Uncle Paul and Aunt Pansy

My mom’s aunt and uncle were fun to be around. I remember them visiting my grandparents when I was at their house. Aunt Pansy had a loud, deep laugh and loved to joke. Uncle Paul was quieter, but always seemed to have a grin on his face and seemed to enjoy the humor in his own quiet way.

Paul was the brother of my grandmother. Pansy was the sister of my grandfather.

Paul Clark Wyant was born on June 9, 1902 in Mound Valley, Kansas and died of an acute myocardial infarction (heart attack) in Anderson, Indiana on December 8, 1985. Aunt Pansy was born on February 9, 1902 (presumably in Clarksville, but we have no record) and she died in Anderson on March 7, 1994, also of an acute myocardial infarction. Like a lot of the family, their grave site is at Anderson Memorial Park.

The 1940 census shows the household:

Paul is aged 37

Pansy is aged 38

Norma Jean is 13 years old

Lou is 10 years old.

He reported no income, but his occupation was shoe repairer, and he reported “working on his own account”.

They lived at 1709 Euclid Drive in Anderson.

My mom was 11 in 1940, so you can see how she would naturally be close to Norma Jean and Lou. Even in 1940, Uncle Paul was in the shoe repair business. I didn’t realize that his father worked in the business also. I’m not sure who entered the trade first. His brother Gordon also worked at the shop for awhile.

His draft registration from February 16, 1942 tells a story. He was listed at 5 feet 8 inches tall and 144 pounds. Not many of us 144 pounders around these days.

My grandparents, Ralph and Bess Wellons, seemed to spend more time with Paul and Pansy than any of their other siblings, but they visited and were visited by, most of their siblings.