|
Walter
and Marie's home on Lafayette Avenue, Evansville (cir.
1984) |
The depression hits
everyone in 1929 and dominates their lives for the rest of the
decade with over 1/4th out of work. But life goes on and Marie
and Walter meet, thanks to a neighbor of Marie’s who works with
Walter. They love dancing and are a dashing couple. They marry
in 1931 with strong desire to establish a home that is quickly
paid for and some savings in spite of the depression. They live
with her mother for a year and a half and then rent across the
street. Then they buy across the street on W. Eichel (likely 24
or 26 W. Eichel Ave. They wait that $1700 two story home to be
paid for before having their family of three between 1937 and
1943. Henry Bollinger loses his job at the mine in the early
30’s due to the drastic reduction in need for coal. A funeral
record at Lowe and Son shows he was despondent over unemployment
and commits suicide with a gun. Also that he was divorced a
month previous and likely homeless. He was buried at Campground
Cemetery (now Salem) near his birthplace. It lists his only
sibling as Mrs. Homer Bristow (Lydia, who owned the grocery
store—perhaps on First Ave.).
Marie quits her job at Plumbers Supply in 1936 or in 1937, the
year Howard is born. Walter and Marie buy a home at 2517 N.
Lafayette just north of Negley. Her sister Ruth and husband
Frank live several blocks west and for a time live next to the
Evansville Country Club on the hill on Stringtown Road.
The latter years of this decade are a time of war again, this
time in both Europe and Asia and becomes a full world war. With
a family started, and Walter already at age 33 when we are
attacked at Pearl Harbor, he is spared going to war overseas.
Instead he works at International Steel making ships and
bullets. Marie stays home to raise the growing family. They move
to a larger home in the suburbs on Lafayette Street and other
relatives follow suit moving to nearby homes. The houses are
heated with coal, no air conditioning, the streets are gravel
and driveways cinder. The home are neat, modest and well kept to
this day.