Marguerite Irene McGowan/Baggot is in my heart and memory as Nonie Baggot, part of the couple, Nonie and Papa who lived 45 minutes from us in Wisconsin Dells, WI.
I remember Nonie greeting us with a big hug and hearty laugh. She kind of reminds me of Aunt Bee from Andy Griffith. She used to light vigil lights and put them in her bathtub as a prayer during storms outside and physical tempests within the family.
One of the interesting things about her for me is her three sisters and one brother. Nonie and Papa lived at 810 Cedar Street, across from the public library when we were growing up. We would LOVE to visit the library when we’d visit.
Their house was two stories with a front and back porch. There was an alley running next to it where we’d pull up in the Country Squire station wagon when we arrived for a visit.
Nonie’s sister Onie, yes it rhymed, her real name was Leona McGowan Field, lived with her family at the opposite end of Cedar Street near what we referred to as the ravine. Another sister, Martina McGowan Wagner lived down the alley. The front of their house was on the Main Street of the Dells. The fourth sister, Helen McGowan Conway lived in Lyndon Station, a short drive away. I learned from my aunt Mary Claire, Dad’s sister that the four of them lived in the house where Nonie and Papa lived before they were married. The girls were close and their children, our cousins were tight since they all lived in such close proximity to each other, going to the same schools and knowing the same people and terrain as they did. I always sort of envied that. They had a brother, John Will who lived on the family farm.
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| Leona, Martina Helen, John Will, Marguerite |
I loved Nonie and Papa’s house; especially the front porch and open staircase that led to the bedrooms on the second floor. We have several pictures of us as small children dressing up for Christmas playing with our toys on those stairs. I remember sleeping in the giant double bed with my sisters that overlooked the front of the house and feeling oh so grand to be there.
As I recall, Nonie was a background figure, tending to the various tasks involved with our visiting clan. We loved playing with our cousins who lived next door. When all of us got together, the noise and chaos was intense. I remember one of the things Nonie always said was that the noise didn’t bother her a bit unless someone was crying.
“God takes care of His own,” was one of her favorite sayings. She could make a delectable banana cake with thick frosting and bittersweet chocolate drizzled across the top. It was always what I asked for on my birthday when I was given a choice. There is a story that one year, someone was bringing the cake over from next door and dropped it on the sidewalk. All they did was scoop it up and back onto the plate, scrapped one layer of the frosting off the top, redrizzled the chocolate and no one was the wiser.
Nonie’s dining room was where we celebrated Thanksgiving. One large table for the grown-ups and a smaller one on the side for the kids. One of the things that was her trademark was her stuffing since she put raisins in it. Reviews were mixed on that but it was her signature dish.
I don’t think I ever saw her visibly upset or angry although there were times she may have exhibited some excitement in trying to get everyone fed and accommodated when we all came piling through her door.
There was one time when we were at the Pioneer Village with several cars parked in the parking lot on a high, steep hill overlooking the busy highway out front. Someone got into the car, I think one of the kids, and took it out of park causing the car to start moving toward the embankment and a deadly plunge to the highway below.. Nonie was doing her best to hold onto the car while calling for help. I can still see her desperately trying to hold the car in place. It is comical now, as the car did not take the dive, but at the time, laughter was NOT appropriate.
Memories from my siblings:
Mary Allen—"She had a squirrel named Nikki That she fed every day. She had Twinkies in her cookie jar all the time!!
I remember her calling out for her squirrel. "Here Nicky nicky here nicky nicky" and the squirrel would come out of the tree and eat from her hand. We would go to the library and get books. We would go through the shops and sometimes they would take us to places. Going to the pioneer village was fun also.
Teresa--I remember her banana cake her house coats, and how afraid I was to go upstairs in her house. And, and yes I know this is gonna sound ridiculous, but I remember the flab on her upper arms that would wave back-and-forth When she wore short sleeves and every time I see my upper arms wave, I think "oh my, I look like Nonie!" 😬😬😬
Jerry--The banana cake had a bitter chocolate drizzle over the frosting.
Andy--She was always in that tiny kitchen. She gave good hugs.
Eileen--She always wore a hairnet like mom. For sure the banana cake and chocolate drizzled over it. I laughed hysterically at Raids comment about her arms as I too have "Nonie" arms. I also was scared of the upstairs, especially the room she kept locked that had Fr Joe stuff from Africa.
I had a scary experience at her house when I stayed over night upstairs the summer I worked at Fields Steak n Stein. I ended up coming downstairs to sleep in the couch I was so freaked
I yelled and yelled for Nonie but she couldn't hear me as her hearing aid was turned off!!!!!
I think I had a panic attack as I was so scared I couldn't even yell at first. Someone was in my room by my bed and it was an evil spirit I am convinced. Seriously, I was unable to yell at first as I was so scared.
Betsy—I have fond memories of Nonie. She could make you laugh at the ridiculous situations. I don't think she was as clueless as you would think, I just think from my perspective she was clever at defusing a tense situation.
I never thought I was not welcome with Nonie. Loved the way she could wrap you in a hug and Dad inherited that hug.
I think she was opinionated but in the Catholic way she was a passive aggressive and only let loose when pushed.
I realize that at the time of my memories she was healthy, financially comfortable, and family around her. At that time in her life Dad was not openly telling his life story.
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| Martina McGowan, Leo James Baggot(?), John Will McGowan, Anna Baggot |
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