Through one Iowa family, the “Leora books” tell stories about world and national events reaching into the American Heartland–westward expansion, two world wars, pandemics, mental health issues, the Great Depression, and dealing with great personal losses. The stories of courageous Leora Goff Wilson are hopeful as well.
Leora’s Early Years
The oldest of ten children, Leora Goff gathered the tenacity, optimism and hope to endure dozens of family moves, great losses, an influenza pandemic, brothers drafted for the Great War.
When she married Clabe Wilson, they became forged into parents who would shepherd their own family of seven children through two more eras of world and local history–the Great Depression and WWII.
Leora’s Dexter Stories
Leora Wilson hoped that one day she and husband Clabe could have a home of their own where their youngsters could thrive and all earn high school diplomas, which she had not been allowed as a girl.
But in the undertow of the Great Depression, those dreams were jeopardized by the struggle just to survive. The Wilsons were faced with a heartless landlord, nine children with whooping cough, a needle jammed in Leora’s hand, and relentless unemployment. Their two oldest sons joined the Navy in order to have jobs and enough to eat.
As the Wilsons slowly slid into poverty, Leora tried to keep her dreams alive while making a haven for her flock in one run-down house after another.
Leora’s Letters
Five sons served. Only two came home. One son was already in the Navy before Pearl Harbor was attacked. The four others worked with their father as tenant farmers near Minburn, Iowa, until–one by one, all five sons were serving their country.
Along with her regular chores of cooking and cleaning, gardening and taking care of chickens, Leora wrote hundreds of letters, dispensing news and keeping up the morale of the whole family, which included two adult daughters.
Leora’s Letters is the compelling account of a woman whose most tender hopes were disrupted by great losses. Three of her sons lost their lives during the war, yet Leora lived out four more decades with hope and resilience.
What Leora Never Knew
What Leora Never Knew: A Granddaughter’s Quest for Answers is my journey of research into what happened to the three Wilson brothers, tenant farmers who became pilots and who lost their lives during World War II.
“We must never forget these three brothers.” – Marcus Brotherton, New York Times bestselling author
“This reviewer, a World War II aviation historian, was very impressed with the author’s determined and exhaustive research.” – Steve Blake, Co-editor of Lightning Strikes! publication of the P-38 National Association.
About the Author
I’m the oldest granddaughter of Leora Wilson. As a child, I helped Grandma, along with my mother and her sister, take Memorial Day bouquets to the graves of three young uncles, not knowing that only one of them is buried here in Iowa–until decades later, after losing my courageous little grandma and reading the family’s WWII letters for the first time.
In what order should these books be read, Joy?
A couple of people have suggested starting with her early stories, then Depression Era, then WWII and the new one. I posted them in the order they were written. hmmm Should I rearrange them? Thanks, Darlene, I rearranged them.
Thanks. I plan to read them soon in the order you suggested.
Each one can “stand alone,” but I noticed how I enjoyed watching individual personalities form through the decades. Thank you, Darlene.
So good, Joy! 🥰
I just love Leora Wilson’s tightly knit family and how they supported one another. Such hard workers! 🙂
Thank you, Nancy! I’ve been thinking about how most of her brothers, there were 7 of them, watched out for her when she was older.
Hopeful stories Joy. We need stories like these more than ever! 🙂
Yes, even though we humans live through difficult times. That small woman is still such a delightful role model!
Awesome! So proud to know you and own all of your books! Congratulations!
Bless you, Lori. I’m still amazed and humbled by it all.
I can easily say that no matter what a person’s interests, they need not be Iowa or WWII, to find these books interesting!
Thank you, GP! I hope they’ll also encourage readers to write their own family stories!
Indeed. Far too many have been lost.
I’m sure my wife and I will be deeply pleased with your books, Joy. I hope you’re doing well.
I’m aging gratefully but my husband (today’s our 58th anniversary) is dealing with Parkinson’s. We’re thankful for each other and not giving up! Thank you, Tim. Someone on LinkedIn suggested I do a post with all four books so he could share it!
Happy Anniversary to you both, Joy! My best hope and prayers to you both. ❤🙏 I think it’s a good idea to post with all four books on LinkedIn. I’ll share it too.
Thank you, Tim, for your best wishes and for sharing the post about the Leora stories!
Shared!!
Bless you, Liz!
It looks like I read #3 first, but I look forward to reading the others too, Joy. Congratulations on getting Leora’s story into print in this moving collection. ❤️
Thank you, Lauren. I wrote Leora’s Letters first because it was the story that cried out to be known. With my iffy health, I thought it might be the one and only. I ended up with a trilogy, although written backwards! What Leora Never Knew is a bonus book. Still amazed and humbled with it all.
Happy Anniversary, Joy and Guy. Connie and I had just married on May 7 that year. In late May we were on our way to USMC Quantico for my basic training. I had to think awhile to remember why we were not in Iowa. Cousin Bob
Thank you, Bob! We didn’t get to your wedding since we were in the middle of finals.