Sipprell Family  1952

Carla, Elizabeth Ann, Daisy Swanson, Palma Sipprell, Jean Quistorff

Jim Sipprell, Albert Swanson,  Art Sipprell,  Fred Quistorff, Jim Quistorff

Palma Lee Sipprell by Carla Quistorff Pfaff
I remember more stories from Grandma because she stayed with us when she
had a broken leg while we lived on Bainbridge Island. I was in my first year of
college.
She talked about growing up in Everett with her 3 sisters and 4 brothers. She
told about one Sunday that her dad wanted the whole family to go for a walk.
She did not want to go. I think she said she wanted to go with Jim Sipprell.
Her dad made her go with the family.  While they were outside all dressed up in
their coats and hats, someone took a picture of the whole group. Palma was still
mad about having to go with the family wt she did not smile. I remember
seeing the picture. I don't know if Art had the picture or if Mom has it.
She talked about playing basketball in high school (she loved sports). She said
there was a controversy at the high school about whether the girls could wear
bloomers to play in. The administration wanted the girls to wear skirts. The
woman PE teacher said it was more fun for everyone watching especially when
they fell down if they were wearing skirts. The girls got to wear bloomers.
Palma was born in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. She remembered one winter when the
snow was on the ground and it was very cold out - too cold to go out and play
their mother said. However, their mother had hung the wash out on the line
that morning. Brownie, one of their horses, was out in the yard and got to
feeling playful.  He grabbed one of the sheets off the line and carrying it in his
mouth, he raced around and around the house with it. The kids ran from
window to window watching him and laughing. That sure livened up a dull day.
When she was about 8 years old they moved to Everett by train. She
remembered when the train was stopped somewhere, the conductor saying
"Make way for the Lee party". She did not remember why they were stopped.
Grandma was a good seamstress. By the time I was big enough to want to sew,
her eyes were bad enough she did not sew anymore. Mom said she had a
wonderful sense of style and color. She thought she could have been an interior
decorator.
They both liked football games. They always rooted for UW and the 49ers.
Grandma was all Norwegian heritage. Twins ran in Grandma's family. She had
twin uncles back in Wisconsin - big guys well over 6 feet tall.  One of her sisters
had two sets of twins (I believe) and she had Jim and Art (fraternal twins).
Grandma went to the University of Washington after high school, where she
pledged a sorority. She showed me her yearbook with her picture in it. 

They all had Gibson girl hairdoes. When they went home for the weekends, they had to
take the ferryboat to Everett. They would do lots of singing to pass the time.
I remember both of them singing when we would travel in the car somewhere.
They knew lots of songs by heart. "Moonlight Bay" was one.
Grandma had terrible migraine headaches. She also had two sisters who had
them and several of her nieces had them.

  1947  Palma Sipprell & Elizabeth Ann Sipprell

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