Life's Close Ups

A little energetic lady, with a sparkling personality, packed full of vim and vigor, has greatly influenced me in many ways. She is my father's mother, Mrs. George E. Doench, whom everyone calls "Mom". Never once have I ever called her grandmother, for she thinks and acts fo young that it would not be a fitting name for her. Mom was within her a heart of gold, she is always willing to help the other fellow and never does anything for herself. Her ability to make friends is unbelievable, for every time she returns from a trip her address book is filled with names of interesting people she has met on the journey. 

Mom was a little lady, about 4'10'', and when I knew  her, a bit stocky in body build. She had the most beautiful long, black straight hair falling to her waist, when she let it down from the large full bun she wore on the back of her head. She had a curling iron (which was heated on the stove burners) and when she was getting dressed up, she would spit on a lock of hair and there would be  a sizzle as the curling iron met up with the damp hair. Then she would become beautiful with a fringe of curls encircling her face. She was always on the go--never stopping-- she always ran--never walked. 

She was a real doer! As I understand, she was a real leader in the cummunity besides having eight children and running a huge home. She started the P.T. A. at Hyde Park School, and went on to the other P.T.A. positions. The Eastern Star, (the female counterpart of the Masonic Order) and Plumber's Wives associations on both local and national levels took much of her time and talent. I remember Mom and Pop going on national conventions for both groups. 


Mom never spent a great deal of time on one thing. She liked to talk on the phone, but when she grew tired of the conversation or needed to do something--she would quickly say "someone is at the door" and slam the receiver down before you could say anything. She explained it was her way of bringing the conversation to a quick ending without hurting the person's feelings! Clever Mom-- she did many things I have never heard of before or after her!

Mom has always lived in a large house in East Walnut Hills, so that she is able to accommodate all of her enormous family when they come home to visit. In this house, Mom has an annual Christmas celebration every year for her entire family. Her gay an jovial spirit is cast over the whole party, which is the biggest event of the year for all of us. An immense tree ladened with multi-colored ornaments, a well padded Santa, and a kitchen filled with succulent roast turkey and dressing, make the evening a complete success. 

I never remember Mom attending church, however, she always made many references to God and the Good Lord and seemed to have a great deal of faith in God. She would send me off to Sunday School at the corner of Fairfield and Madison Road. I always enjoyed going to Sunday School there-- and I would assume that Mom and Pop belonged there. Upon returning from Sunday School, there would be a big family Sunday dinner with a roast chicken or beef roast amid plenty of gravy and mashed potatoes. Mom always said she needed to make the dinner, instead of going to church. 

As I grew older, I began to see what inner strength she had and how much I could learn from her. Whenever I had a problem, my Daddy would say to me, "Go and ask Mom what she thinks about that." Mom always had a good answer-- and the main theme was that God somehow provides and things always work out for the best. 

I am always inspired by Mom every time I talk with her about my problems or achievements. She never forgets the silver lining in the cloud and gives me a complete confidence and courage to face my dilemmas.

Delta Avenue Days

My grandfather Gustave August Hinnen (or Gaga, as I called him) was a doctor, specializing in problems of the eye, ear, nose & throat. In those days, most doctors did not have a specific area of practice. He was a prolific reader-- mostly books on animals, nature, and religion. The reason he read so many books on religion is that he was an atheist, and he wanted to prove his points about religion. He always said the Catholic Church caused the Middle Ages and set back the progress of man by hundreds of years. The house was filled to the brim with books all encased in bookcases with glass doors to keep them clean. Every book had his personal label on the front page. He loved his books and took such good care of them; however, after he died, I remember that Mother had a difficult time finding anyonewho would take them. Most were outdated--especially the medical ones. Also, in the crammed and crowded basement, he made wine and had a wine cellar, along with wood working tools, for he enjoyed making things.

Gaga, as I shall refer to him during the rest of the essay, accomplished more than most people. He was at his office every day, including Saturday mornings.His office had three rooms-- a waiting room and two patient rooms. He was a one-man band. No one else in his office to help him. He took care of billing along with treating people. The curious thing is that he treated many nuns, since he was so anti-religious. And he never charged them anything. I remember hearing them laught and talk and have the best time behind the closed door of his office. He charged very little to people--certainly not like doctors today, and did not make much money.

He gave tours at the zoo on Sunday Mornings, and gave lectures at night to clubs and organizations on animals and snakes. He was on the board of directors of the zoo and was one of the founding fathers of the Natural History Museum.Wednesday afternoons were just for the two of us. We went to the zoo, the greenhouse, the art museum, or some major event like a magic show or circus. Since Gaga was a director at the zoo, he was allowed to pet the animals and feed them. He had a black suitcase filled with candy, cookies, and various treats for the animals. They would sense he was coming and begin to howl, roar, or screech before he even got inside the dor. Each one had his special treat. He petted each and every one. Gaga had a following of people who came and walked the zoo with him on Sunday mornings as he did his rounds. Later the zoo administration decided that the animals should not get food that was unnatural to them and that Gaga's petting of the animals was not good for the people to see, for it might encourage them to try it. This, of course, was a real blow to him-- for this was the highlight of his life. He had always borrowed small animals and snakes for his lectures and I think all of this ceased at this time. When he had snakes at home, he would bring them out for me to handle. I was never very fond of them!

When Gaga was in his late sixties, he had a cataract operation on one eye and it went well and he returned to the office. Somehow, he picked up an infection from a patient and it settled in his eye. Soon the infection spread to the other eye and somehow he became blind in both eyes. This was a severe blow to him-- the avid reader and active doctor. After living in darkness for several years, he had a stroke and died at the age of seventy-four (I was twenty-one). So he was in his late fifties and early sixties when I knew him to the be very busy man that he was.

This remarkable man gave the world many contributions-- his dedication to medicine and not ever thinking of making a great deal of money healing people like doctors do today-- and his total committment to nature and animals and his desier to tell people about the zoo. He was certainly one of the most self-motivated persons I have ever known.