Person:Donna Reichard (2)

DONNA EILEEN REICHARD was born on 20 Nov 1920 at Crawfordsville, Montgomery County, Indiana. She appeared on the census of 1930 at 708 Liberty Street, Crawfordsville, Montgomery County, Indiana. She was a lieutenant in the WACs during WWI, serving in Africa and Italy. She wrote stories and poetry for Armed Services magazines. She lived on 6 Nov 1942 at Montgomery County, Indiana.

She married JOHN M. FERGUSON on 1 Sep 1947 at Crawfordsville, Montgomery County, Indiana, at the age of 26. They were married in the First United Methodist Church. Nancy Reichard was the maid of honor at the wedding. She lived at California in 2002.

She died on 9 Mar 2006 at Sonoma, Sonoma County, California, at age 85.

Donna Reichard Ferguson Letter

Donna summarized her life in a letter as follows: ^S1
Dear Scott

I’m sorry its taken so long for me to get this back to you but it’s been a month of having a virus, preparing for Christmas, entertaining, etc.

To the best of my ability I will give a synopsis of my life. So of what I write will be redundant but you will cover pertinent points.

I graduated from CHS in 1938 and went to work at R.R. Donnelley in the bindery and art department. I entered the service in Sept 1942 stationed at Des Moines Camp (then) Polk La., Devens, Ma, trained in Air Raid Warning Serv. And Recruiting. Went overseas, landing in Oran, N. Africa, then Cacerta, Italy, Marseilles France, Dijon, France and left for home in 1945 from Compeigne, France.

I went to Ind U. (Indiana University) for 1 ½ yrs, met John (Ferguson) and our married life has taken us thru 24 moves - sometimes within same city. I paint, cut tiffany-style glass, play duplicate bridge and write poetry, occasionally. I’m enclosing a sample of some things I’ve done.

I admire your taking on our family history. I used to think I would write a fictitious story based on Moses II‘s life (Moses Cooper is Donna’s GGG-Grandfather on her mothers side), covering the Revolutionary War, his trip from Piscataway N.J. to Lone Pine Pa, near Washington Pa. But wouldn’t or couldn’t do it well. How I wish that journals would have been written back then. Just to know more than a B.D (birth date) and a D.D. (death date)! We (Naomi, John, & I) went to the cemetery in Lone Pine and found the tombstones.

I suggest you visit Naomi. She remembers so much more than I, and can correct any errors made.

Have a good life. Yours Sincerely Donna Ferguson

Donna Reichard Ferguson Memories

Donna provided some additional memories ^S7 On father John “Jack” Reichard
Dad (John “Jack” Reichard) managed a lumberyard in Mellott Indiana. He played baseball with the 3-“I” team; I stands for Indiana, Illinois & Iowa. He knew Mordecai (“Three Finger”) Brown of the (baseball) Hall of Fame. (Mordecai played with the Chicago Cubs at the turn of the 20th century). He was interviewed by the Cubs baseball team but had 3 children and didn’t go. (His 3 oldest children were Zulieme, Kenneth and Keith. By then it was at least 1909 and he was 32). He played with the ‘Dairy Maids’ in Crawfordsville, pitching a no-hit game when he was 49 (in 1926). Dad played Spanish Guitar.

Dad was a mathematician. He only had a 9th grade education but also had a beautiful scribe. He virtually would turn an apple into applesauce trying to teach me fractions. Keith took after his dad, not me!

On mother Effie Mae Cooper Reichard
Hoboes had our house marked! We lived 1 block from big 4 RR and mom’s apple pie was notorious. She never refused them as they came with hat in hand. Both mother and dad ran Reichards Grocerx. (The spelling “GROCERX” was intentional, perhaps it means Grocer-RX, a grocery and pharmacy). Mom was prone to giving candy for buttons. Dad would say “Effie, you’re teaching the children to cheat!” She was too kind and always caring.

Mom took in laundry to support us during the depression. She had 5-6 customers, washing and ironing, picking up and delivering for $2 a basket. She played piano.

On sister Zulieme Reichard Orr
Zulieme hated her name. She played popular as well as classical piano. Her son Kevin won the Morris B Saks contest month playing Boogie.

Sis trained all the the dogs in our family. She loved to make candy and was so talented in making southern belle dolls dressed up in various color of crepe paper. They would cost $50.00 each today.

On sister Naomi Reichard Peebles
Naomi’s family is mostly responsible for keeping the county’s Quaker church (oldest in the city) open.

On brother Keith Reichard
Our poodle Bo-K would start barking when he heard Keith walking home from a block away.

On brother Kenneth Reichard
Kenneth graduate from Wabash College. He played football and was nicknamed ‘Paddock’ - whatever that meant! Ken played guitar with friend Chester Weikel on the local radio station. The program was a ½ hour long and sis Naomi knows more about what years. He was renowned in Montgomery city for his deliverance of Masonic sermons. He and Keith were always considerate and kind. Two wonderful brothers.

On WWII
I was a lieutenant in the WACs during WWII. The WACS promoted me! Our company was slated to go overseas. I had passed the OCS test and was told by my Major to make a choice. I opted for overseas. First morning in El Turck Africa I looked up and saw Merrill McCoy from my street (all of 3 blocks long) up on a telephone pole. Talk about utter awe!

On the Crawfordsville neighborhood
There were two families in the neighborhood besides ours of Cooper relation. Aunt Minnie lived with her daughter Estel (Simmons) and Everett Cooper with wife Bessie and 3 sons.

Grandfather (Emmanuel) Reichard built their home the corner of Liberty and Russell. After his death grandmother (Mary Ham Reichard) rented out the lower level.

On her early years
John (Ferguson) and I were married and immediately following the reception we left for Oakland CA. I was always the hobo.

Naomi, Effie, and Donna

1. ↑ Donna Reichard Ferguson. Donna Reichard Ferguson Letter. (Letter, January 18, 2002).
2. ↑ Nancy Reichard. Reichard Family History. (Family History, ca 1980).
3. ↑ Nancy Reichard Feaster. Nancy Reichard Feaster Interview. (Interview, 1999-2005)
   reported March 16, 2006.
4. ↑ United States. Bureau of the Census. 15th census, 1930. Indiana, 1930 federal census: population schedules ; NARA microfilm publication T626. (Washington, District of Columbia: Bureau of the Census Micro-Film Laboratory, 199-?).

   Year: 1930; Census Place: Crawfordsville, Montgomery, Indiana;
   Roll: 620; Page: 7B; Enumeration District: 20; Image: 302.0.
   Jack Reichard Entry

   
5.   Reichard 4; Effie Cooper Obituary. (Obituary)
   1950.

   She is listed as "Mrs. John Ferguson"

   
6. ↑ ^6.0 6.1 United States. National Archives and Records Administration (ARC # 1263923). World War II Army Enlistment Records, 1938-1946. (2002).

   Donna Reichard Entry
   
   Name: Donna A Reichard
   Birth Year: 1920
   Race: White, Citizen (White)
   Nativity State or Country: Indiana
   State of Residence: Indiana
   County or City: Montgomery
   
   Enlistment Date: 6 Nov 1942
   Enlistment State: Indiana
   Enlistment City: Indianapolis
   Branch: Womens Army Corps
   Branch Code: Inactive Reserve
   Grade Code: Aviation Cadet
   Term of Enlistment: Enlistment for the duration of the War or other emergency, plus six months, subject to the discretion of the President or otherwise according to law
   Component: Womens Army Corps
   Source: Civil Life
   
   Education: 4 years of high school
   Civil Occupation: Unskilled occupations in printing and publishing, n.e.c.
   Marital Status: Single, without dependents
   Height: 69
   Weight: 128

7.   Donna Reichard Ferguson. Donna Reichard Ferguson Memories.
8. ↑ Keith Reichard Obituary. (Obituary)
   1978.

   Mrs. Donna Ferguson of Lexington Ky"