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DillieHer name was Thalia Dorothy Meissner, but we always called her Dillie. Her middle name came from her grandmother Eva Dorathea (Krauss) Meissner and her aunt Dora Meissner. Dillie was born in Wisconsin on May 25 1884, the oldest of eleven children of Adolph and Loretta (Haskins) Meissner. At the age of two she moved with her parents to southern Oregon, and about fifteen years later to eastern Washington. Dillie met Edward Monroe, whose father was a Church of God preacher at Colfax WA. They were married at Pullman WA on June 27 1906; they later moved to Montana, and then to a homestead in Alberta (Canada) with the Monroe family. After one winter they moved from Canada to Alabama, where Ed became extremely ill. When he was able to travel, they returned to California hoping to regain his failing health, but Ed died in 1913 (from "malignant fever" or from tuberculosis). Dillie was still in Upland in 1914 when her parents and their younger children (Manley, Charlie, Carrie, Paul, Lillian, Edith, and Percy James) were forced to leave Mexico because of a revolution. The family stayed at Upland until they went to Panama in 1916. Dillie met Bill Schertz in Upland and they were married (1915?) but soon divorced (1917?) Carrie remained at Upland and married Andrew Zaich in 1918. At the time of the 1920 US Census, Dillie was living with Andrew and Carrie. Soon afterward, Dillie married Andrew’s cousin George Zaich. George was Dillie’s devoted husband for the remaining 32 years of her life. Dillie never had any children. Dillie and George lived for a time in Owens Valley, and then in southern Los Angeles where George was an underground construction worker. In the 1930s they relocated to Malibu Lake (northwest of Los Angeles) where they were managers at the country club, and George was in charge of maintenance. Some of their nephews and nieces fondly remember learning to swim in the pool near the clubhouse. Dillie was talented at arts (oil painting), crafts (quilts and hooked rugs), and cooking. They built a house in the hills above the lake, where they lived during World War II. Their nieces and nephews often visited for a week or so during the summer. Dillie had contracted diabetes, and at about this time she lost her sight. But she knew her kitchen layout and was able to continue cooking. She also listened to her radio and to recorded books. Later George built a house at Manhattan Beach which duplicated the layout of their Malibu Lakeside home, so Dillie could continue keeping house and cooking. She died at Los Angeles June 19 1952, at the age of 68. |
NOTE: This account is compiled from various sources, and probably contains errors.
Corrections or confirming data will be appreciated. – Loren, 2002
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