Josephine was the youngest child of Florence Sprout and Glen Gardner. She was born in Stanton, MI. She was named after her father's two favorite cousins, Sarah and Josephine Harris of Pinckney, MI.
She was an intellectual who loved school. She was editor of her high school newspaper, "The Stantonian," and wrote a column called "Diggins by the Gardener" where she tracked the innocent romantic escapades of her classmates.
In the senior class mock elections Jo was voted cleverest, most gifted, best actress, class bluffer, and shark. She wrote the words to the SHS fight song, which was sung to the tune of the Washington and Lee Swing.
Jo was a pianist, and while in high school played in a four-piece band that entertained at dances and receptions of various sorts. The drummer was Tom Williams (Suzanne's father), but I don't know the other member's names, unfortunately.
She married Holger C. "Chris" Rasmussen of Detroit on 2 Aug 1941 in Stanton. They became the parents of four children: Christa Jo, Raleigh Ann, Erik Gardner, and Toni Teresa.
Jo was a member of the First Congregational Church, active in the PTA and Child Study Club, and was instrumental in passing the millage to build Stanton Elementary School in 1953.
She made what her friends called a "mean" bowl of chili, and she was famous for her delicious dilled pickles.
Her last years were marred by mental illness, but all her friends and family remained loyal to the end, remembering only her accomplishments.
_____
To my mother:
"Backward, turn backward, oh time in your flight. Make me a child again just for tonight. Mother come back from the echoing shore, and rock me to sleep as in days of yore."
She was an intellectual who loved school. She was editor of her high school newspaper, "The Stantonian," and wrote a column called "Diggins by the Gardener" where she tracked the innocent romantic escapades of her classmates.
In the senior class mock elections Jo was voted cleverest, most gifted, best actress, class bluffer, and shark. She wrote the words to the SHS fight song, which was sung to the tune of the Washington and Lee Swing.
Jo was a pianist, and while in high school played in a four-piece band that entertained at dances and receptions of various sorts. The drummer was Tom Williams (Suzanne's father), but I don't know the other member's names, unfortunately.
She married Holger C. "Chris" Rasmussen of Detroit on 2 Aug 1941 in Stanton. They became the parents of four children: Christa Jo, Raleigh Ann, Erik Gardner, and Toni Teresa.
Jo was a member of the First Congregational Church, active in the PTA and Child Study Club, and was instrumental in passing the millage to build Stanton Elementary School in 1953.
She made what her friends called a "mean" bowl of chili, and she was famous for her delicious dilled pickles.
Her last years were marred by mental illness, but all her friends and family remained loyal to the end, remembering only her accomplishments.
_____
To my mother:
"Backward, turn backward, oh time in your flight. Make me a child again just for tonight. Mother come back from the echoing shore, and rock me to sleep as in days of yore."
Josephine was the youngest child of Florence Sprout and Glen Gardner. She was born in Stanton, MI. She was named after her father's two favorite cousins, Sarah and Josephine Harris of Pinckney, MI.
She was an intellectual who loved school. She was editor of her high school newspaper, "The Stantonian," and wrote a column called "Diggins by the Gardener" where she tracked the innocent romantic escapades of her classmates.
In the senior class mock elections Jo was voted cleverest, most gifted, best actress, class bluffer, and shark. She wrote the words to the SHS fight song, which was sung to the tune of the Washington and Lee Swing.
Jo was a pianist, and while in high school played in a four-piece band that entertained at dances and receptions of various sorts. The drummer was Tom Williams (Suzanne's father), but I don't know the other member's names, unfortunately.
She married Holger C. "Chris" Rasmussen of Detroit on 2 Aug 1941 in Stanton. They became the parents of four children: Christa Jo, Raleigh Ann, Erik Gardner, and Toni Teresa.
Jo was a member of the First Congregational Church, active in the PTA and Child Study Club, and was instrumental in passing the millage to build Stanton Elementary School in 1953.
She made what her friends called a "mean" bowl of chili, and she was famous for her delicious dilled pickles.
Her last years were marred by mental illness, but all her friends and family remained loyal to the end, remembering only her accomplishments.
_____
To my mother:
"Backward, turn backward, oh time in your flight. Make me a child again just for tonight. Mother come back from the echoing shore, and rock me to sleep as in days of yore."
She was an intellectual who loved school. She was editor of her high school newspaper, "The Stantonian," and wrote a column called "Diggins by the Gardener" where she tracked the innocent romantic escapades of her classmates.
In the senior class mock elections Jo was voted cleverest, most gifted, best actress, class bluffer, and shark. She wrote the words to the SHS fight song, which was sung to the tune of the Washington and Lee Swing.
Jo was a pianist, and while in high school played in a four-piece band that entertained at dances and receptions of various sorts. The drummer was Tom Williams (Suzanne's father), but I don't know the other member's names, unfortunately.
She married Holger C. "Chris" Rasmussen of Detroit on 2 Aug 1941 in Stanton. They became the parents of four children: Christa Jo, Raleigh Ann, Erik Gardner, and Toni Teresa.
Jo was a member of the First Congregational Church, active in the PTA and Child Study Club, and was instrumental in passing the millage to build Stanton Elementary School in 1953.
She made what her friends called a "mean" bowl of chili, and she was famous for her delicious dilled pickles.
Her last years were marred by mental illness, but all her friends and family remained loyal to the end, remembering only her accomplishments.
_____
To my mother:
"Backward, turn backward, oh time in your flight. Make me a child again just for tonight. Mother come back from the echoing shore, and rock me to sleep as in days of yore."
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