Skip to main content

Mary Louise Treash Gaudie Collection

 Collection
Identifier: RH-A-3309

Abstract

The collection is composed of a baby book and miscellaneous items for Mary Louise Treash Gaudie born in Kalamazoo on September 12, 1912 in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

Dates

  • created: 1912-1930

Creator

Conditions Governing Access

No restrictions

Biographical / Historical

Mary Louise Treash Gaudie (1912-1991) was born in Kalamazoo on September 12, 1912 at Borgess Hospital. Her parents were Oliver, who worked at the Kalamazoo Stationery Company and Delia who worked at home. Mary Louise was the oldest of eventually five children (Mary Louise, Grace, Richard, Marjorie, Jean). She attended school at St. Augustine Catholic Church including the LeFevre Institute, which was the elementary school, and graduated from St. Augustine High School in 1930. She worked as a stenographer for the A.M. Todd Company and stayed there until 1976 when she retired. In her obituary it was reported that she became an executive secretary to the President of the Company and its corporate secretary. She married on June 18, 1938 Charles L. Gaudie (1910-1988) who worked at General Gas Light Company (aka Humphrey Products) and Stryker Corporation. Mary Louise Treash Gaudie died on November 21, 1999. She and Charles did not have any children and are buried at Mount Olivet Cemetery.

Extent

0.10 Cubic Feet

Language of Materials

English

Source of Acquisition

Starring Endowment

Physical Description

The collection amounts to .10 cubic feet and is composed of one baby book, 8 ½”x10 ¾”x1”. The cover has drawings of cherubs and a mother with a baby with the words, "Baby's Own Book." Produced by the Reilly Britton Company from Chicago it has pages where information was provided by Delia Treash such as weight, height, first toy, birthdays, first outing, christening (by Father O’Brien at St. Augustine Catholic Church), first Christmases, journeys and so on in addition to photographs from 1 to 13 months. Some of the photographs were taken by William Davidson, a Kalamazoo photographer. There also are some candid snapshots in a stroller, on a swing, in a high chair and without any clothes. There is an image of Mary Louise with a woman which may be Delia, her mother and one with Oliver, her father. Found loose in the book are three more photographs, one of Delia with Mary Louise and her sister Grace, two years younger and a brick building identified as "Mary Louise's First Home," which may be 917 South Burdick Street which is where they lived in 1913. It is a photograph of a two-story brick commercial building which more than likely had residential space on the second floor. The building still exists as of July, 2010. Also included is her high school diploma, 15”x19” on heavy parchment, from Saint Augustine High School which she received on June 10, 1930 signed by Sister Anunciata, principal and Father J.R. Hackett, superintendent. Also included are four certificates of merit, 14”x11” from the LeFevre Instititute, which was the elementary school at St. Augustine’s for Mary Louise Treash dated June 1919, June 1920, June, 1921 and June 1924 for politeness and several academic subjects. There is a sketch of St. Augustine's, LeFevre Institute and the Parish Rectory in the middle of these certificates. The baby book is in fair/good condition. Some of the pages are weak at the spine but the writing continues to be legible. The photographs range from being very crisp to somewhat dark possibly due to their processing. The high school diploma is yellowed along the edges and the certificates of merit also are worn along the edges.

Title
Mary Louise Treash Gaudie Collection Finding Aid
Status
Completed
Author
Lynn Houghton
Date
2010-08-07
Description rules
Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Language of description
English
Script of description
Latin

Repository Details

Part of the Western Michigan University Archives & Regional History Collections Repository

Contact:
Charles C. and Lynn L. Zhang Legacy Collections Center
1650 Oakland Drive
Kalamazoo MI 49008-5307 US
(269) 387-8490