Josephine Blanche Martin – 1923-2006
*Nancy Ann Simmons
**Josephine Blanche Martin
– my mother
 |
| Josephine Blanche Martin picture taken about 1941 |
My mother's process of
changing her name was not entirely a pleasant experience. She officially
changed her name on December 27, 1946, at the parsonage of Immanuel
Presbyterian Church in Detroit when she married my father, Paul H. Simmons. It
was on that day that Josephine Blanche Martin became Josephine Blanche Simmons
for the next 53 years.
 |
| Josephine Blanche Martin picture taken about 1924 |
Josephine was born in 1923 in the house her parents owned on Bostwick Street in Detroit, Michigan. The family story is that her great aunt, Teressa Wilcox, was the midwife at her birth. Josephine attended kindergarten at Beard Elementary and then attended All Saints Catholic school her next 12 years of schooling. For fifteen years Josephine lived on Bostwick Street until 1938 when her parents moved into a flat on Vinewood Avenue above her paternal grandparents.
 |
| Paul's home had two rentals on the 2nd floor and one on the 3rd floor Josephine lived on 2nd floor with her family and grandparents lived on 1st floor There was a house in-between the two homes at one time Picture on Google Maps taken about 2000 |
In 1934, my father, Paul
Simmons, moved from Henning, Illinois to Vinewood Avenue in Detroit. Several
years after his father died his mother remarried Jack Merritt and moved with
Paul and his brother to Detroit. It was on Vinewood Street that Paul and his
brother met Josephine and her older sister Nina. A year later Paul’s brother Wallace
started dating Josephine’s sister Nina. On several occasions Paul and Josephine
would tag along with their older brother and sister on a date.
 |
| Paul Simmons and Josephine Martin picture taken about 1946 |
Paul was drafted into the U.S.
Army two years after the United States entered WWII. In January 1943, shortly
after turning eighteen and after just graduating from high school, Paul was given
notice of his induction. Paul served from June 1943 until January 7, 1946.
During the war Josephine wrote faithfully to Paul sending him a box of Saunders
chocolates every week. When Paul returned home, he continued his relationship
with Josephine while attending Wayne State University. Josephine had signed up
for the United States Cadet Nursing Program at Providence Hospital in Detroit
in 1944 and was in her second year.
 |
| Josephine Martin's U.S. Cadet Nursing Corps Membership Card |
Paul and Jo certainly
enjoyed being together and sharing time with all their friends after the war
was over. Unfortunately for Josephine, she realized in December 1946 that she
was pregnant. Just before Christmas Paul and Josephine decided to get married
and applied for a marriage license. This had to be a difficult time for both Jo
and Paul. They were both going to school and Jo had been elected president of
her senior cadet nursing class.
 |
| Paul Simmons and Josephine Martin Edward & Julie are Josephine's brother & sister in-law Wally and Ruth are Paul's brother and future sister in-law Bill and Nina are Josephine's sister and future brother in-law Tim is Josephine's nephew, son of Edward and Julie All the others are friends! Picture taken about 1946 |
Paul was strongly advised
by his family that he did not need to marry Josephine. But on Friday December
27, 1946, Paul knocked on Josephine's parent’s door and asked for Josephine. Together
they went to get married. They walked to Immanuel Presbyterian Church two
blocks away and were married by Reverend Albert J. Lindsey. The marriage was
witnessed by Paul's brother, Wallace, and his future wife, Ruth Wheeler.
 |
| Paul Herbert Simmons and Josephine B. Martin's Church Marriage Certificate |
Josephine changed her name
that December day in 1946 and never looked back. She was married for fifty-three
wonderful years. She and Paul were together through the best of times and the
worst of times. They worked hard to raise a family and taught their children,
through their example, the value of family and friends.
 |
| Paul and Josephine (Martin) SIMMONS picture taken about 1996 |
No comments:
Post a Comment