Note: (written January 2000) My
full name is Beverly Jean Laude. I wasn't
named after anyone, I guess my parents just liked
the name. When I was in
grade school the kids called me "Bean Pole", but that changed
to "Loud Mouth" starting in 8th grade when Pillsbury brought
out their new Kool-aid drink called "Loud
Mouth Lime". I was a cheerleader and I loved to talk
so the name stuck. As an adult everyone calls me "Bev", but my best friend Rita calls me
"Bevie".
I was born in Ludington at Memorial Hospital on December 10,
1950 at 2:10pm.
I know very little about my grandparents. My Grandma
Marrison's father was a minister. Both sets of grandparents
were poor farmers. Grandpa Laude often told me that I reminded
him of my father's mother. He would always hug me when he told
me, so I think he loved her very much.
The oldest person I can remember was my Grandpa Marrison. I
remember when I would see him, he would put me on his lap and
give me his hanky to shine his bald head.
When I was a child I hated it when I had to take the milk jug
down to my Dad in the barn. It was only if he forgot it and
the cows that had already been milked would be in the barnyard
and they would always come up to me with their snotty noses.
They were so big and I was scared. One time the cows chased me
across the barnyard and I ran right into a barbed-wire fence.
I still have a scar on my upper lip where I hit the fence.
I don't remember having any special nursery rhymes, but Peter
Pan was my favorite book as I grew up. I thought it was real
and I was sure that someday I would be able to fly.
My pets were Blacky, a dashound, and Tina, a terrier.
Even though we weren't rich, we always had enough food because
we lived on a farm until I was 13 years old; but, we rarely had
things like potato chips or snacks, and candy was only on
holidays. We ate a lot of wild game and I
hated it. Maybe that was one reason I was skinny then.
My favorite toys were anything I could make into something:
blocks, crayons and colored paper. I also loved my hula hoop
and my baton.
My favorite childhood games were jump rope, hop scotch and
swinging. I really liked to swing on the big rope we had in
the hay mow. I also liked moving straw bales and building
forts. I also loved climbing trees. My sister and I had a
tree fort in the apple orchard and I liked playing there.
I rode the school bus to get to school. My school was small,
my class being the largest they had to Mason County Eastern.
There were 32 kids in my grade. We went on field trips like to
Greenfield Village. Kids were mean then, too. They used to
make fun of my clothes because I always wore my sister's
hand-me-downs.
Art was always my favorite subject, I guess because I was good
at it and it allowed me to express my feelings, which was not
encouraged at any other time. I also loved band, which I
started in 4th grade. I played the clarinet.
School was all pretty easy for it. It was a good thing because
I hated to study. I always liked classes where we could
participate. It wasn't much fun sitting still for me. Math
was probably my least favorite subject because there was always
homework - but I could do it on the bus so that it didn't cut
into my playtime.
I was a cheerleader for basketball. Our school was too small
to have a football team. I also worked on the yearbook when I
was in high school and I was in band. I received many medals
for band. We went to several solo and group competitions every
year.
My friends and I hung out at Johnny's after school. It was a
skating rink (roller rink) on Friday night and a dance hall on
Saturday night. I loved to skate and to dance. Sometimes we
would go to the drug store for a Cherry Phoshate. They had a
soda fountain.
I completed 12 years of education, receiving mostly A's and a
few B's. I didn't like the classes in school, I thought they
were pretty boring. Teachers didn't seem to care if you were
ahead of the rest of the class or behind them. They wanted
everyone to be at the same level. They were more concerned
with behavior instead of education. I loved being with my friends in school, but I was never a
conformer and that was difficult. I think that school took
away our individuality and it did a lot to rob us of
our self-esteem and creativity.
Until I was in 6th grade we could wear pants, so even if I had
a dress on I usually wore shorts underneath. I loved the
jungle gym. When I was in 6th grade girls had to wear dresses.
We wore knee socks. No jeans were allowed.
I was 15 1/2 when I had my first date (May 1966). Don Smith
took me to the Youth For Christ Banquet. I remember he bought
me a corsage and I wore a pink dress. We went to his house
afterwards and played pool. I was supposed to be home by 11:00
and I was afraid to tell him. It was after midnight when I got
home and I was in trouble with my parents. I was so scared and
nervous that I broke out in hives and people thought that I was
sick.
I met Don in church - his sister, Jan, was my friend. He was
so shy that he actually asked me on our first date in the
church parking lot in the rain. We dated each other 17 months
before we got married. My wedding proposal was different
because I was pregnant at the time. We actually picked out an
engagement ring with his mother and that night in the car he
asked me to marry him.
We were married in Ludington Free Methodist Church on October
28, 1967. All of my aunts and uncles and Grandma Marrison were
there. My dad walked me down the aisle. My dad was about 15
minutes late getting home that day and I wouldn't go to the
church without him.
For our honeymoon we spent one night in the Chipawau Hotel in
Manistee. Then Don had to go back to college (Ferris State
University). I lived with my parents for the first year of our
marriage.
The thing I admired the most about Don was that he paid
attention to me and I felt special for the first time in my
life. We were married for 20 years before we got divorced in
1986. My marital advice to my descendants is to never give up
their dreams. Just because you have chosen a person to spend
your life with doesn't mean you are no longer able to be or do
whatever your heart desires. Your true soulmate would never
discourage your dreams. They would be by your side enjoying
your successes and helping you through your failures, as you
would be there for them.
The way I found out that I was going to be a parent for the
first time was that I was in the Harvest Festival Parade and I
got sick on the rides. Don's mother told me I was pregnant and
made a doctor's appointment for me.
I had four children altogether: Michelle Lynn (6/5/68),
Michael Paul (11/17/70), Melanie Marie (1/29/75), and Melissa
Joanne (7/13/77). My children all amazed me. Shelly
(Michelle) could talk and had quite a vocabulary at 10 months.
Mike whistled at 10 months. Melanie learned to walk on her
knees to get around until her stomach muscles got stronger.
Missy walked a week before she was 9 months old. They were all
so smart and quick to catch onto anything. I tried to teach
them. It was sometimes overwhelming to try and keep them
stimulated.
The funniest thing I can remember about my kids was when we
were visiting Grandma Marrison in the nursing home. Mike
spotted a black man at the end of the hall and he ran screaming
at the top of his lungs, "Look at the Chocolate Man!" He was
about 3 and he had never realized people's skin was different
colors before. The old gentleman scooped him up on his lap and
hugged him.
When I was a child I wanted to be an artist. When I grew up,
though, I had a variety of jobs. I was a Day Care Provider, a
Merchandiser for Mr. B's Warehouse, a Loan Processor, a Loan
Underwriter, and a Loan Quality Control Supervisor. Eight
hours a day was normal for me, but I've also worked lots of
overtime on and off. I was employee of the month at First of
America bank.
Politically, I've always voted for the person whose ideas were
closest to mine. I'm a little bit conservative and a little
bit liberal. I don't believe in giving away too much to people
or other countries; but, I do believe that people or nations
that are able should freely help anyone in need. I think it's
important to stop short of making those you help dependant on
your help, but allowing them to maintain their ability to help
themselves.
I'm 5'8" tall. As a child I had blonde hair but as an adult it
became brown. I have hazel eyes.
I've lived many different places. Big Rapids from Sep 1968 -
May 1969. Ludington from May 1969 - Jan 1970. Kalamazoo from
Jan 1970 - July 1996. Billericay, England from July 1996 - Mar
1998. Kalamazoo from March 1998 - March 2000. Palm Springs,
California from March 2000 - present.
I've got good general health, but I have had ovarian cancer
(not hereditary) and rheumatoid arthritis.
I grew up in the Baptist church and changed to Free Methodist
after I got married. I no longer attend regularly. I believe
in God and I know that he is the creator and only through
belief in his Son can you go to heaven.
My hobbies and knitting, crocheting, cross stitching and
collecting antiques.
When I was younger, I was a girl scout and in GMG (Girl's
Missionary Guild). I sang in the church choir as a child and
as an adult. I was in the marching band. I was also involved
in the PTA.
The longest trip I've ever gone on was when I lived in England
for 20 months. I was able to travel throughout the country and
visit not only their castles and other historical sites; but, I
got a chance to go to Oldcotes and see where my ancestors came
from and walk where they walked. It was an emotional
experience.
My favorite vacation was probably when we went to Madeira off
the coast of Africa. It was like stepping back in time and
being in an unspoiled paradise.
Something I've always wanted to do is to write a book. I have
started many times and never completed any of them.
My favorite season is spring. I love to see the new beginning
as everything wakes up from its winter nap.
My favorite holiday is Christmas, not only for the decorations
and celebrations but for the time I can spend with my family.
My favorite color is red, not only for all the shades that are
available, but I actually feel better when I wear red. It
lifts my spirits.
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