One thing that I have definitely learned about my paternal 
grandmother was her strength of character. She was a very devout Catholic and I can remember her going to mass most mornings.... not just Sunday. Her strong faith carried her through some very difficult times. Can you imagine losing your husband and father in the same month? June of 1935 had to be an absolutely dismal period. Her husband, Carl, died on the eighth of June and her father, William Markus, was lost on the twenty-ninth. And the two families were living in the same residence at 1615 Broadway with seven children ranging in ages 17 years to 17 months. Later, in the early 1940s, I am certain that she called upon her faith again as she had four sons serving in the military during World War II. She also had a brother, Norbert, who served in World War I and was badly wounded during that conflict.
grandmother was her strength of character. She was a very devout Catholic and I can remember her going to mass most mornings.... not just Sunday. Her strong faith carried her through some very difficult times. Can you imagine losing your husband and father in the same month? June of 1935 had to be an absolutely dismal period. Her husband, Carl, died on the eighth of June and her father, William Markus, was lost on the twenty-ninth. And the two families were living in the same residence at 1615 Broadway with seven children ranging in ages 17 years to 17 months. Later, in the early 1940s, I am certain that she called upon her faith again as she had four sons serving in the military during World War II. She also had a brother, Norbert, who served in World War I and was badly wounded during that conflict.  | |
| St. Mary's Hospital |
Beatrice would eventually take a job in 1947 as nurse’s aide at St. Mary’s Hospital which was located just a few blocks from her home. She worked there for 14 years and was there when I was born at that same hospital in 1948. Not only was she a caregiver at the hospital, she also took care of her mother, Mary Anna Husam Markus, at home. I can remember visiting Great Grandma Markus in the upstairs front bedroom whenever I was in Quincy. She was nearly blind as I recall. I didn’t get to Quincy often and I would have just turned 9 when she passed away; so, I , unfortunately, don’t remember much about her.
She had five siblings: two sisters and three brothers. One sister,
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| Confirmation |
Alvina,
and one brother, Lawrence “Laurel”, died very young. Arthur was an older
brother and Norbert was a younger brother. She had a younger sister,
Virginia. It seems to me that she was always referred to as “Aunt
Jinky”. By the way, Arthur’s daughter, June Hoopes, did a lot of
genealogical research including some trips to Germany. I have been able
to use her research extensively in researching the Markus and Husam
families.
It appears to me that Beatrice and Carl had a pretty active social life in Quincy. I have several pictures of them with siblings and friends on outings in and around Quincy. She was a member of the Third Order of St. Francis (Catholic Church) and of the Catholic Ladies of Charity. I don’t know much about these groups but knowing Grandma, I am most certain she was a very active member. She was a very loving, giving person and she lived her faith throughout her life.
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