Jim and Helen Wright
(as told by Pat Lou O’Konski)
My dad, Jim Wright, was the sixth child of Mom and Pop Wright. Born on
March 17,1911, his middle name was Patrick – of course!
He met my mom, Helen Cross, at a dance in Wilkes-Barre, held at a place called the Republic’s Club. They married on August 13, 1935. Aunt Peg was Maid of Honor and Uncle Dick was Best Man.
A year later, on June 20, 1936, they had their first child, a beautiful girl named Anna Katherine (AKA Nancy K). She was named after both grandmothers. Two years later, on May 17, 1938 their second child, another beautiful daughter, Helen Frances (AKA Mickey) was born. Another two years passed and along came the real blessing – their third child, another daughter – born on January 18, 1940. Of course this was Patricia Louise (AKA Pat Lou). Another two years passed and their fourth and last daughter was born on December 20, 1941 – Rosemary Clair (AKA Rhody).
Nancy K, Mickey and Pat Lou 
Rhody
Mom and Dad ran a store located on Wilson Street in Larksville. The store consisted of three rooms:
The first room had candy, ice cream, soda, etc.
The second room had lots of beer (no mixed drinks).
There were many patrons, but cash was never used. A “tick book” was the norm
and people paid a little at a time.
The third room had a large card table (gambling was a big deal then).
There were lots of fights.
We lived upstairs above the store (AKA Speakeasy). In my opinion, though, being raised in a home/store was awful. There were sometimes weird customers and to me it was spooky as hell.
But, we had the nicest parents you could ever want. Dad was very quiet, Gran was very loud. If you stepped out of line, like one of us always did (no names, please), one look from Dad was all you needed. He never raised his voice. They would give us the world.
Life in our house was very pleasant. We never wanted for anything – we were so blessed. We had more than some of our friends cousins. We were spoiled rotten. I remember once, though, when Dad and Mom were having it pretty rough, we each got an umbrella for Christmas and we carried on like a bunch of boobs – no lie!
The best memory we sisters have is of the Thanksgiving Dinner that was held every year in the store part of the house on Wilson Street. Almost every member of the eleven children of Mom and Pop came with their families. We set up tables in the middle room. All the mothers gathered upstairs in the kitchen where they cooked their little hearts out. Dinner was served and a good time was had by all.
Our worst memory is when our Dad worked night shift in the mines. If you heard sirens it meant an accident happened and the praying would begin. So many of our friends and neighbors were killed. We were one of the lucky families, but it’s a memory we will never forget.
My personal best memory is that on my birthday every year, from a very young age, I got a bag of clams. It cost $1.00 and I didn’t have to share. How cool is that?!
My worst memory: Mom baked bread all the time. One night we were all in bed and we could hear thumping noises on the stairs leading down to the store part of the building. Dad ran out to find a big rat pushing a loaf of homemade bread down the steps. Ugh.
I remember my parents with great love, respect and I know they loved us equally…except maybe one of us (no names please). A wonderful life – Thank you, God.