A Good Hair (and Care) Day with Lucille

Beauty is as beauty does. And, yes, we all want a good hair day. Sometimes today it takes the better part of a day at a chic beauty salon or spa. Many women will contend that not only is their visit ‘beautifying’ in the true sense of the word, but also therapeutic and nurturing. If you were lucky growing up, you received it all in our dear Aunt Lucille Barron’s kitchen.

Imagine, living with her husband Tom, her sons Rich, Tommy and Dave and having a quasi beauty parlor right there in her kitchen with all of her guys coming and going all afternoon! Mind you, in the 50’s and 60’s one way to ‘glamour’ was the ‘permanent wave.’ This was no short nor fragrant process. Lucille sectioned your hair with row upon row of pink, blue and purple curlers followed with a solution that rivaled ammonia. Your head was then wrapped in a plastic cap for an hour, and rinsed with a second solution. At the end, the curlers came out to allow the recipient a flock of curls that made you the envy of your friends. You could set your hair in rollers and have waves, or use bobby pins and see tight locks. Yes, for about 6 months you sported your look until 4 or 5 haircuts sent your curls walking. Then, of course, you came back for your next beauty treatment.

Certainly in-style hair was great. However, longer lasting was the therapeutic element of having your hair done at Lucille’s. Throughout the process, you spent the day together. You shared news, exchanged ideas, and discussed fashion with Lucille, the iconic fashion role model. We talked about the state of the state, vented, and chuckled during this bonding process.

I always watched how Lucille did hair. I was fascinated with it all. As the years passed, I stepped in with some of our relatives, including my mother Betty, doing many cuts and perms. I have an especially fond memory of a night I spent with our dear Aunt Virginia Jackson, giving her a cut and curl, following a great dinner she cooked. I’ll never forget how pleased she was when she looked in the mirror and said, “Is that me?” After all these years, I still remember her pleasure.

As I moved on with my life in New Jersey, I continued to give cuts and perms. I bonded with friends and their daughters. To this day, I have great relationships, based upon our quality ‘hair time together.’

I had a great teacher. Thank you, Lucille, for your beauty shop at home, and the inspiration you so generously gave to all of us. Believe me, it lives on. What greater tribute can I give you, beautiful hair designs and forever bonding! Thank you, again, our dear Aunt Lucille.


***
Blogged by Lucy

Sister Mary Augustine

Our great-grandmother Lucy Horrigan Crotty Smith had a sister Johannah. She married Dyer Colgrove and they lived in Meadville. Anna was the first child of five. Both her mother and the fifth child died soon after his birth in 1883. By 1890 Anna was living with her cousins Pierre and Richard at 14 East 5th. Lucy and Michael Smith had their saloon at 12 East 5th. In 1896 Anna became a Sister of St. Joseph and took the name Sister Mary Augustine.

I remember my mother saying that a few times when she was young, she would go over to the nun house on East 3rd, and walk back to 509 with Sister (nuns weren't allowed to walk alone), so as Sister and her father could visit. Mom said that Sister was a jolly person and a good conversationalist.

Thanksgiving back in the day…

At the close of yet another Thanksgiving day, I am drawn back to my childhood memories.

We came from a large ‘clan’, but always seemed to celebrate Thanksgiving with our own little family units. The exception was Anna who was always free to choose where she went for the day. My memory is that she always went to Julia and Harry’s, but I could be wrong. I think she had Thanksgiving with us one year, but I am not sure.

One of the strangest memories was watching my mother ‘singe’ the pin feathers off of the turkey. No nicely prepared, ready to cook Butterball Turkeys in the 50’s!! The birds back then were always scrawny! (Remember Donna Reed pulling her Turkey out of the oven in "It’s a wonderful life"). Back in those days most of our meal was the veggies, not as much meat as we eat now.

The kitchen table at our house on Eagle Point was always set with a tablecloth for the meal. When we lived on Fifth Street, we had a dining room, but I don’t remember ever eating in there….but then I was only 4 ½ when we moved from there!

My mom always stuffed the turkey--and none of us died from it! We would have mashed potatoes, gravy, stuffing (Southerners call it dressing and make it with cornbread ). I think our vegetable was always parsnips or turnips, and for the life of me, I can’t remember which it was…maybe it was both. Parker House rolls too! I think we always had sweet potatoes (not the canned with marshmallows, but real ones that she would scoop out and put butter and brown sugar on them and of course, pumpkin pie. My mother also made a pudding with ‘hard sauce’. It was delicious, but I can’t remember what it was called.

A staple that I loved was we always had black olives and green olives on the table. A tradition that I continued with my family and they now have for theirs.

When I was little, I used to like to pull the meat off the turkey neck and eat it. I think I was a weird, picky eater. As my scales can attest to, I got over that pickiness!

The best Thanksgiving for a kid was the horrendous snowstorm of 1956!!

Cousin Rich shares the following Barron memories:

I don't remember Anna ever coming for Thanksgiving, but sometimes my grandmother would be with us. I remember that one year my Dad said that he thought that turkey was always dry, and suggested that we have duck instead. It seems that it was all dark meat and we kids didn't really like it. It also seems that for the next few years we'd vote on it, and so sometimes we would have duck. I haven't had duck since.

We always had Thanksgiving dinner in the dining room around 5 o'clock. I remember Thanksgiving 1956, as that was the year of the big snowstorm. It was dark and snowy outside, and we were warm and cozy inside.

This is one thing I remember about Thanksgiving afternoon in 1954. The kitchen radio was on while mom was setting the dining room table. The song playing was 'Hey There' by Rosemary Clooney. About half way through the song, Rosemary says in a talking voice, "Are you talking to me?". Four year old David, playing on the floor, spoke right up and answered her. Wish I could remember what he said, but whatever it was, mom got a big kick out of it.

Happy thanksgiving to all….may our fond memories continue!

Posted by Dede and Rich

David Crotty

Our David Crotty was born in April, 1848. He married Lucy Horrigan in Saint Patrick Church on January 4, 1872. They had two children - Pierre and Richard. David died at the age of 28 years and 8 months on December 10, 1876.

From the 1871 City Directory:
Crotty David Jr., Saloon, 410State. Boards at Wm. Power

From the List of Deaths in the 1877 City Directory:
David Crotty, Heart disease, Dec 10, 1876

Also in the 1871 City Directory is an entry for another David Crotty:
Crotty David, Blacksmith helper, Erie Car Works. Boards at Wm. Power

So here's the mystery. Is this David the father or is he a cousin? This possible cousin was also born in April 1848, but he lived until 1923. He married an Ellen Osborn in 1881. The other mystery is who was William Power, and is Grandma Powers connected with him?

The following newspaper clipping is from the weekly newspaper. December 10th was a Sunday.

Confirmation

Pat and I were confirmed when we were in the 8th grade. The nuns had us terrified that we would not be able to answer a question that the bishop may ask us. But as it turned out very few, if any, questions were asked. At Confirmation you could pick or change your middle name, so Pat and I made a pact to use each other's name. Thus my middle name became Patrick, but Pat reneged. My high school and Social Security records are P. When I joined the Air Force I explained why I had two middle names, but they said I had to choose one or the other, so I reverted to John (I was named after uncle Johnny).

Now my mother wasn't given a middle name at birth. At Confirmation she choose Frances after a neighbor lady who she liked very much.

The picture was taken after the services. I don't know why I'm not in it.

Number 5 Crotty child….Virginia

On Wednesday, August 30, 1911 , mine and Nancy’s mother, Virginia, was the 5th child born, second daughter. of the 9 children that Richard and Julia Sullivan Crotty had. I believe my mother told me that she was the first child in the family born in a hospital.

Today marks the 100th birthday of my mother, Virginia.

She has been gone now almost 36 years……gone for more of my life than she was in it. I still have recipes that she wrote in her own hand…..most of them I don’t make anymore….foolish to cook that much food for one person, but I will never part with them. Hopefully they will be carried through to the next generation! (I know they will)

She was a wonderful mother and loved Dad, Nancy and I… there was never any doubt. She also loved her brothers, sisters, nieces and nephews.

The picture attached was take by the family photographer, Tom Barron. The date on the picture was November, 1942. At that time she was a 31 year old widow with a 5 year old daughter. I would assume that she had already met my father, as they were married in March, 1943, in St. Patrick’s Church. He was off fighting in WWII. Maybe it is just me, but this picture has a ‘Mona Lisa’ quality about it.

She was thrilled when I made her a grandmother. A little boy was finally in our family!! She had two years to enjoy being with him before she died. It brought her such joy!!

Not a day goes by that I do not think of her and Daddy with loving memories. Mama, I will always miss you and love you and Daddy both.

Bob Hope

This picture of me was taken off the TV by my mom. The camera was set up on a tripod all ready to go by my dad. He was not home at the time of the airing of this Bob Hope Show from Vietnam. Lucky for me that guy in front lowered his head at just the right moment! That's what mom always said about this picture. Great timing, mom.

***

Blogged by Tom