In this special episode of Dearest Suzie, we step away from the battlefield and into the memory, voice, and wisdom of the woman who saved the letters. Recorded over Zoom, this episode features a heartfelt conversation with my grandmother, Susan “Mema” Lowie, about her life before, during, and after the Vietnam War. It’s a deeply personal portrait of a woman whose love, strength, and honesty made this entire project possible.

Mema talks candidly about her childhood in Manville, New Jersey, her parents’ struggles with mental illness and alcoholism, and her early marriage to Bill “Popi” Lowie. Together we revisit the places they lived—Fort Bragg, Fort Ord, Munich—and the years she raised three young boys while Popi flew missions in Vietnam. We talk about memory, marriage, the lingering cost of war, and what it means to tell the truth, even when it hurts.

This interview is about the things we inherit that aren't always written down: silence, resilience, pain, and love.

🔔 If you enjoyed this episode, don’t forget to like, share, and subscribe. I’ll be posting new episodes regularly, sharing letters and stories from exactly 60 years ago—as written, remembered, and preserved by my family.

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