From Margaret Knezek:

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From Margaret Knezek:

Uncle Ronald was born in Hocking County, Ohio. While a young man, heworked his way across Canada in the wheat fields. When he reached thePacific Coast he worked in the ship yards. He also spent some time as acook in a lumber camp. He went to Dover, Idaho one winter to work in thesaw mills. He was stationed in San Diego during World War I for a shorttime, never had to go to sea. Sixty-five years later his grand-daughteralso lived in Dover, Idaho. She didn't know her grandfather had livedthere many years before. She met Glenn Hardesty's son. He too lives nearDover.

Ronald had many teachers in his family: his wife, two sons, twodaughters-in-law and two granddaughters. I'm hoping to find out just whenRonald went out west. The Polk City Directory shows he lived at 91 GrandAve in Highland Park in 1914, was listed as an autoworker. I didn't findhim listed again until 1910. He was then living at 86 226 Montana,Detroit, MI. There was a big re-numbering of addresses in Detroit thatyear, so I think Ronald lived on Montana first at 86 or 88. In 1925 itappears that he moved next door to 2 Montana and Aunt Edith and familymoved into 86 Montana. Ralph remembers living there and going toGreenfield Park School.

Ronald and Audra Keiser were married by Audra's father at his home inDetroit September 20, 1929, just days before the big stockmarket crash.They lived at 86 Montana until they lost the home because of the GreatDepression. He said he would never again lose another home. In 1934 theymoved to 1696 Albany, Ferndale, MI. I don't know the exact terms but thehome was nothing but a shell. He rebuilt it only as he had the money.They ended up with a nice home, free and clear and lived there until theyboth retired and then moved to Berkley, MI in 1975 into asenior-apartment, which seemed to be a wise move for them. Ronald wasthen in his eighties and the lawn work and snow shoveling was getting tobe a problem for them. He was able to have a small garden, he even gaveme some of his vegetables. He had always been an avid reader and therewas a library right in the building. He was walking about a mile a dayuntil just a short time before he died.

They had a cottage at Moon Lake in North-Central Michigan, which theyboth enjoyed. Seems he would always have a jigsaw puzzel in the workings.His kids gave him many good puzzles to put together. He and I worked onsome of them. They gave some to me, also. I have good memories of myUncle Ronald. He was very particular with his belongings but he would letme touch them because I would be careful with them. He would be very goodto me when I stayed at Gradma's house, he was living with them, too.

I asked Ralph if he remembered Uncle Ronald having a Maxwell car. He wenton to tell me about it having sliding glass windows and beautiful leatherupholstery. He remembered it being quite a classy car.

Uncle Ronald was blessed with a Hardesty trait, a beautiful head of hair.

He worked at Ford Motor Company before the depression but chose otherwork after that. He retired from Pfaff Sash and Door Company.

Uncle Ronald passed away August 19, 1988, a month short of being 95 yearsold. He was laid to rest in White Chapel Memorial Cemetery in Troy, MI.

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