Welcome to the World, Baby Girl!

Letter in a Tin Box

Elmwood Springs, Missouri

1963

After Dena’s grandfather died, Macky went through his papers, looking for a burial policy and anything else as executor he needed to know about. He had to pry open a tin box.

Dunbar & Straton

Resource Tracing Inc.

Chicago, Illinois

Re: Marion Chapman

White, female

Born: Dec. 1920

Washington, D.C.

#8674

Dear Mr. Nordstrom,

Using all the information at hand from your daughter-in-law’s marriage certificate, her social security number, and the birth date and place given, we have not found a Marion Chapman born on that date in Washington, D.C., listed in any official records. We have repeatedly checked and rechecked all our national research sources and have found only eleven Marion Chapmans born on or around that date, all of whom have been located and accounted for. According to our files and the census taken, no such person exists. If you have any further information, we will be happy to assist you in the future.

Yours truly,

A. A. Dunbar

Macky talked it over with Norma and they both decided not to tell Dena. As Norma said, “What good would it do for her to know the person she thought was her mother didn’t exist?”