Photos from Mary Anne
One of the kindest things…
Memories from Mary Anne Zeitler
Mom’s second child, Robert Warren Zeitler (Buddy), was born in 1939. Her doctor wasn’t available for the delivery so another doctor came to the house. He announced that Buddy was still-born, saying he was a “blue baby”. He wrapped the baby in a blanket and placed him on a bench in the closed- in back porch. Shortly after, Mom’s doctor arrived, saw the baby on the bench and resuscitated him. This was written up in the paper with the headline “Local Doctor Saves Infant”.
When Buddy was nearly a year old he developed pneumonia. The doctor told Dad to drive to Butler to pick up a prescription for Sulfa, a new drug that had just been released to treat pneumonia. In the meantime Mom was to give Buddy a “mustard bath” to help bring down the fever. While she was doing this, and Dad was driving to Butler, Buddy died. Mom dried him off, dressed him, wrapped him in a blanket and held him as Dad drove them to the funeral home in East Brady. The day of the funeral , Mom came home to find that the neighbors had come into the house and packed up all of Buddy’s things – clothes, crib, baby toys, etc.- and stored them in the attic so she didn’t have to do that. She said it was one of the kindest things anyone had ever done for her.
Never stop going to the library…
Memories from Mary Anne Zeitler
Mom was shopping in Butler and jay-walked at the main intersection where there was a police officer standing in the middle directing traffic. He blew his whistle at her. Mom said, “I hope you choke on that God-damn whistle”. He then wrote her up and she had to pay a fine. She often told this story and laughed every time!
As John wrote in the biography, Mom was very concerned about our education. She loved to play Scrabble and would set up the game on the kitchen table and play with us as kids as she ironed. I remember the plastic laundry basket filled with dampened and rolled clothes and how she would stop ironing when it was her turn. She wanted us to always spell words correctly and would make up spelling games. I remember her offering a quarter to the first one of the four us who spelled “squirrel” correctly. Den won!
Mom read to us long before the importance of reading to children was confirmed. She would sit on the step into our room and read a chapter every night to Dennis and me. I remember her reading Heidi, The Little Prince, etc. She had an old book of poetry she read to us, too. Her favorite was “Abou Ben Adhem” and we memorized it and would recite it to each other. She also made certain I had a library card when I was very young and I walked to the library every week. I remember reading “Little Black Sambo” (now banned, but my favorite and read repeatedly because it was about pancakes!) while she was reading whatever new book I would bring home for her. Once I returned my books late – library was open very limited hours – and I had to pay a 50 cent fine. Dad said I couldn’t go to the library anymore because I couldn’t remember to return my books. Mom said, “Don’t you EVER stop going to the library!”….and I’m still going! Thanks, Mom!
Anna Marie (Hile) Zeitler – A short biography by John Zeitler
- Merrill (1903-1975) Married Mary Kelly and had Nat and Mary Theresa
- Agnes (1905-1966) married Paddy McLaughlin and had Paddy and Terry
- Frances (Hank)(b. 1907) married Cora Sayers, then Nellie Wilson with whom he had Elizabeth (Bunny), Tom and Chris, and then Phyllis Snow with whom he had Tim
- Rosalie(1911-1995) who married Guy Bish and had Jeri, then Ray Peck with whom she had Tim and Ginny
- James (1913-1951) never married. Bomber gunner in WW II. Died in auto accident
- Anna Marie
- Elizabeth (Bessie) (1919-1943) Never married. Died in Bicycle accident
- Aldine (1930-2015) Married Tom Lipinski
Creative Problem Solving
Memories from Mary Anne Zeitler, Anna Marie’s daughter
I remember Mom’s creative problem solving. When I was in fourth grade I was sick and missed school a few days. The day I returned the teacher said all the children had made puppets and would be performing a Thanksgiving puppet show that afternoon.I would not be able to participate because I didn’t have a puppet. When I went home for lunch I told mom. While I ate a bowl of tomato soup (all of 10 minutes) Mom took an old sock, scraps of material, buttons and a paper napkin and make the best Pilgrim puppet ever.
When I was in 7th grade I still went home for lunch every day. One day we were told to bring a “brown bag lunch” the next day for a special student meeting during lunch. That morning I was packing my lunch but we had no brown lunch bags – all we had to put a lunch in was an old plastic bread bag. ..which just wouldn’t do. Mom took a 5lb. bag of sugar, dumped the sugar in a bowl, turned the bag inside out and I had a brown lunch bag! I never open a bag of sugar that I don’t wonder how Mom ever thought to do that!
Al and Sadie Murray were celebrating their wedding anniversary and Mom offered to make them a cake for the occasion. Mom took the plain round mirror off the living room wall, made a three tiered cake for on it and then decorated the cake with flowers from the garden. It was beautiful and I got to carry it down the street to Murray’s. How proud I was to deliver that cake!
Sunmaid Raisins ‘Don’t Bake Out’
Happy 100th Birthday, Anna Marie Zeitler
This blog has been established by one of Anna Marie Zeitler’s grandchildren, Rebecca (Zeitler) Farrell and one of her sons, John Zeitler, in celebration of what would have been her 100th birthday in December of 2016.
Memories and photos can be sent to rmfarrellinc@gmail.com
Happy 100th Birthday

This blog has been established by Rebecca (Zeitler) Farrell, one of Anna Marie Zeitler’s grandchildren, in celebration of what would have been her 100th birthday this December. Please share your memories by sending emails and photos to: rmfarrellinc@gmail.com.