Oak Park, IL: Harold "Fred" Geer & Gertrude Peet Butler
Margery Butler, Age 2
Harold Geer & Gertrude Peet Butler lived at 135 S. Grove Street in Oak Park, IL next door to the Simpson family. Harold worked for Mr. Simpson or "Pop." They had two daughters: Eleanor and Margery, both of whom became RNs. See the FRIENDS page for photos of the Simpson family. Harold worked with Ray Simpson to build his sailboat, the Ho Hum. Eleanor Butler Wilkins' letter of 2-8-1991 to me describes the crafting of the boat; it's included below the photo galleries. A transcript of the video of Marge Butler Parker's childhood memories appears on this page:--click here: Marge Parker's Childhood Memories.
Marge also gave an interview just before she died at age 92 as the oldest living graduate of Lincoln Elementary School in Oak Park. To view that interview, click here: Marge Butler Parker's Lincoln School Interview, 2007. Friends named Alice & Ray (Poling?) wrote Marge in 1996, referring to xeroxes she was enclosing of photos taken in the 30s at Lake Tichigan of Marge & Trudie Simpson; they also refer to a photo of Alice & Eleanor taken at Camfire Girls. That letter appears below & the xeroxed photos appear in the Oak Park gallery.
Background
Both Gertrude and Harold immigrated from Newfoundland to Cambridge, MA where Eleanor was born; Harold graduated from the Lowell Institute in 1912 with a degree in Electrical Engineering, The President of Harvard University had founded this school. Margery was born in Somerville, MA.
Two of Harold's brothers, Cyril & Harry, and his sister Victoria ("Queen), settled on the East Coast in MA and New Hampshire. Fred moved to Milwaukee, marrying a Scotswoman, Nellie, who kept her thick brogue lifelong. They adopted Mary Ellen as Fred had been wounded by shrapnel in WWI & was unable to have children of his own. Harold moved to Oak Park to take a job with Westinghouse (?) and later, International Harvester.
He played a mandolin with a panel of inlaid pearl & always cherished the watch his father, Jabez, had willed him. He also played the organ & was an inveterate whistler, especially of old Methodist hymns. "Nearer My God To Thee" was his favorite hymn. Gertrude was an excellent seamstress & made most of Margery & Eleanor's clothes during the Depression. Grandpa Harold showed me how to find wild strawberries & asparagus in the prairies of Clarendon Hills & taught me many hymns. Click on PLAY below for a slide show.
Marge also gave an interview just before she died at age 92 as the oldest living graduate of Lincoln Elementary School in Oak Park. To view that interview, click here: Marge Butler Parker's Lincoln School Interview, 2007. Friends named Alice & Ray (Poling?) wrote Marge in 1996, referring to xeroxes she was enclosing of photos taken in the 30s at Lake Tichigan of Marge & Trudie Simpson; they also refer to a photo of Alice & Eleanor taken at Camfire Girls. That letter appears below & the xeroxed photos appear in the Oak Park gallery.
Background
Both Gertrude and Harold immigrated from Newfoundland to Cambridge, MA where Eleanor was born; Harold graduated from the Lowell Institute in 1912 with a degree in Electrical Engineering, The President of Harvard University had founded this school. Margery was born in Somerville, MA.
Two of Harold's brothers, Cyril & Harry, and his sister Victoria ("Queen), settled on the East Coast in MA and New Hampshire. Fred moved to Milwaukee, marrying a Scotswoman, Nellie, who kept her thick brogue lifelong. They adopted Mary Ellen as Fred had been wounded by shrapnel in WWI & was unable to have children of his own. Harold moved to Oak Park to take a job with Westinghouse (?) and later, International Harvester.
He played a mandolin with a panel of inlaid pearl & always cherished the watch his father, Jabez, had willed him. He also played the organ & was an inveterate whistler, especially of old Methodist hymns. "Nearer My God To Thee" was his favorite hymn. Gertrude was an excellent seamstress & made most of Margery & Eleanor's clothes during the Depression. Grandpa Harold showed me how to find wild strawberries & asparagus in the prairies of Clarendon Hills & taught me many hymns. Click on PLAY below for a slide show.
Butler Gallery--More Photos (Click to enlarge)
