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| Leavitt Ladies from Left: Judy, Hannah (beautiful bride!), Phebe, Carlie, ME, Gram Nette, and Shiela |
Dear Baby Girl- I did it! I convinced your Great Grandmother to write you a letter! It didn't even require any arm-twisting; all I had to do was ask. This is truly an incredibly precious treasure for you. At 91 years old, she wrote this letter from the heart about all the strong women in your family (on the Leavitt side)... and there are many. Gram Nette is among the strongest, and she's the original role model to us all. I miss living down the street from her, and I am so happy for this special gift to you so that you can get to know this woman I've loved all my life. Ever since I moved away from Turner, Gram has written regular letters to me, and I've saved every one. They range from casual humor on random greeting cards (Gram always has a stash), to more serious concerns on blue lined paper... always looking out for me from almost 1,000 miles away. Knowing that these letters are something that I will keep and cherish all my life, I am thrilled that you now have one for yourself.
Fortunately shortly after this letter was written, my cousin (and yours), Hannah, had a wedding celebration. Perfect photo opportunity for the Leavitt ladies. Unfortunately, there are a few missing in action... Ariella and her daughter Avery could not make the wedding, and your Great Great Grandmother Hazel is no longer around. HOWEVER, in terms of a picture, that is nothing a little photo shop can't fix. Read on, and enjoy.
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| Your Great Great Grandmother Hazel Leavitt |
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| Two more Leavitt Ladies from Left: Avery and Ariella |
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| ALL the Leavitt Ladies... SO FAR... August 20, 2016 |
Back in 1925 when I was born, a girl was not valued very highly. She was expected to marry young, serve her husband, have a big family, and keep her family clean, fed and clothed. Luckily my parents, Rufus and Elsie Prince, insisted that my 5 brothers and I were to be respected and treated equally. This allowed me to be an independent thinker and doer. From early childhood I wanted to be a teacher, and after graduation from Leavitt Institute, I earned a three year teaching certificate. In 1945, I went to teach in Falmouth, Maine and then, after my marriage, I taught in Turner.
Parenting 4 children while performing a multitude of jobs as a partner in the running of Leavitt Orchards made for very busy years. I loved both jobs dearly. When my marriage failed, I was prompted to go back to college, studying nights and summers to earn my BS degree and return to teaching. I taught 3rd / 4thgrades for the next 20 years and found this job very satisfying. I was a good teacher and knew I was performing a valuable service, while being allowed by my principal, to try many innovative ideas.
At 60 I retired and discovered traveling. I found that as a hiker I could afford to see many places in the world. I met wonderful people as I walked miles in Europe, the contiguous United States, New Zealand, Jamaica, Alaska, Hawaii and Iceland. My interests widened to include family, gardening, music (all genres), the arts, and reading. These continue to sustain and entertain me at age 91.
I love to think back to your mother Taylor's birth and youth. It seemed that she was not happy to be a baby because she could not wait to start on her adventures. She was a great thinker and was bombarded with ideas.Your mom's drive to learn through projects, reading and study was unstoppable. My space, sewing machine and transportation were often needed, and we made WONDERFUL MEMORIES.
My own daughters Sheila and Judy had been driven to get an education and pursue their own professions. Sheila spent over a year in Europe before deciding she wanted to go to Bowdoin College in Brunswick, Maine to study pre-med. She graduated as a member of the first group of women to be accepted to Bowdoin in that program. She met her future husband there and they both headed to Rochester Medical School to earn their medical degrees. She practiced in Rochester and Boston for 5 years before starting her family. She used her education to guide her 4 children - home schooling, facilitating group lessons with acquaintances who had specific expertise, and organizing, scripting and directing a children's musical theater troupe. Her children all were encouraged and supported in pursuing their musical talents.
Sheila continues to be very active. She is an activist and doesn't hesitate to speak loud and clear if she perceives a wrong in our society. She is a voracious reader, a talented artist, a true animal lover and devoted wife, daughter, friend!
She and Andy adopted a beautiful, loving, talented daughter from Columbia, South America. Ariella Lichtman Logan has studied and become a cosmetologist and also continued her eduction to become a dental assistant. She worked in a dentist's office for several years. Recently she decided that her most important job is to be a full time mom to two beautiful children. Ari with her husband is guiding her daughter Avery O'Dell, 7, and an adorable infant son to be happy and positive as adults. Avery is a smart first grader who loves to read and is teaching her baby brother all of her tricks!
Judith is our peacemaker. Hardly a day goes by that she doesn't remind us that, “It's not what you say, but how you say it”, that there might be a less abrasive way of making a point. She made her mark by getting her degree in education and becoming an outstanding teacher. She refused to allow her students to fail. They were not “let off the hook” until they had mastered the task. When she had three small children at home, she contributed to her family's finances by setting up a daycare for her friends. The group learned through play to respect and care for each other. As her last child entered kindergarten, Judy went back to public education working first with young special needs children and then finding herself back with middle school kids teaching English, reading and social studies. Asking students to think for themselves about the world beyond their own hometown and to look for ways to solve problems were her everyday goal. She was a true leader at the middle school in Turner where she taught, and many other teachers looked to her for ideas and inspiration. These same goals applied to her three children. Now that they are all married adults, Judy devotes many days to her 2 young grandsons. She has numerous friends and many interests that she fills her time with. How she juggles managing a house, kayaking, reading, yoga, walking, attending student events, babysitting, and gardening seems a miracle to me.
Hannah Reed Waltz (w/ Leavitt blood) has a graduate degree in school counseling and worked first with middle school teenagers in Monmouth, Maine. She was frustrated by her perceived lack of ability to change students' lives. She was depressed by her “failure'. Feeling that there was a better option for her, she and her boyfriend went searching. They moved to North Carolina. She was excited to land a job with a research team at University of North Carolina studying the possibility for changing the lives of people with schizophrenia through early intervention. Her talents with people have been recognized and she is continuing to advance in her field. She plans to broaden her study to include a specialty in autism. She married Brandon, bought a house, adopted two cats and a lucky dog. She knows where she wants to be and is on her way to achieving some major goals.
Phebe Reed Jacobson (w/ Leavitt blood) took a few years after high school to find her career. She started at Mass College of Pharmacy, returned to University of Southern Maine and finally decided to step back from studying. She worked to support herself and trained on weekends to become a dental assistant. At her first dental office she became friends with and finally married Dr Dave. She worked with his office for a bit and finally was ready to study for her career as a nurse; she wanted to feel she was doing good and making a difference in the world. After graduation she was snatched up by Maine Medical Center. While doing her practicum work with acutely ill patients at Maine Med, her “grace under pressure” was appreciated. She is happy to be challenged. She continues to work at the dental office, to help guide Dave's 2 teenage sons, and to add her touch to major house renovations. She is busy enough to keep out of trouble although she does have a sweet mischievous streak!
The two Leavitt woman closest to your age are Avery O'Dell (see above) and Carlie Grace Leavitt. We can't overlook this spitfire. She is 12 years old and full of energy. She is a good cook, sews with her Nana, excels in sports, loves to sing and act in dramas and is a very good student. She loves kids so I bet you two will be good cousin friends. She makes her great grandmother proud.
Now there is to be another baby girl Cicala (w/ Leavitt blood)! You will be born with the desire, energy and capacity for a lifetime of work toward the improvement of human existence. I am so proud of the Leavitt girls who have come before you. They have high goals and are rewarded with great success. You too will be loved as you carry on tirelessly in whatever you choose to do.
The true matriarch of the Leavitt family was Gram Hazel Talbot Leavitt (b. 1897 - d. 1974). She was mother -in-law to Great Gram Nette. Gram Hazel was much adored by all of her grandchildren and their friends. She would drop everything to spend quality time with each of her 5 grands. Her house was a warm blanket that wrapped you up and kept you safe. Her grandchildren were encouraged to explore stamp/coin collecting, cooking, games, music, the attic (oh what an adventure) with enthusiasm. She didn't judge; she just loved.
Gram was bright, energetic, strong, and kind. She loved helping people less fortunate than she was and worked tirelessly caring for the sick. She loved her community and family.
Gram was a wonderful model for all Leavitt women to follow.
With love,
Great Gram Nette
91 years 2016
(Annette Prince Leavitt)
Another note... special thank you to Judy and Sheila for editing, and for Judy to organizing the photo at the wedding, and helping me track down photos of the remaining women. And of course, serving as Gram's technological liaison.
I also want to say that I missed Gram's 90th birthday in Maine only because I told her that I will go to the one that is triple digits. So will you.
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