Early Years
Barbara (or Barb, either one) was a good student, but never stretched herself to make school challenging. She did excel at English and writing, but never took beyond the required courses in math or science. As a high schooler, Barb thought she would move to NYC as soon as she graduated and become a novelist. Who needed college?
She felt particularly stifled in Bluffton, pictured below, and could not wait to be out on her own.
This was the main street in downtown Bluffton, where Barb grew up and went through school. That’s pretty much the whole town. It was small.
The annual street fair, when all the streets were blocked off and filled with rides, games, and all the other fair activities that were popular then, was by far the biggest deal of the year. That and high school football and basketball.
Arriving on the IU campus for the second semester of 1971, Barb had no idea what she wanted her major to be, so she enrolled in classes that were generally required for most degrees. She majored, however, in partying and meeting new people. She had only saved enough money to pay for one semester, so she had taken a job at the student Health Center in the pharmacy. When the semester ended, her grade point average was dismal. She only knew that she wanted to stay in Bloomington, so she started a job at the local phone compomny..
Patty was the first in the family to get married, and it was quite an elegant and beautiful affair. The reception was held at the Roostertail in Detroit, less than two weeks before Christmas – December 12, 1975. The nightclub had hosted a Christmas party the night before and since her dad had been friends with Lee (the owner) since his school days, Lee agreed to leave all the decorations in place. It was a showstopper, to say the least! Surrounded by floor to ceiling glass windows and well-lit outside, we could see the snow falling. And falling. And falling. There was more than a foot of snow on Jefferson by the time guests left in the wee hours of the morning.
Patty married Michael McEveney. The wedding party included his two sister, Maureen and Colleen (the blondes on the left), Patty’s sister Barbara (to the bride’s left), her handsome groom (to the bride’s right), her brother Mickey, her future sister-in-law Sue, and her younger sister Kathleen (the two young ladies at the right – Kathleen is the short one).
Patty’s Children
Patty and Mike had three children. She left her job during her first pregnancy and became a stay at home mom. She loved that job more than anything. Well, maybe that and coupons. And bingo in Canada.
Kelly Lynn
May 20, 1976
Christopher Michael
May 18, 1978
Kimberly Ann
September 27, 1980
After Kim was born, the McEveney family was complete. They lived in East Detroit, which later became known as Eastpointe. The young family kept her very busy, and she was a champion coupon and POP (Proof of Purchase) collector. Th pool table in the McEveney’s basement had boxes full of baggies containing all this information, and Patty used it well!
The Murphy's of Michigan 