Found: Love Letters From World War II

[genealogynut]

The following article appeared in the Winfield Courier on February 1, 2007.  I found it to be very interesting, since it involves a family that lived in Elk County at one time.

Written by Susan Brinker
Stillwater News Press

STILLWATER, Okla.--When Shawn Irons went antique shopping last summer in Bartlesville, Okla, little did she know that her purchase of two bags of old letters would lead her to do an extensive search for the owners (if they are still alive) or their family members.

When Irons returned from Bartlesville and started going through the letters, she realized she had a collection of almost 150 letters that contained the history and love of two people and what they endured during World War II.

All of the letters are written to Alice Catherine VanGundy, who was stationed as a nurse in San Diego, Calif., during the war.  Most of them came from the "love of her life," Robert Earl Kinyon, and the rest are from various family member and friends.

The appearance of the letters today shows the love and importance that were bestowed upon them.  The earliest ones are from friends and family and date back to 1942.  Those from Kinyon date from June 1946 until January 1947.  Most of them are in their original, handwritten envelopes with postage stamps that range from three to eight cents.  Most are in impeccable condition, though some do show some wear and have corners torn off.

As Irons sat in her own home and read through the letters, she realized she was reading someone's innermost thoughts and the suffering and good times they were going through during the  war.  She knew she had to try and find the owners of the letters or their families.

"These letters will be precious and valuable whether they end up with a family member or in a museum where the public can enjoy them and be taken back to the hard times of the war," said Irons.  "With the war going on in Iraq today, many people will be able to relate to the letters and the feelings that were invoked by those involved with World War II."

Irons began her search for the owner of the letters after the begining of the new year.  She started by writing a short article for Reminisce Magazine in hopes that someone would see the names and contact her.

The owners have not come forward, but she has received more than 40 e-mails from people that had an interest in that time period and would like the letters or knew a museum that would like to display the letters to preserve history.

Irons said that many of the people who wrote the e-mails had read her short article and had memories of their own duty in the war.

She has also done extensive research on the Internet.

As much as Irons has enjoyed reading the letters and learning events of those years and the war--details that could never be taught from a textbook--she is ready to pass the letters on to the proper owner, whether that be a family member of museum.

Unfortunately, unless she finds a family member, many pieces of the puzzle will remain unsolved.  She learned from the letters that Kinyon had offered VanGundy a wedding ring.  Did they ever marry?  Have children? Are they still alive?

What Irons has learned from her research is that VanGundy came from Winfield and went on to San Diego and then Guam.  According to a 1930 census that Irons found, VanGundy was born around 1924 to Raleigh P. and Elizabeth VanGundy in Wildcat Township in Elk County.

Kinyon came from a large family out of Madison, Wis.  He got out of the military around the end of 1946.

Anyone who has information on VanGundy or Kinyon or knows a direction that Irons could take with the letters is asked to contact Irons.

She would prefer you e-mail her at ironsline@suddenlink.net or send a letter to: Shawn Irons, 3004 Saddle Rock, Stillwater, OK  74074

(End of article)

So how about it, readers?  Does anyone out there have any information that would help Shawn Irons?

[ddurbin]

An Alice VanGundy graduated from Moline High School in the class of 1941.  Lawrence and Eva Malone were classmates, and might know more about her and her family.  I've emailed Shawn with this info.

[genealogynut]

Thank you so much, Dan.  I thought perhaps you'd be able to contribute some info, since you lived in that township.

[Ironsline]

I am Shawn Irons and would love to have any information on Alice VanGundy.  We do not have a married last name only her madien name.  Her married name would help us to research her past 1947.  By the way does Moline, KS have a newspaper.  People can contact us at Ironsline@Suddenlink.net

Shawn 

[Ironsline]

An Alice VanGundy graduated from Moline High School in the class of 1941.  Lawrence and Eva Malone were classmates, and might know more about her and her family.  I've emailed Shawn with this info.

Thanks for the assistance.  My wife was really happy to see article in the Winfield paper today.  Hope we can find more information about her.
John Irons 

[genealogynut]

Since she graduated from Moline High School, there may be a possibility that she had contacts with her classmates.   Would the Moline Alumni have any info?

[Ironsline]

Since she graduated from Moline High School, there may be a possibility that she had contacts with her classmates.   Would the Moline Alumni have any info?

We are going to try and get in touch with the director of the high school alumni association.
Thanks
Shawn 

[ddurbin]

I passed along Deanna Cannon's name and email address to Shawn and John, so that avenue is covered for them. 

[Roma Jean Turner]

The Moline Newspaper was the Moline Advance.  If you contact the Kansas State Historical Society all of those newspapers are on microfilm.  You can look them up on their site or have your local library contact them.  Your local library can order the microfilms for you.  You can keep them about two weeks and the only cost $2-3. (Sorry I don't have that web address handy).  The library at Iola, KS would have it as it is the geneology center for your part of Kansas.

During the WWII years they reprinted a lot of letters from nurses and soldiers from the area in the paper.  I found a letter from my Dad in the paper from when he was stationed in England.   I know I have seen the name VanGrundy as I have gone through those papers.  The Moline Advance had quite an extensive social page of the comings and goings of the local people and also the young people that were serving in the military.

I would think that David Brace would know how to found out if that woman has any contact with the Alumni Association.

[Ironsline]

Alice VanGundy and married name found.

With the great help of some of the people in Winfield and Moline, KS we have found Alice Vangundy's married name and location.  We will try to contact her today.  At this point because Alice is still alive we are going to keep anything else about her private.  She may not even know that the letters were in an antique shop at one time.  I think keeping her life private is the right thing to do at this point.  Know that I will follow-up on Robert Kinyon and keep you informed on him and if she allows what happen between them. Again thanks to all of the help everyone has provided.  See you soon. 

Shawn 

P.S.
Has anyone every had their love life spread all over the home newspaper.  Is this Murphy's Law or what.