The following article appeared in the Winfield Courier on February 1, 2007. I found it to be very interesting, since it involves a family that lived in Elk County at one time.
Written by Susan Brinker
Stillwater News Press
STILLWATER, Okla.--When Shawn Irons went antique shopping last summer in Bartlesville, Okla, little did she know that her purchase of two bags of old letters would lead her to do an extensive search for the owners (if they are still alive) or their family members.
When Irons returned from Bartlesville and started going through the letters, she realized she had a collection of almost 150 letters that contained the history and love of two people and what they endured during World War II.
All of the letters are written to Alice Catherine VanGundy, who was stationed as a nurse in San Diego, Calif., during the war. Most of them came from the "love of her life," Robert Earl Kinyon, and the rest are from various family member and friends.
The appearance of the letters today shows the love and importance that were bestowed upon them. The earliest ones are from friends and family and date back to 1942. Those from Kinyon date from June 1946 until January 1947. Most of them are in their original, handwritten envelopes with postage stamps that range from three to eight cents. Most are in impeccable condition, though some do show some wear and have corners torn off.
As Irons sat in her own home and read through the letters, she realized she was reading someone's innermost thoughts and the suffering and good times they were going through during the war. She knew she had to try and find the owners of the letters or their families.
"These letters will be precious and valuable whether they end up with a family member or in a museum where the public can enjoy them and be taken back to the hard times of the war," said Irons. "With the war going on in Iraq today, many people will be able to relate to the letters and the feelings that were invoked by those involved with World War II."
Irons began her search for the owner of the letters after the begining of the new year. She started by writing a short article for Reminisce Magazine in hopes that someone would see the names and contact her.
The owners have not come forward, but she has received more than 40 e-mails from people that had an interest in that time period and would like the letters or knew a museum that would like to display the letters to preserve history.
Irons said that many of the people who wrote the e-mails had read her short article and had memories of their own duty in the war.
She has also done extensive research on the Internet.
As much as Irons has enjoyed reading the letters and learning events of those years and the war--details that could never be taught from a textbook--she is ready to pass the letters on to the proper owner, whether that be a family member of museum.
Unfortunately, unless she finds a family member, many pieces of the puzzle will remain unsolved. She learned from the letters that Kinyon had offered VanGundy a wedding ring. Did they ever marry? Have children? Are they still alive?
What Irons has learned from her research is that VanGundy came from Winfield and went on to San Diego and then Guam. According to a 1930 census that Irons found, VanGundy was born around 1924 to Raleigh P. and Elizabeth VanGundy in Wildcat Township in Elk County.
Kinyon came from a large family out of Madison, Wis. He got out of the military around the end of 1946.
Anyone who has information on VanGundy or Kinyon or knows a direction that Irons could take with the letters is asked to contact Irons.
She would prefer you e-mail her at ironsline@suddenlink.net or send a letter to: Shawn Irons, 3004 Saddle Rock, Stillwater, OK 74074
(End of article)
So how about it, readers? Does anyone out there have any information that would help Shawn Irons?
An Alice VanGundy graduated from Moline High School in the class of 1941. Lawrence and Eva Malone were classmates, and might know more about her and her family. I've emailed Shawn with this info.
Thank you so much, Dan. I thought perhaps you'd be able to contribute some info, since you lived in that township.
I am Shawn Irons and would love to have any information on Alice VanGundy. We do not have a married last name only her madien name. Her married name would help us to research her past 1947. By the way does Moline, KS have a newspaper. People can contact us at Ironsline@Suddenlink.net
Shawn :police:
Quote from: ddurbin on February 01, 2007, 06:13:10 PM
An Alice VanGundy graduated from Moline High School in the class of 1941. Lawrence and Eva Malone were classmates, and might know more about her and her family. I've emailed Shawn with this info.
Thanks for the assistance. My wife was really happy to see article in the Winfield paper today. Hope we can find more information about her.
John Irons :police:
Since she graduated from Moline High School, there may be a possibility that she had contacts with her classmates. Would the Moline Alumni have any info?
Quote from: Lois Morgan on February 01, 2007, 06:55:39 PM
Since she graduated from Moline High School, there may be a possibility that she had contacts with her classmates. Would the Moline Alumni have any info?
We are going to try and get in touch with the director of the high school alumni association.
Thanks
Shawn :police:
I passed along Deanna Cannon's name and email address to Shawn and John, so that avenue is covered for them.
The Moline Newspaper was the Moline Advance. If you contact the Kansas State Historical Society all of those newspapers are on microfilm. You can look them up on their site or have your local library contact them. Your local library can order the microfilms for you. You can keep them about two weeks and the only cost $2-3. (Sorry I don't have that web address handy). The library at Iola, KS would have it as it is the geneology center for your part of Kansas.
During the WWII years they reprinted a lot of letters from nurses and soldiers from the area in the paper. I found a letter from my Dad in the paper from when he was stationed in England. I know I have seen the name VanGrundy as I have gone through those papers. The Moline Advance had quite an extensive social page of the comings and goings of the local people and also the young people that were serving in the military.
I would think that David Brace would know how to found out if that woman has any contact with the Alumni Association.
Alice VanGundy and married name found.
With the great help of some of the people in Winfield and Moline, KS we have found Alice Vangundy's married name and location. We will try to contact her today. At this point because Alice is still alive we are going to keep anything else about her private. She may not even know that the letters were in an antique shop at one time. I think keeping her life private is the right thing to do at this point. Know that I will follow-up on Robert Kinyon and keep you informed on him and if she allows what happen between them. Again thanks to all of the help everyone has provided. See you soon.
Shawn :police:
P.S.
Has anyone every had their love life spread all over the home newspaper. Is this Murphy's Law or what. ;D
This is wonderful. I hope that Alice will appreciate the letters. However; it could be that she left them to be sold or sold them at a sale because she did not marry Kinyon and had moved on with her life. Maybe she didn't want to share them with her new husband. Who knows?
Winfield Daily Courier
Tuesday, February 6, 2007
Love Letters update
(Editors note: The following information came from Shawn Irons, who found a sheaf of love letters in an antique store and wants to reunite them with their owners.)
I just wanted to thank you for printing my story about the lost World War II love letters on Thursday, Feb. 1, 2007, written by Susan Brinker in Stillwater, Okla.
I received a reply from one of your wonderful readers. Her mother has a friends who knows Alice Van Gundy. Alice is 83 years old and lives in Lehigh Acres, Fla. She is a retired Navy nurse who travels a lot. I was also sent through e-mail a picture of her and her friend in their Navy uniforms, and a newspaper article about her.
I have tried several times to call Alice over the weekend, and I finally left her a message that I have her letters (which may shock her) with my name and phone number.
I just have so many questions I want to ask her, and I am so anxious to talk with her!
I wanted to thank you for your smart insight in printing this article, as I feel it is very newsworthy, and I am surprised more newspapers or new stations have not picked up on this story. So many people have been intrigued and filled with joy and wonder at this wonderful, feel-good story.
Alice just does not know how much joy people have gotten in hearing about these letters.
If you are interested in any more information or the e-mail with her pictures or any updates on her, please contact Shawn Irons at ironsline@suddenlink.net
***ALICE VAN GUNDY FOUND***
I just wanted to let everyone know that I have spoken to Alice and she is alive and well at 83. She lives in the southeast part of the county and keeps very busy. Her married name is Alice Parrish. I would have never guessed that when I started looking for family members of Alice that I would be talking directly to her.
Now the big questions and answer that everyone has been waiting for....
Did Alice every marry Robert.. NO they just dated.
How did she meet the love of her life. He was injured and in the hospital in San Degio, Calif.
To show how small this world is I live in Stillwater, Ok and she was in Stillwater last spring. She went to eat at Eskimo Joe's.
She did not know how the letters ended up in an antique shop in Bartlesville, Ok. When we ask she did say she would love to have the letter back.
So there will be some more articles from papers and TV stations that have picked up the orginial article and hopefully one day we will be able to meet Alice. We feel that we have come to know her very well.
I again want to thank all of the people that have assited in this great love story and hope that in some way a past happy memory will come back for everyone who reads this article.
Love in Christ
Shawn :police:
Thank you for posting that, Shawn. Please keep us informed, as this story unfolds.
I think that should be a Larry Hatteberg story. I'm going to pass this information on to Larry Hatteberg at KAKE.
That sounds like a fantastic idea!!!!! If Larry Hatteberg does do a story on that, is there any way of making it available to those that do not have access to the Wichita TV stations?
Keep watch for the Tulsa World tomorrow Friday Feb 9th for a story on Alice VanGundy Parrish.
Also might be on KOTV 6 out of Tulsa on Feb 14th for a Valentine Day story on the 5-6 pm news story.
Shawn :police:
Take a look at the folllowing news article from the Tulsa World
http://www.tulsaworld.com/NewsStory.asp?ID=070209_Ne_A1_Longl39148
Shawn :police:
I have not been able to figure out how to contact Larry Hatteberg from the KAKE website. There has to be a way and I just haven't located it yet.
larry.hatteberg@kake.com
Thank you, Marcia.
I have e-mailed Larry Hatteberg from KAKE TV Channel 10 about the World War II love letters and the story behind them. I hope, Ironsline, that he will get in touch with you. I think this is fantastic, especially the part about Alice getting a letter from Bob just recently that was posted many many moons ago.
Quote from: Janet Harrington on February 10, 2007, 05:12:01 PM
I have e-mailed Larry Hatteberg from KAKE TV Channel 10 about the World War II love letters and the story behind them. I hope, Ironsline, that he will get in touch with you. I think this is fantastic, especially the part about Alice getting a letter from Bob just recently that was posted many many moons ago.
Thanks,
I hope to hear from them. We got a call from the Capital Times newspaper in Madision, WI so they are running the story tomorrow. Looks like Winfield and Moline will get national attention.
Shawn :police:
Winfield Courier
Friday, February 9, 2007
Most of Love letters' mysteries are solved
(Editor's note: The following informatin came from Shawn Irons, who found a sheaf of love letters in a antique store and wanted to reunite them with their owners. According to Irons, she received a call from readers telling her that Alice VanGundy, to whom the letter were written, is still alive and in contact with local people. VanGundy, originally from Moline, now lives in Florida. A friend gave Irons Van Gundy's phone number. The story continues.........)
"Alice had just gotten back from a cruise to the Antarctic. I asked if she was the Alice Van Gundy from Moline. She said yes. I told her I had about 150 letters that I had gotten from a antique shop. I told her some names from the letters such as Robert Kinyon, her past love, Uncle Ralph and Aunt Retta, and Dorothy from Sabetha. She remembered these names.
"She seemed shocked that I had all of these letters and I had so many. She said just this past November, she got one of the letters from Robert Kinyon with a five cent stamp on it. She told me, "I bet you have never seen a five cent stamp before," and she laughed. She said the mail man from Moline had sent her the letter from Robert, and she didn't know where the letter had come from. She did not know if Robert is still living.
"I asked her if she knew how the letters got into an antique shop and she said, "I have absolutely no idea."
"Now 83 years old, she was a Navy nurse for 22 years. She and Robert were never engaged--she said that very firmly--but they were dating at the time. They both married someone else.
"She answered only the questions I asked her and didn't volunteer anything about her past life or her life now. I asked her if she wanted the letters sent to her, and she said yes. I then asked her if she wanted the around 100 letters from Robert, and she said excitedly, "Oh, yes, I do want them."
"I told her I had never untied the red ribbon that was tied by her and put around the letters from Robert. I said that the letters had really smelled like her perfume when I first got them, but they don't smell like that now as I had read her letters.
"I did tell her I was sorry about reading them, but when most things get put into an antique shop, a person has passed away, but I was so glad she is alive. She laughed very hard.
I told her that my mom, who is almost 69 years old, had seen her picture and thought she was very pretty and she could see why she was offered a ring from Robert. She laughed when she heard that comment.
"She told me when I mailed her the letters, that she wanted my name, address and telephone number. She also wanted the article that was written about her. I told her she has brought so much joy to so many people from these wonderful letters! She laughed very pleasantly!
"I hope this helps all of the wonderful readers to answer the questions that we so wanted to know about this very interesting lady from Moline named Alice (Parrish) Van Gundy. My heart has so been touched by her, and one person can make a difference in this big world, as Alice has made a difference in mine with living her wonderful life and hearing about her adventurous life in World War II.
Note--There were a couple of pictures of Alice with this story, but one of them does not copy well. According to the article, Lorraine Morton of Winfield and her mother, Helen Lowrey, helped connect Irons with McClelland and VanGundy.
The picture below is of Alice Parrish VanGundy (left) and her friend, June Land McClelland, stand in their Navy uniforms on the beach in San Diego, Calif., in 1945 during Wourld War II. Van Gundy and McClelland, are still in contact. (Special to the Courier)
Will coincidences never cease? Lorraine Morton is my first cousin who has shared so much family information with me and went to the trouble of taking a picture of our great grandfather's gravestone because I said I would like to see it. Her mother, Helen, is the dearest person and the only aunt I have still living. She is actually an aunt in law, but still very dear. She has just had to move into a care facility, which makes me sad. When she is gone I will be a member of the oldest generation.
Wilma, I have met Lorraine a few times, when she and Herb used to be in the photography (StereoPortraits) business. Small world isn't it?
With all the cousins that I have, everyone has probably met one of them.
This is starting to sound like that "six degrees" game - where everyone is connected to someone else within 6 connections.
It is a small world! ;) How lovely!
I believe that is called G E N E L O G Y where everyone is connected in some way.
Shawn :police:
Here is what Larry Hatteberg responded when I e-mailed him...
Janet,
I appreciate hearing about this story.
It would be great if the woman is coming to pick up the letters.
If that happens, I'd like to do that story.
Cheers,
Larry Hatteberg
Now, Mother is going to be posting something shortly and I have already e-mailed Larry Hatteberg with this info plus the information from the Winfield Courier dated February 9, 2007.
Cool, huh? Ties back to Larry Hatteberg.
I heard back from Lorraine with some interesting information I want to share. But I feel I need her permission before putting it on the forum. As soon as she gives her permission, we will get it on.
Here is the e-mail that Mother's cousin, Lorraine, sent to Mother about Alice VanGundy. I took the e-mail addresses out of the e-mail. Lorraine Morton is talking about her mother, Helen Lowrey, who is Wilma's aunt by marriage. The clipping in the Winfield Courier was in 1944.
From: "Lorraine Morton"
To: "Wilma Weyrauch"
Sent: Monday, February 12, 2007 6:30 PM
Subject: Re: Elk County Forum
Mom had the clipping of Alice graduating from nurses training and a
picture of June Land and Alice in their Navy uniforms in a picture album.
June Land McClelland grew up across the road from Mom.
TheWinfield Daily Courier, Monday, October 2, 1944.
"The announcement was made this morning by Miss Dorothy Bixler,
superintendent of Newton Memorial Hospital, that the one hundredth
graduate of the school of nursing, Miss Alice Van Gundy of Moline
completed her training today, October 2. Miss Mary Early, now Mrs. Merle
Hatteberg of this city, was the first graduate. She completed her
training on October 15, 1931. Miss Van Gundy is a cadet nurse. Following
a brief vacation she plans to work at the hospital until her appointment
for a postgraduate course in obstetrics, early in the year. She plans to
take her post graduate training at the Margaret Hague Maternity hospital
in Jersey City NJ."
The first graduate was Larry Hatteberg's mother.
(Mother's e-mail to her cousin, Lorraine, who lives in Winfield.)
Wilma Weyrauch wrote:
Imagine my surprise to find your name in a posting on our Elk County
Forum. Seems you and your mother helped find an Alice Van Gundy, whose
love letters from World War 2 had been found by a member of our forum.
If you are interested just look for Elk County Forum and click on World
War 2 Love Letters. We have had quite a time with it.
QuoteThe first graduate was Larry Hatteberg's mother.
Janet - does Larry Hatteberg have that information? I think that would be a great tie-in for him.
Janet said she was going to send it to him. Janet, however, is too busy today to do any e-mailing until later tonight, so I hope she did it last night.
I did send that to him. I don't think it will matter because Alice lives in Florida. I don't think that Larry can travel out of state to do Hatteberg's People. Anyway, I sent all the info to him and when I get home tonight, I will see if he answered me. What I liked about Larry Hatteberg is that he did respond to me.
*** ROBERT E. KINYON FOUND ***
I just got off the phone with Doug Moe columists of The Capital Times newspaper in Madison, Wisconsin. He has run the article of Alice Van Gundy and Robert E. Kinyon love story and that he was from the Madison area and was wanting information about him. Within a few hours he had located and spoke to Robert who lives in the Oklahoma City area. Doug is doing a follow-up story tomorrow reference finding Robert. Of note is that last spring Alice was in Stillwater, Oklahoma and was just 60 miles from where Robert lives. What a small world. See what Doug Moe wrote today.
http://www.madison.com/tct/opinion/column/moe/index.php?ntid=118735
Shawn :police:
This should hit the national news and when it does, remember you saw it here first.
I got the chance to talk with Robert and his wife, Joan of 53 years. I would never have thought that I would have the opportunity to talk to two World War II veterans. I found that Robert and his whole Marine platoon had scarlet fever and that is why he was in the Naval hospital for 5 months. His wife was really nice over the phone and they both seemed very excited about all of this going on. As I mentioned before, he is only 60 miles from where I live so one day I might get a chance to meet him. Shawn :police:
I think it would be terrific if Merle Hatteberg would do an interview with Alice and Robert in the same segment.
I sent Larry Hatteberg the information that was written by Doug Moe. I also sent him Ironsline info on finding Robert Kinyon. How cool is this????????
What is even cooler is that Mr and Mrs Kinyon are excited about all this information. That's what being married for 53 years will do for you. No jealousy monster to rear it's ugly head. Just understanding that he had a life prior to meeting and marrying his wife.
Love is in the air. How wonderful and how educational for all of us baby boomers that really didn't know what life was like during World War II.
KOTV 6 TULSA
KOTV 6 out of Tulsa came and did an interview with me today about the story of Alice and Robert. It should be on the 6pm news. You can also go online at KOTV6.com and click e-clips to see the interview. I don't know at this point how it will turn out. Please let me know what you think
Shawn :police:
Well, how cool is that????? We can all see what Ironsline looks like.
This whole story is sooooo exciting!!!
It grows and grows and gets better with each installment. That's the wonderful power of the Internet and great people (such as those on this forum ;))!
:) :) :) :)
We got an e-mail from GMA (Good morning America) they wanted to speak to us about the Love Letters Story. I called today (the persons day off) She was real excited about the story once it was explained. She was going to take it to her boss. She though that it would be neat to bring everyone together to return the letters. I want get my hopes up just yet but would that be neat to say that Moline and Winfield was part of the story. Will let you know.
Shawn :police:
Remember you saw it here first.
2-27-07
Here is more new information on Alice Van Gundy. Robert Kinyon, the writer of the letters called me on Valentine's day to get Alice's phone number so he could talk with her. They had not had any contact for over 60 years and didn't know if either one was still alive. I have had contact with ABC news Good Morning America. I have pitched the story a little over a week ago to Ronna Waldman in New York. I have had a few e-mails in the meantime from her but the media seems to drag their feet or are EXTREMELY busy so I have not had a definite answer either way. The Stillwater newspaper here in Oklahoma is running a follow-up story on Sunday, March 4th. The Oklahoman newspaper is running the story this Thursday, March 1. I have to be gone for a few days to see my family but if I don't hear anything from GMA or any other media, Alice's letters will be mailed back to her by Federal Express. It is just too much money, almost $1,000.00 for me and my husband to fly out to Florida and give her the letters. I have tried every way to figure out a way to hand deliver the letters and was hoping the media, like a talk show, would help me do this. Thanks to everyone for their interest in this wonderful, feel good story.
OKLAHOMA CITY NEWSPAPER TAKES STORY.
Look in the Daily Oklahoman on Friday March 2nd to see the article of the Love Letters. Just do a search of Shawn Irons to go directly to the article. You can also see a good "young" picture of Robert Kinion.
Shawn :police:
Alice Van Gundy Parrish 60 years later.
Here is an article just done in the home town paper for Alice in Florida. You can even see what she looks like now.
http://www.news-press.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070303/NEWS0103/70302095/1013/LIFESTYLES
Shawn :police:
May 24, 2007
UPDATE ON ALICE VAN GUNDY
In the Reminisce Extra magazine, on the last page, is a follow-up story about Alice. This is the May 2007 issue on magazine stands now. The magazine is printed by Reiman Publications. The article is about a half page on page 67. Thanks, Shawn