ROCHELLE — At least twice a year the four “Dodge girls” get together to reminisce, share laughs and catch up.

The sisters, their maiden name Dodge, have shared a special bond for decades and although two live in Arizona and Texas, they all make it a priority to see each other. Which is something they said would make their mom proud.
Evelyn Felt, Berniece Espe, Ginny Kettleson, and Vivian Kayes all grew up during the depression — a time etched forever in history as an economic struggle for Americans.
But the sisters have fond memories of their youth and of a vibrant Rochelle — the grocery stores, theater, meat markets, shoe stores, clothing stores, bowling alley, and soda shop to name a few. They were all majorettes in high school.
“We would go to the bakery and buy three loaves of bread for a quarter,” Kayes said. “It would fit in the basket on the bike. At the grocery store, we would give the clerk our list and they would pick everything out. There weren’t any carts or aisles.”
Kayes, at age 89, is the youngest of the sisters. She chuckled as they shared a story about sneaking into her older sister’s drawers to get her clothes and making sure they were neatly folded and put back in place after she wore them.

Espe, 93, worked as a cashier at the Hub Theater, then at Whitcomb Locomotive after graduating high school. Espe had a cardboard cutout of her made to showcase the film, “Strike Up The Band,” playing at the Hub Theater.
“Saturdays we could go to the Hub for a dime, see a double feature, with news and the cartoon,” Kayes said. “Sometimes we got popcorn… not often mom could afford for us to get a bag of popcorn.”
The old Barker and Sullivan was a popular spot for the high school kids because of the soda fountain. They talked about another popular spot, Spring Lake, with the big slide and the sandy lake bottom. Huge elm trees lining Seventh Street forming an arbor, was another fond memory, which they recalled were lost due to Dutch elm disease in the 1950s.
“When we were growing up we didn’t have a refrigerator, we had an icebox,” Kayes said. “It was the depression, but we always had a brand new outfit for Easter.”
All four of the sisters gathered in Espe’s home in Rochelle this past Wednesday afternoon, enjoying the good times and closeness they all had. Even after marrying, the ladies and their husbands took vacations together.
Felt, being the oldest at 95, recalled her first babysitting job fetched five cents an hour, which was good money. Felt just recently celebrated the birth of her great-great-grandchild. All of the sisters have children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren.
“We really enjoy getting together and sharing each other’s company, talking about memories,” Kettleson beamed. “And still knowing that today is Wednesday.”
Kettleson, 91, joked about the sisters’ still having their mental faculties.
As far as longevity, all of the “Dodge girls” unanimously believe it’s good genes and a positive attitude. They all agree they are fortunate to have each other.
“We four have been very blessed. Mother would be happy that we’re still talking. That was her one wish, ‘Please get along.’ She would always say, ‘Your sisters are the closest people you’ll ever have. You can have a spouse and you can have children, but your sisters and you are closer than anything.’ We are happy to have each other.”