stop myself.
Scott and Stacy Snoble were here Saturday from 10:30am to 1:15pm. They visited with Dad for about 15 minutes and he gained in strength and coherence during the visit but quickly tired and they left. This was repeated again today when Leonard Votrobek stopped by. The hospice nurse, Kay, was here before lunch and talked to both Mom and Dad. Dads vitals haven't changed but he is so weak we have cancelled the remaining radiation treatments and his appointment with Dr. Weisenfeld on Wednesday.
He seems pleased that someone is here with Mom and so far he consistently remembers everyone (except for not recognizing Ken in the dark a couple of nights ago and once mistaking Paul for Ozzee). His mind games seem less severe although he called Mom during breakfast this morning to "stop driving and pull over". "We're not driving, are we?" he said when he realized he was imagining again.
Breath continues to be a real problem as does his weakened condition. He appears not to be in pain but is very weak. He wants to be buried in a simple pine box ..."if that's possible. If not, thats ok too". The hospice nurse says Janeba-Kuba could send someone over to talk about arrangements if we wish. Mom thinks that is a good idea but we just don't have the time to do it now. Today is appropriately gray, wet and cold with the threat of snow. Mom and Dad would have been [will be] married 49 years on August 6 and his 70th birthday is July 31.
His mumbley talks with imaginary folks continue but much abated - not so long and not so often. He is not always understandable but quite emphatic and (occasionally) loud and boistrous. He also laughs occasionally - to himself or at something we can't see, and that is both uplifting and heartwrenching to hear. He also has had a couple of coughing spells yesterday and today during which he coughed up large amounts of phlem and mucus but fortunately he isn't bothered a lot by the coughing.
I'm taking today off from work because I want to be here as much as I can. I never knew the depth of feelings of which I am capable and I don't want to forget any of this. He has asked me to take care of several items including finishing the family tree, selling the motor home, and finishing his clocks.
He was sitting up in bed after Leonard left but he was asleep. When Mom tried to lay him down he awoke and asked if the mail was here. He had difficulty opening the letters and couldn't read them at all so Mom read them to him. Within a few minutes he was drifting off to sleep again. He is quiet now and will probably sleep for a few hours.
Kelly and Maurine were here earlier and are now making some chicken enchiladas with Shelly for supper tonight. Kelly and Maurine talked to Dad for a bit but then Kelly started crying and Dad had to comfort her. Afterwards she and Maurine retired to the garage for a smoke to soothe their jangled nerves.
Its apparent that Dad is handling his own death exactly like he's handled everything else I can remember during his life. Larry Fauchier characterized it as "Straight ahead" and that pretty well sums it up. Patty Kay called to say she could come out on Thursday but we had to tell her that it wouldn't be possible to see him but that he would try to call. She said that she lost her mother whom she knew for only 13 years and she couldn't begin to imagine how hard it would be to lose someone you knew for 30 or 40 years. Mom told me tonight that she wants the six children to be pall bearers.
Tuesday - I was able to talk to Dad only briefly yesterday. He wanted to help me to know how to fix the clocks and had some more words on fixing up the motor home before we sell it. But he is increasingly hard to understand and he closes his eyes and drifts away during the conversation. He can still be coherent for short periods but continues to grow weaker. Mom will wash him in bed since he is stressed so badly by his trips to the bathroom. I heard him again this morning asking Mom if she was OK. I can't adequately express the amount of joy that was generated simply by hearing their two voices in the dark this morning. I hope we each have someone someday who will minister to us like this and to whom we can return the favor. They are a very remarkable pair.
I'm going into work today so won't be back until after 5 o'clock. The hospice nurse will call today and I'll ask Sandy to drop by. His coughing is worse this morning - it seems hard and dry.
It will be tough to forget that I went to work this morning. They were both asleep and I decided, just based on their voices, that everything was about the same. But Mom called me at 12:15pm at work and through tears told me that Dad was "not very good". I ran to the truck and got to 1006 as quickly as I could. When I got there Ken and Kay, the hospice nurse, were already there. Ken and Mom watched as Kay took vitals - Dads' breathing was labored and his chest heaved dramatically but he seemed quite peaceful. She said we could be with him and Mom and Ken and I knelt by his bed, held his hand and each other and talked to him. I'm sure that he heard us since a single tear fell from his eye. In a couple of minutes his breathing became very uneven and eventually stopped, then he took one more breath and then nothing. We stayed with him for a few minutes, holding each other and crying, then we took Mom into the living room and let Kay do her thing. I started making phone calls.
Following Dad's death in 1992, Mom stayed for more than two decades at 1006 before her own death in 2013. She celebrated both her 80th and 90th birthdays there and hosted numerous Mother's Day reunions for her growing family and collection of friends.
Birthday Cake! (2002)
Mom with her friend Jim
In 2004 Mom met Jim Franey. Lt. Col. Ret. James H. Franey I was widowed with a mature family of his own and both he and Mom found comfort and support in their relationship.
Mom grew close to Jim until his untimely death in 2008.
Linda, Mom and Judy travel to the Vermont Fall Foliage Tour
Mom travelled extensively including this trip to Vermont with Linda and Judy for the fall colors and more far-ranging trips to Macchu Picchu, Russia, China, the Galapagos Islands, Hawaii, Alaska, etc.
Trying on a Russian hat in Moscow market
Mom with her children (2011)
Mom with some of her grandchildren (2011)
Mom with some of her great-grandchildren (2011)
Mom in a sombrero
Mom and Linda visit Machu Picchu in 2000;
Friendly llama "sneezes" in Mom's face - Hilarity ensues
Mom's 90th Birthday Cake (2013)
Friday, December 13, 2013
Mom in her yellow dress (1932?)
Mom and kids at Mother's Day 2011
Mom and Stephanie in Knoxville (2010)
Mom with Phil and Molly (2010)
Mom with Noah
Mom with Dave Blank, Hayden and Michael
Mom with Elijah (2004)
Mom with Elaina (Mother's Day 2011)
Mom with brothers and sister - Uncle Jerry Snoble,
Aunt Elsie Walker and Uncle Joe Snoble (2011)
Julia Rose Tschopp, 90, of Cedar Rapids, died late Friday, Dec. 13, 2013, at Mercy Medical Center, following a brief illness. Services: 1 p.m. Wednesday at Valley View Baptist Church with Pastor Phil Foster officiating. Burial: Campbell Cemetery. Friends may call from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday at Papich-Kuba Funeral Home East, 1228 Second St. SE.
Julia is survived by six children, Tony (Sandy) Tschopp, Raleigh, N.C., Kenneth Tschopp, Cedar Rapids, Judy Wiley, Emmett, Idaho, Linda Blank, Cedar Rapids, Leslie (Jerry) Mason, Corydon and Kelly Tschopp, Shreveport, La.; sister, Elsie Walker, Crescent, Okla.; 19 grandchildren; 11 great-grandchildren; and two great-great-grandchildren.
She is also survived by many close friends and good neighbors.
Julia was preceded in death by her husband, parents, and three brothers, Anthony W., Jerry and Joseph Snoble.
Julia Rose was born Nov. 4, 1923, in Linn Junction, the daughter of Joseph and Rose (Novak) Snoble and had lived in Cedar Rapids for 65 years, moving there from Hazleton in 1948. She married Theodore Conrad Tschopp on Aug. 6, 1943, in Cedar Rapids. He died Feb. 25, 1992.
During World War II, Julia had worked as a welder at LaPlant-Choate Manufacturing Company, but was primarily a homemaker to her family throughout her long life. She was a member of Valley View Baptist Church. Julia had volunteered at Saint Vincent de Paul, Jane Boyd Preschool and her voting precinct for elections. She also loved raising flowers.
Memorials may be given to Hospice of Mercy.
Cedar Rapids Gazette – Sunday, December 15, 2013
Kelly styling Mom's hair (2008)
Mom, Kenny and his family (2008)
Mom with Lee and Rachel Mason
(2003) Uncle Jerry, Aunt Elsie, Babi on her
80th birthday, Mom, and Uncle Joe
(1925) Uncle Jerry, Mom, and Uncle Tony
Mom with Alyssa, Abigail and Caleb (2005)
Mom and me (2011)
Mom with Jeff and Nichole Mason (2008)
Sunday, September 25, 2016
Judy lived in Colorado, spent time sailing and living in the Carribean and eventually lived in Emmett, Idaho. She also owned a cabin in Yellow Pine in the mountains above Emmett where she accumulated another collection of close friends.
In 2016, at age 70, she died unexpectedly and quietly in her own bed in Emmett. The cause of death was listed as gastrointestinal bleeding. We closed her estate there and honored her requests to be cremated and to avoid a published obituary. Linda took responsibility for distributing her ashes in numerous places and with numerous folks who were important in her life.
Judy in the breezeway at 1006
Judy leaves CR headed for Denver in 1967
Judy sailing the Carribean on the good ship Deliverance
She had a soft spot for the moose
Judy in Arizona in 2009
Judy showing lobster crunching technique
Judy and her Babi
Judy and Linda
Judy and cousin Carol
Aboard the Sonsi off Puerto Rico in 1986
Judy with her crew in Yellow Pine, ID
At her home in Emmett, ID
Judy's Friends in Yellow Pine, ID
Mom and Judy in Hawaii in 2007
Judy driving through New York City (1985)
Spreading Judy's ashes in the
East Fork South Fork Salmon River (2017)
One of the last photos of Mom and Dad
The "hayloft door" on the shed at 1006
The wagonwheel light Dad built
The 1006 welcome mat
The light on the breezeway door
Their headstone at Campbell Cemetery
Mom and Dad