Dodo

Seven and a half years older than my mother, her brother Joe was always known as 'Dodo.' One supposes a childhood mispronunciation which, coupled with the fact that his father's name was Joe. Anyway, he was always 'Dodo.'

Peter has talked a fair bit about Dodo and family here, and told things that I did not know - or knew only vaguely. I did not at all know that Cleo was Dodo's second wife. Perhaps Peter can fill in here. According to the researches of "Annie from Minnesota," another spouse was 'Carl Godwyn' - one supposes that's a typo for 'Carol.'

I remember only two children of Dodo and Cleo: 'Jody' (evidently short for 'Joel' according to the records) and Debbie. But Annie has turned up:

• Joel Herriott Thayer (24 July, 1945)
• Judith Kae Thayer (28 November, 1946)
• Debra Lynn Thayer (29 July, 1952)
• Michael Bliss Thayer (18 July, 1953)

so I guess that shows how unreliable memory is!

Dodo and Cleo lived in Los Angeles and we did not see much of them, really, I suppose it is not too surprising. What I do seem to remember, again, is Jody and Debbie being Catholics - or at least going to a Catholic school. There again is this odd Catholic connexion, which my father appears to have known nothing about. Or perhaps it just shows once more the unreliability of my memory!

What Susan remembers about Cleo is that we visited her in her Beverly Hills apartment in 1972, shortly after we were married. Cleo had a small dog, which showed its affection for Susan - by piddling on her foot.

Dodo was a doctor - and owned one or more hospitals. Perhaps he was the doctor who delivered me, by Caeserean section? My mother tells the story about the time Cleo agreed to lie about Dodo's income - or something of that nature - in order to keep from prosecution for tax evasion. Her price: he was to give her some - or all? - of his hospitals.

No doubt Peter can fill in here, as well :-)