HELLO, AMERICA: Frances Wolfe Haight shared this story of meeting a pen pal she corresponded with for nearly 60 years.
The story goes, “On December 28, 1965, a British woman came to Kane to see Frances Wolfe Haight for the first time. They had been writing as pen pals for about 16 years but had never met. The story was in the Bradford Era at the time, having been covered by Russ Johnson.
“The ladies started corresponding when they were 15 years old. Frances had gotten the address of Miss Pat Tubb from another pen pal. The idea of meeting excited them both. Frances was in the hospital having her youngest child, a boy, who was supposedly due on Dec. 3. Pat made her plans accordingly.
“Russ, I think, also took a picture of Nate and Pat at the airport and it was included in the story. A nurse allowed Pat to come to the Kane hospital to see Frances and they embraced and talked for a time. Pat stayed with one of the Haight neighbors since their house was filled with seven children. Frances held an ‘open house’ for Pat, but since the weather was below zero, not many people showed up.
“While Pat was here for three months, she included in her trip several groups to whom she talked about England and her life there. She was delighted with nearly everything in Kane as she was from a small town also.
“One comical point was when Frances cooked a delicious roast beef dinner with all the trimmings. With that many people there were a lot of dirty dishes and Pat offered to dry them. When she and Frances got finished, Pat gave a big sigh and said, ‘My word, it’s rather like doing up after the five thousand, isn’t it?’ We all laughed.
“Eight years later, she came again and the Haights took her to see Niagara Falls. She was startled to see them as she had pictured them quite differently. Other trips to the U.S. including the Western states and the New England states.
“Altogether, the two ladies corresponded for 58 years. Pat had passed away at that point from poor health. But Frances will never forget her for her visit and for gifts she sent from all different countries she had visited. She was a very special friend.”
