LINDA TIEZZI WALDERA on UNCLE NICK, AUNT MARY and FAMILY

The anticipation of Uncle Nick, Aunt Mary, and Cheryle and Marty coming to Peoria every couple of years was so exciting. They came into Chilicothe on the California Zephyr. Many family members would go to welcome them to Peoria and great celebrations and dinners would follow. I alway thought that Uncle Nick was so sweet and that Aunt Mary was so cool. It just seemed so exotic that we had relatives living near San Bernadino California... and they even seemed to have that California look when they arrived in the Midwest, whatever that means. I just thought they were the coolest ever. And, of course, Marcia and I loved playing with Cheryle and Marty as they were our same age. We have a great picture of the 4 of us in front of our Philips Console Radio at our old house in Fairview. Once when I was able to visit Uncle Nick and Aunt Mary in California, I was very amused at how he treated his Dog, Deigo, like royalty. He showed me the dinners he pre-made and froze for his dog; dinners that included roast beef, carrots, potatoes and gravy. Even though we didn't get to see them that often we felt very close to them.