Another Christmas Party

Here are a few more photos from a holiday party for the Chicago office of the Veterans Administration. I was told that these photos were taken sometime in the 1950s.

This is a picture of Olga and Claire (no last names) at the VA Christmas party.


This photo shows some money changing hands. I wonder if there is an interesting story behind that, or if it was just a collection for the boss' gift.


Interesting neckties in this picture. If you recognize a person, or a necktie from this happy group, I'd be glad to hear from you.

Happy Holidays!

Holiday Party Photos

In honor of the holiday season, here are some photos from holiday parties past. These are pictures of employees of the Chicago office of the Veterans Administration. They don't seem too jolly, but the hats and ties are rather festive.


My parents, Edwin F. Brady and Ann Skrobul, worked at the Veteran's Administration. My mom started there in about 1943 and worked there until about 1955. I'm not sure when Edwin began working at the VA, but in 1977 he retired from there.

This is a photo of Mr. Chadwick, my mom's boss when she worked in the Personnel Department. Unfortunately, none of the other people in these photos are identified. If you think you recognize someone, I'd like to hear from you.

Enjoy this holiday season!

Ann Skrobul Brady 1914 - 2000

This is a photo of my mom Ann Skrobul Brady. She was born in Beckemeyer, IL on December 9, 1914. After finishing school, Ann moved to Chicago. She worked for some years for Shriners Hospital as a nursing assistant. Starting in about 1943, Mom worked at the Veterans Administration offices in Chicago, which is where she and Dad met.

My mom loved flowers. She planted rose bushes in front of the apartment building where we lived. Since her birthday was in December, I always bought her a pointsetta plant for her birthday, and flowers for other occasions too.

She loved to listen to music, although our tastes eventually diverged--she enjoyed the Lawrence Welk Show!

Mom was a big sports fan, following all of Chicago's sports teams. Her favorite team was the Chicago Cubs followed closely by the Bulls.

My mom enjoyed nature, especially going for walks along the lakefront.

Family was very important to my mom. She enjoyed talking to her sisters and brothers by phone, and writing letters to them too. She was also very proud of her Lithuanian heritage. (Mom and my Aunt Jo used to practice their Lithuanian language skills when they didn't want me to know what they were talking about.) Mom was thrilled when we made contact with cousins in Lithuania, since we had lost contact with that part of the family after World War II.

And, as shown in some of the photos I've posted of her, she liked interesting hats.

I learned alot from my mom--everything from planting flowers to baking cookies to how to ride the Ravenswood 'L'.

Happy Birthday Mom!