MOM'S BOOK

What’s A Bicycle Got To Do With It?

by Marilyn Ann Davies Noyes compiled by Debbie Brust Keenan

Marilyn Ann Davies Noyes

Linda and Debbie Brust and Tommy Noyes, Jr.

Mother:

Michael & Frank Gaitan, and Tiffany Roberts, Heather Keenan Wolfe & Perry Keenan

Grandmother:

Great Grandmother: Paiten, Mitchell, & Clara Grace Wolfe Madison & Liam Keenan, Jasper Honzik Contents------------------------------------------- Marilyn’s Story: 4 Audio Tape trancript 55, 78, & 80 From a Child’s Eyes 57 Letters & Notes 66 Talk About Men 69 Lessons Learned 77 Words to Live By 81 Marilyn’s Memorial 8

Marilyn I never learned to ride a bike, or swim for that matter...

PROLOGUE

Before you enter into the life story of my mom, Marilyn, let me give you some background as to how this book came into fruition. Some may find this hard to read which reveals so many events that were good, bad, and certainly sad. Marilyn was incredibly private, overly proud, but one with a heart of gold who would try to help anyone sometimes to her own demise. Knowing who she was and where she came from brought me incredible incite into all the “why’s” I ever asked myself about her methods and behaviors over the years. Upon my insistance, Marilyn’s story was mostly hand written by her during the ferocious Florida Hurricane Dorian in September 2019. I encouraged her to take this time while she was entombed inside her storm shuttered condominium. There was no television (her favorite pastime) so, she had no reason not to begin writing her story. So full of stories and events over the years, it was time for her to put it on paper for posterity! I am so grateful she listened and created this memory of her life for her family. I implored her to write “everything” good and bad because the truth is the truth and will lend a complete understanding of her life. She was a bit reluctant, but she followed through. It’s mostly all in here! It certainly explains how she became who she was: proud, secretive, determined, controlling, passionate, loyal, resourceful, a survivor, and most important LOVING! She frequently claimed,“We are from another planet!” It wasn’t until November 2022 when the whole family came together for Thanksgiving dinner at her apartment that I noticed my mom’s behavior somewhat changing. I overlooked it because she had been totally alone for three years during Covid not allowing anyone into her apartment out of fear. Her life became CNN, MSNBC, and of course the daily show,“The View.” She was more of everything: anger, impatient, opinionated to an unregognized extreme. Looking back, I now believe she must have been in the beginning stages of dimensia. There was more going on than any of us realized. At 91 years old on February 20, 2023, she took a turn for the worst having AFIB and was hospitalized for a few days. When I went to be with her, we sat out on her balcony several nights and had wonderful conversations that I taped with her approval. The stories she told were funny, crazy, and sad, but all were important to what made her who she became. In this book, there are some audio transcripts that detail many events of her life. 2

From February to July 14, 2023, Marilyn’s last few months were hard watching a proud, strong woman fall into the grip of dementia and ultimately suffering a stroke that ended her life within hours. Sad, but true, I believe she never found her true “soulmate” who could fulfill her heart’s desire. Perfection is what she strived for in every way, of every family member and close friends. I don’t believe she understood that perfection could never be achieved even though she strived for it endlessly. If you dare to read this story, you may find that fish may really need to learn to ride that bicycle. After all, Marilyn was a Pisces!

My mom was my greatest cheerleader and I will miss her horribly.

I am who I am because of her.

In loving memory, Debbie

----------------------------------------------------------------------------- Marilyn’s Notes to Self...

Oct 11, 1988 - 56 yrs old

Hi, What is important to me? What a great question.

There are many things such as relationships, communication with others, and Health.

To make my life meaningful in the great span of time.

To be a benefit to every life I come in contact with and in a serious relationship and be a best friend as well as lover.

Marion Baltrus - Davies Lithuania

Marion Baltrus / Davies / Pantle

J. Russell Davies Wales

Grandpa Russel Joseph Davies

My Story...

I was born at 9 PM on a Saturday night during a frigid snowstorm on February 20, 1932 at the Taylor Hospital,Taylor, PA. Dr. Steven Watson, my uncle, was the head of the hospital. We lived on Eynon Street in Scranton, Pa. My father J. Russell Davies was a handsome, muscular man, and my mother was a beautiful and petite blonde. He was a mail carrier for 35 to 40 years. She was a stay-at-home mom at that time. My mom Marion, was catholic and dad was protestant and he insisted I be baptized in the Baptist church. We lived together on Eynon Street until I was five or six when she left him and went to live with her mom on 1035 North Main Avenue. I have memories that stood out in my mind from that time....

- My mother sang “Good night Sweetheart” every night when she put me to bed and later “Good Night Shirt.” -We all were overcome by gas in our house and I remember the police and firemen were there, it was a close call.

-I remember the first day of kindergarten

- The time my Dad dumped the dining room table with all the food on it.

Shortly after that, we left to grandma’s house. He was never violent with her or me. When my mother left, she had me baptized again - Catholic and enrolled me in parochial school at St. Joseph’s Lithuanian school. I spoke Lithuanian. Mother and father were both

born here. Mom’s parents were born in Lithuania. Dad’s parents were born here and his grandparents were born in Wales. After a time, my parents reconciled and he came to live with us in the other half of grandma’s large double house. I was happy they were back together. I was always on the honor roll and only got in trouble with the nuns when I would turn around when the boys pulled my long curls, which happened a lot. My punishment was to kneel down in front of the Blessed Virgin for a time. I never told why I kept turning around. When I was in fourth grade, my teacher was Sister Prudencia. She loved me and I loved her. I was her pet. The school consisted of eight grades and they were having a play which would be held at North Scranton Jr. High School stage. I was chosen as the lead.The play was “The Princess Who Never Smiled.” I had to sit on a gold throne and each of the eight grades would have to perform in front of me trying to make me smile or laugh, all in Lithuanian. “The Princess Who Never Smiled.” The Princess Who Never Smiled or The Unsmiling Tsarevna (Russian: Царевна Несмеяна) is a Russian fairy tale collected by Alexander Afanasyev in Narodnye russkie skazki. There was once a princess who never smiled or laughed. Her father promised that whoever made her smile could marry her, and many tried, but none succeeded. Across the town, an honest worker worked hard for his master.At the end of the year, the master put a sack of money before him and told him to take as much as he wanted.To avoid sinning by taking too much, he took only one coin, and when he went to drink from a well, he dropped the coin and lost it.The next year, the same thing happened to him.The third year, the worker took the same amount of coin as before, but when he drank from the well, he did not lose his coin, and the other two coins floated up to him. He decided to see the world.A mouse asked him for alms; he gave him a coin.Then he did the same for a beetle and a catfish.

He came to the castle and saw the princess looking at him.This astounded him, and he fell in the mud.The mouse, the beetle, and the catfish came to his aid, and at their antics, the princess laughed. She pointed him out as the man, and when he was brought into the castle, he had been turned into a handsome man.The honest worker, now a handsome man, married the princess. It is an old European Bedtime story. My parents were there together and I remember how happy I was and could not smile. All through grade school, I had a crush on a boy named Marty - he would give me a valentine and I would quickly tear it up so no one would know. I am quite a private person. I always had lots of friends, male and female, and was never bullied in any way - just curl pulling .One of my regrets is that I have no brothers or sisters. I feel cheated. This is probably why I love and keep my friends. I remember sitting on my daddy’s lap to listen to “Jack Armstrong” The All American Boy. Also Inner Sanctum and other scary radio shows including The Shadow. I remember Franklin Delano Roosevelt told the radio listeners,“There is no fear but fear itself,” when WWII was going on. I remember having to hide under my desk at school to practice for air raids to come during the war. I remember collecting tin cans and taking off tops and bottoms and flattening them for the war effort. I also always had a victory garden. I love gardening. My dad had a small car with a rumble seat in the back and he would take my friends and I for rides in it. There was a “sheeny” who would drive through the neighborhood every week or so picking up junk and I was scared to death of him. When I would hear his horn, I would run behind our large morris chair and sit on the floor for hours with my little kitty cat. We always had a cat. I love, love cats! When I was 10, my worst nightmare happened. My parents got a DIVORCE. I was devastated!!! No one ever said more payers or went to more masses than me to pray that they would reconcile, but they did not. My dad lived at the YMCA. We had a date every Saturday for a show, dinner, and a present. Sometimes he took my girlfriend too. Thank God my dad never forgot me and loved

Victory Gardens on the World War II Home Front (U.S. National ... Victory Gardens freed up ag- ricultural produce, packaging, and transportation resources for the war effort, and helped offset shortages of agricultural workers. Victory Gardeners increased their health through physical activity, and their families enjoyed better nutrition.

me always and made me feel precious to him which gave me the confidence a girl needs. When I was in 8th grade on a day off from St. Joseph’s, my friends and I decided to go across the street to North Scranton Jr. High to check it out. As we were graduating and going to N. Scranton next year. We were walking around the halls looking around and a security guard saw us so we started to run toward the back door. As I pushed it open, one of my friends pushed me and my left hand and wrist went right through the small glass window pane. Blood was all over the place, it was bad! They took me to the nurse’s station and cleaned it but I needed stitches. This was my first venture on my own. I didn’t want to tell my mom or dad. I borrowed change and got on the street car (for the 1st time myself) and went to the State Hospital and got 7-8 stitches. This was my first time dealing on my own and I was very proud of myself. North Scranton Jr. High was my school for the next 2 years. I met my best friend at this time when I was 13 yrs old, Dorothy Novak Fische. She went to a different school and we did everything together. Her granddaughter is Lexi Thompson (Golfer). We are still friends to this day. She lives in Plantation, FL. After my dad left, we moved next door with my grandmother and rented out our half to the Sables. They had a son Vincent on whom I had a crush. In fact, he gave me my first kiss in the back yard one night. Only one, only once. Then I met Jimmy Backus at school. He used to follow me around. I was a freshman and he was a sophomore and a football player. I was a cheerleader. There was no dating only talking or walking together. Sometimes, I was allowed to have him sit on the front porch with me and talk. We loved each other. My mother did not like him because she felt he was a rebel --- which he was. We were together on and off about 2 yrs. and he taught me how to kiss - and that’s all. Kids did not do what they do now in those days. Maybe some did, I don’t know. There were other wanna be’s like the fellow who would be at my house while I was on a date or party and my

Original look of the house I grew up from 10 yrs old 1035-37 North Main Avenue, Scranton, PA 9/5/1953

After Marion divorced Russell, many years later she married Ted

Pantle, a security guard at the bank.

He was quite handy and renovated this house in 1968 Sitting on the porch watching and counting cars was the greatest way to pass time as a kid.

Today, not much has changed other then adding shutters.. It is like a time capsule!

mom would have him painting the baseboards while he waited. And there was another fellow who told the other guys that,“He had me,” because I would not go out with him. I confronted him in front of all of his friends and embarrassed him to death. In Jr. High I was asked to be the singer with a band that some kids put together. I had a pretty good voice. The teacher in Algebra class had me tutoring some of the boys in algebra class. I always got 100’s. I was a cheerleader for the basketball team also. I always walked to grade school to and back about 2 miles each way, maybe more also to Jr. High. Sometimes I went home for lunch so that was over 4 miles a day. I was warned never to get into anyone’s car. There was a pervert just down the street from my house standing next to a billboard doing guess what??? I use to run past him on the other side of the street every day. I never thought about calling the police. After my dad moved out, my mom and I moved into the next door with grandma and rented our other half. I became the man of the house. My mom got a job in the First National Bank and became a secretary to the President of the bank. Everyday I had a list of chores to do before I went anywhere. I learned to do it right the first time. Believe me! I did all the cleaning, washing clothes (ringer washer) hanging clothes on the line outside, cutting grass, cutting hedges, shoveling snow, shoveling ashes from the furnace into a bushel basket and carried them up from the cellar on the outside stairs to carry all the way back to our long backyard every week. I even shoveled a ton of coal from one bin to another so we could get another ton. I did all the ironing and cooked dinner most nights. Mom didn’t care about Christmas trees; so, I would go to our butcher, Charlie Billus, six blocks away. I charged a tree and dragged it home and trimmed it myself. I then played phonograph records and marvelled at the beauty of it. I would make grandma watch me dance and I do not resent any of this as it gave me a sense of accomplishment and made me extremely responsible. Duty first! I also became very confident and mature.

Marion and Russell at Stamford, Ct.

Marilyn Davies Noyes mother & father Russell Davies and Marion Baltrus

I wanted to learn to play the piano, but we could not afford lessons; so I got a job cleaning a neighbor’s house. Part of my deal with her was that she would let me practice on her piano. I also got the Nuns at school to let me practice on the school piano at lunch time. I began lessons which I paid for. After a short time, my employer got sick of my practicing and wanted to pay me more just to clean. I quit! It is stupid to take lessons when you don’t have a piano. I never learned. I love piano music. When I was 14 years old and still at home, I fixed up my cute grandmother with an uncle of a friend of mine and guess what! They got marred and then he moved in with us. Among all the other chores, I did all of the ironing too and that is how I learned to iron men’s white shirts! (I am the best white shirt ironer - but retired). I also did the cooking which I still do enjoy. I never ate a TV dinner---UGH! At 15, I started at Technical High School for the next two years. I walked to school along the rail road tracks with others 2 to 3 miles each way. Then I got to take the bus. As a junior, I became a majorette and practiced my baton twirling constantly. It was so cold in those outfits at the games, I swore I would be a cheerleader the following year and I was. Cheerleaders jumped around a lot and kept warm. My dad went to every game just to watch me perform - what a guy! Jimmy Backus was on the football team and one year ahead of me. He was fabulous! The woman who trained the cheerleaders did not think Jimmy was good enough for me, but I loved him. At the end of the year, Jimmy was upset with me for some reason and he asked another beautiful blonde to his prom. I was heart broken, but let it go and started to date another as I had lots of choices. That was the end for me with Jimmy. Unforgivable! We did remain friends until he died in 1998. He told me later how sorry he was as he had a terrible time thinking of me. At 16, I left home and my dad paid for me to live at the YWCA. The reason was my grandmother whom we lived with;

Runis Marion’s Parents

she was from the old country and did not understand teenagers or American ways. Because I wore dungarees and a big white shirt, she thought I had gone to the devil and made my life hell. My mom understood and let me go. Now I am a senior and was totally prepared to be on my own. The YWCA was like being in college. Most of the girls were attending Marywood College and the University of Scranton and it was FUN there. It was like a college dorm - there was a huge pool, little theater, pool and ping pong rooms, lounge with couches and separate partitions for privacy for visitors, as well as a tennis court. There was a cafeteria on my floor and I had a charge account (paid by DAD). I also had two other food charge accounts at two local restaurants. I did not take too much advantage, but I did feed some of my friends. I had a beautiful student friend named Charlotte. She always liked to borrow my clothes especially a navy blue corduroy jumper princess style and I would always zip her up in the back. One night I was zipping her and the zipper would not go past the waist. You guess it. She was pregnant. She was a Jewish girl and engaged to an Irish guy. When she told him, he broke up with her. She was afraid to tell her parents so she didn’t. When she had no money, I would get extra food at the cafeteria for her. When my dad found out he said he was proud of me for helping her. I did it until the baby came. She adopted the baby out and was heartbroken. Then she went home and married another Jewish guy who wanted her but not her baby. I always think about her. My first real job as a senior was at the 5 & 10¢ store. I had to leave after a time because it interfered with cheer leading for football. In my junior and senior years I always took part in school plays. Then I got a job near Technical High School baby sitting two fresh Jewish kids and even had my own room there where I stayed on occasion. One night there was a terrible storm and the mother told me to take the garbage out (in the storm!). I told her that I was not the maid and quit on the spot. On one of the first warm days in spring , my friends and

Oh those DUNGAREES!

I decided to skip school and go to Nay Aug Park where we were sunning ourselves and doing our shorthand homework when as luck would have it, a police car came and drove us back to school. All the kids were out - lunchtime - it was quite embarrassing. First and last time skipping school. Being a Techette in Sr. High school was so much fun. I was very popular, but did not do all the things my peers did. All of the Techettes decided to bleach their bangs...no matter the color of their hair. I though it was hideous, so I would not and did not do it. It never bothered me to be different or not go along with the crowd. I only did what I felt was right for me and it did not bother me what they thought. One of my wanna be’s was Billy Heinz. He was president of our senior class. He was very intelligent and attractive, but no chemistry for me. He came to the Y every morning and picked me up for school. It was Billy who taught me to drive. He was the “salt of the earth” kind of a person and I loved him as a friend. My best girlfriend in High school was Janet Sullivan, very pretty, tall, and classy. We love each other to this day. She lives now in Churchville, PA. She also is an only child and I use to spend some weekends at her home in Green Ridge during senior year. We both loved to dance and attended dances every weekend at different places around town. My dad’s YMCA had the best dances. We went all the time. They had the huge ball in the center of the ceiling that went round and around flashing colors on everyone. I was a dance freak!!! I won a twister contest once later on. I went to a party one summer at Harvey’s Lake (PA) with the crowd. They all drank and most were drunk. I did not drink and got my first driving experience by driving everyone else home scared to death! I have been the designated driver all of my life since (even when I drank) Thank you Billy H! I broke his heart when he asked me to the Sr. prom and I told him I already asked Rod Reagan a 2nd yr college student who was the most handsome man I had ever seen... to

Marilyn

Marilyn Davies Noyes

this day! The VP of our Sr. class, Eleanor (forgot last name) was madly in love with Billy. I told him to ask her and he did. At least I made one person happy. Sorry Bill... At 16 yrs old, I was asked by my favorite Uncle Jack & Aunt Margie from Stamford, CT, to be God mother to their son, Jeffrey; so, I got on the Am track to NYC, and transferred to another train to arrive in CT. to become the God Mother. I was all by myself. Everyone around me on the train ordered a scotch an soda, so I did too. I took one sip an spit it out. I did not acquire a taste for scotch till many years later. Graduation time arrived. Janet and I got dressed up grand for the class day and we decided to go to the finest restaurant for dinner (like grown ups) - Hotel Casey. As we sat in our glory, we were eyed by two old geezers on the other side of the room and the waitress told us they wanted to buy us a drink.We were both flattered and appalled. We declined as we never had a drink (19). The guy turned out to be Judge Eagan (dirty old man). We should have had him arrested. I had a curfew at the Y at 10pm during the week and 1pm on weekends. The Saturday nights I spent at Janet’s were special dances or the like. Just before I graduated, Janet decided I should learn to smoke. I didn’t want to, but she constantly insisted that I had to learn. So, we would go to the fancy ladies room in the hotel Jermyn downtown after school and sit in front of the mirror and learned to smoke. I ended up smoking for 30 years all together. I quit once for 7 years and then again for 10 more.YUCK! Both my mom and dad were at my graduation. Mom and Pat Padden and Dad and Sally. This made me very happy. June 1949 we were the 49’rs. I must go back to the prom. I invited gorgeous Rod Regan, I still have a picture of him with his square jaw. He looked like a movie star and I was smitten. He liked me too and gave me a lot of attention, but older and in college. I wore a lovely fluffy white gown with small lavender flowers on it. I went to a beauty parlor for

Janet & Marilyn

Rod Reagan

a fancy updo. Janet and George and Rod and I went together and had a fabulous time. The night of the prom, after we had partied with everyone (I did not drink), I couldn’t go back to the Y because of the midnight curfew and couldn’t go to my mom’s either because it was so late. So, I drove to his parents cottage at the lake. He wanted me to take off my clothes and get into bed with him...but I wouldn’t. I got into bed with my fluffy gown on, shoes, and everything and all he could do was kiss me a few times and we fell asleep. When it was light, he drove me home. I was such a good girl. He liked me, but I wasn’t about to have sex. He had been dating a girl that he had been having sex with, so I told him we better not see each other anymore. After graduation, at 17 yrs old, I began my job in the 1st National Bank in the auto loan department. Three months later Frank Brust arrived as my boss (my 1st husband) I did not like him at first. He was a virgo, intelligent, critical, sarcastic, but attractive. I was dating Bobby McGurrin, a redhead in the marines (no sex with him either) Oh, I just thought of something back to before I left home:Although I did go home some weekends to help my mom, I certainly had more than my fair share of suitors and I would come home from a date to my mom’s only to find another guy waiting for me in my living room with my mom. On quite a few occasions, in her infinite wisdom, she would put a paint brush in their hand and have them painting the kitchen or whatever. Isn’t that a riot! I could have killed her. Anyway, that is probably why to this day one of my favorite quote is,“I must do the most productive thing possible at every given moment.”

Marilyn (Davies) Noyes’ Auntie who was married to Uncle Steve, MD She was the sister of Russell Davies mother

Auntie & Uncle Steve

My dad’s mom, Elizabeth died when she was only 35 yrs old from curvature of the spine. She had fallen down the cellar steps some time prior and developed this condition. Dad’s father Howard, was distraught with three children, Russell, Lillian, and Betty, and became an alcoholic. Dad had to quit school and get a job to support his family. He got a job with the railroad. One day he was injured when a fellow worker accidentally hit him in the mouth with a sledge hammer knocking out his front teeth. Dr. Stephen Watson the head of the Taylor Hospital in Moosic, PA (who delivered me) was married to my Dad’s mother’s sister. I only knew her as Auntie and him as Uncle Steve. They had a beautiful house on a corner in Moosic, PA and he was a family doctor and surgeon, appointed to Taylor Hospital in 1906. They were a very sweet and wonderful couple who loved each other immensely. Every summer I would get to go to them for a two week summer vacation from about five years old. I had a tea set I loved and even had a picture of me serving tea on the back steps of their house. I enjoyed having a tea party. Auntie and Uncle Steve were probably the wealthiest people in town and he would accept jars of canned food from people who could not pay. He had his office in one part of this huge home. He smoked a pipe and I used to love the smell of his tobacco. They had a dog named Juno, a brown and white setter. Juno knew how to smile, it was hilarious! Uncle Steve would say,“Smile Juno!” Juno would lift up his jowls into a great big smile. I loved this. I’ll bet Juno was happy when I left as I had him smiling all the time. I am still laughing! Auntie was a very elegant and classy woman and very loving. Whenever she was not happy with my behavior, she would say,“Marilyn, you are the limit!” This I heard a few times like the day I decided (I was about 7 or 8) to branch out and look over the town. I walked for hours all over Moosic which was quite a small town. I guess they were frantic by the time I got home. I still remember laying in bed at night and hearing a train whistle in the distance. I made a friend there, a girl I met on the same street and we spent a lot of time together every year.

Auntie would fill up the bath tub for Uncle Steve to take a bath an then she would bathe in the same bath water. Now that’s LOVE! Even as a kid, I thought that was weird.! They had a maid who did the cooking and cleaning. They always had their meals in this huge formal dining room with Uncle Steve at the head of the table and Auntie and I on each side. There was a large black swinging door to the kitchen from where this maid would appear when summoned by a buzzer under the rug near Auntie’s chair. This I really thought was neat. I would reach my leg over to where the buzzer was and in came the maid. From then on they let me summon the maid. They were so much fun. Some time later, I heard that Auntie had cancer of the stomach. She was ill for quite some time and I was not allowed to see her. Then she died and I was at the wake. She had been a well built woman and in her casket she looked like a little doll with a high neck collar dress. I could hardly believe it was her. I can still see her. Thank you Auntie and Uncle Steve for everything. I love you!

The Cycle Begins...

Marion and her friend Pat Paddon Marilyn Davies & Bobby McGurrin

Marion with Marilyn (Tony McGurin back right)

My mom worked at the Third National Bank and she got me a job at the First National Bank in the credit department. I would check people’s credit for loans and met a young man named Bobby McGurrin. He was in the navy. He had red hair and freckles and cute as can be. At this time my mom and I and Bobby went to NYC to meet a wealthy fiend of my mom’s (whom she met in Stamford, CT while visiting Uncle Jack) He invited us all to NYC and took us to fancy club. The owner was Barbara Walter’s father Lou Walters who sat with us at our table for a time. I wore a navy suit and red pumps an we danced on a raised floor that resembled a boxing ring. The girls in the show were wonderful dancers an Mr. Walters promised me a job dancing in his show if I came back when I was 18. I was still at the Y and enjoying it. I remember meeting Tommy Portanova. He was a good looking, dark hair and eyes, very smooth and older. He had a band that played for college dances and I would go with him and sit alone at a table all night. He would join me at intermission. He was also an amazing magician. After working at the bank for 3 months, they hired a fellow named Frank Brust who turned out to be the manager of the finance department and my new boss. He was very attractive and had beautiful blue eyes and all business. All the girls were a flutter, new man on board and he began to date one of them. I worked directly for him and my desk was right behind his. One day as he walked by my desk, he said,“You know, if you were la little older I might consider taking you out.” I answered,“I wouldn’t go out with you if you were the last man on earth.” I guess I always was a challenge. I was 17 and he was 24. A month or so later there was annual end of summer party for all the banks at Irem Temple Country Club in Dallas PA. My mom was there also as she worked at Third National. She and Pat Padden drove me there. It was an all day and night party and at one point, I looked out of the window and saw this guy on the diving board with a gorgeous body and I said,“Who is that?” They said,“That’s Frank Brust.” Wow! It was the first time I took notice

as I was still dating Bob McGurrin. My mom and Pat Padden wanted to leave early and I told them I would find a ride with one of my friends. It seemed like some of my friends rode with Frank, so I asked him if I could ride home. He said ok if he could drop me off last. I said,“You’re driving...” that was the beginning of our friendship.Your guessed it, he drove me home last and parked at little down the street from my mom’s house. After talking a while and a few kisses, he tried to put his hand up my skirt and I hit him and started to cry (no one had ever done anything like this before.) He, of course was sorry and apologized.We dated from then on and married a year later.. Frank use to send a taxi to pick me up and I would meet him at his hangout Magnotta’s Cafe in the hill section. I didn’t drink, but he always insisted. So, my first drink was a Slow Gin and 7UP. This went on for months and I don’t remember him taking me anywhere else. We would sit in a booth in the back room and talk and play the juke box. Amazingly enough, his favorite song was “The Tennessee Waltz.” I was also seeing Tommy Portanova whom I met before Frank. One afternoon I received a call in my room that I had a visitor downstairs. It was Tommy. We sat in the lounge on one of the couches and he presented me with a beautiful diamond ring and asked me to marry him. I had never even kissed this fellow. I was shocked to the core. He put it on my finger and asked me to think about it. I did not want to accept it. I said I wouldn’t and thought,“What would Frank think?” as I had a date with him that evening. Up to this point, I had no thoughts of marriage as I was happy just stepping into the world. The taxi arrived and drove me to Magnotta’s and Frank was eating. We sat in the back lounge ordered a drink and then he saw it. “What is this? ” I told him the crazy story and he kept telling me to give it back, give it back. “I was planning to get you one.” Another shocker, only I loved Frank and it just snowballed from there. We were married in a large Catholic wedding September 23, 1950. I was much too young, but very mature, yet I cannot regret it as I have two wonderful, intelligent, and beautiful daughters whom I love to the enth degree. We were married five years.

Engagement Photo Marilyn & Frank

5 Years of Hell...

September 23, 1950 Marilyn & Frank’s wedding

Marilyn & Francis Joseph Brust Wedding Party

Marriage #1

Frank and I were married Sept. 23, 1950 at St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Scranton, PA. I was 18 yrs old and he was 24. He and his mother never let me forget it. Even though I was as mature as I am now, it was as though he was married to his mother and I was just tagging along for the ride. I did not want to burden my mom with the expense of renting a hall, so we had the reception in her home. Frank’s dad was a peach of a guy and loved me from the start. On my wedding day he told me he finally got the daughter he always wanted. I loved him. Frank’s mom was another story. I always felt that she did not like me and she interfered in everything we did. So on my wedding day, I spent the reception going up and down the stairs because she had all the gifts displayed in one of the bedrooms and insisted that my job was to take each and every guest up there to view the gifts. That is what I remember about my first wedding - going up and down all night long. Oh yes, I do remember cutting the cake. I had 3 bridesmaids and 3 groomsmen and wore a white lace gown with veil. Janet Sullivan Shafer, my best friend in high school, was one of the bridesmaids and the only one still alive today. We talk regularly. She lives in PA. While kneeling with Frank at the altar at the ceremony, I turned to the side and looked down and noticed Frank had on red socks with his formal attire. That was my first sign of danger ahead. We left that night for our honeymoon to the Pocono Mountains. I had planned to meet my dad a the designated spot to say good-bye and we did as he did not want to come to my mom’s house. He was in the back of the church for the wedding and my heart hurt because of the situation between him and mom. I loved them both so much! There I was married at 18, the first one of all my friends. I was the one who was going to NYC to get a job dancing, never had any thoughts of marriage - damn,Tommy Portanova! and his ring!

Our honeymoon was lovely and we had a magical time. I even rode a horse. The day after we got home which was a 2nd floor apt in the Hill section (classy area) Frank went to work and I went shopping at a grocery store which was several blocks down the hill from our apartment to buy staples. I had to walk up the hill with 2 large grocery bags (no car) and by the time I got home, Frank was home from work and irritated because he said I was late for his mothers dinner of which I was not aware. He was so nasty about it that I finally said,“If that is the way you feel about it, I am not going.” That’s when I got a punch right in the mouth. My top lip swelled up and hung down over my bottom lip. I was shocked and crying. He became apologetic and begging for forgiveness and promised to never do that again. We could not go to his mother’s for dinner. It went downhill from there. He was very mean and sarcastic to me most of the time. I did not realize it then, but Frank was an alcoholic and always had a bottle of beer in his hand...always at Manottas Cafe drinking. He delighted in seeing me cry and that I did almost every single day. He was never cheap or should I say frugal. No, cheap, where I was concerned. I wanted to be a mother and after 7 months I went to the doctor to find out if there was a problem. Finally, I became pregnant and I felt like I was holy. I was very sick the first 3 months to the point my throat was raw. I did gain a lot of weight and one night we had an argument. He had been drinking at Magnottas Cafe, he knocked me down to the floor. I was 8 months pregnant. He was kicking me and I was trying to protect my stomach with my hand and arms and said,“Frank Stop, you are going to hurt the baby!” He said, “I hope I kill it.! I have never forgotten those words. I had a lot of girlfriends, some of whom would come over in the afternoon and I would cut and perm their hair. One day, they saw Frank drive in the back driveway and they said,“Oh my God, here he comes Frank, we need to go!” and they grabbed their belongings and ran out the front entrance. They were afraid of him. He was not nice to them and he

was terrible to my mother all of the time, even though she was so sweet to him. We had friends whom with we would make plans for Saturday night or parties, and he would be at Magnottas all day, come home, and want to sleep. He would tell me to get ready (because it took me a couple of hours) and wake him a half an hour before we had to leave. Well, guess what?! I would be done up like “Astor’s Pet Goat” wake him and he would yell and scream to leave him alone. Sometimes he would hit me if I got too close. We didn’t go out. This happened more times than I can remember. One party we did get go to, he embarrassed me to the enth degree. He would deliberately start an argument, maybe just so he could go to Magnottas and drink, that’s how I see it now. One day he came in from work and walked right up to the wood frame over the door and rubbed his finger over the top. I guess he found dust. He blew on his finger and said,“What did you do all day?” The fight was on! I was a very good housekeeper and had cleaned all day plus took care of the baby and had a full dinner on the table plus hair and makeup and well dressed. I always made sure I looked good when he got home. He went out of his way to hurt me almost daily. I thought he hated me.There was a new bra I purchased because I felt I was not big enough that had blow up cups. He told everyone at the party what I was wearing. I was humiliated! The only time I remember him treating me well was when I was pregnant - I use to ask him why that was...then again, when I think back he was nicest to me when I was pregnant except when he wasn’t!!!! If this is the way he was nice to me when I was pregnant....can you imagine how he treated me when I wasn’t? When my water broke with Linda, I was suffering terribly; so, I woke him up and he would not take me to the hospital when I wanted to go ...he would not get up...yelled at me when I was in such pain....and made me wait hours until he got up. By the time we divorced I felt like I was the most ugly girl in the world and would never have another guy. He tore me down every day. I was miserable.

Because our sex life was basically non existent, my mom gave me a book on sex, and after reading it, I asked Frank to read it and he threw it at me across the room. Then there was the time he was drinking at Magnotta’s all day and I asked him to fix the door hinge on a tall white utility cabinet we had in our kitchen. He began to hammer it and he hit his finger with the hammer and yelled out. I ran over and said, let me see your hand to help and with that he began to hit me with his bloody hand and blood began to go all over me, the floor, and the walls. I ran down the stairs to my neighbor (an old Italian woman who taught me to make spaghetti sauce) I thought he went mad. Then there was the time we were at Sally and Dad’s home for dinner. Dad, Frank, and I were in the living room. Linda and Debbie were playing on the living room floor. Sally called for us to go in for dinner. I told the girls to go to the dining room. Debbie went and Linda did not. Frank was laying on the couch, Dad was in his chair, and I went to the kitchen. When Linda did not come, I walked back to the living room and gave her a small slap on her bottom and said,“Get in there!” Frank jumped up from the couch and punched me in the eye right in front of my dad. My eye swelled up like another nose and my dad called the police and had him arrested. I had to go to court and the judge said that he had never saw such a shiner on a woman and said if it ever happened again, he would “throw the key away.” I forgave Frank because I felt the judge really scared him and he would not dare to hit me ever again. He did not. Getting back to my mother in law... I would invite her for dinner. She would walk into my house, put down her purse, and go directly to the hamper and start washing my clothes. This was driving me nuts because it happened all the time. Frank and I were going to NYC for a week to his Uncle’s condo on Park Avenue. I was pregnant with Debbie. But guess what, we had to take his mother (we could never get away without her). I was finishing packing when she got to our house. The diapers I had washed were not yet folded. She marched right over to them and

From Left to Right: Aunt Margie, Uncle Jimmy, Uncle Champ, Kate Champagne, Frank, & Marcella. The NYC

started to fold and I told her to stop, as I would do it. You guessed it, I had had it with her and we had words. Finally I told Frank,“It’s either her or me.” He chose her and they went to NYC to the Waldorf- Astoria. I called my mom crying, so she and her friend Pat drove me to Stamford, CT to my Uncle Jack’s. Frank’s father was a sweetheart of a guy. I loved him and he loved me. He was a terrific artist, although that was not his line of work. He was easy going and full of fun and smiles. Debbie inherited his talent. One day we received terrible news that he had been diagnosed as having a brain tumor and we all were devastated. He was operated on at the University of Pennsylvania hospital where they cut his whole skull from forehead to back and found it was like a web all throughout and nothing else could be done. We all were there and the only one he woke up to speak to was me. He was always so jovial. One Christmas, I decided to get a holiday job at the Globe Department Store in Scranton wrapping Christmas gifts so that I could buy Frank a gift. He did not give me very much money. I bought him a good set of golf clubs with the money I earned. That was the beginning of the end. Before the clubs, we all would go to church every Sunday. After the clubs, he would leave at 6 am and golf until 12 or 1pm, come home, eat dinner, and go to sleep --- every weekend and sometimes after work during the week. We never saw him. One day I had a major melt down. I cannot remember what started it that day, but I went bonkers. I started screaming at the top of my lungs for him to get out. We now were living in the other half of my mom’s double house. I kept screaming louder and louder and he got scared and got out. We then separated for 9 months. I had had it! During that 9 months I dated other people whom I met through my friend Gloria Fleming’s husband., Skip. I had a great time for the first time in my life. Frank had an awakening and tried to court me, but I felt it was too late. He begged and pleaded and started to

treat me like I always wanted him to. After 9 months I agreed to try again with him. We moved into an apt in Green Ridge, ritzy section... Needless to say, it did not work. We finally agreed to a divorce. I even used his lawyer. I could not wait to get away from him. The day the divorce was granted, I cried and cried for the failure and for my two children. I can honestly say I did everything I could to have a happy marriage, but it takes two. The whole time we were married, he would never take me out for dinner. I always wanted to go out for my birthday or anniversary. I would start reminding him a good 3 months before the dates and he would not tell me we could go until almost the day. He was very stingy with me. He did pay child support and sent both girls to college. I made sure that the girls kept a relationship with him and his family. Because of his alcoholism, he died quite early at 64 yrs old calling me me four days before to tell me that he always loved me. It still amazes me how you can treat someone you love so poorly. I still pray for his soul. When we would go on a trip to NYC or Conshohocken or anywhere, he would drive too fast and it was frightening. If I asked him to slow down please, he would go much faster, even up to 100 mph. He would never stop to let me go to the bathroom. (even when I was pregnant) even if I begged him. He would not stop to get me a hot dog or anything to eat if I was hungry. It seemed as though he delighted in making me miserable. I was going to meet my girlfriends for apple pie and coffee one day and asked him for money. He gave me 10¢. Luckily I had some of my own. The way he treated me most of the time killed all the love I ever felt for him. I am sorry to say that I do not remember any happy times married to Frank. But, I am sure there must have been some. Our sex life was non existent. Since Frank was the first sexual experience in my life, I certainly knew nothing about sex and evidently, neither did he. How I finally got pregnant is amazing. It consisted of one kiss, on, off, roll over and go to sleep. That is the only way I can describe it. I

thought how could any woman live like this. I surely could not. I used to love to kiss and cuddle and he didn’t ever want to kiss me. When I tried to kiss him, he would say “That’s kid’s stuff.” It wasn’t that way when we were dating. We kissed a lot. I can still hear him saying,“Nobody likes you” and putting me down all of the time. Funny, he should say that, as I was the one who had all of the friends. I did not want to write these things about a person who passed. Debbie insisted I tell it like it was, due to the fact that Frank admitted before he died the way he treated me and of his remorse. I forgive him. May he rest in peace. The best thing from this marriage are my two daughters.

Lilnda Susan Brust

Debra Lynn Brust

Celebrating Mom’s 70th Birthday

Francis J Brust, Sr

Marcella Travis Brust

A Thrill A Minute...

Marriage #2

While I was working in the bank before Frank and I were married, I met Thomas Noyes who was a car dealer and he would come into the bank to see Frank to get his cars financed. He was handsome with his curly dark hair and beautiful blue eyes. He was married to a lovely young lady named Shirley. The 4 of us became friends and we went out with others on Saturday nights. It was Tom, who never could keep a secret, who told me Frank was going to give me the ring and had it made special for me. After Frank and I married, we all remained special friends. At some point, they moved to Florida and we did not see them for a long time. After 5 years and 2 days, Frank and I divorced and I got a job at a law firm Nogi, O’Malley & Harris downtown. I also worked as a car hop in a highway restaurant to make ends meet at night. The girls went to nursery school in the day and I had a sitter at night. I never asked my parents for help. Oh yes, I borrowed $50 from my dad once and paid him back. One day at the lunch, I was ready to cross the street and was surprised to see Tom Noyes coming toward me. We were so happy to see each other. He was back from Florida and he and Shirley were divorced and so was I. I had no feelings for Tom except as a friend. He and a partner were going to run a home show in Scranton and he asked if I knew anyone who could be his secretary. I said,“How about me.” I was overworked at the law firm and only making $35 a week. So I went to work for Tom. I did all the secretarial work and sold space in the home show where business owners would display their wares. His partner Jack and Tom and I were the 3 musketeers. We did everything together. I lived in a 3 story walk up with my girls and we would pool our money and I would cook for them and they would sit in the living room and watch TV and play with the girls. One night we all went to a movie, a tear jerker, and I looked over at Tom and he had tears. This is the first

time I looked at Tom differently. I knew he had a heart. We were strictly friends. He used to tell me who to date when I was asked and who not to. One day I had an appointment in Pittston with a drapery company regarding space in the home show. The manager was a gentleman with a nickname Swimmy. He was Italian, suave, and handsome. After my presentation he invited me to lunch. At lunch he invited me to dinner. I told him, that I had 2 girls who have to eat also. He told me to bring them. We all had dinner at Perinno’s restaurant in Scranton, I was so proud of my two beauties in their frilly dresses and curled hair. He was quite smitten with all of us. The following week, I introduced Tom to Swimmy at the Europa Lounge to discuss his company purchasing space in our home show. Tom mentioned to him that he had tickets to the World Series (Tom was an avid fan) and was going to NYC in 2 weeks. Swimmy told Tom to call a certain number in NYC and they would comp him a hotel room. Swimmy called me and asked for another date and I made a date with him in 2 weeks. Tom went to NYC for the World Series and my date with Swimmy was coming up the following Saturday night. The next day Tom called me from NYC in a panic and told me NOT TO GO OUT WITH SWIMMY, because he was part of THE MAFIA and a henchman for Russell Buffalino, who owned the drapery company. I told him I had a date that Saturday night. He told me to cancel, which I did. The following night Tom came home from NYC and gave up his chance to see the World Series to make sure I did not keep that date. I realized Tom loved me. That was in September. Right after Christmas we all went to Florida - Miami - my first trip. I fell in love with Miami. We did not live together, as I am old fashioned. I got an apartment at 24 St on the bay. The owner only rented to attractive females (believe it or not). Airline stewardesses, actresses, dancers, etc. There were a variety of lovely girls there. One was a call girl. We all became fiends.Tom taught me how to swim in that pool. I was so tan, people on the bus used to speak to me in Spanish. Tom got a job at Stacey Rowell Ford and I got a job in the Hialeah as a bartender in the day time. Mostly beer and wine, but I had a cocktail book to look up drinks and I did. I hate to brag, but I increased the day

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