z Olden Days Darn near croaked at 10 days of age

Like my two older brothers, Bob and Jim, and sister Theresa, I was born at home on the farm. Dr. Ivan K. Sayre who had his office in St. Charles delivered me on New Year’s Day, not long before midnight according to my mother. There were very few hospital babies back before the 1940s, particularly in rural areas. Generally, a neighbor lady came in to help with the birthing process — hot water, clean towels and all that stuff. Mom’s good friend Berniece Berning, who later became Mrs. Lawrence Schoulte, was there to help on that cold New Year’s night at our house. The big pot bellied stove in our dining room where I was born was probably filled with wood to the top and red hot. Everything went all right, I guess. My temporary baby bed was a dr