Molly O. Anthony (nee Ojeda )
God, Family, Love and Hard Work
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Molly O. Anthony was born on May 4th, 1942. She was born to Mariano Zepeda Ojeda and Sofia Rivera Ojeda. She was the second surviving child of eight. They were evenly split being four boys and four girls. The order of children is as follows: Henry Ojeda, Molly Ojeda, Edward Ojeda, Mariano Ojeda, Victoria Ojeda, Delfina Ojeda, David Ojeda and Amanda Ojeda.
Molly and her siblings were born in Sacramento California and then were moved to the small town Lincoln California. Their father, Mariano, was a farm laborer and thought it best to homestead the family in Lincoln while he traveled around wherever the work would take him.
Molly, as did her siblings, went to Mary Beerman Elementary School. There were only two schools for them to attend as the second and final school was Lincoln High School. Molly's parents should be proud to have had all eight children complete all studies and then to graduate from high school. In those days it was common for the parents to pull their children out of school and have them work in the fields alongside their parents.
Why was he (your father) in the hospital?
Well at that time he had TB, tuberculosis, and at that time there were not doing too many surgeries and there was not too much known about it. There was a hospital in Weimar California; ah the setting was way out in the mountains where it was real snowy, that's where he would get his treatments. He was there because he wanted to get well on his own. Some years passed and he finally had to have surgery to remove the bad part of his lung. That is why he was there.
Did he eventually come out of the hospital?
Yes, yes he did once he had the operation. He stayed there for a while longer for rehab and then he was released. Every Wednesday I would; I had my license then at the age of fifteen years old, I would drive him to Weimar to get his treatments
About how old were you while this was going on?
Oh I was young, probably like when I was in fifth or sixth grade. He was around thirty-six years old when he was diagnosed with TB. He was actually a farm laborer and would go around the United States and the countryside's looking for work. We worked picking cherries, cotton and even olives. He homesteaded in the 1940's in Lincoln California. He had applied for the local tile factory so he could remain close to home. When he was applying for the job, that's when they found out he had TB.
You said you were in fifth or sixth grade while this was happening, what school did you attend?
I went to Mary Beerman Elementary.
I guess you went on and completed high school?
Yes sir I sure did. Then there wasn't a middle school like we have it now, you went to Mary Beerman elementary from kindergarten till eighth grade. Then you graduated from eighth grade and went on to high school. So I went to Mary Beerman for the first eight years of my school career and then went to Lincoln High School in Lincoln California
Were the schools you attended segregated or fully integrated?
It was all integrated but back then, I am Mexican American, and there were not very many Mexicans. Most of the people in our area were mostly Italians and the rest were Anglos. I didn't experience any discrimination at that time. I did experience discrimination well into my late teens, about when I was eighteen years old and after. I stayed in Lincoln most of the time.
What type of hobbies did you have?
I used to love to paint and I liked to draw. I didn't have to opportunity to do much of either till I was in high school. Every year at Halloween we would have a contest and every grade would make a mural. The murals would be displayed in the downtown area department store windows for everyone to see. Everyone wanted me to be on their team because I was very good and could draw well.
Can you remember what types of toys you played with?
Oh yes, my favorite things to play with were jacks and I was very good. Any free time we had we would spend playing jacks. My brothers would play marbles but my favorite thing was jacks .As I got into seventh grade, I loved to play tetherball and I was good at that also. I can remember running home and eating some food my dad would have for me and then I would run back to school and get ready for when they would bring out the tetherballs. I was ready and always wanted to go first.
What is your fondest memory from your childhood?
Well, it would have to of my mom and dad.
What is your fondest memory from your adulthood?
Well that would have to be of my children. I was always a shy person so I don't have any worldly things that went on in my life so I would definitely have to say it would be my children and family.
What has your mother taught you as you were growing up that you still use or do today?
My mother was a housekeeper. When my dad got sick she became to main provider of the house. She would work in different places. She is 93 years old and she has survived some very rough times. The way we did it was through hard work and I have always worked. To this day I still work for my self and my family. I became widowed at a very young age and had to provide for my family.
What difficulties did you encounter in school?
Well I think the main thing was that back in the day we were a poor family. There really wasn't any discrimination, but there was not very much interaction with the more social people that had money. As the years went by I attended a reunion and found out that we were in the same place, but to a child, it appeared that they were really rich and had a lot of money. There were just as many problems in those years as there were with people that didn't have any money or the bigger houses. We were not invited to the social events, but we were well liked.
How old were you when you were widowed?
I was going to be thirty -one. I had two small children and my spouse used to maintain the house. I had to learn to do and provide for my family.
Was that due to your family's economic status or was it something else?
I think it was due to our economic status because if you didn't have the clothes you didn't go.
What difficulties did you encounter in the work place and were they due to the fact that you were a woman?
Not really. As I got older, I noticed that men were being promoted to higher positions more so than women.
How old were you when you started working?
Well we started working when we were eight or nine years old. We used to help our dad since he was a farm laborer. For years he would take the whole family from place to lace to help pick what ever we need to. I have been working ever since. I love working.
Did you change careers?
Yes I did. After a while I started working at the Lincoln Theatre and then I went to work for a dentist. I was a dental assistant. Back then you didn't need any formal training to do that type of work. After I got married, I went to work for the United States Air Force at McClellan Air Force Base.
How old were you when you got married?
I was seventeen. I married a handsome man by the name of John Anthony.
Do you think women's roles have changed over the years?
Oh yes. There are more women in higher offices and positions. There are more opportunities and great doors have opened for us. Most of these changes have come because of greater education. Back then you were supposed to get married, have children and take care of the house and your husband. There was little encouragement to further your education.
Has parenting changed today from what you grew up with?
Oh yes it sure has. Parents back then could do more with the children as far as discipline goes. Not meaning you could beat on them or anything lie that but today parents can not discipline their children because of the way the laws have been stricter due to too many child abuse cases. Parent today are at a disadvantage when it comes to strict discipline.
What made you cry?
Well a lot of things have. When I lost my brother….. I guess death makes me cry. I think the thing that made me cry the most was when I was going to leave Lincoln California, the only home I knew. I used to be only twenty minutes away from my family in California. I remember seeing my dad cry when I was getting on the train, he tried to hide it but I could see him crying. I think I cried for an entire year after I left California.
Is there anything else you would like to add to this interview?
I feel comfortable with the interview. I am glad Ryne selected me for the interview. At the same time I was uncomfortable because there is so much in my life, coming from an older generation. There were a lot of things people didn't talk about because their lives were too private. When I started this I didn't know what was going to come out but it was a comfortable interview and I feel fine with it. That was the only thing I was nervous about.
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