His Birth
12/24
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The O’rouarks were a typical 19th
century conservative middle-class Irish catholic family.
The two older sons Gerald and Douglas were naturally
favored to get into higher education and therefore expected to have successful
and outstanding careers.
This did happen to some extent, Gerald going on to
West Point and serving at a pretty exciting time in our history.
Douglas also did well.
The two girls Allegra (my mother) and
her sister Elaine were not so fortunate, supposedly destined to a life of
traditional motherhood and obediance.
This plan of course, did not sit well with either of
the girls who were intelligent, independent, and resourceful beyond their age
and not at all inclined to follow their parents’ plans or desires.
Allegra set off on her own, getting
into real estate, buying her own car, a big Lincoln, and pretty much doing her
own thing. She led an
interesting and somewhat mysterious live during those early years.
Elaine, a wild and independent soul, ran off and
married a protestant, of all things..
This action was totally unacceptable to her parents
James Edward and Ellen so they pretty much wrote her off.
Elaine married a young man by the name
of Oskar Rauch in 1933 and they had one child in 1935 naming him Karl Rauch.
At about this time Elaine began hearing voices.
Oskar did not know what to do so he referred her
condition to the state which recommended that she spend some time at the state
institution at Sedro Wooley.
(of course this is Like a Hotel California).
She never got out.
When I was young, I often asked my
mother what happened to Elaine.
My mom would tell me that she was dead.
I think she was too embarrassed about it and
subscribed to “the crazy aunt in the basement” thing.
It was not until Elaine died that I found out the
truth.
My brother and I got all her medical records and had them
reviewed by a medical professional.
The conclusion was that she was probably suffering
from a vitamin deficiency, nothing more.
Oskar Rouch did not know what to do
with the little boy so he put baby Karl under the care of the Missionary Sisters
of the Sacred Heart in Bellingham, Washington.
My mom, Allegra, was horrified at this action so she
immediately filed to adopt the child, even though she was not married at the
time. She
got two kids in the deal, her sister’s child and another boy.
She got married soon after to George Vautier.