Unfortunately, I never knew my sister. Lou Nora Robbins was born on Thursday, April 3, 1940 in Crosbyton, Texas. She died on Monday, April 25, 1949 in Eden, Texas almost exactly two years before I was born. This month I plan to devote several blog entries to sharing what I know about her short life. I didn't ask about her or her death very often because I could tell how painful it was. After all these years, my brother still has difficulty talking about her. I don’t remember when I learned I had a sister, but it was probably the first time Mother let me go through her cedar chest which I now have and still treasure.
Lou Nora was named for our paternal aunt, Elouise, whom we called Aunt Lou, and for our maternal grandmother, Nora. Lou Nora’s baby book and some other mementos are tucked away in Mother’s cedar chest. It says she weighed 7 lbs, 4 oz. at birth.
This hand print and foot print were inside the baby book along with an unofficial certificate of birth.
A lock of her blonde hair is in there as well; it was probably from her first haircut. Only a few bits of information are filled in. She weighed 7 lbs, 15 oz at one month. On June 18, 1940 her first trip was to Cherokee, Texas from Crosbyton with a note she rode in her bassinet. That was long before there were seat belts in cars and laws requiring their use. Her first laugh was on June 1st, 1940. The note on the page about her first Christmas said, “Lived at Melrose, New Mexico. Had the flu. Had a Christmas tree.” Her first birthday was on a Thursday and she “had a birthday cake with one candle.” She had 9 teeth at 16 months. A piece of paper folded and placed inside the front cover says “54 Mar ’48 / 58 ½ Jan 26 ‘49” Lou Nora which I assume was her height.
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| Lou Nora held by her mother, Iva Conley Robbins |
Thank you so much for this! I don't think I've ever even seen any pictures of her (or maybe one of her and Curtis). I'm so glad you're finding and sharing these memories.
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