Walter F. George

I reached into the collection and randomly pulled out...

Walter F. George.

Who is Walter F. George? That's what I thought, too. Well, as usual, through the wonder of the internet an answer was found. Walter was a United States Senator from Georgia. He served for over 34 years, from November 1922 until January 1957.

The  most interesting thing I found about him is how he took office.

Otto and New Jersey

A bit behind schedule, here is the 4th stamp for this(err, last, week). It celebrates the tercentenary of the state of New Jersey.

Otto moved his family to Rivervale, New Jersey in 1950. His eldest daughter Joan actually moved earlier in 1949 and lived with family friends. This was to let her start attending high school there while construction was finished on their home. Otto purchased a lot owned, and neighboring, the Chief of Police of Rivervale. I remember, as a child, getting a tour of the police station, and even getting locked in a cell for fun. Otto even served for a time as an auxillary police officer for the town.

Play Ball!

The baseball season started this week so, I felt this stamp was an appropriate choice. I have no idea if Otto was a fan of baseball. I don't recall any discussions or excitement centered on baseball. I'll post an update when I find out. [Check out Joan's(aka GrandmaV, Otto's daughter, my mother) comment about Otto's baseball interest... I never knew that. Nice info.]  But, I do know of 2 sports Otto did like: golf and ice hockey. Hopefully, I'll come across stamps that will give me a reason to go into those in detail at some point.

I'll just say this for now...anyone who knows me knows I am a huge hockey fan. Well, my interest goes back to being introduced to it as a child by Otto...

1980 Easter Seal

I selected this stamp not just because Easter was this week but, more for it just jumping out at me because of it's use of the term "crippled". It just seems so non-politically correct that I thought it was fun. (I have an odd sense of humor.)

Researching a little, I found out that the original name of the Easter Seals organization was in fact The National Society for Crippled Children. I'm sure if this group was started today, and not in 1919, the name would be more like The All-Inclusive Society for Mobilely Challenged.

How Easter Seals started...

Easter Lily, Esther Lillian

While Easter Seals are not postage stamps, I wanted to include this one inorder to talk some more about Otto. I'll talk about Easter Seals more in another of this week's posts.

Featured on this series of Easter Seals for 1992 are lilies(see the full set image at the end of this post). 

On Easter day, April 12, 1914 in Rosedale, Long Island, New York, a baby girl was born. Because of the day she was named Esther Lillian. As the youngest girl...