Memoirs of a Ziegfeld Showgirl: A Gift from Nana

By Mae DeSousa and Wayne L. Gustafson

This story is about my grandmother and how life was during the late
1800's thru the 1920's. It begins with my grandmother at 93 years old and
receiving a Christmas gift from her grandson, me. The gift was a journal
for her to reflect on her life story. The family always heard of her Ziegfeld
Follies days but now realizing her final days are near we wanted more. It
begins in Springfield, Illinois on to Chicago and then New York City with
the Follies. Her experiences and choices in her journey, make for
interesting early 1900's reading.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Xlibris US
• Release date: Sep 19, 2012
• ISBN: 9781477156605

Mae DeSousa

The author Wayne Gustafson, was fascinated with his grandmothers stories of her youth and one day realizing it might all be lost and forgotten decided to do something about it. At Christmas 1985 he gave her a gift. It was a journal for her to write down the moments she recalls. Months passed and she passed away. After her death the family went through her things and found her story. We came upon a large envelope stuffed with writings, not the journal. She wrote her story for us but that is just the beginning.

Book preview

Copyright © 2012 by Wayne L. Gustafson.

120213-GUST

ISBN:   Softcover   978-1-4771-5659-9

            eBook           978-1-4771-5660-5

All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without permission in writing from the copyright owner.

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Xlibris Corporation

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Wayne Gustafson

[e-mail]

This Book is dedicated to my children and grandchildren so they might better understand their great grandmother/great great grandmother who was born 30 years after the Civil War and during difficult times. It was my grandmother’s wish to pass on the story of her life and times taking us from 1894 to 1930. You will discover what life was like in the early 1900’s and see the choices she made, right or wrong, to survive and try to find happiness for her and her children... A special thanks to Michele and Peter Brown, and Marilynne Wackerman for assisting me in editing and proofing this story. Their assistance was greatly appreciated.

Wayne Gustafson

OCTOBER 1, 2011

Contents

A Christmas Gift to Nana

1890 thru 1899

1894, Life and Times in Springfield, Illinois

DeSousa Family

1898, Christmas Tragedy

1900 thru 1909

Our Family moves to Chicago, Illinois

I Was a Real Tomboy

Christmas Tragedy Again and a Family Divided

At 12 Years Old, a Runaway

1910 thru 1919

I Married for Security Not Love

Running Away Again... Now to New York City with Two Children...

1920 thru 1929

Broadway Shows and Constantly Working...

Post Depression Time

A Christmas Gift to Nana

This is a story of family tragedies and a young girl’s quest to survive and endure during difficult times. This is my grandmother’s (Anna Mae DeSousa) story of her journey through difficult times and her evolving lifetime moments.

The story begins at a moment in my life (Wayne Gustafson) when I realized my grandmother or Nana was now aging and had many life stories that