Christmas on Elmwood Street, Part Three -Reposted from Last Year

Again, this is a repost of last year's story about my Dad, "Billy Mursch", written from his own words.  I am so thankful that I took the time to listen and write down these stories as he told them to me...they are priceless and precious.  Little did I know that last Christmas would be the last Christmas he would spend with us here on earth.  This year he is rejoicing with the angels in heaven and enjoying the REAL celebration of Christmas with my mother...and most of all, with Jesus.    I hope you will enjoy this last episode from the story of "Christmas on Elmwood Street", reposted in memory of my sweet Daddy.

The Mursch House on Elmwood Street, Crafton, PA, 1929



Elva and Bill Mursch
(My Parents)

Billy Mursch

This is the third and last part of the mini-series of "A Chapter in the Life of Billy Mursch", Crafton, Pennsylvania, Circa 1929.  If you've missed the first two parts, please look back on my blog for the last couple of weeks to catch up with us!



Madame Schumann-Heink singing Silent Night
Click on the link above to hear her singing just
as it was back in 1929 on the radio.

On Christmas Eve our family gathered in the living room to listen to Madame Schumann-Heink sing Silent Night in German on the radio. This was a tradition for many families during those pre-WWII years, and one that was very special to my father especially as it reminded him of his German family heritage.

Then we would “hang up our stockings by the chimney with care”, and in the morning we would gleefully sing out "Merry Christmas!" to each other as we discovered the treasures of perhaps a new handkerchief, an apple, nuts and maybe some candy tucked inside! After opening our gifts ("The Boy Ranchers Among the Indians" YES!! A new pocket-knife? Wow, Gee Thanks, Santa! ) we would gather around the table for a delicious ham dinner with all the trimmings. My mother was a wonderful cook, and even when times were tough, she could create a meal that made our celebration a very joyous time together.

Later in the evening our family would take a walk around the neighborhood and see all the homes decked out in their glorious Christmas displays. It was truly a festive time on Elmwood Street! Such happy, happy memories.




Oh yes, one more little adventure to share with you:

Our Christmas Tree (before the needles fell off)

Our family faithfully attended church at St. Matthew’s Evangelical Lutheran in Crafton. My mother was quite involved in the Ladies’ Circle of our church, and this particular year she was to host their meeting at our home shortly after Christmas. Unfortunately, our Christmas tree had shed its needles rather prematurely, and the tree stood quite bare in our living room. She was embarrassed at its nakedness, but hadn’t had time to take it down prior to her meeting. While she was out doing her errands before the meeting, I happened to notice that one of our neighbors had already discarded their Christmas tree and had left it on the street for the trash men to pick up. That tree still had many more needles on its branches than ours, so I thought it would be a wonderful surprise for my mother if I switched the trees and redecorated it before she arrived home with her lady friends for the meeting! I quickly made the exchange and cleaned up the mess just in time for the ladies to arrive at our door. Much to my chagrin, my mother was mortified that I had taken this tree off the trash heap and brought it in to our home, but the other ladies all laughed and thought it was just wonderful of “little Billy” to be so ingenious and creative! So she recovered from her embarrassment and praised me for my thoughtfulness. (Whew! That was a close one!)

Introducing my fiance' Dorothea Tedlie to my family.
l to r:  Ruth Mursch, Dorothea Tedlie, Marion Mursch, Mother Elva
Mursch, (back row, l to r): Dad William H. Mursch,
Me "Billy" William F. Mursch, and brother Paul Mursch, circa 1940
(click on pictures to enlarge view, then use back arrow to go back to
blog)

Yep, growing up during the depression in the outskirts of Pittsburgh had its difficult moments, but all in all, God had truly blessed our family with His peace and joy. Not too many years after that I introduced my beautiful fiancé Dorothea Tedlie to my family in that same house, and then a few years later brought our own four children home to visit their grandparents so that they could taste the Anise cookies and the Sand Tarts and experience Christmas the way I had growing up on Elmwood Street.

Looking back, I have to stop and thank the Lord for all His wondrous blessings to me for the past ninety-two years. I am so thankful to have had Godly parents who brought me up in a Christian home so that I could pass on that same heritage to my children and to their children and to all future generations.

It is my Christmas prayer that each and every one of you will cherish your family and treasure the gift of the “Prince of Peace”, Jesus Christ, that precious Baby in the Manger and our Saviour today.

Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

"Billy Mursch"

William F. Mursch and Family





The Mursch Family a few years later, circa 1952
in the dining room of the house on Elmwood Street.



Some of the Mursch Family, 1982



The "Billy Mursch" Family, 2005 (most of it)

The Very Distinguished "Billy Mursch" today,
2010, age 92.  What a guy!!!  (UPDATE: THIS
WAS TAKEN LAST YEAR, AS HE ENJOYED HIS
LAST THANKSGIVING WITH HIS FAMILY.  We are all really missing his wit and charm this year...)

Link to "Christmas on Elmwood Street, Part One"

Link to "Christmas on Elmwood Street, part Two"