Sept. 18, 1944

 Dear Ollie:

Well I was sure glad to hear from you, and glad to get the picture. Well there isn’t much to say except Don Gastofson and I are going out for Tuley’s eleven. But we are a little late. We’ve started already, we played Waller at Lane and beat them 26 to 2, which was Tuley’s last first game they won in four years.

Well I suppose you know both of the Bobs are in now. O’Shea’s son the Calvalry, Boy, I can just see him riding a horse.

I stayed on a farm about 90 miles south of here this summer and had a lot of fun,

Well I don’t know very much now so I guess I’ll say so long.

Don Summers

P.S. You know Christy’s playing basketball for good old Tuley.

P.P.S. I’ll let you know if Dan and I make the team.

Mon. Sept. 18. 44

 Dear Ollie,

I hope you’ll accept the “Ollie” because to call you Mr. Bilhorn would be just too unnatural. All we’ve ever heard is “Ollie.”

After reading the all too brief reply that my son scribbled to you, in answer to your letter received today, [I] decided I’d write a page or so. [I] was surprised to see you are in France. The last we knew you were in England—weren’t you? Or am I wrong? Are you still working with a Chaplin or what does the “Replacement Co” mean on your address?

I am actually ashamed to write to you now as ever since you’ve been away from here I’ve intended to write or see to it that Don did. But maybe when I say we have thought and talked of you often and hoped and prayed for your safety and a quick return to our midst, that will keep some. I quit my job the middle of July this summer and spend the greater part of the Ms. J Aug on the farm. [I] canned some fruit and vegetables. That will be nice for the winter. Many, many women today are working outside and still manage to keep a home also; I probably will work again some time this winter, but it seemed I was really needed here at home for awhile. [I] hope to get caught up on some of my correspondence and house work.

You are really missed here in the neighborhood. So far as these boys are concerned and I find in some of them a lot of really “good boy”. It will always be a mystery to me that they will take one who was doing what you were in a locality—after all it seems the younger boys need a guide more than anything else in their lives. Some of we parents seems to be parents, so far as food, clothes, etc. are concerned, but when it comes to spiritual food we are just “not there” that’s all.

I want to take this opportunity to thank you for all you’ve done for my son, you’ve really given him so much and [he] is a much better boy for having known you. My sincere prayer as a mother is that you will soon be back with these younger fellows who need you so. And in the mean time I am thankful for those with whom you contact now, who really need a lift. It must be plenty hard for even the best ones.

May God’s richest blessings be upon you, to guide, direct and keep you through all this conflict.

Respectfully yours,

Mrs. Mary Summers