When Farfar, then Henrik, then Mormor died

"Now I guess I need to talk about the years when there were partings, when Farfar, then Henrik, then Mormor died.

Johan August Karlsson Boberg
1865-1933
photo taken in 1921

Our Farfar died in 1933. I don’t remember too much about it because the three little kids were not taken along to the funeral. I think I already told you what I remember about the night that Farfar died. The only other thing I remember is that they had coffee in Kjettestorp afterwards. The organist in church was named Bernard Diebert. His wife had the most beautiful hairdo. As she sat in salen underneath the wall clock, I admired her hairdo. She had short hair in waves that laid flat against her head. I thought she was the most beautiful woman. Funny what sits around in the attic of your mind.

In 1935, Henrik died. He hadn’t been well. They called it sleeping sickness. He could be walking home from school and fall asleep in mid-step and fall down on the ground. So when they sent Henrik on any errands anywhere, when he had a horse and wagon, they always sent me along. I guess I wasn’t so much use around home then, but I could wake him up and see that someone held onto the reins of the horse so they didn’t shy or run away too fast. This meant that I talked a lot to Henrik while we ran these errands. He used to tell me, “I don’t know why God doesn’t take me home. I have asked him. I know I’m not like the other boys.” He had prayed and prayed. He could never take part in any sports and he wanted to go home to God in heaven.

Henrik Boberg      1919-1935

confirmation photo taken in 1935      

Well, that summer, Henrik and Sara and I were signed up to ride bicycles to Kisa to go to swim school. The Sunday before we were going to start, Henrik was down in Pinnarsbaden with some other boys. He asked them to show him how to swim. He was kind of embarrassed not to know. He was kind of a big kid, 14 years old, 14 and a half. He was just confirmed. Well, however it happened, he got into some kind of hole. A lot of those lakes have underwater streams or currents that you don’t see from the top. There can be whirl or twirls in there, and the water draws you under. Well, he got under the water and he drowned. There was a doctor down there who had a summer home. He came to help right away but there was nothing that could be done. His heart had stopped.

I remember when somebody came and told us that Henrik had died and Mama was at the neighbor’s. Papa went down to Pinnarsbaden, and we didn’t want to be alone when Mama came home. When Mama came, I don’t know where Sara and Brita were. I found myself just standing and looking at Mama. She looked at me and said, “What’s the matter with you little Gun?” I didn’t know if I should tell her or not. I couldn’t speak. Right then, though Papa came back and wanted to take Mama with him. Anders Carlsson was there again with his car and took them down to the hospital where they had taken Henrik, so they could see him for the last time.

When they came home, two of Mama’s brother came and stayed all night. Mama and Papa probably didn’t get much sleep. Evening had come. Margaretha and Lennart didn’t really understand what was going on. I don’t think that I understood it the same way as the others did either. I ran into Mellangården and said, “Snälla Tant Anna (Please Tant Anna) come in and fix some supper. Margaretha and Lennart are crying because they’re hungry.” So she took me by the hand, and we went back into our house. She fixed something to eat, and I think she saw to that we all got to bed too.

Mama used to tell me afterwards that when she cried, I would say, “Mama don’t cry. He’s at home in heaven like he wanted to be. He asked God to take him home.” That was very hard for the whole family.

I remember the first Christmas after Henrik had died. Us kids were all in

salen, so happy and waiting to get things going. We had to eat first and read the scriptures before we got presents. We were so excited. Mama and Papa

didn’t come and didn’t come. I couldn’t wait, so I ran to the kitchen. Just as I ran in there, I saw Papa sitting in a chair with his heads in his hands and he

Anna Mathilda

Niklasdotter Carlsson

1862-1937

was crying. I heard Mama say, “Come on, Thor. Now we have to do for the living. We can’t do any more for Henrik.” I was sharp enough to realize that this was their moment together, so I crept back into salen and closed the door. Then they soon came in.

In 1937, Mormor died. I was in Kisa helping look after Tant Johansson at that time. Her daughter Anna and I stood by the window one day and saw Morfar and Mama and Morbror Oscar, Morbror Nisse, and Morbror Ernst walking across the square going up to Oscar’s house. Anna said, “Now little Gun, I think you should run up to Moster Frida’s house. I think your Mormor has died.” So I went up to Fridsdal, and I found Mama laying down on one of the kids’ beds. I crawled up next to her in bed and cried my heart out. My precious Mormor had died. It was never the same again to go to Grönede when Mormor wasn’t there."