A biography written by Margaret Waite Arnold

My mother, Julia Rockfellow Waite, was born in Mt. Morris, N.Y. on August 29, 1893. Her mother, Flora McNair Rockfellow, traveled from Arizona back to her parents in N.Y. for the birth. She had lost her first child Hugh, at 6 months and no doubt felt safer in N.Y. than in Arizona.

Mother's father, John A. Rockfellow taught at the University of Arizona where they lived until she was 6 or 7. She was the darling of the campus.

Julia Rockfellow, age 2, c. 1895 (Buehman Studio, Tucson)

In about 1900 the family moved to Tombstone, Arizona Territory, where mother went to school.

In summers the family moved out to Cochise Stronghold where she learned to ride, side saddle at that!

L-R: Henri, Phil, Flora, Julia, c. 1900

Julia, Henri and Phil, August 18, 1903

When she was 9 mother went east to spend the winter with her grandparents and go to school that winter. Her aunt, Annie G. Rockfellow was wonderful to her and they were always very close.

Annie Graham Rockfellow, Tucson, AZ

In 1915 mother graduated from the U of A where she was very popular and loved the life there. She was sec't. of her class, a faithful member of Kappa Alpha Theta and very involved in life on and off the campus.

Theatrical production, University of Arizona, c. 1914. Julia is in the white dress.

In 1916 she taught school in Douglas, Arizona and in 1917 in Tombstone and Tucson.

In 1917 she met a young man on the steps of the Cochise Hotel. Her father didn't want to introduce her and told her he was "some Eastern chap from Harvard." Brother Philip arrived late for his train and in his hurry his suitcase fell open with everything falling out. The young chap sprang to help repack and the introduction followed. Of course Allan proceeded to court Julia.

Allan G. Waite courted her at the Stronghold. He had lots of competition!

Julia Rockfellow, wedding(?)

Allan and Julia were married in Tucson on Dec. 12, 1917. She received a telegram from Major A.G. Waite telling her he had leave to get married. The wedding was planned for the next day. Her father was off on a surveying trip and never made it to the wedding. They went to San Antonio where Dad was stationed. Later he was ordered to Washington, D.C. where they lived part of a year until he was discharged.

They lived a short while in N.Y.C. where Allan Jr. was born on Dec. 9, 1919, in Buffalo N.Y. where Margaret was born on Sept. 14, 1922 and then to Brookline, Mass. where John Webster Waite was born on Oct. 17, 1928.

Most summers the family went to Duxbury, Mass., where we lived in a number of rented houses and had a lovely carefree summer.

For many years, 1930 to 1944, our winter home was on Griggs Rd. [Brookline, Mass.] In earlier years the property had been the Griggs farm, belonging to A.G.W.'s grandfather Griggs. The land was given to the town of Brookline, Mass.

Leaving the Stronghold for Massachusetts, c. 1939

In 1944 Mother and Dad moved permanently to Duxbury in their own house on Plumfield Lane.

They were very involved with the community and their friends. Mother was a charter member of the Duxbury Garden Club, winning many prizes for her flower arrangements while Allan toiled and played in his vegetable garden.

After dad had suffered a stroke and was in a resthome, the house on Plumfield Lane was sold and mother moved to an attractive apartment on the Weyerhouser property.

Allan G. Waite died on January 5, 1979.

Waite family in front of the Pearce, AZ General Store, 1979

In spite of her early years in Arizona, she loved the New England winters.

Mother and dad always spent Christmas with us in Grafton, Mass. She loved reading the children's books, especially about horses and any cook books.

A.G.W. had given his body to Harvard Medical school so his burial was not until two years after his death. The day he was interred in Forest Hills cemetary we took a picnic lunch and talked of all the relatives that are buried there.

Mother LOVED her birthday. She was well celebrated on her ninetieth and received over 125 cards.

Whenever I went to visit her in Duxbury Mother and I would drink our evening bourbon and eat cheese crunchies at the kitchen table. The light was too strong for her weak eyes, hence the visor.

And when I left the next day Mother would always come out to wave goodbye a little tearily.

In 1988 mother fell and the doctor said she could no longer live alone. We were fortunate to get the only single roon for her at Keith Hill Nursing Home in Grafton. The nurses all loved her good spirits and sense of humor and took great care of her. She would come down to our house on Oak St. often and when it was warm she loved sitting in the garden.

Julia Rockfellow Waite died December 3, 1991 in Worcester, Massachusetts.