From Myrtle Dostal: Myrtle’s Musings
Myrtle Dostal is a long standing St. Luke’s member. Now living at Villa St.
Francis, we don’t see her as much as we’d like but she was willing to share
snippets with Marge Kiss from what has been a quite exciting life. Myrtle in her
younger years traveled extensively from Alaska to South America to Europe. One
of her favorite vacation spots appears to have been Las Vegas evidenced by the
fact that starting in 1959 she visited there each year for 31 years. Myrtle
remembers when a round-trip ticket on the train was $75.00, room rent was $8.00
a night and one could see Frank Sinatra for just $10.00 and meals were only 99
cents. She once she hit the jackpot in the nickel slot machine– $100.00. She
and her girlfriends sometimes took advantage of a Land Deal Program in which
individuals selling land in Florida sponsored sales meetings with a free
breakfast. At the meetings free tickets to the Vegas shows and coupons for
Blackjack were handed out. Of course, Myrtle and her friends couldn’t afford
to buy any land, but they took advantage of the opportunity to see a free show.
Myrtle’s love for life and joyful celebration of it are obvious.
One of Myrtle’s favorite activities years ago was bowling. She really loved the team’s bowling outfit: it was a black dress with a white kick pleat and a white wool jacket with black piping. There were five girls on the team who bowled together and participated in a number of National Bowling Tournaments in places like Dallas, New Orleans and Kansas City. It was in Kansas City that a newspaper reporter had approached them asking to take their pictures. After the tournament the reporter apologized and said he would not be able to photograph them because he had to rush off; President Truman was in town. Of course, Myrtle and her friends jumped in a cab so that they too could see the President. Since they had relatively first hand knowledge of the President’s arrival, they were in the front row of people waiting. President Truman entered supported by two men. It seemed the effects of a bit too much of the drink were showing. Myrtle remembers thinking: "And that is our President." As an aside she said: You probably won't be able to print that.