Albert was 30 years old and Celestine (Derosier) was 21 years old when their 4th child Mary Rose, who went by Vina her entire life, joined the family. Vina, my grandaunt, was born on November 7, 1890 at the family home in White Bear Township, Ramsey County, Minnesota. She was welcomed by her 3 older siblings: Alice Mabel who was 5 years old, Albert Noah who was 3 years old and Ellen Lucy (my grandmother) who was a few weeks shy of turning 2 years old.
Vina, like many others born before the advent of statewide birth certificates, obtained a delayed birth certificate. With the passage of the Social Security Act in 1936, a delayed birth certificate was one way to provide the evidence needed to prove eligibility for a Social Security Pension. On Vina’s delayed birth certificate proof of her birth date was determined by an affidavit from her mother Celestine (Celeste), her school record, a certificate of baptism and her Minnesota fishing license. I don’t think that any one of us could use a fishing license as legal identification; those were the days.
On November 16, 1890 Mary Rose (Vina) was baptized by Father Francois Combettes at St. John’s Church in New (Little) Canada. Her sponsors (godparents) were Euclid Bonin and one of Celestine’s 9 sisters, Rose Derosier. Rose and Euclid were Vina’s aunt and uncle who had married the previous year.
On January 18, 1891, just over 2 months after Vina’s birth, Vina’s future husband Howard Wesley Bloom was born in the nearby village of White Bear. At the time of his birth, Howard’s father Peter Bloom was 40 years old and his mother Anna Catherine (Hammerly) was 34 years old. Howard was the last of 6 children born to the couple
By the 1905 Minnesota census 14 year old Vina is a student with 4 younger brothers and sisters listed after her: Edmund, Cleveland, Norma and Frances.4 Her mother had also given birth to another sibling, but that child, Eveline, who was born in 1901, had only survived 12 days.5,6
The 1910 U. S. census shows 19 year old Vina as a servant living on Clark Avenue in the Village of White Bear. She resided with Elizabeth E. Edgar, a widow, and her 4 children who range in age from 13 years old down to just under 2 years old.7 I’m sure Vina not only cooked and kept house, but also helped Mrs. Edgar with her children. Interestingly, Vina’s sister Ellen, my grandmother, had worked as a domestic in the household of the Charles W. Price family also located on Clark Avenue.
Vina more than likely met Howard because of her living in the Village of White Bear. According to the 1910 U. S. census, Howard’s brother Robert had a grocery business in the village, and 19 year old Howard was working as a grocery clerk.8 Vina probably saw, met and interacted with Howard while running errands.
Although not an occupation listed on any census record, Howard served the community of White Bear as a volunteer firefighter from March 22, 1910 until January 18, 1956, a span of almost 46 years.9
Vina and Howard were both 20 years old when they married on February 23, 1911. According to the marriage certificate, they were married by Father William Finley at the (St. Paul) Cathedral residence in St. Paul. William Vadnais and Rachel Hauser, who would marry one another just 4 months later, witnessed the marriage.10
I have wondered for quite awhile about this particular postcard, but I now believe that the photograph was taken the day Vina and Howard married; it is their wedding picture.
Three months after their marriage on May 29, 1911, Vina gave birth to their first child, Gladys Mary (Her name is shown as Gladys Mary on her birth record, but I’ve also seen her name as Gladys Mae).11
Their second child, Delores Marie, was born on February 13, 1913 and their last child, Howard Peltier (Bud) was born on October 16, 1915; all of the children were born in White Bear.12,13
Norma is about 15 years old, Vina is 22 years old, Delores is about 6 months old and Gladys is about 2 years old. This is the Bloom family residence at 723 6th Street; it was located just east of Division Avenue on the north side of 6th Street on part of the land where the Arbors of White Bear now sits.
In 1917 Howard registered for the World War I draft, but he would not be called to serve. His draft registration card reveals that he was a chauffeur (I assume a delivery person) for the Mercantile Grocery Company.14
The 1930 U. S. census enumerates Howard, Vina and the 3 children at 723 6th Street in White Bear Lake. They own their home which is valued at $4,000 and they own a radio. The children are all teenagers. Howard is still in the retail grocery business and Vina is a sales lady in a grocery store.15
By the 1940 U. S. census 49 year old Howard is working for the city of White Bear Lake as the Superintendant of Water and Sewer (Public Works); a job from which he will eventually retire. Howard provided the census information and valued their home at $3,500. Delores is 27 years old and a retail store clerk and 25 year old Howard Jr. (Bud) is a grocery store clerk (Bud worked at Berg’s Grocery owned by his sister Gladys and her husband Walter. Gladys is not shown in the census for the household because she had married Walter Berg in 1934 and moved out.) Howard further imparted that he completed the first year of high school, Vina completed 5 years of grade school and both Delores and Howard Jr. completed all 4 years of high school.16
The x inside of the circle next to Howard’s name tells us that he is the one that provided the census information for his family.
Howard and Vina, like many other parents, would endure their only son Howard Jr. (Bud) being involved in World War II. Bud was not drafted, but enlisted in the U. S. Army and served from January 1, 1941 (11 months before Pearl Harbor) until December 7, 1945 (the Japanese surrendered September 2 1945).17
Early 1940s – left picture: Howard and Vina with Bud, middle picture: siblings Gladys, Bud and Delores, right picture: Bud with nephew Tom Berg
The 1950 U. S. census shows Howard and Vina with a full house; Howard Jr. (Bud) is living at home, as is Gladys, her husband Walter and their son Thomas (Tom). Howard is the Superintendent of Public Works for the City of White Bear Lake, Bud is a butcher at his sister Gladys’ and brother-in-law Walter’s grocery store, Berg’s Grocery and Vina is at home.18 I assume she is tending house and caring for her grandson Tom.
Avis is 44 years old, Celestine is 86 years old, Vina and Howard are both 64 years old and I am about 6 months old.
Vina is 65 years old and Ellen is 67 years old
On March 4, 1966, seventy-five year old Howard retired after 43 years as the Superintendent of Public Works for the City of White Bear Lake (So he had been working for the city since 1923, even though census records show him doing otherwise.).19 Ten years earlier, in 1956, he had retired from the White Bear Fire Department, after serving as a volunteer firefighter for 46 years.20
Sadly, Howard and Vina were not to enjoy Howard’s retirement for very long; just 13 months later, on April 3, 1967, Vina passed away at 76 years old. According to her death certificate, she was attended to by Dr. Roy Peterson from January 27, 1967 until her death. The cause of death is shown as acute hepatitis with cirrhosis of the liver listed as a significant condition. She survived 6 weeks after being diagnosed.21
Services were held on Wednesday April 5, 1967 at St. Mary of the Lake Church. Although both her death certificate and her obituary state that she was buried at the church cemetery, she was actually buried at Union Cemetery in White Bear Lake. Only 3 of her 12 siblings: Ellen, Avis and Cleveland were alive at the time of her death.
Howard passed away a little more than 6 years later on March 12, 1973 at 82 years old. Both Howard and Vina had died at Mounds Park Hospital in St. Paul. Deciphering the medical terms listed on his death certificate it appears that he had his gallbladder removed (cholecystectomy) and post-op a blood clot formed in the coronary artery (coronary thrombosis) resulting in a heart attack (myocardial infarction) of which he survived another 3 hours. He had previously been diagnosed with myeloid leukemia (blood cancer that develops in the monocytes).23
Howard was laid to rest next to Vina at Union Cemetery on March 16, 1973.
Thanks for visiting, come back soon,
Cindy
© 2023 Copyright by Cynthia Vadnais, All Rights Reserved
Great info!!!! Aunt Vina & Grandma were such good friends. My mom bought our house on Bloom Ave from Fred Bloom, former mayor of WB. Do you think there was a connection to Howard’s family? Thanks for the wonderful info & images.
oxoxo
I agree, Grandma and Aunt Vina must have been very close. I am not sure of Fred Bloom’s relation to Howard; I don’t have many records associated with the extended Bloom family.
Hi Cynthia, I’m Vicki Kulkey Plant, and I just bumped into this amazing article this morning. I am fascinated and it is wonderful reading the history of Grandma and Grandpa. And I do know that Fred Bloom and my grandpa Howard
Bloom were first cousins. You should talk to my cousin Tom Berg, he is a wealth of information and remembers a lot more than I do. Once again thank you for this wonderful piece of History.
Vicki,
How wonderful to hear from you. I’m glad that you found my site and that you are enjoying the posts.
Cynthia
Several DeRosier descendents were probably working at Mounds Park Hospital when Vina died. Myself for sure. Rose Marie DeRosier’s descendents.
How interesting, what a small world.
You are quite a sleuth digging up all of that family stuff. Your scanner must be very hot and tired from copying all those documents. I learned many things about my grandparents and family I had notr known…Thanks for sharing. With your permission, I would like to add Vina’s info to my family history. Hopefully I will be able to connect with you after the first of the year to share some of the info and photos I have. Blessings, Tom
Thanks Tom. I have no problem with your saving the posting for your usage, I only ask that you not re-post it to other internet sites. I look forward to getting together with you.