Letter from Wilma White, wife of Jerry White.

Hi, sorry I have been so long in getting this information to you. I looked through every picture album Mom has (Ruby) and found no pictures of Dick and Ruth. I did find one of Thelma and Birdsall and one of Thelma which I am sending. On the back of the one of both she wrote: this is Dumb Dora* and Rod. There is no date on anyone of them, which is a lesson we should take for our pictures for the future!!!!!!

Woodrow Yates, Ruby's younger brother, says that Dick asked Birdsall if Thelma had any sisters, if so, he wanted to marry one of them. He thinks they were married in Amarillo, Texas, both of them. They moved to Slapout (don't know when) and Birdsall and Thelma lived north of Slapout when Billy died and also when Ruth died. They are both buried in the Follett Cemetery which is in Texas but just a few miles from Oklahoma and Slapout. Birdsall and Thelma moved to Amarillo. Woodrow was very young at this time and most of it is from talk down through the years and then they learned a lot when he and his wife Maryann started the genealogy. I met Thelma and spent a short time with her and Mom and remember them together as very good friends. So, you are very welcome.

Love,
Wilma

*COLLECTOR’S NOTES:
Before creating Blondie, Murat "Chic" Young introduced Dora, a flapper-age female engaged in contemporary social settings. Dora had a long line of suitors and was in command of every one of them. Young left the strip in 1930, and Dora’s adventures continued into the mid-1930s, first under the direction of Paul Fung, then by Bill Dwyer.

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Census 1930
La Habra, Orange County, California
Precinct 1, District 23, Page 2B
401 W. Erna Avenue
April 3

Yates, Birdsall 29 Nebraska Salesman Automobile Firm
Thelma 24 Arkansas
Donald A. 5 New Mexico

Age at first marriage: Birdsall - 21, Thelma - 17.
Birdsall's parents born in Missouri.
Thelma's parents born in Missouri.
Rents house for $37.50 per month.


Birdsall volunteered and served a short while in the army during World War II at Camp Roberts, Monterey County, California. He lived in Fontana, California, at the time of his death in 1949. He was past 47 years old and was preceded in death by a son, Billy Birdsall, and his son Donald Andrew is now deceased. Birdsall was Chrysler and Plymouth dealer in Eagle Rock, California for years and engaged in various other businesses until ill health forced an early retirement. He was always active in civic organizations. He served as Commander of the Fontana post of the American Legion in 1945-1946, and was the 25th Division District Vice Commander.--Pearl Yates, History of Beaver County.

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Name: Birdsall Yates
Birth Year: 1901
Race: White, citizen (White)
Nativity State or Country: Nebraska
State: California
County or City: Los Angeles

Enlistment Date: 28 Sep 1942
Enlistment State: California
Enlistment City: Los Angeles
Branch: Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA
Branch Code: Branch Immaterial - Warrant Officers, USA
Grade: Private
Grade Code: Private
Term of Enlistment: Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law
Component: Army of the United States - includes the following: Voluntary enlistments effective December 8, 1941 and thereafter; One year enlistments of National Guardsman whose State enlistment expires while in the Federal Service; Officers appointed in the Army of
Source: Civil Life

Education: 2 years of high school
Civil Occupation: Physical Therapy Technician or Chain Store Manager
Marital Status: Married
Height: 65
Weight: 187

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Cause of death: Gangrene Emoblus-iliac right lower extremity, 17 days duration.
Due to: Coronary Thrombosis, 3 weeks duration.
Due to: Myocardial Insufficiency, 3 weeks duration.
Other Significant Conditions: Surgery--amputation of lower right limb.
Date of Operation: February 25, 1949

Coronary Thrombosis--development of an obstructive thrombus in a coronary artery, usually associated with atherosclerosis and often causing sudden death or a myocardial infarction.

Gangrene--an eating sore, which ends in mortification, death of tissue, usually in considerable mass and generally associated with loss of vascular (nutritive) supply and followed by bacterial invasion and putrefaction.

Embolic Gangrene--that which follows the blocking of the blood supply by an embolism.

Removed to Mason Mortuary, Shattuck, Ellis County, Oklahoma, March 02, 1949

• Married: APR 1922 in Amarillo, Potter County, Texas
• Divorced: ABT. 1932
• Divorced:

1. Billie Birdsall Yates b: 28 FEB 1923 in Clovis, Curry County, New Mexico
2. Donald Andrew Yates b: 5 MAY 1925 in Clovis, Curry County, New Mexico

• Married: BET. 1933 - 1941