A Belated Valentine to my Grandmother

I have no recollection of ever giving my grandmother, Irene Mae (Faus) Hagenbuch (b. 1920), a Valentine’s Day card. Perhaps, I did as a child and have forgotten it. But, more likely than not, I didn’t. I sure wish I had.

Valentine’s Day was this past Saturday. In the lead up to the day, I watched my eldest son, William, prepare valentines for his classmates. He used markers, paste, and scissors to hand make all 25 for the class. When Saturday rolled around, my wife, Sara, and I exchanged the cards we made for each other; then we spent the afternoon with our three children at a car dealership. As parents know, there is little time to relax when the kids are young!

Traditionally, Valentine’s Day cards and gifts were given to romantic partners. However, in the last hundred years, the holiday has expanded, with celebrants sending heartfelt messages to friends, family, and colleagues. In a previous article, I wrote about a valentine made by a boy, Clarence Messersmith, that he gave to his infant cousin, Roy Hagenbuch, around 1917. With this in mind, I wanted to create a Valentine’s Day inspired article featuring pictures of my paternal grandmother, whom I always called “Nana.”

I’ve been thinking a lot about Nana recently. Her daughter, my aunt Barbara “Barb” (Hagenbuch) Huffman, let me borrow a collection of photographs she had, including several of Nana. Not only do they make me smile, they also remind me of the kind and loving person Nana was. Like the rest of our family, I miss her, and this year marks 15 years since she died. Time flies, doesn’t it?

The earliest image we have of Nana was taken in 1920 and was later given to her by her parents Odis and Minnie (Hilner) Faus. It shows little Irene dressed for the cold and sitting outside of a home—probably in Delaware Township, Northumberland County, Pennsylvania—where they lived. Nana was about 10 months old when the photo was captured.

Irene Faus when she was less than a year old, 1920

The next picture has been the focal point of conversation at Aunt Barb’s house for years. It’s a hand-colored image of Nana standing beside a young man in the snow. That man is her future husband, my grandfather, Homer Sechler Hagenbuch (b. 1916), whom I called “Pop.” On the back of the image is written “1939”—the same year the couple married on March 22nd. Noting the snow on the ground, it appears this photo was taken shortly before they married, perhaps just after their engagement. In the background is a white fence, some trees, and a field. It seems to match the area behind the Keefer’s house, which was depicted in a previous piece.

Irene Faus with Homer Hagenbuch, 1939

Nana was a dedicated mother. She also enjoyed photography and owned a series of cameras throughout her life. Found in her photographs were a number of images taken in photo booths, perhaps at the Bloomsburg Fair. This one shows her around 1945 with her two, oldest children Robert “Bob” and Barbara “Barb.”

Irene (Faus) Hagenbuch with her children Robert “Bob” and Barbara “Barb”, c. 1945

This photograph is a bit of a mystery. Irene and Homer both look quite young it in, suggesting it might have been taken in the early 1940s. But, there is some writing on the back that is partially cut off. (The image was trimmed with scissors at some point.) This reads “from Irene’s; December 5, 1949.” Regardless of the exact date, it is a lovely picture—one of my favorite of my grandparents. I really enjoy Nana’s smile for the camera and the way Pop is glancing at her.

Irene (Faus) and Homer Hagenbuch, December 5, 1949

Our family has many fond memories of family gatherings at Nana’s house. In the following image, taken from a scan of a slide, we see Nana with her four oldest grandchildren (from left to right): Robert, Craig, Melanie, and Samuel “Tommy.” Everyone is gathered around the dining room table at Nana and Pop’s house preparing to blow out the candles on a birthday cake. Whose birthday was it? Some Easter Eggs are visible on the left side of the picture and snow can be seen on the ground through the windows. These details suggest this event was Nana’s 52nd birthday on March 15, 1972. In fact, Easter was early that year and fell on April 2nd.

Irene (Faus) Hagenbuch with four of her grandchildren, c. 1972

Nana lived long enough to become a great grandmother. This photograph of her was taken in the summer of 1999. Irene is sitting on a bench in her yard with her granddaughter, Melanie, and her great granddaughter, Olivia.

Irene (Faus) Hagenbuch with her granddaughter, Melanie, and great granddaughter, Olivia, 1999

Irene (Faus) Hagenbuch, my Nana, was everything we imagine a grandmother should be. She cared deeply for her family and friends, made tasty desserts and mailed plenty of postcards, hosted relatives for holiday meals, and never forgot a birthday or anniversary. While I regret having never given her a valentine, I feel confident that she would be pleased that we continue to honor her and love her very much.

Irene (Faus) Hagenbuch with Andrew M. Hagenbuch, 2008