Warren Murray Deming (Murray's Dad)

Born 10/8/1879 Wetherfield Illinois
Died 12/26/1936 Los Angeles, CA

At age 56, in 1936, Warren was diagnosed with cancer at the Battle Creek Sanitarium in Michigan. His brother-in-law, a physician in Los Angeles (Newton Evans) suggested Warren travel to California for new cancer treatments. The following excerpts were what Warren wrote to his family on his trip out to California for these treatments where he passed away months later:

• We are about 400 miles south of home and you should see the gardens here. Ripe strawberries, potatoes a foot high, corn up and plowed once, wheat all headed out. I am going to take a bath and shave this morning. This is a swell cabin. Dandy bathtub, hot and cold water and everything up to snuff. The roads have been fine and so far in Arkansas they are as level as a floor.
• We stayed here in Fort Worth last night. We are going to church here. I have my best suit and I shaved and took a shower bath for the first time in my life that I can remember. I expect they will ask me to preach, but I'll have to tell them my health and brains will not permit.
• We are 1,500 miles on the way and have 1,000 more to go. Car is working fine. I have to take a shower this morning. I hate to bother to do it, but had to pay two dollars for this room so if I take a shower that will cut the room down to $1.50.
• We gradually climbed 3,500 feet and began to go down toward the Pacific and home. Cool orange groves, beautiful trees. So in a few short hours (they seem long at the time) we came from the hottest, most deserted place I ever saw or felt to the most beautiful, and the nicest climate I ever felt. By 8:30 we were in Pasadena, California.

Then began accounts of his life in California and trips to the hospital for his x-ray treatments:

• From the standpoint of science, my operation was a huge success... but I am still quite sore and so do not enjoy life as I will when it is "healed and haired over." I will take the rest cure before beginning the x-ray treatments.
• We spent the evening looking at a box of pictures. There were several pictures of you kids when you were small and the different places where we have lived. The one of the soddy in the sandhills made me feel the home "sickest" of them all. It sorter makes me wish I could start life over beginning that windy day we landed in the sandhills. I think I still have some of the sand in my craw that I swallowed that day. But that was the life.
• We are going to have company for dinner tomorrow evening, so I will have to get on my company manners and shave twice I reckon. Mama doesn't like company but I get fat on it. Will tell you later how I made out. Hope I don't spill the gravy or the beans.
• Just listened to the president (FDR) and then heard the water going over the dam (Boulder). It was thrilling to hear it over the radio. Radio is sure a wonderful thing isn't it.
• We are getting so stuck on the country that we have decided to stay for good. No snow, no ice, no frozen radiators, or hard starting cars in the winter. I should think everyone would come to California.

Warren's last postcard was dated 9/24/36.
Thanks Aunt Corinne.