Lorraine (Raczkiewicz) & John Dykstra's House

My Aunt Lorriane spent time with me up until her death when I was ten years old. I enjoyed visiting their boat in Sagutcuk Miichigan. I am not sure how, when sleeping over on it, I ended up with a bloody nose from her ever present knitting needles. I was probably messing around. My mother started sending me in braids after I came back with ratty snarls in my hair. Lorraines hands were too affected by arthritis for her to help comb my hair. I loved the independence I had when I visited them. I could walk to the downtown and use their returnable pop cans to buy something from the drugstore soda fountain. They were very involved in the boating community and I remember watching them as they participated in a commemorative parade. Visiting at their house happened more often than at their boat since they only lived a few miles from our house. John Dykstra and his wife, Lorraine (nee Raczkiewicz) lived at 50 Cummings N.W., which was built in 1956. These pictures are from when Grandson John Spruit and his wife Irene sold it after John’s death. https://www.realtor.com/realestateandhomes-detail/50-Cummings-Ave-NW_Grand-Rapids_MI_49534_M31393-26023#photo1

This house epitomized the features and colors of a 50s/60s ranch. Visiting this house was fun because the memories made there and because of some of the special features of the house-- a two sided fireplace, a lazy susan built into the kitchen, and two ovens built into a wall in the kitchen. The lazy susan in the kitchen was fun to play with since it always had a treat like marshmallows to find. One bedroom was set up as a den. When I slept over, the privilege of being at their house was being able to stay up as late as I wanted. Aunt Lorriane would doze on the couch and I would watch TV from the floor. She would wake up and ask if I was ready to go to bed and she accepted my “no” every time. Uncle John would be asleep but not before a few extremely firm handshakes and chuckles when you tried to escape. Sometimes we would go out, somewhere like Schensuls Cafeteria and there was the thrill of picking what I wanted, especially an array of pudding, jellos, pies and cakes. Having an aunt spoil me was a memorable experience.