My mom was born on November 12, 1937. Just a year later, in 1938, her parents divorced. Around that same time, my grandmother’s brother—Uncle Ollie—faced a tragedy of his own when his wife, Helen, passed away unexpectedly at the age of 28. They had one son together, Glenn, who had been born in 1930.
Life shifted after that. My grandmother, Uncle Ollie, and their parents—my great-grandparents—ended up living together in one household. Uncle Ollie worked to support the family, while my grandmother managed the home. That house became the foundation where my mom, her sister Elaine, and cousin Glenn were all raised. It wasn’t a traditional setup, but it worked.
Uncle Ollie was quite a character. According to my mom, he had a fiery temper when she was growing up—strict, loud, and commanding. But by the time I came along, that rough edge had softened. I remember his thick head of silver hair, and how he’d let me sit beside him with a brush, patiently letting me comb it. He never rushed me, never complained. To me, he wasn’t just a great-uncle—he was more like a grandfather. He was always there. Every holiday, every birthday. A big man with an even bigger laugh.
But what stands out most in my memory is his love life—or should I say, his double life.
He had two girlfriends: Marie and Grace. Friday nights were for one, Saturdays for the other. Grace knew about Marie, but Marie had no idea about Grace. It was the kind of family secret everyone whispered about but never addressed directly. Marie was closer to his age—warm, grandmotherly, the kind of woman who brought a pie and knew everyone’s birthday. Grace was at least twenty years younger, a blonde with a youthful charm who turned heads when she entered a room.
And somehow, he kept up this arrangement for years. Decades, even. Both women were part of his life, separately but fully. When Uncle Ollie passed away in 1970, both Marie and Grace came to his funeral. They stood just feet apart, each saying their final goodbyes to the same man—neither one knowing the full story.
Uncle Ollie left behind plenty of stories, but that one remains the most unforgettable.
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