Historical November–December 2021 article. Dates, prices, services and contacts describe the source period; current availability has not been established.
Recently former neighbors the Botz’s and Storey’s decided to get together and catch up. Joe and Bette Botz have been gone for several years and George Storey passed away three years ago. Nine of the children and some spouses plus the remaining parent, Rose Storey was in attendance and did not go home early! Both families lived East of St. Roch near the viaduct; the Storey’s on Waterman and the Botz’s on DeGiverville-(until they moved into the Morely house on the 6100 block of Kingsbury). Between the two families there were 15 childrenso there was plenty of fun, mischief, mayhem and a few emergencies.
The kids recalled playing kickball on the Storey’s side yard; the boys were in Scouts and on baseball teams together with their parents as coaches and scout leaders. Every large family has crazy stories but on separate occasions both families had small children locked in a bedroom which required calling the fire department to come in through a window for rescue (Kathy Storey, Bill Botz and Suzie Botz were the inmates).
The best story remains as the day Bill Botz decided to go on a walkabout with his brother John still in a diaper (maybe four and two years old?). Mrs. Botz was frantic and the entire neighborhood was looking for them until Terri found them barefoot at Velvet Freeze on DeBaliviere. Bill wanted ice cream.
The younger Botz kids were surprised to hear that their Dad, Joe Botz had been the ambulance driver for the Storey children on three separate occasions. Both Dads had been part of the St Roch barber shop quartet and the Storey kids learned that Bette Botz had been a ballerina-literally.
We all reminisced about the neighborhood at Halloween, school picnics, the Kingsbury art fair (Bette Botz presenting her painting as well as commissioned water colors of neighborhood homes), the Mother’s Day flower sale, annual blood drive and many great gatherings.
It was just a typical Skinker-DeBaliviere family reunion where the youngest kids were still learning things about their parents and older siblings. Parents who had become good friends but also great support for each other raising large families.
In those days the Storey’s (8 children) and the Botz’s (7 children) were medium sized families but if you only had one bathroom the families felt large enough. Lots of laughs and memories were shared and they promised to do it again soon.
Originally published in The Times of Skinker-DeBaliviere, November–December 2021.
Read this article in the original newspaper issue.
Original source: SD_Times2021_11.pdf, printed page(s) 3; PDF page(s) 3.
