By Jonnie Miller
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During World War II, with husbands away fighting or at sea, many of the nation's wives drew together to support each other and share their concerns for their husbands or the problems of day-to-day living without the presence of their mates.Newton was no different. An article written by Marilyn Woods Kent and submitted to Whispers of Newton County relates the memory of meetings of the Newton County War Wives Club. Marilyn notes that Verna Faye Newberry Dainwood, expecting Sopharia Ann at the time and Camille LaCrox Hughes, expecting Kay, often met with Inez Wills, Zumma Forse Dennard, Fay Woods Thomas, Ema Belle Hall Brown and others to support each other and share the news of their loved ones in harms' way. She adds they practically lived at the Post Office, located on the corner of Dr. Hall's building, waiting for mail with letters from their service husbands.
They waited and hoped and prayed for the safety and homecoming of those young men. Marilyn tells of the memories of war maneuvers, war rations, victory gardens, making medical bandages, prayer meetings and the "Fireside Chats" of President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
Some of this material was found at the History Center in Whispers of Newton County and other material can be found online at WW2 People's War Wives Club.