VALUE of ESTATE PLANNING Madeleine to Ida: "This settling of Vern's folk's estate has involved a great expense on Vern's part. He will be reimbursed eventually, but it is hard on him for he doesn't have the means of producing money unless he borrows. This estate has been held up since May 7 and won't be settled until after the first of the year. It wasn't less than a month ago that Vern was finally given permission to pay his folks funeral bills out of the insurance. He has had many and many a sleepless night and many a migraine headache over this (estate). Vern worries so about financial affairs and bills. I don't mean to complain for I am grateful for what little I make...and I have been able to pay a full tithing on my money. I see more and more you inherited Mother's patience and another of her great virtues was that of charity." December 12, 1960 GENUINE CONSIDERATION Madeleine to Ida: "I too reminisce of events and good times of years gone by These memories are part of my life....I more and more appreciate the teachings of our beloved mother and our father, too. Weren't they the gracious host and hostess though. As you stated it, Mother taught us to be formal, gracious, good hostesses, and I realize this more and more every day....One thing we were taught (or just grew up with from the examples our parents set before us), was to be gracious in our meeting of people, children and especially elderly people....When you stop to think, you could see that same gracious, kind, and polite manner in all that Richard did in meeting people, and you could see it in Shirley. I have heard your praises sung and sung on these virtues and many others. I do think our Mother was one of the greatest, loveliest women that ever lived. Her first and foremost interest was to her children and family. She lived to serve her family and to teach them the good way of living not by preaching but by example." "I see you have many of Mother's virtues in particular that of patience and understanding. If you have a conviction that you are doing right-no one can influence you to the contrary. You have faith in people and the future. This is wonderful for what would we do without faith and hope? I thought what a wonderful statement you made in one of you recent letters when you said that One must not feed on discouragement. Further, that it is the 'devil's most precious possession." January 25, 1961 A FRUITFUL VACATION In a letter to me from my cousin June Franklyn (who lives in California), she said that this was the first vacation she had ever had in her life. It was spent with us. She and I did genealogy work with our family records spread out all over the large Ping Pong table in our basement. December 12, 1964