As Sure as God Made Little Green Apples, There Will Always Be Love

By Susan A. Crawford

A little girl stares with amazement at the big city while she grasps her grandfather's hand...

A little boy watches his grandmother struggle to collect firewood with only one good leg and an old chair for balance...

A modern Cinderella story about a pretty young girl with childhood dreams and an innocent heart. A handsome young man with a drive for the wild side and a passion for living life to the fullest.

Can two young lives so completely opposite of each other form a lasting relationship?

This true love story is presented in its rawest, most unedited form through the memoirs of two individuals destined to meet and fall in love.

*****

I very much enjoyed this book. It takes you back to a time when America seemed a little less crazy, a little more pure. And yet at the heart of it is finding that lifelong love from the perspective of her and him. That love, as wholesome as apple pie, is not defined by time or era, making the book as relevant today as in the period it was written. A wonderful read.

--Margie

I could easily identify with the characters as I remembered my first date with my husband. It is truly love that brought them together in this story of faith, love, and passion.

--Kathy Chappell

Wonderful book as I know the author. I loved reading about her and her husband's childhood and their relationship. Excellent read!

--Connie Lucas

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Sep 26, 2023
• ISBN: 9798889439165

Book preview

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As Sure as God Made Little Green Apples, There Will Always Be Love

Susan A. Crawford

ISBN 979-8-88943-915-8 (paperback)

ISBN 979-8-88943-916-5 (digital)

Copyright © 2023 by Susan A. Crawford

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

1

Grandpa

2

Mama's Family

3

Home Sweet Home

4

The War

5

Growing Up

6

My Dad

7

The City

8

A Simpler Time

9

My Mom

10

Lessons

11

Summer of 1950

12

The Transition

13

The Farm

14

All Work and No Play

15

Homecoming

16

Cupid's Arrow

17

Be Still My Heart

18

Dating

19

Goodbye

20

Changing Jobs

21

As Time Went On

22

My Broken Heart

23

A Dream Come True

(As Told by Roger Crawford)

24

Memories

25

Grandma

26

Grandma's Stories

27

Granddad

28

Uncle Guy

29

Smith School

30

Brothers

31

Mom and Dad

32

The Hunt

33

The Race

34

Skipping School

35

Van Horn

36

An Angel

37

The Wreck

38

Class Ring

39

Courting

40

Boot Camp

41

USS Wisconsin

42

The Truth Is Told

About the Author

In loving memory of

my husband,

Roger D. Crawford

May 3, 1936–December 11, 2017

Acknowledgments

In loving memory of my husband, Roger,

who contributed his memories and offered

encouragement for the completion of this book.

I regret he did not live to see the final edition.

His final recordings were so very helpful.

To my friend, Kathy,

for her valuable time spent reading the book and

encouraging me along the way.

To my daughter, Kerry,

for her hours of help and insight in putting our memories on paper to share our early years with you, the reader.

My Story

(As Told by Susan Crawford)

My name is Susan Alma Crawford. My maiden name was Susan Alma Holm. My parents' names were Josephine Almedia Berggren and Clifford Holm. I have survived two brothers, Lee and David Holm, as well as one sister, Mary Ann Holm.

My life can be described as a beautiful tapestry, delicately woven with God's own hands from the threads of time and fond memories of a happy childhood.

I have known the pleasure of living life with my one true love, the joys of parenting, and have victoriously survived battles we all must face sometime in life.

Through it all, I have been blessed in every aspect of the word with God's grace and now feel compelled to share the story of my life with others.

1

Grandpa

I was born in 1938. My brother Lee was one and a half years older than me, and I was one and a half years older than my sister, Mary Ann. I was nine years old when my brother David was born, which was after my dad came home from the War.

One of my earliest remembrances took place in 1940. Grandpa Jonas held my hand as we walked down the busy city sidewalk of downtown Muskegon, Michigan. I was only about two years of age, but I remember this event clearly. I do not remember what Grandpa Jonas looked like but do recall him seeming so very tall and feeling very safe with him. At the age of two, I suppose every adult seemed tall.

His full name was Jonas Peter Berggren. He was my mother's father. He died shortly after this, I have been told, although I do not have any remembrance of his death. Records show he was born in Umeå, Sweden, on March 3, 1875. It is believed he immigrated to the United States in 1899 through Ellis Island. What a treasure it is to have this one special memory of being with my grandfather, as a very young child.

I also have other stories of Grandpa Berggren. These stories come from my mother as she told me about her life as a young child growing up in Muskegon, Michigan.

I understand my mother was the eldest of three—and very independent. Her father was independent as well and a bit of a rascal, as he had a grain alcohol still inside the garage…not so sure I should tell that story.

He also occasionally bought beer by the bucket. As a girl, Mom would go with him, once in a while, when he went to pick up a bucket. She liked sticking her finger in the top of the beer to taste the foam, which was what she enjoyed most. If my memory serves me correctly, she still liked the foamy froth on a glass of beer as an adult.

2

Mama's Family

Mama was a daddy's girl and a bit mischievous, but to my surprise, she never got into much trouble. Imagine!

I recall one story she told me of her first driving experience. They lived in a house with a driveway, which sloped down to the road. One day she decided to take the car for a spin and comfortably positioned herself in the driver's seat. Releasing the gear, she let the car roll down to the road and then proceeded to drive around the block feeling pretty brave…until she saw her father, that is. He was coming down the sidewalk when she spotted him and hightailed it back to the house. She never did say whether he saw her, but Mom laughed as she told that one, and I marveled at her sense of adventure.

My mom's mother, Grandma Berggren, was born December 27, 1878, in Bay City, Michigan. Her maiden name was Almedia Georgianna Marsh. Her father, George Washington Marsh, was born in Michigan, and her mother, Emma Jean Comb, was born in Pennsylvania.

After the death of Grandpa Berggren, rather than living alone, Grandma Berggren moved in with my mom's sister, Delores. Aunt Delores was previously married to Wayne Colburn, who was killed in action while serving in the army, only two months after they were married. Aunt Delores was a happy person and a favorite aunt of mine. Visits to see her and Grandma were among some of the best times I recall.

Aunt Delores treasured my sister, Mary Ann, and me and pampered us with all the extravagances young girls could delight in. I didn't pay much attention to what she gave our brother Lee, but the Easter baskets she made for