Thanksgiving in San Diego ~ 1952

This is part of a series of posts dedicated to the immigration story of Debs Webster and his family.


This is the last photo in my Grandpa Debs Webster’s 1952 photo album, which holds the photos documenting their immigration from Brazil to the United States.  I suppose you could call this photo album a "photo travelogue" of their immigration story.  Ya, it’s pretty cool that Grandpa put this together!

Thankfully, my Grandpa Debs wrote something around the edges of this photo to tell us a bit about it.  At the top he wrote, "Thanksgiving 1952."  And at the bottom he wrote, "San Diego  Casa do Jay" which means Jay’s House in Portuguese.  Jay was related to Grandma Willis by marriage.  He was an in-law to one of Willis' sisters.

Grandpa Debs and his family arrived in the United States on July 7, 1952.  So, this would be their very first Thanksgiving in America.

I can't say for sure if this was my Grandpa Debs' first Thanksgiving in America though, as he was the son of my "Traveling Dentist" Great-Grandpa Frederick Webster.  For all I know, Frederick and his family happened to be in America during Thanksgiving at some time.

Thanksgiving in San Diego, California - 1952

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I don't know the names of everyone in this photo, so I’ll just tell you who the people are that I do know.  Grandpa Debs is standing.  In front of him is my uncle.  Then, left to right is Grandma Willis, Helena Rohwedder Quillen, my uncle, and my mom shielding her eyes from the sun.

I’m sure my Grandpa and his family had a lot to be thankful for on that Thanksgiving Day in 1952, as our family does 60 years later in 2012.

Little Pilgrim

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And now I’d like to wish all of you, my wonderful readers, a very Happy Thanksgiving filled with fun, family, and delicious food!

Thanks for reading!

Jana


Copyright © Jana Last 2012

Wedding Wednesday–Debs Warren Webster Finds Happiness Again

At the age of 28, my maternal grandfather, Debs Warren Webster, became a widower with a small child (my mom) to care for.  In a previous post I recounted the tragic death of his first wife Sarah Vasques Madeira.

Happily, Debs found love again.  He met a wonderful woman named Willis Quillin.  They were married on March 16, 1944 in Dobrada, Sao Paulo, Brazil.  In my mom's photo album, Willis is referred to as her “second mother."  I remember her as a loving grandmother.

Willis Quillin was born on July 22, 1921 in Dobrada, Sao Paulo, Brazil.  She was the daughter of Max Quillin and Helena Rubinger Rohwedder.  Willis passed away on March 31, 1991 in St. Helena, Napa, California.

Willis Quillin

Willis Quillin and Debs Webster - November 25, 1943

Debs and Willis were the parents of one son.  They then adopted a young boy while still living in Brazil.

The family continued living in Brazil until 1952, when they immigrated to the United States.

In previous posts I have begun to share the story of how this branch of the Webster family came full circle from the U.S.A. to Brazil and then back again to the U.S.A.  The next installment of this story will find Debs and his family on The S.S. Brazil heading to America.  I have many vintage postcards from Debs' scrapbook that were purchased along the way, which I'm excited to share with you.


Thanks for reading!


Copyright © Jana Last 2012