Marnie Geisel's family life before Dr. Seuss books is reflected in the Early LifeMemoir.
Ted was two years younger than Margaretha Christine.She was affectionately called Marnie by her family, and she had a close relationship with Ted.
The tall and pretty Marnie held her younger brother's hand as they walked to school, played tennis with him at the city courts in Forest Park near their home, and enjoyed dressing in costumes with Ted during the many birthday parties their mother held for them.She was very studious and took school work more seriously than Ted.Marnie attended Smith College after graduating from Central High School.
Ted drew his unique versions of the animals at the Forest Park Zoo when he was a child.Marnie would tease her brother because his drawings were exaggerated.Ted drew a mural of animals on the wall of his sister's bedroom when they were young, which was wallpapered over in the house on Fairfield Street.
Some of Ted's childhood memories were not good.As America entered World War I, the young Marnie and Ted became friends as they coped with the taunts of others.The challenging social issues that Marnie and Ted faced as children had an impact on their lives.
The death of Ted's youngest sister, who was named after their mother, was a sad memory.She died of pneumonia at eighteen months old.Ted was four years old when his sister died, but the image of her tiny casket in the music room of their home stayed with him the rest of his life.