Picking the Perfect Tree

Christmas Tree Lot 12-12-1966I’m pretty sure Missourian editor jBlue gave me a Christmas bonus in 1966 without calling it one: he ran five of my photos on the front page. That’s $25 in my pocket when my salary was in the neighborhood of $50 a week. Here are most of the shots that ran, plus a couple of extras for good measure. (Click on the photos to make them larger.)

The caption on the Dec. 12, 1966, paper read, “Louis Owens, 805 South Sprigg, asks Mrs. Owens if the specimen he holds is satisfactory.”

“I found it!”

Christmas Tree Lot 12-12-1966

Joy Metje, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Earlie Metje, McClure, Ill., shouts she’s found the one she wants.

 It’s a cold day

Christmas Tree Lot 12-12-1966To Jimmy Trickey, son of Mr. and Mrs. James Trickey, it’s a cold day and he wishes mom and dad would hurry and make up their minds.

Mother and daughter choice

Christmas Tree Lot 12-12-1966Mrs. Lowery B. Miller, white coat, and her daughter, Diane, discuss a tree.

Not the Stones

Christmas Tree Lot 12-12-1966The paper ran a photo of Mr. and Mrs. John Stone and son, Timmy, 1726 Stoddard Court, but I couldn’t find the negative. I’ll substitute this young woman with a boy instead.

Is this Milton Ueleke?

Christmas Tree Lot 12-12-1966I don’t know for sure, but this pipe-chomping man looks like “Uncle Milty” Ueleke, science teacher at Central High School.

It’s the season

If you want to leave me a lump of coal or something better, click on the yellow DONATE button at the top right of the page.

I had a lab tech who would always give me a lump of coal as a present. I should have saved them for the fireplace.

7 Replies to “Picking the Perfect Tree”

  1. Mrs. Lowery B. Miller, wow this Mr. Miller’s wife of Sides and Miller Men’s store on Broadway. The store was located on Broadway just east of Spring on the south side of the street. I worked there from my second year in High school until I got out of college. Mr. Miller was super guy and the sales part of Sides and Miller, Mr. Sides was the bookkeeper part of the operation although both of them sold and waited on customer’s. I never met Mrs. Miller, strange but true, and cannot remember her ever coming into the store. Mr. Miller, most days would walk home to eat lunch and then walk back to work. I think he lived on Harmony just a little west of where is runs into Broadway, a nice little walk in the morning and lunch. I thin Irvin Markhart lived done the street from them. Both men were great gentlemen and taught me lots about business and life. Great to finally see the mysterious Mrs. Miller….
    and Mr. Ueleke again.
    Thanks Ken

  2. 629 Broadway St was the address of Sides & Miller Men’s Store. I think Semo Videos is in the building now. I should have remembered the address I “warshed” the windows every Saturday and the address was right on the door.
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