Related by Marriage: Martha's Wedding Day

Mr. Irene's maternal Aunt, Martha, was quite a few years older than Mr. Irene's Mom. She grew up in Bridgeport when her parents, Anna and Stanley, still were new immigrants. Things were rough. When the Great Depression hit, Stanley no longer could maintain the butcher shop. Martha got a job to help the struggling family and stopped attending Englewood High School.

Martha worked—mostly in factories—through her teens and adult years. Despite being part of the workforce, Martha did not meet anyone in whom she was romantically interested. When the abondanza of Displaced Persons arrived in Chicago, most of the men who were Martha's age already were married. Martha, at 31, was a bit too old for many of the single arrivals; back then, a man would not contemplate marrying an "older" woman. Mr. Irene's Mom, by contrast, connected with a young, unmarried immigrant.

Eventually, Martha happily met Wally, himself a Displaced Person. They married about ten years after the World War II refugees had arrived. Martha was forty-one years old. Martha and Wally lived in Marquette Park until Wally's death; they never had children.

After Wally died, Martha lived with Mr. Irene's Parents.

Marquette Park, Chicago, June 27, 1959. Martha and Wally sit with their attendants behind them, namely Martha's sister (Mr. Irene's Mom) and Wally's brother.