6 COMMENTS
Rita Feather Oral History August 24, 2020
• 1:07:02 Interview Length
This is a transcribed version of the interview. It is meant to be transcribed not with grammar in mind but keeping to the words of the speakers along with the history and stories per the speakers.
SPEAKERS
Katy Benson, Rita Feather, Wayne Feather
Katy Benson
All right, I am here with Rita Feather. It is August 24th, around 7:40pm. And,
Rita Feather
and I am Rita Kay Jennings Feather. Birthday, April 20th 1947.
Katy Benson
Well, thank you for letting me come in and talk to you tonight. So and who are you married to?
Rita Feather
I am married to Wayne Feather
Katy Benson
which, we like to call you Grandma and Grandpa, which, if you don’t mind, why we call you grandma and grandpa?
Rita Feather
Because when you guys were quite young, your parents went to Austria, I believe on a mission trip. And you were a baby at that time are quite young and your older brother and sister Jeff and Julie stayed with us because they were in school. So they were here about a month or so. And they called us mom and dad. So when you came along, then we were your grandma and grandpa. I’m sorry. You didn’t go…
Katy Benson
No, it was my grandma Janice Benson and Wendell Benson and so they’ve been my aunt and my dad.
Rita Feather
Yes.
Katy Benson
So what? Where are you from?
Rita Feather
I’m from Napoleon, Ohio
Katy Benson
your from Napoleon,
Rita Feather
Henry County, Yeah.
Katy Benson
Okay. And who are your parents?
Rita Feather
Robert and Norma Jennings.
Katy Benson
And were they always from this area? Do you know?
Rita Feather
Dad was mom was started out near closer to like, Leipsic in the Leipsic area. When she was littler and then eventually her folks moved to Napoleon my grandparents.
Katy Benson
Did you have any like siblings?
Rita Feather
I had a sister. Six years younger and she died two years ago. Okay, what was her name? Susie, Susie Susie Jennings and her maiden name was Sloane Susie Sloane.
Katy Benson
Okay. And you have one child.
Rita Feather
Yes, Matthew. Yes, Matt. And how many grandkids, two grandkids and a great grandchild great granddaughter.
Katy Benson
So really, you’re a great person. I am great all through. There’s no denying. Great. Um, let’s see, what do you remember as a child, if anything?
Rita Feather
I grew up on a farm, which was wonderful. Like I said, My sister was six years younger, so we weren’t really close. Just because six years difference because when she came along, I was in school, but we played together as kids. I remember the biggest sand pile in the backyard and and playing in the sand pile.
Katy Benson
Yeah.
Rita Feather
And we would go back to the woods. We had woods on her for we just walked around back there and we didn’t often do it, but we would crawl up in the haymow and maybe play up there. We didn’t do that very often.
Katy Benson
So when you say a farm, like what kind of farm was it did you have animals.
Rita Feather
We had some cows and crops corn, soybeans, and wheat
Katy Benson
and so were in Napoleon. Like what was
Rita Feather
this was kind of off on this. They call it the South side of town basically yourself
Katy Benson
in Napoleon. Okay, so on the other side of the river Do you remember your address?
Rita Feather
route three, Napoleon, Ohio,
Katy Benson
really
Wayne Feather
county road 10 I think now that we just always
Rita Feather
it was 11. Okay, well, he knows better than I do, 11 but it was route three. That’s all I needed to know.
Wayne Feather
11
Katy Benson
That’s fine because we have so many numbers and letters now. The route 3, well Yeah, I could be he could be anywhere right?
Rita Feather
We lived back a long lane
Katy Benson
I always wanted a long lane
Rita Feather
it was nice.
Katy Benson
And when where did you go to high school.
Rita Feather
Napoleon
Katy Benson
You went to Napoleon
Rita Feather
my whole life. Didn’t go to kindergarten because back then didn’t have to go. So I just turned out the first grade.
Katy Benson
No preschool or kindergarten?
Rita Feather
Pardon?
Katy Benson
No preschool or kindergarten?
Rita Feather
No, no back then. Now when my sister came along, I think, kindergarten she was six years younger. Like I said, I think kindergarten was offered but I don’t remember that she went to kindergarten either. It just it wasn’t mandatory at that time. Okay.
Katy Benson
What year did you graduate?
Rita Feather
1965
Katy Benson
Do you have any high school memories?
Rita Feather
yeah, I wasn’t a popular kid. really quiet and I wasn’t part of the in crowd but I like school. I did. I really enjoyed it.
Katy Benson
What was your favorite subject?
Rita Feather
I liked history, especially the English part of it. I’ve always been fascinated by the English, anything. And in high that was more elementary and junior high school I really liked like, typing in shorthand, because that’s the main course I didn’t want Do college. So I took a secretarial course I really enjoyed that I was really good at shorthand. Typing wasn’t as fast but
Katy Benson
so did you get a job being a secretary out of high school?
Rita Feather
I did. Just before I graduated, I started working for an attorney in Napoleon. Okay, and my secretarial teacher, bless her heart, she helped me get it. While I take that back, I started out working at an insurance office in Napoleon. And then just before I graduated, graduated, the brother of one of the insurance guys needed somebody in their law office, and they recommended me so that’s how I ended up. Like in May, the year I graduated just before I graduate, that’s when I started working at the law office and work there from 65 to 73. When I quit, to have our son.
Katy Benson
Really? so, when did you get married?
Rita Feather
1970 he got home from Vietnam. He was in Vietnam from 68 to 69. And he got home in June of 69. And we got married in February of 70
Katy Benson
so why he was over in Vietnam, what did you do while he was gone?
Rita Feather
I had a good time. I just went out with my girlfriends and I would often go over to either his folks and visit them. We got close with one of his cousins and an aunt in the Medina area. So sometimes on the weekends, I just get my 66 Mustang and take off and go spend the weekend down there and see family down there.
Katy Benson
That’s awesome. What what what color was your Mustang?
Rita Feather
It was gold with a blacktop not black vinyl because when I went to order it, they didn’t have any so they said we can paint it black. Okay. So.
Katy Benson
So remind me, you got married before or after he went to war?
Rita Feather
after he got back.
Katy Benson
So then after Matt was born, did you stay home?
Rita Feather
I did until he was in eighth grade. And then I went to work. The I had one job with my cousin’s insurance office that didn’t last long. And then, like I say, when Matt was in eighth grade, I started working in the cafeteria there in Liberty center and retired for 27 years later. I can’t believe I was I was there that long. But yeah,
Katy Benson
I remember when you are in the cafeteria. Probably a lot of people do. Your ski was a quarter to you for whatever we wanted. I forgot. I was so generous. I because at that time, a little cup of ice cream was 50 cents. And so I use 25 cents for ice. And I pretty sure wasn’t supposed to do that. But I did it for my granddaughter. I think the boys, meaning my brothers. Did you do? Actually I think you did it for them too.
Rita Feather
I don’t remember.
Katy Benson
I think I think they told me that you did? A couple times. Yeah. I mean, I know you were there.
Rita Feather
Yeah. I remember, Kristofer and David. Yep. Because we really messed with one of their teachers, Mr. I can’t think of his name right now. The one that died well Oh shoot, because they kept calling me grandma and he was trying to figure out Oh, he’s your your Jeff’s mom then or whatever. I no. I said not legally and it just the poor guy Oberhouse. Mr. Oberhouse.
Katy Benson
Yeah, yeah.
Rita Feather
Randy. Yep. Oh, it was so much fun to mess with his mind.
Katy Benson
I said, it’s all perfectly illegal. It’s true. We have a lot of aunts and grandparents that really aren’t our grandparents and aunts.
Rita Feather
That’s a good thing.
Katy Benson
That’s right. Do you have any stories of working at the cafeteria besides us?
Rita Feather
I loved working there. I loved watching the kids come through every year. I don’t know how many kids I would have seen go through from kindergarten through their senior year. I don’t know how many I followed like that. But in every year when we go back in the fall to see how some of these kids that either shot up or so totally changed in their looks, it was just fun. The thing I hated the most was mopping but we hated mopping. I still hate mopping but the rest of the job I liked. Because another gal and I ran the alacarte line
Katy Benson
wasn’t it Mrs. Babcock do it for a while with you.
Rita Feather
She ended up because I started out with Doris Reared and then when Doris retired Candy took over so he yeah Candy and I. Then I retired. Now it was fun. Because especially Candy and I being friends and going to church together. It was fun working together.
Katy Benson
So when you were growing up, did you attend church? Did you have a church family?
Rita Feather
The closest I come would be the Methodist Church in Napoleon, St. Paul United Methodist And as my sister and I got a little older, like maybe sixth grade, Junior High once in a while on Sunday morning mom would drop us off at church and then her parents lived in town so she just go down and visit with them. The only other time we were in the church and that was wasn’t often was maybe if there was a funeral there a wedding. So I had basically no religious background.
Katy Benson
When did you start going to church? Since I already know you go to church.
Rita Feather
When I started dating Wayne, basically start going to church with him and then we were married in that Methodist Church just because it was bigger than his family church. But then we went right back to his family church, and that’s where we were for a lot of years. Just a nice little country church and everybody knew everybody.
Katy Benson
Mm hmm. So when did you start coming to Shiloh?
Rita Feather
When Matt was in I think junior high, one of the women asked about him because the my boss at the school at the time went To Shiloh and her sister was in charge of the the kids club and she wondered if maybe Matt would be interested in coming because we were going to church in Archbold. And since it was to us far away, we only went on Sunday morning. So there was really nothing. No connection Matt had with the youth, unfortunately. And so since we lived in Liberty, we started going to Shiloh back, like I said, when Matt was like, Junior High possibly. And we’ve been there ever since. And he’s 47. I’m not sure how that happened either.
Katy Benson
Right. anything particular like when he when Grandpa, or Wayne was at war, was there anything that you guys did to keep in contact
Rita Feather
we wrote all the time, all the time. pen pals.
Katy Benson
Which I know that from doing his oral history, you don’t have any other letters.
Rita Feather
No. I don’t know why I threw him away. Because there was nothing in there. Nobody could read. You know, it’s no big deal, but I don’t know why I didn’t keep ‘em now that I look back on it would have been a good kind of follow through.
Katy Benson
I mean, I mean, Im going to keep telling you that for a while. Yeah, no. Um, anything else? I mean, that you can tell us about your childhood maybe?
Rita Feather
Well, like I said, growing up was wonderful. Just being on the farm. We always had cats. The one spring we had 29 cats between the mother cats and the kittens and eventually, by the time fall came, most of them were gone. They either ran away or who knows what happened to them? Yeah, that was the most cats we had at one time. And we always have a dog. Only one at a time. Do we always have a dog because when I first started growing up, it was a German Shepherd. And then it was a black dog named bud and then there was a his son so to speak, because he got real close with a neighbor, dog. His name Was Tippie because he was Brown and had a white tip on his tail. And then that’s the last I remember the dogs and when Wayne and I started dating, we had had Siamese cats. My grandparents gave us my sister and I each have male and female Siamese cat. So we had raised a couple batches of kittens. And the male that was mine was crosseyed. And so when Wayne and I started digging, he went to the Humane Society in Toledo wasn’t it?
Wayne Feather
Yep.
Rita Feather
And he found a male cross eyed Siamese cat. gave it to me, and I was just so amazed. I got home for work one day, he had no clue. This is all something he worked out with my parents. And I don’t remember Ching was sitting in the house. Or wait, was it Sam?
Wayne Feather
Sam.
Rita Feather
Sam? That’s right. My original was named Ching. I don’t remember he’s sitting in the window or so I’m when I got the house and here’s this cross eyed Siamese cat because by then mine was gone. And so we had him at that point. We got married and we brought him with us to Liberty And within a few months maybe or a year he went out one time and never came back so
Katy Benson
is it true like Siamese cats dont needs to have a pair?
Rita Feather
I never heard that. I just I just always heard that you shouldn’t let them near your kids cuz it’ll suck their breath like oh for Pete’s sake. What?! Suck… Supposedly suck their breath now it’s something to do with the smell of the milk. It’s an old wives tale.
Katy Benson
That’s weird.
Rita Feather
And then we got after Ching disappeared or after Sam disappeared then we got a female because again a gal I went to school with raised them so we got a kitten from her named her Sammy, Samantha. We had her for several years. And since we’ve been married, we’ve always had a dog to one at a time we had ended up going to have three dogs.
Katy Benson
When I think of Siamese cats, I think of the Disney movie lady in the tramp. We are Siamese if you please I love Disney.
Rita Feather
But and like I said, just growing up on a farm it was just a neat life. And the really not neat part was we grew up with an outhouse. We did not have an indoor toilet. We had the tub in the sink in the bathroom. And this it was an old farmhouse. And our landlord didn’t see any reason. I mean, he lived in Mount Vernon, and he had all kinds of the indoor necessities he didn’t see any reason to put in in our house. So I grew up with an outhouse and never gave it a thought and a chemical toilet in the winter. So we didn’t have to go outside, which was disgusting.
Katy Benson
I’ve heard of those too I think so he was telling me about that and how it was like in their basement or something Hm mm that was where ours was. Yeah, that’s neat.
Rita Feather
and then dad bless his Heart had to when that got full he had to take it up, carry it up as heavy as it was to carry and dump it somewhere on the field, I guess.
Katy Benson
Wow.
Rita Feather
There was like a white chemical in it. I don’t know what that was called anymore. But it was mixed with water and thats What you went in until it got disgusting and had to be changed
Katy Benson
in the house for girls? I’m sure that was.
Rita Feather
Oh, yeah, so it was fun and games. And the really fun part though, as far as the outhouse goes, since we had so many cats, you were never alone. Because no matter whether you went out in the morning or the evening, you always had cats that followed you and often they would sit on your lap while you were in the bathroom and keep your company and I know what sounds disgusting but that’s how we grew up. We never gave it a thought You don’t give it a thought.
Katy Benson
So not having enough. So what other things like um, we were talking about outhouse.
Rita Feather
Which lovely memory that had big lilac bush in front of it. I guess that was what was supposed to make it smell good. But at least we always had toilet paper because I remember hearing people talking about using the Sears catalog or whatever. Fortunately, we already said toilet paper. And then the really funny part was Yes, Wayne and I got married. It was probably two or three months after we moved out That the landlord finally decided to put a toilet but that was okay because we were married in our house hidden indoor toilet so I was thrilled to death that’s why I like to go visit my girlfriend’s in town and stay overnight with him because they had indoor toliet
Katy Benson
the little things he did for her grandpa like a toilet. Um so like what other kinds of things like we grew up you know with like a color television.
Rita Feather
But we started out with black and white,
Katy Benson
black and white.
Rita Feather
I always remember having a television. And I don’t remember when we got the colored one but it was black and white and we started up
Katy Benson
what TV shows as you watch.
Rita Feather
I remember. Captain Kangaroo and Romper Room and there were westerns on and Saturday night we watched the westerns and Lawrence Welk and that kind of stuff. Perry Mason, not necessarily on Saturday night. These are just the ones that there were a lot of Westerns Back then Gunsmoke and all kinds of stuff like that.
Katy Benson
How about like, did you have a house telephone?
Rita Feather
Yep. And it was a regular and we never had the crank. I remember my great grandparents having a great phone at their house, but we always had a regular dial
Katy Benson
Did you have a party line.
Rita Feather
Yep. To start with, it did. I don’t remember how long that lasted. But you know, we try not to listen in or anything, they pick it up, but it mostly I remember having a regular private line because eventually they switched it over. The regular rotary dial phones, none of this instant stuff,
Katy Benson
right. I was talking to somebody about that to the other day about how everything is in the palm of your hand. Now, when I don’t know if it really was life was any simpler without it, but I feel like it would be a little bit
Rita Feather
and then another thing from the youth, we hit milkman come because we had some milk cows and he pick up the milk because we started in like in the milk house that’s what we called it I’m thinking it was like had water in it possibly they put the milk cans down in the water, keep it cool till he could get there. And we had an outside pump for for water. Just it was out by the barn and there was a tin cup seriously that hung on it and anybody that wanted to drink, just pump the handle to prime it and drink out of it. So I don’t know how many different people poverty and drink on that cup and we never I don’t ever remember to eat in the house in Washing it. And then we used to have bread men come to our house. There’s a brand man. Yep, nickels, nickels, bread. Oh, nickels. Yeah, would come and mom could order her stuff off there. We had the fuller brush man that would come and sell like brushes and seems to me soap other household goods, household cleaners. And besides fuller brush, there was another one that I can’t think of right now. There were two different Oh shoot I can’t think of the other one but you know back then they came to the house
Katy Benson
Yeah, there’s a lot of sales people that just door to door that’s how they made their living. Yeah,
Rita Feather
exactly.
Katy Benson
Now no we don’t want people knocking on our front door, go away
Rita Feather
close the blinds shut off the lights pretend your not home
Katy Benson
Don’t answer the door
Rita Feather
the Raleigh man that was he sold a lot of like vanilla, the flavorings that kind of he handled more like spices that kind of thing was Raleigh man and then the fuller brush man was more cleaning products that kind of stuff
Katy Benson
only people I remember would be the sweeper guy he’d come to her house there’s always were sweeper guys Like vacuum people .
Rita Feather
I can remember that. But I’m not. I’m not real sure. Encyclopedia salesman.
Katy Benson
Oh, yeah, that was one
Rita Feather
I think that’s where we get our Encyclopedia Britannica. Probably was from the salesman
Katy Benson
The Schwans man but he’s still while he doesn’t go to our house anymore, but he kind of
Rita Feather
we didn’t have the Schwans man back then.
Katy Benson
Well, you missed out.
Rita Feather
Probably just as well. Homemade ice cream was good.
Katy Benson
Yes, yes. Your favorite was what? Oh, just vanilla.
Rita Feather
Oh, really? That was my one grandma’s favorite no matter what, how many flavors she’ll have vanilla
Katy Benson
then I can add whatever I want. And some days I might not feel like this but then I can add that. But it’s always the same when I go to grandpa’s it’s always the same. Yeah, so when did you first start driving?
Rita Feather
I was 16 and that was a big deal. Yeah, big deal. I could not wait to drive.
Katy Benson
Where’s the first place you went?
Rita Feather
The license Bureau to get my
Katy Benson
you drove to get your license.
Rita Feather
Well, I had my permit.
Katy Benson
That’s true
Rita Feather
but the thing is, I felt horrible. I flunked it the first time I flunked in parallel parking. I was devastated because all my friends are getting their licenses and I thought oh good so dad bless his heart. He took measurements or whatever set it up at home I practiced and practiced. So when I went back a week or two later, it took me the second try of pulling in but I passed the second time because I like I said, I was devastated. I didn’t pass the first time.
Katy Benson
Well, Grandpa knows how well I do on tests Not very well.
Rita Feather
I love driving.
Katy Benson
who was what was your first car
Rita Feather
that I actually owned?
Katy Benson
Or you drove and then owned
Rita Feather
Okay, I drove mom and dad 60 something Mercury is a big blue. That’s what we had I think at the time when I started driving. And then I bought Well, when I graduated in 1965, Mom and Dad got me a
Wayne Feather
59
Rita Feather
59 Ford blue in white, no power steering, I was used to power steering hand choke. I wasn’t used to. But I learned and I remember mom that I knew nothing about it. And Mom, there was a Ford dealer and Napoleon cross from chief supermarket. And Mom said, I want to take it. We’ll show you some. So we got in the car, and we drove through the parking lot. She said, there’s your graduation present. And I just started crying. Oh my gosh, I got my own car.
Katy Benson
That’s awesome.
Rita Feather
So that was neat. And her name was Freda because there was a dead fly behind the the instrument panel and my dad. All the years he lived he still remember the name of that car. He talked about freedom.
Katy Benson
I think in my family, the only person that named their cars was Kristofer
Rita Feather
Really, okay.
Katy Benson
Yep. Well, I mean, we named our parents cars growing up but like, personally named their cars with Kristofer Monicawas his black car. And poor Monica. Had to get sold Black. You might have been a Chevy, but doesn’t really matter.
Rita Feather
It had to get sold.
Katy Benson
Poor Monica. But um, so ask where’s the first like, besides going get your license? Where’s the first place? You’re like, I have my license where Did you go?
Rita Feather
I honestly don’t remember. No, I don’t I just remember a lot of times on Friday nights, a lot of us girls would pile in my car I shouldn’t say alot. would get my car or whoever’s whoever’s trip was to drive, we get in the car and maybe go to defiance. Because there was a couple of dance places over there we go or bars, which really says a lot about my upbringing.
Katy Benson
It was it was, I mean, were there much to do in Napoleon. I mean,
Rita Feather
well, our big thing at that point was where George’s furniture is now was a place called the Metropole, which was a bar They would have bands come in and there was dancing and that’s where we kind of congregated on the weekends. I mean, kids from all over would come there.
Katy Benson
Did you have to be a certain age to go?
Rita Feather
That’s a good question. I knew we had to be a certain age to drink
Katy Benson
was it 21
Rita Feather
See? I’m trying to remember back that probably
Wayne Feather
do three to beer.
Rita Feather
Yeah, three two beer at 18. That’s right. You know, so
Katy Benson
Whats that? Three two beer
Rita Feather
low alcohol content. You couldn’t get any hard drinks like, like wine or whiskey or anything like that, which you could drink beer. Which I did a lot of back.then
Katy Benson
And what so I guess how do I want to ask this question. Was there any big historical events that you remember? Growing up, like wars like presidential elections, anything
Rita Feather
The first presidential election I remember was back. I don’t remember what year it was. But it was when Eisenhower became president. That’s the first person I remember. Yeah. And then, of course, as years went on, not only the elections, but there was then the moon. The whole issue with getting up to the moon and that kind of stuff and
Katy Benson
being in this, this area, this rural community area. What was it? Like? I mean, you’re they always talk about, oh, well, you know, kind of like, you know, the movies or historical events, like, you know, they say, the experience of the people that actually were in it, or happening at that moment. What was it like living here? When it happens? You
Rita Feather
we watched it on television. Yeah. Yeah. And it was fascinating. I mean, you can’t, you couldn’t imagine you could put somebody on the moon and they were walking on the moon that was beyond anything that we ever thought could happen. And then all this stuff stepped in since. Yeah.
Katy Benson
Yeah. Crazy
Rita Feather
And back then it was like with the wars. Well like World War Two, which is the closest one I knew of because my dad was in it. And then he got home mom and actually he didn’t mom got married before he left for overseas. He was in the seabees. And then he came home and then I was born and eventually my sister and then all the stuff that’s happened since World War Two that
Katy Benson
did he talk about the war a lot.
Rita Feather
Not a lot, but I don’t think he saw a lot of nasty action because the Seabees crew that he was with, they would build like runways, landing strips, that kind of stuff. And from what I remember him telling it was almost like it was a vacation for him.
Katy Benson
Really,
Rita Feather
that’s not the word he used but he didn’t see direct combat Sure.
Katy Benson
So is definitely different than somebody who Did
Rita Feather
Oh, definitely. Yeah.
Katy Benson
I mean, everybody has to play their role in it rather they saw action or not to make it,
Rita Feather
sureit to make it all work and all fit together. So
Katy Benson
he still served
Rita Feather
under the served his time. just happened Thank the Lord. Yeah, it wasn’t a danger zone so to speak, not that ever mentioned you were never been born that’s right in the world would have been worse off for so much better
Katy Benson
What would you have done without grandma
Rita Feather
been boring
Katy Benson
any other historical events that you can think of or remember, who was the first president that you voted for? Do you remember
Rita Feather
No, I don’t. There was thinking of Nixon, but I think I was too young. For him, maybe whoever was after Nixon. Well, I couldn’t vote to your What 21 really or was it 18 21 wasn’t it
Wayne Feather
I think so
Katy Benson
really some but isn’t now 18 I wonder why they did that?
Rita Feather
I don’t know. Maybe people whined about it
Katy Benson
and maybe they needed more voters
Rita Feather
Yeah there you go let’s lower the age bring them in. That’s good Katy
Katy Benson
Any other big events? You can think of?
Rita Feather
Not that I can think of offhand because everybody knows how things have advanced. Yeah. With the space program and the different wars and just the new phones and all these new innovations. Just can’t imagine
Katy Benson
keep going. Yeah. I mean, like is the
Rita Feather
end people have said this, a lot of this stuff showed up on Star Trek.
Katy Benson
It did. Blame Star Trek And there was another TV show too that they blame onto but I forget. Star Trek was a big one.
Rita Feather
Yeah, definitely
Katy Benson
it was
Rita Feather
when we look back on it now and what we watch them and what they did, I thought, Oh, come on and it’s happening. It’s come to reality.
Katy Benson
Captain Kirk will play Captain Kirk I know this.
Rita Feather
Robert Oh, come on Rita
Katy Benson
Dad is gonna be ashamed of me. I
Rita Feather
Robert, Robert Conrad.
Katy Benson
No. Anyway, it doesn’t really matter. But okay, so what I really want to know is, how did grandpa propose to you?
Rita Feather
He got home from Vietnam. And while he was there, I found out later he bought my engagement ring.
Katy Benson
He bought it in Vietnam.
Rita Feather
Yep,
Katy Benson
Really? Thats cool.
Rita Feather
because we went shopping before he left. He said lets go look at engagement rings, and he said now don’t get excited I am not getting you a ring now because in case something happens to me I don’t want you to have worry about that. So we went and looked at rings so he had an idea of what I liked. and when his lutient came home just a couple weeks before he did and he gave the him the ring. His lutent lived in California and so i flew out to California and met him so we went to his lutients and the first night we were together after 14 months he asked me to marry him and he whipped out the rings and I couldn’t have picked out a better set so he did a beautiful job so we got engaged in California.
Katy Benson
Wow! That is cool. How long was it before you got like, came home? Like how long we were California.
Rita Feather
Came home you get home in June of 69. And we were married in February of 70.
Katy Benson
How long were you dating before?
Rita Feather
We met in 66. November of 66 and got married in February of 70. Because part of that time to begin with, he was at Michigan State in college and then he got drafted into the service and he had to serve that time. And then so we like I said, it’s we were like pen pals for most of the years we went together because I wrote him in college and then wrote him in Vietnam.
Katy Benson
I how many years apart are you?
Rita Feather
I am five months older than he is. So he’s always said I married an older woman
Katy Benson
did not know that.
Rita Feather
The first family one of the first family reunions I ever went with to him on his mom’s side. I didn’t know till later he went around telling like aunts that I was five years older than he.Then eventually he I know I said five bullets.
Katy Benson
Do you have any nieces or nephews from your sister?
Rita Feather
No, she never had kids. We’ve got nieces and nephews on his side. But I don’t have any
Katy Benson
you guys move to Liberty right after we were married, did you do guys, this is your first house?
Rita Feather
We lived at the other end of the street runs West Maple Street. And we were there from February to July and we bought this house in July of 70. And I’ve been here ever since 50 years.
Katy Benson
That’s pretty cool. Are there anybig moments in your marriage besides having Matt that you guys did together? You guys travel anywhere?
Rita Feather
We never went a lot of places. We never took a lot of vacations. Probably the first one maybe we ever took was down to North Carolina to see one of your buddies went to Seabrook. And we once in a while would go to North Carolina we had friends from that we made here down there once in a while but we just weren’t
Katy Benson
Where at in North Carolina?
Rita Feather
Andersonville now, thank you, dear.
Katy Benson
I don’t really know much we just know where Raliegh is.
Rita Feather
is there a Asheville?
Katy Benson
Okay, I think. Okay.
Rita Feather
And we’re still in touch with them to this day. That’s awesome. Yeah. A long time. Yeah, we didn’t do a lot of traveling or vacations. We just worked.
Katy Benson
Did you have a honeymoon?
Rita Feather
Yes. We got married in Napoleon went all the way to Defiance, to the Holiday Inn and then the next day we were back in Toledo and we saw a movie and we did some shopping to kind of get some things for the house. It was a very short honeymoon because he had to be back to work on Monday. I had the week off, but
Katy Benson
they didn’t give me much time for your honeymoon.
Rita Feather
Our marriage has been one long honeymoon.
Katy Benson
Like she’s admitting it.
Rita Feather
But I’m laughing at the same time.
Katy Benson
I know I think it’s better than that don’t you grandpa?
Wayne Feather
Yeah
Rita Feather
First Matt’s graduation was a big deal and then his marriage and that’s right. And having the kids and now he’s a grandpa, which makes us feel a little old but not too much.
Katy Benson
Hannah just graduated high school.
Rita Feather
She graduated the spring
Katy Benson
which they had a unique graduation because of the Coronavirus
Rita Feather
was that much of a graduation at all but it worked and what was neat was we couldn’t ride with him in the car up there like we planned on because Hannah’s his brother so that didn’t give us enough room but they telavised it so we get to sit in the office here and watch it That’s cool. So that that was good and then Matt would text us Okay, mom was the next one’s up so it was when we knew Hannah was gonna be up
Katy Benson
It’s gotten so much bigger, like so many more kids graduating at a time than when I was in school. You know, I mean,
Rita Feather
you remember how many when you’re graduating class?
Katy Benson
Yes We had 72 or 74.
Rita Feather
Okay,
Katy Benson
we had one well had two pass away. So one was my junior year and one was my senior year. One was a good friend of mine, which is he, we were actually just like a week before we plan on getting together and hanging out and stuff. That never happened. But he was a nice guy and the other guy. I knew him but he went to four county so like we weren’t like, close friends or anything like that. I had a couple classes with them. But then we also had some that were kind ofbarely making it able to walk.Just because they were not because they weren’t like bad kids or anything they just like to toe the line a little bit but 72 I think it was I mean, Kristofer and David were in the 90’s. That was pretty good. I think I don’t remember how many Elizabeth had. But I mean, she was averaged around that to everybody in high school. I mean, I remember everybody in high school we like, to this day when you could go from say, Hi, you know, things like that.
Rita Feather
Thats neat.
Katy Benson
just kind of cool. But we played sports together or something. I mean, we weren’t best friends and hang out on the weekend. But we knew each other enough to Yeah, we were in your graduating class do you remember,
Rita Feather
I think around 120. Napoleon, it was a bigger, bigger school.
Katy Benson
I guess the Napoleon is always Yeah. Been a little bit bigger. Yeah.
Rita Feather
Tell her how many were in your graduating class at Grand Rapids.
Wayne Feather
55
Katy Benson
55.
Rita Feather
And that was the biggest class he said at that point.
Katy Benson
That’s kind of nice and neat. So you knew everybody pretty much.
Wayne Feather
Right
Katy Benson
Yeah, some of the schools now are like, thousands and they split up into two or three different schools and like what? Yeah. So did you have a best friend that stuck with you for?
Rita Feather
Yes, her name is Judy. We started being friends in junior high and have stayed friends. All these years still are
Katy Benson
She still around here.
Rita Feather
She lives in Ottawa. Her husband and her live in Ottawa. And we text a lot and talk call each other a lot. And then another gal we became friends in junior high. Sixth grade, actually, her parents, they were Canadians, and they moved down here because her dad worked for Campbell Soup. And we are still in contact. We’re still friends after all these years since Junior High sixth grade for her.
Katy Benson
So that’s neat. Were you involved in any sports?
Rita Feather
Not really. I wasn’t interested in sports. I mean, it was in GAA girls Athletic Association, but a whole bunch of girls were I really liked archery in high school is really good in archery.
Katy Benson
Ah, that’s how she won your heart to
Rita Feather
just shot right in the heart.
Katy Benson
That’s that’s what that scars from that you told me earlier, not the leech from from grandma.
Rita Feather
I was just that guy that was here today about that story.
Katy Benson
So since we are recording, and this is a separate thing, so Wayne was in the service and there’s leeches and one. He said he couldn’t feel it. And so it was sucking on him and he has a scar. And he told us, right in his chest, yeah, right by his heart. And he said that he came home and he said he was shot. And Rita believed him until later. So that’s why We’re talking about
Rita Feather
with that would have been a bullet I would have been dead.
Katy Benson
Did I get that about right, the story Yeah you did very good Memory dear. We’re so proud. Thank you. It’s not always there. I’ll never forget that one.
Rita Feather
Me either.
Katy Benson
Im sure you wont. So when you met I keep wanting to call grandpa Wayne, for purpose of recording. What would car was he driving?
Rita Feather
We have this neat Cadillac. What was this 70? 60 Cadillac, Big Blue Sucker. I loved Cadillacs. I always love Cadillacs. We met at a party in a basement. Because my girlfriend was dating. We found out later his one of his buddies. And this was Dale’s going away party, the Air Force. So he said we’ll bring some friends. Come over. And we did and we walked down in the basement and there’s Wayne holding a handful of field corn. And it just kinda took off from there. And I really loved the Cadillac because he took a bunch of us out for ride. And I had a 66 Mustang that he really liked. And then once I really liked him and stuff, then he told me the car was his dads. I was. Oh by that time I was hooked. So yeah. So that and like I said, meeting in the basement, I always figured our relationship had nowhere to go but up.
Katy Benson
In that sense, it’s true. How many years exactly has it been married? We’ve been married 50 years is this past February 2020 50 years Well, no, March, January, February, March. So march was the beginning of basically COVID wasn’t it? Technically how So did we have? Do we have a party for you guys?
Rita Feather
No.
Katy Benson
Why not?
Rita Feather
Because are son didn’t think about it.
Katy Benson
Well, everything with COVID now is getting pushed back a year. So like Henry County, it’s 200 year this year.
Rita Feather
Oh I didn’t know that.
Katy Benson
And it’s the is it, I’m gonna get it wrong, but the Henry County Historical Society is their big monument year as well. So with COVID. You know, you can’t really do anything so we are pushy all the celebrations back until next year. So that’s what we should. We should have a party for you. We’ll give we’ll give Matt a little leeway there.
Rita Feather
Okay. In speaking of monumental things, they have just recently taken the Lady Justice down to the courthouse as I drove through Saturday. afternoon and she was on this low trailer. Yeah, like with a call drop deck trailer, sitting right by the Hon center there. in Napoleon as I drove through to get groceries I I told Wayne I wished I would have stopped and taken a picture. Yeah, she didn’t look near as big as I thought she would now in the paper today
Katy Benson
was she standing up or she was she laying down
Rita Feather
upright,
Katy Benson
really
Rita Feather
now the paper today in the northwest that says she’s 13 feet tall, and I didn’t want that tall to me, but I guess you know what, she’s way up high. And I just figured she was huge and she wasn’t that big.
Katy Benson
Why did they take her down? I never
Rita Feather
she needs repairs.
Katy Benson
Okay, so then they’re gonna put it back up.
Rita Feather
They’re gonna try to be said in the paper today. They said they’d have to X ray and see what condition the metal is in her framework or whatever to see. If they can’t repair her, they’ll replace it.
Katy Benson
Okay, I wouldn’t like we were talking about that at our meeting, the Historical Socity meeting. And this is news to me. But then I also don’t follow really any new cycles at all. So I have no idea Do I also don’t live in town either? So I feel just send the paper home with you.
Rita Feather
And on the front page there are pictures
Katy Benson
Read all about it.
Rita Feather
Yeah, extra extra.
Katy Benson
Yeah. That’s really cool. I hope somebody, I’m sure somebody from the Historical Society was there.
Rita Feather
Oh, I would imagine I can’t imagine it wouldn’t have been easy. But like I said, on the back page, there’s more. It’s just an I was just fascinated driving through, I almost pulled over. And I wish that I could kick myself now for not pulling over and taking a picture of it.
Katy Benson
Well, I guess for me, I don’t even know where I got it from. I think I’m gonna blame aunt Jennifer for it. For scrapbooking and pictures, I don’t know, it’s always been one of those things. And so my friends always gives me a hard time about taking so many pictures. I’ll never have time to scrapbook them all. But yeah, I would have shot myself too if I was to take picture now.
Rita Feather
I mean, I’ll never get that close to that statute again.
Katy Benson
I mean, If it’s a monument it’s not like Lady Liberty in New York or anything
Rita Feather
But its our Lady Justice.
Katy Benson
That’s right. That’s right. That’s pretty cool. I’m just glad I got to see her. Yeah, that’s for sure. Oh, it’s really awesome. Not many people can say that they will ever have a chance.
Rita Feather
Oh, no. It was funny. There’s a thing in here it said there was a bicycling group from California,
Katy Benson
California
Rita Feather
traveling across the country stepped into point and Saturday afternoon for lunch and learned about the courthouse. Four bicyclists for California of all places. And happened to be here when she came down.
Katy Benson
Thank you. Yeah I will read that.
Rita Feather
Okay.
Katy Benson
So I am ask this because I always like to know what favorite color?
Rita Feather
Purple. I believe
Katy Benson
what?
Rita Feather
What! A shocker
Katy Benson
Yeah, we’re sitting here and everything’s purple.
Rita Feather
And I don’t have any purple on today, just a wine in my glasse right now
Katy Benson
yeah you do in your bracelet
Rita Feather
my granddaughter, that Hannah gave me Yes. granddaughter gave me that? because usually I pretty much dressed in purple.
Katy Benson
Yeah, your hair purple for a while.
Rita Feather
I did. I just didn’t take time to spray it today.
Katy Benson
So, if you don’t mind me asking. I know you’ve struggled with some health issues. What were they?
Rita Feather
I am a breast cancer survivor goes back I Wayne and I both retired in 2013. And I felt in the fall before we went back to school in the fall of 2012. I just felt God speaking to to me saying it’s time to retire because like I said, I’ve been there 27 years and It was just really firm. So I told my boss about it in December so and then I retired in May of 2013. He retired in what November and into 2014. Our health just went to pot because he was diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2014. In really odd in October of 2014, which is Breast Cancer Awareness Month is when I was diagnosed with breast cancer. So at the end of October, I had a mastectomy and then starting in December of 2014 through 2015. I went through chemotherapy and radiation. Thank the Lord, I’m a survivor and then yeah, that was not a fun time. But with a sense of humor. I got through it and I made some good friends. I’m still really close friends with another couple we met there because I found out while taking treatments when this guy was that he was in Vietnam. So I told Wayne to come with me the next time so we got to be good friends with him and his wife, Chrissy and Wayne had so much in common. And then another gal that was there. I call her my chemo buddy Linda because I have three friends named Linda. Come to find out she is really good friends with a guy I graduated with so that just cemented our friendship and the both of us going through breast cancer at the same time in the treatment. That’s pretty cool. So it was it was a great time actually, it wasn’t exactly fun. But like I said, I have a good sense of humor. So I got through it and God was right there every step of the way. And lots of good friends and family praying for us. Yes.
Katy Benson
Yes, you do Yeah, same with Grandpa over here to see my grandpa over here.
Rita Feather
Yes, exactly. He said cancer three different times. So here he is.
Katy Benson
So I’m pretty sure I asked you this but what came first the cancer or Parkinson’s?
Rita Feather
cancer
Katy Benson
cancer first which Kind of lead into the Parkinson’s Is that correct?
Rita Feather
Well, yeah I eventually because he the first cancer about was in 1990 and then diagnosed in 2014 with the Parkinson’s And then eventually he had cancer of the bowel and then of the bladder and then cancer ended up in like his jaw. But Praise the Lord.
Katy Benson
Here you are.
Rita Feather
were tough old bird last name Feather, birds
Katy Benson
Which we found out that before we started the interview, I was sharing with Wayne over here where his ancestors came, we went back six generations with him and his dad side. So the Feather side and they came from England, which you always joked that you were Native American, which did come up and I searched, but it wasn’t right.
Rita Feather
It was just to me it was just too obvious, Native American.
Katy Benson
And I always do you still sign your name with the feather?
Rita Feather
sometimes. Yeah. Instead of signing my name I’ll just tape or feather on the card and yeah, oh yeah, I just did that recently. They’re usually purple feathers. If I can find it small, it depends on what size the card is and how much room I have. Sometimes I have to go to a different color. And there are times that I’ve used a stamp that was in the shape of a feather stamp. He had purple,
Katy Benson
purple, of course
Rita Feather
and stamped it on now.
Katy Benson
So just going back a little bit. Okay, so your last name is Jennings. Did you have a relationship with like real grandparents around here or great grandparents I had. On my dad’s side. I never knew my grandparents on my mom’s side because they were just enough older. But I had great grandparents on dad’s side, both his mom’s and his dad’s parents. I knew them. my great grandparents. Did you spend a lot of time with them or not a lot. But once in a blue moon or like on a Sunday afternoon, we take a drive and end up at their house just to visit. That’s what’s on my dad’s side. On his mom’s side. Usually they had his grandparents had the family reunions because they bought a farm in the country and we go there for the family reunions. And like I said, mom’s side was just enough older I didn’t know her grandparents. I knew my grandparents, folks. And they lived in Napoleon and my grandparents on my dad’s side lived inNapoleon too so we saw them quite often. What was your mom’s occupation?
Rita Feather
Well, let’s see. Mainly being a mother. I mean, she worked it i think that i said the telephone company or the farm but I can’t remember what she did when she first got out of school. And then she and dad got married and had us my sister night. And eventually she went back to work at Chief Supermarket actually and she was working there when our son Matt was born 70 teeth in the same place. Yeah, she started out at the Chief in Napoloen and ended up at the as the head of the deli in Defiance Chief.
Katy Benson
Okay, I’ve been that one but I don’t know if that’s the original chief or not on the other side of the river
Rita Feather
Yeah, I think an old Chief but that’s where she ended up working then and then eventually retired. And she helped a lot on the farm. She was a good farm wife. So she takes you know, fixed meals for dad and grandpa and take it to them in the field at noon. And or if they were coming in the house, she always had dinner ready for him and she was a hard worker. We always had a big garden and she did a lot of canning and freezing
Katy Benson
Then that could pass on to you.
Rita Feather
Nope. At one point I did can tomatoes I remembered how to do that mom helped me through that. But then I just decided it’s just easier to go to a farmers market or something because I tried gardening for two years did not turn out well. So I just decided to use the farmers market or through the stores.
Katy Benson
And was the grocery experience different than it is now? That’s a good question. I mean, I don’t remember. It’s always been the same for me. So, but I remember like, maybe in the 40s 50s that, you know, they have their occupation called checkers, and they like, Oh, that’s true. You’re right. And they were called checkers. Just as a different experience, and you would have now,can you remember?
Rita Feather
I guess I didn’t pay a lot of attention back then. Because I was younger. It wasn’t until I actually got married in 70 that I started really really paying attention to the grocery store because I was the one that had to do the shopping and then you and I took my one grandma’s shopping often cuz she couldn’t drive the one grandma and then my other grandma like could drive we would take off and go to Toledo shopping and spend time together. I mean, I had different relationships with both my grandma’s just because of the circumstances And I’m just so thankful because there are people nowadays basically don’t know their grandparents because they live too far away. And I am so thankful I was raised with my grandparents and great grandparents.
Katy Benson
I think that is hard
Rita Feather
But I think kids that don’t know their grandparents or great grandparents, and it’s so sad, I’m just so thankful that I did.
Katy Benson
So you didn’t really go to church or anything until after you met Wayne. So from remembering his like, story, what was it like for you when he called you and he said, Hey, I want a Bible. What do you think?
Rita Feather
It was neat? Because, well, I wasn’t saved though by the time he went overseas. He was we found out later. But I just I did the best I could at that point because I wasn’t saved. And we committed until after we were married, and he got home for Vietnam and after we were married, because we got married in February, I think it was about July that we got saved because there was a an evangelist at our church and his mom went forward and his brother and sister in law went forward all that day. And we’re all saved and but back then when he asked for the Bible, I I don’t even remember where I got it. At least I made sure he had one.
Katy Benson
Do you remember?
Wayne Feather
Gilbert, the drugstore
Katy Benson
Gilbert, from the drugstore? Really? Wow
Rita Feather
I don’t think they sold Bibles at the drugstore.
Katy Benson
Maybe they did. I don’t know.
Rita Feather
But anyway, I made sure he got one, just don’t remember where.
Katy Benson
So I know since he is sitting here with us I kinda would like to ask him some questions a little bit too but so when I was doing your family history and I saw on your parents gravesite there was a, maybe a memorial to Glen and it said something like what did it say? I’d have to look it up but say something about very encouraging spiritual. That was your brother, correct?
Wayne Feather
Yes.
Katy Benson
And he died in a car accident. Correct.
Wayne Feather
Thats right, 1957.
Katy Benson
That’s right. And that was the brother that you’re talking about that went to with you to
Rita Feather
know I never knew Glen, it was before I came into the family.
Katy Benson
So was he saved? Was he the one that passed while going to get for schooling for being a pastor? Or am I not remember?
Rita Feather
Yes, you’re right.
Katy Benson
I’m right. Okay. I just couldn’t think of remember when I was reading that one I was looking it up. I’m like, Oh, I know. He told me but I can’t remember. Anything else you can think of off the top of you head. I mean,
Rita Feather
I can’t think anything.
Katy Benson
Favorite food, just random questions. I like to ask
Rita Feather
lobster tail.
Katy Benson
Really? Chocolate lots of chocolate. You really like lobster tail, do your chocolate on your lobster tail?
Rita Feather
No. No. Not that bad. No, no. I like the lemon butter dip the lobster and lots of chocolate otherwise preferably dark chocolate, but milk chocolate will work too.
Katy Benson
So if you think we travel anywhere before, like, Is there anything on your bucket list that you’d think of?
Rita Feather
England? I would love to England like I said, I’ve always been fascinated because when I was in like fifth grade my girlfriends and I would one of us would be Queen Elizabeth and one of us would be Queen Victoria. And I always wanted to be Queen Elizabeth because that was the newer one so to speak, but she she got that and we would just play like during recess. I just remembered doing that. I don’t remember exactly what we did. But like I said, since fifth grade, I’ve been fascinated by anything British. Yeah.
Katy Benson
I aske you your favorite food, favorite restaurant.
Rita Feather
Olive Garden. I love Italian food.
Katy Benson
Yep, they don’t have lobster tail.
Rita Feather
I don’t care. That’s My favorite is the Olive Garden my favorite place to go.
Katy Benson
I have always wanted to learn how to cook lobster, but it’s kind of expensive so it’s not something you can like trial and error. But I love seafood.
Rita Feather
He allergic to it so shrimp and lobster oh yes it’s nasty.
Katy Benson
So just you eat it or if like you come close to it like touches cuz some I mean there’s different
Rita Feather
Far we know right now if he eats it
Katy Benson
So really shell fish.
Rita Feather
Now, he can eat clams. No problem but lobster and shrimp. Oh, not a good thing.
Katy Benson
What happens?
Rita Feather
He gets really sick.
Katy Benson
really sick
Rita Feather
really sick. Wow. Not a nice thing to go through.
Katy Benson
Well remind me not to feed that to you. I will eat all you can get me but I love to go somewhere like on a coast somewhere and just eat all the seafood I want
Rita Feather
that would be good.
Katy Benson
But you need lots of money, because it is expensive. I will have to remember that. Maybe we should go sometime just for fun.
Rita Feather
Yes. We should.
Katy Benson
Okay. Do you like it too?
Wayne Feather
Yeah. I think the man’s Italian, steak.
Katy Benson
Oh, the man’s Italian, Steak. It took me while to get that one.
Rita Feather
Tahnk you. I was getting it either.
Katy Benson
Speaking of steak, in case you didn’t know the log cabin is serving food now.
Rita Feather
Oh, they don’t have the truck anymore. They’re actually open?
Katy Benson
Well, I think they sell the truck, serve food and then the piece of it survived the fire.
Rita Feather
Okay. have a friend that she and her brother go out there quite often on Wednesdays and have lunch and she the last one there last week she said they were still have using the truck.
Katy Benson
From what I have heard. I’d like to go but I don’t have know if they are serving steak, but I would assume they were. I don’t know for sure. I hope so. Cuz I like their steaks.
Rita Feather
I’m never seen this sort of thing. I’m not a big steak eater.
Katy Benson
Well, will not talk to her for a few minutes.
Rita Feather
You guys.
Katy Benson
will talk about steak for awhile. Have you had the Log Cabin’s steak?
Wayne Feather
Yeah
Rita Feather
I don’t think you ever did. Because we were there with Karen and Paul and somebody else. I don’t know that you ever had steak did ya? I think it was more hamburgers and stuff.
Katy Benson
They do have that. That’s pretty good. But I liked your steak. Now that I’m old enough like I still this is the deal more growing up like my parents when you know when we go out and we were you know, just to the age of just working hard and earning money. They’d still buy us, you know our food occasionally. But once we started earning money, if we wanted something, we you know, we would pay for it. And so now that I’m old enough, I’m gonna get my steak. I’m gonna pay for the steak. I don’t care.
Rita Feather
That would be the last thing I’m more for seafood because I don’t use any kind of fish or anything at home because I can’t fix it like you can get in a resturant.
Katy Benson
I tried. Well, there’s this really good. You can’t eat it, but there’s this really good recipe that I have. It’s a seafood. Well, it’s really a shrimp linguini it’s not alfrado out there or anything like that. It’s super good. I learned from my good friend rich for Rich Veereke. He should have been a chef. But I love cooking, he he likes the attention to detail like I like and he likes the science behind it. I like science. So I just go over and we cook together and he teaches me then well this one is one that and it never will go bad and it’s so good. And it’s really simple like four or five ingredients like that. You can also put substitute like chicken and egg or whatever. Okay, we’ve done chicken and shrimp was done. I like muscles.
Rita Feather
And I like my muscle fan
Katy Benson
you put it in there and get enough butter on it and garlic.
Rita Feather
See, I was with my sister one time when she ordered muscles. And there was a lot of garlic and butter involved.
Katy Benson
Well, I think these are just frozen like you could get Walmart and they come in their shells precooked, but you just cook them for like five minutes like steam them. And then you have to take them out of the shells, which is a lot of work. But I’ll eat it. It’s worth it in th end. Yeah, like seafood. I like my serf and turf. So I get my steak in. steak and shrimp. I love mushrooms. That comes after mushrooms. Put it on there. I like my surf, turf and fungus. Baby amin mushrooms or fungus.
Rita Feather
I love mushrooms to but your calling them fungus, thats funny. is true they are.
Katy Benson
Well, we will have to go out to the Olive Garden. I haven’t been in a long time. I will have to see if they had because I love pasta too. Yeah, I wonder if they have any I’m sure. See, that’s the thing with it’s just like subway. Like your a sandwich place. You should have an option for gluten free. Oh, you know what I mean? I haven’t thought about the gluten already? Yeah. So I’d have to see if they have gluten. If not, I don’t know. Yeah. You can come to if you like.
Wayne Feather
okay.
Rita Feather
I can eat pasta.
Katy Benson
I love pasta
Rita Feather
me too. Oh my gosh
Katy Benson
I don’t think I can think of anything else can you?
Rita Feather
I just remember going back again to basically childhood well even in in high school, the times I spent with my grandparents, especially my grandma’s because one was just this meek little sweet little grandma fantastic cook and I got to where I would take her shopping like said she couldn’t drive and I was just enough taller than her even though being only five two, I was enough taller, I could reach things up high enough. I just felt so good because grandma was only like four ten
Katy Benson
She was shorter than you?
Rita Feather
Yes, she was shorter than me. In my family. On my mom’s side I was the tallest really like two and a half at that point. And mom and then my aunt and then my grandma.
Katy Benson
How tall are you right now?
Rita Feather
five two, I lost a half inch over the years.
Katy Benson
Five, two and a half will give it to her.
Rita Feather
Yeah
Katy Benson
I used to be the tallest of my siblings. Okay. And then my brother shot upand I enjoy looking up to them.
Rita Feather
Men you can look up to that’s a good thing.
Katy Benson
I can I really can. And like I say to Kristofer, sometimes I need to tell him like I need my older younger brothers help.
Rita Feather
Your older younger brother. I like that. He is. That’s true he is your older younger brother. That’s funny.
Katy Benson
Alright? Well, at this point at time, I can’t think of any other questions. Do you have any other questions? We should ask her. That we forgot
Wayne Feather
Can’t think of anything.
Katy Benson
No. Okay. You’re off the hook. Okay. Interview over. And out. Thank you for taking the time to do that.
Rita Feather
It was fun. Just like when you interviewed grandpa. That was fun.
Katy Benson
Well, thank you.
“This oral history was a pleasure to do just like most are, however it is even more of a pleasure to have done Rita’s oral history because she had mentioned that she had no idea where her family was from or really any idea of her genealogy. Now her history will live on for future generations to here and read. I really enjoyed laughing and talking with both Rita and Wayne. I have had the privilege to call them Grandma and Grandpa my entire life! These relationships even if they are not blood, the ones you truly care for and love with last forever! Thank you for loving me like a true granddaughter.” -Katy Benson