Christmas 1964 with all 7 Miller children in front of a Christmas tree

December 2024 Then and Now

By: David Miller

Dec 25, 2024

2 min. read

Christmas Past

Christmas 1964 at home at 34-31 96th Street in Corona NYC. All 7 Miller children posing in front of the christmas tree in the living room. Presents and whirlwind of gift wrapping looks to have been cleared away. Anthony is 1 year and 3 months old here riding on my shoulders. I loved that sweater.

Front row is Deborah '58, Carl '61, Wayne '59. Back row is Karen '57, Keith '52, David '55 and Anthony '63 up high.

This New York Christmas scene is in 1980 or '81. Kathy was born in '76 so she's a few years old here. Her grandparents, my Mom and Dad are giving her presents.

Katherine Ward's Birthday and Other Adventures

Kathy with my mother, her grandmother, looking warily over her birthday cake and candles.

Kathy in full panic mode looking at her cake and lit candles as her mother, Karen, and her godmother's daughter try to comfort her. Carl is in the background.

Now looking somewhat appeased now that the scary candles are out and she gets to slice her cake.

Looking much more pleased with the situation now that cake has been had and presents are being opened. Flanked by her godmother Mrs. Bowe and her daughter. Uncles Carl and Anthony are in the background.

Uncle Keith carries Kathy over to uncle Wayne for kissy face. Neighbor Junior (Gordon) Smith is in the foreground. He was always Junior to me but then at some point he grew to 6' 6" and towered over me. The not-related Smith family genes.

Kathy doing one of her patented smileys for the camera as she opens her presents with Aunt Debbie. Still mugs for the camera now.

Kathy slicing another birthday cake, sans lit candles, helped by her grandmother.

Another birthday a few years older. Now she gets to supervise aunt Debbie and applause from grandmother Therese.

Aunt Debbie supervises cake slicing with Kathy while great-grandmother Doris Miller overlooks. Wayne is visible in the mirror left of the camera flash.

Kathy gets a lift from uncle Carl to watch aunt Debbie and uncle Wayne set the table.

All done - more cake please. Who could resist that face.

Another year another birthday. This time at her mother Karen's apartment. She's helping blow out the candles. Father Tony on the far left. Grandmother Therese behind her.

This is 1988 I think or there abouts. Now Kathy gets to practice that pre-teen sass with her grandfather Keith and aunt Debbie.

Kathy's Adventures

Kathy on the beach in NYC. Grandparents on either side of her. Debbie, family friend "sister" Sharon, and Karen in background.

Kathy riding her first but not last horse with grandmother Therese. Godmother Mrs. Bowe holds the reigns. Not sure where this is from. 1977 or '78.

Grandfather Keith Miller and Kathy in the dining room.

Karen and Kathy in their room. Little yellow riding hood. I don't know where this was taken. There are a bunch more photos of this place. Looks like a camp or resort. Poconos? Pennsy? I wasn't there. Most everyone else was.

Karen and Kathy with a puppy Lucky. Little lab mix. One of her "road dogs". Aunt Debbie on the right.

Kathy screams for the lifeguard - ahhhhhhhhhh! Grandmother Therese tries to get her into the pool. Aunt Debbie and some unknown children look on.

Mom was quite the swimmer. All of us were exposed to the beaches of Quogue/Southampton/Rockaway/Coney Island early and often. I remember her and Uncle Leon swimming out till they were just little specs on the horizon.