Family Photo Album
~ Keepsake ~
Christmas 1963
Charlie and Nancy (1 month old)
Janice and Nancy
Nancy, Grandma and Pa Pa Hagenmayer
Charlie and Nancy
1964 ~ Look who's walking!
Charlie and Nancy
Uh... some carpeting please. Maybe a baby wipe for my knees... lol
Charlie and Nancy
Side Note: It is amazing to me how much Alex looks like my father, especially his hands!
Heidi
Heidi
Can I get a little help here?
Best dog... unless you're the cat!
I remember Heidi vividly. She was a huge part of our family. The day she died I ran to my friends' house crying, couldn't even speak to tell her what happened.
Christmas
Pa Pa Hagenmayer and Nancy
(What's up with my eyes?)
1966
I remember the track. We would get to the gate entrance and a guard would stop our car, just like every car. Dad would say hello and announce himself as ‘Charlie Dodge.’ The guard would step back in surprise. ‘Oh?!! Go right ahead!’ There was never a charge. We entered many events just short of a personal escort. Even as a child I could sense the respect.
Mom always had us kids in tow. In earlier years she was right up there with the pit crew. But once we ‘little darlings’ came along, that ended. She was sanctioned to the camper and setting up makeshift tents so we could watch Daddy and all the action without burning up in the sun. My freckled face still bears the signs of many a sunburn.
We huddled under a blanket attached between the fence and a few 55 gallon drums. Our own personal awning. Men ran here and there, car engines roared, the announcer bellowed over the loud speakers... it was all very infectious. As the cars raced down the track, we pressed our faces hard against the chain links to see all we could, screaming our encouragements. Sometimes Dad drove, sometimes Uncle George drove. Either way anxiety gripped. I do not know how my Mother could stand the intensity. Especially given her childhood history... Then again she didn’t have much of a choice.
Mom always had us kids in tow. In earlier years she was right up there with the pit crew. But once we ‘little darlings’ came along, that ended. She was sanctioned to the camper and setting up makeshift tents so we could watch Daddy and all the action without burning up in the sun. My freckled face still bears the signs of many a sunburn.
We huddled under a blanket attached between the fence and a few 55 gallon drums. Our own personal awning. Men ran here and there, car engines roared, the announcer bellowed over the loud speakers... it was all very infectious. As the cars raced down the track, we pressed our faces hard against the chain links to see all we could, screaming our encouragements. Sometimes Dad drove, sometimes Uncle George drove. Either way anxiety gripped. I do not know how my Mother could stand the intensity. Especially given her childhood history... Then again she didn’t have much of a choice.
1968-69 ish
My childhood recollections included huge race cars - dragsters, roadsters, huge trailers, dune buggies - in our driveway, like it was a normal event. My sisters and I, and Heidi, would mull around as Dad and my Uncle George puttered. I didn’t realize the magnitude of what I was witnessing. Another, ‘isn’t that always the way’ moment. These two friends on a mission to break records and make history... and many times succeeding.
Who knew that someday their names and the word "Legends" would be in the same sentence. They were just doing what they loved to do.
Heidi, George and Candy, Nancy, Barbara
Nancy & Barbara
Nancy, Barbara, Heidi and George
George
The Dune Buggy Days
Nancy, Barbara (front seat), Lisa (back seat)
Nancy, Lisa & Barbara
I remember the Dune Buggy vividly. We had a lot of fun with that car!
Before Daly Blvd. was made - the street at the end of Lawson Blvd. - Dad took us for rides on the sand dunes.
He was a mad man. It could have been an airplane for all I knew. The engine roared as the Buggy raced up a sandy hill, as we crested the top we left the ground for what felt like forever. Airborne, I held the rails tighter and screamed with glee.
My mother stood watching, covering her mouth in fright. She didn’t like to participate in these ‘adventure rides.’ Her father was killed in a horrific car accident when she was only 17. Clearly life altering. Thankfully, my Mom and the rest of her family survived... however the impact of that day left its mark. No crazy car rides for Mom!
Before Daly Blvd. was made - the street at the end of Lawson Blvd. - Dad took us for rides on the sand dunes.
He was a mad man. It could have been an airplane for all I knew. The engine roared as the Buggy raced up a sandy hill, as we crested the top we left the ground for what felt like forever. Airborne, I held the rails tighter and screamed with glee.
My mother stood watching, covering her mouth in fright. She didn’t like to participate in these ‘adventure rides.’ Her father was killed in a horrific car accident when she was only 17. Clearly life altering. Thankfully, my Mom and the rest of her family survived... however the impact of that day left its mark. No crazy car rides for Mom!
Lisa & Barbara
Barbara, Siobhan, John & Nancy Our neighbors.
Barbara
Nancy
I wish I would have understood that more clearly as a child. I spent a lot of time wondering why Mom never joined us. It was fun to have the Dune Buggy at home, like part of the family... many days, merely our ride to school. We were the talk of our classmates.
Then to go to the race track and watch our ‘family member’ race on the tracks.... How awesome! Oddly natural for our household.
NY Nat'l Speedway-Roger Lindermoon/Color Me Gone
Charlie (silver) Otto (yellow) George (gold)
Favorite!
Charlie and Nancy
Dad was always working on something... This model sailboat graced our home for many years.
1970 September
Back of the Dune Buggy.
Barbara 8, Lisa 6, Nancy 10
1970 ish - Hawk's Nest
Headed to The Old Place for the weekend. Dad and Mom always opted for the scenic route.
On this trip we stopped to take in the view. I actually remember my father taking this photo.
(Pretty sure I was 10, Barbara 8, Lisa 6)
The Rock Garden
Our weekend getaways to the country were key to our family. My mother had an affinity for rocks. She would see one that she loved, somewhere in the woods, and Dad would be figuring out how to get this boulder back to Oceanside. Mom created a masterpiece in our backyard. My sisters and I would climb the tree, and jump boulder to boulder as she tended to her plants. It was a little piece of Heaven.
When the house in Oceanside was sold, several of those boulders made their way back to Pennsylvania. Yes.... now it was my husbands task to figure out how to move mountains.
Everyday I pull in my driveway and look at that very same rock - the one behind the wagon wheel made it back home.
1980
Nancy (17) and Charlie (50)
2002 - October
This picture was taken about three weeks before my father died. It was developed after his death... a beautiful captured moment. (October 2002)
Charlee Anna pulled her Pop-Pop off the couch to sit on the stairs. She was 16 months old and very happy to be making a decision that someone would follow. She was thrilled that Pop-Pop acquiesced and joined her!
Charlee Anna pulled her Pop-Pop off the couch to sit on the stairs. She was 16 months old and very happy to be making a decision that someone would follow. She was thrilled that Pop-Pop acquiesced and joined her!
The feeling was mutual!