Stories about Meg

Meg, age 4

Taken from "My Life Story" written by Marilyn "Meg" Rasmussen Graehl

I was born on Monday, October 17, 1927 at 2:30 am at our home on 759 Linden Ave. Salt Lake City, Utah.   The doctor was Dr. George M. Curtis.  My Grandmother, Anna Phillips came and cared for me and my mother, even though she was ill herself at the time.  She had been diagnosed with cancer but somehow found the love and strength to be with my Mother at this time. 

Most of my early remembrances are from my Mom’s telling me of my growing years.  Naturally I’m a beautiful blue eyed, golden blonde curly haired baby girl.  I had an older sister, Virginia (Ginny) 5 years of age, Phillip (Bud) 2 years.  I was about 4 months old when I contracted whopping cough.  Mom was afraid I wouldn’t live through it, she said I was so little and every breath I took I coughed so hard that she really feared the worst.  I know that whopping cough was a very frightening disease at that time and many died from it.  Anyway, Mom said I was a fighter from the start and though the cough lasted for months I finally recovered.  At the time I was so sick, my Mother was also helping care for her mother, Annie Rasband Phillips who was dying of cancer.  The struggle of a new baby, the whopping cough and knowing her beloved Mother was dying must have been almost unbearable.  My Mother’s health was never really good but Mom found strength.