My husband’s grandmother, Mary Wright. (Date unknown)
My husband’s grandmother, Mary Wright, was a beautiful woman. From what I’ve learned about her, she was classy, refined, and sophisticated. I saw a photo of her once where she looked like Betty Grable; an incandescent, glamorous bombshell with a brilliant smile and sparkling eyes. I’ve also been told she was charming and kind. She passed away long before I would have a chance to meet her. Apparently, she died in her early 50’s from a dreadful disease that snuffed out the life of this vibrant woman.
We have only two heirlooms from the Einmo side of the family. But recently, through the thoughtfulness and generosity of Kent’s older sister, we now have another lovely Einmo family heirloom in our possession which once belonged to this stunning lady.
Kent’s mother, Connie, on her wedding day with her mother, Mary.
Recently, Kent’s sister was going through her things while remodeling her home. She came across Mary’s wedding china, a Wedgwood Queensware pattern, with embossed celadon leaves on cream. Pam is at the age and stage where she isn’t entertaining so she reached out to me to see if we’d be interested in having the china. I jumped at the chance and we’re thrilled to have something which once belonged to Mary and Fred Wright!
Mary and Fred Wright, date and place unknown.
So Pam carefully boxed up all the pieces she had and although it’s not a complete set as some pieces were either broken or lost over the years, we are thrilled to have it!
This is what arrived in the first few boxes. Six more boxes followed with more bowls, saucers, cups and serving pieces!
This is such an unexpected treasure! I am excited to entertain and use these in our home. When I do, I’ll think about beautiful Mary and the full, active life she lived. I’ll picture in my mind’s eye all the dinner parties she might have given for Fred’s clients (he was an attorney), or the luncheons she hosted with neighborhood ladies or perhaps her bridge club.
Someday, I hope to pass these down to perhaps a future daughter-in-law who will cherish them and think about her husband’s great-grandmother, Mary. I think Mary would be so happy to know they are cherished, as I’m sure she cherished them when she was alive. And I think she’d be so tickled to know her lovely wedding china will adorn the tables of her descendants for many years to come.
Wow Kim. What a wonderful surprise family heirloom. Enjoy using thinking of Mary.
Such a treasured item to have. So nice you appreciate you; however, knowing you, I’m not surprised. Blessings.
Love!
What a lovely story Kimberley. Knowing family history is so important. My husband has produced 4 books. Two for the histories of my maternal and paternal branches and another two for his. The China is really beautiful and knowing that she used it will keep her memory alive. Enjoy.
Beautiful! And the china set is beautiful, too, as is Mary. I have my grandmother’s dessert set and love it. Enjoy your new treasures!
What a special gift. I hope you use it in good health (a yiddish saying).
Be sure to share a pic of the first table set with this china in your home.
What a surprise it was to run across this posting about Mimi (Mary), my maternal grandmother!
Believe it or not, I was the next one in line for ownership of this very special Wedgewood dinnerware. As the oldest of five, my mom always told me that I looked so much like her beloved mother, especially being the only one in the family having dark brown eyes.
Alas, Mimi died a painful death of cancer when I was five years old. We had gone from a tropical climate to icy cold snow in Milwaukee to spend her dying days that winter. Ghandi (aka Fred, my grandpa) was beside himself with grief at losing his wife so young at 52. My grandparents had come to my Hawaii many times when I was a child, and also to Southern California where some of Mimi’s siblings lived. I have many photos iof us all together and everyone seemed so happy then.
Since my sister was four years younger than I, her memories of 1953-54 will be more límited than mine. Unfortunately our other younger siblings never got to know and love those grandparents who had both passed before they were born.
I cannot remember a single holiday while growing up that did not entail pulling out the fine China and setting the table with both that and the sterling silverware called Wallace Grand Baroque (very ornate). So I guess you could say that one of mine main triggers for holiday memories of my youth would be the transformation of our humble dining table with these items.
I inherited half of the chinaware and Pam got the rest. At one point while she lived in the upscale home of her mother-in-law, it was all on display in the formal dining room and she begged me to trade my half to her for another non-meaningful set so that she could have it complete again. I told I would only do so if it actually remained mine, should anything ever happen to her. The set she traded to me had no value to me so after so after hauling it around on several moves, I decided to get rid of it.
Fast forward to this posting from Kimberly which I just ran across. Although I was very surprised my sister had not remembered our explicit agreement about the chinaware, I could not think of a finer way to keep it in the family and honored by Kimberly. I began to cry with thinking of how this managed to stay where it will be cherished as long as our dwindling family members manage to keep the few heirlooms we have in a very special spot in all of our hearts.
Kent & Kimberly, the torch has been passed to you… I love you guys!! ?
The chinaware is beautiful. I am so glad you got it and can appreciate it. I know you will enjoy using it. It is a heirloom to be treasured.
Kim,
Your story touched my heart! I have beautiful china also that my late husband and I received for a wedding present and all my kids look at it and want no part. I hear kids that look at their parents and grandparents things and want the toaster or blender for their drinks. They have no idea the loss they are bringing upon themselves. You have received the most beautiful heirloom that I have ever seen. How wonderful of your sister-in-law to have taken the time to preserve the pieces in packing for your use and send them your way! Enjoy!
Carol, I, too, am mystified at the lack of interest in most of today’s young people to inherit family treasures and heirlooms. It honestly breaks my heart! They don’t seem to want to honor these items which have been lovingly preserved and kept through the generations. Everything seems like it is “disposable” with many Gen Z or Millenials. A friend of ours has a young girl who just celebrated a birthday in her teens and when I asked if she was collecting things for her Hope Chest” I was met with a smirk and a blank stare — as if to say, “what the heck are you talking about — a Hope Chest?” So sad. When I was growing up, we couldn’t afford an actual hope chest for me, but I collected things and kept them safe to take with me into my marriage. It wasn’t much, but those items were precious to me. They are precious still.