Todd - Rosemary - Montgomery InGenWeb Project

Posted By Angela Todd my_family_history@msn.com

"ROSEMARY EXPIRES FOLLOWING SURGERY" followed the previous writeup, "Rosemary OK After Surgery."

Hi.

I am Angela Frances Todd, born Tuesday, July 1, 1947 in Logansport, Cass County, Indiana.

Here is yet another in a series of newspaper heart surgery articles, written for Rosemary Todd, my first cousin, known to most as "Rosie."

There was some confusion, after Rosie's open-heart surgery, as to her condition. First an article was run entitled, "Rosemary OK After Surgery," followed by the article, below, entitled, "Rosemary Expires Following Surgery." By-line: "Rare Heart Case."

Rosie's parents: Paul Raymond Todd, Senior, and his first of two wives, Ruth May Potts Todd. Paul's parents: John Henry Todd and Flora Etta Reynolds Todd. John Henry's parents: John Starnes Todd and his second of two wives, Mariah Jane Hawkins Todd. John Starnes' parents: Thomas Todd and Sallie Helton Todd. Thomas' parents: George Todd and Sarah Brooks Todd. George's parents: Andrew Todd and Elizabeth Sipes Todd.

These people resided in the following Indiana counties: Lawrence County, Montgomery County, Monroe County, Cass County.

Rosemary Todd ("Rosie") was born on Thursday, 1-21-1943 at the Cass County Hospital, later renamed Memorial Hospital, on Michigan Avenue, in Logansport, Cass County, Indiana.

Rosie's birth announcement ran under, "Hospital Notes" in "The Logansport Press" in Logansport, Indiana on Friday, January 22, 1943. Page 6. Column 3. It ran under the heading of, "CASS COUNTY," for the name of the hospital. Under that title, it read, "Born to Mr. and Mrs. Paul Raymond Todd, route 3, city, a daughter." Down farther, there is another heading for the only other hospital, the one that I was born in, "ST. JOSEPH'S," which was torn down years ago.

Rosemary died on Sunday, New Year's Day of 1961 in the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Olmsted County, Minnesota. This day also marked the 23rd wedding anniversary of her parents, Paul Raymond Todd, Senior and his first of two wives, Ruth May Potts Todd. After Ruth died during their retirement years in Fort Myers, Florida, Paul remarried a second and final time to Mary Ann Woodruff Todd. Though Uncle Paul loved both wives, he is buried next to his first wife, Ruth, and Rosie.

The article:

"Logansport Pharos-Tribune,"
Logansport, Cass County, Indiana
Tuesday, January 3, 1961. PAGE ONE, column 2.

"Rosemary Expires Following Surgery"
"RARE HEART CASE"

Rosemary Todd, 17 year old daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Paul Todd, of rural route 3, city, died in a Rochester, Minn., Mayo Clinic hospital, at 5 a.m. Sunday following a delicate heart operation.

The plucky girl suffered from rheumatic fever at the age of five and was hospitalized for 16 weeks last year following a heart attack.

The rare operation had been performed only 50 times previously at Mayo Clinic and was successful in only about half of the cases.*

Rosemary had made the decision herself to undergo the operation. She had been on a restricted salt-free diet for the past five months and weighed only 80 pounds when her parents took her to Rochester on Christmas day.

While the operation was reported as having been successful, lack of strength was given as the cause of her death.

PUBLIC INTEREST in Rosemary's case was evidenced when 24 pints of blood were given to the Red Cross Bloodmobile for her by airmen at the Bunker Hill AFB. Sixteen pints had been earmarked for her operation during the past two visits of the Red Cross unit in Logansport.

Born January 21, 1943, she was a senior at Washington township school, a member of the Baptist Temple, the Rainbow Girls of Logansport and the Guild girls of the Baptist Temple.

Survivors, besides the parents are two brothers, Paul, Jr., and Thomas; and two sisters, Barbara Jean and Martha.

Final services will be held at 3 p.m. Wednesday at the Fisher funeral home, Rev. M. L. Robinson officiating. Burial will be made in Mt. Hope cemetery.

Friends may call at the funeral home.

______________________________________________

Angie's comments: Rosie's church, "The Baptist Temple," is located at 700 East Broadway, Logansport. Info. on her church file card:

"MEMBERSHIP RECORD THE BAPTIST TEMPLE."

Name. Todd, Rosemary.

Occupation. Student
Place of Business. (Blank.)
Date of Membership. Sunday, December 19, 1954.

Family Record Personal Remarks
Rosemary Birthday: January 21. 1943

NOTE: She had no husband or children.

HOW RECEIVED. Profession of Faith and Baptism, Sunday Eve. Dec. 26, 54
(Note: 1954)

HOW DISMISSED. Deceased January 1, 1961.

GENERAL REMARKS. Rt. Hand of Fellowship, Sunday, January 2, 1955.

NOTE: "Rt." stands for "Right."

7035.

NOTE: "7035" was her family's phone number. This was before the addition of prefixes and area codes.

NOTE: These three events above were scheduled for three Sundays in a row.

*SOME DISCREPANCIES. In a previous write-up, "Rosemary Prepares For Delicate Heart Operation In December," it said, "Doctors at the Mayo clinic have performed 70 operations of this type with most of them proving successful." In THIS article above, "Rosemary Expires Following Surgery," the number of surgeries performed is listed as "50" and "successful in only about half of the cases."

The above-mentioned Bunker Hill AFB, located in Peru, Miami County, Indiana, was later re-named Grissom Air Force Base, after Lieutenant Colonel Virgil Ivan "Gus" Grissom, USAF pilot and NASA astronaut, who was killed in the line of duty, in the Apollo 1 fire on the launch pad. He was also an Indiana native and Purdue University graduate.

"The Fisher funeral home," mentioned above, has also been called, "Fisher Funeral Chapel." For many years, it was located at 303 West Market Street, on the west edge of downtown Logansport. In later years, a very exclusive new home was built at 1801 Chase Road, on the northeast end of town. See www.fisherfuneralchapel.com

Unless there is more than one chapter in Logansport, the above reference to, "The Rainbow Girls of Logansport," has a more lengthy and official title. That is, "The Logansport Assembly No. 6 of the International Order of the Rainbow for Girls." The shortened phrase, "Rainbow Girls" is a lot easier to remember.

The Rainbow Girls is an organization for females between the ages of 11 and 20. Though it is affiliated with the Masons, one does not have to be a Mason to join. The meetings in Logansport are held at The Logansport Masonic Temple.

There are seven main lessons taught in Rainbow, which are represented by the seven colors of the rainbow. They are: Love, Religion, Nature, Immortality, Fidelity, Patriotism, and Service. I could go into detail on each of these, but, this is long enough already.

Rosie's parents, Paul and Ruth, and Rosie's brother, Paul Ray (and anyone else?) were all active members of the Masons. The Masons' emblems appear on Paul and Ruth's gravestones. Rosie is buried next to them in Mount Hope Cemetery, on the northwest side of Logansport.

Angela ("Angie") Frances Todd

"ROSEMARY OK AFTER SURGERY." Rosemary ("Rosie") Todd's "Pharos-Tribune" write-ups continue.

I am Angela Frances Todd, known to most as "Angie." I was born Tuesday, July 1, 1947 in Saint Joseph's Hospital, Logansport, Cass County, Indiana.

This hospital, on High Street Road, was torn down years ago. I only tell you these facts so that you know how I know the people about whom I write.. And how we all fit into each other's lives.

The following is another in a series of write-ups for my cousin, Rosemary ("Rosie") Todd, born 1-31-1943 in the Cass County Hospital, later renamed Memorial Hospital, an ever-expanding hospital on Michigan Avenue, in Logansport, Cass County, Indiana.

ROSIE'S BIRTH WAS RECORDED WITH the Cass County Board of Health, Book No.

CH-14, Page No. 56. Their records indicate that Rosie's record of birth was filed on February 1, 1943. The Health Officer named was Frederick Hillis, M.D.

Rosemary died on her parents' 23rd wedding anniversary, New Year's Day,
1-1-1961. Place of death: the Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Olmsted County, Minnesota. Burial in Mount Hope Cemetery, Grant Street, Logansport, Cass County, Indiana.

The newspaper write-up:

"Logansport Press," Logansport, Cass County, Indiana. Saturday, December 31, 1960. Page 1. Column 2.

"Rosemary OK After Surgery"

Rosemary Todd, 17-year-old Cass county girl who underwent heart surgery Friday morning at the Mayo clinic, at Rochester, Minn., was listed in satisfactory condition following the operation.

Mr. and Mrs. Paul Todd, of route 3, who accompanied their daughter to the clinic notified Rosemary's brother, Paul, Jr., that physicians indicated that the operation was successful although some time will be required to know whether she will obtain the full benefits of it.

Rosemary suffered from rheumatic fever as a child and was hospitalized for 16 weeks following a heart attack last year.

Physicians at the clinic said that some of her blood had a tendency to remain in the heart rather than circulate through the body. This condition led to extra work by the heart.

The family is hoping that she will be able to return home in about two weeks and will graduate from the Washington township high school next spring.

Rosemary studied with a teacher at home after she was forced to drop out of school. She will celebrate her 18th birthday on Jan. 21.

Angie's comments.

Rosie's eldest sibling, her brother, Paul Raymond Todd, Junior, known as "Paul Ray," is buried in "Veteran's Circle" in the same cemetery as Rosie: Mount Hope Cemetery in Logansport, Cass County, Indiana, on the north end of town.

Mount Hope, surrounded by residential neighborhoods and plush green lawns, is built on a hill. As you ascend the mount, you pass Pleasant Hill Greenhouse along the way. This peaceful cemetery, which includes mausoleums, and a Catholic section, is large, but kept up well. Attractive upright stones, both old and new, are surrounded by trees, birds, flowers, and sunshine.

My father, Francis ("Frank" Leverett Todd and his family, which included Rosie's father, Paul Raymond Todd, Senior, used to reside on Grant Street, across from Mount Hope Cemetery. Dad once told me that he used to shortcut through the cemetery to go home. And, on one of these walks, Dad got totally creeped out because it was at night, right after he had just watched some horror movie. I think it was, "Dracula."

Paul, Senior, my uncle, is buried next to his first wife of many years, Ruth May Potts Todd. Their daughter-in-law, Rosie's sister-in-law, Nellie Ross Todd, is nearby. Nellie married Rosie's brother, Thomas ("Tom") Norman Todd.

Paul and Ruth had moved to Fort Myers, Florida during their retirement years. Later, several years after Aunt Ruth died, Uncle Paul remarried. His second wife was Mary Ann Woodruff Todd. After being married for so many years to Aunt Ruth, Uncle Paul was concerned what the relatives would think about marrying a second time. So, being polite about it all, he sent out letters asking if we "minded" if he remarried. Of course, I wanted for him to be happy. He loved both Aunt Ruth and Aunt Mary Ann, but was buried by Ruth.

So many stories, buried for years, deep in my mind. I thought I should write it all down, so that others would know that these people were here. They lived and they breathed and made better the world.

Angela ("Angie") Frances Todd

Rosie Todd
by Angela Todd

Rosie Todd died on the bittersweet date of New Year's Day, 1961. This story relates to Cass County and Montgomery County, Indiana, as we had relatives in both counties. Also, older relatives in Lawrence County, Indiana.

The Todd's, the Reynolds, the Merritts, the Hawkins, the Heltons, the Eads, the Normans, the McMillans, etc...they're all related in my family in the various counties.

Anyway, this January 1st was also the anniversary of Rosie's parents, my Aunt Paul Raymond Todd, Sr. and his first wife, Ruth May Potts Todd, all of Logansport, Indiana. Paul, brother of my father, Francis ("Frank") Leverett Todd, was a son of John Henry Todd and Flora Etta Reynolds Todd.

Rosemary, known as Rosie, would have been 18 later in the month of that same January. She and her parents are buried in Mount Hope Cemetery in Logansport, Cass County, Indiana.

Rosie was loved. She was buried in a white casket and all of the "Rainbow Girls" (Masonic group) were all crying.

Rosie's heart had been damaged from rheumatic fever as a child. Preceding her surgery, she had been told by Mayo Clinic doctors that she would die if she did not have open-heart surgery to correct the increasing heart damage. When her heart beat, some of the blood would not leave the heart, rather it would "pool." It was left up to Rosie to decide whether to precede with the surgery, which she did decide to do. There was a blood drive around Logansport for Rosie. Bunker Hill Air Force servicemen also contributed blood.

Rosie's sister, our cousin Martha, stayed with our household while Paul, Ruth, and Rosie traversed to the Mayo Clinic. I'll never forget that phone call on that New Year's morning. I heard the phone ring downstairs. Then Dad came upstairs and into Marie and Chris' bedroom to tell Martha that her sister, Rosie, had just passed away. I'll never forget that "No!" that Martha cried out.

Rosie was such a wonderful girl...so smart...so talented. Of course she reached the point where she was homeschooled. Aunt Ruth had told us that there was some award made in her behalf, named after her, at Washington Township School, right outside of the Logansport City Limits. I never have been able to find info on that award. Perhaps it's under scholarships or something.

Aunt Ruth had also said that, following surgery, Rosie had color in her cheeks that she had not had in years. She was always so white and thin. She would have spurts of fairly good health, followed by bedridden periods. When she would get worse, her hair would fall out by the brushfuls and she would lose weight. As she would get better, her long hair would grow back.

It was said that the surgery was a success, but, it was her weakened state of health that led to her death. She just wasn't strong enough to recover from surgery.

I remember, at the funeral, Aunt Ruth would just keep looking at Rosie and saying, "I just keep expecting to see her move." Of course, she knew better, but that's what she would say, anyway.

Anyway, Rosie has a white headstone and rests in Peace throughout all of eternity. At least her body does. I'm sure her spirit is in Heaven.

I have lots more info pertaining to names and dates, if anyone is interested.

I still love you, Rosie, even after all of these years.

Open-heart surgery was in its infancy during that time. I meant to point out that fact in my first letter, but I forgot. Still, aside from that fact, Rosie's health was already compromised, as she had been ill, off and on since childhood. But, even thin, she was a pretty, intelligent, and happy girl, whenever she was not going through one of her bouts of worsening health.

I don't remember when she was stricken ill, but there was a time before that when she was healthy. There was a time when she could run, and jump, and play. But, at some point in childhood, she became restricted as to what she could do and not do. Anything strenuous was out. Having known SOME normalcy, it had to be hard to watch other children playing and knowing that you could not.

I, myself, almost joined the ranks of the disabled, between severe asthma and what was called, "a mild case of polio." Looking back, that was during the great polio epidemic. Children were being crippled all across the nation till the Salk vaccine became available. And poor Prez. Roosevelt became confined to a wheelchair. Of course, I was born on July 1, 1947 under the next prez., who was Truman. Odd date to be born...when the Roswell, New Mexico space landing happened!

I had to go to the doctor every week. He would take that little triangular-shaped rubber hammer and hit under my knee caps, over and over, till it jerked. I had some occasional pain in my upper right leg, and sometimes I had to lean on my sister, Chris, when walking to grade school, only a couple blocks or so from home. But, even now, at age 61, even with an additional condition...enduring occasional pinched nerves in my back, I still exercise and go out dancing every weekend and bike every chance I get. You just have to pace yourself.

But, Rosie couldn't always do that. I remember one time, at Uncle Paul and Aunt Ruth's, how Uncle Paul came home and Rosie, and I think Martha, were goofing around and Rosie was going through one of her more healthy periods. So, feeling better, she took a flying leap, onto the bed, I think. Uncle Paul had a fit because Rosie had done something so forbidden, as it could have brought on a heart attack in her condition.

Even washing her hair required assistance. But, between washings, I remember she brushed through her hair a product called,"Minipoo," a powdery "dry shampoo" that would remove dirt, excess oil, etc., without the use of water.

Rosie and family, especially Aunt Ruth, crocheted and knitted, especially afghans. So pretty...those zig-zag patterns of contrasting bright and dark colors.

Rosie never displayed jealousy that I can remember. One time we were listening to one of the 50's girl singers and she said, "That girl's got talent!" She was always saying good stuff about others. However, some of the girls envied her long, long fingernails, one of the few good by-products of not being allowed to do much work.

She always wore those 50's glasses. I don't know what they were called...wing-tips? That's how they were shaped.

Such a wonderful, wonderful girl.

Well, I see you just sent another e-mail, so I'll check that one out.

Your cousin, Angela My_Family_History@msn.com