IN HER OWN WORDS

A life, held
in letters.

Letters from Joan to John.
Little moments, everyday stories, and love—
kept in her own handwriting.

Explore the letters

THE FIRST CHAPTER 1957 — 1958

Envelope addressed to John McKenna in De Pere, Wisconsin
Joan’s handwritten letter dated September 24, 1957
With love, JoanORIGINAL LETTER · SEPTEMBER 24, 1957

THE LETTER COLLECTION

One letter at a time.

Six letters. A story in their own words.
Arranged from earliest to latest.

KEPT FOR THE FAMILY

The paper. The words.
The little things.

This collection begins with Joan’s letters to John. The original pages and envelopes are kept together, so you can read each letter just as it was written.

Dates come from the letters and their postmarks. Where a year is uncertain, a note explains it. Choose “Read typed letter” for a plain-text transcription, or read the original photos. Brackets mark words that could not be read with confidence. The short descriptions are reading guides.

See the collected envelopes
JOAN TO JOHN

Original photograph · Use the arrows to turn the page