Happy Birthday to Martha,

the baby of the Family!

May 18, 1954, a blond curly headed baby was the last child born to Robert and Goldie Cox. And now, she is 54 years old. Can anybody believe that!!!

Thelma is holding Martha in 1958 at the house that burned. Wonder where Carl and Shirley were.

Here is Daddy holding his two little girls on Tommy and Thelma’s wedding day. Weren’t they cute. I loved those little dresses. I did not make them.

Here is Martha with Vickie in their dresses that I made in 1960. I remember the white dresses with light blue flowers. Weren’t they cute? Does that face look a bit like Madelyn Marie Bittner, Richard’s daughter. I think it does.

Here is Martha in 1964 with a kitten. That was a red dress and a white organdy pinnafore I made in 1964. Now I am not sure if this is the same kitty cat that Martha broke its neck by letting the screen door shut on it. But I think that was the same one.

In 1968 just before I went to Vietnam, Martha and Lillian look a little despondent. Martha and Vickie came to spend the school year with me in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. I remember getting a PFC James to stay with the girls to keep them out of trouble while I worked the evening shift. Umm – wonder how much trouble he kept them out of. How smart was that – getting a cute young man to monitor two cute teenagers. I think I was a bit too trusting or naieve. But I enjoyed that time. I hope I can find the picture of Martha in the jumper she had for school. They told her or Vickie one or the other that their skirt was too short. It was already to their knees – I think.

I am not sure, but I think Vickie had already been sent home back to Ohio. Not sure, but think Martha stayed longer than Vickie. I remember another friend – Charlotte Levengood – wonder what happened to her.

Martha’s Senior Picture

In 1981, Martha looks adoringly at her first born, Richard Edward Bittner.

Here is Martha in 1995 with her family, Richard and Ricky and Marnee.

Gee – I have so much more to add, but I am getting sleepy and will have to do more later.

But HAPPY HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO OUR BABY OF THE

FAMILY TODAY, MAY 18, 2009.

I remember my dad(Carl) would drop me off at Martha’s house when he would got to work. One day, Martha, Grandma Goldie, Richard, and I all went to the Dayton Mall. We pushed Richard all around the mall in his stroller. We went into Elder-Beerman’s where I saw at that time the most beautiful prom dress. It was all pink lace. Martha made me try it on so we would know what size to tell mom. I thought that was huge!! Only, the next huge hurdle was mom letting me have it. Of course, a prom dress with that slightly high price tag was my only worry. My mom(Joyce) wasn’t worried about the price tag, she was worried about the dress having satin spaghetti straps. Of all the things that never crossed my mind. It still had a little lace jacket, but mom just had a fit about the straps. Needless to say, we got the dress, but Martha had to help me out by talking my mom into getting that dress. Thanks, Aunt Martha!!!

Category: Richard