My US Citizenship

(image from American Flag Wallpaper)

When I received my citizenship papers, I was proud! Even receiving a personal letter from Congressman Don Edwards inviting me to lunch whenever I come to visit Washington...of course I never got to do that while he was in that seat. I treasure the letter and book he sent me.

Because I did not have a birth certificate I had to use my green card before becoming a citizen This "green card" with a photo of me at 8 years old as my Picture ID...I even used it to get into bars before I had an American ID or drivers license. You should have seen the faces of bouncers when I handed them the green card...yeah right, they would say... it was funny indeed.

Something I have always treasured. Congressman Don Edwards

Although this is an unattractive photo, my new passport photo is even worse...I think they have a setting for UGLY on passport taking cameras...

an old Postcard circa: 1910

Prior to us leaving for Hamburg, my Uncle Eugene came to our house and fought with my mother because we were leaving for America. He then took (kidnapped) my sister and me in the hopes we would be his, and he would have our part of the inheritance from our father who had just died. You see my Uncle and his wife were childless, and he tried claiming my mother as unfit because she was in show business.

When my mom got us back, she gave what we had to my Uncle to appease him. Then a couple of days later in the middle of the night my mother, sister and I left traveling by train. stopping to say good-by to some relatives in different towns, and all the time being pursued by my Uncle.

We arrived at the Hamburg Port late at night, my mother told the officials there, that my Uncle was trying to take away her daughters. They put us up in barracks (they must have been for soldiers that had come through this port for the war) Later that night the door opened to our room, my Uncle and the Police had come to claim us. My mother became upset and began screaming, she showed them our passports and papers for departure, this commotion then brought in the Port's officials...and to our benefit the Port was under American Occupation, making us under the jurisdiction of the US...My Uncle and the police were told to leave.

With our official papers we were to be boarded the next day...but for us, they changed it early in the morning...on a dark, cold, fog shrouded morning, on to American soil...the ship S.S.Washington.

more on the SS Washington ship

All that I can remember about that voyage on the ship, it was stormy, I was sick and didn't eat, and at one point got lost in the boiler room...needless to say not a trip to relish.

Liberty Statue

After the stormy trip on the sea, we arrived on the morning of December 14th 1950...it was cold and foggy.

As the ship was slowly coming in, standing on the deck we saw the Statue of Liberty through the soupy fog, and mom said, "Don't ever forget this day!"

Although we still were sick, seeing the statue and knowing our new life will begin here in America, brought joy to our hearts and tears to our eyes.

Ellis Island a faint memory, but still a memory.

December 1950 we arrived in the United States from Germany, this after my father the Baron Alexander von Meyer died. His mother, Georgianna Ives was born in Hartford, Connecticut, and from the famed clockmaker/print family.

My mom brought us to this country for the freedom, she was already familiar with the U.S. because she had worked and performed for Ringling Brothers Circus.

Germany..... panel 573
Delia von Meyer
Alexandra von Meyer
Eli von Meyer

Puerto Rico..... panel 627
Reyes Pacheco
Hawaii
Virginia Basque Pacheco

It's truly an Honor to be on this wall with many other great Americans...
My sister, mom and my name are on this Ellis Island Wall of Honor...I purchased these plaques when the wall first was introduced...a few years later I also bought name plaques for my husbands father and mother, they where immigrants from Hawaii and Puerto Rico.

Our dream came true after this article...For me Holidays related to the USA celebrations like the 4th of July, the flag and elections mean a great deal...I don't take it for granted.

Who would have thought that I would be featured on a world renowned product as the Sunmaid Raisin Girl...an American icon image, being part of it since 1970...How American can that be! Yes, that is me on the box now!

My interest was art so I pursued that field, starting out designing labels for the Shaklee Corp., and then my own art business...my award winning artwork has been featured in books, magazines, newsletters, pamphlets, auction houses, murals, board game, puzzles and coloring book.

I am a proud American, married to a decorated Vietnam Veteran, and have two beautiful daughters that have accomplished lives. And to say, I am a proud American....is an understatement.

Ruthi 2/12
oxfordian 1/12
JoshK47 11/11
CCGAL 11/11
miaponzo 11/11
Jodi_k 5/11
capriliz 3/11
Sami4u 12/10
LoKackl 4/10
mysticmama 3/10