Born May 7, 1925 as Claudius Byron Hager, my grandfather changed his name to Raymond Mieirs in 1950. He chose the first name of a friend, and the last name was the company he worked for, which he misspelled. Raymond’s parent’ were Claude Hagar, known as Blackie, and Pauline Adams, who went by the name Polly when she was younger, and Bonnie the later years of her life. He never knew his father, and was told his father had died, although he was in fact in prison. His mother took poor care of Ray, and his older brother, Eugene, so his grandmother, Margaret Trahern Adams took them both into her home.
Ray didn’t talk much about his childhood, or his family, but he loved and respected his grandmother very much. She of all people had the greatest influence on his life. She was a bit of a disciplinarian though; he told us, that she used to chase them around with a broom when they were bad. He said his Indian name was Little Wild Eagle, though he may have been placating the interested inquiries of his grandchildren with coming up with a name. His family called him Doddly, and Blackie. Apparently, the family was poor; they received allotments of cornmeal and means monthly, which was a main part of their subsidence.
Sometimes he went to live with his mother, who had married, or was with a series of different men. He ran away to Texas at the age of thirteen, and worked on a ranch in Junction, Texas. The family he worked for took him in, and made sure he continued school, he always considered them his adopted family. At the age of 17, he enlisted in the Coastguard during World War 2, He never spoke of the experiences much, except to say once he was listed as missing in action, and they sent him home to visit when he was found. Wanting to surprise his grandmother, he didn’t call, but she was dressed in her Sunday best waiting for him, and had told everyone he was coming.
During the war he married, and had a son, Patrick Daniel. I don’t know all the particulars, but evidently his wife gave just cause for a divorce, and he was awarded custody of Patrick. Apparently, she remarried, and he felt that Patrick would be better off with two parents, and he gave back his custody of Patrick to her. My grandmother met Patrick when he was about four or five, but after that they had no further contact. We do not know the name of his former wife, or if Patrick was adopted by her new husband, and have been unable to find him, though my mother would like to meet her half brother.
My grandmother said my grandfather had married someone else briefly as well. In 1948, he was working in San Pedro, California, and he met my grandmother, Dolores Barbara Hinds there. They lived in the same boarding house, and in October where married at a local Episcopalian Church. Later that year, they relocated to Syracuse, New York, where her family lived. Dolores Barbara Hinds was born March 10, 1925. Her parents were Lee Roy Hinds, and Elizabeth Ruth Timmins. Dolores and her younger sister were pretty much alone in the household, as most of the other children had already left home and had families of their own. She was very artistic, and had received a scholarship to attend an art school, but her father would not let her attend. She left school at age sixteen, and went to work during World War 2, eventually becoming a secretary for a law firm. After her older sister Ruth was widowed, she accompanied her to San Pedro, where she met and married my grandfather.
In 1949, their first child Bonnie was born. While living in Syracuse, Ray was trained to be a machinist. In 1951 two years to the day, their second child, Robert was born. Tired of the cold weather and harsh winters, the family moved to California in 1952. On they way, Ray once again planned on surprising his grandmother, but once again, she told everyone they were coming, and was dressed and ready to meet them. Ray always said his grandmother just “knew” things, and this influenced his belief in psychic abilities his entire life. Arriving in California, the family lived in a Hispanic area of Los Angeles, California. Dark skinned with black hair and brown eyes, most were unsure of his race, believing him to be Hispanic or Italian. His marriage to blond haired, blue eyed Dolores did raise eyebrows though among some, including Dolores’ family. In 1953, their last surviving child, Raymond was born. The family moved in 1955 or 1956, to a new development in Buena Park, California. The suburb was mostly minority families, Asian, Hawaiian, Mexican, and Irish Catholic, and the neighborhood was a close one, with the families all socializing together. Many of the same families lived in the neighborhood through my early childhood.
The family participated in local POW wows with Ray and the children dressed in native costume. I am sure it was a sight, as one of the children was blond haired and blue eyed, while the other two took after their father in looks. Often accompanying them were the family of Bertha Adams Geeseman, Ray’s Aunt. I am not sure when they stopped going, though I only recall attending one with my grandparents when I was around five. Evidently, when Bertha and her family moved to Oregon, Ray didn’t correspond with her very well, and didn’t see her again until a family reunion in the late 1980’s. The children were active in sports and clubs, and Ray and Dee had active social lives. Dolores worked a variety of jobs, the last that I recall was working on electronic circuit boards when I was a child. Dolores had problems with her “nerves” and according to my mother, spent a few brief stays in the hospital. In 1967, their first grandchild, Jennifer was born, followed by her brother Jon in 1968.
During the 1970’s, they were active in the Eight balls, part of the Good Sam’s camping club. I often accompanied them, as did the rest of our family. During that time, Dolores took up a variety of hobbies, from painting, to ceramics and everything in between, with her best friend, Mickey Ford. In 1975, Ray opened his own machine shop, and was moderately successful until the recession of the late 1980’s. Although they owned their home in Buena Park until 1988, Ray and Dee moved to Anaheim, California in 1974, and then to Corona, California in 1976. In 1976, their third grandchild Justin was born, and in 1978, his brother Jesse was born. In 1982 or 1983 they had plans for a semi-retirement, and Dee moved to Bend, Oregon, nearby their last two grandchildren, Benjamin and Joy. Dee lived there alone until 1985, as Ray was never able to leave the shop long enough to move to Oregon full time. The family owned a video store in Bend, Oregon ran by their son, Ray until 1986 or 1987, at which time relations became strained, and Ray bought the store from them. In 1985, Dolores moved to Hot Springs, Arkansas to spend time with her sister, and stayed until 1986. In 1987 she and ray lived in Anaheim, California until they retired to Hot Springs, in 1989.
Dolores had emphysema, diagnosed in 1980, but was in good health until 1987. Ray was active, and enjoyed his retirement, and golfed often with a group of buddies. He had a heart attack in 1995, followed by heart surgery, and continued his lifestyle until his sudden death, October 9, 1997, on their forty ninth wedding anniversary. Dolores began declining in health and went on hospice in 1999. She died on December 5, 2000. Ray and Dolores outlived two of their children, and have a total of six grandchildren and two great grandchildren.
