A family in Illinois has finally received a letter that was mailed exactly 80 years ago. The mail was sent in 1943 by a family member in Illinois to a couple in Portland but it was not until 2023 that it finally resurfaced at the DeKalb post office and was delivered to the family.
The letter was written to Mr. and Mrs. Louis and Lavena George by a first cousin of Louis, and it was addressed to South 6th Street in DeKalb. It likely disappeared for many years because of the lack of a house number before it finally reached its destination a day after Christmas in 2023.
The existence of the letter came to light and social media buzz ensured that the George family was found and the letter was delivered to them. Before the rediscovery of the letter, the individuals that it was addressed to have since passed away.
A surviving member of the family, Grace Salazar was tracked down and the letter was delivered to her. Grace had only moved to Portland a few weeks before the letter was rediscovered.
In the letter, the relative was sending her condolence to Louis and Lavena George who had just lost a daughter, Evelyn, to Cystic Fibrosis.
Another member of the family who saw the letter was Jannette, a surviving daughter of the George family. According to her, she found the letter emotional because it was always a horrific thing to lose a child. According to her, it put her in a place where she could relate to the grief of her parents who had lost a daughter even before she was born.
While many found the letter significant because it was sent many years ago, it hit Jannette differently because it made her appreciate both her family and extended family including her nieces and nephews. She also got to understand the continuity of life.
Louis, who the letter was addressed to, was born in 1911, while his wife was born in 1913, and they got married in 1932.
