September 4, 2009
People of Faith
BY STEVE HALBIG
People of Faith is a new feature in a familiar frame. Steve Halbig, writing for the Message, will ask a series of questions of people of the diocese — some who have reached the “age of wisdom” and some who are younger. All will share stories of their faith.
Name: Betty Ann and Tom Titzer
Parish: St. Theresa, Evansville. Tom is a charter member.
Number of children, grandchildren: eight children, four boys, four girls; 10 grandchildren and five great-grandchildren
Have you lived in Southern Indiana all your life? All but five years when we lived in Phoenix, Arizona. We intended to stay but our youngest son at the time developed asthma and the doctor told us to take him back to Southern Indiana. We came home after he had been in the hospital 12 times in 11 months.
Tell us a few things about yourself: Betty: I was born on a farm at Snake Run, the oldest of five siblings. I attended school at Fort Branch and the eighth grade at Sts. Peter and Paul in Haubstadt and graduated from Fort Branch High School. I enjoy working in the yard, baking pies and love to travel. We did a lot of camping when the family was younger. We also loved to dance in younger years.
Tom: I was raised on a farm, but when I graduated from high school, dad sold the farm and I became an apprentice brick mason. In my second year, I competed at the Indiana State Fair and came in first of all the other apprentices in the state. Now I enjoy bowling on a senior league during the winter months. The best is when I help coach the sixth, seventh and eighth grade students on the speech team for the past 10 years. He is a member of the Toastmasters.
What are some of your earliest childhood memories? Betty: Growing up, we lived on the opposite corner from St. Bernard’s Church. All of our activities were involved at the Church Hall, such as 4-H, etc. We would ride our bikes and meet our friends at the corner store, which was down the hill from the church and where everyone stopped on Sunday morning to get The Evansville Courier. We also had a dance every Wednesday night, which were some good times. On Sunday morning after Mass, everyone met outside and visited and talked. Mom always had birthday parties for us and invited all the neighbor children.
Tom: Playing cowboys and Indians in the woods with my brother Jim and the neighbor kids. Swinging on the hay rope in the loft and playing with a 4-foot-long blacksnake until it escaped. Getting together and playing baseball and football.
What are your memories of World War II? Betty: I remember the Sunday the war ended. Mom, Dad and siblings were visiting cousins in Jasper. I remember the rationing of food, sugar, shoes, tires and gasoline, but we always had plenty to eat by living on a farm.
Tom: Visiting with a camp of paratroopers near McCutchanville. Some of us boys fitted boxes on our bike handlebars and they would give us money to ride up to the gas/grocery store to bring them candy, soft drinks, cigarettes and doughnuts. They would tip us really good. We would see some of them with crutches and casts on their arms from being injured while parachuting over Kentucky.
When you were a child, what did you want to be when you grew up? Betty: The normal thing back in my time was getting married and raising a family.
Tom: I thought I would be a farmer like my dad, but I suppose I lucked out by becoming a brick mason. I was able to earn enough money to marry my wonderful wife, raise 8 beautiful children and have a nice home. I have been truly blessed.
Who influenced you growing up? Betty: The priests at St. Bernard’s, aunts and uncles, cousins and parents.
Tom: I believe it was my parents and my uncles and aunts. They were all hard working and made wonderful role models. I was never spoiled and they made me always feel wanted.
Who do you consider to be the best role models today? Betty: People that volunteer for charitable organizations and the priests in our dioceses.
Tom: I would have to say some of my school teachers, some of our parishioners who volunteer at church functions, and charitable organizations such as the food banks.
Describe how your faith helped you through difficult times in your life: Betty: While raising our family during the ups and downs.
Tom: I have been fortunate. There was the time when my oldest daughter graduated from college and moved immediately to New York for a job she had been given. She never had time to be at home first and she knew no one there and had to find a place to live, knowing nothing about the city. I felt so sorry for her. I suppose the good Lord was watching over her.
Do you have any hobbies? How do you stay active? Betty: I work part-time. I enjoy working in the yard. I help at our Sunday dinners, social and bereavement dinners, as Sunday greeters and volunteering at the St. Vincent de Paul Food Pantry. Enjoy spending time with our grandchildren and great-grandchildren.
Tom: I sometimes play a little golf at Wesselman Park and I bowl with a seniors group through the winter months. I guess mowing the yard is being active. I do occasionally write a little poetry. I also volunteer at the Food Pantry.
What is your first memory of church? Betty: Going to Mass every Sunday and making my First Communion. Everything we did revolved around church.
Tom: Going to the old St. John Church in Daylight, Ind. Watching Father Hunger saying Mass and listening to his homilies, which seemed to be the same every Sunday. Then for about an hour after Mass, all the men would gather and talk about farming and the weather, and the women would get in groups and talk about recipes and cooking.
What do you like most about being a Catholic? Betty: Going to Mass and receiving the Sacraments.
Tom: I think my faith helps me from worrying about so many things. At Mass, I feel I can pray to God about any problems that arise and He will be at my side to help me get through them. At church doings I also feel as if I’m one of a large family.
If you could make one change in your community, what would it be? Tom: I think if we would learn to respect and help each other when needed, it would be great.
Do you have a favorite Saint? A favorite religious item? Betty: A handmade wooden crucifix my brother, Father Bernie (Lutz), brought me when he was in Innsbruck, Austria. Also a blue rosary from Lourdes from my cousin and a crystal rosary my mother-in-law brought me from a mission in Arizona.
Tom: St. Anthony first? I don’t really want to pick a favorite saint, because at times I may need a different one. After all, I could be named after St. Thomas! Years ago, and I can’t remember by whom, I was given an old wooden rosary, which I should pray more often.
Any regrets in life? Betty: I have no regrets in life; we have a wonderful family and good health.
Tom: To be born rich! Not really. I just wish I had been more kind, helpful and loving to all my friends, my parents, my brother Jim and sister Betty, all who have passed away.
What is your best wisdom on life? Betty: Treat others as you would like to be treated and have faith.
Tom: Always treat others as you would like to be treated, to help others when in need and never put off ‘til tomorrow what you can do today, for tomorrow may not come!