Plattsmouth, NE.

   Eleanor moved with Janet and David to Plattsmouth, Nebraska in 1952, she was accompanied on her trip from Minnesota by her Aunt Margaret, and her sister Florence. As they drove to Nebraska, everyone had warned them of the difficulty they would have crossing Highway 20 on their way to Omaha. When they arrived at the junction of Hwy 20 and Hwy 73/75, there was no traffic in either direction. The memory is very vivid for her, as every time we have driven to my sister Barbara's house and cross Hwy 20, she always recalls the sense of dread that she had on the initial trip to Omaha. When they arrived at Offutt A.F.B. they drove right on the base to find Fred, he had found a hotel for them to stay in while they looked for a home to rent. Upon leaving the base, the guards at the gate were amazed that they could get on the base when their car had no security sticker or visitor permit. Evidently they had just driven on the base without stopping for authorization, turned out it was easier to get on the base than off it.
   They did take a day for some sightseeing and went to Lincoln to look at the state capital building--the picture of the family in front of the Nebraska capital was taken by Florence. The family found an upstairs apartment in Plattsmouth which was about 15 miles from the Air Force Base. Eleanor always seems to have been happiest while working, because she found a position at the Masonic Hospital in Plattsmouth as a weekend nurse. She remembers that one night a woman brought her father to the hospital and had a suitcase of money to with her to pay the expenses. She called the Hospital director and recalls that he came up right away.  She was offered a position as the chief nurse at the hospital, but decided against taking the position.
   Fred and Eleanor joined the Lutheran Church in Plattsmouth and Fred took confirmation lessons from pastor Meisinger. The  Meisinger's became on of their best friends in Plattsmouth along with the the Wilson's, and the Hanson's.  Fred road to work with other airmen from the base, so she had a car at home. Shortly before her daughter Barbara was born, the family moved into a large three story home on Oakmont Drive. The house had a huge lawn and garden, some chicken coops, a cement pond, and bee hives.Fred had a large garden and helped with the bees, they would also buy chickens to raise in the spring. The house was cold in the winter and had an old boiler with heat radiators. Eleanor wondered how many times the family members burned their rears on the radiator after a bath in the winter. The house also had a large sun room on the south side of the house which was very comfortable on sunny winter days.
   More will be written on the family in Plattsmouth, but this is a good place to stop.