10-APR-2009
Mom and Dad (1946)
Learning to colorize photos using layer masks and the quick selection tool.
28-JAN-2008
Uncle Oats
My uncle, Ollan "Oats" Kessler.
28-JAN-2008
The Kessler Clan
I have no idea where or when this might have been taken.
All it says on the back is, "The Kessler Clan".
Me at about 7 years old
Standing in a driveway in Delano, California.
Even then I wore Converse All-Stars.
18-JUN-2007
Marion Merle Kessler (Fox) 1925-1971
Mom's birthday is July 19th. She died just 6 weeks after I was discharged from the Army. We were living at Canon Air Force Base, Clovis New Mexico. Shortly after her death, my father retired from the Air Force and moved home to Delano California. I lived there with him for a while before moving to Torrance, California.
While I was in Clovis, New Mexico, I became friends with a local disc jockey. His rock station broadcast from the recording studio once owned by Norman Petty. Norman Petty's studio in Clovis, New Mexico, is where Buddy Holly and his band adopted the name the Crickets and formed their unique style. It was 1957 and Holly's upbeat, pop sound became the transition between the raw rockabilly of Sun Records and the sophisticated pop rock music that would follow in the decades to come.
The studio was pretty badly worn and no longer being used when I saw it years later, but the acoustics of the sound room were still excellent. I've often thought that it should have become a museum.
Like my mom, Buddy died way too young.
17-JUN-2007
James Franklin Kessler 1919-1984
Of the hundreds of pictures I have of my father, about half of them are in uniform.
This seems to be of the time when he was in the Army in WW II.
I love this car he is standing by. He and his buddy may have been getting ready for some fun. Let's hope so.
17-JUN-2007
Dad and Baseball
I can't remember a time when my father didn't play baseball. He lettered in three sports all through Delano High School (Class of 1938). He was still playing competitively late into his forties. He was one of the best fast-pitch softball pitchers I ever saw. This shot shows the team picture of just one of the many military leagues he played on.
He is standing on the left.
My Dad
Although he died in 1984, he lives on in my heart, my memories and in photos like this.
Here's my dad passing on the secrets of the barbecue to his sons.
I'm on the left. Mick is in the middle.
George Air Force Base, Victorville, California
28-MAY-2007
Wedding Reception
I got married the first time in June 1974. Lynda and I went to Las Vegas and were married at The Chapel of the Bells.
The following weekend, her folks threw us a reception at their home.
Left to right are: Standing-Chris and Peter Gerritsma, Robin Barrows, Me, Lynda, Alan, Joyce, Aaron and Wayne.
Front- Brian Barrows and Mick (my brother).
Peter and Robin are my step-sibs.
Pictures are truly a moment in time and this illustrates that in a most remarkable way.
Peter and Chris- divorced
Robin and Brian- divorced (Brian died last year)
Doug and Lynda- divorced
Joyce and Wayne- divorced
Mick got married and still is, to the same woman (Christi)
Aaron- nobody seems to know what happened to him.
02-JUN-2007
A Young Airman
After being drafted in World War II, my father, James Franklin Kessler, got out of the Army and reentered the service in the Air Force where he served for 26 years. I remember that his service number was AF39081548. Why that was written on this picture I will never know. What I am able to speculate about this shot is that he was very young here.
28-MAY-2007
Little League
I started playing organized baseball with a Cub Scout League. After that there was Little League, Pony League, Babe Ruth and finally, Intermural in High School. Somewhere along the way I lost my desire to play competitively until the mid 80s when I turned to softball leagues wherever I happened to be working at that time.
I have always followed Major League baseball and have been a lifelong Dodger fan. I can still remember the uproar when they moved to the left coast.
My dad was a Dodger fan also and some of my fondest memories are seeing him with the earphone plugged into his AM transistor radio listening to the games in Victorville as they were broadcast from Los Angeles.
Vin Scully and Jerry Doggett (the Dodger Play-by-play announcers) were highly revered names in our world.
In this picture I have my first baseball glove that was given to me by my dad. I am also wearing the baseball shoes with spiked cleats that I bought with my paper route money. Man, nothing felt quite like metal cleats when you were playing baseball. They are illegal now.
When this picture was taken. I was playing for the George Air Force Base Little League team. I was a pitcher.
28-MAY-2007
Scofield Barracks, Oahu, Hawaii
This is one of the few pictures taken of me in uniform. I'm standing in front of a microwave communications truck.
My MOS (specialty) was Microwave radio equipment repair. I'd tell you more but that would only put your life at risk.
This was taken in 1969 before I was deployed to the Far East. I got to stay in Hawaii doing virtually nothing for 3 months. Yeah, it was tough, but somebody......
28-MAY-2007
Everything a boy could want
This is me at 10 years old.
A pool, a bicycle, a garden hose and a barbecue.....
28-MAY-2007
Club Alliance Enlisted Club, Yokosuka Naval Base, Kanagawa, Japan
Me in 1969.
Although I was stationed at Camp Zama, I often went to Yokosuka Navy Base to buy audio equipment.
Club Alliance is no longer there; it was torn down to build a hotel in 1983.
It looks like I have just purchased a Teac 7010 "reel-to-reel" tape recorder.
Mom 1947
Marion M. Kessler
I believe this was taken in Delano, California
Mom and Dad
Fall of 1946.
My brother Mick was on his way here.
Christmas 1957
Me (left) and Mick.
The holidays at Grandad and Grandma Fox was always special because we actually got presents.
Bakersfield, California
January 1971
This is the sound system I came home from the Army with. I think the amps and speakers were Sansui. The reel to reel tape recorder was a Teac 7010.
Of course I had the mandatory cinder block bookcase/entertainment structure.
This picture was taken with my first Nikon (A Nikomat F5).
Now, all my music fits into a hard drive the size of my wallet.
Uncle Jimmy Fox and Aunt Dorothy
My mother and her brother, Richard Fox
Korean P-51 Mustangs
The North American P-51 Mustang was designed as the NA-73 in 1940 at Britain's request. The design showed promise and AAF purchases of Allison-powered Mustangs began in 1941 primarily for photo recon and ground support use due to its limited high-altitude performance. But in 1942, tests of P-51s using the British Rolls-Royce "Merlin" engine revealed much improved speed and service ceiling, and in Dec. 1943, Merlin-powered P-51Bs first entered combat over Europe. Providing high-altitude escort to B-17s and B-24s, they scored heavily over German interceptors and by war's end, P-51s had destroyed 4,950 enemy aircraft in the air, more than any other fighter in Europe. Mustangs served in nearly every combat zone, including the Pacific where they escorted B-29s to Japan from Iwo Jima. During the Korean War, P-51Ds were used primarily for close support of ground forces until withdrawn from combat in 1953.
This shot was taken by my father.
The Wilson Family- 1901 Doxey, Oklahoma
Left to Right:
Edsell, Poppa, Eda, Mama, Wanda, Ernie, Maud, Van
The Smokers- 1911
My grandmother is 2nd from the right.
Baumstark Family 1922
That is my grandmother, Ruby Baumstark-Fox on the left.
December 7- Mom
This is my mother c.1938.
At that time she was Marion M. Fox.
In this shot she feels about like I feel on the other side of the lens.
It's one of my favorite pictures of her.
What could she be thinking?
I now realize the value in scanning at high resolution.
Makes a huge improvement.
December 8- Charlie's Got a Gun
Charles A. Kessler
Paternal Grandfather
December 9- got milk?
This is on my Great Grandpa Wilson's farm in Doxey, Oklahoma, 1924.
El Paso, Texas- 1921
Great Aunt May with brothers, Vic and Edsell.
Delano, California- Harvest Holidays Parade 1951
Mick and I at the Main Street Delano tradition.
The Family
This is probably one of the best family shots I have. It's just too bad Dad's head was cropped off.
I'm the LA Dodger fan.
Still am.
Mick and Me
Most likely one of those "photo booth" things.
Probably around 1951-1952.
This is really a preview of how my belly is today.
1965- 16 years old
Bleeding Madras shirt
Cordouroy Jeans
Chukka Boots
6' 3 1/2"
Weighed about a Buck forty
Charles Baumstark- 1855
This is by far the oldest family photo I have.
It is a tintype and is a shot of my
Maternal Great Great Grandfather.
The holidays seem to bring out the nostalgic in me.
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Emil Querineau Miland (Center), First husband of Aunt Evelyn Kessler.
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L to R back row- Elmer Kessler (Uncle), Allene Kessler (Aunt), Ollan "Oats" Kessler (Uncle). Front row- James "Jay" Kessler (Dad), Harry Kessler (Uncle).
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Price Palmer and Allene (Kessler) Palmer, (Aunt).
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Mig and Evelyn's house on Main Street in Delano, California. Next door to Oats' house.
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Richard "Mick" Kessler (Brother).
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Mick and me (Foreground, left).
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Millard "Mig" Kessler (Uncle)with a sample of his favorite hobby: Fishing.
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Evelyn Kessler (Aunt) with a large trout at the cabin in Camp Nelson above Springville. We used to vist that cabin with Mig and Evelyn for fishing during our summer weeks we would spend in Delano.
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Evelyn (Aunt), her sister and friends.
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Linnie Tatum-Kessler (Grandmother) and Ollan "Oats" Kessler (Uncle).
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Grandma Crum (Evelyn kessler's Mother).
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Grandma Crum (L) and Greatgrandmother Crum (To Evelyn Crum-Kessler).
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Millard "Mig" Kessler (Uncle) and unknown person displaying massive harvest of Steelhead Trout.
Evelyn Kessler
Evelyn Kessler (Aunt) at her home sitting on the hearth of her fireplace, Main Street, Delano, California.
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Slim Tatum (Great Uncle) and wife Hazel.
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My cousin Ronny Kessler (Uncle Harry's Son) and me at Oat's.
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L to R- Ollan "Oats" Kessler (Uncle), James "Jay" Kessler (Dad), Linnie Kessler (Grandmother), Elmer Kessler (Uncle), Millard (Mig) Kessler. Taken at Oat's home in Delano, CA.
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L to R back row- Dad, Ronny (Cousin), Me, oats (Uncle), Elmer (Uncle seated).
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Oats, Dad, Grandma, Elmer and Mig.
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Oats, Me and Dale Kessler (Cousin).
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Mig, Grandma Kessler and Oats.
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Aunt Evelyn Kessler and Cousin Ronny Kessler
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R to L (All Kesslers) Aunt Jan, Aunt Evelyn, Cousin David, Grandma, Uncle Oats, Uncle Elmer, Cousin Dale
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Aunt Evelyn and Uncle Mig
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Aunt Evelyn in front of the Camp Nelson cabin
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Uncle Mig Kessler at the Camp Nelson cabin
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Mick, Dad, Mom and me. Around 1968
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Aunt Evelyn Kessler at the Camp Nelson cabin
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A Tatum at one of the Tatum Family Reunions
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Aunt Evelyn Kessler, High School graduation picture
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Emil Querineau Miland, first husband of Aunt Evelyn Kessler
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L to R- Seated: Cousin Timmy Ann, Uncle Oats, Jay Kessler, Me, Mick, Cousin Ronny. Standing: Uncle Price Palmer, Aunt Aleen Kessler-Palmer, Uncle Elmer, Grandma Kessler, Aunt Evelyn, Ronny's mother (forget her name), Uncle Harry, Mom
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Emil Querineau Miland , first husband of Aunt Evelyn Kessler. I guess at that time she would have been Evelyn Miland
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Dad, Harriett, Uncle Elmer and Cousin David
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Timmy Ann, Me, Mick and Ronny
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Uncle Mig and Elmer. Great picture!
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Kneeling: Uncle Elmer and Dad. Standing: Oats, Aleen, Grandma, Mig, Harry
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The famous Keg Liquor store on Cecil Ave. in Delano
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Uncle Jimmy, l. and Uncle Richard in Death Valley
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Toree and Meghan, grandaughter and daughter
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Sister-in-law Kristi Kirby, Nephew John and brother Richard Kessler
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Mick and John Kessler, brother and nephew
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Sister-in-law Kristi Kirby, nephew John Kessler and brother Richard (Mick) Kessler
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Me and grandaughter, Toree Kessler
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Step mother Harriett Kessler and dad James Franklin Kessler
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Me at my 36th High School Reunion, Victorville, CA
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Grandaughter, Toree and daughter Meghan Kessler
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Me and grandaughter Toree Kessler
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l-r, Stepsister, Robin Smith, nephew John Kessler, sister-in-law Kristi Kirby in Tennessee