Matt Harrar
From James Donahue’s Journal
After Doris’ father died, her mother remained a lonely widow for several years. While the sons all lived in houses next to her, and usually stopped in to visit about once a day, Gladys became somewhat of a problem for us. She wanted to come to see us quite often, but almost as soon as she left the little home she had lived in almost all her life, she wanted to go back. Consequently, Doris and I found ourselves constantly traveling from Sandusky to Cass City to go get Gladys and then bring her home again.
One day an elderly gentleman walked into my office and said he wanted to buy an ad. I didn’t handle advertising and couldn’t help him, but I asked him what it was that he wanted to advertise. He said he wanted a housekeeper. He said he was alone, was very lonely, and what he really wanted was company. A bell went off in my head. I asked a few questions and learned that he owned a house on a farm near Carsonville, had a family living in the Carsonville area, and that he was employed by a local funeral home to drive ambulance and the hearse. His name was Matthew Harrar.
On impulse I invited Mr. Harrar to our house for dinner a few days later when I knew Doris would be home. I told him I had a woman I wanted him to meet. He agreed. Then I contacted Doris and told her what I had done. She called her mother, and before the day was out, the meeting was set up. On the night Matt arrived, Gladys was at the house, we had a fine meal all prepared, and Gladys was dressed for the occasion. She had been a looker in her time and was still a handsome woman for her age. It was obvious that Matt liked what he saw. After the meal, Matt and Gladys went into the living room and sat together on the couch talking. Doris and I quickly cleaned up in the kitchen, then we took the kids and walked over to the Sandusky theater, about a block from our house, and watched a movie.
Things happened fast after that. About a week later Matt had a ring on Gladys’ finger, and they got married in a small chapel ceremony in Marlette. We all went to a nice restaurant just outside of Marlette for a dinner at Matt’s expense. And that was it. They moved into the Cass City house. Matt was still driving then and our problem having to chauffer Gladys around was suddenly solved. Also, she was a much happier person when we saw her. It was obvious that finding her a man was exactly what she needed, and it seemed to be ok for Matt as well. At least at first.
Matt stayed with her until he died, but there were times when they were arguing when he would confide in me that he was sorry he ever married her. Indeed, Gladys was a strong willed woman. At times she had a way of making life unbearable for Matt, but then returning to comfort him and wait on him hand and foot. It was an odd trait that I later watch emerge in Doris as we aged together. By the time Doris evolved into Gladys, I had an understanding of this behavior and knew the best way to deal with it was to keep quiet, let the thunderstorm pass, and wait for the sunshine to return. It always did.
In addition to owning his farm, Matt was a retired Ford Motor Company worker and he had a very good retirement pension, so this money, combined with the social security check Gladys received each month, allowed the two of them to live quite comfortably. Matt took her on a trip to Mexico that was a grand experience for her.
The interesting thing about Matt was that he was related to a lot of people in and around Carsonville and throughout Sanilac County. Before he married Gladys, our family was considered outsiders in that rural Michigan area. After they married, Doris and I were suddenly related to just about everybody. It was almost overnight that we became strangely accepted as Sanilac County natives. It was as if I also married into a giant family of folks that lived all around us. It was a complete paradigm shift.
From James Donahue’s Journal
After Doris’ father died, her mother remained a lonely widow for several years. While the sons all lived in houses next to her, and usually stopped in to visit about once a day, Gladys became somewhat of a problem for us. She wanted to come to see us quite often, but almost as soon as she left the little home she had lived in almost all her life, she wanted to go back. Consequently, Doris and I found ourselves constantly traveling from Sandusky to Cass City to go get Gladys and then bring her home again.
One day an elderly gentleman walked into my office and said he wanted to buy an ad. I didn’t handle advertising and couldn’t help him, but I asked him what it was that he wanted to advertise. He said he wanted a housekeeper. He said he was alone, was very lonely, and what he really wanted was company. A bell went off in my head. I asked a few questions and learned that he owned a house on a farm near Carsonville, had a family living in the Carsonville area, and that he was employed by a local funeral home to drive ambulance and the hearse. His name was Matthew Harrar.
On impulse I invited Mr. Harrar to our house for dinner a few days later when I knew Doris would be home. I told him I had a woman I wanted him to meet. He agreed. Then I contacted Doris and told her what I had done. She called her mother, and before the day was out, the meeting was set up. On the night Matt arrived, Gladys was at the house, we had a fine meal all prepared, and Gladys was dressed for the occasion. She had been a looker in her time and was still a handsome woman for her age. It was obvious that Matt liked what he saw. After the meal, Matt and Gladys went into the living room and sat together on the couch talking. Doris and I quickly cleaned up in the kitchen, then we took the kids and walked over to the Sandusky theater, about a block from our house, and watched a movie.
Things happened fast after that. About a week later Matt had a ring on Gladys’ finger, and they got married in a small chapel ceremony in Marlette. We all went to a nice restaurant just outside of Marlette for a dinner at Matt’s expense. And that was it. They moved into the Cass City house. Matt was still driving then and our problem having to chauffer Gladys around was suddenly solved. Also, she was a much happier person when we saw her. It was obvious that finding her a man was exactly what she needed, and it seemed to be ok for Matt as well. At least at first.
Matt stayed with her until he died, but there were times when they were arguing when he would confide in me that he was sorry he ever married her. Indeed, Gladys was a strong willed woman. At times she had a way of making life unbearable for Matt, but then returning to comfort him and wait on him hand and foot. It was an odd trait that I later watch emerge in Doris as we aged together. By the time Doris evolved into Gladys, I had an understanding of this behavior and knew the best way to deal with it was to keep quiet, let the thunderstorm pass, and wait for the sunshine to return. It always did.
In addition to owning his farm, Matt was a retired Ford Motor Company worker and he had a very good retirement pension, so this money, combined with the social security check Gladys received each month, allowed the two of them to live quite comfortably. Matt took her on a trip to Mexico that was a grand experience for her.
The interesting thing about Matt was that he was related to a lot of people in and around Carsonville and throughout Sanilac County. Before he married Gladys, our family was considered outsiders in that rural Michigan area. After they married, Doris and I were suddenly related to just about everybody. It was almost overnight that we became strangely accepted as Sanilac County natives. It was as if I also married into a giant family of folks that lived all around us. It was a complete paradigm shift.