Judy Reveron

Partial Transcript: Can you begin by telling me where you were born and where you grew up?

I was born in Puerto Rico and I came here when I was 17 years old.

Segment Synopsis: Growing up, Judy Reveron’s family worked on fields harvesting sugar cane and coffee. Her community in Puerto Rico was mostly made up of family members, noting that most of her friends were her cousins. She immigrated to the United States at the age of 17, leaving her family in Puerto Rico.

Keywords: Puerto Rico; family; farm work

Partial Transcript: I moved to the United States when I was 17 years old. I came for a vacation and I stayed.

And where did you stay?

I stayed with my brother, my oldest brother... he lived here with his family so I came to live with his family.

Segment Synopsis: When she came to the United States in 1962, Mrs.Reveron stayed with her brother in Lorain, Ohio. She worked in a factory at 18 years old. Coming to the United States she could only speak Spanish, leading her to the Spanish-speaking, Puerto Rican community of Lorain where she received some guidance. She met her husband at her work in Cleveland through mutual friends.

Keywords: Cleveland; Factory; Spanish; community; spouse

Partial Transcript: Did you have any concerns about him going into the military?

Oh, yes. Because it was the Vietnam era. We were thinking of getting married but it was like; How about if you get sent to Vietnam?

Segment Synopsis: At the time her husband was being drafted they had begun discussing getting married. After he did his basic training and went to medical school, Mrs.Reveron joined her husband on base in Wichita Falls, Texas. They got married in 1967 and she reflects on her lack of English as continuing to isolate her in this new community. She was able to make friends with the other couples on the Sheppard air force base. The church across the street from where they lived was used for both Protestant and Catholic services. She remembers the difficulty of seeing young men returning from Vietnam, suffering from trauma induced mental health issues.

Keywords: Draft; Vietnam; catholicism; church; community; family; friendship; marriage; mental health; military base

Partial Transcript: Was there anybody else, like did you have any other friends in the military or also siblings... that served?

My brother was also in the service, in Germany, but it was a totally different time...

Segment Synopsis: Mrs.Reveron’s brother served in the military in Germany, however she notes that the experience was different and that she was always in communication with her family.

Keywords: Germany; military family; service

Segment Synopsis: She made many friends from various different states who were all young families. They would celebrate holidays together, stating that the community was only close with each other though now, she says, they’ve lost touch. While her husband worked, Mrs.Reveron worked as a stay-at-home mother. She hated living in Texas; it was too flat for her liking and the weather was strange. She remembers having to translate arguments between her neighbors children where one child only knew English and the other only knew Spanish. After 3 and a half years of her husband working in Texas, she was delighted to hear that he had received early leave. The time she spent in Texas was very lonely.

Keywords: Children; Community; Wichita falls; holidays; language; loneliness

Segment Synopsis: Mrs.Reveron moved back to Cleveland with her husband since they were already familiar with the area. She states that she didn’t like Cleveland either, saying that it was “too busy” for her. The move was easier because she was close to her mother-in-law and could travel to visit her family in Lorain.

Keywords: Cleveland; Family; Lorain

Segment Synopsis: She recounts a New Years Eve celebration with her husband and other soldiers, feeling pity for them because they didn’t have loved ones to celebrate with. This prompted her husband to decide not to re-enlist in the military. Mrs.Reveron reflects on her feelings of military service. Her husband's service within the military brought them closer together, feeling more secure that he could at least come home.

Keywords: family; reenlistment; respect; soldiers; solidarity

Segment Synopsis: Mrs.Reveron hopes to leave a message of self-respect, dedication, and family. She reflects that neither her nor her husband knew what to expect when entering military life. Being far away from family was an aspect of what made their lifestyle difficult and lonely.

Keywords: Enlistment; family; respect; strength