Marsha had for some time been plagued with bad tonsils and we regularly took her to a doctor up on Ashland Avenue. He would swab her throat and in a few days, same thing again. One day he said, "You need to take this child to a warmer climate." Each time she got sick, we thought of what the doctor had said. We had been thinking about going back south for some time, this was our ultimate goal, as it was mother and dads. They had no intention of going back to farming as dad had worked such long hours with little sleep so long that he was at the point of complete exhaustion. He had tooth after tooth pulled that had poisoned his system. He finally went to a doctor who told him he had a leaking heart valve and if he would go back home, just piddle around, he might last a few more years. Of course, that was 35 years before he died. He went home that year, but he sure didn't piddle around.
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| Helen Marsh, Marsha Marsh and Richard Austin Marsh |
Settling in at Jackson.
Helen, then pregnant with Leslie, accompanied by little Marsha, now two and a half years old, to the train to Mr. and Mrs. Crawford's at Flintville. Mr. Henry, being a railroader, helped a great deal with the free passes he got for Helen during our many moves during the war. Shortly they came via Nashville and Guthrie, Kentucky to Jackson, a hot humid day for Helen and little Marsha.
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| Marsha Joan Marsh in Jackson, Tennessee |
We rented a roach infested room west of the square, off Highway 70, from a Mrs. Hornbeak. As soon as possible, we found an exceptionally nice apartment in a house shared by the Liggett family, on Neely, now Hollywood Boulevard, across from the Hollywood Cemetery. The house is gone and a car-wash is there now. The WTJS transmitter was at Bemis, south of Jackson, had a big pond with an artesian fountain out front. The building included an apartment for the chief engineer. The station was owned by the Jackson Sun.
Bob Gordon was chief engineer and wife, Inez, were both engineers and lived in the transmitter apartment. They were about our age. We became good friends and still are. They now live in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He was technical director of the Public TV station at the University of New Mexico.
August 14, 1945.
On watch at transmitter. "FLASH, Japan Surrenders, the war is over," four years of hell has ended. I Called Helen.
October 13, 1945. A fine son, Leslie Devons Marsh, was born to us at Jackson Memorial Hospital. Dr. Jones attending. Mother came down from Chicago on November 10th. Dad's notes say, "Thanksgiving Day in Chicago, all alone."
July 1946. UH-OH. Radio station manager whose name shall remain anonymous, says cut staff. Chief Bob Gordon was put on a regular shift. Bob raised cane, to no avail. They were sick over the deal, we weren't feeling too good either. Began looking in Broadcasting for positions. Nothing now. Checked several leads, still looking...
Bob Gordon was chief engineer and wife, Inez, were both engineers and lived in the transmitter apartment. They were about our age. We became good friends and still are. They now live in Albuquerque, New Mexico. He was technical director of the Public TV station at the University of New Mexico.
August 14, 1945.
On watch at transmitter. "FLASH, Japan Surrenders, the war is over," four years of hell has ended. I Called Helen.
October 13, 1945. A fine son, Leslie Devons Marsh, was born to us at Jackson Memorial Hospital. Dr. Jones attending. Mother came down from Chicago on November 10th. Dad's notes say, "Thanksgiving Day in Chicago, all alone."
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| Leslie Marsh, age 6 months and Marsha Marsh in Jackson, Tennessee |
July 1946. UH-OH. Radio station manager whose name shall remain anonymous, says cut staff. Chief Bob Gordon was put on a regular shift. Bob raised cane, to no avail. They were sick over the deal, we weren't feeling too good either. Began looking in Broadcasting for positions. Nothing now. Checked several leads, still looking...
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