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Our mother, Mary Murphy Blake, was Eleanor's aunt. The Murphy's from Lasallete were a thic;k clan, Our mother was the youngest of that clan. She admitted that she was "babied" by her older sisters and brother.
Particularly, among the Dertingers, there were several children who had strong facial characteristics; with our mother. In my memory, Eleanor was the closest resemblance to our mother. Yet, she was the most reserved of the Dertingers and, in that trait, most unlike our mother,
Growing up in Simcoe, we did not get to visit our LaSallete cousins very often.Our mother, though, kept a constatnt telephone connection with her sisters and brother. From overhearing those conversations, we learned ot the close bond between that generation. Mother kept us well informed of her and her siblings upbringing. I still recall many stories that mother related, So, we knew Eleanor's parents better than we knew our cousins. That is an item of regret to this day for me.
I did have one summer working on the Dertinger tobacco farm. I lived in the house with Aunt Nell, Frank and Bill. There were many Dertinger gatherings that summer of all the Dertinger children and I had the opportunity to see my cousins in relaxed behaviour. Eleanor's husband, Charlie, was the brunt of many a story and many a practical joke on those gatherings. He had emigrated from the Maritimes and was constantly reminded of his love of potatoes. There were many laughs among the family and I had the honour of seeing/hearing that wonderful family. It was a wonderful summer which made a great impression on me.
Eleanor and Charlie lived in Hamilton - the big city. I was in some awe with them and wondered what it would be like to live in a city. Eleanor was a cousin from that wonderful family that I had the opportunity to experience when I was twenty years old and away from home for the first time. I owe to much to all of them.