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Harriett May BRIDGES By Margaret Bridges Purvis
Submitted by: Rebecca PURVIS
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So much more than the blind old lady in the wheelchair.
Harriett May, only child of Hattie and "Lum" Little was born August 23rd, 1922, hottest day on record for that date. Delivered by "C" section after a long difficult labor by a physician who had never before done the procedure.
Raised in and around the farming communities of Garber and Hunter, she learns her love of reading form her father who read to her. Anne of Green Gables was her favorite book. Her father died during the "Great Depression" when Harriett was 10 years old. Hattie, struggled financially and was helped by Frank and Lottie Beverlin, her grandparents. Harriett spent much time at her grandparents house on the farm while Hattie worked out. During this time at her grandparents house she learned to cook and spent many hours reading for pleasure. Time was spent listening to sports on the radio with her grandfather and became a lifelong sports enthusiast.I remember hearing Indianapolis 500 on the radio during wheat harvest and many summer afternoons hearing the St. Louis cardinal's baseball announced by Harry Carry. As for football she rooted for both OU and OSU equally until they played each other, then she kept quiet.The world was at war when she graduated high school at Garber 1940. A child of the Depression, Harriett knew the importance of education for a more secure future and of having the ability to support herself. She moved with her mother, Hattie, to Tonkawa to attend Northwestern State Junior College. A German prisoner of war camp was built on the north side of town during this time. Her education continued in Stillwater working her way through school in the Dean's office.Took chemistry during the summer of 1942, the lab was so hot because of 30 Bunsen burner and no air-conditioning. When she got home she would fill the bathtub with cold water, using a table leaf, as a desk would sit in the tub to do her homework. Harriett graduated Oklahoma A&M with a Bachelor of Science degree in 1943.World War II opened opportunities for women. Mother got at job at Stanolind Oil and Gas as a chemist in the spectrographic lab doing spectrum analysis of core samples. She also worked for Tulsa County doing crime scene investigation/forensic analysis and testified as an expert witness in trials.Next door to were Harriett and Hattie lived was a boarding house. Among the residence was a tall, thin young veteran with curly red hair, who worked for American Airlines. The owner of the boarding house kept chickens. Being a little shy, he put one of the chickens over the fence so he would have an excuse to meet the girl next door. In our family we know which came first, the chicken then the egg.Fred and Harriett were married May 22nd 1949 and celebrated 59 anniversaries.
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