[S.D. Kelsey--home movies] Reel 4

Date1947 – 1948

OtherCan notes: Can notes: " 1948 Mahopac [Lake} 1948 Niagara F. USMA Parade, Kids Delafield" " Mari's birthday-1947, Stevie's 4th birthday- 1947 Steve and Mari walking in woods at rifle range Steve and Mari sliding. Daddy, Steve and Mari rough housing Aunt Myrtle, Uncle Jean - Boston Easter bunny print and Easter 1948 no.3"

Anecdotal Comments & ReflectionsREEL FOUR 1947-1948 The reel opens with a birthday party featuring Stevie and myself, with me in a pink bow and Stevie in a sailor suit. Mother always took care with her appearance and with ours. Her days as a professional model never left and she was beautiful even in death at the age of 74 in 1994. The birthday party was shot in 1947 when Stevie was four and I was two. These are scenes of Stevie and I walking up a wooded hill and Stevie giving me a kiss. He was always very affectionate and protective, not just towards myself but to Lisa and Mother as well. We are seen playing on swings and in a sand box. Stevie shows his first artistic talents as he is seen with a camera, an old-fashioned Brownie by Kodak. He grew up to paint and play piano and guitar. He was slight of build, like his father whom he resembled in face as well. I resembled Daddy also and Lisa looks exactly like Mother and Grandma Fee. Together, we are seen walking down a forested path and having a picnic on a bridge; this occurring at West Point in the Fall. Daddy was a very hands on Father with sledding in the winter and roughhousing at home at any time. He is seen, in the winter scene, wearing his Air Force bomber jacket. For the first time, in the background, one can see the love seats, furniture which went everywhere we went and stayed with Mother in her living room in Boca Raton, Florida after the divorce in the 1970's. They are an heirloom. Also seen in the background is a portrait of Stevie, done by an artist in Brookline, Massachusetts, which he drew from a photo. The story goes, that Mother had forgotten all about the photo until an old friend of hers, in 1948, was passing by the artist's studio and the finished portrait was displayed in his front window. She told Mother about it and Mother bought it and ordered another one to be done of me. Lisa, several years later, about the age of four, was drawn by an artist in Georgetown, an exclusive residential part of Washington, DC. During the summer of 1948 Aunt Myrtle and Uncle Gene and John came to visit. Aunt Myrtle was elegant in her Veronica Lake blond hair and jewel neck sweater with pearls. She was always a classic and very refined and raised her children well. In the scene, John is about four, I am three and Stevie is five. Daddy is seen pulling a wagon. Another scene shows the children playing with pinwheels with Grandma Fee and Mother looking on. Here are seen the magical bunny tracks done at Easter time while the children were asleep; done by my parents to lead us to the magical eggs and chocolate. I passed the tradition on to my children. Now this magical time is preserved forever and proof that all was not as dark as memories remember.

• Straughan Downing Kelsey, Sr.

• Straughan Downing Kelsey, Sr.