Q: Can you describe your mother and tell us what she was like?
BBC: My mother I think was a very exceptional, extraordinary woman. She not
only took care of the family and the home and the finances for long periods of
time, without Dad. In fact, she always did this on her own, so that Dad felt
free to pursue his work on his flying and expeditions. She was a very ah
strong woman. Can you imagine what it would have been like to live to be the
wife of this man, who was constantly undertaking hazardous trips and flights
and planes that at a time were very very dangerous. He had came close to death
several times but mother was able somehow to put up with this and he just
depended on her tremendously. She had a lot of common sense and he leaned on
her tremendously and asked her advice on all kinds of things and frequently, he
would say to us, out of a clear blue sky, you know, you must follow in your
mother's footsteps, not in mine, and if it hadn't been for your mother, I
couldn't have done it.
Q: How did the household operate with your father away. What was your
mother doing and who was taking care of the children?
BBC: The children were cared for by governess' and many as growing up, I
really didn't see that much of my mother. I imagine she was taking care of
the family business and helping Dad indirectly from a distance.
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