Amelia Klimmek Bristow
September 13, 1911 — September 13, 2009
Amelia Klimmek Bristow, 98, was born on July 29, 1911 in Luzerne, Michigan, and passed away on September 13, 2009, in Los Angeles, California.
This is a short resume written by Amelia in 1994 when she was up for the 'Women of the Month' for the Women's Club of Commerce.
I was born in Luzerne, Michigan on July 29, 1911 in a log cabin, being the 13th child out of 16th children. When I was 6 years old I started school in a one room school house through the 8th grade. Then I was bussed, along with other children, to Mio High School where I attended through the 12th grade.
Then 3 years of Nurses Training at Saginaw General Hospital. Graduated September 1932, determined that I was going to California to live.
No work in 1932/1933 because of the depression. Next came a Post-Graduate course in Obstetrics at the Women's Hospital in Detroit, in Autumn of 1933. The following spring I came to California with my brother, he and his family lived in Inglewood, California.
Worked at Wilshire Hospital for several years as a floor nurse, later I resigned and went to work at Cedar of Lebenor for a few months. There was better money to be made doing Private Duty which I did for a number of years.
Married James W. Bristow in 1937, also acquired a son, Ronald and a mother-in-law. I was able to do Private Duty until the depression lifted. Then Jim's mother was called back to work, as a railroad clerk in Indiana. We lost our baby-sitter. When I first met Mr. Bristow, he was making $86.00 a month, I was able to earn $42.00 a week for a 24 hour day. Money was scare! We built our house in 1939/1940. We were to be in the house in three months. But that was the year of the big rains and it took 6 months. Again money was scare because we paid 3 months rent we had not planned on.
The reason we picked this location was because Mr. Bristow worked at U.S. Rubber and he could walk to work. I, on the other hand, had to work farther away. I worked at Goodrich Rubber Company for a while, but I was working the night shift and eventually Mr. Bristow said, 'Enough of this night work!' So, I resigned and applied at Norwalk State Hospital, name changed to Metropolitan State while I was working there.
After I left there I stayed home for a while, but then I decided I needed to work, money still scare. Dr. Anzalone told me to go to Bella Vista and apply and I did and was hired immediately.
Community Hospital had been built and they asked me to come to work for them, which I did. I took a couple of courses in Supervision because they put in a supervisorial position.
During the War, we moved to Washington State, it was a necessity if we wanted to live like a family. No sooner had we made the move, when Mr Bristow was sent overseas. I knew I had to stay home with Ronald because he had a way of getting into mischief when I wasn't around. I took care of two children of people who were in War Jobs.
When Commerce was Incorporated and Mr. Bristow was elected to the Commerce City Council it was a big life change foe us ' in January 1960.
I retired from Community Hospital in 1973 and have been busy ever since doing all sorts of Volunteer things.
Memorial service will be at 2:00 pm on Saturday, October 3, 2009 in Hollenback Palms, 573 South Boyle Ave., Los Angeles, California 90033 - (323) 263-6195.
Condolences may be e-mailed to the family through our Guest
Book.
This is a short resume written by Amelia in 1994 when she was up for the 'Women of the Month' for the Women's Club of Commerce.
I was born in Luzerne, Michigan on July 29, 1911 in a log cabin, being the 13th child out of 16th children. When I was 6 years old I started school in a one room school house through the 8th grade. Then I was bussed, along with other children, to Mio High School where I attended through the 12th grade.
Then 3 years of Nurses Training at Saginaw General Hospital. Graduated September 1932, determined that I was going to California to live.
No work in 1932/1933 because of the depression. Next came a Post-Graduate course in Obstetrics at the Women's Hospital in Detroit, in Autumn of 1933. The following spring I came to California with my brother, he and his family lived in Inglewood, California.
Worked at Wilshire Hospital for several years as a floor nurse, later I resigned and went to work at Cedar of Lebenor for a few months. There was better money to be made doing Private Duty which I did for a number of years.
Married James W. Bristow in 1937, also acquired a son, Ronald and a mother-in-law. I was able to do Private Duty until the depression lifted. Then Jim's mother was called back to work, as a railroad clerk in Indiana. We lost our baby-sitter. When I first met Mr. Bristow, he was making $86.00 a month, I was able to earn $42.00 a week for a 24 hour day. Money was scare! We built our house in 1939/1940. We were to be in the house in three months. But that was the year of the big rains and it took 6 months. Again money was scare because we paid 3 months rent we had not planned on.
The reason we picked this location was because Mr. Bristow worked at U.S. Rubber and he could walk to work. I, on the other hand, had to work farther away. I worked at Goodrich Rubber Company for a while, but I was working the night shift and eventually Mr. Bristow said, 'Enough of this night work!' So, I resigned and applied at Norwalk State Hospital, name changed to Metropolitan State while I was working there.
After I left there I stayed home for a while, but then I decided I needed to work, money still scare. Dr. Anzalone told me to go to Bella Vista and apply and I did and was hired immediately.
Community Hospital had been built and they asked me to come to work for them, which I did. I took a couple of courses in Supervision because they put in a supervisorial position.
During the War, we moved to Washington State, it was a necessity if we wanted to live like a family. No sooner had we made the move, when Mr Bristow was sent overseas. I knew I had to stay home with Ronald because he had a way of getting into mischief when I wasn't around. I took care of two children of people who were in War Jobs.
When Commerce was Incorporated and Mr. Bristow was elected to the Commerce City Council it was a big life change foe us ' in January 1960.
I retired from Community Hospital in 1973 and have been busy ever since doing all sorts of Volunteer things.
Memorial service will be at 2:00 pm on Saturday, October 3, 2009 in Hollenback Palms, 573 South Boyle Ave., Los Angeles, California 90033 - (323) 263-6195.
Condolences may be e-mailed to the family through our Guest
Book.
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