the nelson-merrill family photo album

8/7/2019 The Nelson-Merrill Family Photo Album

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This photo album is dedicated to my grandparents Al and Eunice Nelson. They were ordinary - yet at the

same time - quite extraordinary people when one considers their backgrounds, experiences and accom-

plishments. Through a combination of love, hard work, persistence, good luck and the grace of God, they

did a remarkable job raising a family.

When I started this project it was merely to scan a collection of old negatives Id found. As I went through

the collection of prints, negatives and old photo albums in my moms storage, my relatives became more

multi-dimensional and real to me. I always thought of my grandparents as good and hardworking. But as I

poured through the letters, postcards, photos and photo albums I c ame to see my grandparents as romantic,passionate, goofy and adventurous as well. I realized all this rich family history was going to remain mostly

unseen unless I put it into an orderly, accessible form. This album is the result of that realization.

I want to thank my mom Judy and my aunt Jean for helping identify the who, where and when of many of

these photos. Thanks to my cousin Laurie too for facilitating the photo viewing sessions for both of them.

I also want to thank my cousin Nick Dowdy for doing a lot of the research for the family trees that are

included in this album.

Gary Crandall


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Early Nelson Family Photos1. ............... ................ ................ ................. ................ ................ ................. ...... 1

The Norgaards Come to America2. ............... ................ ................. ................ ................. ................ ............... 2

Nelson-Norgaard Family Tree3. ............... ................. ................ ................ ................. ................ ................. ... 6

The Merrills: Eunices Fathers Side4. ............... ................. ................ ................ ................. ................ .......... 7

The Greers - Eunices Mothers Side5. ................. ................ ................. ................ ................ ................. ....... 9

The Kenworthys6. .............. ................. ................ ................ ................. ................ ................ ................. ..... 11

Merrill-Greer Family Tree7. ............... ................. ................ ................ ................. ................ ................. ...... 13

Eunice Clara Merrill8. ................ ................ ................. ................ ................. ................ ................ .............. 14

Merrill Family Postcards9. ............... ................ ................. ................ ................ ................. ................ ......... 16

Al Nelson - Going to California10. ............... ................ ................. ................ ................ ................. ............... 22

Alfred C. Nelson, CLU11. ................. ................ ................ ................. ................ ................ ................. ........... 24

Al and Eunic e - The Early Years12. ................ ................. ................ ................ ................. ................ ............. 25

1215 Glen Avenue: The New Family Home13. ................ ................. ................ ................ ................. .............. 29

The Four Js: Janet, Judy, Jean and Jane14. ................ ................ ................ ................. ................ ................. 30

Outings and Vacations15. ................ ................ ................ ................. ................ ................ ................. ........... 43

Friends and Relatives, Near and Far16. ................ ................ ................ ................. ................ ................ ........ 54

The Four Js: Becoming Young Women17. ............... ................ ................. ................ ................ ................. ..... 65

Marriage and Family - Don and Janet Morris18. ................ ................ ................ ................. ................ ............ 74

Jean and Lowell Moore19. .............. ................. ................ ................ ................. ................ ................. ........... 79

Judy and Bob Crandall20. .............. ................. ................ ................ ................. ................ ................. ........... 80

Jane and Gerd Goeman21. .............. ................. ................ ................ ................. ................ ................. ........... 84

Family Get-Togethers22. ............... ................ ................. ................ ................ ................. ................ .............. 86

The Berkeley Family Homes Today23. .............................................................................................................89

Appendix:The Pioneering Life Story of My Parents (Nels Jensen and Carrie Norgaard)24. ................................93


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- 1 -

Tena, Anna (Als mother) and

Carrie Norgaard

Nels Jensen and Karen Carrie Norgaard - 1919

(Al Nelsons Grandmother on mothers side)

Karen Carrie Norgaard


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The Nelsons and the Norgaards, South Dakota - 1921

In the spring of 1869, a young Nels Norgard came to came to South Dakotato homestead a farm six miles from Del Rapids. He had come to the UnitedStates from Aalborg, Denmark. Mr. Norgard left on a ship in which most of the

passengers were immigrating Scandanavians. It was six week trip on hazardous

seas with bad storms . Several of the passengers became ill and died. But eventu-

ally Nels made it.In the spring of 1871, full of hope he broke a small piece of land and prepared

a home for the girl who had promised to marry him. The young homesteader

worked diligently through the summer and when the weather turned cold he

returned to Iowa.

In the spring of 1872 a caravan of prospective settlers left Iowa for Minnehaha

County. Among the travelers in covered wagons was Miss Carrie Sorensen of

Harlan. In another was Mr. Norgard. Desiring to be married in the state they

had chosen for their future home, they waited until they reached Sioux Falls.

There in June of 1872 they exchanged their marriage vows.

The happy bridegroom assured the bride a home - a sodhouse that seemed to

be one with the expanse of the prairie. Nels and Carrie Norgard lived a hard yet

productive pioneer life replete with sometimes not-so-peaceful encounters with

Indians. They raised a family of nine children: Tena, Anna (Al Nelsons Mother),

James, Charley, Lena, Nellie Rosy and Lillie (twins) and Emma.

(For a detailed account of their life see The Pioneering Life Story of My Parents by Charles J.

Norgaard in Appendix, page 93 )


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- 3 -

Nels Peter and Anna Nelson

1930s

Nels Peter and Anna Nelson

Al Nelsons parents

Alfred C. Nelson with classmates at Sioux

Falls school - circa 1910


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- 4 -

Young Al Nelson (right)

with brother (left)

Anna Norgard, Oliver Jr., Oliver Sr.

and Karen Carrie Norgard

Margaret (Als sister) 2 yrs. old and Al (4 yrs old)

in front of South Dakota home in 1906


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Young Al with brothers in South Dakota - 1921

Roger Nelson, brother and father after the hunt

in South Dakota - 1921


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Formorede

tailandfurthergenerationsback,contactGaryatdignrun62@gmail

.com.Ifyoureinterested,Iwill

inviteyoutoseethefullNelsonfamilytreeonmyAncestry.comaccountwhich

goesbackatleast8generations.


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Unidentified woman and

John H. Merrill, Eunices FatherJohn H. Merrill and unidentified

woman

Photo most likely taken by John Merrill

during his time spent as a gold miner in the Yukon

Late 1890s


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Another brother, Eugene MerrillBurleigh Merrill, Johns younger

brother. Died at age 24 in a

logging accident.

...and another brother, Melville Merrill Stella Eunice Merrill - 12 yrs. old.

Eunices cousin. Daughter of

Byman Merrill, another brother.


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- 9 -

Margaret N. Greer

Her maiden name was Moore

William Greer Margaret and Ruth Greer, Eunices

Cousins. Their parents were John and

Delia Greer

Clara Kenworthy, with her adoptive

parents William and Margaret Greer


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- 10 -

Claras grade school composition

book used for music classes

Clara died in childbirth at age 36

when Eunice was 10. She would

have had a son.

Clara Kennie Greer,

Eunices mother

Margaret and William Greer


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The Kenworthys were Clara Greers blood relatives. Clara was referred to as Clara Kennie Greer.

Kennie was short for Kenworthy. Clara was adopted by the Greers at a very young age. Her father

was Joseph E. Kenworthy. Unfortunately we have no photos of him or Claras mother. Its hard to sur-

mise but most likely Claras birth occured under embarrassing circumstances - possibly an extramarital

affair. So the Greers adopted Clara and she took on their name. Eunice Clara Merrill kept in touch withher Uncle Frank Kenworthy (Claras brother or half-brother) and his family through the 1950s.

Eunice Merrills great aunt Eunice(maiden name Kenworthy)

and husband Samuel G. Edwards

Frank Nathan KenworthyEunice Merrills uncle

Eunices Uncle Frank, Aunt Mary and cousins, Sylvester and Elvira Kenworthy


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Ruth, Margaret and James

Greer, Eunices cousins

Ruth Greer

Margaret Greer with her dog


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Formoredetailandfurthergenerationsback,contactGaryatdignrun

[email protected],

Iwillin

viteyoutoseethefullMerrillfamilytreeonmyAncestry.comaccount.


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Eunice at 2 yrs, 8 months old

Eunice Clara Merrill with Aunt Mattie,

(Eugene Merrills wife)

Eunice Clara Merrill

at 4 months, 2 weeks old


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Eunice and Margaret - 1910

Eunice (5 yrs) and her sister

Margaret (9 months) - 1908

Eunice - 4 yrs old

She said she remembered feeling the 1906 quake

while in her crib in Berkeley

Eunice at 7 yrs. old - 1910


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Hi Eunice, How are you? Im having

a fine time here. I have a new cap pistol.

Im coming home today. Goodbye. N.G.

(1909 post card from Eunices friend.)

Christmas post card from to Eunice from family friend - 1907

Post card to Eunice:

From your little friend and playmate,

Owen. - 1908


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Post card from teacher regarding school rally day - 1910

Valentines Day post card to Eunicefrom the cousins Elvira, Sylvester and

James Kenworthy - 1913

Memorial Day card sent to

Clara Merrill - 1910


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Luther Burbank Gardens post card from Clara Merrill toMrs. A.W. Le Forge - 1912

Promotional post card of actress

Mary Pickford with Eunices things

Christmas card to Eunice

from cousin Stella


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Eunices high school diploma

Eunice at 18 -

1921

Eunice Merrill:

UC Berkeley graduate


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Eunice, her father John and Margaret at 1940 Delaware Street

Eunice on Delaware StreetEunice at Indian Rock in Berkeley


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Midge and Eunice

at 1940 Delaware St.

Eunice and Margaret (or

Midge as she was known)

Midge

Midge


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Al and brothers in route to California

- 1921

Al and brothers in Berkeley- 1921

Somewhere along the way....


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Al Nelson - First picture taken upon arriving in California with

brother Oliver at a lake just south of Oakland

In 1923, the Berkeley Fire destroyed 584 homes in the neighborhood

north of the University. Al remembers watching the fire from the hills.


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Al Nelson graduated fromUC Berkeley on May 15, 1923

with a Fred L. Lowengart scholarshipin Letters and Science.

Al worked as a furniture salesman for several

years before getting on at Mutual of New York

(MONY) in 1931

In 1931 Al started to work for MONY(building on left) as an insurance sales-

man. In 1933 he became a full timepartner.

You can take the boy out of the country

but you cant take the country out of the

boy!


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Al and Eunice - 1925

Al and Eunice in Half Moon Bay

in May 1926



Photo and inscription, We Two from

Eunices photo album


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Al and Eunice at Mirror Lake,

Yosemite National Park - 1928

Photo of Yosemite Falls from

Glacier Pt. trail - 1928

Eunice on the beach in Half Moon Bay


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Eunice Merrill, Rollo Norgard (Midshipman)

and Margaret Merrill

Eunice on battleship

Al, Don Walker, Eunice and Edna on battlesh ip


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Al and Eunice - mid 1920s


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Backyard of the recently completed family home

1215 Glen Avenue, Berkeley CA

Great Grandpa John H. Merrill building

the family home at 1215 Glen Avenue, Berkeley

in 1927.

The building permit for

the garage at 1215 Glen Ave.


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The family home at 1215 Glen Avenue, Berkeley CA

Al and Eunice with Janet Janet in baby carriage


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Al with Janet on front porch Oliver Jr., Aunt Sal and Janet

Eunice with Janet Eunice with Janet


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Grandpa Merrill with Janet Janet in front yard

Eunice and Janet


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Eunice with Janet and Judy

Grandpa Merrill and JanetGrandpa Merrill and Janet

Eunice with baby Judy, Janet and Al


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Eunice with JudyEunice with baby Judy

Baby Judy - Christmas 1929


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Al, Judy, Eunice and Janet Baby Judy, Al and Janet

Grampa Merrill, Eunice, Al, Janet and Judy - circa 1931


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Janet and Jean on front porchJudy - 2 yrs. old - 1931

Jan and Judy trying on Als shoes Judy, Richard Howll, Jean and Janet-

1931


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Judy and Janet in sandbox - 1931Richard, Judy, Jean and Janet - 1931

Richard Howell and Janet - 1931 Margaret, Grandpa Merrill and Eunice

1933


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Jane, Al, Janet, Judy and Jean on front porch - circa 1936

Eunice with girls Janet and Judy


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- 39 -

Judy, Jean and Janet playing in front yard

Judy, Grandpa Merrill and Janet

in 1215 Glen Ave. frontyard

Judy on a pony


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Snow in the Berkeley Hills - UC Berkeley campanile in foreground

Janet on pony, Judy, Grandpa Merrill

and Jean

1932

Grandpa Merrill, Jean, Judy and Janet


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- 41 -

Judy, Janet, Grandpa John and Jean

with snow on front lawn at

1215 Glen on February 1, 1932

Jane - 1933

Jean and Jane - 1933 Al churning ice cream


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Janet, Judy, Jean and Jane - mid 1930s


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Janet, Grandpa Merrill and Jean

Grandpa Merrill, Jean, Judy and Janet on a picnic in 1932


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(Back row) Grandpa Merrill, Judy and Al

(Front row) Jean, Jane and Janet

Baby Jane (Back row) Grandpa Merrill, Judy

(Front row) Jean, Jane and Janet


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Grandpa Merrill, Janet, Judy, Jean and Al

Picnic on Albany Hill

Al, Judy, Jean and Janet picnic with Albany

Hill in background


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Grandpa Merrill, Jean, Jane, Eunice,

Judy and Janet

Janet, Jean, Judy and Jane on family outing

Al holding Jean


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The girls play with Albany Hill in background

Al goes for a walk with his daughters


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Al and Janet somewhere around Lake Tahoe -1932

Janet and Judy pick cotton in Bakersfield


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- 49 -

Nelson Family trip

Jean next to Als Ford - 1936


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Dorothy Donaldson, Janet, Jane, Mrs. Donaldson, Judy and Jean

circa 1938

Grandpa John, Jean, Eunice and Al on vacation


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Judy and Glen Carlson - 1935Judy and Janet

Jean and Janet - 1934 Grandpa Merrill, girls, Eunice and Al

at grandpa Johns Calaveras cabin

1935


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- 52 -

Judy, friend, Jean, Jane and Janet

at Coordinces Park tennis courts

Eunices Berkeley Public Library Card

from around 1938

Jean, Judy, Janet and Jane


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Judys Little Orphan Annie

Little Big Book (Copyright 1939)

Richard Howell, Terry and Judy - 1938

Eunice and the girls

at the 1939 Worlds Fair

Nelson girls posing photo that would be

used for the family Christmas Card


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Judy at age 8

Jane

Janet and Judy dress up

Jean


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Als brother Oliver - circa 1910 Roger and the Ford he tried to drive

to California. (It got stuck in snow

along the way)

1921

Als cousin Roy and son Norman Al and Roy - mid 1920s


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Carrie Norgaard (Als grandmother)

circa 1940

Al and brother Roger Roger and wife Ruth


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(Top row) Grandpa Merrill, Al, Rollo

(Bottom row) Roy and Charlie?

Al and cousin Rollo Norgaard

Al, Sky and Margaret Shank and Janet

(Margaret was Als sister)

Al, brothers and Grandpa Merrill

1934


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Roger at Yosemite Falls - 1938Harriet Marshall -longtime friend and

neighbor of Eunice - holding Janet

1928

Al and his brothers, Roger, Charlie and Oliver in Calaveras - 1938


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Grandpa Merrill, Janet, Eunice, Aunt Mary

and Uncle Frank (Kenworthy) and Judy - 1931

4 generations: Carrie Norgaard, Anna Nelson, Janet and Al in

South Dakota - 1932


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Great Grandpa John Merrill (2nd from left) with his brothers and their wives. Al

Nelson (3rd from left) Jean (in front) -1936 - Bangor, Maine

Janet, Judy, Aunt Mary (Kenworthy) and Al - 1933


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Three generations of Nelsons - 1946Oliver, South Dakota - 1941

Al, Zelma and Oliver in Calaveras - 1938


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Al, South Dakota - 1941

Al and Oliver at Als placeOliver and Al play cribbage


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Last time Oliver was home in South Dakota, 1941

Al, Father and Oliver - South Dakota - 1941


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Roger and Gary GreenRoger and Gary Green - 1939

(George and Midges sons)

Als cousin Roy - late 1940s George, Midge and Roger Green

(Midge was Eunices sister)


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Jane, Jean, Janet, friend Artis and Judy on Santa Cruz beach - 1940

Jane and Jean at Mt. Hermon - 1946 Janet - early 40s


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Janet Judy

JaneJean


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Jean in window - c. 1940 Jean - c. 1940

Janet and Judy - 1945 Jean and Jane - 1945


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Judy and Joan Boyer at Zephyr Cove, Lake Tahoe - 1945

Judy at her grandparents Merrills

grave site

Judy, Jane and Al in Santa Cruz, CA


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Judy, Janet, Eunice Jean and Jane

at University of the Pacific

Jean, Judy and Jane walk home

from a Cal game - early 1940s

Janet and Eunice downtownEunice and Jane


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View from 655 San Luis Road house

Al at 655 San Luis RoadThe Nelson home during the 1940s

655 San Luis Road, Berkeley


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JudyJanet the UOP graduate

Judy graduates at Cal Berkeley


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Al and Eunices 23rd Anniversary Al and Eunices 23rd Anniversary

Al receives yet another award from Mutual of New York (MONY) in 1950


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Al and Eunice at photo gallery

at Knotts Berry Farm - circa 1950

Al on Santa Cruz beach - early 1950s

Judy, Janet, Jean and Jane - circa 1950


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Jean, Janet, Don, Jane and Judy

Janet and her sisters at her weddingDon Morris and Janet Nelson


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Janet, Don and Eunice

Al, Janet and Don


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Janet feeds Don the wedding cake

Janet throws the bouquetJanet and Al


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Don and Alan

Alan with Janet at Snow Lake Ranch Al and Alan at Snow Lake Ranch

Judy, Janet, and Alan

at Snow Lake RanchAl, Janet, Bob Crandall, Don and Alan

at the ranch

Don and Alan at 1215 Glen Ave.


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Janet and Judy chop wood

at the ranch

Morris Family at 1215 Glen Ave.

Sharon - 1965Louise in Berkeley Rose Garden

Janet, Louise, Don and Alan - 1959


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Jean and sisters before the wedding

Moore-Nelson Wedding: Lowell with brothers, Jean with sisters


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Lowell and Jean Jean and Lowell

Jean, baby Steve and Lowell

at 1215 Glen Ave.

Karen and Jean at beach

Jean, Lowell and Karen

Steve, Lowell, Dave, Jean and Karen


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The Crandall-Nelson Wedding: Glen and Dorothy (Bobs parents), Bob, Judy,

Eunice and Al

Janet, Jane, Jean, Eunice, Judy and Al


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Judy and Bob: Off on their honeymoon

Judy and Bob at Glen Ave.

Bob gets the wedding cake

Judy and Bob


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Bob and JudyJudy and Bob at Boardwalk

Photo Gallery

Judy and Bob - 1961


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- 84 -

Scotty and Eunice at ranch

Judy, Gary and Scotty

Scotty, Judy and Bob at beach

Al and Scotty at ranch


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- 85 -

Gerds parents, Gerd and Jane Goeman

Jane and Gerd in front of cathedral


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Jane Gerd, Al, Judy and baby Scotty

Gerd and Jane with baby Jan

Gerd, Jane, Bob, Scott and Gary

boating in the Delta - 1965


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Group photo: Crandalls, Morrises, Al, Eunice, Moores and Goemans

Take two: Second times a charm.....almost


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- 88 -

First row: Judy, Etta, Roy, Jane, Gerd, Don, Al, Peggy, Mary Phillips, Janet, Willie Phillips

Second Row: Bob, Aunt Zel, Louise

First row: Lowell, Jean, Judy, Bob, Gerd, Jane, Janet, Don

Second row: Dave, Karen, Alan Louise


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- 89 -

Laurie Moore, Gary Crandall

and Sharon Morris

Morris and Crandall kidsMorris and Moore Family


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- 90 -

1940 Delaware Street - Where Eunice Merill grew up (from about 1900-1926)

1215 Glen Avenue - The house that great grandpa John H. Merrill built for

Al and Eunice Nelson and their four girls (1927-1940)


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- 91 -

655 San Luis Road - The house where the Nelson girls grew into young women

from early 1940s to late 1950s.


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1213 Glen Avenue being built in the early 60s. (Next door to 1215 Glen Ave.)This is where Al and Eunice lived their final years.


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Appendix


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the nelson-merrill family photo album

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